Maxwell’s will make you leave happy, full and entertained
Photo By: Joseph Livshin
The rain and the cold air settled in on Syracuse by 5:30p.m. However it was time again to journey into downtown and see what the city had to offer. I came across this little place on East Genesee St. near Hanover Square called Maxwell’s. The plan was to have a few drinks and get some food and head home. What was going to be an hour or two turned into five hours of some of the best bar food, drinks and entertainment anyone could ask for.
Photo By: Joseph Livshin
As you walk in the bar you realize this is more than a simple downtown pub. The industrial style is visible everywhere. From the table and chairs to the bar stools made from galvanized pipe and steel to the Edison lightbulb chandelier and the silver metal ceiling tiles. Everything flows together in a smaller space with the long bar to the right hand side with the exposed brick to its back. Just the design is enough to come take a look. On this night the bar was busier than normal, according to the bartender Kate.
Photo By: Joseph Livshin
Maxwell’s was hosting a fundraiser for In My Father’s Kitchen, which is a non-profit organization that provides assistance to the city’s homeless population through direct street outreach. All tips during the three hours this was going on was going to this organization as well as their drink special Bliss. Now, I am not normally a mixed drink guy but it was for a good caused and I was glad I gave it a try. This concoction was a mix of vodka, orange juice and Grand Marnier. The orange flavor helped keep this from an overpowering drink and made it a smooth glass of delicious.
Photo By: Joseph Livshin
After finishing this magnificent drink and some pleasant conversation with some of the regulars and non-regulars, it was time to order some food. The menu offers the traditional pub fair of burgers, wings and salads and adds a mouthwatering selection of brick oven pizzas. At the time I didn’t think I was hungry enough to finish off a pizza, so I decided on a burger. The way I see it, if you can’t make a good burger, it’s not worth trying anything else. So, not being a fan of salad and rabbit food on my burger I stayed simple with the Classic Cheese (half-pound burger with cheddar cheese on a toasted brioche bun) and fries, extra crispy of course. They hit it out of the park with this one. The hand formed burger patty was cooked to a perfect medium, an extra slice of cheddar melted all down the sides of the patty, on an amazing bun that was nice and crispy on the outside and doughy on the inside. The fries were simply seasoned with a pinch of pepper and just enough salt to make your mouth water.
By the time I was finished with the burger, the fundraiser had ended and all but a handful of people remained. The bartender Kate continued to check on and chat with each person at the bar and giving her input on the selection of 26 rotated brews on tap. I ordered a pint of the Juice Bomb and was informed of the nightly schedule of live music that was going to be starting soon. As a fan of the Central New York music scene I was excited to see the nights lineup of local artist Jess Novak. Since I had an hour to kill until the music started, I figured I would try another plate from the menu. I went with something I thought would be small, the beer pretzels. What I got was a plate of amazingly crafted, fist sized doughy pretzels that were lightly salted and situated around a bowl of a house made Queso. I will be honest I couldn’t get through three of them. Although a perfect blend of pretzel and hint of Guinness Stout they mixed in, there was just too much. So I threw in the towel and ordered a drink as Jess Novak was setting up to play.
I ended the night with two hours of amazing music from one of the area’s best musicians. A mix of pop, rock and soul, Jess played away on her piano, guitar and violin. Her voice was amazing and made you feel the emotion in her music. For anyone in the area who is a fan of music, Jess Novak is one musician you must go see.
Whether is it a beautiful summer evening or a wet, rainy and cold night, you need to stop in to Maxwell’s. For a bite to eat or a pint of brew or a night of music and fun, this is one place you have to go see. Thank you again Kate and the rest of the staff for a great night.
The Evergreen has it All
What I thought was going to be a quiet Wednesday evening in Hanover Square, ended up being a surprisingly wonderful experience. It was just after five o’clock as I was walking towards The Evergreen, which is situated at 125 E. Water St. in Syracuse, as I noticed the streets and Hanover Square bustling with trucks and film crews. A new film by American High film studios staring Vince Vaughn (Wedding Crashers, Dodgeball, The Internship) was setting up for a massive shoot just across the street in the beautiful park area that makes up Hanover Square.
Photo By: Joseph Livshin
The main entrance on Water St. has a beautiful and large patio set up for those who want to enjoy the street atmosphere of downtown Syracuse. As you walk in, you are greeted with a beautiful bar and dinning area that has an outdoorsy feel. With reclaimed wood style trim around the entire place and thick, hardwood tables and a cozy atmosphere, you instantly become drawn into the inviting nature of this pub. Even the bathrooms keep that inviting nature with the walls covered in reclaimed wood framed photographs and fliers.
Photo By: Joseph Livshin
If you are a craft beer fan this is the place to go. The Evergreen keeps 20 micro craft beers on tap but only keep one keg on hand. This allows them to constantly rotate what they carry. The craft beer folks are always looking for the newest and greatest, so this helps to keep them on their toes. In addition to the brews in tap, they also keep over 40 varieties on hand in cans and bottles. Not a fan of the craft beer? They have you covered as well with their “fitness beers.” These are your traditional beers such as Bud Light and Michelob Ultra. As a fan of these it makes me feel even better knowing i’m getting a workout as I drink (sarcasm but not). On this day, I decided to do the $12 flights which allowed me to try four brews of my choosing from the tap beer list. The amazing bartender Kate helped me pick some of her favorites. All four were amazing in their own way(check out the links in the photo description for each beer). I especially like the Grimm Festooning (more of an Octoberfest style brew) which was a very crisp amber lager with hints of honey and caramel. I was also a fan of the Pom Pom Posh, which was more of a Weisse style beer which has a terrific blend of pomegranate and passionfruit which gave it a perfect amount of tartness.
After trying these amazing brews, it was time for the food. The menu has a little bit of everything for everyone. The traditional appetizers mixed with new age vegan offerings to the burgers and salads with a little twist. Most of the menu is also said to be locally sourced which helps give it that home town feel. I was blown away with the poutine bowl. The crisp beer battered fries were loaded down with the perfect amount of red wine mushroom gravy and local cheese curds. Not too soggy and not too crispy. After I finished my meal off with a traditional sirloin burger (without the lettuce, tomato and onions ofcourse) with their beer battered fries. The burger was perfectly cooked with the perfect amount of juiciness and topped with yellow American cheese on a fresh baked brioche bun. Again, the fries were done with the right amount of crispiness and seasoning.
What I loved about this place was it was perfect for everyone. Where you are someone who works downtown looking for food and drink after work, someone looking for a perfect date night place or just out with your friends, The Evergreen delivers a perfect experience. Even when the crowed began to grow toward the later part of the evening, the staff kept everything running smoothly. The prices were just right, the staff (especially Kate) were friendly and helpful and the place was clean and inviting. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a great experience in a traditionally overlooked part of downtown.