It has always had a punk vibe, with such iconic punk bars such as the old Pink. ABV is to upscale dining what the Pink is to a bar. It’s a strong statement about doing things your own way. The beer and cocktail selection is amazing, and the staff actually knows what it is they’re serving to the customers. They’re as passionate about what they do as you are as a customer. If there’s a complaint is that ABV is a victim of it’s own success. The wait for a table is often too long… but then again, they have great drinks to make the wait easier. I would sin more about ABV, but I would rather save my mouth for shoving a delicious burger into it. This place has great atmosphere and décor. Their burgers are unique and not like anything else offered anywhere else in the area. The staff is friendly and helpful every time I come in to eat. My only hang up is that the french fries don’t seem to have any consistency. Now, allow me to clarify what I mean by that statement. My first visit to ABV the french fries were great. I believed them to be fresh cut and seasoned just enough to make them stand out. My second visit, I could have sworn the french fries were of the frozen-pre-packaged variety, to the point where the difference made me pull aside the waiter and ask. He was very polite and answered all of my questions, nevertheless, my fries were left untouched (I know, I’m being a bit of a fry snob here). My third trip to ABV, the fries were still less than stellar. However, my fourth trip, the delicious fries had returned. I didn’t know what to make of this, but I was happy to have them back. Now, I’m not sure what caused the roller coaster ride that was ABV’s french fry inconsistency problem, but since my fourth trip the fries have remained steadfast in their flavor. Yet still, in the very back of my mind, I worry that those bland frozen fries, monochrome in their taste, will one day return. When I stopped in on a lunch break, ABV’s decorated interior lead me to believe I was about to eat lunch with the bad guy from the «Saw» movies. The beer taps are comprised of rusty pitchforks, various types of spikes, arrow heads and even a hand grenade. There is even an array of meat cleavers affixed to the wall… I mean, c’mon. Fortunately, all of the other patrons were happy looking business types that seemed to ignore all the morbid décor, so I did too. Now to the food (the reason I went into a restaurant to begin with). The burgers are indeed fantastic as they’ve been described by many other reviewers. I ordered a number three burger (applewood smoked bacon, caramelized «Ommegang» onions & porter cheddar). Cash-only and undeniably quirky, there's nothing else quite like Redamak's.It was very filling and delicious, and I can attribute both of those things to the type of bun the burger was served on: the buns here seem to be built to sop up all the magnificent burger grease and juices like a sanitary napkin does to blue liquid on all of those TV commercials (sorry if this is a disturbing analogy but hey, if you’re still reading my review you’re probably a fan of my style anyways). You'll never receive a burger cooked below medium, but something about these burgers makes them irresistibly delicious. It's served with ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions (lettuce and tomato were only introduced within the past few years), but honestly all you really need is meat, cheese and bread. Butchered and ground in house, these patties (which are available in either 5 1/3- or 8-ounce portions) get a nice sear in their own individual skillet and are then draped with a glob of melty, oozy Velveeta. Expect a wait (even though the restaurant seats 400), and when you finally snag a table, do what everyone else does: Order a burger - the Velveeta Cheeseburger, in particular. Founded by George and Gladys Redamak in 1946 and owned by Jim and Angie Maroney since 1975, the legendary Redamak's is only open from March 1 to November 15 due to the fact that it only holds a 10-month resort liquor license, but it's definitely worth a detour to the sleepy hamlet of New Buffalo on the shores of Lake Michigan.
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