what's taters, eh?. ah, al's. the 24 hour college hot spot, the place for food after drinking or to have a bite after a concert, to grab lunch between running around. the large patio, the lunch counter ordering, the bakers.
yep, we all know al's. you might be surprised that it is so successful being so close to the established purple onion. but sure enough, lunch and late night has a line out the door. (yes, be prepared for a line during peek hours - call ahead). butal'shas been around for quite some time. what makes it different than purple onion since it serves the same stuff? well, the bakers. we're talking huge, honking taters covered in… whatever. vegetarians can top it with onions and cheese and broccoli, while meat eaters can smother it in whatever's behind the counter. and i usually can get two meals off one of them. i'm a cheese and bbq sauce person, no meat. mmmm. a regular baker with cheese, sour cream, and butter, bbq sauce and a drink will run about $7. remember - two meals. i often see couples splitting them.
plus, there's the personal preferences. the fries are different (slim cut, not crinkle), but that's not my thing. there's fish and gyros and chicken, as well as the american favorites of burgers and chicken fingers. vegetarians - i do not like their veggie burger here. its inconsistent and has a really odd texture, often too much wheat germ. i think they make their own sometimes, but they've also served the store bought to. so, a little confused there. no turkey burger though. my last visit, on a down note, they cooked the sour cream on my baker. it turned a little, but this is the first time they've ever done that.
so, the prices are alright, the food is standard, the hours are right. it's a solid spot where nearly everyone in your part will find something they like. its not gourmet or fresh local produce. it's a baker at 2am, a gyro at lunch, or a burger after work. college kids and business professionals, doctors and laborers all visit the al's. repeatedly.
side notes: most of the seating is outside. there are a few tables covered outside too, but this is a fair weather place. inside is 4-6 booths, but any 'fluffy' sized people won't be comfortable inside at all. it is wheel chair accessible, though inside can be a little cramped in a crowd. vegans beware - not sure how much butter goes into all of these items. asking the staff may be a gamble as they may not know or may not understand what you are asking. big salads are available though. parking issues are there, but usually there's someplace to park within a block. parking is on the street or out back, and across the street during late night hours.