Anthracite Cafe — Restaurant in Wilkes-Barre

The Anthracite Cafe was a mixed experience. The bar/restaurant was mostly crowded at 7 p.m. on a Friday night, and quite noisy. My party of two had reservations, and was seated promptly once we entered. The server was a pleasant woman, and a large party next to us had a different server who was very attentive to their requests.

Although my girlfriend and I ordered two cheeseburgers, we had to wait approximately 45 minutes before our meals arrived. Maybe there wasn't enough staff, maybe the establishment was very busy, but I found the wait to be a bit excessive.

The Middleswarth Cheeseburger -- featuring the famed local barbeque Middleswarth potato chips -- will appeal to the local clientele, as the burger was supposed to be stuffed with Middleswarth crumbles, along with cheddar cheese. However, that didn't prove to be true, as there was no cheese oozing from the burger, and the crumbles rested on top of a slice of cheese. The burger also wasn't topped with bacon as described. I chose not to bring this to the attention of my server because I didn't want to prolong my hunger by waiting for what could have been a long time. Instead of the toasted brioche roll, I opted for a pretzel roll, which was an additional 99 cents and worth the extra money. Although the chip crumbles provided additional flavor, there was no balance. Sometimes I could discern the barbeque flavor, but mostly not. What was supposed to be a sandwich designed to invite the local customer proved flat overall.

The Texas Burger on the other hand, was very good. That bacon on it was tasty, and the barbeque sauce was tangy and flavorful. This was also served on a fresh pretzel roll.

The steak fries were very good, and I liked the fact that they weren't salty, allowing me to add salt to my liking.

The menu boasted a wide assortment of wings, which I will definitely try should I visit again. I would try and go a bit earlier so as to avoid the wait time.

The establishment does add an additional 3.99% charge if you use a debit/card. This isn't a hidden charge, but clearly posted as...

We went for the Sunday BBQ and brought a large group. That normally throws a wrench in any service and we were prepared. They sat our party and took our drink orders. Separate checks are always hit and miss with large groups but they had no issue giving us separate checks. I have to say that when restaurants are open to that it makes large family dinners easier and they get extra points for going the extra mile on that one. Our server was incredibly good natured and nothing tripped her up. We all ordered BBq. Im pretty sure we had everything on the BBQ menu. The plates looked great, very appealing. The first issue was the plate auction when the food came out. It's really difficult when the server is standing there saying OK. Who got the " ribs, chicken and brisket?" 4 people say me. They put the plate down and then it's, "nope. I had mac and cheese this has corn bread and the passing around starts. The food for the most part was delicious. The sides for the most part were good, but cold. I dont think even half of us had warm sides. They were tasty, but cold. No one complained, but it detracted. The portions were good, the look was good, the taste was delicious. Very good all around. Our only issues were cold sides and the food auction when they came to the table. Its not easy for a kitchen to handle 15 orders and get it all perfect, they were damn close. We will...

The food was good. Creative menu. Portions are huge (i.e10oz. Burgers). Kids menu has several options including sandwiches and even spaghetti. A kids meal also includes an ice cream with sprinkles and a cute little toy after their meal. The chocolate peanut butter pie is the best I've ever had. Amazing flavor and texture. The fries are really good. I had a cheese steak, which was pretty good. They have fancy grilled cheese, even for the kids. Server was attentive, food didn't take long to come out. We ate in the indoor dining area. There was good space to sit and eat, versus being cramped. The bathroom was easily accessible. They have cool decor on the walls (different beer logos and posters). My only complaint was the volume. You would think everyone was yelling. The sound in there really bounced around. My son was a little uncomfortable bc of it. They also have a bar and an "outdoor" patio, which is walled in with the windows open. There's more seating out there, but it's not climate controlled. I haven't been in there to verify, but they might have ceiling fans or something. This was my first time going there, and I'd...