Sidetrack Bar and Grill, located at 56 E. Cross St. in Ypsilanti, has been rated as having the best happy hour in Washtenaw County on AnnArbor.com, rated in the top 20 of GQ magazine in 2005 as “The 20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die” and has been referred to as “the best of the best” by Gayle King, best friend of Oprah Winfrey.
I tend to find myself in Sidetrack quite often. When picking a place for a night out with friends, it seems to be the one place people can all agree on, and I found myself there once again Friday night. The inside is decorated with train antiques as Amtrack trains fly down the tracks just outside, giving the whole building a good shake and cancelling out the chatter from customers.
After 10 p.m. liquor becomes half-off and beer depending on the rarity becomes $2.95 for 25oz. They have a large range of beers, from Bell’s Hopslam in the early spring to New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale, all on tap.
The menu also has a variety for the diverse customers Sidetrack brings in. The menu has vegetarian and vegan options including black bean tacos, portabella burgers and a vegetarian Philly among other options. For the meat eaters they have some of the best burgers in my opinion, including the Amtrak double with 8 oz. of meat and double the cheese, along with a regular Philly and a delicious Santa Fe quesadilla with BBQ pork and BBQ ranch for dipping. They have an awesome selection of salads, appetizers and entrées. Also, their strawberry shortcake is to die for and well worth the price.
The start of my meal was the New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale, and it was well worth it. It tends to be a smoother beer with just a hint of pumpkin that goes well with the fall weather and the evenings we have been having.
For first time customers, I strongly recommend the fried pickles.
They come in six spears, dipped and fried in a beer batter to a golden crisp and served with a side of their homemade ranch for $4.50.
Being a huge burger fan, the burger special of the night was “The Kevin Bacon Burger” which is one-third of a pound of freshly ground hamburger with double bacon, American cheese, crisp lettuce, tomato and mayo. The burger also comes with a side of their bacon ranch for dipping their hand-cut fries in. The fries can also either be sweet potato or regular, whichever you prefer.
Sometimes, the service can be hit or miss with the wait when it’s busy but despite that, I have never had a bad meal or beer during my visits. They do offer call reservations for seating, especially for bigger parties, but they often have a long wait on the weekends or on game days.
In my opinion Sidetrack is the perfect place to grab a burger and beer while watching the game with friends.
