Spanky’s Roadhouse, located at 1800 East Evans Ave. usually has a fairly large crowd. After eating there, I really wonder why.
Atmosphere: The atmosphere inside the roadhouse is cute. The inside of the restaurant resembles a diner. There are smaller TVs and a large TV up front, so you can watch sports games. The also have a heated patio, which is really nice when it is cold out. The atmosphere is laid-back and you can come as you are, but the place sometimes gets dirty.
Service and Staff: The wait-staff is friendly, but extremely slow. You should expect to wait 15 to 20 minutes for your check, and don’t count on any refills. Thanks to the kitchen staff, your food does come out fairly quickly.
The Food: The most popular items on the menu are, of course, the burgers, mainly the Pioneer Burger and the Blue Moon Burger. Also, wings are popular. One waitress claims the shakes are “award winning.”
I have had better burgers. The meat is good, the toppings are fresh, and the buns are pretty good quality. But, you can go to any restaurant and get the same burger, probably a better burger, for much less money. At Spanky’s, burgers range in price from $7 to 10.
The Atomic Wings were good. They were spicy and flavorful. They are actually a pretty good buy, especially during happy hour (everyday from 4 to 6 and 9 to close) when they are only 25 cents each.
The shakes definitely did not live up to their reputation. They were made with soft serve, so they became a runny mess. Also, they just weren’t flavored well. I tried the chocolate, but all I could taste was vanilla.
Besides burgers, Spanky’s serves chicken, sandwiches, and salads.
What to Order: If you do decide to splurge and come to Spanky’s, try their onion rings and fries. The rings are really greasy, but are still crunchy and flavorful. The fries are usually crisp and tasty. As far as meals go, I recommend The Unburger. It is a sandwich and has vegetables to counter the rings and fries.
Spanky’s has decent food and a nice atmosphere (the patio in particular), but the restaurant falls short in other important categories.
Overall Rating: 2 B= out of 5
