La Villa Sports Bar & Grille

I can't count the number of times I've been here. Partially because I've been there so may times, partially because I never learned math.

I don't know what to label La Villa as - dive bar? Family bar? Pub? Sports bar? I guess it depends on what time of day you're visiting and what brand of dictionary you happen to be carrying (or, nowadays, what dictionary app you have on your phone). Wait, no one actually carries dictionaries on them like the old days.

You get large portions with most entrees - even the side salads come with a large helping of shredded mozzarella cheese. There's no way to eat here consistently and stay thin. The chicken or steak salad, especially, I've managed to finish it twice. I don't know if that's something I should be proud of.  The chicken tenders are huge (that's what she said!).  

Pizza is great. Fish is great. I've been told the spaghetti is great. The mac and cheese comes with pretty thick melted cheese (take that, Kraft!).

The food prices are decent for the area (in all fairness, you've got some incredibly cheap bar prices in the area). The drinks prices are fine, in-line with the rest of the area unless you can catch a deal during the daily happy hour. Different food specials daily.

For a few years, we'd eat here usually once a week. I'm knocking off a star because every so often, we'd have a meal that either would be something different that what we ordered (wings with different sauces, etc) or part of the meal was never cooked/delivered. I'm not sure if, on these occasions, the fault was actually the servers or the kitchen. Even in these cases, I've never had a server that wasn't polite.

La Villa is a true working man's bar. The beer is cheap, the mixed drinks are always poured stiff and the bartenders are some of the most pleasant in the area. Not only can you get a nice cold beer cheap, but you can get an amazing meal for a deal. The wings are great, the pizza legendary and everything else I have had there sends sweat beads down my forehead.

If you are ever in the area I definitely recommend La Villa for some good food and cheap drinks.

What does $20 buy you these days?  How about dinner for two?  Last night I shared a great meal with my now widower father in this working-man's, dive bar.  

The food landscape is a better place because of places like this.  

La Villa excels at Italian food.  I've had the cavatelli about every time I've been here.  The sauce is thick and rich with the taste of tomatoes and wine.  The tomato flavor hints at being roasted.  The accompanying salad is passable and the bread is simple.  A Shiner Bock or a glass of red equally compliment the meal.

Just walk in and sit down.  Don't let the look of the place or the faint smell of smoke (illegal now, but still embedded in the place from a long history) dissuade you.  The crowd is eclectic, both in the "dining room" and the bar.  The service is almost always stellar.  Efficient and friendly working class ladies making a living. Tip them well, the prices here can't result in a very lucrative till at the end of the night.

I only ask my self one simple question each time I exit this place; why don't I go here more often?