Old Town Draught House

Located at 1205 Spring Garden St. on the UNCG campus, Old Town offers appetizers, sandwiches, salads, burgers, pizza, vegetarian dishes and southwestern fare. Food and drink specials change daily, though, as a non-drinker, I can only comment on the former.




Fair or not, being an on-campus bar carries with it a certain stigma. You would expect a campus establishment to serve up food quickly and cheaply to student clientele who value convenience over quality. But in Old Town’s case, those expectations go out the green awning-covered window.



First and foremost, the food isn’t bad at all. The burgers and sandwiches are about what you’d expect from a sit-down place, though the meatloaf sandwich – a house specialty – is well-seasoned and decidedly above par. Ditto the chili, which is great on a cold day, but only available on special. A choice of sides allows the health-conscious to sub fresh fruit for fries and the hummus and black bean burrito should satisfy meat eaters and meat-haters alike. Only the chicken fingers, chewy and flavorless, were a disappointment.



But with better-than-expected quality comes higher-than-expected prices. Burgers and many of the sandwiches will run you $7 and even a basket of veggies or fries costs $4.50. These aren’t outlandish prices, particularly when you factor in the sides, but if you’re looking for cheap, try the food court.



Service and ambience tend to fluctuate. Sometimes, you’ll be surrounded by twenty-somethings; on other occasions, you’ll see an older crowd. On a good day, you can eat outside in the shade. On a bad one, you’ll have to shoulder your way to the bar and shout out an order. The bartenders are reasonably friendly, hard-working and fast on their feet, though there are times when they seem overburdened.



As a place to go with friends after class, Old Town is as good as you can hope for. You can take in a meal without feeling like you squandered your money or punished your stomach. But factor out the convenient location and the flaws begin to show. If you’re going out for a meal, there are certainly better options nearby.



7.25/10