Eastland Inn

Let's see... The Eastland is a place where you can get a burger, soup, perch, crab legs, pasta, steak, grilled cheese, mussels, or chicken wings. You can also get a bud light, or a Guinness, grey goose dirty martini, a bottle of wine, or a single malt on the rocks. How can they fit all that variety into one-room place that also holds karaoke contests some nights and genius trivia contests on other nights?

The first time I came here I was actually about 2 or 3 years old and it was the free peanuts that brought me in (and my parents). Now, they still have chex mix sometimes, but it's the $5 pitchers of Killians on Monday nights that does the trick.

You don't really need a calander to know what time of year it is when you're here, the place dresses itself up like its going to a cinco de mayo party or 4th of July cookout. The first time you come, you feel like you meet everyone that works here. The next time you come, you get a lot of handshakes, hugs, and 'welcome-backs.' It just feels like that kinda of place.

Welp, my crab legs are here, so you're going to have to imagine how good they smell and be jealous. Signing off.

if it could just be cleaner, the place is old and it shows, food is pretty good thou

I used to go to the Eastland Inn weekly for their Tuesday burger specials, and at the time I was never anything less than impressed with how good those burgers were.

Somehow I fell out of the rhythm of these lunch stops, and it's been at least a couple of years since I checked the place out again, and I am happy to report that the burgers are as good as they used to be.  

I don't know what it is, there's certainly nothing fancy about either the food or the presentation, but somehow every burger I've ever had there is the perfect combination of soft fresh bun, crunchy lettuce, tart tomato, and a burger that is just the right proportion with a well melted slice of cheese on top. It sounds like something that shouldn't be that difficult to do, but somehow they manage to do it consistently well here.  The end product is perhaps the best burger in this part of town, seriously.

They've also updated their menu some since my last visit, lots of new items and sandwiches clustered around the general category of bar/comfort food.  One standout from these new items is the Beef Brisket sandwich - a soft thick pile of brisket in mustard bbq sauce on a grilled pretzel roll- a seriously good sandwich.  

Eastland Inn has been around seemingly forever, and it has the well worn edges of an authentic neighborhood bar.  It's unpretentious, homey, and the food is surprisingly good.  Definitely worth your while to check it out.