By Michelle Joline
Contributing Writer
Sometimes all someone needs to pick up their day is a little comfort food. It happens to the best of us. There are dozens of options to satisfy the multitude of possible cravings in Lewisburg, but there is one local restaurant that seems to incorporate all indulgences. BJ’s Steak & Rib House, located just a short drive from campus in Selinsgrove, has become a favorite for many of the students and faculty at the University.
This past Saturday night I visited BJ’s Steak & Rib House with friends and had all my cravings fulfilled with their large menu. There are eight appetizer options, and each is distinctly delicious. One appetizer that the restaurant is known for is their “frickles,” or fried pickles–an option not so common at other restaurants. Although the frickles are good for a little taste, the restaurant’s nachos are a perfect combination of BJ’s chili, cheese and chips. The Tex-Mex Nachos are $9.75 and could feed a large table of hungry college students. The Bongo Bongo Dip was a choice many of the surrounding tables made, an $8.95 spinach dip served with garlic bread.
Along with these more filling appetizers, there are three options for entrée salads that are the perfect pair to BJ’s starters. The salads are slightly pricier, but well worth the money given their proportions.
A staple on the menu at BJ’s is the burger, offered in seven mouth-watering styles. A favorite among my friends was the Chicago Beer Burger, with cheddar cheese, braised onions and beer mushroom ketchup, with French fries and coleslaw served on the side. The Chicago Beer Burger will run you $10.75, but there are burgers that are priced slightly lower.
The eight steak options are the priciest on the menu but surely served to please. For the more modest eaters there is the “Petites” Steak, which is a smaller version of the classic BJ’s steak.
If visitors still aren’t stuffed from their main dishes, there is a dessert menu that recently had the addition of a chocolate soufflé, along with a peanut butter chocolate cake.
BJ’s is not only a restaurant with a fun and welcoming atmosphere; it is also a full service bar. The TVs that constantly play live games and ESPN are an addition that many of the male visitors love, with local college students packed around the bar during big games. The bar serves wine, beer and spirits to customers of age and has a long list of specialty drinks.
If you are planning on dining at BJ’s on Friday or Saturday, a reservation is recommended. Walk-ins are welcome on weeknights.
For your next night out visit BJ’s Steak & Rib House at 17 North Market Street in Selinsgrove, Pa. and make a reservation either by calling at 570-374-9841 or online at www.bjsribs.com. Bon appétit!