Owensboro restaurant reviews | Genuine Kentucky

Applebee’s in Owensboro, Kentucky: A Fun and Delicious Place for Lunch or Dinner

September 4, 2012 by Joi Sigers 2 Comments

One of the many things I love about Applebee’s is their 2 for $20 Menu. An appetizer and two entrees for just $20. Drinks are, of course, extra but it’s still a great deal. I also love the fact that they change things up. No matter how great a menu is, you kind of get tired of ordering the same things over and over again.

Applebee’s has recently added a few Southwest dishes to their 2 for $20 menu and we were anxious to try them out. I’m a shrimp fanatic, so my choice was easy: Southwest Shrimp Fettuccine. The shrimp had so much amazing flavor, I can’t even put it into words. The only word that comes to mind is perfection. As you can see, this entree comes with bread – something most of the entrees don’t. As someone who counts her calories, this isn’t something I’m complaining about!

Out of reach, off of scale.

Speaking of calories, the only complaint I ever had about the entrees and appetizers on the 2 for $20 menu was the lack of healthy, low calorie choices. Even though sharing an appetizer cuts the calories in half, most appetizers (and this goes for all restaurants, certainly not just Applebee’s) are high in calories. Applebee’s does have some amazing low-calorie menu items on their main menu – I only wish these would find their way to inclusion in the 2 for $20 menu.

The entree I chose only had 800 or so calories, less than some of the others. Fortunately, that day I had eaten light… saving up for Applebee’s! I also didn’t eat the bread and tried to behave myself with the Spinach and Artichoke dip, which, by the way, is outrageously delicious. Applebee’s also gives you more than some other restaurants do.Ã?Â We were at another restaurant recently – eating off of their 2 for $2o menu and the Spinach Artichoke dip was essentially 4 spoonfuls! Seriously? You want two people to share something that sparse? Wow.

Thank goodness Applebee’s thinks more highly of their guests!

Michael ordered the Chipotle Cream 4 oz Steak and Shrimp and said it was extraordinary. It looked and smelled Heavenly.

Our server was amazing. She was colorful, funny, out-going, vivacious, and made us feel like she was genuinely happy for us to be there. She was amazing.

The entire Applebee’s experience is amazing, if you ask me. The scenery, the ambiance, the sports on the tvs… everything just “fits” what we want in a restaurant. The servers are almost always outstanding, too. I always keep things “real” with my readers, and I’ll keep it “real” with you now. Owensboro’s Applebee’s went through a brief little rut. When we first moved to Owensboro, our favorite restaurant (for a lot of years) was Applebee’s. Then, a few bad experiences drove us away. The main problem was the fact that food sat under heating lamps too long or something – food that was normally outstanding began to be dry and not so great.

When we saw the new Southwest items in a commercial recently, we decided to take a chance on our once favorite restaurant. I’m SO happy to report that they’re back on their game. If you haven’t been to the Owensboro Applebee’s in a while, go this week. You’ll be delighted to know that what was once one of the best restaurants in town is once again running with the big dogs. (The review is continued below Michael’s Twitter Picture – how delicious does that look???)

Got me a Chipotle Steak & Shrimp from @applebees and it's sizzlin' and smells heavenly! pic.twitter.com/IyAecKZV

— Mike Sigers (@MikeSigers) September 2, 2012

Applebee’s is a great place for lunch or dinner – and, as I said, their menu has delicious low-calorie choices. Hopefully more of these will make their way to the 2 for $20 menu.

Owensboro’s beautiful Applebee’s is at 5120 Frederica. See you there!

Why Your Next Meal Should be at Bob Evans in Owensboro, Kentucky

April 24, 2012 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

If all grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, and chicken gravy tasted like they do at Bob Evans, I’d never eat anything else.

We have quite a few great restaurants here in Owensboro, Kentucky – something that makes doing my Kentucky restaurant reviews a joy! You always have to pull for the home team, right? For a long time I’ve thought that one of the most underrated restaurants in our town is also one of its best. Bob Evans, on 54, is consistently delicious, consistently friendly, and consistently clean.. charming, even. It’s mind boggling to me that it isn’t packed at all times of the day.

