Review: Blarney Stone

Name: Blarney Stone
Address: 314 Avery Ave, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Far West-Side (Tipperary Hill)
Website: www.yelp.com/biz/blarney-stone-syracuse
Menu: n/a
Cuisine: Standard Bar Fare, Wings, Burgers
Bar Hours: Monday-Sunday 12 PM to 2 AM
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: No
Alcohol: Full Bar

Blarney Stone is situated on the corner of Avery and Hamilton Streets in the Far West-Side section of Syracuse. It's one of the many neighborhood-style bars in the city's historically Irish district known as Tipperary Hill (or as locals say, Tipp Hill). A green, neon sign highlights the place from the outside and the friendly Gaelic saying of "cead mile failte", or a hundred thousand welcomes, greets you at its front door.

Blarney may not be an Irish pub per se, but it may as well be given the name, location, and Irish-oriented feel of things on the inside. The place is laid out in 3 small sections: a bar area with a few tables, darts, TVs, Golden Tee, and a popcorn machine, a middle area mostly for standing and watching the big game, complete with a pool table, foosball table, and jukebox, and the back area with booths, tables, TVs, and the kitchen. It's hard to believe that all of these things can fit into such a small establishment, but it all works here and comes together seamlessly.

As noted in the Top 5 Places to Watch SU Basketball, Blarney Stone lives up to the hype during basketball season and can get crowded on some occasions (and not just during games, but also on St Pattie's Day!). Some good advice: grab a table early if you can. It wasn't too crowded on this occasion, given it was a Thursday night and there was a wing special on. There were no games being televised, but still enough of a crowd where you had to wait a little while to grab a table. Seating consists of stools at the bar, tables in all three areas, booths in the back by the kitchen, and an outdoor porch (weather permitting).

Ordering food is quasi cafeteria-style: go up to the counter near the back, place your order, go back to your table, wait for your name to be called over the loudspeaker, and then pick up and pay for your order. And it's not at all uncommon to get a good ribbing from the food staff as you're ordering. Obviously, you're not in some high-class place, so don't be surprised if one of the cooks gives you a deadpan look and says "yeah, we're out of wings" just to get a reaction out of you.

The small, yet simple menu offers standard bar food like wings (hot, medium, mild, or barbecue), burgers, and fried foods (mozzarella sticks, chicken, shrimp, etc...). And for the vegetarians, they also serve a veggi burger (which can be spiced up with pepper jack cheese and chipotle mayo on request).

The order...

Pabst Blue Ribbon (Tall Boy): $2
10 Chicken Wings (Hot): $2
Blarney Burger: $3.50
Fries: $1
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $9.50

First off, this is unbelievably cheap food. Secondly, as far as value is concerned, I can't imagine finding a better deal for such tasty bar food.

Pictured above are Blarney's wings served with celery and blue cheese.

The wings were excellent: crispy skins, juicy chicken, and good portion-sized. I thought the actual sauce could have been hotter, but overall, I'd say the wings were well above average.

This may have been the best burger that I've eaten in Syracuse: juicy beef topped with fresh lettuce, onions, tomatoes, mayo and ketchup, all sandwiched between two lightly grilled and airy burger buns. Soooo good and such a good deal for only $3.50.

These fries were amazing: shoestring style, served hot, and perfectly crunchy on the outside with just the right amount of starchy potato on the inside. An excellent accompaniment to a great burger. Some of the best fries I've had in 'cuse.

I was in bar-food heaven. Standard fare, but they were all done so well. One of the best things about eating a great meal is when everything in front of you tastes great, you're never quite sure where to look or what to eat next. I mean yes, it was an extremely unhealthy meal in every aspect of the word, but you only live once and I loved it all. Definitely a meal that I could eat again and again.

Some other things of note...

- There's a 20 cent wing special on Thursday nights (starts around 6 PM) and during SU basketball games. Again, it can get very crowded during the games, so plan accordingly and be prepared. Don't let the crowds deter you though. It's can be a very spacious and laid-back bar on most weekday evenings.

