Hudson's Classic Grill

If I could give my dining experience a zero i would.  The onion rings were quite good so I guess the fact that I have to give a star is okay.

Barring the rings it was almost laughable how bad this place was tonight!
I came in and wanted to sit at the bar because I wanted to watch the Brewer game.  There are maybe 10 total bar seats. I sat down at the only spot that did not have anyone on my right or left.  The area was a mess.  I took a picture because the bar tender nor anyone else for that matter ever cleaned it up the whole time I was there!!!

I feel a little bad because the bar tender was very nice, but she was way over her head.  obviously somewhat new (I hope) but she was not very good at multitasking.  She made multiple comments to customers that she was going to do something a soon as she finish something else only to forget as soon as finished her task!  Example:  I will clean that up those plates as soon as I make this Jack and Coke, only to walk away after finishing the drink prep!  I was never offered a refill of my drink during my meal and had to ask for a napkin, dessert and my bill!

Next, the Service Manager!  She walked around looking like if she smiled her face would crack!  Wow, I know I would not like to work with this woman! Being at he bar is sometimes like being behind the curtain in a theater, you get to see too much.  This Service Manager twice told he bartender to go wait on tables while she fixed drinks.  She had to look up recipes for the for the drinks ordered and awkwardly poured each shot and then asked what I assume to be the Manager if the drinks looked right! He told her to put some more coke in the Long Island Iced Tea and serve it!  (I looked at the drink menu and they only have about 5 so I would think a bartender and especially the Service Manager would have a clue on how to make them!)

The place was set up weird too.  POA Service station was behind the bar in a place that the tender stood almost all the time with her back to the customers.  She since she didn't really know where things on the screen were this is how she spent most of her time behind the bar... not facing her customers.  Also it seems the only phone in the place was behind the bar so when a call came in for the dish washer, she had to come out from he back and take the call behind the bar... In front of customers!

The Manager (or possibly owner?) spent most f his time standing off to the side of the bar staring at something on a computer screen.  Every once in a while he walked out and sang along to the music playing in the restaurant and tales with the Service Manager but never helped anyone or cleaned up the bar area.  At least he looked happy to be there!

If you must eat here, sit at a table!

It's going to be difficult to write this review because of two things. One, I actually hoped for more from this place and two, that is my fault, not their fault. I should have done a bit more research. I was in the mood for comfort food last night and that just isn't a part of Hudson's.

I liked the concept of Hudson's the first time I saw one in Plover. At that location, there is a Hudson Hornet cut in half, the long way, with half on the back of the building and the other half on the front. In this location, a Hudson Hornet is an entire car and it's above the vestibule. (There's also a front end clip above the back bar.)

That's one of the great things about this place that I really like - if yo're a gear head, like me, the restaurant is full of eye candy. There is lots of autombilia and petrolania, including gas pumps, porcelain signs, the Hudson and a set of Burma Shave signs. More on that in a minute.

From the outside, Hudson's appears to be a typical restaurant/bar franchise, a la Appleby's or Chili's with lots of wood and an interior full of antiques and memorabilia. But the menu is not what I expected.

In fact, I was disappointed in the menu because it is very limited. The majority of the fare is sandwiches with a specialty in burgers. There are few entrees and some salads, one entree is a fish fry. That was the most attractive thing, but since I'm meeting the family for a fish fry tonight (it's Friday as I write this) I opted out. They also advertise a mac and cheese dish but cheese was not on my radar last night. So, I ordered a Reuben and I didn't really care for it that much.

That's all my fault for not having checked out the menu before I went there.

The bar offers a wide variety of Wisconsin brews, including Point, Lake Mills and Lakefront, and since they pour Miller, they also offer Leinenkugel's. From what I understand, they also offer a wide variety of cocktails and low priced Margaritas. (I don't drink Margaritas so you're on your own for that one.)

The Yelper rankings here range from low to high. I'm giving it an average 3 stars out of fairness to Hudon's. I'd rather skip a ranking but I cannot and still post a review, so "average" it is. As I said, I didn't care for Hudson's because it wasn't what I expected, but that's my fault, not theirs. It is what it is, and if you're looking for a burger joynt, Hudson's certainly fits the bill.

Now, for the eye candy - if you're under 40, you may not have any idea what Burma Shave was. You might want to do a google search and read up on the Burma-Vita company and how they did advertising with a series of signs that carried a message in rhyme. There were always a series of six signs and the last one carried the Burma Shave name. (See my tip for Hudsons to see an example.)

I'm reminded of a set of signs that appeared in "Mad Magazine" but never actually existed:

"If you are under 35
You might not know what used to be
So let me try to put you wise
These signs were used to advertise!
Burma Shave"

I would not discourage you from trying Hudson's because it might be just what you're looking for, it just wasn't what I was looking for last night.

Surprisingly good service, decent burger, good beer selection - glad I stopped in!