A tale of restaurant redemption

This is a story of restaurant redemption; two meals from one location that were 180 degrees opposite in experience.

Two friends from college and I went to try out the new — well, new to us — Mike’s Tavern in Hixson, which opened in late spring.

When I walked in at 6 p.m. that Thursday night, the place was rocking with full tables of large groups and lots of laughter-filled conversations. My first impression was “This is where the neighborhood comes to party.”

THE SPACE

Mike’s is a new restaurant on Highway 153 with the ubiquitous gray walls, open ceilings, exposed ductwork and concrete floors. It’s one large room divided by a partition that separates the bar from the dining area.

THE MENU

Mike’s serves pub food such as five burger choices among its 10 sandwiches ($10-$13), wings ($11), brisket nachos ($11.50) and quesadillas ($9), but with some surprising upscale additions such as crab cakes($12), roasted red pepper hummus ($9.50), blackened mahi ($17) and Chicken Scallopini ($15).

There are six dinner entrees ($12-$18.50), 10 appetizers ($7.50 - $12), soups, salads and four desserts.

THE ORDER

We ordered the Fish & Chips ($12), Blackened Mahi ($17) and Tavern Mac & Cheese with Chicken ($12). The only one of us pleased with her order was the one who got the mac and cheese. The curly cavatappi pasta was coated in a housemade cheese sauce topped with a healthy serving of grilled chicken. It was such a large serving that no sides were needed to fill one up.

My friend’s mahi did not have the deep spice flavor of blackened fish. You could tell by looking that the fish was so dry that not even the pineapple