Lee B.
Yelp
So it may come as a surprise to you or not, but apparently The Funny Bone is not just a comedy club. There is actually a large area dedicated to its restaurant and bar, which is in the same building yet apart from the comedy room. You can go to eat & drink before or after the stand-up, or you can just go to one without the other. I always thought it was a comedy club with maybe a bar at best. To make it even more secluded and sort of not welcoming from a dining perspective, their entrance is literally just a front desk lobby. You have to take the steep stairs (for a drunk... Which is concerning to consider since there is a bar) or an elevator up to the large second floor. Once you actually find the real establishment, you can be seated by the hostess and begin your meal... Or you may also walk to the back near the restrooms to enter the comedy space.
Everything seems to have a Mardi Gras creole vibe to it, as the aesthetic is festive and colorful, while the dishes are varying in spice and herbs. I had the smoked Catfish and also nibbled from my table mates' respective buttermilk chicken and smoked salmon. Put of the three, I would have to say the chicken was the winner, with it being very large, juicy, tasteful, and pure white meat. The breading was very good, crispy to my liking, but not too crunchy. It's not to the level of Cracker Barrel's Sunday chicken, but it is a worthy placeholder until Sunday comes. The fish were both good, but I just felt like the catfish was small for the $15 point price, with not too much flavor. The salmon was very good, chunky and flavourful, with a nice watermelon rub. As sides, I really recommend the fresh cut fries if you're a fan, because the portions were enormous. The rice pilaf is more of a regular white rice style with no olive oil. So if you wanted it to be authentic pilaf or more creole, it won't be. But personally, I liked it better than most pilaf choices I have tasted. Overall, the price marks are in the $15-20 range, with decently sized portions and all coming out fast and hot. It is not too spicy, so if if you just like a little kick, it'll do fine.
I did not have any alcoholic libations this visit, but they do have a full bar with a variety of mixtures and fish bowl style drinks. Of course, they also have the basic refillable drinks, which did not get refilled my entire visit. That brings us to the service, which was adequate. I wasn't expecting much as I didn't even know it had a restaurant, but while they waitress was kind, she seemed to be very illusive. She came and took our orders and made sure our meals were fine, but other than that, she would sporadically come to take dishes out of the way. There was little connection or discussion, which to some may seem normal, but I like having a chuckle or two and forming a minor bond. Also, I was not asked for a refill, once. Another note that is not on the waitress, but a kitchen worker and manager on the floor. Please DO NOT bring your garbage bin through the middle of the restaurant dining floor?! What the hell is that, it's unsanitary and very unpleasing to view as you're dining or having a date. I don't care if you have to go the long way, but it is common decency to not roll your garbage in front of your guests as they receive their food and drinks. As for the Manager, he was viewing this the entire time, and probably asked for it to be done, which is just not something up to my code.
Other than that, I think it's worth a visit, even if you're not coming for the Thursday-Sunday comedy gigs. The food is better than you would expect, and I've heard that everybody loves the comedians. The service is okay, not the best, but the food is above what I was thinking it'd be. It's in the medium price range, so I wouldn't say it's a strong recommendation. But I can see myself visiting again perhaps when there is a gig I'm interested in. In comparison to its neighbors, Benchmark, Basil Pizza, and Nagoya, it certainly does not place at the top... And perhaps it could be because it is aimed more at the shows than the dining.
BONUS FEATURES:
- No wifi (unless you've been to Benchmark and saved theirs)
- Pokémon Go gym nearby
- Dirty restrooms (and the woman's has large open windows that cane be peered in from the exterior or adjacent hotel rooms)
- Slow service