English class

My friend Tim and I decided to have a Sunday Funday. For those of you who don’t know, Sunday Funday is when you forget about all the crap you should be doing to prepare for the week ahead and instead act irresponsibly and hang out in a bar, eat bar food, and watch whatever sporting event happens to be on television. A finer Sunday really could not be had, and what better place to get into some shenanigans than at a bar called Shenanigan’s.

Shenanigan’s is an English style pub, with a long dark bar running throughout and some tables along the back wall. The bar is fairly narrow and dark, but a large window that runs along the front opens it up and gives it some sunlight. There are pressed tin tiles on the ceiling, old fashioned lanterns for lights and large TVs along the top of the bar. It’s the kind of place you immediately feel comfortable and want to just settle in for the long haul and have a beer. Shenanigan’s makes that easy by offering more than 30 beers on tap, and I’m not talking Coors Light here. They have beers like Stone, Lagunitas and Rogue, not to mention a full bar and fairly extensive wine list.

The place was crowded with what appeared to be regulars, who seemed to be having a Sunday Funday of their own. There was a lot of laughing and shots going on. The only person working was a smoking hot bartender named Staci who efficiently handled not only the bar but all the tables as well. I ordered the Red Chair from Deschutes ($5.50) while Tim went with Maker’s and Coke ($5.25). Stacy was on top of our drinks and asked if we needed another before they ever got empty.

Shenanigan’s offers typical bar food including burgers, sandwiches and salads as well as a small breakfast menu you can order from until 2 p.m. daily. Tim and I decided to order some appetizers and share them. We started with a chicken quesadilla ($6.95). The chicken quesadilla was huge, taking over the entire plate. It was stuffed full of black beans, chicken and cheese, but was grilled so it wasn’t overly greasy. Normally avocado is served in the quesadilla, but Tim is opposed to all green food, so we got this on the side. They didn’t skimp, though, as half an avocado was splayed out next to the bowls of salsa and sour cream. While nothing fancy, the quesadilla tasted good and was quite filling.

We also ordered some sliders (six for $8.95). Instead of hamburger, these are served with a choice of turkey or roast beef. We decided to get three and three. The sliders were large, came on small French rolls, and were stuffed with meat, diced onions and mushrooms with a layer of Swiss cheese over the top. There was a side of au jus that went well with the onions and mushrooms but was a bit salty for my liking. To remedy this, I just stopped using the au jus, and the sliders were just as good. The meat and bread weren’t dry, so they really didn’t need the au jus. I preferred the roast beef, but Tim liked the turkey better, so I recommend just ordering both like we did.

Bottom line is that Shenanigan’s is a fun place with good food, drinks and people, so I would come back any time.