Nick & Nate’s is a popular restaurant on Main Street in Sylva. It primarily serves burgers, subs, and pizzas, but don’t let that dissuade you; they definitely have something for everyone. I ate there recently with one of my friends, but this was by no means my first experience with the place. I have eaten at Nick & Nate’s half a dozen times while in college, and each one was a special treat. Of course, the restaurant does have its flaws like every restaurant, but I highly recommend that you give them a try the next time you’re in downtown Sylva. The good here easily outweighs the small amount of bad. When we arrived, I and my friend actually managed to find a parking spot on Main Street. We decided to take advantage of this good fortune and walked the half block down to Nick & Nate’s. What immediately caught my attention about the restaurant were the windows. They were painted with a cheery fall scene including a scarecrow wolfing down some hay. Upon entering the restaurant, the front door and foyer almost seemed like something out of my grandmother’s house, but the restaurant itself had a nicely commercial feel with all manner of decorations hanging from the ceiling and jutting out of the walls. Throughout the meal, I watched as the cooks in the back hand-tossed pizzas and crafted the other entrées offered on Nick & Nate’s menu. Getting seated took a little longer than most places of this caliber, and we felt a little rushed while perusing the menu. Of course, this could just be a result of the enormous selection and variety Nick & Nate’s has to offer. I could easily have spent half an hour salivating over the choices on their versatile menu. Prices generally run from $7 to $12, putting this restaurant clearly into the date/special occasion category. We eventually settled on the bacon cheese fries, the bacon cheese burger, and the catamount sub. Of course, I have also sampled Nick & Nate’s pizzas and buffet over the years, as well. Our entrées were ready in about twenty minutes, and we spent the time trying to chat over the vivacious background noise. The restaurant was a little loud for easy conversation, again placing it squarely into the date/special occasion category. It’s much easier to avoid awkward silences when everyone around you is shouting. The service for the evening, however, left a significant amount to be desired. Our drinks were frequently empty, and our food sat on the counter for several minutes waiting for our server to eventually bring it to us. This was somewhat understandable with the level of business they were experiencing, but it still seemed a longer wait than necessary to someone who was both hungry and thirsty. I would recommend going at an off time to avoid the crowds and the poor service we experienced during our meal. Still, the food was excellent, if somewhat heavier than my usual fair. It made a very filling meal that I found myself eager to take home for a second round the following evening. As most restaurants around here now do, Nick & Nate’s accepts most major credit cards, which makes paying at the end of the meal a snap. It took a little more than an hour to eat, but this was partly due to the service issues. From past experience, I know it is certainly possible to get in, eat, and get back out in thirty or forty-five minutes, tops.
Overall assessment of Nick & Nate’s: Type: A good date or a place to celebrate a special occasion Price: $7 to $12 per person Atmosphere: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Food: 5/5
