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Business & Tech

As American As Apple Pie: Jimmy Mac's Roadhouse

Texas-style roadhouse restaurant offers homecookin'-good grub.

Enter this 1950's-style Texas roadhouse through a 'squeaky' screen door, as if you were invited over to a neighbor's house. Only, you can throw your peanut shells on the floor.

Sunday lunch bustles with groups of families and friends, folks hugging neighbors as they enter the dining room. The first question is, "Booth or table?" from one of the Roadhouse gals, with menus and a basket of hot rolls in hand. It's bragged on the menu that "nearly everything is made from scratch in our own kitchen," and I believe it.

has the same small town vibe as our own down town Renton Western Wear (which boasts both Stetson's and wedding dresses.) And those free fresh-out-of-the-oven yeast rolls with whipped honey butter might just make you want to two-step the night away. You can also buy them to go (half-off in October), they're that good. I know what I'm serving on Thanksgiving!

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My only regret with lunch is that I ordered the 12 oz Sissy Size 'Road Kill' ($5.75), instead of the 25 oz Roadhouse Size of this Texan Bloody Mary. What makes it Texas-style? Why, the big 'ol pickled jalapeno at the top of your salt-crusted glass.

While they won't cut your tie off at the door and nail it to the wall, this is definitely not Yankee territory. From the contemporary country and western music played in the dining room, to the Lone Star memorabilia, and a roadhouse shack exterior that looks a bit like something off the Paramount lot. But ultimately I found the food and tchotchkes to be unique, endearing features.

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When my husband reached his fork across the table to taste my Cactus Creek Crabcakes ($9.95) he declared, "They taste like mine!" Crabcakes are a starred item here, and for good reason. For one, they are full of crab, not breadcrumbs and filler. Tasty enough that I didn't always choose to dip the meat into my cup of lemon pepper aioli. I ate one and brought the other home with a house roll for a sandwich the next day.

The crowning glory? A cup of Crawfish Chowder ($4.60).  This Roadhouse feature is rich, spicy, and bacony — a refreshing change from personality-less clam chowder which is sadly often de rigueur, even in the Northwest. A full bowl of it, their rolls, and another Road Kill might have left me in a glazed smile coma...

To balance things out, I asked my server for her preference in salads. I had been eying the Coyote Steak Salad (Lite size $9.50), and went with her favorite. This is the first and only place where I have been asked how I would like my steak cooked for my salad. And when I said medium rare, they pulled off the task impressively. Charred on the outside, rosy within.

The Coyote takes you from Texas to Midwest corn-fed beef strips, chopped romaine lettuce, grilled red onions, cheese shreds, diced tomato, green and red peppers, tossed with their peppercorn ranch dressing. An Atkin's-friendly dish if you can resist the potato skins adorning the salad, and trust me, you won't miss those wedges unless you've had an evening of "Longnecks".

My Phoenix-raised husband loved his Pulled Pork Sandwich ($8.95), and side of coleslaw, just a tad sweet and dotted with mustard grains. The Hickory-Smoked pork was tender and the only miss was the blah bun after such delightful rolls. Extra props for the cup of Mop, or vinegar sauce on the side. My husband quipped, "I wish I was a six-armed Shiva to pick up this sandwich!" Oh yes, and the sandwiches are served on a shiny hubcap, not a plate.

Jimmy's even has a house brew, the Armadillo Ale which is handcrafted by Seattle's Hales Ales, just for the restaurant. Mr. Phoenix got the 25 oz Roadhouse Size mug for $6.95 which means I was finished with my 12 oz Road Kill way before him... Next time no Sissy Size for me!


is located in the at:
225 SW 7th Street
Renton, WA 98057
(425) 227-6881

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