Enjoyed a great dinner while in town for some Halloween festivities. Despite the crowd, our party of 4 did not have to wait very long. Our server, Yuri, was absolutely fabulous! He was attentive without being overbearing and made wonderful recommendations. We tried the lobster mac & cheese, cornbread, and Cajun shrimp for appetizers. Each dish was served hot, fresh and tasted great. Our table went with Jack's Burgers and Philly Cheesesteaks with the Southern Peach and Boo-Berrytini cocktails. No complaints on our end. Great food, great service and a wonderful night out. We'll definitely stop in again when we're in town! read more

The inside looked stylish but that was everything good I can say. The food took over an hour to be delivered after it was ordered and it was not busy at that time. One order came out 15min after the others. The burger ordered medium came out very well and charred. The risotto was over cooked. The wait staff didn't check on us after the food was delivered. Once we asked for the check the waiter bussed empty tables and came back 10min later. Not worth the price. I would pick somewhere else to eat. read more

Lunch at Jack's was good. Probably a 3.5, but the atmosphere and the service was very good so it gets the 4. Actually the french fries were very good could have been a little hotter but they did taste like actual real potatoes! read more

Stopped by at 7:00 pm on a Wednesday as a party of 6, or 7 if you count the mouse that was circling our table. We told the waiter about the mouse, and he said he was on it. He circled the dining room once looking for our little friend, and that was it. No mention of the mouse, nothing from management. Food was barely alright, but thanks to no concern about rodents running free in a restaurant, we are obviously never going back. read more

Have been here for drinks a few times and finally made it to try their food! The new Autumn menu is full of delicious options and the food was VERY good. Only complaint is that the main dish came out warm and not hot hot but everything was good! Got a martini and it was one of the best I've ever had. I highly recommend the pulled pork appetizer it is AMAZING read more

A wonderful lunch in this old historic building. I enjoyed an apple salad that was perfect in the heat. The complementary muffins and chocolate chip pecan cookies were a nice touch. read more

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Very cool historical building. Our server was very efficient and fast. Food was very good. I had fish and chips and an Brussels sprouts appetizer. Would go back again. read more

Great brunch in Philadelphia near the penitentiary. The food is American, lots of options for meat eaters. There are a few salads and fish/seafood options. I ordered the crab cake sandwich with a salad and a glass of wine - delish. The restaurant is located in a former firehouse, fun atmosphere. You can see the old firehouse poles and the garage door where fire trucks at one time exited. Meals are reasonably priced between $15-$25. Drinks are comparably priced $6-$12. The staff is friendly and efficient. Complimentary biscuits are offered as an appetizer and pecan chocolate chip cookies end the meal. read more

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We finished up a guided tour at the Eastern State Penitentiary across the street and the firehouse looked cool so we stumbled inside. It seemed to be an old firehouse converted into a restaurant, there were tables outside and the weather was nice, so why not, let's give it a try. The waiter was very nice and very accommodating, the restaurant was very clean, and the ambiance was great. I ordered a salad with smoked chicken, shaved pear, goat cheese, grilled shrimp, with a champagne vinaigrette. I can honestly say that this was one of the best salads that I've ever had, and trust me, I've had tons. The smoked chicken was extremely soft and amazingly delicious. The shaved pear was a great addition. I don't think that I've ever seen that elsewhere. The grilled shrimp and mussels appetizers were amazing as well. read more

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Across the street from eastern state penitentiary. The girls at eastern recommend the place. Had the chicken salad and the lobster mac. Chicken was a little dry but the lobster mac was on point. A little pricey but across the street from a big attraction. I get it , much respect. They must clean up. Honestly I was at a stalemate between 3 and 4 stars but that free cookie at the end pushed me to 4. Lol. read more

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We randomly had an hour or so before we could check into our AirBnB, so we decided to go for a drink and Jack's was the closest venue to us. It was pretty much dead on a Thursday mid-afternoon, so we had the lovely bartender Ky(le) all to ourselves. He definitely kept us entertained and could have convinced us to stay the afternoon if we didn't have tickets to a show. We ordered a salad and the poutine and both were great after a day of travel. I will definitely be back and will pop in for another drink or two. read more

