Broadway Grill in Mattoon, IL is where the Broadway Beef House used to be. We weren’t at all impressed with the Broadway Beef House and things haven’t improved a bit with the name change. We went there for lunch today since we were in downtown Mattoon and needed a quick bite to eat. The lunch menu is limited to burgers, a few sandwiches, and salads. There was also a spaghetti special.

Sarah ordered a Beef Brisket Sandwich with fries and I got a Prime Rib Sandwich with wedges. The only difference between wedges and fries is the shape. Sarah’s brisket was sad, to say the least. It was one thick strip of brisket that looked more like bacon with all the fat. Once she trimmed off the excess fat, she was left with a tiny strip of beef and maybe a thimbleful of BBQ sauce. The bun it was served on was soggy and falling apart, so there was no way to eat it as a sandwich. My prime rib was exactly that, a 6 or 7 ounce piece of uncut prime rib on a small hoagie bun. It was well done and 1/2″ to 3/4″ thick. There was no way to eat it as a sandwich, so I gave up on the bun and just ate it as I would a prime rib dinner. The meat was ok, but overcooked. And I wanted a sandwich, not a full piece of prime rib. The wedges, like the fries, were mediocre.  Neither $7 sandwich was worth the money.

Note to the owners: Go out for lunch at Roc’s Blackfront in Charleston Square and see how sandwiches like this are supposed to be made.