The Foodies team was in for a treat last Thursday, as we ventured out to the ESPN BET entertainment complex at Hollywood Casino in Charles Town for their March Madness kickoff event. This was one of the best events I have ever attended, and while I would have been perfectly content just watching college basketball all day, we also got to sample quite a few menu items, including drinks, appetizers, and entrees. This was such a fun experience and I already cannot wait to go back for the next big sporting event.
Price 💲💲💲out of 5
Casinos usually have a wide range of food options, from very affordable quick service restaurants to extremely expensive, five-star dining experiences. At ESPN BET, they do a great job of marrying both. The food and drinks are what you would expect from a bar atmosphere, with very reasonable prices, but everything is very high quality and plenty filling. If you want a spot to come in and enjoy a non-stop marathon of sports watching, this is the spot for you to grab a brew and some delicious food.
Ambience 🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳 out of 5
Let me preface this by saying that I feel March Madness is the single greatest sporting event in the history of humankind, so this was easily the best ambience I have ever felt at a restaurant. It was absolutely electric, and there really weren’t any major upsets or close games going on at the time we were there. There were so many high-definition tvs throughout the restaurant that there wasn’t a bad seat in the house. People were filling out brackets, placing bets, and enjoying food and drinks together. They even had a live podcast on set with Ryan Ripken (yes, the son of Cal Ripken, Jr.) and special guest Lonny Baxter, who won a national championship with the Maryland Terrapins in 2002. This was college basketball euphoria!
Food 🥩🥩🥩🥩 out of 5
The food was just as good as the ambience. We were able to sample so many dishes, and everything hit perfect while watching the tournament. For appetizers, we had the nachos, shrimp tacos, and mild buffalo wings. The nachos were over-the-top massive, and loaded with a ton of toppings. I loved the cooked caramelized onions, as that is something you hardly ever see on nachos at restaurants. If you order the nachos, make sure you have three or four friends to share them with. Next, the shrimp tacos were very refreshing. They use quality ingredients, and the shrimp did not feel greasy or overfried. I love the combination of perfectly fried shrimp with the fresh crunch of slaw. With chipotle flavors added throughout, these also had a bit of a kick as well. Lastly, the wings were meaty and fried perfectly. They have a ton of different sauces, and I need to go back and try the Thai chili.
We got a handful of entrees as well. First, the Heater Burger came with bacon, pepper jack cheese, pickled jalapenos, and cajun aioli. This burger was actually really spicy, so if you do not like spicy food I would advise you to get a standard burger or create your own. However, if you like a kick, get this burger and you will not be disappointed. Next, we got the Cali burrito, stuffed with chicken, beans, french fries, guac, and that cajun aioli. I’m going to be honest, this was the one dish that fell a little flat for me. I am not a huge fan of french fries, and mixed in with the beans and the flour tortilla, this was a bit too dry for me. All in all, this was such a phenomenal spread and really hit the spot as we watched basketball.
Drinks 🍸🍸🍸🍸 out of 5
We also sampled a few drinks as well. We got a giant 32 oz mug of draft beer (Blue Moon). It was your standard draft pour, but it is nice that you can get multiple sizes (including much bigger than 32 oz if you come with a party). In addition, we got a cocktail flight, which included four, 3 oz cocktails. They were all some form of margarita, and they were all very strong. However, all four had very distinct flavors, so if you want to sample a handful of different margaritas, I would recommend getting the cocktail flight.
Experience ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
This was definitely my favorite experience yet on this Foodies mission. Yes, that is highly based on my status as a college basketball fanatic, but even if we were watching golf or tennis, I would have a great time at ESPN BET. The food was amazing and the service was very good, even with how many people were there. Lastly, the casino makes sure to go above and beyond, with having a live podcast and a meet and greet with a local legend. If you want a place to go to watch the next big sporting event, I would highly recommend ESPN BET at Hollywood Casino in Charles Town!