Ventured into Victory Tavern looking for an interesting happy hour experience. After reading reviews on various websites, our party of two set out for what VT calls 5 after 5. Basically it's appetizers (although not all) and well drinks for $5 from 5pm until 7pm. Well, actually wells are $4 according to the bartender/waitress. We enjoyed very good (not great) cosmopolitans and tried a couple of different items of the $5 appetizer choices. First, we had the calamari and rock shrimp. Both were breaded in a bland batter and the calamari should have been cooked a little longer. The shrimp were improved slightly by the dipping sauce, but the chewiness of the calamari was difficult to overlook. After ordering a second round of drinks, we opted for the portabello mushroom fries with goat cheese crema and buttermilk dressing. These were so greasy, overcooked, and flavorless one had question who was in the kitchen. Needless to say, we weren't foofish enough to stay for dinner. For a bar/restaurant in a terrific location, Victory Tavern doesn't live up to minimal expectations. If you find yourself in Victory Park - stop in for a drink and forget the food. Our first and LAST visit. There are too many choices to settle for this...
more