Yeah, sometimes you need a place to inhale wings and get wrecked on cheap liquor, and in that case the bars will do you just fine. But other times you want a place to just unwind with some friends, talk and enjoy what’s going in your belly. Recently, I’ve been favoring the latter, but I wasn’t really sure where I could go for that laid-back experience. After asking around I paid a visit to a few College Park restaurants that are known for their unique drink menus.
Kangnam BBQ Sports Bar & Grill
Photo by Max Faucher
This Korean BBQ is a little pricey for the average college student, but if you come at happy hour you can get some decent deals, plus, when I went on Friday at 3:30 the place was almost completely empty. The restaurant is tastefully decorated and all of the tables are equipped with the dome shaped grills that you would typically find in a Korean BBQ joint.
Photo by Max Faucher
The drink menu contains a variety of Korean and Japanese beers ($2.75 during happy hour) as well as domestics ($2.00). You can also choose from a selection of Korean rice wines in addition to traditional reds and whites.
Photo by Max Faucher
The food menu is more or less what you would expect for Korean BBQ. You can get large portions of pork, beef or chicken cooked on the personal grills or big bowls of rice and noodles topped with bulgogi. All entrées are 20% off during happy hour.
Photo by Max Faucher
My friend opted for a beef and pork hot pot, which, unsurprisingly, is served still sizzling in this crazy stone bowl.
Photo by Max Faucher
Overall, this is a great restaurant to kick back a few drinks with some friends. The service is great and based on how few people I saw on Friday I doubt it ever gets too crowded.
For more info: http://kangnambbqusa.com/
The Board and Brew
Photo by Max Faucher
The Board and Brew lets you play board games while enjoying their wonderful selection of teas, coffees and beers. I’ve never actually played a game while there, but I can definitely attest to the quality of their beer. The entire menu is made up of craft beer and you won’t find anything cheaper than $4.50, so get ready to eat ramen for the rest of the week if you plan to go.
Photo by Max Faucher
I decided I should go big or go home, so I ordered the Victory Golden Monkey, which boasted an alcohol content of 9.5% and set me back $6.50. This golden Tripel goes down surprisingly smooth considering its high alcohol content, and the subtle spices leave an aftertaste that feels like a party of microscopic monkeys dancing on your tongue.
Photo by Max Faucher
I also highly recommend their espresso beer. It’s a bit sweet, with a hint of coffee; certainly something you won’t find anywhere else.
Photo by Max Faucher
The food selection is pretty nice. They do burgers, sandwiches, salad and some apps that go great alongside any of their kooky board games. I recommend the onion fritters, which are really just cut up onion rings accompanied by mumbo sauce that is truly the bee’s knees.
Photo by Max Faucher
B&B really goes out of its way to be a nice place to hang out. There’s cool art on the walls that looks like the staff had painted, hip music, and, if you’re lucky, a seat on some ridiculously comfy couches. The board game selection is absolutely nuts too. For $5 you can choose from some 500 games such as better-known titles like Settlers of Catan and Risk, or some more obscure selections like Ticket to Ride and Little Italy.
Photo by Max Faucher
For more info: theboardandbrew.com
Bobby’s Burger Palace
Photo by Jennifer Cao
I’ve been going to Bobby’s for their phenomenal burgers since freshman year, but I had never tried anything off their drink menu. Knowing that their milkshakes are to die for, I went with the Mocha Kahlua and Vodka milkshake.
Photo by Jennifer Cao.
Holy balls this thing is amazing. They told me it has the most booze out of anything on the menu, but I could hardly taste anything over the amazing chocolate-coffee ice cream that dominates this shake. Of course there is a downside: the spiked shakes at Bobby’s are $9 each, which is more than the stick price for a burger. So before you jump on this indulgent treat you may want to assess your priorities.
Photo by Jennifer Cao.
The whole restaurant is marketed as upscale, and the menu prices definitely support that. I suggest when you do come to Bobby’s for that special occasion meal you make sure you get the burger before anything else. No matter how amazing the shakes are, you should absolutely never pass one up.
For more info: bobbysburgerpalace.com
Not feelin’ these three eat out spots, College Park has ton of other awesome options: