Marlborough – When I arrived at Sully's with a friend midweek for dinner, we immediately got the sense that everyone in the pub knew each other. Football season may be over and baseball season yet to begin, but Sully's pub wasn's lacking in sports fans. Groups were gathered around tables watching hockey on one of the many big-screen TVs and mingling among each other.
With all tables occupied, we headed toward the dining room area, but a small group insisted we take their table as they moved to the bar. Sully's is the kind of place where you can arrive a stranger and go home a regular. It was no surprise to find that owner Rick Sullivan was enjoying a beer with patrons at a nearby table, just one of the gang.
The appetizers consist of pub fare including onion rings, mozzarella sticks and potato skins. We ordered two of each variety of chicken wings – buffalo, honey mustard and garlic butter ($.25 each). (Ask about other sauces that might not be on the menu.) The garlic butter wings were crispy, which I love. The honey mustard wings were literally dripping honey. The buffalo wings were just right – a bit of a kick but nothing that the average person couldn's handle.
Entrees at Sully's include sandwiches, steak tips, scallops and shrimp dishes with pasta, steaks and burgers, almost all of which are priced at less than $15. We went back and forth about what we might order – I thought I might get a chicken parmesan sandwich; my friend was eyeing the grilled Reuben.
In the end, he ordered the fish and chips special ($12.95) and I asked for a Sully's American Burger, which comes with lettuce, tomato, onions and bacon ($6.85).
Our eyes went wide when our meals were delivered to the table. His piece of fish was so large that it extended beyond the plate. The thick burger was served on a bulkie roll and sat on a mountain of fries.
The fish was flaky, the breading flavorful and the deep-frying perfectly executed. My friend briefly considered splitting the fish into two pieces to save half for the next day's lunch, but then decided it was too good not to eat it all at once while it was fresh and hot.
The burger was cooked to order and once I picked it up I didn's put it back down until I consumed the whole thing, before starting on the french fries. When I struggled to keep the generous amount of toppings in place between the buns, our waitress, Sandra, joked, “Do you know what you'se doing?”
Yes, I thought. Having the best burger I'se had in a long time.
Sully's is located at 11B Florence St., Marlborough, between Main Street and Route 20. Look for their green awning. It is open every day from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, call 508-485-6754.
