***** DISH OF THE WEEK (Sunday-3/17/19-Shindig Irish Restaurant & Pub).

One of Jeff Eats’ favorite menu items…

IRISH DRUNKEN PORK CHOP
($16.99)

Shindig Irish Restaurant & Pub
464 Southwest Port Saint Lucie Boulevard
Port Saint Lucie
(772) 785-6202
shindigpub.com
Latest Review: 9/18/14

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!…

Posted on September 18th, 2014
***** Shindig Irish Restaurant & Pub, 464 Southwest Port Saint Lucie Boulevard, Port Saint Lucie 34953, (772) 785-6202.

Before Jeff Eats tells his story, I just wanted you guys to know that Shindig had been previously “reviewed” on 8/19/11…today’s review” came about in part as a result of reader Mike N’s suggestion to “re-test” the joint with a claim that Jeff Eats’ August, 2011 outing -and I quote-“Must have been an off night because I have been eating there for years and the food is always terrific.”

With the above in mind, here’s a new-review…

Gonna assume that you guys know what an Irish Pub “looks” like…you know-dark woods, dim lighting, tables, booths, big bar, all types of beer, Irish bands, Shepherd’s Pie, corned beef & cabbage. When you check shindigpub.com for menu/prices you’ll also find a ton of “decor” pictures.

The other night Jeff Eats “did” Shindig Irish Restaurant & Pub and I gotta tell you-I loved the joint. In addition to the requisite Irish-decor, Shindig served killer food. Now this is just an observation, but my past dealings with South Florida-Irish pub joints-have on the whole not been culinary-thrill-rides…nothing terrible, but average stuff at best.

Anyway,

Jeff Eats’ party of 4- “tried” bacon cheeseburger ($10.99), Shepherd’s Pie ($14.99), Bangers & Mash ($12.99), Fish & Chips ($14.99), baby back ribs ($4.99) and I gotta tell you everything was delicious. No fooling here, definitely one of the best-Irish-pub meals I’ve had down here in sunny South Florida.

Before I close this one out, I just wanted to mention that Shindig has all kinds of food and drink “specials”- like $5 burgers on Mondays. The full list of “specials” is listed under EVENTS on shindigpub.com.

One- almost final thought, I’m just thinking…since Jeff Eats has only “done” Shindig twice-with different results-who’s to say which review is more accurate? To that end, I’ve republished below- the original review of 8/19/11 so I’m – like FOX NEWS: FAIR AND BALANCED!!

Finally…

Did you hear the one about the leprechaun who walked into a bar carrying a rooster, a baseball bat and large jar of Skippy Peanut Butter- and the bartender said…

Shindig Irish Restaurant & Pub is open 7 days a week 11am-2am.
*****
August 19, 2011
***** Shindig Irish Restaurant & Pub, 464 Southwest Port Saint Lucie Boulevard, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34953, (772) 785-6202.

Got a good Irish pub for you…Shindig Irish Restaurant & Pub in Port St. Lucie.

A recent dinner had me “trying”…braised short rib sliders, bacon cheeseburger, shepherd’s pie, fish & chips, corned beef & cabbage. Nothing to get hysterical about “foodwise” here…but the stuff is decent enough. Do like-I did…hit this joint on either a Friday or Saturday night when it features live bands. For “small” money (the most expensive item on the menu is the flat iron steak-$21.99), you’ll eat and drink good and have a blast listening to some of the better rock bands in the area.

Check menu/prices/entertainment schedule at www.shindigpub.com.

The joint is open 7 days a week, 11am-2am.

This contest started on 3/10/19. This contest has a winner.

* Win A $25 Nino’s Pizzeria & Restaurant Gift Card.

Jeff Eats got a $25 Nino’s Pizzeria & Restaurant Gift Card to give to one of you guys!

The game- the first 35 “reader-comments” received – will be entered in a “blind hat pick”! You can submit as many comments as you’d like but- Please, only 1- reader comment – per day…play fair!

The $25 Gift Card is good at Nino’s Pizzeria & Restaurant, 7120 Beracasa Way, Boca Raton, Florida 33433, (561) 392-9075.

You can check menu/prices at ninosofboca.com.

Latest Review- 6/1/15.

This article first appeared on 10/10/18. Just checked the box-office (thecentercs.com) and there are a ton of tickets still available. Goldstar.com also has discount tickets listed.

x

Posted on October 10th, 2018

* One Night In Memphis.

