Spanky's

Spanky’s rose to the top of my list of Lubbock eateries to sample after being recommended by several friends throughout the week. Its fate was sealed when I caught my first glimpse of the menu and noticed the “He-Man Woman Hater Burger”, which immediately piqued my curiosity (and large appetite). This Lubbock landmark, allegedly started by a couple of the more successful campus bookies, is right across the street from campus and a stone’s throw from the stadium.

After you figure out exactly how Spanky’s complex ordering and service system works (here’s a hint: don’t ask the surly waitresses), which is a unique combination of bar service, full service, and buffet self serve; you will be ready to dig into some pretty solid bar food.

Although I went there for the burger, the fried cheese stole the show. Appropriate considering it’s the flagship item on their menu. This lightly battered (not breaded) fried cheese was quite simply the best cheese sticks I have ever had. . Even our local Wisconsin cheese expert begrudgingly agreed…. It’s remarkable how much joy fried cheese can bring to a persons life.

The burger itself was large and imposing, though not overly noteworthy. The middle bun adds to the “He-Man’s” formidable size, but I thought it dried the burger out a bit for my taste, and all that bun frankly just gets in my way. Though, given the choice I would definitely order it again and simply use the middle bun as a coaster.

Final verdict: worth it for the fried cheese alone.