Had the opportunity to try out the new Old Town Inn in Germantown last night. Friends scored a dinner reservation for Inn's soft opening and were gracious enough to invite me and The Roommate along. For those in the Germantown area, the Old Town Inn is the former Jerry's Old Town - a legendary restaurant known for their ribs. Jerry sold it years ago, then the place wasn't what it used to be and it closed a couple of years ago.
The Inn's remodeled space is beautiful. Lots of hardwood and stone. Great, roaring fireplace (very welcome on a cold night), open concept. High ceiling. Tables spaced well apart. The only issues I had with the space was, because of the open space and virtually no soft surfaces - it was loud in the dining room and bar. Seriously LOUD. So loud it made it difficult to talk at the table....which involves raising your voice....which makes it louder...and, well, you get the picture.
The other space issue? The ladies restroom. I know, I know, but hear me out. The ladies room was very clean, nicely decorated, well stocked, plenty o' stalls. However, there was no heat in the bathroom. None. Zero. Really. It felt like I went outside to pee in a snowbank. Bad move, Old Town. Given that we here in Wisconsin are sick of this Polar Vortex and Mother Nature is being a real bitch - get some heat in the damn restroom!
Onto the food - keeping in mind, this was the place's soft opening. First up, the pretzel knots = awesome. So good, we ate them all, got some more and didn't touch the rye bread that was brought along with them. For dinner, I had the grilled chicken & goat cheese macaroni and a side of creamed spinach. The macaroni was delicious - chicken well seasoned, yet not overly so, a bit dry, but not to the point of dehydration. The goat cheese cream sauce was mild and flavored the macaroni well. I split my spinach with a friend and tossed the rest into the macaroni dish. Portion size was perfect - I even brought some home. I'd order it again. The Roommate ordered half a rack of famous ribs & sausage with a baked potato and spinach. The only issue he had with his food was the portion size. His half rack o' ribs = four ribs the size of his index finger for $25 bucks. Our friends had the ribs and a fish fry. My friend reported that her fish was OK, but, again - portion size. Three small pieces of fish and the rest of the plate filled with mediocre french fries. If you're going to do a fish fry - make it memorable. This IS Wisconsin, land of the fish fry all year round, not just during Lent.
Service was warm and friendly, both at the bar and the table. Obviously, this being the first Friday, there were a few missteps in timing and such, but I give it a pass as they're still getting their rhythm. A cocktail at the bar was served in a chipped glass, but after I pointed it out, the bartender graciously replaced the drink and, as expected, did not charge for the drink. The bar has three large, flat screen TV's on the walls, which was perfect for watching the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics.
All things considered, I believe the new Old Town Inn will be a success once they get their feet under them and get the front of the house and kitchen in sync. I'll give it a few months and revisit. When it's warmer. Or there's heat in the ladies room.
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