Jacob H.
Yelp
Stopped in here with my son during a lull between college tours. I hadn't been here since the mid-1990s, and he craved a burger; I suggested this as a more valuable experience than regular chain joints.
You have to go up a flight of stairs to get to the restaurant. If you can't handle stairs, avoid this place.
We were seated at a freshly-wiped booth on our arrival; it was almost noon, and the restaurant wasn't full. There's an outdoor deck, but no tables were set-up there. We got cutlery, paper napkins, and glasses of ice water right away. Our tables had ketchup and mustard dispensers, the classic squeeze bottles. (Word to the wise: Check your bottle for any blockage; the mustard container was a bit jammed, and I got more than I wanted when I used it!)
I ordered a chocolate-banana malt, and my son got a root beer. The malt was excellent: nice and thick, good chocolate flavor, and the bananas were still in small chunks, not puréed into nothing. You get a malt glass with a straw, long spoon, and paper napkin when you order a malt; they bring it out in the metal mixing container. I got about three full malt-glasses out of mine, so keep that in mind if you order one!
We decided to get a half-order of onion rings as an appetizer. This was a decent size for two people. The rings were a nice thickness, and the breading was a good, large crumb properly browned. My son encountered one ring where the onion layer may have been the outermost, and he said he couldn't bite through it. But they were flavorful and not overly greasy. They also came quite hot, so we had to wait a bit!
We each ordered the California burger, though I got the cheese (smoked cheddar) and my son chose to forgo the mayonnaise. All burgers are cooked medium/medium-well. They are quite juicy, and not even -- I didn't have a complaint with this, as it tells me this is a hand-shaped burger, not a frozen, exact-sized patty. You get several pickle slices, a couple of tomato slices, and a big lettuce leaf. Mayonnaise comes on the side in a small paper cup, next to the vegetables.
We also ordered a half-order of French fries, and this was *huge*. Plan to take leftovers with, or make sure you have a minimum of four, hungry people!
The French fries were a little uneven in size, some were square in cross-section and others were more like planks. They are skin-on, but I'm not sure if they are hand cut or not. Ours had some (as in a half-dozen) small pieces that were almost burnt. In general, they were crispy and tasty, just a huge quantity.
I'd definitely go back. The food was very tasty, and it came fairly quickly. Our waitress was good at checking water, and giving my son another cup of root beer. I'd like to go back and try other items, but I'm not frequently in the area.
