So, the first thing I notice when we walk in is the hostess' breasts. Don't judge, they were on full display. So were all the servers and the bartenders. The required uniform for these ladies was an Irish twist on what looked to be a sexy Catholic schoolgirl Halloween costume. Pretty easy on the eyes for your typical 30-year old married man, but had I know this, I most likely would have christened the place with my mates as opposed to my 11-year old son. Alas, he was unaffected - Manchester United was putting an ass-whooping on Newcastle on about 15 television sets and that was all he was concerned about.
Save for a younger guy flirting with the bartender at the bar, we were the only two in the joint. I expected some classic Irish tunes to be playing, but instead it was Top 40 alternative. Matchbox 20 didn't exactly set the mood. They could have at least spun some Cranberries, or U2. We were greeted by a very cordial server, and she took our drink order. A Sprite for the boy, a Guinness for dad. Yea, it was 3 in the afternoon, but I can't exactly order a sweet tea on my first visit to Hendersonville's premier Irish joint, can I? We peruse the menu looking for some typical Irish treats; bangers and mash, lamb stew, maybe some corned beef and cabbage. I'm no expert on Irish cuisine, that's why I go to pubs. After a few minutes I got confused, wondering how a Chili's menu ended up on my table at The Tilted Kilt. I checked the front and it was in fact, a Tilted Kilt menu. Riddled with everything from quesadillas to hot wings and you guessed it, Irish Nachos. Irish Nachos? Yea, Irish Nachos. Save for the Fish n Chips and the Shepard's Pie, there was nothing Irish about this menu at all. All they did was place an Irish name in front of the food. Ian's Shrimp Basket, Braveheart's Chopped Salad. The rest of the menu is more of the same you will find at any poppy American family restaurant - burgers, salads, steak, wraps. Who the hell goes to a pub and orders a wrap? Would you like a Bay Breeze with that? Maybe I'm out of touch.
We get our food and dig in. The wings were nothing special and the fries were burnt. I didn't send them back, I really didn't care at this point. I was pretty bummed out about the experience already. We ate our food and left.
All in all, I wasn't impressed by this place. I guess I was expecting Dan McGuiness' North. The place wasn't horrible, but there was nothing to set it apart from BWW's other than a much better looking staff. They did have a nice beer selection. Boddington's on draft, that will always score some points for me. I remember a trip to Sam's Sports Grill where I actually had to request a glass with my Boddington's. I guess the girl expected me to drink it out of the can. Back to TTK - the hospitality was great from time in to time out. They greeted us immediately and said bye when we left. Our server was top notch and the decor was great. Aside from the music, I give the atmosphere a 9/10. The service a 10/10. (we'll see how it is on a busy night) The food I give a 5/10. I hold my french fries very dear to my heart and they burnt them.
To sum it up, it's a really nice looking, Irish Hooter's. Probably a great place to get drunk with your buddies and flirt with a waitress you won't be taking home, but not a place to sing Danny Boy and reminisce about the Potato Famine. But hey, if you want to take me there and buy me a Boddington's, I'm in!
