McAlister's

Location: 7622 Cox Lane, West Chester, OH 45069

Date Visited: Saturday, February 2, 2008


McAlister's is always a fun place to visit. The dining room is surrounded by windows & mirrors and laid out pub style with a mixture of booths & tables. The ordering counter is in the back with an extensive menu that reads from one end of the lengthy counter to the other end. This menu is so large it contains everything from baked potatoes to nachos to sandwiches, soups, chili, salads, etc.

Nick ordered his usual McAlister's Club Sandwich -- their version of the classic with ham, turkey, bacon, a few cheeses, and dressings on toasted wheat (although, you can specify any one of about a dozen different breads for your sandwich). He opted for a side of soup (an upcharge in place of the usual sides) -- Chicken Tortilla Soup. I ordered a loaded, Veggie Spud for myself -- a mammoth baked potato with green peppers, black olives, red onions, tomatoes, green onions, cheeses, and sides of salsa, sour cream, and butter. Nick, of course, MUST have his sweet tea, and with my allergy to caffeine I decided on water with lemon.

McAlister's is consistent in their quality. We have yet to leave that restaurant disappointed. Nick's sandwich was excellent and the soup delicious. My potato was colossal -- yes, I mean extremely HUGE. My guess is it was approximately 10 inches long. It was great; the vegetables were sauteed perfectly. If I could change one thing, though, it would be to lessen the amount of cheese. Other than that, though, my meal was wonderful. Nick said he was equally pleased.

If you haven't visited McAlister's yet, I'd strongly suggest you give it a try. There is something for everyone; the menu is almost as large as their baked potatoes, and they also have yummy desserts like Kentucky Derby Pie and large $1 cookies that are great to eat on the way out the door and finish on the drive home.

If you ask Nick he'll tell you it's worth the visit simply to buy a gallon of their sweet tea, if nothing else.

If you ask me, I will tell you the reasons to eat at McAlister's are far too numerous to mention.

~~Lori


Ratings:
Overall: 8.5 (scale of 0-10 with 5 as average)
Today: 8
Portion size: Large
Atmosphere: Casual, deli-style
Family-friendly: Yes
Prices: Economical
Cleanliness: Good
Good place for a 1st date?: No
Similar Places: Marx Bagels comes to mind, but it's been a long time since we've eaten there...McAlister's is really unique. It's hard to think of a similar type of place.