Address: 734 S Crouse Ave, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: University Hill
Website: www.myspace.com/faegans
Cuisine: Traditional bar food, burgers, salads, soups & wraps
Alcohol: Full Bar
Parking: Street
Accepts credit cards: Yes
Judging by the comments on restaurant review sites across the Internet and by word of mouth alone, I had a feeling Faegan's was a better college bar than an eatery. I've been to Faegan's a few times over the years, though not for food and not when Syracuse University classes are in session (when it is notoriously packed with college students). I've always liked the pub-esque feel to it and the beer selection might be the best on The Hill. At any rate, I entered this place on a rainy, weekday afternoon for what would become my first meal here. The menu had relatively slim pickings, though whenever I'm in doubt, I'll stick to the basics. Although I don't remember the exact prices, here is the order...
Burger with grilled onions and a side of fries: $9
Pepsi (with 2 refills): $2
My burger was not really much to write home about. The grilled onions were really good but they become a little too overwhelming about halfway through eating my burger because there were so many. When making a great burger, I'm a strong believer that there needs to be a sensible balance to all of the ingredients (you can't have too much lettuce, for instance) and in this case, everything was out of whack - including there being way too much burger patty. My fries were pretty dry and, although warm, tasted like they hadn't really been cooked. The order was preceded by complimentary dark bread and butter. It was fine, but when I get bread and butter at a restaurant, I picture it served ahead of a meal that comes from a restaurant with a broader menu. I think Faegan's would be better off serving popcorn or something.
Some helpful tips...
There's some outdoor seating (weather permitting), but the atmosphere is much better inside.
Though I cannot vouch for it, watching a 'cuse game on one of the flat screens here or having a drink before an Orange game seems like something I'll have to try out sometime. And although it's quite the uphill walk, Faegan's is just a short walk away from the Carrier Dome.
Some things I was picky about...
My silverware was dirty and there were a few flies buzzing around the table. I'm probably reading into it too much, but if you have flies in your restaurant, chances are you have food lying around somewhere on the floor that hasn't been cleaned up in a few days.
Drink Specials...
Sunday is "Senior Sundays" with $2 Magic Hat drafts and $3 Long Island Iced Teas, Monday is $2 bottles, Tuesday is "World Beer Tour", Wednesday is "Flip Night" - Order a beer and the bartender will flip a quarter - call it correctly and your beer is free, Thursday is $2 on domestic bottles, drafts, and well mixers with $3 for imports and top shelf alcohol, Friday is Happy Hour with $1 off everything, and Saturday is $2 for bottles and well drinks.
So overall, I'd say that this place is excellent for a beer, but you can probably find better food with a short walk down Marshall St.
My rating of Faegan's Cafe & Pub:
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