DRAKE’S HUNTSVILLE | Drake’s is one of the closest restaurants to our office, so we’ve visited them several times. Today, it was hard to make a decision for lunch, so we headed over to Drake’s because it’s usually a crowd-pleaser! We walked in the front door around 11:20 AM (we were really hungry, okay?!) and were easily able to find a table to seat the six of us. The waitress was quick to take our drink orders and put in our appetizer order.
Overall, we really enjoyed it, as we usually do. Drake’s remains one of our go-to lunches.
Appetizers
Warm Pretzels & Beer Cheese - $10.00
soft, warm pretzel bites w/house mustard & beer cheese dip made from sharp cheddar cheese, spices, and American amber ale
“I’d never tried their pretzels but they were soft, warm, salty, and delicious.” – The Detective
“The pretzels were good enough to eat plain, but the beer cheese really pushed them to the point of excellence.” – Strings O’Shaugnessy
Waffled Sweet Potato Fries -$2.99
“I really liked the sweet potato fries appetizer, and I hope I didn’t overeat, so as to inhibit the rest of the crew’s appetizer experience!” – The Hipster
“I love their sweet potato fries, best in town in my opinion.” – The Detective
The Hipster
Off to Drake’s for lunch! Drake’s has great food options and has an overall great environment. It’s fun, inviting, and crowded, yet not so loud as so where you can’t hear others at the table. This restaurant had great service and I enjoy the food there.
Our waitress was so prompt and fantastic. Our drinks were quickly replaced and she was very attentive to everything.
WHAT SHE ATE:
Seared Salmon - $15.00
Atlantic salmon fillet perfectly seasoned & griddle-seared w/choice of one side
My salmon was cooked medium well and it was flavorful, with great seasoning on both sides of the salmon. The fries, for some reason, I expected to have more of a different seasoning than other bar restaurants, but they were standard crinkle fries. I definitely preferred the sweet potato fries over the regular fries. This is a Huntsfull favorite and we recommend you check it out!
Strings O'Shaughnessy
I have been wanting to go to Drake’s for a while. The atmosphere was exactly what you would expect, which is probably a good thing. The only thing as far as the experience that I would complain about is the small table size, but it’s certainly not a deal-breaker by any means. The service was good and finding a seat wasn’t an issue.
WHAT HE ATE:
Buffalo Chicken Minis w/French Fries - $11.00
three hand-breaded chicken sandwiches spun in buffalo sauce w/ranch or blue cheese
We had two appetizers, Sweet Potato Fries and Pretzels w/ Beer Cheese, and they were both excellent. The buffalo chicken sandwiches I had as my entree were good as well. It had the perfect amount of spice, and came with lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes on the side. I chose my side item as french fries, which there weren’t too many of, unfortunately. The fries had a great crunchy texture and good flavor, but the quantity was lacking.
The Apprentice
Drake’s is amazing. We went a little earlier then we usually go to lunch, 11:20, and I think it paid off. Plenty of seating was available and we were seated very quickly. Our waiter was very nice and on top of getting our drinks, orders, and check. The one thing I might change is the size of the table where we were seated. We had 6 people in our party and the table didn’t seem to comfortably fit everyone. Also, last thing I’d change, is the bar stools we sat in weren’t very comfortable. Overall a great experience.
WHAT HE ATE:
Triple Double Mini Burgers w/French Fries - $11.00
two minis, each w/triple American cheese, double patties
The mini cheeseburgers I got were more like sliders. They were very cheesy and heavy. The fries were, uh, what you’d expect. Not much more. The lemonade I got was good, but not as good as I expected. Overall great taste and the burgers were cooked perfectly. My only advice is don’t order this expecting not to be filled, or as a little snack, it’s very filling.