Tickets just went on sale…

Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats are going…

The Skinny…

Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 8:00 pm

Coral Springs Center For The Arts
2855 Coral Springs Drive
Coral Springs, Florida 33065
Box Office: (954) 344-5990
Tickets: thecentercs.com

from thecentercs.com

Tribute to Presley, Perkins, Lewis, and Cash. One Night in Memphis® is a rocking concert tribute to legendary Sun Records recording artists Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley. Over 90 minutes of rockabilly, country, gospel, and pure 1950’s rock and roll music performed live and backed by an authentic and energetic rockabilly backup band. Be a witness to a rock and roll royalty jam session with the music and talent that has stood the test of time. True American music featuring the hits, “Blue Suede Shoes”, “Folsom Prison Blues”, “Great Balls of Fire’< ”Whole Lotta Shaking Going On”, “Shake, Rattle, and Roll,” “Hound Dog”, and many, many more with acclaimed national talent, all performed live without tracks and guaranteed to get any audience rocking and rolling!

* March 20, 2019- Dairy Queen Free Cone Day!

Just a heads-up, so you guys can plan your busy schedules accordingly…

This coming Wednesday, March 20th, 2019, Dairy Queen will mark the first day of Spring by giving away free cones!

Participating locations (dairyqueen.com) will offer one free small vanilla soft-serve cone per customer.

* 15th Annual Coral Springs Festival Of the Arts.

Jeff Eats knows- that for many of you guys, these Florida art-festivals are sort of like Bill Murray’s “Groundhog Day” movie…

With that in mind…

Jeff Eats, Mrs. Jeff Eats and Jiggy The Dog Jeff Eats are gonna be out there- on Sunday, March 17th starting around 2:30pm…just a heads-up, all three of us are really looking forward to seeing “these guys” who are booked to play the main stage from 3:30pm-5pm!

* THE ADELE EXPERIENCE- TRIBUTE TO ADELE & COMEDIAN JIM DAVID.

Just picked-up a pair of tickets for this one…

The Skinny:

THE ADELE EXPERIENCE- TRIBUTE TO ADELE & COMEDIAN JIM DAVID

Wednesday, April 03, 2019, 8:00 PM

Kings Point-Delray Beach
7000 Atlantic Avenue
Delray Beach, Florida 33446
Tickets: kingspointdelray.com
Box Office- (561) 499-3335

$15.00 Residents • $21.00 Non-Residents

from kingspointdelray.com

The Adele Experience – Tribute to Adele has swept multiple awards each year in the impersonator industry, most recently, including the 2017 Las Vegas “Rising Star Reel Award.” Andrea Tyler has not only been revered as the #1 Adele Sound-Alike in the USA, she’s been recognized by UK Radio Producers and BBC Producers as the closest sound to Adele. Andrea’s voice has such an uncanny resemblance to Adele’s that most people think Andrea is lip syncing. Rest assured, all performances are completely live vocals, including her British accent!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7X6nn-9yQQ

Jim David’s outrageous and biting comedy has been seen on his own half hour special on Comedy Central. He has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in films, and in his one-man comedy “South Pathetic,” a play about the worst community theater in the South. He is wonderful and totally energetic without seeming insincere!

This contest started on 3/9/19. This contest has a winner.

* Win A $10 Five Guys Burgers and Fries Gift Card.

Jeff Eats got a $10 Five Guys Burgers and Fries Gift Card to give to one of you guys!

The game- the first 20 “reader-comments” received – will be entered in a “blind hat pick”! You can submit as many comments as you’d like but- Please, only 1- reader comment – per day…play fair!

The $10 Gift Card is good at any Five Guys Burgers and Fries location (for locations, menu, info- fiveguys.com).

***** Fran’s Chicken Haven, 1925 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, (561) 395-0781.

Let’s just call this tale a “2019-Public Service Announcement”….

Just a quick observation- You guys do know that most cardiologists don’t know dick-about fried chicken!

In any event…

If you “need” to eat absolutely off the chart-dynamite fried chicken (like Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats needed to do last night), read on…

Posted on December 28th, 2015
***** Fran’s Chicken Haven, 1925 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, (561) 395-0781

Let’s just call this- a Jeff Eats’ “Certain Things Bear Repeating” story…

Jeff Eats just has to laugh- when the Sun Sentinel seemingly “year after year crowns” PUBLIX FRIED CHICKEN the best in South Florida! There is an old Irish saying- “Give Me A Fu@king Break.”

Long story short, Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats have been- on and off (see below-as to why “on and off”) “taking-out” fried chicken and “various” sides from Fran’s Chicken Haven in Boca Raton for something like 23 years!- and I gotta tell you -that this joint’s fried chicken/sides are absolute dynamite! Trust Jeff Eats on this one – trying to rank the “best” in the food reviewing game- is a dumb no win game…with that in mind, what I do know, is that Fran’s fried chicken is off-the-chart good and that after you eat it- you will never-want to voluntarily buy or eat Publix fried chicken ever again!

