When a brand new Moxie’s opened on Davie Street in 2004, few people were more excited than I was to give it a try. Well, I like to eat out a lot (some of my friends can’t believe how much I spend eating out all the time), and if I have a chance to try out a new place, that can be a pretty exciting event for me.

Located beneath the Sandman Suites on Davie Street, between Thurlow and Bute, it has a nice, inviting appearance outside the entrance. You can see a small section of the restaurant, which has some nice tables and booths, a wide screen TV, and a fireplace. And that’s what you see before you even enter the front door.

I’m guessing all Moxie’s are quite similar on the inside, though I’ve only been to a few in this city. They all seem to have a modern design like some other restaurants in the city, such as Earl’s, Joey’s, Cactus Club, and Milestones. Inside Moxie’s, it’s usually pretty dark, and the tables and chairs are top quality. The chairs have really thick cushions that you sink right into when you sit on them. Also, there are some nice booths that give you a more intimate setting with a small group of friends.

At the Davie Street Moxie’s, the difference between the lounge and restaurant section is quite big, especially in the atmosphere. I prefer to sit in the lounge because it’s a much bigger space, with nice orange lights enhancing the mood. In the restaurant area, though, they have a couple of round tables that are absolutely perfect for groups of 5-8, because everybody can see and talk to each other easily.

One of the things that really stood out for me, especially the first few times I went to this Moxie’s on Davie Street, was the men’s washroom. When I walked in, I thought I might be in the wrong place. As soon as you walk in there, there is a wide screen TV (no more missing the game while you’re using the washroom), and a fireplace below the TV. A fireplace in the washroom? Well, I’m used to it now, but at the time, I was quite impressed. I’ve heard that the women’s washroom is just as spectacular, but I haven’t been in there, of course.

The is definitely better than your average washroom

The menu has a lot of really good choices, and the quality is similar to all the other restaurants I just mentioned. It seems they can make pretty well every kind of food there, and nothing tastes bad. The steaks are good, the burgers are good, the pizzas are good, and the appetizers are tasty. From the appetizer menu, I often order the bruschetta and the skillet of garlic sauteed mushrooms, and I haven’t been disappointed yet.

One of my biggest disappointments from the menu list was the Moxie’s combo platter, which has “calamari, chicken tenders, avocado spring rolls, med bread, chicken wings and three great dips” on one big plate. There was nothing wrong with the taste, at all; it was the price. For $27.99, I expected a lot more, but after finishing it with just one other friend, I was still pretty hungry. I think they should reduce the price of that to around $19.99, tops, or else pile on more food. It’s just not enough food for the money, in my opinion.

They have a nice variety of drinks, too, including some house beers (Big Life Euro and Ale), cocktails, and wine. They are really good at making cocktails, and you can get margaritas in gigantic “Moxie’s size” glasses. My favorite out of all their cocktails is something I like to order because I like the taste, and also to make myself look cool in front of my friends. This Moxie’s exclusive drink (well, I haven’t seen it anywhere else yet) is called the Mexican Bulldog.

The Mexican Bulldog - around $9

If you want to try something unique and (in my opinion) delicious, then I highly recommend the Mexican Bulldog. What it is is a lime margarita in a large glass with a Coronita stuck into the top, upside down. The beer mixes in with the lime margarita, and as you drink it more and more, the lime margarita gets replaced by the beer. You can also lift the glass up and stick it into the margarita again quickly to add more beer to your taste. Be careful when you order this drink, though. Once other people see you with it, they might want the same, and you might not be able to order another one before Moxie’s quickly runs out of Coronitas.

All in all, Moxie’s is a really nice and super comfortable restaurant for spending some good times with your friends. I especially recommend the one on Davie Steet, but I’m confident you can have a good experience at any of the locations in the area. For more information about Moxie’s, their menus, and their locations, check out the official Moxie’s Classic Grill website.