Been coming here for years. Recently soured on the place when our friend's purse was stolen while sitting at the bar (someone walked in from the street and took it off the back of her chair she was literally sitting in)- no fault of the bar, but here's where things were handled terribly by Jack's Firehouse: - Video footage was not made available to the police officer by the manager (blonde woman) since supposedly only the owners have access to the system and we would have to wait until the next day. This is very bad practice, as often, time is of the essence to be able to catch the perp while they are still in the area. - Multiple messages sent to the bar the next day/following days regarding obtaining the video were COMPLETELY ignored. - Minor point, but at least give patrons who have been coming here for years some token of sympathy (like a cheap shot or something) when something bad happens to them at your bar. read more

We reserved an upstairs room for a private party, and it is well worth it! Atmosphere and decor is more casual, being a renovated fire station, but the service is good and the hor d'oeuvres were phenomenal - mini crab cake, grilled duck, shrimp cocktail, and tempura fried shrimp cocktail. Shrimp cocktail is usually pretty generic and not worth a comment BUT these shrimps (especially the fried ones) were amazing alongside the duck. I hope these are on their regular menu for when I go back in the future! We had a scallop appetizer, also star worthy. I chose a Filet Mignon for my entree, and they got the medium cook on it perfectly. For dessert, they placed a tray of five different cookies/cakes, and we devoured it. Gotta have the traditional Amish butter cake for sweet dense goodness. read more

Jack's Firehouse - Desert tray for our private party. - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Great place! Awesome wait staff. Had great NE Chowder and Beef Burger. Table treats of mini corn muffins was a pleasant surprise. If you are doing the Eastern State Penn tour....make this place your breakfast, lunch or dinner. Worth it. read more

Great food and the service level was amazing! We asked for recommendations and everything we ordered was delicious! Will become a usual weekend place to eat at! read more

I've been dying to try Jack's. Whenever I drive down Fairmount Ave, it's always popping off. I love the aesthetic - there's a plethora of outdoor seating and the indoor seating is in an open garage. It's v cool. I came here for brunch with a large group. Made a rezzy on Open Table. Thank god they're on open table, am I right? The food was decent. I think I ordered wrong. I got the breakfast quesadillas and they were super bland. There was nothing on the menu that sparked my interest, though. (I was looking at the brunch options). I typically get the eggs benny, but the one on their menu had steak filet?! Ugh, not my cup of tea. Also we got butter croissants and corn bread that were complimentary but stale as hell. Bummer. Others in my party really loved their meals, which made me jealous. The cocktails were good...they were strong and reasonably priced. The staff was also great. Our waitress was lovely. I will be back definitely, but I'll be ordering something diff. Jack's is a neighborhood gem, so if you live in the area I recommend a pop in. read more

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Very cool atmosphere especially if you have the opportunity to enjoy this place on a nice day and are able to sit outside. Everything I have ordered here was delicious especially the pulled pork, which I highly recommend. Also nearby to some cool attractions like Eastern State Penitentiary. read more

I really can't believe how much this place has gone downhill. Almost feels dive bar-ish now. This place was one of my favorite go-to spots in the city a few years ago. The bourbon selection used to be quietly one of the best in the city, now the house old fashioned comes with Makers and a giant orange wedge. The bartender looked at me like I was an idiot when I asked for Rittenhouse. The bar was completely dead on a Saturday night at like 8. The server held the complimentary cookie down with their thumb when they served it. I could go on... I remember the place where Jack was actually around, and would chat with you about barbeque and whiskey. I could go on, but I guess there's no point. I wanted to give a 1 or 2 star review because of my latest experience.. but I'll give a 3 strictly because of the nostalgia. This is a beautiful space. Step your game up. read more

Me & my husband stop in for a drink. They were GREAT ! Complementary corn bread and cranberries . My husband had clam chowder (mmmm) . Also the waiter was GREAT! We only had 1 drink on our way to The Rocky stairs read more

Great local spot to grab a cold beer/cocktail or some really good food. Stopped by here recently on a trip to Philly after visiting Eastern State Penitentiary. Good customer service and a welcoming staff. Definitely will be coming back here again on my next visit. read more

