Christie's Bar And Grill

Hidden gem. What a great place. Ever changing menu and everything cooked with pride. You may wait a bit for your food but it is worth it!! The bartender will kepp you entertained and the bar (where most everyone eats) is the type where you talk with everyone else that's there eating. I don't have a single complaint about this place. go and enjoy the food and the people!

Worth the wait. Tried this place on a whim after reading a favorable review in the paper (which I rarely consult for food choices). There's a sign on the door asking you to be patient as it's a small kitchen. I believe it's the owner's wife and mom doing the cooking, that's it. The owner runs the entire floor of the restaurant/bar. So, you need patience. Some other charms... while they have a pretty simple regular menu, the real delight is in the daily specials. There is a 2-sided chalk board when you walk in with maybe 6-8 specials. You have to get up to look at it, but again, that's charm in my mind. The cooks may also make up some other specials on the fly, which you have to ask about.

With the waiting... we went on a Friday night and got there before 6PM. It was empty, we put our orders in. By the time our appetizers came the entire place was full and people were looking at easily a 1-1.5 hour wait to get any food. And they were running out of dishes. So, arrive early and don't go if you're in a rush. On the bright side, the owner is super friendly as are the guests. Typical of a south side place, everyone wants to talk. Most people sit at the oval shaped bar, and will chat with each other the whole night.

Anyway, the food... sooo good. Had calamari for an appetizer, which is usually a dull choice. Not here. Well seasoned, lightly breaded, perfectly fried to keep everything very tender. Spicy oil to dip and a basil pesto on top. It's on the regular menu and well worth ordering.

My wife got a salmon with a ginger glaze that came with mashed potatoes and some veggies I can't recall. It was a special and it was perfectly cooked. Sauce was not overwhelming and complimented the fish quite well.

I also got a special, deep fried lobster. Wow! Two ~8oz tails, no shell, seasoned, lightly breaded, fried. Very moist, very delicious. I think it was $28 and I would easily pay $10-15 more without batting an eye.

So yeah... I never write restaurant reviews, but this place more than deserved one. Go there, now.

Great beers, fantastic bar tender! Pays special attention to every patron. It's a small place and if it's busy be prepared to wait. Each customer gets the menu read to them in detail. Mother and son crew are on site working by themselves. Fantastic experience, nothing like it. I can't wait to come back!