I've visited the Diamondback Tavern several times over the past few weeks and enjoyed a few things and been a bit disappointed in others - parking could be better, but that's part of the charm of the location. The atmosphere is much brighter and more inviting than that of the previous attempt. On two occasions, I sat in the bar area and the other I was seated in the dining area. In both areas, I was greeted promptly and, in the dining area, I was seated much quicker than I had expected during core dinner hours. Service was average, but a little slower on some occasions than others - even though the crowd was similar - not unexpected for the genre. I thought the menu was quite impressive and possibly a bit ambitious in its variety, which is why I wanted to visit a few times and try a number of dishes before posting a review. First, the dishes I enjoyed were the Blackened Rockfish Bites and The Diamond Burger, an American classic. The Crab & Corn Fritters were alright - I think the corn overpowered the crab. The Fish & Chips and Thanksgiving Sandwich were not what I had expected. The Fish & Chips wasn't breaded with a ""light panko,"" rather what seemed to be a much more dense and possibly overcooked(?) standard dredging. That was not entirely bad, but definitely not what I expected from the menu description and from my previous experiences with fish & chips. The Thanksgiving Sandwich is completely original (in my experience) in a restaurant setting, so bravo for originality. However, the ""smoked turkey breast"" was closer to lunch meat than Thanksgiving leftovers. This sandwich would be a hands-down winner if the turkey breast was less like lunch meat and if there was an option for having stuffing either on the sandwich or on the side. Overall, I was satisfied with my visits to the Diamondback Tavern and will visit again in another few months or so to see what's new.
Pros: Rockfish Bites, Diamondback Burger, beer selection, atmosphere
Cons: Crab & Corn Fritters, Fish & Chips
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