As many of you know, we made the daunted two-hour journey down to Chattanooga so that “Nature Boy” Brandon Vick could cover the Chattanooga Film Festival. But, while we were down there, we took the opportunity to try out some new spots and old favorites alike. It’s officially Chattanooga Week here on SoBros Network.
On Saturday, Cad and I went to visit a friend of the site as he was getting a little work done around the shop. The weather was cold and overcast, so we didn’t feel like getting out and about too much. Plus, the city just seemed quiet. So, this all added up to burger weather. The aforementioned friend of the site said there was a little spot on the north side of town called Tremont Tavern, that had the best burger in town.
So, Tremont Tavern it is. We picked up “Nature Boy” Brandon Vick from the Chattanooga Film Festival around 1:30PM. We were told that getting into this place would be nearly impossible at the height of lunch time or the dinner rush, so we planned to arrive during the window in between. It was still packed. We were able to find a spot at a bar adjacent to the window, so we could sit and watch the world go by outside with our meal.
The atmosphere was interesting – definitely living up to the reputation of a sort of dive bar oasis. But, I felt right at home when I walked in, noticed a giant Titans flag, and one of the staff members walked up to me and said, “Titan up!” Tremont Tavern resides in a little commercial pocket north of town, a little way’s out of the downtown area, that I’d never have known about had we not received the tip. But, I didn’t take in the atmosphere too much. We were ready for beers.
Tremont Tavern’s beer list is exhaustive. They offer over 100 different selections in bottles or cans, but I was craving a draft beer. It may seem incredibly basic of me, but I went with a Sweetwater IPA – hey, it’s hard to find on draft in Nashville.
We looked over the menu, and all three of us elected to go with burgers, as that seems to be what Tremont Tavern is known for. Not just ‘known for,’ I should say, but famous for. Brandon has classic taste – doesn’t really like to venture outside of that box, so he went with the Tavern Burger. It’s always interesting to see how some of these spots handle the classics – just a burger with mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and onion only. Tremont had our boy Brandon covered.
Cadbury went a little further out on the ledge, electing to try the Durty Gomez Burger. It was a half-beef/half-chorizo patty, smothered with pepper jack cheese, guacamole, and a creamy red pepper sauce. As for myself, I had to try the Pimento Burger – listen, you put pimento cheese and onion straws on a burger, or anything for that matter, and I’m going to eat it. Of course, we all three elected to go with tater tots on the side. Who can turn down a good tater tot?
Not a peep from any of us when the food came. The burgers were massive, and the tots were plentiful. The Pimento Burger was rich and hearty – the pimento cheese was thick, creamy, and loaded with flavor. The onion straws provided a nice, crispy texture to the burger, while their flavor helped balance out the sharpness of the pimento cheese. Also, any restaurant that keeps Sriracha at the table instantly wins points with me. I mixed it right in with a small pile of ketchup and got those tots to pop.
My only complaint, and I think Brandon shared this opinion with me, is the temperature of the food. My burger came out a tad lukewarm. But, not so much so that it totally derailed the meal. Seemed like maybe my burger was ready a couple of minutes before all of the table’s food was ready.
Also, some man came in alone and sat down next to me. We were all bullshitting and having a good time, so I didn’t pay much attention to him. But, the waiter came up and asked, “do those ladies know that you’re taking pictures of them?” My ears perked up, and the guy stumbled on his words, failing to come up with a reason as to why he was snapping photos of two ladies talking across the street. But, the picture-taking ceased. I was incredibly impressed by the staff stepping up there. Made me feel like this really was a community watering hole where people look after each other.
Rating: 7/10. Instantly one of my favorite spots in Chattanooga.
For more on Tremont Tavern, click here. Also, check out our live review here:
If you have any recommended spots for us to try on our next trip to Chattanooga, hit us up.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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