441 Blowing Rock Road
Boone(828) 264-9988
We ate lunch here one icy day in winter.
Ray: I had a cup of the homemade chili, a Bear hamburger with fries, and a Newcastle Brown Ale to drink.
Tom: I know you are a stickler with chili–almost embarrassing to eat out with you when you order it! Was is good–say, as good as the spicy chili I like at Back Yard Burgers?
Ray: The chili was very good, some of the best I’ve had in Boone. It consists of a good blend of meat, beans, tomatoes, and spices all in a spicy broth.
Tom: Yes– I had a cup of it too. It was nice to have it served in real ceramic bowls, on plates. And they learned the trick to put a paper napkin between the bowl and plate so it does not slide around.
Ray: The hamburger (large patty of good beef topped with mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, and onion on a kaiser roll) was delicious! I used to eat here a lot in the late 80’s, and am glad to see the burgers are just as good now as they were then.
Tom: I had a grilled chicken wrap choosing for my side the rice and beans. The side was pretty good in spite of the waitress’ confession that the rice was Uncle Ben’s Mexican. It was nicely embellished with chunks of tomato and onions.
Ray: The fries were large and correctly cooked, tasty, with no greasiness. Not as good as the homemade fries the Klondike used to serve years ago, but I fear those are gone forever. The Newcastle was too cold as usual, but good. The largest problem was that the Klondike was out of the first two interesting beers that I ordered from the menu (including Johnston Oatmeal Stout), forcing me to choose the less interesting Newcastle.
Tom: So, quit your whining! I washed my meal down with a J.W. Dundee Original Honey Brown and was happy to have it.
Ray: But you are a moron when it comes to beers!
Tom: Yeah, and this is certainly a beer-oriented frat place!
Ray: You don’t go to the Klondike for the atmosphere. The decor consists of some nice tables, beer signs on the wall, and a few old skis. There are video games in the bar area, and there is a nice fireplace in the dining area. Outside there are some bar-type tables overlooking the ASU campus. The background music was classic rock played at a level low enough that conversation was not a problem. While it has its good points, the Klondike definitely shows the effects of almost 20 years of hard use, with ratty menus, wiggly tables, and stained tablecloths. Note that on some nights, Klondike has bands or DJ’s.
Tom: It could use a little fixing up, though. There were missing ceiling tiles and wiring I think would be a problem for an inspector.The day we were there it was cold inside–if we had not sat by the fireplace we would have been too cold. Even the waitress had a jacket on. Plus, the place smelled like smoke everywhere. Still, I will not downrate it based on this because the food was very good, especially for this type of small place. And the service is good.
Ray: Our service was indeed prompt, cheerful, and courteous, some of the best we’ve had. However, we were the only customers in the restaurant at the time of our meal. I expect the service will be a bit slower in the evenings when there are so many customers that even the parking lot is standing room only! Thursday nights are especially crowded, so if you’re looking for a party, go then. However, if you are looking for a quiet meal, go at some other time.
Tom: Well, Thursday is party night because many of the students go home on Friday. And your overall opinion of the Klondike?
Ray: While a bit run down, the food here is still top notch. On times away from the rush, it’s a great place to go for a good, tasty, filling meal and a beer. During the busy times, it’s a great place to go to mingle. The area near the stage is small, so listening to a band when the place is crowded could be a problem. My rating would be a 3.0 based solely on the food and service, but I have to deduct 1/2 point for the poor condition of the place in general. I would not hesitate to recommend Klondike to friends and family looking for a place for a tasty, filling meal, and will be going there again soon myownself.
Tom: So it’s two thumbs up!
Ray: Yeah, although you barely have opposing thumbs, you moron!
GPS Coordinates
Lat: 36° 12.507′
Lon: 81° 40.454′
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