By Sophie Durham and Grace Dusenbury

Located at 726 W. Decatur Avenue, the Imperial Bar fits in perfectly with Decatur’s artsy atmosphere. With a beautiful outdoor patio, it was the perfect spot for our Sunday lunch. The Imperial offers traditional pub food, including a fresh variety of salads, burgers, sandwiches and much more.

Grady dad Jeff Bowie, father of senior Sam Bowie, owns The Imperial Bar. He says the idea had been talked about a lot before it became a reality.

“I had worked with a friend for a long time and he was a great business manager, and my partner and I had always wanted to [own a restaurant], so it just felt right.”

Bowie decided on serving pub food because it is popular and relatively easy to cook and serve.

“I just want my customers to have a good time, with good food and good dessert!” Bowie said.

Warm spring weather inspired us to seat ourselves on the outdoor patio. After looking through the menu for a few minutes, we decided to split a Holland burger, a mac and cheese, and hand-cut french fries. It was easy to tell that the menu had been written by Bowie, because the quirky jokes and comments matched his friendly manner.

It didn’t take us long to order, and the food arrived within minutes.

The first to arrive were the fries. Though lightly salted and cooked to a crisp, they managed to avoid being burnt. The result was delicious. The fries still tasted like potatoes: it was clear from their texture and flavor that they hadn’t been over-processed. This appetizer left us eager for what The Imperial had to offer next.

Our hamburger and mac and cheese arrived soon after. A perfectly textured shell of melted cheeses covered the mac and cheese, which sat in a cast-iron dish. Underneath, the shell, a warm and creamy cheese sauce smothered the tender noodles. After the first bite, we were hooked. The mac and cheese mixed and mingled in our mouths creating a swirl of rich flavors that left little to desire, except maybe a breadcrumb garnish to top off the pasta and add a little crunch.

Finally it was time for the much anticipated entree. Though the “Holland Burger’ generally consists of a beef patty, grilled onions, lettuce and tomatoes, we also chose to add Swiss cheese for a dollar more. The burger, while delicious, fell apart. The onions stuck together and the force of the first bite sent almost everything falling out of the back. Nevertheless,, the perfectly-cooked patty and magnificently-blended ingredients combined to form a delectable burger.

Even though we bought a meal for two, our check was only $16.50. The Imperial Bar’s scrumptious choices were kind to both our stomachs and our wallets.

On our way out, we caught sight of the owner Jeff Bowie. He came over to talk to us for a bit before moving along to other customers.

The Imperial Bar’s combination of traditional pub food, a lovely location alongside the Decatur railroad tracks and wonderful service led to a delicious meal and an assurance that we would return.