This place was perfect for lunch today. The portion sizes were excellent, husband and I split an entree and it was plenty. The location is directly across from the penitentiary, which we just toured. Has a perfect view from the seating area. read more

Jack's Firehouse - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My boyfriend and I came to Fairmount and walked around and checked out a few menus. We made a joke that nothing was tugging at our hearts, well Jacks menu did! We walked in and there was no hostess so we did stand there for about 5 minutes before someone, a waiter, came up to us and asked us if we were being helped and he would come back to seat us he had his hand full so we were very appreciative that he stopped to check on us and then came back a min later and sat us. It was a nice night and we got a seat right by the open doors! i give that waiter 5 stars for stepping into the hostess job for a min! Customer service 100%! next our waitress was great. We got four Different apps to split, they were all amazing! Lastly, our waitress offered dessert but we knew they give cookies at the end so I was excited to just have them, sadly they were still in the over, she still went back at got us two that were freshly made- I said idc if they are cooked all the way ! The cookies were amazing and topped off the amazing experience we had there. We will definitely go back! Thanks for a great Saturday night! read more

Jack's Firehouse - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I came here for brunch mid pandemic and sat in the restaurant in the open area facing the Penitentiary. It was nice that it opens all the way up to the outdoors. I had the best breakfast meal I have ever had. It was a breakfast steak bake cooked in syrup and it was phenomenal. The breakfast cocktails were amazing and the staff even gave us a complimentary treat. It was not busy for a Sunday and I will definitely return. read more

Unique in the setting, it's actually inside an old renovated firehouse. It's beautiful inside and fun to eat there! On a nice day you may be able to snag a sidewalk table. We've dined here several times and we were not disappointed, although there are better places around town, the inside ambiance helps add much to your dining experience. I had the clam chowder and the barbecued baby back ribs, both were tasty. The fries are hand cut which is something I appreciate and adore. Hubby had a huge juicy burger and was loving it. The inside is dimly lit with a lot of dark wood inside. A very large bar sits center stage. Another time we sat in the lounge area and enjoyed some good cuts of steak, filet for me and NY strip for hubby, both cooked to the right temperature.. I saw Jack McDavid walking around and said to my server, "I used to watch him on TV. cooking with Bobby Flay" and she sent him over and he signed a mini menu for me! That was better than anything. It said "Keep on Chillin, Jack McDavid". Cool, huh? read more

Nice location and atmosphere but definitely overpriced for what you get. The complimentary cornbread was great but the rest was very bland. Service was okay but a lot of new people in training. It may be better in a couple months once they get more established. read more

Honestly, I'm pretty bummed out right about now, Jack's. My mom wanted to walk around my soon-to-be new neighborhood earlier today, and since it was around lunchtime, I thought this was a safe bet for a food-intro to Fairmount. I'd never heard anything bad about the place. Guess there's a first for everything. We walked in and there were a couple empty tables, though some people were seated outside, and it sounded like it was busy upstairs. The hostess brought us to a table in the back where it was a bit more dark and not as lively. And there we sat -- completely ignored -- for nearly 20 minutes, during which time I watched as servers engaged with the other tables on a few occasions but never looked our way once. Clearly, we didn't belong to anyone. I was noticing my mom becoming increasingly agitated so I got up and nicely asked the hostess if a server was assigned to our table, as we had been ready to order for quite awhile and would like water. She was flustered (but apologetic) and grabbed someone who was working the front area. He took our order and brought out some dry biscuits that I really didn't like and some cornbread that my mom did indeed like. From there, we waited for quite awhile, to the point that I was wondering yet again if we were actually getting food. I wasn't sure if the person who had been pulled to our rescue was actually our server or someone who was buying time until our server arrived... but, as it turned out, he *was* our server. Okay, then. Anyway. So I ordered the roast chicken with bacon mac and cheese, because that sounded right up my alley. My mom ordered the crab cake platter. I dug into the bacon mac and cheese first, but was so disappointed. All that waiting... for that? Seriously? That was THE most boring mac and cheese I've ever had. Truly. And the roast chicken wasn't much better. As for my mom, the bottom of her crab cakes were burnt, and she really didn't like the taste, either. She said they had a strange spice in them. All in all: incredibly disappointing, and I'm not sure that I'll make an effort to go back to Jack's unless I'm with a group that really wants to go there, or in a circumstance to that nature. What a shame! read more

