Bud & Marilyn's

Bud & Marilyn's Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: From its conception, owners Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran knew their retro restaurant would be a more personal addition to the stylish portfolio which includes Lolita, Barbuzzo and many others. Turney took inspiration from her family’s now-defunct Midwestern eatery, from the mid-century modern barstools and lighting fixtures to the actual caricatures hanging on the walls and the witty menu descriptions. Bustling by night, the evocative setting takes on a modern life of its own.

Food & Drinks: While the kitchen revives nostalgic delights like a pupu platter, meatloaf and coconut cream pie, the cuisine is far from dated. Vietnamese chicken liver pâté, cheese curds with guajillo salsa, and sautéed greens with coconut curry reveal an array of multicultural influences and contemporary artistry. And don’t even think of leaving without trying the insanely addictive Nashville hot buns stuffed with fried chicken, pickles and ranch sauce. More memories await with dessert in the form of funfetti cake and homemade Ovaltine ice cream. Cocktails are given equal consideration, with smart updates on the gin gimlet, planter’s punch and Old Fashioneds. The well-edited, U.S.-centric wine list, meanwhile, covers most of the bases. Weekday happy hour brings drink specials from $4 to $6 and a fun array of eats that includes pimento cheese on brioche and cauliflower fried rice.