If you want to eat outrageously delicious fried chicken…Fran’s Chicken Haven is a must try.

You can check menu/info at franschickenhaven.com.

______________________

Posted on July 5th, 2013

***** Fran’s Chicken Haven, 1925 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, (561) 395-0781.

Got something terrific for you…

That’s assuming that you aren’t a “follower” of NYC Mayor Bloomberg–in that you don’t need “Big Brother” (and no, I’m not talking about Janis’ group) to tell you what you can and can’t eat…

Real fast… from 1964-2000 a woman named Fran (thus the name Fran’s Chicken Haven) and her husband Joe, operated a “hole-in-the-wall” fried chicken joint—Fran’s Chicken Haven in Boca Raton. Maybe 3 tables and 4-5 counter seats. In a nutshell, amazing fried chicken and assorted sides. In 2000 the couple retired and sold the business—for the past 12-13 years Fran’s has had 3-maybe 4 different owners who slowly but surely wrecked the business. Jeff Eats may not be the sharpest pencil in the box, but I do know that when something ain’t broke, you don’t try and fix it…one owner changed the batter-mix and added latin sides, another made the joint a kosher chicken restaurant-closing on Friday nights and all day Saturday—hopefully you get the picture.

Since Fran and Joe sold the joint, Jeff Eats who had previously been a real-steady customer, has maybe picked-up chicken 7 or 8 times in the ensuing years.

Now the news…two brothers- Jake Stuart (aged 19) and Chris Stuart (aged 32) both born and bred—Boca Ratonians—bought Fran’s a month or so ago…and have literally “brought” it back to where it was taste-wise during the Fran & Joe era. How does Jeff Eats know all this? Because…Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats ala Marvin Gaye heard it through the grapevine—and yesterday, picked up an 8 piece fried chicken, French fries, onion rings, fried corn nibblets order—and I gotta tell you, the food tastes just like we “remember” Fran making it…the “boys” told us that the sale/purchase of the business had included all of Fran’s original recipes and that they had visited with Fran and Joe (who still live in Boca Raton) to get a feel on how to run the joint.

Let me leave you guys with this…if you like fried chicken, fries, onion rings, fried corn nibblets—-then you gotta get over to Fran’s Chicken Haven.

One final thought…

Jake and Chris— When the crowds start pouring in, which they will—don’t even think of renaming the joint- Stuart Brothers Chicken Haven or some such variation!

Down below is the original June 20, 2006 Jeff Eats’ review for Fran’s Chicken Haven:

Posted on June 20th, 2006
***** “Fran’s makes some of the best fried chicken that you have ever tasted. This joint has been around something like 40 years and is an absolute hole in the wall. Basically a take-out joint, there are a few tables and a counter for those who want to “dine in.” FRIED is the word here…shrimp, corn, french fries, onion rings. Everything is absolutely delicious.

Don’t tell your cardiologist about this joint.

Fran’s is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.”

This contest started on 3/7/19. This contest has a winner.

* Win A $10 Dunkin’ Donuts Gift Card.

Jeff Eats got a $10 Dunkin’ Donuts Gift Card to give to one of you guys…

The game- the first 20 “reader-comments” received – will be entered in a “blind hat pick”! You can submit as many comments as you’d like but- Please, only 1- reader comment – per day…play fair!

The $10 Gift Card is good at any Dunkin’ Donuts location. You can check dunkindonuts.com for locations/info).

The Venue Restaurant And Bar, 8794 W Boynton Beach Boulevard, Boynton Beach, Florida 33472, (561) 200-0222.

The Venue Restaurant And Bar- is an upscale restaurant/bar/live music venue which opened in Boynton Beach in August, 2018. Decent enough (though on the pricey side) American/Italian food, dynamite modern club decor, spotty-confused service, off the chart good-live Rock N Roll cover & tribute bands/ named act bookings, beyond belief- horrendous location (sleepy Canyon Town Center spot with a surrounding population of 22,000,000 recently retired NYC school teachers)!

Now, you guys and Jeff Eats both know that- this reviewing “gig” is purely a subjective call- you know, what I like, you may hate and vice versa! No question here- I could be wrong, but the way I see it, The Venue Restaurant And Bar is sort of like plunking down a “Tony Soprano” Pork Store right in the middle of a Hasidic Jewish neighborhood in Borough Park, Brooklyn!

Just a gut call, The Venue Restaurant And Bar won’t be long for this world. Like I said a few seconds ago- like plunking down a “Tony Soprano” Pork Store right in the middle…

The Venue Restaurant And Bar is open Tuesday-Saturday 4pm-late, closed Sunday-Monday.

For you guys who like puzzles…check thelocalvenue.com.