Who doesn't like a restaurant built in an old firehouse? It brings character to the place. Loved the atmosphere and they had outdoor seating which was nice. Our waiter was quite attentive and friendly. I highly recommend the Pear Salad with feta cheese, pulled pork with spicy corn chips, a rack of ribs, and the beef brisket. My girlfriend and I enjoyed everything about our meal. The pulled pork is to die for!!! Not too salty, just right! (Not sure what other reviewers are talking about) Food was great. This is the perfect place to eat before or after visiting Eastern State Penitentiary which is right across the street. read more

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Stopped into Jack's Firehouse after visiting the Eastern State Penitentiary with my boyfriend. It was during lunch and not busy at all. We opted to sit at the bar since we were grabbing a quick bite. The bartender was super friendly and answered our questions, giving us recommendations since we were stuck between two options. We ordered the cajun buttered basted grilled shrimp and the fried calamari with hot pepper chips, carrots & hot lava. We shared both appetizers and they were a good portion. They were both tasty and full of flavor. The shrimp were jumbo and came with a cocktail sauce. The calamari was crunchy and came with their hot lava sauce, which kind of tasted like a spicy mayo. Overall, it was a good experience and if I were in the area I would stop in here to grab a bite and try something else on their menu and I would recommend Jack's to others. read more

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I love going to Jack's and having a meal at the bar. The staff are always great and it's a lively environment. The pulled pork should be illegal it's so tasty. The pulled pork on chips is out of this world. It's a cool space with a dark interior and rugged charm. Always busy every time I'm in there. I never order off of the regular menu. I've glanced at it but always opt for the bar menu. read more

Squad 51, 10-4.. KMG 365.. Growing up with the 1970s medical drama Emergency!, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to have brunch at Jack's Firehouse -- located on Fairmount Avenue just across the street from Eastern State Penitentiary. While paramedics John Gage and Roy DeSoto of LA County Fire Department Station 51 aren't likely to make an appearance at Jack's any time soon, much of the firehouse's original fixtures and fittings (including its mahogany interior, wood plank floors, and brass fire pole) have been tastefully incorporated into the decor along with historic Philadelphia icons including an eight-man crew shell hung above the bar and the original crown from Pat's King of Steaks in South Philly. I've had brunch at Jack's twice.. service has been terrific and the brunch menu has something delicious for everyone -- ranging from traditional breakfast foods like the Firehouse french toast with apple butter and bacon ($9), the Firehouse Frittata with potatoes, peppers, cheese, and onions ($11), and the Filet Mignon Benedict with Spicy Hollandaise over Biscuits ($16) to pub favorites like the Firehouse Big Cheeseburger ($11) and the BBQ Platter with beef brisket, pulled pork and baby back ribs ($17) -- all served with a North Carolina twist. Reservations, which are recommended, are available through http://OpenTable.com. read more

The GF's family was in town for Thanksgiving and a few days after the big meal, we decided to venture onto Fairmount Avenue to check out Jack's Firehouse. Set in a 19th century firehouse, it's an expansive and unique space, replete with a rowboat above the bar and wood throughout. Not what I expected at all. We were there on a weekend night and it was pretty bumping around the bar, without being distracting to the diners. Bread Service The meal started off with bread service, comprised of buttery biscuits and house-made corn muffins. This was accompanied by a pat of butter and macerated cherries - a really nice spread. Southern Style Pulled Pork on Corn Chips [$7.95] We went with the southern style pulled pork on corn chips as an app to share. I figured it would be Fritos a la Texas, but these were house-made corn chips with a nice spice mix. The pulled pork was sweet and tender. North Carolina Style Crab Cakes [$22.95] Southern chow-chow, roasted garlic aioli I decided to go with the crab cakes, which were substantial, had good flavor, and did not have too much breading. The pickled veggie chow-chow was a nice counterbalance to the rich crab cakes and roasted garlic aioli. Roasted Chicken Breast [$19.95] Bacon mac & cheese, wild mushroom sauce The GF's chicken breast was juicy and moist, with the mushroom sauce adding some depth. The mac n cheese was nice and sharp, with bits of bacon interspersed throughout the creamy mac. The kitchen also sent out two huge platters each of mashed potatoes and some of the best collard greens I have ever had. Smoky and vinegary, I almost ate both platters of collard greens all by myself. Jack's Firehouse also sent out deliciously homemade chocolate walnut cookies. Crumbly and soft, these were a nice end to our meal. So if you're ever in the Fairmount area by Eastern State, do stop by. Chef Jack McDavid's cooking is committed to using local ingredients and the cooking is down-home and hearty. I was frankly surprised at the A-OK 3-star rating on Yelp. It should definitely be 4 stars, though I do think the pricing may be a bit steep. Regardless, I know I'll be back - especially if I can convince the GF to return to ESP during Halloween! read more

