RICHIE’S EXPERIENCE

When: July 25, 2020

Where: Admiral Jack’s (DINE-IN!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!)

Meal: Had the Boom Boom Shrimp, the Spicy Perch Basket, a Paloma, and a Tito’s Texas Tea. Make sure to see the end of my review though..........

Bill: Came to $42.93 before my heavy-handed tip (you already know.... I gotta give that love!)

What’s up fellow food lovers!!!! So if you don’t already know this, it was my Feast Mode counterparts that came up with this idea to start this blog. They saw me posting all these delicious meals from local places on my social media, and they knew I had a bit of a following that trusted my recommendations. One night, after I posted an amazing meal, Steph and Aubree hit me up about how I should start a food blog (and I corrected them in that it would be more fun if WE started a food blog). The ball started rolling very quickly at that point, and we never looked back! These ladies are full of great ideas, and I can’t stress enough how much I love this partnership we have!

The reason I’m telling you this is because once again these ladies friggin’ crushed it with a fun idea, and it was different than what we’ve done before. We made our minds up that we were going to pick a place in South Haven that is traditionally known more for their drinks than they are for their food. YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!! These are the spots that you and your friends hit when it’s a full-on drinking night (or drinking day, I’m not judging you...we all have those stressful days that cause you to libate before 5pm). The spots where you actually go somewhere else first to eat that REAL meal, so that you can handle a few more drinks in the wee hours of the night. The places where you might be inclined to shake that arse after enough drinks add up to transform you into Beyonce’ or Justin Timberlake (don’t lie, you’ve been there!!). I could go on forever (and I might have thrown one too many in there), but you get my point. If you’re being honest with yourself, you know damn well you AREN’T looking for that meal to write home about when you’re at the bar, and really some of these spots have some serious bangers on their menu!! We decided it was our task to review some of these often overlooked meals. If this wasn’t a good enough idea already, we also decided to throw a poll on social media and let the public help us choose which place to go. We figured Admiral Jack’s and Captain Lou’s were two of the more popular bars in town that fit the bill, and after tallying up responses from the poll, Jack’s edged out Lou’s by a slight margin. We love our readers, so I got a feeling you guys are gonna dig how this night went........

Alright Rich, SHUT UP AND GET ON WITH THE REVIEW ALREADY!!!!

Atmosphere and Vibe (no order and pick up this time!!)

FINALLY!!!!!! The ladies and I needed this dine-in! I missed my crew, and it was maaaad refreshing to sit at a table face to face and just enjoy each other’s company and share food again! I must stress that none of us are COVID-19 positive, and we have all taken proper precautions to go out and enjoy this meal. Aubree and Starlin (her son, our little honorary junior Feast Mode member) got there first and put our name in, and found us a spot at the bar until our table was ready. Steph and I rolled in shortly after, and we all enjoyed a drink first until we got to sit at our table.

The vibe at Admiral Jack’s is awesome!! It’s a barge, a bar on a barge. That sh*t is just dope to me!! LOL There is a canopy covered dock area where they have multiple dining tables (it’s also usually where live music is set up when they have it), and then the barge is half covered and half open to the air. They have the larger bar on the side of the barge that is covered, and they have a smaller tiki bar on the end that is open air. The whole thing sits right on the river, and legit.....it is an awesome environment to unwind and have some drinks. They have taken precautions during the pandemic, so the seating and tables were spaced to allow for proper social distancing, which made it feel less crowded than it traditionally has been in the past. They have music playing, but it isn’t overbearing, and just adds to the feel good vibe. All in all, I’ve always loved the vibe of Admiral Jack’s, and this hasn’t changed even during pandemic time.

Food

Sooooo........for the locals, especially the ones sniffing out good food, Admiral Jack’s really has become a bar worth eating at. I must confess, this isn’t my first rodeo with their food menu, and oddly enough, it was their BREAKFAST that blew me away the last 2 summers. Yes, you read that right. Jack’s is no joke with their breakfast game, despite them being the spot that you really want to check out on your bar-hopping adventures. Their pancake breakfast, mimosa flight, and bloody mary flight all had me locked in on nice summer mornings, and their location and ambiance for breakfast right on the river was super hard to compete with (who needs walls around you when you have a beautiful morning?!?!) I have had bites of food during weekend nights as well, but usually to sober up when the drinks went down too smoothly. These bites here and there weren’t really a proper example of a meal however, and were usually not properly assessed for their quality or taste (they were more so part of a survival tactic LOL). This summer they decided to slim down their menu, and unfortunately breakfast and breakfast hours got the axe due to the pandemic.

