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| - Rum Runners' Saloon is a restaurant that I, as a graphic designer, am wary of: it's a place where the branding doesn't exactly match what you get inside. I'm new to the North Hills and have passed this place a few times, but have always neglected to go in because the exterior has a giant Captain Morgan statue and screams, "LOUD PIRATE-THEMED BAR I WOULD HATE EVEN IF THE FOOD IS GOOD."
Luckily, that is not the case.
My mom and I went in on a Tuesday or Wednesday night, I believe, fairly recently, around 6:30 PM. When I went inside, I was surprised - it is way less pirate-y than the name (and giant wooden barrel affixed to the side of the building) would entail. We were immediately seated in the left portion of the restaurant, where there were ample tables/booths. Huge TVs and a nice fireplace surround you. It honestly looks more like a fancy Italian restaurant than a 'saloon.'
Again, the whole time I was thinking that it would be some noisy, smoky, boys' club kind of place, but with garish pirate decorations and sub-par pub food. I was totally wrong. The menu could use some variety in my opinion, but what I found on it was pleasantly surprising.
Both my mom and I could tell that Rum Runners values quality ingredients. My mom started with an ordinary house salad, but this was elevated by some unique additions: rum-soaked tomatoes, as well as cornbread croutons, and corn salsa. Really interesting, and really good. We also shared a unique appetizer: grilled, not fried, chicken wings. Our waitress, Katie (who was terrific!) explained to us that they make them by smoking them for hours on end and then finishing them with a nice chargrill. Now, for a person who typically uses wings as a litmus test when I'm trying a new restaurant, I was tempted to order the regular ol' fried wings. But these things were fantastic. The meat literally falls off the bone, and just like our waitress said, you don't even need a sauce - nay, I would recommend NOT getting any sauce - because they are just so juicy and tender. Amazing.
My salmon salad wasn't anything totally unique, but it was delicious. It was definitely at least a 4-5 oz. portion of fish. I think my mom had a ribeye and shrimp, some kind of surf and turf, and she loved it. We both were full and had extras to take home.
The manager was visiting tables and we didn't hesitate to tell her that Rum Runners was completely not what we expected, for the better. I will have to go back on a weekend where it might be a little louder and more hectic. Perhaps my review would change then. There is a big upstairs area where I think they have live bands/DJs/etc. I'm sure at that point it will become more of a typical bar atmosphere, but for the food, price, and space, I can deal with it. Rum Runners was a hit.
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