Courtney Council
English 111-21
Jon Thomas

Good. Clean. Fun.


In the small town of Mount Airy, NC there is a unique restaurant called Goober’s. A diamond in the rough, if you will. Goober’s is a dining experience unlike any other. Wild, crazy dishes, and outrageous décor make this particular restaurant stick out above other bland eateries.
Located on US Highway 52, it’s hard to miss Goober’s. Out in front of the building there is a small beach shack, and old patio furniture painted bight colors for guests to wait for their tables. Inside the restaurant, the high ceilings have random signs and an over-sized tie-dyed t-shirt big enough to fit a small car in hanging. Along all of the walls are paintings of cartoon characters hanging out at the beach building sandcastles and doing beach like things. The tables are decorated with large blue tiles and have wooden chairs. The booths are bight orange, yellow and purple. Every time a person visits, they’re bound to notice something new.
Open for lunch and dinner, Goober’s offers a large variety of foods. From a simple hamburger (with a twist of foreign spices) to seafood platters, and pasta, Goober’s can cater to just about anyone’s taste. This restaurant also has the BEST desserts. Anything from simple milkshakes to the famous Chocolate Spoon Cake (chocolate, on top of chocolate, on top of chocolate!), they’re all good…trust me!
With the awesome food, the prices aren’t too terribly bad. Appetizers range in price from $2.95 (Hot Sauced Garlic Bread) to $7.95 (Nachos). Entrée prices range from $5.25 (Classic Burger) to $14.95 (Shrimp and seafood platter). Side dishes like baked potatoes and vegetables are $1.95. And almost all of the delectable desserts are $3.95.
With all of the good food featured at Goober’s, almost any night of the week it’s hard to get a table and they do not allow reservations. Service isn’t always the best because it’s a rather large place with the capacity of about 75 people. On most any night, expect to wait a while to receive your food, or to get a refill for your drink. Also, parking can sometimes be a problem. Be prepared to park away from the building and walk up to the waiting area.
The sanitation grade for Goober’s is 92.7, which concerns me a bit. There are no spots on the silverware and the tables are always clean, but the floor often looks like it needs to be swept. The floor is concrete, so it wouldn’t be hard for the staff sweep it more often.
I recommend going to Goober’s for lunch because the cooks are always trying out new, wacky dishes and specials and it’s not as busy if you go before 5 p.m. The wait staff is more able to talk to you and make your meal more enjoyable when they’re not running around, trying to fill lots of orders. Goober’s has it all, great location, creative food choices, and a matchless atmosphere. Try it one time, and I can almost guarantee that a second visit will be in order.