We had a late evening meeting which left us with empty stomach and no time to cook up a meal. We passed by Hickory Tavern, realized we hadn't eaten there yet and decided to give it a whirl. I wish Duckworth's had been open at the time because we would have definitely gone there over here in a heartbeat. Hickory Tavern offers the fare of a pub but with a chain restaurant quality that is just lacking a bit.
Hickory Tavern is located among a couple of other stores and restaurants a little past Birkdale Village. The parking was ample and we strolled in around 7:30ish. The place was pretty slow and we had no trouble snagging a patio table, with only two other parties eating out there at the time. Our server was very attentive but service was pretty dang slow considering how quiet the place was.
I ordered the Tavern Burger ($9.30) which was a simple, overpriced cheese burger. You can only order the burger medium well or well, which is something I hate about getting a burger at a chain establishment. Despite the fact I ordered it "slightly pink" it came out "not a trace of pink." It was a decent size, but I didn't think the quality was worth over nine bucks. It did come with a side, and I chose the fruit cup, which was decent.
The missus' went with the Build Your Own Salad ($8.50) and added shrimp to it for an extra $3. The vegetables were ok but not all the greatest quality for an entree salad. If my burger was overpriced then her salad was even more so, seeing how adding any protein to the salad would have cost more than my burger.
I was not impressed with Hickory Tavern. It was overpriced for what you get, and the quality of the food was just sub-par. There are plenty of other alternatives in the area that offer the same bar-like experience with better food and prices. I don't think I'll ever step foot inside again.