Monday, April 27, 2009

The End Zone for Lunch




One of my favorite college watering holes has turned into a destination for Southern Comfort Food. The End Zone on located on 4th Street has been open since 1977, and was long know as one of Hattiesburg original sports bars. About two years ago owners Mike and Gail Walker opened a full service grill and expanded by adding a seating area that is more family friendly.

The End Zone offers a daily lunch plate that ranges from red beans and rice to pork chops to country fried steak. They also have one of the most under-rated burgers in town. The gravy cheese fries may be Hattiesburg's best bar food offering.

Today I met a colleague there for lunch and sidled up to their best selling (according to Mike himself) entree - the hamburger steak platter. This is good, down-home Southern Comfort Food. The Platter consists of a half-pound hamburger steak grilled served with gravy, sauteed mushrooms and onions. I oped for their home fries and requested that grave be poured all over them as well. I may die of a clogged artery in the near future but I'm counting on the gravy to help keep things sliding along.

The service was good, the lunch was good and the atmosphere was uniquely - The End Zone.

My guess is that many reading this review only know of the sports bar portion of the End Zone, if you've not tried them for lunch you're really missing out.

You can choose to eat in the Bar or in the Grill, due to the Hattiesburg city ban on smoking in bars and restaurants the End Zone is no longer the smoke filled pool hall and sports bar of my youth, in a way I miss that. But, since I don't smoke and rarely drink, I'm pretty happy to see the grill packed on just about every occasion I've been there recently.

End Zone on Urbanspoon

2 comments:

  1. Another food place I have not been too. Sounds like my hubby's kinda place. And since hubby is a meat and potatoes kinda guy I'll suggest this place along with the "hamburger steak platter".

    Keep the good reviews coming!

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  2. The End Zone also has the BEST REUBEN SANDWICHES in town. YUMMMM! My family and I get it on their toasted rye & pumpernickel bread with onion rings or fries. The corn beef, sauerkraut, swiss cheese (actually, they'll put any kind of cheese you want), and dressing is amazing. Even though the restaurant is in Mississippi, the reuben sandwich at the End Zone always reminds me of those I've in New York and Chicago.

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