Let’s get to the food though, which was DELICIOUS!!!!! I won’t even let you guys wait to hear that part! After we strategized this menu (because we like to get a well rounded idea of the menu when we order), I decided to go with the Boom Boom Shrimp appetizer and the Spicy Perch Basket with tater tots. The shrimp was smaller in size, but had a quinoa crust to it, and was drizzled in garlic pepper sauce. It was a VERY reasonable amount of shrimp that came with it, and had extra sauce to dip them in. The flavor was savory with a very mild heat to it (not overbearing, but enough to tickle your tongue). Although I could have easily smashed these as a meal, I showed restraint and took half of the shrimp home, because I still had perch to eat. Then the perch came out..................WOW!!! The perch comes in original and spicy options, and is usually served with tarter sauce and fries. I had to go spicy, and I had to swap out the fries for some tots!! The perch was lightly battered in more of a cornmeal style batter (instead of a thicker tempura). Truth be told, the lighter batter like this is my favorite way when it comes to fish. The spicyness was very reasonable (although I am a fan of HOT, so I might not be the best

judge when it comes to heat). They were certainly not the biggest perch fillets I’ve had at a restaurant, but they didn’t need to be!! EVERY SINGLE BITE was flavorful, and the sauce to dip them in was a perfect compliment to the spicy bite without overpowering it. The tater tots were moderately seasoned, and damn near didn’t need to be dipped in anything!! I almost always dip tots, so this is quite the statement coming from me! It was legitimately difficult to find a flaw in any of the food I had, it was kind of shocking to be honest!

The drinks I had at Admiral Jack’s were just as good! I started with a Paloma at the bar while waiting for our table, and it was smooth without being underwhelming. Sometimes a tequila drink can separate the men from the boys, and this one was definitely made with a quality tequila even without me having to specify! My drink I had with our meal was the Tito’s Texas Tea, which was also a fantastic choice. It consisted of Tito’s vodka, lemonade, and fresh brewed unsweetened tea! Picture an Arnold Palmer, just as is. The vodka was so smooth that it made for a drink you can forget is dangerous, so it was both delicious and sneaky!! I give kudos to the bartenders for making some fantastic drinks, and I have found this to be a consistent trait through multiple visits here.

Wrap Up

So this was a fun one!! The ladies and I finally got to get back in a spot and have a face to face meal! These are genuinely weird times we are living in and everyone is adapting to these changes, but it’s somewhat refreshing to know that when you finally do get to go out and enjoy a meal...there are STILL spots that are ready to WOW you with what they have to offer. I wouldn’t hesitate to give the recommendation to check out Admiral Jack’s as a spot to have some great food. I’m really stretching to find any flaws, and the only thing that comes to mind is that it IS a bit on the more expensive side if you have your mind set on spending money for bar food. I again say it’s a stretch, because for the quality of food you get, I would put it on par with the heavy hitters in town. You pay maybe more than most bars, but you get some high quality flavors and portions at that price. I don’t even know if that’s a negative in my book honestly. Regardless, I’m happy the people spoke, and I’m happy we listened!!! Oh, since I’m on the subject of the people speaking...........

UPDATE******

.........so on the Wednesday following our Saturday outing, I was out with the wife and some friends having drinks and appetizers at another spot in town (which I’m sure will get a future review). Some more friends I know randomly came in to enjoy some dinner at a nearby table, and one of them came over and asked me if we visited Admiral Jack’s for our review yet. After telling her that we had, this very reliable source (screw being anonymous! Kennedy, you get major props for this tip!!!) told me I very much needed to go back and try their Loaded Tater Tots. She gave me the skinny on these tots, and pretty much told me I was a fool if I didn’t try them and review them. She was absolutely right, and now it is my favorite thing on their menu!!!! These tots come sitting in a pool of beer cheese, topped with seriously crispy bacon crumbles and green onions, and then shredded cheese is melted on top of it all. It comes with sour cream on the side as well. Being that these tots are already seasoned up and delicious

by themselves, this appetizer is off the charts with flavors!! Once I took a fork and flipped it all around in the beer cheese, EVERY BITE WAS INSANE!!!! Great tip Kennedy, the world had to know about this!!!!

Indoor Bar Area

Outdoor Tiki Bar

It was a BEAUTIFUL day!

Dock Seating

Richie posed so the strangers wouldn’t be creeped out by Steph taking a picture… LOL

Boom Boom Shrimp

Tito's Texas Tea

Richie's Spicy Perch w/ Tots

TIME TO FEAST!!!

