Issue date: 7/3/08 Section: ARTS & LIFE

For students looking for cheap alcohol with a cold meal on the side, The Loophole is the place to go.

The Loophole, which is at 119 W. Hickory St., was originally a bank in the 1800s and has had several major fires and periods of renovation.

One of the only things we appreciated about our entire experience was the pub's historic atmosphere. While waiting to order, we enjoyed the long row of black and white photographs hanging high on the brick wall which recalled the restaurant's and Denton's history.

When we walked into the building, we discovered how long and narrow the restaurant is. Deciding it smelled too much like cigarette smoke, we picked a booth near the back in a futile attempt to escape the stench.

Carli disliked the location of the kitchen. Noticing the cooking space was directly attached to the bar made her uneasy. Carrie felt uncomfortable when she noticed that once food orders were ready, they were placed underneath two small heat lamps too small to keep four plates warm.

Our young, less-than-ambitious waiter could not stand still long enough to finish taking our drink orders. Carrie decided on a Dr. Pepper while Carli went with her usual Diet Coke. Instead, we just got two glasses of water. The soda tap was broken, or so our waiter said. However, during our lunch Carrie was finally given her Dr. Pepper, which tasted fine, but the Diet Coke was flat.

Carli ordered the grilled chicken platter but was disappointed because the menu said a dinner roll would accompany her meal, but there was none. She was upset to find two cold, plain pieces of bread resting on her plate instead.

The grilled chicken was also cold and Carli found that she needed to douse it in ketchup to improve the dry taste in her mouth. The hot, chunky and rich mashed potatoes were the only enjoyable part of her meal.

Carrie ordered the turkey bacon guacamole wrap with fries. She soon realized she should have stuck with a burger. The wrap was suitable for bar food, but not enough to merit eating without a couple of drinks. The ranch dressing was runny and watered down, and the orange-colored wrap dominated the sandwich, leaving little room for the taste of turkey and bacon. The guacamole was tangy but disappointing.

The Loophole may compare itself to Cheers, but we have to disagree. The only positive aspect of this restaurant is its $1 Domestic Draft on Mondays.

The Loophole serves food from 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Sunday and the bar is open until 2 a.m.

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