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| - I've been here 5 times as of this review. Darcie and I stopped by today following a Wonder Woman matinée at Fat Cats.
The place has a pleasant tavern atmosphere with attentive, friendly staff, but falls dead-center on 3 stars due to lack luster food quality. My rating for Thirsty Lion includes a +1 for the atmosphere and staff. So, from a food-quality stand point, understand that you are walking into a 2 out of 5 establishment.
My analysis is that Thirsty Lion is trying to do too much and not doing particularly well at any of their offerings. Drop some of those other trades Jack; be a master of something! Frustratingly. a lot of restaurants are falling into this category. I'm so weary of the food-service clamor to bludgeon the customer with Gourmet This and Gourmet That. Oh Arugula. Aaah Brioche. Yeeee Aioli. Reindeer goat-cheese pizza! (Hudson Hawk reference there.) It just makes me want to roundhouse the next bearded hipster I see, stand over him, and yell: "See what you have done!" But I digress.
It's not that the food is bad, there's just nothing that distinguishes it above something you can get from a drive through, except that you can get a glass of beer or wine.
I've been all over the menu. At one time they had a Bánh Mì sandwich. Oh, it was dry and awful. I've had the fish and chips, sub par. The pizza is bland. The burgers aren't worth the expense, the meat has little flavor, and yikes, Way Way Way too much bun. Today my wife and I shared a Tavern Burger. No noteworthy difference.
The one item that had kept me coming back, the Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenderloins, has been consistently overcooked on my last 3 visits. Note to kitchen: the tenderloins should be golden brown. Not golden brown with splotches of very dark brown. You guys are cooking them 45-60 seconds too long. On today's visit, they were only slightly over cooked, but this go-round they were also under seasoned and tasteless. I don't think they were salted coming out of the fryer. On my 2nd to last visit I refused the order because it was very noticeably overcooked. I remarked to the server on the darkness of the tenders. He tried to explain that they just come that way. I countered that they didn't used to. I cut into a piece and showed him a dry cross section. He got us another order. It came the exact same way. I did a repeat performance of my show and tell with the manager. He took the tenderloins off our bill. {sigh} Please bring back the tenderloin tastiness.
Enjoy the customer service and the atmosphere, watch a game, have a beer or glass of wine. Don't expect much else.
As for us, I think we are going to give Thirsty Lion an extended break, probably 6 months or so.
If you are looking for a good burger, far better options are:
* Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers (awesome variety done right)
* Liberty Market (best tasting ground beef in the state - bar none)
* The Chuckbox (for that low-cost, ASU-nostalgic, mesquite grilled tastiness)
If you are looking for chicken tenders, just head to Canes.
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