Lexington, KY - The downtown Sidebar Grill is a no-frills restaurant and bar in the Pacific Northwest vein. Hip music emanates from the speakers filling the single-room dining and bar area. Kitschy art, some appealing to diners' prurient tastes, adorns the walls (there's also some great portraits of Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley). But make no mistake, just because Sidebar Grill, a newcomer to downtown eating options, isn't concerned with extravagance doesn't mean this is a second-class establishment. The atmosphere is warm and fun, the service is friendly and the location is top-notch for pre-gaming before a night out on the town. The food is also delicious.
In keeping with the straightforwardness of the restaurant, the menu is a short and precise affair - just two pages, with a handful of appetizer, soup, salad, sandwich and dinner options.
Appetizer items include chicken tenders (of course), sweet potato fries, chili cheese fries, fried pickles (more on these later) and a chip sampler - all priced between $5 and $6. It should be noted that Sidebar Grill makes their own fries -
normal and sweet potato -
as well as their own potato chips, which come in salt and pepper, barbeque and dill, so the appetizer menu is actually a lot more exciting than it may appear at first.
Sandwich options include a burger (two sizes: a quarter or half pound; $5.95 and $7.95), chicken (Cajun or fried; $7.95), barbeque (wood smoked pork; $6.95) beef and brie (tender beef slices, onion and brie, served with au jus; $8.95) and fish (breaded fillets; $7.95).
Entrees are short and sweet: the Sidebar, a flat iron steak dinner with soup or salad ($11.95) and fish and chips ($11.95).
Aside from the menu items, Sidebar Grill also offers a healthy selection of daily specials, including (on my visit) Philly cheesesteak, grilled Italian sausage on a hoagie and a meatloaf sandwich.
For starters, my guest and I ordered the fried pickles. Loyal readers to this column know my stance on anything pickled and fried -
the item will be ordered forthwith. The appetizer was a large plate of pieces of pickle spears (not chips) fried in a peppery batter. They are served with ranch dressing, and they are dynamite with plentiful portions.
Since they were out of fish the evening we came in, I didn't have to decide whether or not to get the fish and chips. My guest ordered the beef and brie sandwich and I ordered the half pound burger with pepper jack cheese and fries (sandwiches come with chips, but can be substituted with homemade sweet potato or French fries for $1). The beef and brie was scrumptious and rich, and the accompanying barbeque chips were an exciting take on a tired side item. The burger was tasty, cooked to order and fit nicely in the bun, and the homemade fries were a filling accompaniment.
Our bill, prior to tipping, came to $41.25. This included an appetizer, two entrees and four beers - a remarkably fair price to pay for dinner for two in a downtown location and two gratifyingly full bellies. During warmer months, Sidebar Grill also has a few tables outside for cafĂ seating, which offer a striking view of the new courthouses and interesting people-watching opportunities.