When the Highlander opened back in 1992, the manicured, suburban-style Midtown Promenade strip center on Monroe Drive certainly seemed like an unlikely location for the would-be dive bar and music venue. But some 16 years on, it's become such a popular late-night destination that recently it was featured on an episode of the Food Network's "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives."
Tattoos, too
"Dives" host Guy Fieri introduced the Highlander by saying that great bar food is about "a whole experience," and that at this place, "they're heavy on tattoos, but serious about scratch cooking."
It's true, most of the servers dress like they're ready to rock in a metal or hardcore band. The walls are decorated like it's Halloween, even when it's not. And the 21-and-over bar status often means that the most pervasive atmosphere is a thick cloud of cigarette smoke. But, face it, regulars flock here because they dig the outlaw attitude. For everyone else, the spacious patio offers a respite, especially for a drink and a snack before or after a movie at Landmark's Midtown Art Cinema next door.
Beyond burgers
The expansive menu covers all the pub grub standards — big burgers, wings, fish and chips, and a variety of appetizers and sandwiches. But entrees include comfort food classics such as chicken pot pie and beef stroganoff, plus pasta, marinated pork chops, and an $18 strip steak. On Tuesday nights, all you can eat crab legs is the big deal. If there's a unifying theme to the cooking, though, it's that hearty and spicy foods rule.
The daily specials, whipped up by kitchen manager "Ice" Jahumpa, are usually something meaty and a bit out of the ordinary — like rabbit stew, oxtail soup or curried goat. Fieri came for the Jamaican jerk chili, cooked with a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage, jerk seasoning, tomatoes, hot peppers, and red and black beans. A bowl of the chunky, fiery stuff gets topped with shredded cheddar and served up with jalapeno corn fritters.
Bar noir
The Highlander isn't about fancy cocktails and high-gravity brews — though Celebrator Doppelbock and Chimay Red are on the bottled beer list, and there's always a Sweetwater seasonal on draft. The barfly stalwarts go for pitchers of old-school lager or pints of Guinness, while downing shooters and shots of Jagermeister. And Drunk Bingo is what's happening on Mondays.
Halloween Scene
Not surprisingly, Halloween is a day of unholy obligation at the Highlander. On Oct. 31, the big bash includes plenty of crazy costumes and music from the El Caminos and Armazilla.
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