There are always going to be items on a menu that, even for the most tolerant and open-minded Foodie, aren't going to be a successful choice. Thus, a reviewer who said that perhaps their party had ordered the wrong menu items is correct. We've had...some Not Exactly Great meals there, but know now what is good, as well as VERY good.
The Friendly Tavern has a variety of food that is straight-up tasty, fresh, and promptly served -- as long as your visit isn't at the times of being packed full and a line out the door.
Many people go for burgers, other sandwiches, appetizers, steaks, and salads. Our family has, for a few decades now, favored -- among other choices -- the whitefish sandwich (or dinner), the salad that has a grilled chicken breast, greens, tomato, croutons, slices of cukes, a bit of shredded cheese for those who like cheese on salads, the burgers, the Rueben, the top sirloin with a side salad and some broccoli (w/ house-made creamy horseradish), and our pork chop fan says those are perfectly seasoned and grilled. The wings are SO good when presented piping hot, so we never get those for takeout.
Btw, it seems most of their salad dressings are made in-house -- ask about that, as they're tasty. The ranch dressing is made there, and some people nickname it liquid crack.
And, one thing a customer can count on >>> If something is off, wrong, not cooked to order, too salty for a particular palette, or just not what you expected, just tell your wait-person. The staff there will do what they can for the customer ... as they should (but we've experienced at OTHER RESTAURANTS employees who will debate you about some issue, even argue ... WHAT are they thinking??!!?).
The drinks from the bar are probably the best value in the area -- a week before our most recent lunch at the Friendly we had dinner at a place that, for a straightforward, commonly ordered cocktail, charged double what the same drink cost at this pub.
The reviews that mention the noise level on a busy weekend night ... yes, we've experienced that. It's the fault of diners who are loud and get louder with noise competition, and there's no manager there who will walk around and nicely promote lowering one's voice ... they won't do that, because it's just not a friendly thing to do. ... We found our solution, and it seems many others have, too -- We go to the Friendly for 2:30 or 3:00 pm lunches, or a truly early dinner, OR Euro-style (like, get there before 5:00 pm OR after 9:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays). It used to be that the place wasn't anywhere near full during those times. But in the past several years of keeping those hours for our visits, it's often more than 70% full. And, if craving some Friendly item or dish at 6:00 pm, we call in an order for takeout.
Btw, the reason there can't be kids there is due to state law ... (and anybody who said the mgmt was AGAINST KIDS should have, I believe, ASKED them) ... Anyway, if the way to the restrooms goes through a bar, with children legally not able to be in a bar, then ... sorry, but the law says Nobody Under 21 ... although I think age 18 to 20 are allowed to visit if accompanied by a parent. Not sure about this ... ASK if the issue applies to you.
We haven't asked about that since our kids were little. They aren't anymore, and when visiting the ol' home area, they go to The Friendly Tavern for a cold beer on tap, a whitefish sandwich or a burger, and an apple dumpling a la mode ... and they're happy, because they know what to order.More
