I've been wanting to come here for a long time and finally made it last night. Truth be told, I've actually been in this building before. It has been here for at least 100 years, probably more, and has been a night spot or restaurant for as long as I can remember. That is also true of the more famous place across the street but that isn't the subject today.
You enter into what appears to be a neighborhood bar that looks to be a comfortable place where everybody knows your name. Several regulars were in place at the bar. We were warmly greeted by the bartender who asked if we were there to dine, and then asked if we wanted to sit at the bar or if we wanted a table. We opted for a table.
A friendly hostess/waitress then showed us to their intimate dining room and we were promptly seated. There are a limited number of tables and I suspect it would take longer to be seated on a busier night. We were promptly greeted by a friendly waitress with menus for us. She told us about the house specialties, brisket and ribs. We talked about the brisket and placed a bar order. She returned with our drinks and a small sample of the brisket for me to try.
The sample was delicious and well prepared, but with my eating issues, It turns out brisket is not for me. (There is a hint of spice that my wussy tongue can't handle.) My dinner date, however, assured me the brisket is as delicious as promised and anyone with regular taste will love it.
The dining room demonstrates the historical nature of the building. Brick and fieldstone walls with charming countryish decor welcome you, and a large flatscreen television, tuned to a sports network, lets you know it might be an old structure but this is a modern operation. There's not much to absorb sound so it can get a bit noisy.
We ordered a half rack of ribs and the house specialty chicken pot pie. The pot pie has a wonderful, flaky crust, reminiscent of a croissant. One very refreshing thing about the pot pie is at many restaurants, you have to dig through the vegetables to find an occasional piece of chicken. At Sloppy Joe's, you have to dig through the pieces of chicken to find the vegetables!
My dinner date reports the ribs are excellent, tasty, well prepared and the sauce is spicy and delectable. The half rack was served with baby baked potatoes with a maple bacon glaze and bourbon brazed carrot pearls. The carrot pearls are delightfully different.
We were both too full to try their desserts, which have a great reputation. I may just go back sometime for a piece of carrot cake and a cup of coffee. Oh, yes, I'll be back for dinner, too! read more