TJ's Downtown Bar & Grill

Totally ended up in Lakeport on a whim ("I wonder what Lakeport is like. I've never been there before," said I, as we whizzed past the sign on the highway. And one hard left turn later, my sweet FH and I were on our way over the hills.) We were both a little peckish after an afternoon of wine tasting, so I checked Yelp to see what was around the area.

I wasn't expecting much from TJ's based on the exterior, but once inside, we were warmly greeted and seated. Service was extremely friendly and efficient, and the variety of dishes wasn't what I'd expected from someplace so bar-centric.

My ribeye with gorgonzola was perfectly cooked and really quite amazing. Best steak I've had in a while. The garlic mashed potatoes didn't have a lot of discernible garlic flavor, but they were still good. Obligatory side of veggies was good.

FH's cedar plank salmon was pretty good, but I kind of hated his green beans. They were cooked with an Asian black bean sauce, and anyone who's ever eaten one of those beans will tell you that they're extremely salty on their own. This was no exception, and if they'd been on my plate, I would've found them nearly inedible. He didn't complain though, and said he loved the way they were cooked, so it was still a win.

We'll go back if we're ever in the area again.

TJ's is a hidden gem. Do not let the average exterior deter you from this place, as the interior is one of the cleanest and nicest sports bars I have seen. And the food is phenomenal, not your typical bar food. I had seared ahi tuna and my girlfriend had the chicken marsala, both of which were amazing, at very fair prices. The service was very good with friendly, personable staff. I am definitely glad I gave this place a shot.

$52 for a bottle of wine, which turned out to be very drinkable.. Ahi Tuna and a great salmon fillet.  Very friendly, great service..  ( the $52 was for the entire meal AND wine..)