Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill 
Friday, December 7, 2012 at 8:01AM
Gary L Kelley in Country, Jack Daniels, Restaurant, Toby Keith

Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill

275 Patriot Place
Foxborough, MA 02035

(508) 543-8629 (TOBY)

A recent business lunch took me back to Patriot Place near Gillette Stadium.  One of the meeting attendees suggested Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill (TK).   I’m not a country music fan, and for those who may not know Toby Keith is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor.  It might be a painful meeting.

My first challenge was finding the property.  It is nestled down a road separating Tavolino and Old Navy.

My first impression of the place was favorable.  You see, my beverage of choice on a weekend evening is Jack Daniels.  I am even a Tennessee Squire. The entry to TK’s was decorated with a large stack of Jack Daniel’s barrels (an appropriate nod from TK’s hometown of Clinton, Oklahoma!!)

Once in the main restaurant, I was immediately struck by the Texas-sized proportions of the place.  This restaurant is 20,000 square feet, nearly half an acre.  There is an 85’ long red, white and blue guitar above a guitar shaped bar.  The ceilings are very high…

Wandering around before the other attendees arrived, I noticed a large stage area at one end, and “Bullet” the mechanical bull.

As the meeting attendees arrived, one commented how the place is very busy at night, and our waitress confirmed weekends are “nuts.”  Frankly, I began thinking a trip to Foxborough on a weekend night was needed.

The menu was eclectic and varied.   As we were going Thanksgiving week, one person in the party declared it was acceptable to eat poorly, as he quickly ordered Chicken Fried Steak.  He went on to explain it is something he can’t regularly get in restaurants, and he had a hankering for one.

I had to have the Fried Bologna, because Mom used to make it.  And while Mom didn’t use thick cut bologna with cheese and onions, she did include Miracle Whip.  Mom didn’t serve with thick cut fries, either. 

The others in our group opted for the relatively healthy options of a Tortilla Bowl soup (tomatoes, onions, peppers and spices with diced chicken), with a Southwest Chicken Salad (iceberg and romaine lettuce with bacon, bleu cheese, chopped egg, avocado, tomatoes and smoked turkey) and the sweet bourbon salmon (a 10oz salmon filet marinated 24 hours in a sweet bourbon sauce served over rice and a veggie.)

The meeting went well, with everyone enjoying their food.  As we wrapped up, I was going to ask each person for their thoughts.  Not one crumb was left on any plates.  All four were in the “clean plate club.”  Frankly, I was pleasantly surprised as chain theme restaurants can be iffy on food, and this one passed with flying colors.

While we were there for lunch, one thing I expected never materialized.  I thought we would be listening to endless loud country music….and while it was playing in the background it was not a distraction.

We all agreed we would meet there again, with the next meeting already scheduled for an evening.  I’m expecting a great time!

Hours

Open 7 days a week: Monday-Saturday 11:30AM – 12:30AM and Sunday Noon – 12:30AM

 Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill  gets a GREEN LIGHT…go and enjoy.

About the RAG scale:

       Green Light – Go and enjoy

       Amber Light – Use caution

       Red Light – Save your time and money

Article originally appeared on Gary L Kelley (http://garylkelley.com/).
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