Ranch Club

Awesome staff, great food. A  Garden City gem.

Ranch Club is the greatest bar in the world. Trust me, I've been to many. Stiff drinks that are inexpensive, great staff, and excellent food. What are you waiting for? Get in here!

I'd driven by this place about a million times and was intrigued by the funny signs (something about cold beers, naked girls, and good liars) and the old school Garden City signage. I wondered if it was the sort of dive bar you -want- to go to or the sort you really -don't- want to go to. Was a little scared to try it though, because - hello, dive bar!

Anyhow, the combination of Friday night prime rib dinner and a friend's recommendation enticed the husband and I to finally try it. First walking in, I was like "hmmm." I felt more than a little out of place - it was early for this kind of bar - 7pm - and mostly empty except for card players and a few people at the pool tables.

We sat outside on the patio, where I felt immediately more at home (in part because we ran into friends; in part because it wasn't dark), and ordered beer from a cute tattooed waitress. They had a good selection on draft (draught?). The menu was a nice range of bar food, but I didn't look too closely because I knew I wanted the prime rib, which came with soup (clam chowder - excellent) and a potato. The prime rib was smoked and cooked very well. I wasn't expecting such good food from a bar.

Three beers and a couple of shots later, the dance floor was heating up. It's the sort of place where people know each other, but were friendly if they didn't know you. Mostly it was a jeans and t-shirt place, but I was wearing a cute skirt and top left over from work and didn't get any funny 'who's this chick with the outfit' looks. The DJ played really good music. Considering how many people were smoking (I don't smoke, yuk), it wasn't bad at all.

I was home in bed by midnight, but that's just because I'm that sort of girl. I suspect it was thumping till closing, but I've got a few too many miles on me to find out.

Final analysis: I had a great time and recommend it if you know what you're getting into. This is a bar with good food, but it's a bar first. There's smoking and laughter and dancing and fun.