Our great president Abraham Lincoln once probably said “You can’t really go wrong with ordering a burger.” 

I am not one to doubt the fabricated words of a president when it has to do with one of the better dinner options when going out, so neither should you. Now I have had a burger or two over the years, so imaginary reader who I give a voice to when writing, trust me when I say I know burgers. 

With such pronouncements and explanations of my expertise out of the way, the next stop on our culinary odyssey of the Palouse takes us over the border to Moscow Alehouse. Located at 226 W 6th St., Moscow Alehouse is a tiny building but with the mass of cars usually parked outside it is hard to miss. 

Open seven days a week 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. this restaurant is well within striking distance for most would-be diners wanting to get some good food or potentially partake in their Wednesday trivia. Moscow Alehouse is popular with people on both sides of the state line so it is advisable if you want to see to call ahead for availability. 

The general vibe of Moscow Alehouse is incredibly pleasant to be in, giving a modern twist on the traditional pub feel. The restaurant is clean and well put together, though for the popularity and attention it gets, it is rather small and our party of four felt squished in the booth that we sat at. The giant family-sized table that seemingly stretches across the restaurant does not help with this spacing problem. 

All that to say that if it were not for the creeping freezing temperatures then I would gladly sit outside and enjoy both the restaurant’s food and Moscow as a whole. 

The look and feel can only get you so far though. Next, let us skip to the menu. 

It is big.

Not Cheesecake Factory printing a small essay to hand to your History 105 professor big but it is still sizable for what is at the end of the day a local joint. The menu serves everything from thai chicken wraps, reubens, fish tacos, burgers, pizza, pasta and an impressive draft menu to choose from. It almost feels too big, a little overwhelming at times. 

I settled on the California burger after an agonizingly long look at my options. An important note is that I was not able to put a fried egg on the burger, so those in the know of how good that combo is will have to stay disappointed. The burger came with fries and I topped it off with a nice Watermelon Crawl mixed drink.

The food and drinks came out quickly enough and the service was friendly and helpful (beyond my fried egg debacle). The burger occupied half the plate and it did not skimp in taste, both juicy and complimenting the condiments that were added on. But the real star of the show was the fries. 

When Moscow Alehouse put “Served with Alehouse famous fries,” I thought it was all talk. It was not.  

Seasoned like a dream the fries were at once both crispy and soft on the inside, perfect on their own but even better drenched in a sinful amount of fry sauce. My only complaint was that I did not seem to get enough fries in comparison to the rest of my meal, something to note later as I order a whole bucket of fries for my entree.

The mixed drink was well made and a perfect addition to my savory meal, though from experience the draft menu is dangerous to ignore for those over 21. With a wide selection of beers and ciders from around the country, including some local varieties, it is a lot easier to find something you like.

Of the pairings, I wished they had a greater selection of ciders but even that seems like a small complaint as never have I been left orderless when looking at the drink menu.

If there is one complaint to level at Moscow Alehouse it would be the price. It certainly is not terrible but after ordering a tasty burger and a drink it starts to stack up more than most college students’ budgets can stretch. Not expensive, per se, but not a once-a-week thing by any means.

Overall I would heartily give Moscow Alehouse a few thumbs up, if you could pull me away from eating those fries for more than a second. An overall solid restaurant that has not disappointed me yet. 

If you know of some food spots that I have not tried yet that you are just dying to brag about to your friends let me know by emailing [email protected].