One of the latest additions to the Manhattan scene is Powercat Sports Grill. Located at 3011 Anderson Ave. on the west side of Manhattan, it delivers an experience unlike other establishments.
After continually seeing signs saying “Opening Eventually” and finally “Opening Next Week” on the building, my level of anticipation for this restaurant was pretty high. When I finally realized the establishment was open on Monday, I had dinner there that night.
The atmosphere is one of a kind. With multiple TVs of varying sizes and unique decor, it was a delight to look at everything. The interior of Powercat Sports Bar and Grill is the ultimate fan experience, featuring K-State themed wall paper and an incredible amount of K-State memorabilia. It looks as if the collection of a lifetime is displayed on the walls of the restaurant.
The menu is typical of a sports bar, offering traditional dishes like wings and a variety of deep fried appetizers, as well as items like chili cheese fries and Coach Mo’s nachos, among other things. My spouse and I tried the chili cheese fries. They weren’t great, but they weren’t bad.
For our main dishes, I ordered a plain cheeseburger with a side of cheese tots, and my spouse ordered the chicken fried steak with fries. With my spouse’s meal came with a salad that was brought before the actual entree. Not even minutes after we had gotten our appetizer, the salad arrived. There wasn’t enough time to enjoy the food we had already gotten before other food arrived.
When our entrees finally arrived, mine was a shock and a disappointment. I had ordered a cheeseburger that was delivered to me without cheese. The meat was cooked medium, and as someone who is not used to eating meat that isn’t cooked fully, I was a little disgusted that my hamburger was still pink in its center. I was not asked how I wanted my cheeseburger cooked.
The chicken fried steak was well prepared and came in an overly generous portion. I would be more than impressed with someone who could eat the entire thing in one sitting. The gravy that topped the entree was well made and the steak was cooked thoroughly. The fries that accompanied the meal were also good. They weren’t over seasoned, nor were they too crispy or too soggy.
There are some pluses and minuses to this new establishment. First and foremost, I was disappointed in the lack of care for a simple order like a cheeseburger. The food also came at an exceptional speed, which caused a detrimental effect to the experience.
However, I understand I went to Powercat Sports Grill the night it opened, so many of these problems could be resolved by the time others go.
The positives are that the portions are more than pleasing for the price paid, and the prices are extremely reasonable for a sports bar environment. For the restaurant goer looking for a typical sports bar and grill experience, this would be the place to go.
Even though there were faults with my experience, I would still rate this restaurant three and a half stars out of five. I was impressed with more of my experience than I was disappointed with it. If you aren’t at the game on game day, I would recommend sports fans come to this establishment. It would make for a unique experience.
Jakki Thompson is a junior in journalism and mass communications and American ethnic studies. Please send all comments to edge@kstatecollegian.com.