Just drove by Beach Road and saw a big for sale sign on the property. Anyone know what's going on?
As far a food the place is way over rated, chicken is good but everything else is trash. It's a landmark though.
Owners want to retire. https://www.news4jax.com/business/report-jacksonville-institution-beach-road-chicken-dinners-up-for-sale
I don't buy chicken dinners anymore. Used to get them at Beach Rd occasionally back in the 80s and thought the chicken was fair. I would much rather have a Chick-fil-A sandwich. Beach Rd Chicken got by with mid grade chicken and a lot of tradition.
I went there a few times and really never got the big deal.
I heard a local restaurant group was interested in the space, but I don't think there is anything definite.
Quote from: Captain Zissou on June 03, 2019, 09:31:15 AM
I heard a local restaurant group was interested in the space, but I don't think there is anything definite.
I think we should demo it and use it as a parking lot.
Quote from: Adam White on June 03, 2019, 10:00:30 AM
Quote from: Captain Zissou on June 03, 2019, 09:31:15 AM
I heard a local restaurant group was interested in the space, but I don't think there is anything definite.
No, a vacant field of grass and weeds. It can be Site #11 on the Jaxson Open Field Tour.
I think we should demo it and use it as a parking lot.
Quote from: Adam White on June 03, 2019, 10:00:30 AM
Quote from: Captain Zissou on June 03, 2019, 09:31:15 AM
I heard a local restaurant group was interested in the space, but I don't think there is anything definite.
I think we should demo it and use it as a parking lot.
...or a park.
Crazy how legendary this place was supposed to be and I never ever heard anyone who had actually eaten there say anything other than "eh." I ate there twice when I lived nearby five or six years ago and wasn't impressed.
It's in a weird location. I can't imagine that's a desirable place for much of anything based on the businesses that surround it (and there's no way that building isn't a tear-down)
Quote from: Captain Zissou on June 03, 2019, 09:31:15 AM
I heard a local restaurant group was interested in the space, but I don't think there is anything definite.
I hope it's a Fuddruckers
Quote from: Bativac on June 03, 2019, 05:17:28 PM
Crazy how legendary this place was supposed to be and I never ever heard anyone who had actually eaten there say anything other than "eh." I ate there twice when I lived nearby five or six years ago and wasn't impressed.
It's in a weird location. I can't imagine that's a desirable place for much of anything based on the businesses that surround it (and there's no way that building isn't a tear-down)
At one time that was a very hot area in Jax. Before Beach Blvd. everyone travelling to the beach used Beach Rd. (Atlantic Blvd.) There was a famous drive-in close by that I can't remember the name of right now, and not much afterwards until you got to the ICW. Blitch's at the ICW always got my attention due to the devil with a pitchfork on their sign. As late as the 70s, there was little on Beach after SS Blvd.
Well that's a wrap.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/beach-road-fish-house-and-chicken-dinners-will-close-to-make-way-for-apartments
This needs to be done in a much better way than what is proposed nearby on Beach. Surburban style design will further destroy the remaining historic fabric of the neighborhood. This is just over a half mile from the historic St Nick shopping center. I think this area is not beyond returning to an urban and pedestrian-friendly feel, but it would require reducing Atlantic to 2 lanes, designing this site correctly, and also smart design on the former Greek Orthodox church site.
Wow. More apartment complexes than gas stations, nowadays, it seems.
This may be the last* of my childhood (and my parents' and grandparents') restaurants still around. I remember going there before they added the side room. Lines were always out the door and one hour waits or so were expected. Take out had lines too.
Haven't been in years because they stopped serving the way they did in my childhood when the entire menu was "all you can eat." Then, it was seconds only, then seconds for only select items... I have no idea if they do seconds anymore. They also eliminated the included "salad" (was actually a slaw on top of a bed of lettuce with a slice of tomato on top) and gradually reduced the platter portion sizes. This happened over the decades so I am not putting the onus on the current owners.
My favorite was their unlimited biscuits with honey and the creamed peas (which, in my very early years I passed up before finally "trying" and finding I loved them :) ).
Patti's Italian was our other family standby. More special meals were at the Green Turtle, Strickland's Townhouse, the Sea Turtle and Le Chateau. In another category, Worman's Deli.
I may have to go one more time to savor the memories even if the menu is not up to my recollections.
* We didn't go often, but my dad loved the Chinese food at Chopstick Charley's on Philips Highway. Just Googled it and it is still there. Anyone know how long? I know it has to be likely pre-1960 or so but not sure how much further back. A true hole in the wall when I was a kid and apparently still one today :).
Quote from: jaxlongtimer on August 01, 2022, 07:51:15 PM
Wow. More apartment complexes than gas stations, nowadays, it seems.
This may be the last* of my childhood (and my parents' and grandparents') restaurants still around. I remember going there before they added the side room. Lines were always out the door and one hour waits or so were expected. Take out had lines too.
Haven't been in years because they stopped serving the way they did in my childhood when the entire menu was "all you can eat." Then, it was seconds only, then seconds for only select items... I have no idea if they do seconds anymore. They also eliminated the included "salad" (was actually a slaw on top of a bed of lettuce with a slice of tomato on top) and gradually reduced the platter portion sizes. This happened over the decades so I am not putting the onus on the current owners.
My favorite was their unlimited biscuits with honey and the creamed peas (which, in my very early years I passed up before finally "trying" and finding I loved them :) ).
Patti's Italian was our other family standby. More special meals were at the Green Turtle, Strickland's Townhouse, the Sea Turtle and Le Chateau. In another category, Worman's Deli.
I may have to go one more time to savor the memories even if the menu is not up to my recollections.
* We didn't go often, but my dad loved the Chinese food at Chopstick Charley's on Philips Highway. Just Googled it and it is still there. Anyone know how long? I know in has to be likely pre-1960 or so but not sure how much further back. A true hole in the wall when I was a kid and apparently still one today :).
Beach Road sold a couple of years ago so that restaurant of your memory has been gone. What's there now is a totally different seafood based menu.
Chopstick Charley's closed too I think.
^ Thanks, Acme. If I go back, it won't be for the food but the ambiance of the dining room unless you tell me that has changed too.
I think, in its prime, the food was made from scratch, likely some old Southern-style recipes. Not like today where so much is processed or made from frozen or down-graded ingredients.
I know you could see into the smallish kitchen and it was crammed with personnel that were busy as could be. Probably couldn't get people today to work under such conditions. And, the waitresses really hustled. Wasn't easy as the tables were packed pretty tightly and when people pulled out the chairs to sit you could barely squeeze by :). It's also why people had to wait outside... no room inside... but the marketing effect was genius... who wouldn't want to check out a restaurant that had a line out the door every time you went by it.
I haven't eaten any of the traditional menu items from Beach Road in 10-15 years now. I've ordered seafood items twice since the reopening, the last being this past Sunday. Will be sad to see the space gone for another suburban stick frame apartment complex though. At this point, the space is more symbolic than the menu.
Quote from: acme54321 on August 01, 2022, 08:06:52 PM
Beach Road sold a couple of years ago so that restaurant of your memory has been gone. What's there now is a totally different seafood based menu.
Beach Road Fish House still carries a limited fried chicken menu, but some of the sides have changed. The chicken is not as inexpensive as it was, but it is priced much cheaper than the fish dishes on the menu. I got a fried chicken meal with two sides and a biscuit not long ago (within the past year).