Central Ave Tap — Restaurant in Pleasant Valley Township

It's nice to have MLK day off from work - three-day weekends are great from school, and their just as good in adult life. After a day spent largely across the river in Rock Island and East Moline, I took a rest at home. I needed a night cap and some dinner however. What better way to accomplish both of those things than a quick trip out to a nearby bar?

I have no other reason to traverse Central Avenue in Bettendorf. I live within a 5 minute drive of Central Ave Tap, but I don't need to visit Neil Armstrong Elementary, nor is there anything else along the road for me to visit currently. I've driven by before on my way to visit friends that live in the area, just never stopped in here ever for a drink or food. Well, that changes tonight - I needed a gin and tonic and a burger before bed!

There's not too much to say about Central Ave Tap. Its a bar in the bottom half of a building all to itself. There're two pool tables, a few dart boards, and a long bar that runs the whole length of the space. Newish wood laminate floor covers most of the inside, as does the newer looking drop ceiling. There's a TouchTunes jukebox along the wall - one of the new variety that lets anyone with the corresponding phone app play anything they like with the touch of a button from their phone. Suffice to say, the space is well maintained and clean.

I settled at the bar on my visit and got my gin and tonic to start. They only had well gin - Fleischmann's I think? - it was fine, made a good G&T. After a quick perusal of the menu, I settled on a burger and fries, both of which I got to watch the bartender prepare right from my seat at the bar. This was a new experience for me - the stove and, really, the entire kitchen area are right there, unsegregated from the rest of the space, to watch as you please. It was actually kind of neat, plus the food came out super fresh.

I enjoyed both the burger and fries. The burger was a simple pre-formed frozen patty, but it tasted fresh all the same. The fries were crinkle cut, fried to crispy perfection. The total portion size was exactly what I needed for the evening - not too much, not too little.

Given a similar urge, I'd come back here for another burger. It felt kind of weird just randomly coming here. The space had the distinct feeling of being a local pup, a sort of common space for mostly those that lived close by. I hope I didn't intrude much. It's definitely a nice space. Thanks...

Patron VIBE sleepy factory worker, wild hillbilly and slightly tattooed town homies chillin. No live music. No beer garden +1 star for strong drinks, Minus 1 star for cutting me off at 3 drinks.. +1 star because they knew I had to drive a hour home.

Took a beautiful friend there who doesn't drink, but she didn't want to chill there. I think she got creeped out by all the people trying to talk to her and we weren't even there like 2 seconds.

Later I went back alone and they were so creepy trying to ask my business about my friend who they know less than me -1star .. maybe 420...

Should have known something was wrong when we walked into an empty tavern just afternoon. There was one customer seated at the bar as we seated ourselves at a nearby table. The lady behind the bar didn't acknowledge us at all. After about 5 minutes we left without anyone approaching our table or even...