I’ll let you in on a little secret – and possibly the reason more people don’t flock to Owensboro’s Bob Evans madly. When the restaurant first opened several years ago, it was… how shall we put this… horrific. Was that blunt enough? Seriously, it took forever to get your food, then when you did get it, you couldn’t give it back fast enough.

I had a fries incident that I still can’t talk about. However, it would appear that someone higher up the food chain (literally) got wind of the crimes against human decency that were going on and whipped everyone into shape.

By the way the restaurant is now, I’m thinking we should put these people in charge of the country. They GET THINGS DONE!!! I only bring up Bob Evans in Owensboro’s unsavory past in case anyone had bad taste in their mouth, so to speak, from an early experience. Times have changed and you won’t believe the difference.

Fast forward to the present. The servers and host/hostess are always very, very friendly and helpful, the food is exceptional (delicious, with a homemade taste), and you don’t have to wait long at all for your food.

I remember the first time I tried Bob Evans after my first negative trip (I gave them a year to figure things out). My food was brought to me so fast, I looked around to make sure I hadn’t gotten someone else’s. Then, after one bite, I realized that even if I had (which I hadn’t) – they weren’t getting it back! On that particular trip, I got bacon, which is frankly the best in town. Breakfast at Bob Evans is always a delicious and wonderful way to start the day.

A few nights ago, my husband Michael and I had dinner at Bob Evans. Great move. I had grilled chicken, mashed potatoes with chicken gravy, salad, and a hot fudge sundae for dessert. Well played, me, well played.

The grilled chicken was extraordinary. Grilled chicken is a personal favorite of mine, so I get it often. I’ve never, ever had grilled chicken in a restaurant any better than this. In fact, I’m not certain I’ve ever had any as good. The grilled chicken comes with special sauces, but you’d be crazy to put anything on this chicken except for your teeth. I chose one of the sauces – but I wasn’t sure if it’d be good or not (I’d never heard of it), so my server put it in a little dish to the side. THANK GOD! The sauce wasn’t good, so I never let it anywhere near my heavenly grilled chicken. When you order grilled chicken at Bob Evans – and you should do it as soon as possible – do not get a sauce. No, no, no, a thousand times no. This chicken is so tender, juicy, and grilled tasting that it doesn’t need anything.
The mashed potatoes were the bomb, but the chicken gravy was an absolute masterpiece. I can’t even begin to describe how delicious their chicken gravy is. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
We were served a big beautiful salad in a bowl a la Olive Garden. It was perfect and the French Dressing was very, very good.
The warm dinner rolls served at Bob Evans are some of the best rolls you can get out. They’re scrumptious.
The hot fudge sundae was as good as the picture makes it look. Michael got the strawberry sundae and it was also spectacular. Of course I snuck a bite.
They serve Heinz Ketchup. Yay!!! You know what that means to me. When I see off brand or cheap-o ketchup in a restaurant, I die a little inside. But when I see a bottle of Heinz on my table, I smile. Then promptly take a picture of it. People probably think I’m nuts, but that’s okay. Let’s not even pretend it’d be the first time.
Michael’s beef gravy and steak were also outstanding. Yes, another bite stolen. Maybe two. Bob Evans really, really, really knows how to make exceptional gravy. Man oh man is it delicious. You’ll see how wonderful it looks when you click through the slideshow below.
The macaroni and cheese was creamy and outstandingly good.

Bob Evans Macaroni and Cheese in Owensboro

Bob Evans is at 3123 Highway 54 in Owensboro, Kentucky. Just get close, your nose will lead you the rest of the way.

🙂

The Farmhouse in Calhoun, Kentucky

March 26, 2012 by Joi Sigers 2 Comments

The Farmhouse Restaurant in Calhoun, Kentucky

My husband and I were anxious to eat at The Farmhouse in Calhoun, Kentucky. Knowing they served catfish, it was just a matter of time before I showed up on their doorstep, bib on and fork in hand. I swear, I’m such a catfish fanatic, my motto should be, “A day without catfish is just barely worth getting out of bed for.”When we first walked in, I fell in love with the place. I’m WAY into vintage Hollywood and classics, so the decor floated my boat in a happy direction. I quickly became obsessed with the huge stone fireplace in the center of the restaurant with a big, beautiful cross on the side. So pretty.

