After hearing from several people that we "had to check out Darrell's," we finally decided to hit…read moreit up for lunch. We arrived just a couple minutes after their 11 a.m. opening, and the place was already packed, a good sign in itself. Luckily, with only three of us, the hostess got us seated at a table right away.
The exterior isn't much to look at, but stepping inside tells a different story. The interior has a sports bar meets old school diner vibe, with decor that gives the whole place a nostalgic, lived-in charm.
We all decided on the Darrell's Special sandwich with jalapeño mayo, and it did not disappoint. Our waitress was fantastic the whole meal, constantly checking in, keeping our drinks filled, and making sure we didn't need anything else. Despite how busy the place was, our sandwiches came out in a surprisingly short time.
The sandwich itself is a beast! A toasted, loaded bun stacked with ham, turkey, and roast beef (which I hear is made in-house), all topped with roast beef gravy, American, Swiss, and provolone cheeses, lettuce, mustard, and your choice of regular or jalapeño mayonnaise, of course we had the Jalapeño Mayo. The first bite reminded me of a warm French dip, but that impression quickly gave way to layers of different meat flavors, rounded out by the subtle heat of the jalapeño mayo. It practically melted in my mouth.
Honestly, I wanted to finish the whole thing, but I didn't want to need to be rolled out of the building, so I boxed up the second half and enjoyed it again for dinner. Great food, great service, and now I understand what all the buzz was about.