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I've been wanting to try Jacks since it's so close to my apartment and I love BBQ and the open air concept of the restaurant. I came to Jacks twice before writing this review- once for just drinks and another for food. My boyfriend and I sat at the bar both times because we just wanted something quick. The first time we came here the bartenders seemed totally uninterested in us and definitely not friendly, something you wouldn't expect from a bartender who is supposed to socialize with customers. But whatever I thought it might've been a bad day so we came back the next week. It took about 5 minutes for either bartender to even acknowledge us and say hi, and then even longer to place our drink order. Everyone else at the bar had food and drinks and the bartenders were doing random side tasks or texting in front of us. I understand if it's busy but I felt uncomfortable being there even. We ordered the pulled pork sandwich which comes with fries and we also got the mac n cheese. We shared this because the prices are kind of expensive ($15 for the sandwich + fries and $6 for mac n cheese). Pulled pork sandwich: the meat was tender but a little too moist and made the bun soggy. Definitely would have benefited from some kind of sauce and I feel like they should have BBQ sauces offered due to their menu items but whatever I would probably eat it again. 6/10 Fries: so good! they're like fresh cut fries with a little seasoning on it. didn't get much though. 8/10 Mac n cheese: also so good! most other BBQ places i've gone to and got mac n cheese it's pretty flavorless but this one you can taste the different cheeses and it was good! always on the hunt for good, not basic mac n cheese at restaurants. I would try the lobster mac next time for sure. 9/10 I think this place would benefit from more (affordable) entree options and caring waitstaff. I would probably come back if I was in the mood for bbq fare since I don't know of any others around me but wouldn't go out of my way. read more

Jack's is our favorite lunch spot. Been going here for years and never had a bad experience. Food is always amazing and service is first class. Shout-outs to Karla, Margaret, Andrew and Austin. read more

I passed by jack's randomly because we were waiting for our 10:00pm show at the East State Penitentiary halloween tour. This place was right across the street. There was another lounge/bar about next door but it was too packed so whoever that didn't want to go in a stuffy place, migrated to jack's. The bar was pretty full, no seats were available. The atmosphere was different, just like a smokehouse made of wood. Since it was halloween night, there was this couple who came in, dressed up from head to toe, as the joker and the joker's nurse. it was pretty freaky since they were literally decked out in makeup and outfits. The wife was sitting at the bar most of the time where the husband walked around with his fake knife, asking people at the bar and at the tables if they have seen harvey or not! Bartender was the only one working the bar full of people. I was impressed that he was very efficient and quick with drinks/orders/bills. if only all bar service was like jack's, it would make our lives all much easier and satisfying when we go out. read more

Jack's Firehouse - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This place is great. We usually go for brunch on the weekends. They have a special menu which somehow slightly changes every time I've been there. It is nice when the weather's good because you can either sit outside, or the inside kind of feels outdoors since the front is completely open. The food is pretty good. Their menu has some cool variations and the price is right. A good atmosphere to just relax and enjoy your meal! read more

We stopped here after hitting a few other spots because apparently they had awesome desserts. Our party of five was lucky to get a table on the sidewalk which provided great people watching and a fantastic view of the front of the Eastern State Penitentary. After we were seated and ordered our drinks, it took a really long time for the drinks to arrive. I ordered a margarita on the rocks that was incredibly disappointing and watered down. I barely drank it. Three of us ordered the triple chocolate cake, apple crisp, and bread pudding. All were disappointing, as well. For a group with serious sweet tooths, there shouldn't have been as much dessert left on the plates. One of the guys ordered the pulled pork sandwich and raved about it. We kept ordering different shots and our server was a good sport. He was very friendly. I loved the decor and despite the mediocre desserts and my drink, I enjoyed myself. The soft, chocolate chip cookies at the end was a winner, though. I would have ordered THAT off their dessert menu! read more

