 J.W. HILL'S SPORTS BAR & GRILLE 795 Elm St., Manchester 645-7422; jwhills.com
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J.W. Hill’s is situated just two blocks from the Verizon Wireless Arena, a few blocks from the Palace Theatre, and, in the summer, within walking distance to the MerchantsAuto.com ballpark. There couldn’t be a better place to stop and have a quick bite on your way to any of numerous Manchester events, whether it be a concert, a game or a play.
Hill’s is not your average sports bar. The owners have done a wonderful job of converting the historic Pembroke Building, downtown on the corner of Merrimack and Elm, into a classic eatery, the dark wood a throwback to the old steak houses you’d find in, say, Boston. And, in the style of the original dry goods store that stood on the site, James W. Hill Company, which had the reputation of being upscale, J.W. Hill’s the eatery is a bit classier than you expect from your typical sports bar. But a sports bar it is, with countless televisions tuned to various sporting events and a pool table off to the side.
Where we had dinner is away from the bar and the televisions and within sight of the pool table, but away from it and separated by a wall. There was a party going on at the far end of the restaurant and although it was loud (the high ceilings probably contribute to that) it wasn’t much of a bother.
The restaurant has a lunch and late-night pub menu as well as a Monday Night Football menu, which has standard fare (chili, sausages, nachos) with football-themed names, as well as 25-cent wings — 25 cents a piece, that is, which we think must be quite popular during the game.
We were ordering off the dinner menu, which is workmanlike in terms of offerings, with standards such as mozzarella sticks and potato wedges for appetizers, salads, pizzas, sandwiches and burgers, although there were a few entrees that stray from the usual, such as grilled vegetable ravioli and chicken pesto pasta.
It was a chilly evening, so we started with soups — my companion had the French onion soup ($4.95) and I had the clam chowder ($3.50/cup). My dining companion said the French onion soup was tasty and true to its name, full of sweet onions. It was finished off with an interesting blend of Swiss and Mozzarella cheeses melted on top.
The chowder was flavorful and medium-creamy with more potatoes than clams, but was enjoyable nevertheless.
For dinner my companion opted for Classic Fish ’n’ Chips ($10.95) served with fries and cole slaw. He described it as average, the fish a bit too oily and the breading a bit doughy. The fries were tasty and cooked well.
 J.W. Hills Sports Bar & Grille provides a view to Elm and Merrimack streets. (TOM ROY/Union Leader photos) |
The desserts on the menu were standard, including peach cobbler, apple pie, chocolate cake and cheesecake. I ordered the tiramisu ($4.95) which was sweet and creamy — a typical tiramisu. My dining companion had the apple crisp ($4.95). The sliced apples were thick, but bland — they tasted as if there was no added sugar. The crispy oatmeal topping were not terribly flavorful.
Overall the meals were good. They weren’t exceptional, but we didn’t expect four-star food at a sports bar, as comfortable and well-appointed as it is. What we expected was decent food — nothing fancy — at reasonable prices and that’s what we got in addition to a comfortable ambiance and good service from our waitress.
The test lies in whether we would return again and the answer is yes: If you’re looking for above-average dining before a hockey game or after catching a show — or even during Monday Night football — J.W. Hill’s is the place to go.
Thanks to Bob Camire who suggested that Our Gourmet review J.W. Hill’s. Is there a restaurant you’d like Our Gourmet to review? E-mail gourmet@unionleader.com. If Our Gourmet reviews it, you’ll get a free cookbook.
