Spenard Roadhouse

Located at the intersection of Northern Lights and Spenard Road, Spenard Roadhouse’s building appears to be an old Pizza Hut. However, the building was actually a former Sizzlers Steakhouse. Either way, Spenard Roadhouse only looks that way in terms of the building shape.

Inside, you’re greeted with plenty of seating options. The dining room offers booths, tables and a bar area. The walls are decorated with various license plates and paintings.

The restaurant is open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the week, and you can typically find a seat fairly quickly. However, depending on what time you choose to go out on a Friday or a weekend, you may have to wait a bit for a table. Even if you have to wait, the food and drinks are worth it.

Starting with drinks: While I can’t speak to all the beverage offerings, the sodas Spenard Roadhouse offers  are delicious. My two favorites are the Strawberry Lime Boba Fizz and the Lavender Lemonade, but there’s really no wrong choice in terms of drink options.

If you arrive before 3 p.m., you’ll have your choice of brunch options as well as the main menu. The first meal I can personally attest to being incredible is the biscuits and gravy.

The biscuits have a perfect golden brown exterior while still being flaky on the inside. That texture combined with the gravy is the perfect way to be taking a midday nap following a trip to the Roadhouse.

The Smothered Breakfast Burrito is also a tasty option, bringing some punched up spice and flavor with the chorizo, lime crema, cotija cheese and salsa verde. If you’re not a fan of tortillas, or are trying to watch your carbs, you can also order the burrito in a bowl.

Finally, in my opinion, no brunch menu is complete without a spectacular eggs benedict. Spenard Roadhouse serves its version of the dish with all the typical fixings — poached egg, smoked ham, homemade hollandaise sauce and an english muffin — but they also come with a side of tater tots.

The tater tots are perfect for cleaning up the delicious mess of yolk and hollandaise that’s typically left in the wake of a good eggs benedict.

Now, onto the side dishes.

One thing I never thought I would order is a bag of Garlic Parmesan Popcorn, but ever since I tried it, I order it every time I go. It’s simple and delicious, and it’s a great item for a few people to split before the main meal comes out.

Mac and cheese is also a side option, with the choices to punch it up by adding bacon, tomato or broccoli. This isn’t your typical nuclear orange box mac and cheese. It’s a melty tangy mix of parmesan, cheddar and jack cheese that you’ll struggle to let cool down before digging in.

Something that Spenard Roadhouse is well known for is their Bacon of the Month. Each month there’s a new special that takes bacon — a dish that is already delicious on its own — and adds it to a dish that will blow your mind. A past Bacon of the Month Special that still stands out in my mind is the special of Bacon and Pork Burnt Ends.

Spenard Roadhouse’s list of dinner options can feel overwhelming due to the abundance of good options to choose from.

When I have to narrow it down, my thought process is as follows:

First, I determine if I want to order a bowl. Whether it’s the Jambalaya, Korean Rice Bowl, Spicy Green Curry or another bowl offering, it’s hard to go wrong with a bowl. Most of these bowls are a bit spicy but packed with flavor. Each bowl is typically close to two servings, meaning you’ll probably have leftovers in the morning.

If I don’t want a bowl, I turn to the pizzas. My go-to is the Prosciutto Fig Pizza. Featuring rich prosciutto, cheese and caramelized onion paired with arugula, fig and a lemon basil vinaigrette, each bite is balanced and full of flavor.

After the pizza selection, I look at sandwiches. The Bacon Jam Burger is my personal favorite out of the bunch. Other tasty options include the avocado melt, the Cubano and their simple grilled cheese on sourdough.

If I haven’t made up my mind after all those options, I turn to everything else. From salads and salmon to tacos and steak, there is a good selection of more “traditional” dinner options. My personal favorite is the Fried Chicken Dinner that has a fried chicken breast, garlic mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and a homemade biscuit with cowboy butter.

Although you’ll probably be full after eating whatever meal you pick, the desserts are all hard to turn down — no matter how stuffed you feel. The dessert selection features a traditional S’more, a decadent peanut butter pie and more, there’s a dessert option to fit everyone’s tastes.

If you suddenly feel the urge to eat mouthwatering food the next time you’re driving down Northern Lights Boulevard, swing by Spenard Roadhouse. I assure you they won’t disappoint.