Johnny(')s Restaurant

Those who enjoy their tenderloin with a side of strikes and spares would be hard-pressed to top the fare at Johnny’s Restaurant or is it Johnnys Restaurant.  Although the menu’s and website have it spelled Johnny’s, the sign on the building says Johnnys (notice the picture).  The perplexing use or non use of the apostrophe had us all scratching our heads.  Anyway, located inside King Pin bowling alley at 3115 E. Sangamon Avenue or online at http://www.kingpinusa.com, Johnny’s truly has a one-of-a-kind atmosphere, with great music and the thundering sounds of bowling balls complementing your dining experience. While our schedule did not permit the Culinary Delights Tenderloin Committee to take a spin on the lanes today, we are happy to report we were all quite pleased with our tenderloin experience.

Although the honorable sport of bowling can trace its roots back 2000 years to Ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire, Springfield residents have only had the pleasure of gracing King Pin’s lanes since March of 1998. Those who enjoy complimenting their bowling with delicious home-cooked food were pleased to see the later addition of Johnny’s Restaurant. However, the Culinary Delights Tenderloin Committee was not aware of Johnny’s reputation for “mean” tenderloins until receiving a tip from a fellow tenderloin connoisseur at an Amateur Bowling Invitational Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa two weeks ago. On the heels of our decisive team victory in the bowling tournament, we walked into Johnny’s today with empty stomachs and high expectations.

We were not let down. Johnny’s tenderloin provides a strong combination of value, taste, and proportion. The service was friendly and prompt; the atmosphere was excellent, with a unique, eclectic character; and most importantly, if we wanted to, we could finish lunch, walk 20 feet, and have a quick bowl. What’s not to like?

 

To get into the details: $6.75 gets you the tenderloin and fries. (Click here for the full menu.) The sandwich comes with the “fixins” of your choice of lettuce, tomato (which was oddly $.25 extra), pickle, and onion. Mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper are also all available. The tenderloin was tender and juicy, with good flavor. It was noted though that the tenderloin had an unmistakable “chicken” taste.  Although it could be said “everything tastes like chicken,” we felt this one hints at chicken because the loin and breasts are probably fried in shared grease.  The fries were crispy and tasty. The bun was toasted, which is always a plus. On the negative side, we did run into a common problem: poor bun-to-loin ratio.

On the whole, the members of the CDTC felt Johnny’s was fantastic and ranked in the Top 3 on the Tour. If you’re looking to grab a loin and a quick bowl, there’s simply no better place.    

Awesome bowling ball stacking skills.