While a restaurant review is, obviously, mainly centered around the food, I always, always, always take note of the surroundings and the servers. In this case, the surroundings were spotless and exceptionally charming and the servers were as friendly and warm as you could hope for. The ladies treated us though they’d known us all their lives and, about 5 minutes in, I felt as though we had. In this fast-paced society, do I even have to tell you how uncommon this is?

Michael and I both ordered catfish but we mixed up the sides a little, so we could sample as many things as possible. He ordered potato salad and coleslaw in addition to beans and I went with onion rings (another obsession of mine) and macaroni and cheese.

The coleslaw was one of the two best sides, in my opinion. It had a wonderful flavor, with a hint of sweetness. It wasn’t like most coleslaw – it was way better. If I’d known it was that good, I’d have ordered, like, 12 sides of it.
The potato salad tied with the coleslaw for first place in the “sides” category. It was DANG good. In fact, I’d love a plate of it right now.
The beans were really, really good – not too soupy, which can be a problem in some restaurants.
The onion rings were outstanding.
The macaroni and cheese was my least favorite. We just didn’t see eye-to-eye on how mac and cheese should taste. I’m picky with Macaroni and Cheese and the oranger it is, the less inclined I am to have anything nice to say about it. I’m not sure why that is, but there you have it.

The star of the show was the catfish and it was exceptional. Honestly, it blew my expectations clear out of the water. The flavor was a knock out and the serving size was generous. I was also wild about the hush puppies. These little guys were highly original and stood out from most hush puppies I’ve ever had. Like the catfish, coleslaw, potato salad, and servers, the pups left a wonderful impression.

Some of the menu items include:

Cheese Sticks (appetizer)
Buffalo Chicken Tenders
Chicken Tenders
Fried Mushrooms
Fried Biscuits & Honey
Butterfly Shrimp
Baked Potato
Mashed Potatoes
Coleslaw
Green Beans
Hush puppies
Tater Tots
Macaroni & Cheese
Fries
White Beans
Hamburger
Cheeseburger
Frog Legs
Club Sandwich
BLT Sandwich
BBQ Pork Sandwich
Salad
Homemade Pies

The Kids Menu Includes:

Hamburger
Hot Dog
Chicken Tenders
Mac ‘N Cheese
Piece Catfish

For dessert, you’ll be blown away by the homemade pies. I’m a card-carrying chocoholic, so I went with the chocolate pie while my husband ordered the Coconut Cream Pie. They were both mouthwateringly delicious. (If mouthwateringly isn’t a word, it should be.)

Not only do I highly recommend eating dinner at The Farmhouse, I’m certain it’d be the perfect place to enjoy a quiet and delicious lunch.

The Farmhouse is located at 220 Main Street (Highway 81) and is open Thursday through Sunday 10:30 am – 8:00 pm. Call (270-273-3845) for any questions. If you love coleslaw, hush puppies, potato salad, beans, onion rings, and catfish so good you make one of those goofy “Ooooh, this is sooooo gooood” faces, trust me, you’ll want to visit The Farmhouse in Calhoun right away, if not sooner.

T.G.I. Friday’s in Owensboro: I’ve Got Nothing But Love For You, Man

October 8, 2011 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

When it comes to restaurants and my Kentucky Restaurant Reviews, you know that I have a few of my own “rules of the game”:

The staff (host, hostess, servers..) are the restaurant’s ambassadors. People form an overall impression of your restaurant based on several criteria and the staff is as important as the food. Many restaurants don’t “get that.” If I encounter rude servers or those who don’t seem genuinely happy to be where they are, it’s a deal breaker. Rudeness isn’t just a turn off, it’s a turn away waiting to happen.
The sides are as important as the main dish. Don’t even think of throwing canned beans or overdone fries at me. It breaks my heart.
NO FLAT SOFT DRINKS. Ewwww.

