Anthem Kitchen and Bar

We dined here on Sunday July 14th.  I want to warn everyone to be very careful about dining here if you have a food allergy.  I have Celiac disease, and ordered from the gluten free menu: salmon, spuds, and asparagus.  I told them I have a severe allergy and the waiter seemed understanding.  However, when I received my meal, the 'spuds' looked a little different  They were in the shape of a 'cake'- I thought: wow: this is cool.  But one bite told me that it was not potato, it was risotto- and sure enough, when I mentioned it to the waiter, he said "I'm sorry- that's not gluten free."  He took the risotto off the plate and then went to yell at the cook staff.  Didn't clear the whole plate and start new- just gave me a side of 'spuds' which I wasn't really confident about.   And then, and this is the kicker:  they still charged me full price for a meal that has made me sick all week.   Eventually, at our insistence, we talked to a manager, who took my meal off the bill as well a drink that was so-so to begin with.   They were all very nice- but I need to post this review because it's very clear by the error, and the inaction after, that they don't have a handle on food allergies. beware!

So if you have allergies; go somewhere else.  If you don't have allergies- well, I think it's a good restaurant  -  my party got the fondue which looked delicious.  And the location was great.

Leave your vuvuzela and team pennant at home - Anthem has all that you need to proclaim an evening a total success.  

Indoor seating, outdoor seating, indoor/outdoor seating: it's all great.  Our party loved being able to people-watch while enjoying the modern comforts of air conditioning.  The nice cushy booth was another comfort appreciated after a long morning of museum-ing.  The atmosphere was casual and the noise level was average which lent nicely to a laid-back luncheon.

The menu is only one page, but it packs a wallop!  Our appetizer of "Really Good Fried Pickles" with chipotle aioli ($8) would have been great for 2-3 people, but wasn't quiet enough of a quantity to satisfy us humidity-hunger munchers.  Also, they were "pretty good" (not "Really Good" as advertised) as the nickel-sized rounds were a bit watery.  

Entrees arrived in perfect time!  My house-made veggie/bean burger was impressive!  The "burger" was more substantial than veg-patties I've seen in the past, yet held together (no crumbling) quite nicely.  The tzatziki sauce added a hint of tang and individuality to the meal ($14).  Fries: holy smokes.  The perfect amount of perfect, crisp, seasoned fries (just more than a handful) was an excellent side.  If you're looking for more side options, their mac'n'cheese might not appear to be acceptably cheesy....but don't judge a noodle by it's sauce!  The flavor is THERE!

My carnivorous friend ordered the "Meatloaf Stack" (ground beef, chorizo, italian sausage, cheesy texas toast, whipped spuds, gravy + vegetable $23)....what-a-stack.  It was an well-presented meat mound and she professed that it was quite possibly the best meatloaf she had ever tasted (don't tell her nana!).  In fact, all of our meals were so delicious that we nearly chomped ourselves into pleasant little food comas *belch*

Great location - great scene - great bar and food menu (...just brace yourself for a Boston-sized check).

So, tell you all a little story about this place.   That SAME guy from NYC was in town again, and my friends ironically suggest Anthem again for dinner... I grunt and gurgle, express our terrible time last time we were there... "Naw, its cool, I like that place" is the response from my friends.  

Again, we head there with a request for 10+ people. No problem securing a table, which is great. The only thing great about this place.      I just ordered beers, as I knew the food is total crap here.   I actually did order the side of fries (which are about the most decent item to eat here), and honestly, they are good.  

By the end of the meal, most felt they had overpaid for the product they received and on top of the mediocrity of food, the bill was totally FUBAR.  Waitress charged us for 4 extra beers that nobody ordered or consumed... 1 extra of a beer we had, and 3 miscellaneous beers nobody even touched.   Do you think we wouldn't notice, "1 Guinness, 1 Corona, 1 Heineken" on the bill?   Seriously?     Good thing I audited it to catch the BS this place spits at its customers.  

If this place didn't automatically include 18% gratuity in the bill, I wouldn't give them anything - service and food are total horrendous - total tourist trap.

Hint: If you do come here, make sure to check your bill.  Likely going to up-charge you for something or hide something on there you didn't order.