This was a dive; an all around dive. Under most circumstances, I like dives if the reason I'm there makes it worth it. On a recommendation from a local, who raved about the burgers here, I stopped in on a way back from a day hike.
First, there's nice, covered outdoor seating -- a promising start. To get there, though, you have to trash the suspension of your vehicle via the dirt driveway that had potholes big enough to swallow any of the local moose population. This is a four-wheel, off-road ride kind of entrance. Despite that, the ramshackle building still looked like fun in the way a dive can be fun.
As I walked in, I was assaulted by the smell of stale cigarettes. Uh-Oh. There's no smoking inside any more, but years of being a smoking establishment leaves that smell permeating everything. I suppose once the party starts, and the place is busy, and I've had enough to drink, I wouldn't notice.
The menu is limited, and on Tuesday's it's an all you can eat taco buffet and you can have anything you want as long as it's a taco; but I wasn't there on a Tuesday and wanted the burger the local recommended. The burger was okay, cooked the way I asked, but not worth the wait -- at least 30 minutes -- even when there were no more than six customers in the entire place and only two of us who were there to eat, not drink. The bartender probably figured out our tip wouldn't include bottomless alcohol and didn't spend much time with customer service -- evidenced by bringing out the orders of some to-go customers who came in after us and ordered after us. Aside from the bartender, the other patrons were funny, recognizing me as an outsider and dishing out the requisite insults.
I don't know, maybe I need to go back sometime when I can sit outside or drink myself stupid -- enough so I can overlook the other stuff anyway. read more
