The Mean Fiddler

My partner and I were very pleasantly surprised by this place. We sat at the bar before seeing Six (which was excellent). The bartenders were very friendly. I ordered a mocktail, which the bartender graciously made and which was just juices - it was ok. But my partner had 2 espresso martinis and said they were very tasty. They smelled wonderful. The real pleasure of this experience was the food. We ordered appetizers (Small Plates and Pub Grub menus). First, the Irish Curry Fries (Small Plates menu). The yellow curry is exactly what I remember from a trip to Dublin and satisfied a craving I have had for nearly a decade! My Indian partner was also pleasantly surprised with how much he liked the curry lol. My only desire was that the fries would be thinner - they are thick cut, which can be useful to spoon up the curry, but I prefer thin and crispy for this dish. Second, the Fiddler Nachos with steak (Pub Grub menu). I almost didn't say anything to my partner because it seemed so crazy and basic, but he was the first to say so and I was happy to agree: Are these the best nachos I've ever had?! Possibly. The steak was soft and cooked just fine for the dish, chopped into bite size and not strips. There seemed to be a creamy cheese dip that had a nice flavor, and was not just cheese sauce. There was also real cheese, melted well. The guac and other additions to the nachos were tasty and fresh. But best of all, ALL of the chips stayed crispy and 0 were soggy. Perhaps the only thing I'd change is, if the chips are made in house, give a generous finish of salt when they come out of the fryer, and a good squeeze of fresh lime all over the dish right before serving. It would make all the flavors stand out a little more. Finally, we also got the Potato Crusted Chicken Tenders (Small Plates menu). As someone who only eats gluten free, this was a delight. Crispy, tasty, juicy, big portion, and the honey mustard was fine too - but nothing too special. All in all, a great experience and if we are around there before another show, we may stop back in.

I would highly recommend for a quick bite either before or after the theater! Speedy service when we told them we were racing to a show, but still very good food. The bartender also did a great job with our drinks. My only complaint would be that there were no clear gluten-free options on the menu, so the waitress had to ask the kitchen. It all worked out; I enjoyed my meal and made it to the show with time to spare, but I would love to see some gluten-free free options clearly marked next time.