Pre-game
Nick: We wanted to get something downtown and wanted a place where we could get some drinks and watch some of the Wednesday night baseball game. Great outdoor patio and a cool night made Griffin's a solid choice.
Katie: I love the location of Griffin's and wanted to sit on its patio so I could people watch while Nick watched baseball. Besides the great layout, I heard they had different drink specials each night.
The Scene
Nick: Separated into an indoor and outdoor section with a very sports bar feel to it, the nice TVs make it so no seat misses any of the action, and plenty of drink specials for pitchers and wings make it a prime place to set up shop with a group while watching a game. On ladies' night they have a $2 "you call it," which is pretty great but it's only for the ladies so guys, we'll stick to the pitchers of Bud Light.
Katie: Long gone are the menu choices named after different athletes, with a revamped menu and the Griffin logo displayed on the doors and servers' shirts, this place is looking pretty snazzy. They do in fact have different specials each night but it isn't just limited to drinks; they have food specials ranging from tacos to pasta. As for my drink selection, I did the ladies' night "you call it" $2 cosmopolitan (which was delicious and smooth).
A Look at the Menu
Nick: Sandwiches, salads, appetizers, a very pub fare mentality. They have a couple lesser-known beers on tap; it's your classic bar food.
Katie: For the pub fare mentality they also had more salad selections and a wider range of appetizers, such as fried green tomatoes.
The Taste Test
Nick: I decided to go with a Magic Hat to quench my thirst, which was a nice change from Busch Light, and a Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich. The sandwich definitely left something to be desired - I expected a little more flavor out of it - and the fries just seemed a touch too bland seasoning wise. Katie's salad was made with all fresh ingredients, which is sometimes rare in bars.
Katie: I ordered a Santa Fe salad, a side of fried green tomatoes, and another drink (it was a long week). The Santa Fe salad had fresh ingredients and came with green peppers and sliced avocado. It was served with cilantro lime vinaigrette, which was a little too tangy for my preference. The fried green tomatoes had bleu cheese on them, which was a nice touch, and the dipping sauce was delicious. The second drink I ordered was a nuts and berries. The nuts and berries was not part of the $2 "you call it" but it was a delicious creamy drink, preferable for dessert.
Impressions
Nick: With the location and atmosphere, and of course the almighty drink special that seems to be a requirement for any downtown establishment, Griffin's is a good place to grab some wings and brews. The food, although not what I expected, is a few tweaks to being a must-go-to place. The TV placement is key because it separates Griffin's from the other sports bars downtown. You have a TV in clear vision pretty much anywhere you turn, and being a sports nut this is very helpful when your team is on.
Katie: Griffin's is solid choice, when you want to eat or get a drink downtown with a nice view and breeze. It is a sports bar, and the ample televisions provide great access to the games.
El Charro
Pre-game
Katie- With a great assortment of Mexican restaurants in the Clemson area, I was interested in seeing how the newest one, El Charro, would compare with the others.
Nick- El Charro was closer than all the other Mexican restaurants being right across from Bi-Lo, and they always have tiki torches going every night, so I figured we should give it a try.
The Scene
Katie- El Charro is vibrantly painted in an orange palette that allows for an upbeat, fun mood of the restaurant. There is an outdoor seating area and a separate bar area allowing options for seating preference. Nick and I arrived at lunch time and were promptly seated by the friendly staff. Lunch time is definitely more laid back than the advertised night scene which boasts drink specials on tequila shots, margaritas and beer.
Nick- They have a lot of colors going on for certain, but it truly ass a more authentic Mexican vibe to it. From the music to the décor, they have it down pretty well but still touch it off with a great HDTV in the bar. The patio will definitely be nice once it cools down a little bit more.
A Look at the Menu
Katie- Standard Mexican favorites such as fajitas, burritos and nachos as well as seafood, a separate lunch menu, house specials such as pollo fundido ( grilled chicken breast topped with sautéed onions and cheese dip, served with rice beans and a salad, very yummy) and the option to make your own combo with vegetarian options available.
Nick- Your standard combos of burritos, tacos, fajitas, rice and beans take no variation here; it's Mexican - you expect the normal items, and they do not let you down. But looking at the table tent I noticed something very intriguing. Thursday night one dollar tequila, yes that's right $1 per shot, as well as $1 drafts, and we all know the old saying "Tequila makes her clothes fall off."
