Anna’s take: Punchbowl Social offer more than just extraordinary food and drinks. It combines an arcade, a bowling alley, karaoke, games like giant Scrabble and giant Jenga, the famous red cursive “I love you so much” wall and more.
Before I even ordered, I was brought a complimentary basket of the most delicious little biscuits and jam. For an appetizer, I started with the Lil’ Fried Bologna and Cheese Sandwiches ($8). I grew up in the country, so taking a bite out of these bologna, tomato, olive tapenade and gruyere sandwiches was like a slightly fancier memory of eating my mother’s fried bologna for breakfast.
For my main dish, I ordered the Cook’s Salad, a giant bowl of little gem lettuce, bacon, crispy chicken, tomatoes, pickled green beans, creamy avocado, hard-boiled eggs, gruyere cheese, Dixie Caviar (which is actually just a fancy way of saying black-eyed peas) and a shallot-thyme vinaigrette dressing. The salad was fresh, filling and had a unique twist with the combination of ingredients.
Suggested pairings: Punchbowl Social has several punch bowls, and if they’re in the restaurant’s name, you know they have to be good. There are three main flavors – The Watermelon Polo Bowl, It’s a Mer-Man’s World and The King’s Cup, all $9. A featured punch, which the bartender will educate you on if you visit, is $8. All contain alcohol and are delicious. For more, visit punchbowlsocial.com.