Paddy's Pub and Grub

Stop 3 on the burger tour: Paddy's Pub and Grub

Overall Score:  81(B)

	Burger	Sides	Service/Exp	Value	SCORE
John	56	7.5	10	9.5	83
Russell	49	6	10.5	10	75.5
Mark	56	8	10	9	83

Reviews:

John

Just doesn't get much better than Paddy's.  Due to the "No one under 21 allowed" posting, we were a little concerned that we would leave smelling like an ashtray but it turned out not to be too bad.  We were warmly greeted at the door.  Regulars were in the bar so we took a seat in the dining area, not wanting to intrude.  Shirley came over and introduced herself and we introduced ourselves.  She took our orders, carefully writing our names with an identifying notation on the ticket--white shirt, blond hair, plaid shirt.

We chatted a few minutes, acknowledging that we weren't from around there, worked downtown and had come for the burgers.   Shirley left to get our drinks and came back with the tea for Mark and me and I started to worry because there was no lemon.  But she explained (without me asking) that she would bring the lemons with Russell's Dr. Pepper.  And as promised, she returned with a small bowl of lemons and proceeded to open Russell's canned drink for him.  Throughout the meal, Shirley checked on us often and we kept up the very pleasant chitchat.  I just don't think you could find a better waitress.

I give Cindy's burger an 8.  I thought it was really tasty, veges were fresh, but the bun and cheese appeared to have come from the Save-A-Lot  and the burger was cooked a tad too much.  The fries get a 7.5 same as Tremont: better than average, but not outstanding.    Service and experience were outstanding; I don't know who is going to beat it so even though the tour has many more stops, I'm going out on a limb and giving it a 10.  Shirley saved us $.50 by pricing the burger and fries separate so the tab came out to $8.55.  Who is going to best that  for value?  Somebody might though, so I'll give that a 9.5.  Tell you this:  we were unanimous that Paddy's is about 100 times better than the pretentious Sofa King.  Overall Score:  83(B)

Russell

Paddy's Pub Grub was the third stop on our tour.  I honestly had no idea what to expect.  We were greeted with a smile by our server, Shirley.  She was great.  She was very personable and even asked our names.

This is definitely an establishment where everybody knows your name.  They have their regulars that they serve all the time.  Overall, the burger was pretty good.  The toppings were great.  The only complaint I have about the burger was that it was cooked well done and the bun was toasted.  I'm not a fan of toasted buns.  Again, the service was excellent.  You couldn't ask for better service.  Shirley made sure we had everything we needed.  This is also a great value.  From 11:00 to 2:00 they have a lunch special that includes a burger and fries for $5.95.  For the price, Paddy's is an excellent choice to satisfy your burger craving.  Overall score: 75.5(C)

Mark

Having driven by this place for years, I was really looking forward to the visit today.  This is your typical neighborhood beer joint with all that goes with it.  Nascar and football memorabilia adorn the walls and local regulars sit at the bar.  Our waitress was a super nice lady who not only did a fantastic job, she even took the time to get to know us by name.  The folks at the bar were having a spirited conversation about gardening.  Bragging about his celery, one man excitedly exclaimed "I took it out of the water and stuck the son of a bitch in the ground and it grew 6 inches the first day!"  You just aren't going to get that kind of lunch entertainment at a chain restaurant.  Ok, now for the food.  I thought the burger was pretty darn good.  The veggie toppings were fresh, the burger was a good size and the meat was really tasty.  I would have scored the burger higher, but the bun was a little stale and it was cooked just a wee bit too long for my taste.  The french fries were pretty good, nothing special but still better than Sofa King's.  Overall the value was just about right.  What sets this place apart for me is just the overall service and atmosphere.  I would imagine it would be a good place to catch a ball game on a Saturday.  I went through about 6 napkins during my meal, so  that means I'll certainly be back to have another burger here.  Overall Score: 83(B)