Dining Review: Cody’s Is Totally Cromulent

You know what’s great? The World Series (and also #trendpieces.) You know what else is great? Drinking beer and eating food while watching professional sports. I wanted a pub that had plenty of screens, decent grub, and wouldn’t break the bank. I embarked on an adventure to Cobble Hill to find it.

I sat down at Cody’s American Bar and Grill (154 Court Street, between Pacific Street and Amity Street) just in time for the first pitch. I was joined by a dining partner. The decor is staid, with plenty of wood and a large bar that dominates the room, while televisions abound. The average age at the bar was probably north of the required age for president.

“You want the nachos,” said the waitress when queried about how to order right. My companion got Big Bob’s Cajun hamburger. I ordered the breaded chicken sandwich off the specials menu.

I decided to wet my whistle with a beer, so I chose a Brooklyn Lager off the long and completely defensible beer list. My well-poured pint came quickly and with a smile. Cody’s has plenty of taps, and while you won’t find anything obscure, you’ll also be pressed to find a way to go wrong. It began to seem like that might be a theme.

Cody’s crowd ran solidly pro-Cubs, save for a pair of Cleveland stragglers who gazed enviously at our nachos when they came. Stipe Miocic’s UFC championship, the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ NBA crown, and the AL pennant aren’t enough for these people.

The nachos ($10.95) were… solidly above replacement level. Thick, salty, almost gooey cheese and freshly diced tomatoes and onions covered an absolutely monstrous portion of the thin, crispy chips. The nachos are served alongside a tray of three toppings: guacamole, beans, and chili. The guacamole tasted like a quality store brand, as did the beans. The chili was a bit thin, though I liked it more than my associate, who proclaimed it “weak sauce.”

As the game clipped by, our entrees came with some alacrity.

I’d had a few doubts about the chicken sandwich ($13.95), but they were quickly allayed. The enormity of my sandwich confirmed my suspicions that Cody’s portions really are enormous. The chicken itself was lightly fried and none too greasy. It rested between layers of roasted red peppers and thick sliced, chewy mozzarella inside a pillowy, toasted hero.

I had about half of this very heavy sandwich, and that was more than enough. The leftovers held up exceptionally well.

The chicken sandwich is accompanied by fries which took to ketchup like Vinny Castilla to Coors Field. While these oily, bumpy little sliced spuds were AAA at best without Heinz’s best product, they ascended to sheer mediocrity with it. Get the sweet potato fries. Speaking of…

My dining partner ordered Big Bob’s Cajun Burger ($11.50) with cheddar and sweet potato fries. She ordered right.

The cheese was perfectly melted, while the burger was a beefy and “well-spiced” rejoinder. Once again, the portion proved to be too much to for any mere mortal to finish, though my co-traveler did her honest best.

The sweet potatoes were the Tom Glavine to regular fries’ Mike. They were free from whatever failures were visited upon my fries. With crunchy exteriors and soft interiors, these are the sort of sweet potato fries that make my heart sing and my arteries clog (and some jokes never tire.)

As I prepared to leave, I caught a whiff of nachos. The Cleveland fans, steamed by their team’s performance, had ordered some of their own as they settled in for another long night. It was a good call.

Cody’s prompt, cheery service, well-poured pints, and massive portions make it a perfect spot to settle in to watch a game or catch up with friends. I might not take a date there (…again), but I will absolutely venture back.

Cody’s American Bar and Grill
Address: 154 Court Street, between Pacific Street and Amity Street
Phone: (718) 852-6115
Try: Stick to the classics.
Avoid: Don’t get cute.
Kids: Why not? But the average person at Cody’s remembers when Seinfeld was new.