Collegiate Times

Before making my much-needed trip to Kroger, I decided to try out Lefty’s Main Street Grille. The small tavern-looking restaurant seemed like a perfect place to grab a quick bite before replenishing my empty refrigerator.

From the outside, the green siding doesn’t make Lefty’s seem like anything special. Inside is more eccentric, with the walls covered in pictures of various famous faces, ranging from sports athletes like Michael Vick, to former presidents such as John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton.

The small whiteboard sign with a welcoming greeting indicated to seat myself. I did, and a waiter came right over after I had chosen my table. I decided to stick with my fallback of a grilled ham and cheese and chose a side of potato chips.  

While waiting for my food, I noticed the large, black chalkboard across the back wall listing dinner specials, soups, drinks and desserts. For such a small restaurant, its varied and lengthy menu is surprising. The bar is located right next to the specials board and has a good amount of seats for such a tight knit place. The flat screen TV — no more than 16 inches — hung above the bar so people could watch the game.

My sandwich came out after about 15 minutes and was piled high with layers of black forest ham that were stacked between pieces of Swiss cheese. The bread, complimented with a special tarragon sour cream sauce, was toasted and held the overflowing contents of the sandwich in place. Lefty’s definitely didn’t scrimp on portion sizes. The potato chips were hot from the oven and crispy, and didn’t have the usual grease and overabundance of salt many commercial brands have.

My waiter was very attentive and friendly, and didn’t rush me at all, even though there were limited tables and turnover was needed. My total came to around $8, which was incredibly reasonable, seeing as I walked away with the entire second half of my sandwich.

Lefty’s is small, but the quality and quantity of its food is far from lacking. And the comfortable tavern feel makes it a great place to go for a bite to eat. The menu’s many options means you can have a different experience every time you go, and the large portion sizes equate to delicious leftovers. 

Don’t be deceived by its plain exterior; Lefty’s offers a unique atmosphere inside, as well as great meals.

A version of this article appeared in the Nov 9 issue of the Collegiate Times.