- Half-priced drinks during happy hour and drink specials run just about every night of the week except for Thursdays.

- Ordering at the kitchen is cash only.

- Unless I'm mistaken, I believe the kitchen closes at 10 PM (feel free to leave a comment if you know for sure).

- There is an actual Blarney stone here near the foosball table and bathrooms. Not sure if I would recommend kissing it though.

It's hard to dock the Blarney Stone in any areas. I had zero complaints about anything. Quick and friendly service, a great neighborhood bar, fun atmosphere, cheap and amazing food, good portions, all in a comfortable sports bar. The meal was awesome.

My rating of Blarney Stone:

Review: Bull & Bear Pub

Name: Bull & Bear Pub
Address: 125 E Water St, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Downtown (Hanover Square)
Website: www.bullandbearpub.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Traditional, yet mildly upscale Pub Food
Restaurant Hours: Monday-Friday 11:30 AM to 9 PM, Saturday 4PM to 9 PM
Bar Hours: Monday-Friday 11:30 AM to 2 AM, Saturday 4 PM to 2 AM
Alcohol: Full Bar
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Takes Reservations: Yes
Music: Live Music on Friday and Saturday Nights, Karaoke on Wednesday and Thursday Nights

Opened in 2002, Bull & Bear Pub is situated in the heart of Syracuse's historic Hanover Square district. The interior is inviting and done over in a sort of rustic, funky, and hip style - from the creatively done and purposely aged "Bull & Bear" wall painting to the dark, rich wood at the bar, tables, and booths. Seating varies from stools up at the bar area, tables scattered over the center floor, to booths up against the large windows that overlook Hanover Square. There's also outdoor seating (weather permitting). Bull & Bear Pub also features weekly events such as a Talent Showcase on Tuesdays at 9:30 PM, Karaoke on Wednesdays at 9:30 PM, 80's Fusion Karaoke Dance Party on Thursday nights and live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

The beer selection is good, with mostly New York and New England regional beers. They also have a few wines available as well. Drink specials include a "Midnight Madness" from Midnight to 1 AM on Monday to Thursday with $1.95 on all domestic bottles and well drinks. And the "50 Cent Happy Hour" runs on Monday to Friday from 4 PM to 7 PM with all domestic bottles and well drinks buy one get the next for 50 cents.

The menu contains a nice variety of your tradition bar food like burgers, wings, and wraps, but most are done with a slight twist: such as the Summer Chicken Burger (with a teriyaki glaze, pineapple and provolone) and the Rochester Wrap (with chicken, asiago cheese, ranch, lettuce and tomato in a jalapeno wrap). It's a great selection of food and you will most likely be able to find something new and interesting if this is your first time or your fifth.

Bull & Bear also features a "Take Away Menu" with specific items to-go (call for details) and also has an all-you-can-eat soup and salad special at lunch for $7.99.

Anyway, the order...

Coke: $2
The Hanover: $8.75
w/ Side of Sweet Potato Fries: $0.85
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $14

Pictured above is The Hanover (a grilled panini with shredded turkey, mozzarella cheese, coleslaw and Russian dressing on the side) with Sweet Potato Fries and garnished with a pickle slice.

Um, OK. If you put something on the menu that is not only named after the neighborhood your restaurant is in, but also has the phrase "trust us, it's GOOD!" immediately after the menu item, it better damn well be amazing. This was not. Really, the flavors just didn't work together at all and I think one of the main culprits may have been the coleslaw - it was bland, dry, and really didn't provide anything. It was essentially like eating wilted, plain cabbage. The melted mozzarella cheese was good (nice and stringy) and turkey was mildly juicy, but all of that combined with pressed rye bread made it a confusing combinations of tastes. It was such an odd mix of flavors that eventually became incredibly unappetizing. Also, although it was sweet and tangy, I have no idea why they insisted on putting the Russian dressing on the side. Something felt awkward about dunking my sandwich after every bite. If you're trying to make your restaurant more classy by putting condiments in small, metallic serving dishes, having your customers dunk their paninis is not the right way to go about it. Not only that, but I ran out of dressing about half way through the meal because the panini was so dry. In hindsight, it didn't really matter because I didn't even finish the rest of it. Booooo.

