Assistant Managing Editor Nick Klasne couldn't bear to watch his beloved Chicago White Sox lose another game without a distraction, so he took his wife, Catherine, for a casual meal at Jacks Stadium Sports Bar & Grill in South Daytona on a recent Saturday night.
What made you choose this place?
If you drive by, you can't help but notice the building's crisp new paint job and snappy facade. When we arrived, however, there was a pack of black Harleys parked near the side entrance. Wait a minute. This didn't look like a biker bar. Not that there's anything wrong with that ...
What made you stay?
Hunger. Besides, they put the Sox game on a big screen as soon as I asked. Can't live with the White Sox, can't live without 'em.
Once inside, what were your impressions?
Boots, beards and tattoos. And that was just the women. I'm JOKING! There was an appealing collection of big TVs around a fully-loaded horseshoe-shaped bar, a bandstand, a couple of video games and a sweet pool table confined in its own room. Everything looked neat as a batter's box before the first pitch. We chose a booth and had someone put the game on a nearby television right away. Ah, high-def!
What did you have?
We started off with two Yuenglings on draft, not bad at $3.25 each. The menu was limited but interesting. We ordered a house salad ($4.95), baby back ribs ($11.95), and pondered on a choice of burger. I couldn't bring myself to order the "Wrigley" (with white American cheese and fried shoestring onions for $7.95) or the "Yankee" (topped with baked beans, white
American cheese and sliced bacon, also for $7.95), and Catherine turned up her nose at the "Swamp" (topped with sauteed mushrooms and onions, "as sloppy as it comes," $8.95). She's a University of Miami alumna. Instead, we went for the totally local "Speedway" mini-burgers topped with cheese and diced onions. They were $7.95, too, like most of the half-pound burgers on the menu, but these four sliders were at least equal to any big burger anywhere.
Catherine and I agreed we couldn't do better cooking our own at home, and we make a mean burger. Plus, the four little burgers on "their cute, fresh buns" -- Catherine's words, not mine -- were easy to share.
Any special touches?
We had trouble deciding between the honey-mustard and blue cheese dressing, so manager "Nate" brought us a little of each with the crispy salad. Also, we'd ordinarily expect sides like baked beans to be fresh from a can but the beans that came with our tender ribs were smoky and delicious, with plenty of fresh, sweet onion. Likewise, the fries and shoestring onions that came with the meals were admirable bar food.
We wanted a sweet at the end of our meal -- something to keep us in our seats long enough to see the end of the game. I had a fresh-brewed coffee ($1.75), but our server didn't charge us for the Key lime pie we ordered. It was a little dried up. Ordinarily, Jacks also has cheesecake but we were told the supply had run out. I don't think folks order desserts here much. You're probably better off going with an after-dinner drink.
What was the best part?
The White Sox won. Plus, the total tab, including three beers, tax and tip, was $46.08.
Jacks Stadium Sports Bar & Grill
WHERE: 2225 S. Ridgewood Ave., South Daytona
HOURS: 11 a.m.-2:30 a.m. daily<cm:cq>
THIS AND THAT: Adequate parking and easy access for anyone. Major credit cards accepted.
PHONE: 386-760-7222 (jacksstadium.com)