My beautiful oldest daughter Emily had a birthday yesterday so I took her out for lunch. A birthday lunch HAS to be super special, so of course we chose wisely. We went to T.G.I. Friday’s which has become a favorite lunch spot. We’ve always loved it for dinner, but we quickly came to realize that it’s as perfect in the afternoon as it is in the evening. The food is always perfect (I think they’re incapable of over-doing or under-doing anything), the atmosphere is fun, super clean, and upbeat, and the staff? Their staff is incomparable.

Service matters. Make no bones about it. T.G.I. Friday’s in Owensboro gets it and gets it good. Whomever is in charge of hiring servers and hosts/hostesses has a GREAT eye for talent and, apparently, a GREAT appreciation for personality. Their workers are simply dripping with personality and friendliness. The host yesterday (October 7) afternoon was a real character and made a fun place even funner. He obviously enjoyed people and loved being around them. He was outstanding and set the stage for a wonderful lunch.

Our server was also top notch (as usual). She was warm, friendly, helpful, and smiled freely. When we placed our order, we got the opinion that she’d make whatever we wanted to happen happen. This young lady embodied the essence of what it’s all about…. the customer.

Naturally, even a stellar staff can only do so much. The food has to be great, right? At T.G.I. Friday’s the food couldn’t possibly be any better. The Green Bean Fries appetizer is one of the best appetizers you can get at any restaurant. The dip has become a personal addiction.

Yesterday, Emily and I had the Endless Lunch (though my usual, the Caribbean Chicken Sandwich, was whispering tempting promises in my ear). The soups were excellent as always, the salad gorgeous (it can be tough to get a really good salad out, but their salad is outstanding), and the bread sticks? Emily and I couldn’t figure out what made these bread sticks so extraordinary. They didn’t taste like normal bread sticks. They’re simply Heavenly and unlike any other bread sticks around. SO good!

The Caribbean Chicken Sandwich, the burgers, and the Jack Daniels Pulled Pork (have mercy) are also perfection. I’m actually craving the Caribbean Chicken right now (The chicken breast is basted in a rum sauce that gives it more flavor than it has a right to have. It’s served on a brioche bun with seasoned sour cream, pineapple pico, cilantro, and avocado. They’re served with great sweet potato fries that come with a dipping sauce you’ll dream about for three months.)

I hear from a lot of great people through e-mail at Genuine Kentucky. Talking with ya’ll is always a great pleasure. Many people want to know what restaurants I recommend in Owensboro. I take my recommendations SERIOUSLY. After all, if someone’s visiting our wonderful city, I want their every experience to be one they’ll remember not just fondly, but fondly times 200. Restaurants like T.G.I. Fridays make my job easy. I know I can point them in the direction of the red and white stripes and rest secure in the fact that their A+ staff will take it from there.

More: See the T.G.I. Friday’s Menu online.

Bee Bops for Burgers and Daily Specials: We’ve Got it Good in Owensboro Kentucky!

May 26, 2011 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

The Manhatan at Bee Bops in Owensboro, how delicious does that look?!?!

My husband and I ate lunch at Bee Bops in downtown Owensboro this afternoon. Delicious, delicious, delicious! He had the Daily Special, which today was the “Manhattan” (Texas Toast with Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes, and Gravy – shown in all of its beauty above) and green beans. He ate it inside of three minutes, yet your’s truly still had the gall to ask, “So. How was it?”

You guessed it, outstanding.

As great as today’s daily special sounded, I HAD to try their Bopper Burger and Onion Rings. I was tempted by their crinkle cut french fries, but you know me and my onion ring obsession. My rule: If onion rings are on the menu, order onion rings. If they’re not on the menu, demand an explanation. So, yeah, I’ve eaten onion rings all over God’s green earth – and I’ve never had any that were any better than the ones in Bee Bops 50’s Diner.

They were excellent. My burger was, too, as a matter of fact. Just thinking about the burger and onion rings right now makes me wish I could go back in time and do it all over again. I know my husband would jump right in the time machine with me.

Although the past might not be THE place to be. After all, tomorrow’s special at Bee Bops is Shrimp Burgers. Oh, man….

If you haven’t been to Bee Bops yet, what in the world are you waiting for. The workers are uncommonly friendly, the food is delicious, the prices are great, the 50’s music and decor is adorable, and the entire experience is a lot of fun.