Last weekend I took my boyfriend out to eat for his birthday. We decided to check out the Hi Hat Lounge off of Brady Street, 1701 N. Arlington Place, because it offered a nice variety of salads, sandwiches, burgers and drinks.
Whenever I try a new restaurant, I get both excited and a little apprehensive – when it comes to food, I don’t like to be disappointed. Thankfully, I had nothing to worry about at the Hi Hat.
The first thing I noticed was the comfortable, yet sophisticated atmosphere, with the diners reflecting that vibe. Some patrons were dressed up, wearing vests and sweaters and ordering fancy cocktails, while others downed PBR Tall Boys in hoodies and Brewers hats. My boyfriend and I were somewhere in between, so we fit right in.
We started the night off with an artichoke dip appetizer (originally $9, but $5 because it was happy hour) which may have been the most delicious part of the whole meal. It was cheesy, full of flavor, and the lightly toasted bread complimented the dip well.
For the main course, the restaurant offers salads ($7-$13), sandwiches ($8-$13), burgers ($9-$11.50) and Friday fish fry specials ($9-$12). I went with the Wisconsin Burger, topped with cheddar cheese, bacon and red apple. The apple added a light, fruity kick to a burger that was otherwise pretty average. And c’mon, who doesn’t like a little bacon?
Aside from the artichoke dip, one of my favorite foods of the night was the French fries served with my burger. Usually fries are just a staple to complete a meal of a burger, but these were surprisingly tasty. Much better than Wendy’s new “natural” fries, to say the least.
My boyfriend and I decided to deviate from our usual choice of cheep beer and try some swanky cocktails. It was his 21st birthday, after all.
I ordered the Blackberry Smash ($8), which combined Maker’s Mark, Fernet Branca, lemon, orange, mint and blackberry all in a glass over lots of ice. It was the perfect balance of whisky and fruit. Our waitress told me it is their most popular cocktail, and I can see why.
We were too full to have any dessert, so it’s up to you to stop by and try it out for yourself. The Hi Hat is the perfect place for dinner, a date or just to grab a drink with friends. I suggest going during happy hour Monday through Friday from 2 to 7 p.m. to save a little cash.
