Crabtree - Corbin

Upon arriving in Corbin, we navigated a few turns and finally found what seemed to be the spot. Strangely, there were no signs indicating its name, but the park... read more Upon arriving in Corbin, we navigated a few turns and finally found what seemed to be the spot. Strangely, there were no signs indicating its name, but the parking lot was full, and the address matched, so we parked. Yet, we couldn't find anything labeled 'Root Beer Stand'—not even on the menu. Even more puzzling, chili buns weren’t mentioned at all. A waitress came to take our order, and when I inquired about the chili buns, she assured me they had them. We ordered one each, shared some fries, and of course, a couple of mugs of their famous root beer. It didn't take long for the waitress to bring our food to my car door. I handed my wife her meal, then unwrapped mine, only to find unappetizing, chunky chili. One bite in, and I was let down; it had no flavor—no garlic, no spices, not even a hint of seasoning. Just a thick, unappealing mess. The only upside was that it wasn’t greasy. My wife managed to eat half of hers before discarding the rest. The crinkle-cut fries tasted like they came from a frozen bag, but they were passable. The root beer was enjoyable, but not remarkable enough for me to consider buying a jug, unlike some locals. I noticed bags being distributed that were labeled Crabtree Restaurant Inc., and upon doing a little online research, I found out that they operate The Root Beer Stand. This raised some questions for me: If Mr. Crabtree is indeed the original owner (as I’ve been told), why change the name after 50 years? And why was there no signage for the restaurant? I understand some of you might have fond memories from 45 years ago—perhaps even a first kiss in the parking lot—but nostalgia doesn’t necessarily translate to good food in the 21st century. I get that Corbin’s main attractions are this restaurant and the KFC museum, and I expect you’ll defend it fiercely, telling me I should take my city tastes elsewhere. But I must regrettably say that the food here is below average—maybe just a slight step up from fast food chains like McDonald's, but still not something I’d recommend to any chili lovers. Honestly, I've had better chili straight from a can. Rating: D (Note: The attitude of the staff didn’t do much to improve our dining experience either.)

I had a fantastic experience at the restaurant, largely due to the outstanding service from Mack. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere was further elevate... read more I had a fantastic experience at the restaurant, largely due to the outstanding service from Mack. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere was further elevated by the great vibes and music. I went with my friends, and I wholeheartedly recommend this place. I’ll certainly be back on my next trip to London!

The food was fantastic, and the root beer was exceptional! The owner took a moment to come over and greet us. I would definitely make it a point to stop by and... read more The food was fantastic, and the root beer was exceptional! The owner took a moment to come over and greet us. I would definitely make it a point to stop by and dine here again if I'm ever in the area.