The sweet potato fries were OK. The giant grains of salt all over them were a bit much, but I thought the actual fries were decent none the less. Sweet and crispy. I really didn't like the maple butter mixture at all and had to make the jump to squeeze-bottle ketchup after only a few attempts at it. It was way too heavy and buttery for me. (Not to mention, I had already been overwhelmed by the amount of strange combinations and flavors at this point in the meal: turkey, Russian dressing, sweet potato, coleslaw, cheese, rye, butter, syrup, etc...). I mean, I get the whole "sweet potato and butter" combination, but it was just a bit much for me. An accompaniment of a light, raspberry vinaigrette instead of a condensed, maple butter mix would have done the trick here, I think. But oh well.

Service was a bit slow too. This was during lunch service - which should really be one of the more efficient times in moving people in and out. By the time I finished eating, most of the lunch crowd had already left, so I didn't really understand the long wait for the check at the end of the meal.

A few other notes...

The bathroom here is co-ed.

They offer catering. Call for details.

When bands are playing it can get loud and become difficult to carry on a normal conversation.

And yes, they have dart boards.

Overall, I'd say that Bull & Bear equates to casual dining, but leaning slightly towards the higher-end side of pub food (whatever that means). The food that I had in particular was not good, but they get points in my book for a superb location, a good, clean atmosphere, and decent food selection. For right now, I'd say that Bull & Bear seems like a much better place to get your drink on and enjoy some live, local music than it is as a legit restaurant. The other patrons that were there on my visit seemed to be eating burgers, so maybe I'll try one of those next time - though I'm not sure how soon that will be.

My rating of Bull & Bear Pub:

Review: Empire Brewing Co

Name: Empire Brewing Co
Address: 120 Walton St, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Downtown (Armory Square)
Website: www.empirebrew.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Traditional Bar Food, Creole, Tex-Mex
Restaurant Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:30 AM to 10 PM, Friday-Saturday 11:30 AM to 11 PM, Sunday 11:30 AM to 3 PM, 3:30 PM to 9 PM
Bar Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:30 AM to Last Call, Friday-Saturday 11:30 AM to 2 AM, Sunday 11:30 AM to Last Call
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Alcohol: Full Bar

With a serious burger urge in my stomach all day, I thought I would venture over to Empire Brewing Co in Armory Square. Located on Walton Street in what feels like a hip, underground bunker, Empire is notoriously home to the some of the best Syracuse-made beer in the city. Inside you get a cool view of everything going on at this place, from the chefs cooking in the open kitchen and the glassed-in brewing facility, to the bartenders serving freshly brewed ales and patrons of all ages enjoying themselves. On a given day, you can find roughly 6 to 8 styles of Empire's beer on tap as well as live music on Thursdays and Fridays with 1/2 price deals at the bar all day on Thursdays (1/2 price on Empire beers, 1/2 price on wines by the glass, and 1/2 price cocktails). Don't miss their Happy Hour too (or Hoppy Hour). Times are n/a so just call for details.

Not only is Empire Brewing Company the first business in Central New York to have 100% New York State produced renewable energy, they also pride themselves on using local ingredients whenever possible - such as Gianelli Sausage, Big Mama's Cheesecake, and Plainville Farms to name just a few. Yes, they deserve serious props for this.

The beer and wine selection are both good with a nice range of house-made beer selections and a good offering of New York State wines. If you're new to the beer at Empire (or have fallen in love with them already) they offer $15 growlers for getting beer to-go and a $10 "beer sampler" where you can try a small glass of each of their brews.

