A win win WIN at Judy’s Bar + Kitchen, Stamford (Review)

A while back, our friend Terri Smith, who curates Franklin Street Works in Stamford, reached out for help in creating a fun experience for their annual fundraiser event: the opportunity to review a restaurant with yours truly. We were completely on board (hey, anything for a great local charity), but wanted to pick the perfect restaurant for the experience. We immediately thought of Judy’s Bar + Kitchen, and being the good soul she is, Chef Judith Roll (also of Tabouli Grill) was totally on board! Skip ahead to the fundraiser event, and wouldn’t you know, our friends John and Lori Beth won! That’s the first and second “win” of our win, win, WIN. So, for our first (admittedly overdue) review back, we’re sharing not just our own thoughts, but also what our friends thought about this Stamford hotspot.

First of all, let’s just say how excited we were to be at Judy’s, having been major fans of Chef Roll since we lived in Stamford the first time around ’07-’13 and ordered Tabouli Grill on the regular. And while the Judy’s Bar & Kitchen concept is VERY different, with down home BBQ and comfort food and killer cocktails, we just knew we were going to be in for a treat! (That’s the third WIN, for those of you keeping track with the title.)

So, our first difficult choice was do we sit inside to enjoy the awesome live music they have pretty much every weekend, or do we enjoy the beautiful evening out on the patio? Since it was a rare nice day in an otherwise blah time of year, we opted for the patio and got started.

Drinks

If you don’t get drinks when you come to Judy’s, then we think you . . . well . . . need a drink.  To start off, we tried the Margarita Punch which had silver tequila steeped with mint, jalapeno, cucumber, cilantro, and some agave. There was a nice balance here in terms of sweetness, liquor, bite from the cilantro, and spicy kick. The cucumber had a fresh, cooling effect which was just perfect.

We also tried the Bourbon Peach Pie, which happened to be our favorite drink of the night. The bourbon comes through nice, but isn’t overpowering if you’re worried about that. And, the thing we liked most? You know when you order a drink and you’re expecting a certain flavor profile but then it doesn’t live up to the hype? Yeah, it’s enough to ruin a night out, but not at Judy’s. This drink was like eating a slice o’ Southern Bourbon Peach Pie.

Food

LEGIT.

Aside from having a great time out with friends, it’s always great to have more people because that means more food to order and try. ;) We first tried the wings, which were oh so smoky, crispy, and were so flavorful that they almost didn’t even need any sauce.

Winner of the 2016 Greenwich Wine + Food Festival Sandwich Contest!

There was also the chicken sandwich, which we’d definitely recommend. We think of it as a McGridle chicken for more sophisticated eaters and, ya know, made from, like, real chicken. The chicken itself was delicate and had a nice crunch on the crust. Each bite was an orgasm of taste with waffle, maple syrup, and crispy chicken hitting you hard.

Crispy AF

Something else that we ordered that was just as crispy? The catfish. That crunch . . . that crunch that you can hear when you bite down. Just excellent here at Judy’s . . . she knows all about the crispiness. The fish itself was delicate and flaky inside, which is no easy feat for anyone who knows the all too sad plight of dried out fried fish . . . or even worse . . . soggy AF fish.

BBQ on point here.

We also got an order of the pork ribs. They were delicate, smoky, and came off the bone with a gentle tug. We actually order the beef ribs, though (oops), but when Judy realized she apologized and gave us a beef rib (a special that night) to go. Those beef ribs were legit and monster sized, plenty juicy. Make sure to get them whenever they’re on the menu.

You need this chicken in your life STAT.

And, so, you know, we were curious about more fried things, so we went with the fried chicken. It came out hot and steamy, moist, and juicy. Again, the crust was just so damn crispy. You need this fried chicken in your life and, arguably, it’s one of the best fried chickens you’ll find in the entire state.

Sides are also important, so we ordered some on-point beans with a melty and fantastic mac and cheese. But, man can not live on meat and fried things along. We needed dessert, especially with the amazing reputation that Judy has for all things sweet. First up was the Nilla Banana Pudding that was so creamy, so delicious, and had a nice sweet tang to it. A must order. We also got a nice thick slice of Carrot Cheesecake. Yup, it’s exactly everything you’d hope for, the hybrid that completes you, and super . . . dare we say it . . . moist! And, we finished our feast up with the Chocolate PB. It was so chocolatey, rich, and intense. It’s a real deal dessert, but would be best if you still have some room left in that belly or if you have a bud to share it with because it’s like dinner in and of itself.

Yep, the review was unanimous amongst the 4 of us OmNomivores, we thoroughly enjoyed our entire meal! Yes, it’s definitely rich food, but when you’re in the mood for a good ‘ole comfort food meal, it hits the spot in all the right ways! The service was very friendly, though a bit slow due to such a busy night, and the ambiance is super fun whether you’re rockin’ out to the band inside or chillin’ on the relaxing patio.

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Judy’s Bar + Kitchen

Noms: 4.0

Cost: $$-$$$

Address: 927 High Ridge Road

     Stamford, CT 06905

Phone: (203) 890-9996