Not long ago, a friend of
mine and I were out and about, and once hunger struck, the inevitable question,
“Where should we go?” came up, I said, without hesitation, “Fred’s.”
He shot me a strange look. “What?” I asked.
“You know what?” he said, “I’ve never been there.”
I felt a weird mix of bewilderment, pity and a tinge of
anger. “How on earth have you never been
to Fred’s? You live in Evansville.
You like beer. You like cheeseburgers…” I sort of trailed off into a tirade
about how I couldn’t believe it; there was simply no way this person – this
“friend” of mine – had never savored a juicy/crispy, made-the-old-fashioned-way
Fred Burger with cheese. How had he never destroyed a craving for chili with a bowl
of Fred’s Original with Forty Beans? Finally, I collected myself together, and
pointed our ride toward Fred’s World Headquarters, determined to set this
fellow straight.
The “Fred” whose name is emblazoned on the sign outside
(and on a seemingly endless array of posters, pictures
and other memorabilia
inside the famous ‘Fred Room’)
is Fred Willman, co-proprietor – along with wife
Barb Willman – and friend to all who enter.
Located at the corner of Virginia and Read Streets in the
heart of Evansville, Fred’s Bar & Grill – for many of us who call River
City home – is as much a part of our lives as members of our family. It is the
place to go for good, no-frills food – made to order – cold beer (American-made
only, thank you), various other libations (if you know what goes in it, they’ll
make it), camaraderie (it’s rare that I visit Fred’s and don’t run into an old friend or associate), and yes, philosophy,
jokes as fine as a professional stand-up and the kind of wisdom you’ll get from
a man whose wit is part Yogi Berra, part Aristotle.
The “Fred” whose name is emblazoned on the sign outside
(and on a seemingly endless array of posters, pictures and other memorabilia
inside the famous ‘Fred Room’) is Fred Willman, co-proprietor – along with wife
Barb Willman – and friend to all who enter.
At lunchtime, the place packs with folks and the bar and
dining areas are bustling; Fred can be found in the kitchen, wearing his
familiar long white apron and an expression that says he’s seen it all. Orders
fly in and out – a Chicken Finger basket here, a pile of onion rings paired
with a grilled tenderloin there – and the patrons, a perfect sample of
Evansville itself, are chatty and content, knowing that whether they’re headed
back to their downtown office, the hospital across the street or the
construction site, they’ll return happier than they were an hour before.
Speaking from experience, though,
I can say that the Double Burger
(Fred’s Burger) with cheese, fully dressed
with mayo, fries and slaw on the side and a cold one (Ski at lunch, Miller at
night) is the way to go.
In the evening, Fred’s back, behind the bar and
dispensing drinks and wisdom to all who enter, whether they belly up to the
comfortable bar or have a seat at any of the tables neatly scattered about. The
occasional clink of the balls on the pool tables punctuates the air, which by
nightfall has filled with raucous laughter and a feeling – and we who’ve
frequented Fred’s over the years know the feeling – of comfort and home.
The menu at Fred’s has changed little over the years, and
daily lunch specials are as popular as ever. Speaking from experience, though,
I can say that the Double Burger (Fred’s Burger) with cheese, fully dressed
with mayo, fries and slaw on the side and a cold one (Ski at lunch, Miller at
night) is the way to go.
Or… there’s always the Chili Dog with Cheese, a mountain
of a meal that really doesn’t need chopped onion, but if you order it you
really should ask for some.
And no visit to Fred’s is complete without Fred’s Fudge
Fantasy, a bordering-on-insane dessert that matches a fudge brownie with a
scoop of ice cream, lots of chocolate syrup, whipped cream and a cherry on top.
I’ve had this for lunch before, and didn’t regret it one iota.
In all seriousness, Fred’s Bar is an Evansville
institution. And that’s what shocked me so much about my friend saying that he’d
never been there. But after we had been there for a few minutes, ordered our
beers, plunked some coins in to play some 8-ball and ordered up a couple of
Fred Burgers, he said, “You know, I feel right at home. Thanks for bringing me
here.”
And I’m willing to wager that if you’re one of those who,
like my friend, had never been to Fred’s before, you’ll go and feel the same way.
Fred’s
is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Carryout food, beer and
liquor is available; call 423-8040.
Cash only, please, however Fred’s does have
an ATM in house.
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PHOTO CREDIT | MARK McCOY
