Good
Times and Great Food at
The Brandon Ale House
_
Late
one afternoon our team of four arrived at
the Brandon Ale House tired after a long
afternoon in the studio and oh-so-hungry.
Our waitress, Angela, asked if we had “experienced”
the restaurant. Three of us had not, so
she graciously and proudly took the time
to show us the variety of menus and provided
welcomed tips on the restaurant specialties.
Because we were a ravenous group, we took
the suggestion to order an appetizer—a
house specialty is chicken nachos. We were
warned that it was quite a large platter;
however, having seen the four of us put
away two large pizzas, I was confident that
our team could take on the challenge.
When the layered chicken, cheese, and nacho
platter arrived, four mouths dropped in
unison. We could not believe our eyes—as
hungry as we were we knew it was doubtful
that we could polish it off! Besides there
was so much more to experience!
Enjoying our beers, conversation, and the
casual atmosphere, we attempted to put a
small dent in the utterly delicious chicken
nacho feast. Did I mention that there are
26+ bottled ales and beers to chose from
and another 26+ on tap? A pitcher is only
five dollars or you can indulge in the daily
drink special.
Another Ale House attraction is that casual
atmosphere—great for families, in
fact Tuesday night is Kid’s Night
featuring a magician, balloon animals, and
fun entertainment. One child dinner is free
with an accompanying adult meal.
The restaurant features 40 television screens
mounted high for easy viewing. Booths are
offered on one side of the restaurant and
barstool table seating on the other. Two
pool tables allow for several games to be
played as folks enjoy food and beverage.
Our entrées arrived at our table
and once again we were in awe. “Zingers”
“ are a branded name for the Ale House
boneless wings. Highly recommended by Angela
and our experienced teammate, our order
included a serving of “Zingers”
“ and the “Zingers” “
Melt. The melt can be seasoned mild, medium,
or hot.
“The Big Red” “ was another
must—a fried chicken sandwich with
hot sauce plus cheddar and jack cheeses.
That hefty sandwich came surrounded with
golden brown French fries and like most
sandwich platters reasonably priced under
ten dollars. Other menu items include soups,
salads, raw bar, steaks, seafood, Thai chicken,
burgers, pasta, and house “specials.”
Always one to enjoy a salad, I ordered blackened
tuna atop a Caesar salad. The tuna steak
was enormous and cooked to perfection!
The table was noticeably quiet as each person
enjoyed every mouth-watering morsel. Who
had the best meal? Definitely impossible
to answer, we were all winners. Brandon
Ale House gets high marks on menu variety,
portions, price, and service.
Angela, our waitress, checked on our table
numerous times and was delighted that her
recommendations received a thumbs up from
each of us. She kept the beverages refreshed,
and teased us with descriptions of luscious
homemade desserts.
Try as we might, we just could not bring
ourselves from resisting desserts. We decided
to share a serving of “Captain Jack’s”“
ice cream cake dessert and a fudge brownie
topped with hot fudge and ice cream. As
you can see by the photographs, the portions
are huge—especially the brownie treat.
In spite of our full bellies, we managed
to eat all but one small piece of a brownie.
We waddled out of the restaurant with our
“to go” bags and knew that none
of us would need another bite for the rest
of the night. My recommendation is to arrive
with a hearty appetite and you will definitely
leave happy and satisfied.
Brandon
Ale House is located at 1817 West Brandon
Boulevard, the south side of Route 60. Jack
and Claire Miller opened the Ale House as
a local meeting place and restaurant in
Jupiter, Florida in 1988. The company has
grown to 35 Ale House Restaurants. Three
are located in the Tampa Bay area! Reservations
are not required. Come with friends and
family and enjoy great food in a fun atmosphere.
Brandon Ale House: (813) 643-0511
-M. Wilson