Let me say right off the bat this restaurant isn't getting four stars because of perfect service,…read morecleanliness, or amazing food. They're getting four stars because they were friendly and welcoming and because the experience they provided was highly entertaining and will be remembered by my family for years to come.
First off, I'm not a local, and this was very clearly a local joint. Second, we didn't plan on coming here. I was running in a nearby park and my kids were playing. We were disgusting and sweaty but so hungry we didn't want to go shower and change before eating. This did not end up being a problem.
So we walk in, and there's a lot of people hanging out at the bar who all seem to know each other. Nobody is at the tables or booths. Nobody is eating. Everyone's a bit older than my husband and I, no kids. We stood there uncertainly for a bit before seating ourselves at a grubby booth (no clean ones to be seen) and my kids were captivated immediately by the tv screen showing an endless montage of puppies while a jukebox played Led Zeppelin in the background. Ok, nice touch, I was in damp workout clothes so kinda hypocritical to complain about the fingernail clipping I found in the seat next to me. Other reviews say the food is good so I'm game.
A very friendly waitress greets us and takes our drinks order. My husband remarks afterwards that she seemed drunk or high. She kept forgetting what drinks we'd ordered (two sprites, a beer, and a coke), but got it right in the end.
When we go to order food they're out of like half the menu. I'm starting to find it amusing, my first two choices aren't available but they have lumpia so I'm excited to have the kids try that. We place our order and wait, my husband watching the flirtation and attempts at seduction taking place at the bar among the older singles while my younger child squeezes and prods my face for entertainment. Oh, and he also loudly repeated me reading another Yelp review about how locals apparently call this place the Wrinkle Room. Hopefully nobody heard him?
We wait a long time. Our waitress is visible here and there, tending bar, talking to a coworker, but no food. We wonder if she's forgotten us. They do seem short staffed but we really aren't sure.
Finally our waitress approaches, flustered, explaining other food will be done soon, they're short as staff haven't returned since Covid lockdowns. We recognize this and I smile, tell her it's fine, we were wondering if maybe they were out of something but we're in no rush and as a nurse I totally understand short staffing.
Our waitress - wish I could remember her name - will not be soothed. She insists on buying me a beer (just me, not my husband) and though I assure here it's fine and we get it, the beer appears in seconds. So I have to drink it of course. I'm a lightweight and quickly get tipsy.
Our food arrives - it's pretty good! Nothing above and beyond, nothing that stands out, but good. They forgot our lumpia. It's fine, turns out our meals are huge anyway. The possibly not sober waitress kindly and happily takes our picture. We eat, another staff member brings us the bill. We leave cash in the table for the bill and tip. I'm dying laughing.
I love this place. You should definitely check it out.