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)

Tremont Tavern

Second Stop on the 2013 Burger Tour, Tremont Tavern

Overall Score:  83(B)

	Burger	Sides	Service/Exp	Value	SCORE
John	63	7.5	9	9	88.5
Russell	56	6	7	6	75
Mark	63	7	8	8	86

Reviews:

John

I thought the burger was great and gave it a 9.  Tasted like it had been grilled.  Very juicy.  No tie stains, but we ate at the bar so I was able to eat over the plate.  The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is that we are early in the tour and it is possible there is a better burger down the road.   I got the fries--better than average, but not outstanding (7.5).  Burger, fries and tea were $10.25, certainly not cheap, but the bartender explained that the meat was ground on the premises, Niedlov's bun was, of course, really good; lettuce and tomato looked and tasted local.  I'm willing to pay for superior ingredients.  Value gets a 9.   Great little bar.  Love the ambiance.  Dining experience about a million times better than Sofa King.  A thick burger cooked as ordered is going to take longer so I was okay with the 25 minute wait.  Like Russell, I had to ask the bartender for a refill, but he was a really nice guy and the waitress--let's just say she added immensely to a really great dining experience.  Service/Dining Experience gets a 9.  Asked for tea with lemon and got the lemon.  3 bonus points awarded.  I saw others at lunch get chicken fingers, club sandwich and a burger with Havarti cheese and bacon.  All looked fabulous.  I'll definitely be back.  Overall Score:  B+

Russell

First off, let me begin by giving a disclaimer.  DO NOT let my score discourage you from going to The Tremont Tavern to try this great burger.  I thought the burger was very good (I scored it an 8 out of 10).  It was a very tasty burger which was complemented by a Niedlov's bun.  It was a juicy burger, unlike

Sofa King's.  I got the chips as my side.  The homemade chips were very average.  They would have been better if they would have been served warm.  The service and overall dining experience was good, but it took a hit on the scoring because it took 25 minutes to get our food once we placed our order.  I was never asked if I wanted a refill (big pet peeve of mine) and the waitress grabbed my plate before I was done eating my cold homemade chips.  The overall atmosphere was good though.  It was a laid back, neighborhood style tavern.  The overall price was similar to Sofa King but we learned that The Tremont Tavern grinds their own meat.  That has to be worth something, right???  Again, I urge you not to let my overall score disappoint or discourage you from trying The Tremont Tavern.  The burger is very good.  Overall score: C+; Burger A-

Mark

It's no secret Tremont is one of my favorite hangouts, so it's only natural that I would give this burger a high score.  I actually love all the food served here.  This burger has it all.  The bun is super, the toppings are fresh, and the beef patty is TOP QUALITY.

Empty plate and lots of used napkins, a good sign

 All this and they still manage to make it a good value.  It always takes a little longer at lunch to get your food here, but the wait is worth it.  I chose chips as my side, and to be honest they were a little cool.  I did however go through several napkins, which is a sign that the burger was nice and juicy.  I know that we are early in the tour, but this burger is going to be hard to beat.  A great burger and a great lunch.  Overall Score: B+

Sofa King Juicy Burger

First random name on the burger tour to be pulled from the hat was Sofa King Juicy Burger.

Overall Score:  (52) F

	Burger	Sides	Service/Exp	Value	SCORE
John	42	3	3	1	49
Russell	35	6	6	3	50
Mark	30	21	4	3	57

Reviews:

John

After Crust and all the hype about the new burger place, this was Sofa King disappointing.

Russell

Today was the day. Today was the start of Burger Tour 2013. The first place drawn was Sofa King Juicy Burger. My expectations were pretty low after reading some reviews and seeing such a low approval rating on Urban Spoon. The first thing I noticed when we arrived was the lack of seating. The second thing was the chaos at the counter where you place your order. You place your order at one end of the counter and pay at the other end. This would be fine except that when your name is called over the obnoxiously loud bull horn, you pick up your order at the same end of the counter where you placed your order. This causes people to have to break in line just to pick up their food.  After placing our order, it took about ten minutes to get our food (this was very quick compared to the reviews I read on Urban Spoon). The first thing I tried were the fries. The fries were horrible (we all agreed). Next I took a bite of my burger. The burger was not juicy as their name proclaims. The special sauce was not "special" and the fries and burger left much to be desired. For the price, I'd expect a really good burger. Burger Tour 2013 is not off to a good start. It will not be hard to top Sofa King. My overall score: F

Mark

Big letdown.  There are three things that the owners need to do quickly to save this place.  First, fix the line.  All it would take is a few stickers on the floor to make the line begin at the cash register and end at the door. The way it currently is set up, everyone has to break line to get their food.  Second, get rid of the stupid speaker.  I get it, you think it's cool to use a 50's era megaphone as your loud speaker.  The problem is that it's loud, the quality is crappy, and in a space this size you don't need a speaker at all.  Ditch it.  Finally, you must lower the prices.  The food just isn't good enough for what you are charging.  The burgers are REALLY dry and the fries suck.  I won't be going back.  Overall score:  F-

The 2013 Tour

We begin by looking at the list for this summer:

• Merv's
• Nikki's
• Urban Stack
• Armando's
• Tubby's
• Tremont Tavern
• Zarzour's
• Ankar's Downtown
• Sofa King
• Southern Burger
• Paddy's
• Magoo's
• North Chatt Cat
• Roy's Grill
• Doctor's Building Coffee Shop
• Porker's
• Marsha's