Brittany (n.) a region in France; a region in England; one of the best restaurant servers in Chicagoland.
Yes, I’m going with the third meaning here. A friend and I rolled into Rosie O’Hare’s, an Irish themed eating and drinking establishment overlooking the Fox River in East Dundee, IL.
I must have driven by this place a thousand times and never given a thought to stopping by – thinking it more bar than restaurant, but my pal Tom (maker of fine streaming children’s videos, buy them here) suggested we give it a shot.
I’m glad we did. There are three elements that make or break any restaurant experience, food, ambiance, and service. We hit the trifecta at Rosie’s.
Our server, Brittany, is one of those (rare, these days) people who understand being “hospitable” is a big part of the hospitality industry. She gave us a warm welcome like we had been lifelong customers and provided excellent service throughout our stay, with just the right amount of inquiries as to our needs during the meal.
I went with the black and blue burger, described as ½ lb of fresh ground black Angus Beef with lettuce, tomato, and onion. It was cooked to my direction/satisfaction, and is served with chips and a handsome pickle spear. Tots or potato salad available for a small upcharge, and if you’re a regular reader, you know I’m a fiend for tots. Always.
You also know I take apart burgers on occasion to check out the components, and this hand-formed burger was flavorfulon its own and the vegetable condiments were ample and freshly cut.
The bun was bakery soft, fresh, but substantial enough to hold the toppings.
Tom went with the corned beef sandwich, which Brittany was good enough to explain when he inquired about it, that it wasn’t the usual thing with thin-sliced deli meat, but rather thick-ish slices of brisket, with corned beef seasonings and slightly smoked.
It comes on grilled rye, with a side of horseradish, should you desire. It was spectacular. Sorry I didn’t get a pic of it.
There’s a big smoker out back, which they deftly use with frequency including their weekly Saturday nite special of prime rib.
Friday fish fry, or course, and Sunday brunch.
We sat outside, overlooking the river, tables are ample sized with large sun umbrellas, if that’s your thing.
Rounding out the menu are small plate appys, specialty burgers,salads, sandwiches, wraps and “Henny Penny Broasted” chicken.
Full bar, and extensive domestic, imported, and craft beer selections.
So, to recap? Great food, pleasant surroundings, and Brittany.
A perfect day.
Rosie OHares Review East Dundee, IL