Eureka! Claremont

Eureka! bills themselves as an American craft restaurant with 14 locations across California with other locations in Seattle and Dallas. Each serves a chef-crafted menu made from local ingredients and has a bar stocked with rotating local taps.

Eureka! Claremont is busy from open to close. Guests can expect to have to wait for a table or a spot at the bar. The bartenders have a good memory for regulars and will try to fit you in; Hillary even remembered me when I returned a second time six months later.

I started by asking Hillary’s advice about a beer. She directed me to a Jacaranda Rye IPA, brewed by Claremont Craft Ales right down the street, which complemented the firecracker Eureka! Wings. The wings came unbreaded, which made them lighter and crisper, and were not overly spicy.

For my second course, I ordered a Ritual Extra Red and a Fresno Fig Burger. The beer was full-bodied with a smooth caramel finish. The burger was incredible, cooked to a perfect medium-rare temperature and topped with melted goat cheese, arugula, bacon, and fig marmalade, and laid over a spicy porter mustard. I substituted for Honey Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries, which came out crispy, salty and drizzled in honey. The house side salad is a healthy option and has cranberries and blue cheese crumbles.

Eureka! is ideal for a neighborhood restaurant. Though it would not be a great destination restaurant for fine dining, it is a high-quality casual American restaurant with an outstanding selection of beer and whiskey, a knowledgeable, friendly staff and a comfortable atmosphere. Just be prepared to wait for a seat.

Eureka!

Claremont Packing House

580 West 1^st Street

Claremont, Calif. 91711

909 445 8875