Loaded Tots

STEPH’S EXPERIENCE

Meal: 2 Fresh Fruit Rum Runners, Chicken Pub Nachos, Coconut Shrimp, and Blackened Mahi Street Tacos

Bill: $71.48 (before tip)

Well, well, well… our first dine-in experience since FEBRUARY and we had our pick of all that South Haven has to offer as it is peak tourist season right now! As Richie explained, we landed on Admiral Jack’s (I personally also had a lot of offline pressure to try this place out) and I was pretty pumped as I had only eaten there once before and it wasn’t for dinner, just a snack to help soak up the alcohol (if you know what I mean…).

Atmosphere: Admiral Jack’s is situated on the Williams Street docks, kind of under the Old Harbor Inn. You walk down a dock to get to the bar-on-a-barge (with your mask on, of course), and a host/hostess will either seat you or let you know if you have to wait. I arrived last (couldn’t find a place to park) and we had to wait a bit for a table, so we sat at the indoor bar for a drink. The indoor portion has these large garage door-type walls that they roll up and it makes you feel like you’re completely outside while still being protected from the elements. We were greeted by the mermaid, Tits McGee (our name for her, not their’s - picture below), and had a good laugh while wondering what kinds of things she sees and hears towards the end of wild, summer nights. The other half of Jack’s is all outdoors with a Tiki Bar. There is definitely 2 different vibes going on either half of the restaurant but I’ve always enjoyed coming to Jack’s. The staff has always been friendly and conversational and it’s surprisingly clean for being on a barge… even the bathrooms! I would sum up the atmosphere as “fun, carefree summertime.”

Food/Drinks: Let’s get to the good stuff. Last post, Aubree bought the whole menu, this night, it was my turn…

I started off the evening at the indoor bar while we waited for our table. Matt was our bartender (seriously, one of the greats in town!) and I ordered a Fresh Fruit Rum Runner. I’m confused here… this tastes too healthy. Is this a protein shake? This tastes like a protein shake… what’s in this?? 3 types of rum along with fresh bananas and strawberries! It also comes in a keepsake COLOR CHANGING cup! I may be a local, but I was pretty excited about that. Yes, you may think the price is high for it being $10 but, when I tell you can literally taste the quality of this drink, I am not lying. I have found my new go-to drink at Jack’s. However, the 3 of us now joke that it is actually a protein shake so, if you hear me say, “I’m going to Jack’s for a protein shake!” You know what I mean!

We were sat right behind the indoor bar and I ordered the Chicken Pub Nachos and Coconut Shrimp as an appetizer. The Coconut Shrimp come with the tails on and are battered and fried to sweet, crispy perfection. They are served with an orange marmalade sauce and are super yummy but not anything that I haven’t had before. Def would recommend but you’ve probably had something similar somewhere else. THOSE NACHOS THO… I literally crave these things. The Pub Nachos come with beer cheese sauce, BBQ sauce, cilantro pesto and roasted corn and black bean relish, fresh cilantro, quest fresco, and sliced fresh jalapeños. The chicken is extra but, necessary if you ask me. While we were munching on them, we were trying to figure out exactly what sets these nachos off. I personally think it’s the BBQ sauce as its more of a sweet sauce, which I’m pretty sure I would only like on these nachos. However, Richie and Aubree seemed to think it was the beer cheese and the corn and black been relish. Soooo… it’s all of it. I will say, I usually am not huge on jalapeños but, with them being fresh, they weren’t super hot and added a nice crunch to all the saucy and goopy toppings. I ALWAYS recommend these to anyone who mentions they are heading to Jack’s. The Pub Nachos are a must try!

My main meal was the Blackened Mahi Street Tacos. These little buddies come 3 on a plate on flour tortillas with shredded cabbage, roasted corn black bean relish, cilantro pesto and queso fresco. On the side, comes fire roasted salsa, house guacamole, and corn tortilla chips. Other than the Blackened Mahi, you can also get the Spicy Perch, Boom Boom Shrimp, and Blackened Chicken varieties. I knew the perch and shrimp were coming from Aubree and Richie’s orders, so I decided to go with the Mahi. These tacos packed way more of a spicy punch than I was expecting! I even said “whoo-hoo!!” and reached for my drink after a couple bites. However, I loved the texture of the Mahi. It was tender and not chewy/tough at all. The tacos are super flavorful and the perfect size. I also was a huge fan of their guac as it evened out the spiciness of the tacos for me (I’m a medium-weight when it comes to spice), was very creamy, and everything I look for in a good guac. I really want to come back and try the other varieties as their street tacos are packed with flavor.