I want to like this place, but Jack's Firehouse was a disappointment to me. Let me start off with describing the location. Obviously it's a 19th century firehouse that's been restored. It has a great look. The large front doors open and ventilate the entire restaurant during the spring & summer. This is where the tables start. If you want to eat outdoors, they have tables out front on the sidewalk and on the side of the building in a little shaded courtyard. Just inside the double doors are a few more tables and then a large 360 degree bar is located in the center of the room with an old row boat hanging above. It looks pretty cool, especially all the dark wood work. Behind the bar is another dining area and they also have a private room for party's. The place looks great. Unfortunately it stops there. We had just spent 2 hours across the street touring the Eastern State Penitentiary and we were starving. Upon arriving were seated immediately and opted to sit out front since it was so nice out. The inside was empty and the outdoor tables were about half full. They also seemed well staffed. You would think we would have had fast impeccable service. We didn't. In fact I'm pretty sure our waitress forgot about us several times. Our waitress brought us a plate with two buttermilk rolls and corn bread cake. This also came with a severing of a raspberry preserve and some sweet butter. This was decent. Once our orders finally arrived about 30 minutes later I found mine was not prepared as I requested. I asked for a medium well burger with Cheddar and received well done with White American Cheese. Can you say say dry? My companion's was also well done. However we didn't send it back. They were so slow we figured the burgers wouldn't return until the sun went down. We had to ask for mustard and ketchup and that took the waitress almost another 10 minutes. We also had to ask for refills on a drinks as well. Last but not least the fries. They were the 'fresh cut' variety however it seems we had the bottom of the fry basket. All of the fries were terribly small and appeared to have been cooked several times. I've had worse in other places, but I definitely expect better when I come to a place like this. Especially when there's no dinner rush or anything going on that would cause delay's or mistakes. Once the meal was over we waited for what seemed like forever for the check and the place still wasn't even a quarter full. Next time I'm in town, I'll try someplace else. read more

Jack's Firehouse - Buttermilk rolls with raspberry preserve. - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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When we sat down and the menus were barely hanging on at the hinge, it should've been a sign of what was to come. The meal came with biscuits and cornbread, but they were so hard (probably because they've been sitting out for awhile) that it wasn't really edible. Our meals were equally as impressive as the biscuits. Ordered a medium burger and got well done with a chunk of unmelted cheese. The bun tasted stale too. The fish sandwich is literally a piece of fried fish in between two white slices of bread. The only saving grace of the meal was the fries which were nice and crispy. The dessert cookie is also good, but overall very disappointing. read more

Came here in the middle of the day after a tour of the penitentiary across the street. Quick service, good drinks and great app. read more

Jack's Firehouse - Yummy jerk Brussel Sprouts - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We walked by and saw a big, open firehouse-turned-pub/restaurant. There was patio and sidewalk seating and bunch of locals at the large bar in the center of the place. It's large and airy yet comfortable and cozy. We were looking for a quick bite before a visit to Eastern State Penitentiary and heard the burgers here were good. We were surprised when we got a menu with no burgers and entrees ranging $20-30--much more than we planned to spend on a quick bite. But our server was incredibly accommodating. She let us see the bar menu, and we ordered sandwiches from the bar ($6-8 each), delicious pecan-crusted catfish on toasted bread with homemade fries. Our pulled pork appetizer was good, though the tortilla chips seemed too fragile to scoop the meat. The pork was delicious and tangy. We also shared gazpacho, which was tasty. Our server even let us share it and put it in two cups for us. I would definitely go back for dinner when I'm prepared to make an evening of it and spend more than usual. And the service, as I said, was incredibly accommodating and friendly. I'm glad we stayed, instead of balking at the cost and grabbing to-go food at a market. Good to know: It does get a little loud during busy times due to the high ceilings. read more