It was lunchtime, and my friend Christina and I had our kids with us. But there we were, chatting away and enjoying our meals in relative peace. How? Top Dawg Tavern.
Located on Washington Road, Top Dawg Tavern is an American restaurant/sports bar featuring live music, draft beer, cocktails and more. But for families, its biggest attraction is the game room and free Wednesday night Kids Club activities (5:30 to 7:30 p.m.) so parents can enjoy a date night or, in our case, friends can enjoy a lunch out without having to entertain the kids.
As Christina and I chatted at a nearby table and looked over the menu, our children jumped around and laughed as they played on an in-floor gaming system, pushed quarters into machine to win a bouncy ball or drew across an enormous chalkboard before running back for sips of lemonade.
The menu itself features $9 lunch specials with a burger, salads, pulled pork, chicken salad wings, a cheese steak and more, plus $5 kids meals, including all the favorites: mac and cheese, chicken fingers, hot dogs, grilled cheese, spaghetti, hamburger, and corn dog nuggets.
Then there’s the rest of the menu. Top Dawg’s favorites list includes fried seafood, a bourbon salmon, pot roast, tenders, a stir fry, a creamy blackened chicken pasta and more. You can create your own burger, or choose from one of seven options, including a Tavern burger featuring 1/3 pound of Black Angus beef with lettuce, tomato, onions and pickle on the side or a black and bleu burger with Cajun spices and blue cheese crumbles. If you want to go slightly healthier, you can build your own salad, or choose from interesting options like a fried green tomato salad, a BBQ salad and more. There are also starters like fried pickles, fried green beans, jumbo pretzel or Southwest eggrolls; sandwiches and wraps; and wings with 12 sauce options. Dessert is a little unexpected too, with fried cheesecake and a peanut butter pie as just two of the options.
My daughter decided quickly on a hot dog before running back to the game room, while I followed Christina’s lead: “When I can’t decide, I get the flounder and shrimp combo,” she said. Meanwhile, the server kept checking on us, even helping us get change for the games.
A meal that’s served in a plastic basket on gingham-printed paper isn’t going to be fine cuisine, but the food was actually just fine. My daughter’s hot dog was plump, on a nice bun, with plenty of hot and crispy fries. The flounder was thin and crispy too, and I loved the fat fried shrimp in its creamy, spicy sauce (they’re also available in a taco, topped with fresh cucumber and scallions, and it’s delicious!). I took a chance with a mix of broccoli, cauliflower, squash and carrots as a side and was pleasantly surprised as the vegetables had a tangy, almost lemony flavor. And the fresh fruit cup, which I shared with my daughter, had nice cuts of pineapple, cantaloupe and purple grapes.
After the meal, we lingered for a few more moments. The kids got in a few last games, and we enjoyed the peace of the restaurant for just a little longer, which is big enough to absorb any noise from a lunch rush—or happy gameplay. Top Dawg Tavern bills itself as a family-friendly restaurant—and that’s true in all the ways.
Make Your Reservation
Top Dawg Tavern
2821 Washington Road
Topdawgtavern.com
Entrée cost: $9 to $18
