Get the buzz about the Green Beetle, Memphis, Tenn.

Imagine you’re hanging out in the heart of Memphis in want of an adult beverage and maybe a bite to eat, but you’re burnt out on Beale Street and barbecue.  Where do you go? 

For my money – and thirst – I’m walking a few blocks south on Main Street until I reach the Green Beetle. 

First established in 1939, the Green Beetle claims to be the oldest tavern in Memphis, and it certainly looks the part.  (I say that endearingly, of course.)  Before long, everyone who was anybody was going there to hang out.  But as the decades dragged on, like so many similar taverns, the Green Beetle apparently slowly transitioned from trendy hangout to classic dive bar.  Since 2011, the Green Beetle has been back in the hands of the original family who owned it, and from my brief experience there I think it’s safe to say the place has its groove back.     

A commoner dines at Charcoal Inn South, Sheboygan, Wis.

The Sheboygan Series of blog posts concludes with one that certainly delivers as advertised – the Charcoal Inn.  There are two locations in Sheboygan.  This post is about my visit to the south location, as it was open for dinner.

The Charcoal Inn is not unlike many local diners with a menu focused on burgers, sandwiches and sides (and the obligatory Friday fish fry in Wisconsin).  How it prepares many of the sandwiches is how it stands out.  

Feeling right at home at Frankie’s Pub & Grill, Sheboygan, Wis.

We begin 2019 with a return to the Sheboygan Series of blog posts and the place I connected with most during my time working in Sheboygan, Wis.  Between the low-key neighborhood atmosphere, the friendly regulars who remembered me on subsequent visits, the well-made and affordable drinks, the vast beer selection, the welcoming and knowledgeable bartenders, and a good variety of delicious pub grub, Frankie’s Pub & Grill provided everything to make me feel like I had a home away from home. 

A double dose of deliciousness at Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry

If there’s one thing I have in common with my co-workers, it’s a love of food.  So, while we were all working in Madison, Wis., last fall, we made it our mission to find not only the best cheese curds in town, but we expanded our mission to include the best burger as well.  Wisconsin is the dairy state after all, and what goes better together than beef and cheese?  

I’ve already made it pretty clear in previous blogs that Madison has more than its fair share of bar and grills where burgers and cheese curds are staples on the menu, but while we were researching places to try, Dottie Dumpling’s Dowry seemed to strike a chord with everyone.  Maybe it was the alliteration in the name.  Maybe its initials invoked something subliminal in men with healthy appetites.  Maybe it was the notion that bigger is actually better when it comes to a good, juicy burger (each one begins with six ounces of fresh Wisconsin-raised ground beef).  Whatever the case, the place had an impeccable reputation going back 40 years, and we wanted to find out why.

Finding local flavor at Players Sports Bar and Grill, Madison, Wis.

If you’re a commoner like me, and you find yourself “living” on the road for an extended period of time, you start to seek out the kind of places where you can feel completely at ease when grabbing a quick bite or beverage by yourself.  After all, some friendly neighborhood dives are more friendly than others toward strangers.  

The relatively unassuming entrance of Players Sports Bar and Grill

My initial search for such a place while working in Madison, Wis. (where I eventually found several) drew me back to the Atwood neighborhood where I had previously discovered Monty’s Blue Plate Cafe.  I had seemed to recall passing a relatively unassuming place called Players Sports Bar and Grill somewhere along the way, and one evening, after finding the happy hour appetizers at the hotel rather unsatisfying, I decided to roll the dice.