The Engineer
I really enjoyed the restaurant style and cleanliness. They had a great menu that was simple, yet it had a lot of options and I felt like most anyone could order food there and feel like they were able to get something they want. The whole idea of seating yourself is cool to me as well, as we were able to find a table quickly, even with a party of 6. This is definitely a restaurant I would suggest to small groups of 4-6. The bar atmosphere is pretty strong, though that is mostly just the front area of the restaurant. The back area is a bit more formal-looking, and is not quite like a bar. The waitress we had today did a wonderful job! She was quick to take our order, but not pushy to get us out the door! She had the food out very quickly (compliments to the chef as well) and we were eating in no time. I’m excited for my next visit to Drake’s, since this experience was so good!
WHAT HE ATE:
Black Bean Avocado Burger - $11.00
spicy veggie burger made w/black beans, corn, tomatoes, & chili peppers, chipotle-jack cheese, avocado-lime slaw, honey-jalapeno may, and lettuce
Judging from the great presentation and experience of the restaurant as a whole, it would be easy to assume the food would match. In this area, Drake’s did not disappoint! The food was hot and cooked to perfection when arriving in front of us! I personally ordered the black bean avocado burger which was delicious! I had a side of fries, and also the table ordered two appetizers of sweet potato fries (which were some of the best I have ever had in my life), and soft pretzel and cheese. The pretzel and beer cheese was wonderful, and has so far been one of the only instances where I thought the beer cheese was made for my taste buds! It did not have an overwhelming beer flavor, which was nice for someone who doesn’t really prefer the taste of beer. My sandwich was stellar, and was cooked perfectly with cheese oozing off the sides. I was very happy with my order and would most likely be just as impressed with any of their burgers.
The Boss
I was pretty pleased with the fact that we were able to go in and seat ourselves without having to wait on a hostess or for a table to open up. We went a little before peak lunch time, though, so that probably had something to do with the speed! The restaurant seemed pretty clean, as usual. The tables are mostly high-top with bar stools with no back (not my preference) but since we weren’t staying for a long time, I didn’t mind too much.
WHAT SHE ATE:
Chicken Chop Salad - $11.00
chopped greens, roasted sunflower seeds, tomatoes, bacon, cheddar-jack cheese, tortilla chips & chicken breast tossed in honey mustard
I enjoyed the appetizers a lot, as I always do at Drake’s (Their fried pickles are some of my favorites!)! Today we ordered the pretzels with beer cheese as well as some sweet potato fries with garlic mayonnaise for our apps. Both were really good, but the pretzels were FANTASTIC. So warm, soft, and flavorful – perfect for a cold, rainy weekend snack. For my entree, I ordered the chicken chop salad. I had gotten this before and it had too much dressing on it. This time I knew better and asked for the dressing on the side and enjoyed the salad much more! The components of the salad were very chopped, as the name suggests, so the consistency was almost that of coleslaw. I was expecting hot, grilled chicken, for some reason, but the chicken was cold, which wasn’t bad, just not what I was expecting. I would get it again!
The Detective
Drake’s has been a favorite of mine for about a year now. Love the food and the atmosphere. It has a bar look and feel but I really enjoy the roll up doors that they have on the outside wall. They give the room natural light and a more open feeling. We got there around 11 AM today and it was easy to get a seat. Within about 30 minutes it was packed! So if you have a group, get there a little early. It’s also seat-yourself so you have to be quick to grab some tables when people leave.
WHAT SHE ATE:
Fantasy Roll (Sushi) - $9.00
avocado, seaweed, sesame seeds; topped w/snow crab & spicy mayo; choice of tuna, salmon, shrimp, yellow tail, or white tuna
I have been craving sushi for a couple weeks now. You may not think by looking at it that this place even makes sushi, but they do and its AWESOME. I ordered the Fantasy Roll with Shrimp (you can get it in a variety of meat, ex. salmon, tuna, shrimp, and more that I can’t remember). It is SO good! It has a spicy mayonnaise sauce and shredded crab on top. Dipped in soy sauce it’s the perfect bite! Flavorful and delicious.
