“A sure thing for downtown SLC” The Judge is always top-notch with regards to service, weekly specials,
and downright delicious food. The menu is well executed and the place
gets very busy during the lunch hour so arrive by 11:45 to get the best
table location. The only problem at the Judge is making a decision
between the homemade entrees and a beautiful salad.
I have eaten there 4 times in the past two months and they exceed my expections every time. "Delicious" Just stopped in and had lunch the other day. The chicken enchiladas
were delicious, but the best part of the meal was the brownie. Gooey
and rich, simply the best. I hope everything on the menu is this good
because I will be returning often and they do breakfast. Great
atmosphere and music, and friendly staff. Highly recommended! "Never lets me down" Royal and his staff at the Judge Cafe, never let me down when it comes
to tasty food at a fair value. There are many choices for dining in
downtown Salt Lake but if you are looking for down right homemade, good
tasting food this is your place. My favorite salad, the smoked trout
salad sub chicken for trout...amazing. This is my restaurant of choice
for our out of town business clients as well!!!! REVIEW Dining out: The Judge Cafe & Grill Stacey Kratz, Deseret Morning News Unless you're downtown a lot, you might miss seeing The Judge Cafe
& Grill, a charming dining spot on the ground floor of the nicely
vintage Judge Building on Broadway. But The Judge Cafe is worth seeking out, for a diverse menu of
carefully prepared classics and just enough unexpected twists to keep
the meal -- and the dining experience -- interesting. With tables nicely spaced, the place is full of corners and niches,
the result of carving a restaurant out of a historic building. There's
architectural detail everywhere, painted in subdued sage and yellow,
and historic pictures of old Salt Lake City over the nice dark-wood bar. By way of contrast, though, are the new and sometimes modern pieces
of original art on the walls and the totally awesome '80s soundtrack
playing in the background, which let us enjoy lunch to the music of The
Knack, Tom Tom Club and The Cars. We probably would have enjoyed lunch, anyway, though. We started with the french fries with a trio of sauces, tasty and
crisp-tender seasoned fries with savory garlic mayo, smooth wasabi sour
cream with just a hint of heat and chipotle ranch, smoky and spicy with
just a taste of ranch's usual cool. All in all, a refreshing change
from ketchup. Two of our daughters shared a "Judge favorite," the meatloaf, and
my husband had that, as well. I'm not sure how the chefs at The Judge
manage to make a meatloaf that was both substantial, with a hearty,
meaty bite, and light, with a savory, vegetable finish beautifully
accentuated by mushroom gravy. It was paired nicely with mashed
potatoes and fresh-mixed summer squash and mushrooms. Our other daughter had a cup of soup, choosing cream of mushroom
from two soups of the day, and boy, was I glad she did. This was a
truly delicious soup, earthy and milky and rich, with lots of sliced
mushrooms giving it nourishing heft. Hope it's simmering in the kitchen
on the day you visit. I had one of The Judge's weekly specials, the grilled nectarine and
chicken salad. Grilling nectarines deepens and sweetens their flavor,
making them a lovely foil for the tender-sliced chicken. They rested on
a bed of romaine lettuce, cucumbers and red pepper drizzled with a rich
dressing of honey and balsamic vinegar. For dessert, the kids devoured the dark but delicate chocolate
volcano cake with plenty of vanilla ice cream, while my husband and I
shared the brownie sundae, with a chewy frosted brownie topped with ice
cream and chocolate sauce. We also enjoyed a couple of The Judge's cookies, one ultra-sweet
and studded with chopped Heath toffee bars, and one, which our waiter
called "Hope's Royale," a wonderful blend of mixed nuts and chocolate
chips. Lunch: Appetizers $4.95-$6, sandwiches $6.50-$8.95, salads $6.50-
$8.95, soup and quiche $3.50-$7.50, Judge's favorites $7.75-$7.95,
weekly specials about $7-$11, desserts 95 cents-$3.95. - Where: 8 E. Broadway (300 South)
- Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (breakfast 7:30-11 a.m.)
- Payment: Major credit cards accepted
- Phone: 531-0917
- Wheelchair access: Easy
Stacey Kratz is a freelance writer who reviews restaurants for the Deseret Morning News. External Link To Above Article | 
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