F.O.X. Neighborhood Bar & Grill
Don Arena wants people to call his new restaurant by its letters: the F.O.X.
My guess is they’ll refer to it as The Fox, which, in my book, is OK because of its similarity to Arena’s other eatery, The Red Fox.
If I was Arena, I would want people to know the two are in the same family.
The Red Fox, after all, is one of Lincoln’s best steakhouses, which despite its out-of-the-way West O location has thrived over the years.
The comparisons, though, should stop with the name.
Whereas the Red Fox is known as a steakhouse, the new F.O.X. is a sports bar, with burgers, sandwiches and pizza.
“I would like to think we’re a sports bar with better food than a lot of the sports bars in Lincoln,” Arena said. “I know my food is bar food, but I think it’s better bar food.”
Arena opened the F.O.X. last month in the strip mall at 14th Street and Pine Lake Road. He took over the spot once occupied by Slapshotz.
The F.O.X. looks nothing like Slapshotz, however. Arena remodeled, giving it the look of a small lodge, with its wood booths, fireplace and heavy beams. He did the same thing with The Red Fox when he remodeled it a few years ago.
Since it’s a sports bar, the decor includes multiple TVs, with at least one visible from any seat in the restaurant. Several of the booths have their own TVs, which on the night I visited were tuned in to Disney’s “Hannah Montana.”
That’s right, the F.O.X. has become an immediate hit with families. With its affordable menu and comfy digs, the restaurant is a great place for a clan to chill out for a few hours.
As for the menu, it’s small and manageable, with a handful of appetizers, salads, burgers and sandwiches. Most entrees cost between $5 and $8. The only item topping $10 is the beef tenderloin for $16.50.
One-topping pizzas are available in two sizes: 7-inch personal ($5.99) and 14-inch large ($11.99). Additional toppings are 65 cents each for personal pies and $1.45 for the larges.
Like the Red Fox, the F.O.X. has daily mom-and-pop lunch specials such as roast beef and pork chop dinners and casseroles.
My companion went with the F.O.X. Special Burger ($6.50) and fries ($1.25). I had the Philly Cheese Steak with chips ($6.50).
Chips come with all sandwiches and burgers. This is a minor complaint. The restaurant should make more sides available and include them in the cost of the entree.
Our food, though, was exceptional. The burger came with bacon, sliced mushrooms and Swiss cheese. My Philly had steak grilled with onions and topped with melted Swiss. Peppers, mushrooms and jalapenos are available for 25 cents each.
We also ordered a personal pepperoni pizza that had a crust similar to The Isles’. That’s on purpose.
“I love The Isles’ pizza,” Arena said. “I wanted to get (the crust) close. That was my goal.”
The F.O.X. is still working out some kinks in the kitchen. My personal pie, a pepperoni, came out as we finished our entrees. Our waitress was apologetic, explaining the pizza oven was in another part of the building.
Arena said he had only three people in the kitchen that night as he figures out his staffing. He expects to have that under control soon, so he can start working on promotion.
“What’s happened is I’ve been working hard on getting this running right,” he said. “Now my mind is switching over a little bit.”
The F.O.X. is a place where I could see myself spending a lot of time eating and socializing. Arena subscribes to a satellite service, so he has Major League Baseball now and the NFL soon.
Plus, like the Red Fox, the restaurant has good food. I expect Arena will have no trouble making a go of it in the new location.
Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.
My guess is they’ll refer to it as The Fox, which, in my book, is OK because of its similarity to Arena’s other eatery, The Red Fox.
If I was Arena, I would want people to know the two are in the same family.
The Red Fox, after all, is one of Lincoln’s best steakhouses, which despite its out-of-the-way West O location has thrived over the years.
The comparisons, though, should stop with the name.
Whereas the Red Fox is known as a steakhouse, the new F.O.X. is a sports bar, with burgers, sandwiches and pizza.
“I would like to think we’re a sports bar with better food than a lot of the sports bars in Lincoln,” Arena said. “I know my food is bar food, but I think it’s better bar food.”
Arena opened the F.O.X. last month in the strip mall at 14th Street and Pine Lake Road. He took over the spot once occupied by Slapshotz.
The F.O.X. looks nothing like Slapshotz, however. Arena remodeled, giving it the look of a small lodge, with its wood booths, fireplace and heavy beams. He did the same thing with The Red Fox when he remodeled it a few years ago.
Since it’s a sports bar, the decor includes multiple TVs, with at least one visible from any seat in the restaurant. Several of the booths have their own TVs, which on the night I visited were tuned in to Disney’s “Hannah Montana.”
That’s right, the F.O.X. has become an immediate hit with families. With its affordable menu and comfy digs, the restaurant is a great place for a clan to chill out for a few hours.
As for the menu, it’s small and manageable, with a handful of appetizers, salads, burgers and sandwiches. Most entrees cost between $5 and $8. The only item topping $10 is the beef tenderloin for $16.50.
One-topping pizzas are available in two sizes: 7-inch personal ($5.99) and 14-inch large ($11.99). Additional toppings are 65 cents each for personal pies and $1.45 for the larges.
Like the Red Fox, the F.O.X. has daily mom-and-pop lunch specials such as roast beef and pork chop dinners and casseroles.
My companion went with the F.O.X. Special Burger ($6.50) and fries ($1.25). I had the Philly Cheese Steak with chips ($6.50).
Chips come with all sandwiches and burgers. This is a minor complaint. The restaurant should make more sides available and include them in the cost of the entree.
Our food, though, was exceptional. The burger came with bacon, sliced mushrooms and Swiss cheese. My Philly had steak grilled with onions and topped with melted Swiss. Peppers, mushrooms and jalapenos are available for 25 cents each.
We also ordered a personal pepperoni pizza that had a crust similar to The Isles’. That’s on purpose.
“I love The Isles’ pizza,” Arena said. “I wanted to get (the crust) close. That was my goal.”
The F.O.X. is still working out some kinks in the kitchen. My personal pie, a pepperoni, came out as we finished our entrees. Our waitress was apologetic, explaining the pizza oven was in another part of the building.
Arena said he had only three people in the kitchen that night as he figures out his staffing. He expects to have that under control soon, so he can start working on promotion.
“What’s happened is I’ve been working hard on getting this running right,” he said. “Now my mind is switching over a little bit.”
The F.O.X. is a place where I could see myself spending a lot of time eating and socializing. Arena subscribes to a satellite service, so he has Major League Baseball now and the NFL soon.
Plus, like the Red Fox, the restaurant has good food. I expect Arena will have no trouble making a go of it in the new location.
Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.
Copyright © 2002-2008 Lincoln Journal Star. All rights reserved.