CHEAP EATS
Average Joe's: Good bar food
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We’ve found good meals in every kind of restaurant—family eateries, diners and cafes. But there is something special about a comfortable bar that has good food coming out of the kitchen, even if it’s just burgers, sandwiches, salads and the like.
We found Average Joe’s well above average in that category. The door opens into a long, narrow barroom with a few tables and plenty of TVs tuned to sports. We chose a back room with an enormous TV of its own, where John kept an eye on the game while Julie and I chatted.
The burgers had been recommended, and the prices were certainly right, from the Joe Burger at $6.49 with fries, to the “Above Average Burger,” described as a full pound of ground sirloin, served with bacon and melted American cheese on a Kaiser roll, with the notation, “You have to be more than average to finish this monster burger!” This concoction was just $9.99—surely a bargain, but also way too much food for the middle of the day.
We started with a bowl of chili, $3.99 for a round soup bowl served with melted shredded cheese on top and a side plate of crispy, slightly salted tortilla chips for dipping. It was exceptionally good, generously filled with beef and beans, with a complex tomato base that held a hint of heat. Two of us tasted it and were impressed by the flavor, but it was warm without being hot.
A plain Joe Burger was $6.49; adding cheese bumped the price to $6.99, and bacon and cheese was $7.99. Without any extras, the Plain Joe was delicious. The large patty was juicy and tasty, cooked just as ordered and served on a soft, fresh roll accompanied by a pile of thin, sizzling hot fries. Simple, but so good!
The steak wrap ($7.99) was exceptional. A generous serving of shaved rib eye was set off nicely by a sprinkling of toasted French fried onions, served with Swiss cheeses and a dollop of herbed mayo wrapped in a tomato-basil shell.
We also enjoyed a grilled ham and cheese melt ($6.49), a classic sliced deli ham and two layers of American cheese, served on thick slices of sourdough, which were toasted to perfection.
Average Joe’s is open from 11 a. m. to 4 a. m. Monday through Friday and from noon until 4 a. m. Saturday and Sunday. There is a ramp leading up to the front door.
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