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| - I'm pretty sure Mike's is my new favorite place. I first visited them a few months ago and had a really nice experience. Why no review back then? I guess I was feeling hesitant.You see, I've been bitten by the sophomore slump quite a bit lately - places where the second visit makes the first appear like it wasn't even the same place - and I wanted to make sure Mike's was the real deal. After my second visit I'm happy to report - they are.
Mikes is the kind of place that makes me happy to be an adult. There are some other places that tend to make me feel more like I should be there chaperoning some kids on their first teenage date rather than hanging out with my wife enjoying a quiet dinner and drinks. Not that there's anything wrong with them, it's just that it's nice to have a place where I can hang out with my peeps. You know, the 40+ crowd. Folks like me who are more interested in having an actual conversation with our tablemates than of trying too hard to be hip or score. For me, I think I've found this in Mikes.
Mikes is located just a stone's throw from another of my favorite Berea joints, Cornerstone Brewing Company. I know people throw around the word "quaint" when they want to put a positive spin on "small", but Mike's really is quaint. The whole place probably doesn't seat more than 30 people, and that's including the bar. That being said, we've never felt crowded in during our visits. It has a homey, warm feel that makes you want to linger a bit longer than you should.
During our two visits, the service was spot on. During our first visit we sat at the bar and the bartender was friendly, knowledgeable about the beer selection and quick to make sure my beer glass was never empty for long. Our second visit found us seated at a table in the center of the room and the service was just as good. I get so tired of being made to feel like I'm imposing or inconveniencing servers at restaurants. At Mike's the hospitality is so natural you feel like you're at a friends place.
The food at Mike's is definitely more than you'd expect from a small, local tavern. Sure, there's some of the usual suspects - wings, burgers, wraps - but there's also a host of surprising additions like Thai calamari, crispy fried calamari rings tossed in spicy Thai chili sauce and served over noodles, and specials like Croque Madame, a pan fried ham and Swiss cheese sandwich served with a perfectly cooked egg on top. During our most recent visit we enjoyed the mushroom gnocchi and the special French Onion Soup burger (crispy potato sticks, creamy mushroom/garlic aioli, provolone cheese).
Sure, the food's not perfect. The gnocchi was a bit dense and our burgers haven't exactly been cooked as ordered, but every dish is flavorful, well-seasoned and generously portioned. Another minor annoyance for me was how they had their extensive bottled beer list hand-written on a large board hung high up on the wall next to the bar. It was very difficult to read and made ordering a challenge. They've since added a printed bottles list full of great details, so kudos for that.
Speaking of beer, there's definitely a craft beer bar bent to their selection. They may only have a half dozen or so taps, but each one is filled with a delicious craft beer. I'm not even sure they carry any macros. The bottles list is pretty impressive with probably close to 100 different varieties to choose from. For a beer geek like me, this is a very good thing. During both visits I managed to have several beers I'd never enjoyed before.
Mike's is one of those places that's probably more for the locals than anything else. I'm also pretty sure that's how they want to keep it. While I'm not really local, I'll happily continue to make the short drive from Old Brooklyn. It's probably better that we don't live closer for both our waistline's and pocketbook's sakes. Mike's laid back vibe and surprisingly good food selection (did I mention they've got a great craft beer selection) are definitely two things that will have us coming back very soon.
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