Overall Impression: Tresa was our server and she was attentive without being intrusive (you know, your drink was refilled quickly but your server wasn’t all up in your business?), and she was a pleasure to have at our table! Matt had advised us that the 2020 menu was scaled way back from last year (due to COVID), which is a bummer because I never had the chance to try them at their full glory. They also didn’t have any dessert options and both Starlin and I had a sweet tooth that night. However, Admiral Jack’s has done a great job refining the food offerings they do have and they seem to be super consistent with the quality of every plate brought out. Everything I ordered (and that I sampled from Richie and Aubree) was extremely flavorful and didn’t lack in any way.

I definitely had my Feast Mode Activated at Admiral Jack’s and my only regret is that I didn’t eat there sooner!

Steph, Richie, and Starlin

AKA: Feast Mode family pic of the night

Food Menu

Drink Menu

Fresh Fruit Rum Runner

Chicken Pub Nachos and Coconut Shrimp

Really hope I don’t have to clarify which is which…

Steph's Blackened Mahi Street Tacos

Lady of the Hour: Tits McGee

AUBREE’S EXPERIENCE

Meal: Paloma, Calamari, Boom Boom Shrimp w/ sauce on the side, and Spicy Perch w/ tots, Chicken tenders and fries.

Bill: $69.69 before tip (about).

First, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who is working to keep restaurants open right now so we could get together and Feast! We were so excited to be back in a restaurant together! Secondly, where do I start? We had a great experience start to finish.

Upon arrival, Starlin (my adorable son) and I were greeted by a cute and courteous hostess, Ella who took down our name and number telling us she would call when they had a table ready for us. We were able to find some empty seats at the inside bar to have a drink while we waited for the rest of Feast Mode to arrive. No questions asked, one of my favorite summertime bartenders; Matt started making me my Jack’s usual…a Paloma! For those of you who don’t know about it, try one! You will not be disappointed. It is Silver 1800 tequila, grapefruit juice, and fresh lime juice - which is what sets it off - topped with citrus soda and you can order with or without salt. I prefer mine without salt the majority of the time. It is light, a hint of sour and refreshing! Bonus: no clothes were lost in the making of this review. A sprite for the kiddie.

We waited maybe twenty-five minutes for a table; however, it really didn’t feel like that long with the wonderful company and a drink. Being right on the river, there is a ton to look at and keep you aesthetically occupied including the staple of the inside bar area-a topless mermaid hanging from the ceiling and boats going by. What a place to people watch! We were seated at one of the high-top tables across from the inside bar area and promptly greeted by our server, Tresa who did an amazing job at taking care of us. She was professional, kind, and definitely rose to the occasion.

Right away we order appetizers, Starlin chose the Boom Boom Shrimp with the sauce on the side and I ordered the Calamari. The BB Shrimp were awesome! They have a unique flavor and crunch to them as they are quinoa encrusted. Ritchie had an order of them with the sauce on them and, instead of being prepared tossed like some places, the sauce was drizzled atop so you still get that crunch. The tails were off so you could eat the whole thing which was a plus. The garlic pepper sauce was very flavorful and not too spicy. Even though I like my spice this had a nice balance of heat and flavor. The Calamari was good but not the best I’ve had. There was nothing wrong with it, it just wasn’t over the top. I usually prefer calamari sautéed and even like it better without breading. However, that isn’t Jack’s style so it is great for what it is. It is flash-fried and served with a sweet chili sauce. The sauce was great, it had a sweet tang and spice. I loved that we could share and try each other’s food. Starlin loved Steph’s coconut shrimp, I had to stop him after 2 of them so he wouldn’t eat them all. The chicken nachos were good too and I am not even a huge BBQ fan, the fresh jalapenos were lit!

For dinner, I had the Spicy Perch with tater tots and Starlin ordered Chicken tenders with fries. The perch was seriously the best that I have had in town! Instead of being beer battered with thick breading like a lot of places did it had a thin crust on it, it was not greasy at all, and the amount of spice was perfect. I was thoroughly satisfied with that. Now, let’s talk about them tots …deep fried so they were golden brown and crispy without being greasy and they are covered in some type of seasoning that just set them off. Of course, I tried the ranch, (RANCH WHORE status and no shame) it was thick-not too watery and it went great with my tots and ketchup for double-dipping. I didn’t try the chicken tenders because I was already too full, but it came with 3 huge tenders and a pile of fries that looked to have the same seasoning as the tots. Of course, we had leftovers and I heated everything up for my boys the next day as I was still full and could not eat another bite of anything crisp or fried. It all crisped up and looked good. Even the next day they enjoyed it.

Bottom line if you want great service, atmosphere, drinks, and food all while feeling like you are on vacation in a beautiful beach town (even if you’re a local) go to Admiral Jack’s! Try a Paloma (try to keep your clothes on), and eat the Perch! Feast Mode Activated!