Restaurant: Kluddes
Customer favorites: Carne asada fries, bacon duck tacos, and drinks
Address: 110 Orange St, Redlands, CA 92373 (6 min away from the U of R)
Price range: $8-15 per meal
Overall rating: 9/10 (based on food quality/taste, service, ambience, etc.)
Hours: Sun-Thu: 11 a.m – 10 p.m | Fri & Sat: 11 a.m – 2 a.m
Gastropubs, pubs that serve high-quality food options, are on the rise. Local option, Kluddes, delivers on this trend. Located in Downtown Redlands, off Orange Street (across from the CVS), the restaurant is convenient in its proximity. For me, great restaurants are exceptional in three areas: food, ambiance and service.
Food: Carne Asada Fries are the shit. You have to try them. Now, fancy Carne Asada Fries can be a bit of gentrification … I get it. But, the results are so so so good. Crispy, yet soft fries are topped with perfectly cooked carne asada, avocado sauce (yes, avocado sauce and not guacamole), cheese and other bits of heavenly delight. The outcome is a smorgasbord of flavor and deliciousness, delivered to you in a hot plate in under fifteen minutes. Portion sizes are big enough to share, so bring a friend and try it out. If you go, you have to try them. You won’t be let down. In fact, you’ll probably crave them a week later.
Potato chips are tasty as well, and my friends have told me great things about their burgers, bacon duck tacos and the Devil’s Bacon.
And the drinks…. BOMB. I’ve never had a drink I didn’t like here. Tell the bartenders what types of drinks you like and they’ll make you a cocktail that perfectly suits your tastebuds. If you’re into sweet drinks, like myself, here’s a few recommendations: Sex on the Beach (classic but delicious), Porn Star, and Pink Starburst. If you’re a beer person, they have plenty of options on tap for you to try!
Ambiance: The relatively recent remodel of the interior is darling. There’s a rustic yet modern and clean feel to the restaurant. You can immediately tell that the owners and staff were committed to creating an intimate and classy atmosphere, and they do so with restored ceilings, dim lights and high-back leather seats. Music ranges depending on who’s on shift (I’ve heard rock, hip-hop, R&B, and alternative) and can, at times, be overpowering and a bit too loud for comfortable conversation. Turning the music down just a bit would give them major points, in my book.
Service: Again, Kluddes delivers. Bartenders are friendly, knowledgeable and fast. Each employee that I have come in contact with has offered up their suggestions for what to eat and drink, and they’re always on point. Friday nights can get pretty hectic, so keep in mind your servers might have more than usual on their plate — cut them some slack.
Simply put, Kluddes is the spot. You can count on getting great food and even better drinks every time you come here, and all for a great price. Take a trip to DTR and enjoy!
photos contributed by Culture Editor and reporter Emma Wade
