Muggbee's Sports Cafe

                   Muggbee’s Sports Café in Anderson Township is a little over a year old now. When we looked at this place early on, the on-line reviews were, to be polite, rather mixed. Most cited decent food but terrible service that was painfully slow. So, we tended to shy away from it, until the other day.

                With no place else that was really interesting us we decided to give Muggbee’s a shot. It is located at 8112 Beechmont Ave. in what, a few years ago, was a Mexican restaurant. Today there are no signs of the former establishment as Muggee’s is 100% sports pub.

                It was about 1:30 and there were only a handful of people sitting around, mostly at the bar watching sports on one of the many TVs and shooting the bull. We walked in and were greeted and told to sit wherever we wanted. With TVs all around we just chose a spot in the middle.

                No server was to be seen. We had been greeted by the cook who came over, got our drink order and then, after bringing them, our food order. (The server did re-appear and apologized pointing out that the owner was taking her attention when we entered. Once back, she was very attentive.)

Burgers

                We each ordered up the Muggburger which, to our delight, we were able to add on our choice of cheese, condiments, sauces and toppings at no further cost. This three-quarter pound burger is reasonably priced to begin with.

                When Josh ordered his burger medium we both got quite a scare. The cook said that it would take 30-35 minutes because “the burgers are pre-cooked to medium well.” Instead of just walking out right then we decided to still give it a try, despite the concept of pre-cooked burgers.

                The food came out quickly and, as is fitting a three-quarter pound burger, was huge. While it looked good we were both worried about the concept of what was surely a frozen hunk of meat that had been cooked and re-heated.

                But one bite and our worries disappeared. The burgers were fresh, 100% beef and, though a bit overdone for our tastes, a delightful bit of burger.

                After we had struggled to finish our burgers (each leaving the majority of our typical food service crinkle cut fries on the plate), we learned that the burgers are pre-cooked and then allowed to soak in au jus until ordered where they are cooked a little more, sealing in the juice that has been soaking into the meat. It is an interesting way to approach a burger and we both admit that it added flavor.

                While we both agreed that maybe cooking the burger to rare and letting them soak, then cooking them to medium or well upon being ordered would be better, we weren’t at all disappointed in our dining experience. It was an amazingly friendly place with great service which belied those early on-line reviews. We suggest that you give Muggbee’s Sports Café a try for yourself.