(johnnyrockets.com) – Pacific Place, Downtown
How I heard of this place: Who hasn’t heard of this place with 1950s-inspired decor, served by wait-staff dressed in white, who break out in song and dance?
Type of cuisine: Simple and unpretentious hamburgers, fries, shakes, sandwiches and salads. Very American. Very easy. You know exactly what you’re going to get.
Ambiance: All-American. With tabletop jukeboxes and nostalgic (for those who were around) decor. Booths and bar seating area available. The ones I have been to are bright, red and white and very simple.
What I ordered: One of my three dining companions and I were excited to split two items on the menu that we had not sampled previously: Route 66, Swiss cheese, grilled mushrooms, grilled onions & mayonnaise and the chili cheese hamburger: exclusive homestyle all-meat chili with cheddar cheese, fresh tomato & mustard. Instead we ordered the bacon cheddar single ($8.99): applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, iceberg lettuce, fresh tomato, white onion & special sauce, served with fries and a Philly cheese steak ($8.99), thinly sliced sirloin steak, grilled to perfection and topped with grilled onions & our choice of Swiss cheese, served on an authentic hoagie roll. Both were served with fries. My dining companion also ordered an old-fashioned chocolate shake ($3.99). One of our dining companions also ordered a chocolate shake and the other selected a small burger with a side of fries.
What I loved: I loved that we could pop in before seeing a movie, sit right down and order and that we could use two coupons from the Entertainment book in our party (sitting at the bar). The staff were friendly and the food just as to be expected in such a place. The flavors were not unfamiliar nor did they blow us out of the water, but we knew what we wanted, what to expect and we got it.
Why I loved it: It was a simple meal and tasted great before watching a 135-minute movie.
Cost: low to mid-range for a burger meal ($7.50 each)