Industrial Revolution Eatery & Grille - Valparaiso

I recently visited this restaurant with my family before catching a movie, and unfortunately, it was a very disappointing experience. The interior is impressive, featuring neat old-school statues and lots of historic memorabilia around the bar and dining area. Our server was very friendly, and we were seated promptly. I ordered the pot roast burger, which was advertised as award-winning, along with garlic wedges. My girlfriend had a chicken bacon sandwich with sweet potato fries, and my kids ordered kids’ meals: one with mac and cheese, and the other with two small burgers similar to sliders, both accompanied by sweet potato fries. My daughter’s mac and cheese was extremely soupy, lacking any real cheese—honestly, it was probably the worst mac and cheese I’ve ever seen. My burger was just okay; there was nothing award-winning about it—it was a regular-sized, bland cheeseburger with a little pot roast on top. My biggest complaint, however, was that I had to order it well-done; I asked for medium rare but was told they couldn’t do that. If I’m paying $18 for a burger, I believe I should be able to choose how I want it cooked. On the positive side, my fries were seasoned very well. My girlfriend had no complaints about her sandwich, but nothing stood out as amazing either. Overall, I would say this restaurant did not live up to the hype, and I probably will not return. If I were to compare it to another establishment, I would say it’s slightly better than Round the Clock, although I must admit the tower burger at Round the Clock is superior to the one I had here.