After a holiday hiatus, The Every Bar In Mason City Quest returns.
This time, we visited Tailgaters Sports Bar & Grill, an establishment we’ve heard friends and community members mention. The first thing we noticed was the bar set-up. Jake loved it! Three flat screen televisions sat above the bar and the tables were arranged in such a way that everyone could comfortably watch the game.
Jake chose a high top table while I visited the bar to place an order and inquire about food. I told the bartender I was interested in a cocktail and inquired about popular choices. When she asked if I liked sweet drinks, I said I was game.
Mmmm. . . it tasted like a grapefruit soda. Kinky Liqueur & 7-Up hit the spot.
I tried a Kinky cooler once and liked that it didn’t taste too sweet. Grapefruit’s my favorite fruit and I’m a sucker for anything that tastes or smells like it. If you also like grapefruit, don’t let the bottle scare you away. The name Kinky is horrid, the liqueur is pink, and appears like it would taste very sweet. Now, don’t get me wrong. Drinking a cocktail with Kinky isn’t like sipping a fine glass of scotch, but if you like grapefruit, you might like Kinky.
Tailgaters’ menu offers typical bar food like pizza, burgers, and wings. A friendly woman at the bar recommended the pizza and the taco pizza her party shared did look good. We had just eaten pizza for lunch, so we ordered a cheeseburger and wings with mango-habernero sauce. The mango-habanero sauce coating Tailgators’ breaded wings tasted more like a traditional wing sauce than what Buffalo Wild Wings serves and was milder (for us, anyway), but we liked its flavor. The sauce tasted different enough to be interesting and I swiped-up all of the extra sauce from the bottom of the basket.
Jake’s burger experienced a kitchen mishap and the bartender automatically removed the charge from our bill. We were full enough with the wings and fries from the burger basket that we did not want additional food, anyway.
The crinkle fries in the burger basket arrived fresh from the fryer and were seasoned with an addicting seasoning salt. The perfect amount of seasoning salt can really boost a frozen fry.
Overall, we enjoyed our visit. The vibe was really friendly and our bartender provided excellent service. We keep hearing pizza’s the way to go. I noticed at least one person ordering a take-out pizza, so we’ll have to return and try one.
While I’m discussing local restaurants, I’d like to share how much Jake and I enjoyed a take-out meal from the new Italian restaurant Pasta Bella. In fact, it’s our city’s only Italian restaurant. Jake and I enjoyed our meal courtesy of a Christmas gift from two of my Godcats Buddy & Holly. I’m possibly not suitable as a Godmother for real human children, but I rock as a Catgodmom.
Pasta Bella’s parking lot is usually packed in the evenings. My friend Beth noted they do a nifty take-out service, and we found that they do. From phone call to pick-up, our order was ready in about 20-minutes. We were impressed with how carefully the kitchen packed each item. Not a sauce or dressing was missing, and they even included a huge pile of the freshly baked garlic knots they offer to diners free of charge.
Pasta Bella fries their calamari rings in a light coating and we liked the half-lemon garnish.
For entrées, Jake chose chicken parmesan while I ordered eggplant parmesan. Each comes with a green salad or cup of soup and we chose the salad with house dressing. The salad greens were very fresh and the house dressing was unlike any I’ve tried. It was like a thick, red vinaigrette that tasted both sweet and savory.
The red sauce tasted nicely balanced and we enjoyed our leftovers with the extra garlic knots. Our whole meal cost about $33 before tax and tip. We have no complaints about our experience and it lined up with the positive reviews that friends have shared with us. We hope this local, family-owned and operated restaurant has a long future in Mason City. You can reach them on their new website or by calling 641-201-1891.
The Every Bar In Mason City Quest
Burke’s Bar & Grill
Candy Bar Nite Club
Homer’s Sports Bar & Grill
Kozy Korner
Mason City Brewing
Mulligan’s Bar & Grill (11/24/2014)
Mystic Lanes Bowling
Patrick’s Bar
Ransom’s
Sidewinder Bar (11/29/14)
Spike’s Tap & Grill
Sportsmans Lounge
Tailgaters Sports Bar & Grill (01/10/14)
VFW Post 733
Willow Run Lounge (11/01/2014)
Wise Guys Sports Pub (11/08/2014)
Restaurant/Hotel Bars
1910 Lounge
Chop Eleven
LD’s Filling Station
Loredo’s
Papa’s
Pastime Gardens
The Quarry Tapas Bar
Rib Crib
River City Bar & Grille at the Clarion Inn
Whiskey Creek
Wok ‘n Roll
Reader Suggested Bars Throughout North Iowa
Bernie’s Bar, Forest City
Elly’s Lakefront Tap, Clear Lake
Lake Time Brewery, Clear Lake
Signatures Sports Bar & Grill, Northwood
Tanks Bar & Grill, Rudd
West Fork Wharf, Sheffield (12/12/14)