The Taste Test
Katie- I ordered a taco salad, a margarita on the rocks and split cheese dip with Nick. The complimentary chips and salsa is definitely my favorite in Clemson. The cheese dip was served warm and was great mixed with the salsa. The taco salad was served in a tortilla bowl and consisted of chicken, lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and beans. The salad was not overwhelmed with sour cream and had plenty of beans in it. (I was also happy to see that it did not have a chicken bone in it, a concern I have when ordering taco salads, since I have found bones in other restaurant's taco salads in the past.) The margarita had the perfect proportions and was not overwhelmed with tequila or lacking salt. I'm not that much of a beer drinker, but I took a sip of Nick's Dos Equis Amber, and it was very smooth and refreshing.
Nick- Well I started with the biggest container of beer they had a 32 oz. of Dos Equis Amber which was $3.25, not at happy hour when it is only $2.75. The queso cheese was better then Monterrey's and Moe's. I opted to get the burrito and enchilada with rice. A bountiful feast is how I would describe the potion size. I even took some home, and at about 4 a.m. Thursday that enchilada was still delicious.
Impressions
Katie- El Charro has a vibrant personality and tasty, fresh Mexican food. The atmosphere is perfect for
a lunch catching up with friends or on an evening of margaritas on the patio. I will definitely be back again, to try out their daiquiris and house specials. P.S.They deliver too!
Nick-Nicer than the other choices you have in Clemson, reasonably priced but still a bit higher then the Monterrey's. Thursday night is definitely the time to go as a replacement for the typical downtown Clemson routine. Cheap drinks and reasonable prices on large portions of food make it a good place to take a date, or you can just rely on the cheap beer and shots to find a date.
Katie- With a great assortment of Mexican restaurants in the Clemson area, I was interested in seeing how the newest one, El Charro, would compare with the others.
Nick- El Charro was closer than all the other Mexican restaurants being right across from Bi-Lo, and they always have tiki torches going every night, so I figured we should give it a try.
The Scene
Katie- El Charro is vibrantly painted in an orange palette that allows for an upbeat, fun mood of the restaurant. There is an outdoor seating area and a separate bar area allowing options for seating preference. Nick and I arrived at lunch time and were promptly seated by the friendly staff. Lunch time is definitely more laid back than the advertised night scene which boasts drink specials on tequila shots, margaritas and beer.
Nick- They have a lot of colors going on for certain, but it truly ass a more authentic Mexican vibe to it. From the music to the décor, they have it down pretty well but still touch it off with a great HDTV in the bar. The patio will definitely be nice once it cools down a little bit more.
A Look at the Menu
Katie- Standard Mexican favorites such as fajitas, burritos and nachos as well as seafood, a separate lunch menu, house specials such as pollo fundido ( grilled chicken breast topped with sautéed onions and cheese dip, served with rice beans and a salad, very yummy) and the option to make your own combo with vegetarian options available.
Nick- Your standard combos of burritos, tacos, fajitas, rice and beans take no variation here; it's Mexican - you expect the normal items, and they do not let you down. But looking at the table tent I noticed something very intriguing. Thursday night one dollar tequila, yes that's right $1 per shot, as well as $1 drafts, and we all know the old saying "Tequila makes her clothes fall off."
The Taste Test
Katie- I ordered a taco salad, a margarita on the rocks and split cheese dip with Nick. The complimentary chips and salsa is definitely my favorite in Clemson. The cheese dip was served warm and was great mixed with the salsa. The taco salad was served in a tortilla bowl and consisted of chicken, lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and beans. The salad was not overwhelmed with sour cream and had plenty of beans in it. (I was also happy to see that it did not have a chicken bone in it, a concern I have when ordering taco salads, since I have found bones in other restaurant's taco salads in the past.) The margarita had the perfect proportions and was not overwhelmed with tequila or lacking salt. I'm not that much of a beer drinker, but I took a sip of Nick's Dos Equis Amber, and it was very smooth and refreshing.
Nick- Well I started with the biggest container of beer they had a 32 oz. of Dos Equis Amber which was $3.25, not at happy hour when it is only $2.75. The queso cheese was better then Monterrey's and Moe's. I opted to get the burrito and enchilada with rice. A bountiful feast is how I would describe the potion size. I even took some home, and at about 4 a.m. Thursday that enchilada was still delicious.
Impressions
Katie- El Charro has a vibrant personality and tasty, fresh Mexican food. The atmosphere is perfect for
a lunch catching up with friends or on an evening of margaritas on the patio. I will definitely be back again, to try out their daiquiris and house specials. P.S.They deliver too!
Nick-Nicer than the other choices you have in Clemson, reasonably priced but still a bit higher then the Monterrey's. Thursday night is definitely the time to go as a replacement for the typical downtown Clemson routine. Cheap drinks and reasonable prices on large portions of food make it a good place to take a date, or you can just rely on the cheap beer and shots to find a date.
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