A burger, a tall stack of onion rings and the low red glow of the dining room make a convincing case for settling in at Redcoat Tavern. This Royal Oak restaurant has the comfortable, slightly timeworn appeal of a proper tavern: high-back leather booths, a traditional bar, and enough shadowy warmth to make a simple dinner feel pleasantly removed from the rest of the evening.
The menu goes well beyond burgers, with chowder, pot pies, prime rib and British-pub favorites in the mix. Still, the burgers remain the item most closely associated with the place, and they give a first visit a very sensible starting point.
The burgers have their own following
The Brasserie Burger is one of the signature orders, built around a juicy patty, melted cheese and fresh toppings. It is a substantial tavern burger rather than a fussy chef’s creation, and that straightforward approach suits the room. A burger arriving alongside fries or a fried starter is about as on-theme as dinner gets here.
The Piedmontese Burger offers a different route for diners who prefer a leaner beef blend but do not want to give up a moist, flavorful patty. It has been especially appreciated when cooked medium-well, a useful distinction for anyone who usually worries that a leaner burger will turn dry.
A meal here does not have to become a burger comparison project, though the temptation is understandable. The menu leaves room for a casual sandwich-and-sides lunch, a bigger entrée dinner, or a table that orders a few fried things to share before the main plates arrive.
Onion rings worth ordering on purpose
The onion rings have a reputation all their own. Their coating is notably light, with an almost melt-in-your-mouth quality that keeps them from becoming the heavy, greasy side dish that can derail a good burger.
Fried mushrooms are another recurring favorite, and calamari gives the starter list a seafood option. Along with fries, those dishes can turn the table into a happy spread of crisp, shareable sides—especially useful when everyone has a different idea of what to order.
The portions tend toward generous, so leftovers are not unusual. That makes it easy to order with a little enthusiasm rather than trying to keep the meal overly tidy.
A pint of clam chowder for later
Clam chowder is one of Redcoat Tavern’s most enduring non-burger attractions. It is available for takeout by the pint or quart, making it easy to treat the restaurant as both a dinner stop and a source for tomorrow’s lunch.
Takeout chowder comes with oyster crackers, and bread is available as well. A pint carried home after a meal has become a familiar ritual for diners who do not want the visit to end at the table.
The soup selection also includes onion soup, while seafood chowder has appeared alongside meals built around wedge salad, chicken pot pie and dessert. It is a menu with enough comfort-food range that a burger loyalist can bring along someone who is more interested in a bowl of soup and a warm main course.
British tavern dishes and hearty plates
Redcoat Tavern’s British-pub side shows up in fish and chips, Scotch eggs and prime rib served with jus and Yorkshire pudding. The Yorkshire pudding is not merely decorative here; it is the sort of old-school extra that makes a prime rib order feel properly tavernish.
Chicken pot pie brings another dependable cold-weather dinner option, while fresh-made mac and cheese can be customized with additions such as jalapeños. Buffalo-style wings keep the menu anchored in American bar-food territory, so the selection moves comfortably between pub classics and familiar comfort dishes.
For a dinner that runs a little longer, bread pudding offers a traditional finish. Pot de crème, including a chocolate version, is another option and travels well when there is simply no room left after the main event.
Leather booths, a long bar bench and that red glow
The setting is firmly old-school rather than sleek. Leather booth seating gives groups and couples a comfortable place to settle in, while the bar’s long bench seat creates another spot for eating, drinking and conversation.
Red lamps or bulbs give the interior its distinctive reddish cast. It is a small detail, but a memorable one: the room has more personality than a generic sports bar and less ceremony than a formal steakhouse.
The mood shifts with the crowd. Some meals are quiet enough for easy conversation, while busier periods can be lively and louder, with the occasional close-set table. Saturday evenings can be particularly active; a packed night may bring a short wait, though other visits move straight to a table.
A few useful details before dinner
Free parking is available in a lot, and free street parking has also been available nearby. The entrance has a noticeable step, a practical point for anyone needing step-free access.
Takeout is handled around the corner in an area shared with servers collecting orders. It is a slightly bustling setup, but useful to know when stopping in specifically for chowder or another favorite to bring home.
The menu and room both suit a mixed group well: one person can order the Piedmontese Burger, another fish and chips, someone else a pot pie, and the table can still meet in the middle over onion rings, fried mushrooms or calamari.