There's a lot going on with the menu. I was merely up for a burger and fries, but they really have a bunch of different dishes here - to the point where I think they could clean it up a bit. I liked the way it was designed and organized (small plates, big plates, etc...) but the concepts were conflicting and a bit confusing if you're trying to gauge what type of cuisine they actually offer. For example, they serve calamari, pizza, gumbo, burgers, Indonesian sauces, pasta dishes, burritos, ribs, and lobster egg rolls - among other things. Being proud to serve local ingredients is great, but I think they could fine-tune the genre a bit, just so the overall menu concept(s) seems a bit more concise and directed - rather than a jumble of different kinds of random foods.

The order...

India Pale Ale: $5
Jambalaya: $6br> Bentley Burger (w/side of Fresh-Cut Fries): $9br> Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $25.60

Without sounding like I'm tooting my own horn, I consider myself to be fairly well-rounded in terms of liking different kinds of beers. And yet I honestly have a hard time enjoying, much less finishing, any beer that I've ever had at Empire. There's something about their beers where they leave a very bitter, uncomfortable and lingering aftertaste in your mouth. And the IPA on this occasion was no different. Hoppy and citrusy, but with an extremely annoying bitterness that made it hard for me to want to finish it. Though, perhaps this whole issue is just a personal preference. At any rate, I did not like it.

Jambalaya: a rice dish with shrimp, chicken, andouille sausage, and smoked ham seasoned with spices and topped with a homemade Creole sauce.

I wasn't really a fan of this. It was spicy an all but the flavors just didn't line up. The ingredients in Jambalaya are supposed to interlock and blend together (like a stew, for instance) and this just tasted like 5 or 6 ingredients thrown on top of each other with some spices mixed in. Not only that, but the rice was very overcooked and tasted mushy. And baby shrimps? C'mon. There was just no love in this (yes, you should be able to taste the love in Jambalaya). Also, cooling down the spiciness of this dish with their IPA didn't work for me and actually made the heat linger more. Empire should seriously consider putting beer pairings after each dish on the menu. For example, I think something like the Downtown Brown in this case would have accompanied the Jambalaya a bit better instead of the IPA. Not only would this suggestion be good in terms of taste, but it might give some initial thoughts to those who are unfamiliar with their styles of beer and what they taste like before ordering what they want to eat.

Pictured here is the Bentley Burger. Grilled, black angus beef with chipotle mayo, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions.

I have to say that I liked this burger a lot and it was a pleasant surprise after being fairly disappointed with my beer and Jambalaya. Juicy and perfectly cooked angus beef with the right amount of fresh lettuce, onions, spicy mayo, melted cheese, and a layer of large, creatively-cut pickles. No ketchup (I love ketchup on a burger) but they give you enough in a small bowl on the side for your fries so I was able to use some of that. I wasn't crazy about the fries. I think I expected somewhat larger cut fries - maybe even steak fries - but these were kind of a let-down. Fairly dry and bland. And for the record, I hate when fries have that weird breading on the outside (you know what I'm talking about). Something happened to American's perception of fries sometime during the early-1990's and I put the blame on Burger King. Give me some normal, lightly salted fries with the skin on and I'm a happy camper.

A few things of note...

Service was slow. It was a Sunday night, not incredibly busy, and yet it took a good 15 minutes to get the check after the waiter disappeared.

They also have a "Blues Brunch" menu served from 11:30 AM to 3 PM on weekends with breakfast pizza, breakfast fajitas, and other creative brunch dishes.

Overall, I love the decor of Empire, love that they proudly use local ingredients, love that they are keen about energy usage, and love that they make their own beer, but everything that I ordered fell flat - with the only strong point being the burger itself. I would go back for it again but would rather try my luck with a different beer, different side, and a different appetizer choice.

My rating of Empire Brewing Co:

Review: Faegan's Cafe & Pub

Name: Faegan's Cafe & Pub
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: