Last Tuesday, I invited some girlfriends from over the bridge and another local to happy hour at the Hotel Del. Much to my dismay, Babcock & Story discontinued the late afternoon happy hour during the summer (damn it). I heard the Tavern had just opened so I suggested we check it out.
After we made our way past the drunk man asking if it was the entrance to Vigilucci’s, we walked downstairs into the Tavern. We were immediately impressed by the awesome décor. Louis XV (esque) chandeliers swung above glazed dark-wood cabin tables. Brick, dome alcoves were a nice backdrop for the bar. Glazed concrete flooring, solid wooden beams and dark lighting gave it all an unpretentious (but, urban-art) vibe. A couple of my girlfriends said it reminded them of some of their favorite taverns in Boston. Once seated, we were informed it was only their fourth day open. 
The menu, accentuated with a wooden clothes pin, was brief. That means a lot to me. The shorter the menu, the better the food. Pick a few dishes and make them well. However, you must understand, we are not dust-on-the-bottle type of girls. Make no mistake, we are professional drinkers. When we do happy hour it boils down to two things: cocktails and appetizers. Therefore, a couple of the girls were disappointed by the few choices on appetizers. Seeing as they just opened, I’m sure the appetizers will expand in the future to meet we nibbly lushes.
I liked the concept of the entrees: beef, fish, pasta, fowl – done. I picked beef: the Tavern burger. Now, I’m from the Central Coast and I take beef seriously. The cut, the rub, the que, and wood. When I go to Jocko’s and say “rare” I know that baseball cut will come out mooing. So, when I told my Tavern waiter I’d like my burger medium rare, I resigned myself to the fact that it would likely be medium. I typically order my beef rare so that it won’t come out more than medium. This time I took a chance. I could not have been more pleasantly surprised. I’d be damned if that burger wasn’t truly medium rare and moist. The burger came with Kennebec fries (think In-N-Out french fries). I know a lot of people love those fries. Me? Not so much. A matter of preference, I guess. 
One of my friends ordered the mac n’ cheese. It came out in a personal iron pan; creamy and cheesy topped with bread crumbs. Digging in, you could see the steam rising out of it. It also had a “kick” (red pepper, I think). My friend was surprised by the spice, but not disappointed. My Texan girlfriend had the sliders: southern fried chicken breast, lettuce, tomato, and sauce sandwiched inside buttermilk biscuits. I had a coronary just looking at them.
Although a little sparse when we first arrived, by the time we got our food the place had filled up pretty well. It is family friendly, but there were several singles at the bar, as well. There was even a bevy of blue-haired girls that were on their way to the Katy Perry concert (I hope). Oh, and do check out the bathroom. Wrought iron doors on the stalls and an iron “trough” for a sink with fresh flowers.
They have a good wine list and an interesting cocktail list, as well (sorry, I’d be more specific but, well, I was drinking). The Tavern has outdoor seating on Orange Avenue so it might be a good spot for late night drinks and a cigar. One of the owners, Tara, was very nice and hospitable in answering my questions which leads me to believe this restaurant is here to stay as a local favorite.
One thing to keep in mind about the Tavern: this could be a good place to watch football. There were several flat screen TVs throughout the restaurant and with the wide, low-profile seating, it might be a place to catch the game on a Sunday or Monday night.
