Thanks to inspiration from Moses, The Missus, Robbie and I dined at Dino's Eastside Grill (just south of 84th and Van Dorn) last night. This isn't a formal review, but rather a quick overview of the experience.
The first thing I noticed upon pulling into the parking lot was that our car -- a 2001 Chevy Prism -- seemed out of place. Most, if not all, of the other cars were newer and nicer. A coincidence, perhaps, but notable nonetheless. Once we got inside I noticed something else about the patrons: a very large proportion of them were 60 or older. Again, that may have been a coincidence.
The interior is dignified, decorated tastefully in dark tones with large photographs providing color. Televisions line the exterior wall some eight feet off the ground. The main dining area is wide open, with a row of bench seating dividing the room in two. A long bar sits along the far wall. Off to the side is a small gaming area with pool, shuffleboard, and a few video games. There is also a nice party/conference room.
The menu features appetizers, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and a few "fancier" entrees like cedar plank salmon. We began with a dinner salad (The Missus) and chicken enchilada soup. The salad was fresh and included a variety of lettuces. The soup was good and it tasted like, well, a chicken enchilada. For an entree The Missus ordered a bbq chicken pizza that featured chicken, corn, and other toppings in a spicy barbecue sauce atop a relatively thin crust. She especially liked the corn and she enjoyed the sauce, though the crust wasn't her favorite. I ordered the philly, a sandwich topped with beef, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, and two kinds of cheese. It had surprisingly little flavor. Too little seasoning on the beef, perhaps? Mr. Wilson's tastebuds took a vacation? I've grown to used to ordered jalapenos on my phillies? Who knows.
Service had its ups and downs. The greeters were friendly, but then we were seated in a tight spot near an overflowing table of older folks. Note to servers: don't squeeze 1 year-olds next to the 65+ crowd because chances are the kid is going to annoy them, and the tight squeeze isn't going to help matters. Our server was friendly and he offered The Missus a personal recommendation on which pizza to order when she asked. Good job there. He and his compatriots were also good with drink refills. He had a bit of a memory problem, though. First he forgot what soup I ordered, and then he left me without ketchup for my fries for ten minutes after I asked for it. Why would you not provide ketchup automatically when at least one person at the table has fries on his plate?
Prices are a little higher than your average sports bar, but Dino's isn't trying to be your average sports bar. They are shooting for more of an upscale market. Expect to pay a buck or two more than at, say, Brewsky's.
Overall our experience was fine. We will plan to eat at Dino's again to give it another shot, but we don't plan to add it to our list of regulars.
Comments
See what your friends and neighbors have to say about this.
Next time you go there, try the cedar plank salmon. I think its tasty than any grilled fish. I love grilled fish because it’s my symbolism of bonding. I used to cook it with my friends and its a very wonderful experience.
Anyway, its nice you have a fine experience with that restaurant because if not, that would totally ruined your night. I experienced a crappy service and unfriendly crew in one of the barbecue restaurants in our place. It totally ruined my night. They didn’t serve us a soup and most of the crew ignored us when we ask for water. It really pisses me when I call one of the waiters and just look away from me. Good thing the manager came and assist us with our needs but I won’t coming back from that place again.
Share your thoughts with the community.
Commenting is no longer permitted on this post.