Sometimes a great burger strikes where you least expect it. Like at a bar in the middle of the afternoon.
Doc Holliday’s, which took over as a nightclub/karaoke/music venue from the venerable Rita’s last year, is doing a really solid Angus burger cooked to order for $8.95. Unlikely? Maybe. But like the Sweet Spot (in downtown Santa Rosa), Sprenger’s Tap Room and O’Connors, bar kitchens sometimes sometimes have an instinct for simple, satisfying burgers and fried deliciousness. Served up on a hefty pretzel bun with fries or cole slaw, it’s a heck of a protein foundation for a long night of carousing. Or a long afternoon of spreadsheets. And unlike a lot of other burger spots that only believe in serving meat that’s been charred into submission, our “medium” order was exactly that. Medium. Pink in the middle and juicy. The one gripe: Don’t charge $1 extra for cheese. I hate that.
Also tasty: The Wedge, a steakhouse classic, is a quarter head of iceberg lettuce slathered with blue cheese dressing, bacon and diced tomatoes. You might be surprised at how refreshing the snap of ice cold ‘berg can actually be, and a bit more economical than all those fancy-pants greens ($5.95). Spicy chicken breast sandwich with chipotle spread, fried onion strings, Jack cheese on a French Roll ($10.95).
Open for lunch and dinner daily, plus a bar bites menu in the lounge. 138 Calistoga Road, Santa Rosa, 537-0308. The restaurant portion of Doc Holliday’s is child-friendly in the evening, and even has a family karaoke on Wednesday nights from 5-8pm.
