Story and photos by Christena Rulli

The beaming restaurant’s sign served as a beacon while my friends and I sauntered along. On this rainy night, our goal was to appease our growling stomachs. A large wooden door swung open, beckoning us into the dimly lit restaurant with hardwood paneling, stained glass, and random photographs and signs hanging on the walls.

The decorative stained glass immediately catches one's eye.

The hostess quickly seated us in a cushioned booth, close to the bar where I noticed “Applebees” written in different shades of green stained glass. Vintage signs and black and white photographs of celebrities such as Lucille Ball and Alec Baldwin enlivened the restaurant on a calm Sunday night, creating a relaxing and comforting environment.

Vintage photos and signs adorn the dining area around the bar.

Within a few minutes, a cheery waitress took our drink orders and I decided on a mudslide, loaded with rum, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate syrup. After she left, we glanced at the reasonably priced items on the menu. Appetizers included buffalo wings, chicken quesadillas, nachos, and onion peels, all of which were priced between $6 and $10. Main dishes included seafood, fajitas, steaks, ribs, and burgers, all ranging between $10 and 25. They also had salads and special weight-watcher dishes, ranging from a slice of berry lemon cheesecake to a main course of mesquite chicken salad or teriyaki shrimp skewers. We gave the waitress our orders: an appetizer sampler, a crispy buttermilk shrimp platter, and two combo platters of steak and shrimp. After she left, we sipped our drinks. My mudslide was sweet and melted down my throat like ice cream sliding off a cone—extremely tasty and memorable.

While waiting for our food, I used the bathroom, which was clean and well stocked with the essentials. Bright florescent lights forced my eyes to adjust from the area outside. Checkerboard tiles lined the walls, printed with little apples. After using the facility, I strolled back to the table, careful to avoid the servers carrying trays of sizzling entrees.

Twenty minutes later, our appetizer arrived with steaming quesadillas, breaded mozzarella sticks, black and red nachos with spinach dip, and mild boneless buffalo wings. The wings were soft, but spicy. The quesadillas were so hot the cheese stuck to the pan’s bottom, making it impossible to peel off, but were moist and savory to eat.

Like a beacon, the Applebees' lights up Centre Street.

Ten minutes after we finished the appetizer, our main courses came. My stomach tightened as I tore into spicy fried shrimp, boiled carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and mashed potatoes with slices of potato skins mixed in. Soaked in butter, the potatoes were fluffy. Seasoned and dipped in tangy cocktail sauce, the shrimp tasted slightly peppery. The perfectly boiled vegetables added to the heavenly sensation in my mouth. The meal was too large to finish. My friend had the same problem, but because it was her birthday, she got a free dessert: A concoction of thick chocolate cake showered with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and melted hot fudge.

We paid our bill and I left feeling full and content. If you desire a night of casual dining, check out Applebees.

Ever eaten at Applebees? Tell us your experience!

Applebees Restaurant
80 Centre Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
(518) 566-9607