I’m always on the lookout for a great place to watch a game, or spend some time with friends on a Friday night.
And while I had been to JD Reardon’s Bar & Grille before, I had never actually eaten there for dinner. So when the opportunity presented itself, I had to take a bite and try out one of my favorite casual bars in Grand Rapids.
Located in the Boardwalk Condos (located on Monroe, just south of Leonard Street), JD Reardon’s is a small, yet comfortable bar and restaurant. It has a number of beers on tap, as well as a hefty food menu.
We started out with the Shanghai Mozz Stix ($5.95) — a twist on an old favorite. Delivered in a basket accompanied by marinara sauce, these mozzarella sticks were wrapped in eggroll and brushed with butter and garlic. It made for a crispy, flavorful starter to our meal. I can definitely see it becoming a regular of mine.
Because it was a Monday night, I couldn’t turn down the $5 burgers — a great deal considering the options available to me. I ordered the Cuban (regularly $8.95) — grilled ham, pickle, swiss cheese, garlic mayo and dijon mustard on a large beef patty and bun. My hopes were high after our appetizer, but the burger was difficult to eat, and wasn’t anything special.
A big fan of cuban sandwiches, this didn’t live up to my hopes. It was good, but it stopped there — it needed a bit more spice and flavor. While the garlic mayo and dijon mustard helped, it wasn’t enough. The patty was a bit overdone for my liking, but was far from being charred.
My dining partner felt similarly with his Buffalo Chicken Sandwich ($7.95). It was a little light on the amount of spices, but the major issue was the buffalo sauce. It had barely any amount of spice — more tangy than spicy.
The service was another disappointment — it took a bit long to take our order with the slow service continuing through to the long wait for our checks. For a restaurant that was serving two, maybe three other tables, I was surprised that things weren’t done more quickly.
Although JD Reardon’s definitely does some things well, it still needs some work. The service, coupled with the standard bar fare, was average at best. Next time I’ll just come for a drink and appetizer, and leave the real food to the big guys.
