Eatery Review: St John's Bar and Grill

St John's Bar and Grill - July 20, 2013

Everyone needs a good burger joint in their lives. Small business, unpretentious, cheap, been there for years, something of an institution, something all the locals know about. For me, that's St John's Bar and Grill.  It's got a 4-star rating on yelp based on 1300 reviews if that gives you any indication of how good it is. I was first introduced to St John's back in the late 90s, after I'd graduated from business school and was working nearby. I remember going there with my coworkers during lunch but was warned ahead of time that it might be crowded.  Sure enough, when we got there, the line was out the door.  Although the line goes fairly quickly, it's still long when it runs from the back of the restaurant where the cashiers are through the restaurant's front doors and out those doors.

My favorite: Pineapple Teriyaki Burger, hold the cole slaw

Since that first visit, I've since learned to go to St John's either before 12 on a weekday for lunch or before 6 for dinner or just during off hours in general.  But even if you're caught in the rush, the burgers and cheesesteaks are still worth the wait.  And I'm not one to want to wait for my food.  But the burgers are juicy and always cooked just right.  If you get the cheesesteaks (and they have many varieties of both), the meat is really tender and I love the bread they use. 

And of course, you can't have a burger or a cheesesteak without a (small) basket of fries.

Jalapeno Burger

St John's runs specials every day so you can also eat well and be budget conscious.  If I'm there on a Saturday, I get a burger because all burgers are half off.  If I'm there on a Monday night, I get a cheesesteak for half off.  They're worth it at full price so my thrifty soul is well pleased when I get them for less (leaves room in the discretionary budget for more baking ingredients, haha).  They're closed on Sundays which I do appreciate since everyone who works there always seems to be working hard to keep up with the crowds.

Oh, I almost forgot, they're also a sports bar and there are big screen TVs everywhere you blink, except for the outside patio.  My nephew Vanilla King is a sports fanatic and loves St John's because no matter where we sit, he can simultaneously watch 1-3 games of football, baseball or basketball during any given time of the year.

Don't expect fancy when you go to St John's but you can expect delicious.