Champps Americana

Throughout fall and winter, Sunday afternoons at your local watering hole are rowdy. Champps Americana, for better or worse, bucks that trend. Yes, Champps shows every football game on huge projection televisions that circle the restaurant, but the atmosphere isn't that of a hard-core sports bar. Instead, it has a family-friendly, subdued, sometimes even quiet vibe. This is especially surprising when you realize that pints of imported and domestic beer run just $2.50 and are served by a wait staff that is so attentive, you might have to ask them to back off. There's a full menu ranging from massive salads to burgers and steaks, and you can take the family to watch the games without teaching the kids a slew of four-letter words. n