Cheers South Hill Grill

Bleu cheese crumbles lay scattered across mixed leafy greens, grilled, sunny yellow squash, dark green zucchini, mellow red onion and sweet mandarin orange wedges with a citrus marinade finale. Mmmmmm, summer has arrived.

If you're like me, you appreciate the fact that Cheers South Hill Grill's menu has healthy selections like the summer squash salad mentioned, a fruit platter with cottage cheese, a veggie plate, Atlantic King salmon, red pepper wraps and a vegan garden burger.

Of course, deep-fried favorites are still represented, like the obligatory onion rings, cheese sticks, chicken wings and fries. Garlic cheese bread is flatbread with garlic Parmesan spread.

Winning touches at Cheers South Hill Grill include: melon pico de gallo atop Jamaican jerk chicken, smoked Gouda potato skins, grilled Asian pear and flame broiled burgers. Speaking of burgers, "South Hill Stuffers" are hand-formed burger patties crammed with your choice of bacon, cheddar, salami, fried mozzarella sticks, jalapenos and cream cheese or mushrooms.

Steaks, ribs, chicken, pasta, desserts and a kid's menu round it out.

A massive lounge and bar offering beer, wine and liquor are separate from a spacious and comfortable family-friendly dining room.

Menu runs $6.50 for quesadillas to $20.95 for 12-ounce New York steak. 

[Cheers South Hill Grill, 4110 South Meridian, Puyallup 253.770.0461]

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill

At Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill in Spanaway there are no chefs - and there won't be anyone apologizing for that any time soon. When not pouring drinks that can peel paint, the biker friendly bar's kitchen is where bartenders like Dolly often do double-duty grilling up half-pound burger patties to order topped with simple good ingredients like avocado, jalapenos, slabs of bacon, grilled onions and mushrooms, melted Swiss, pepper jack, cheddar or blue cheese, crisp lettuce, thick deep red tomato slices and tart pickle. Stacked between toasted buns, this is a burger as big as your head (if you had the head of a 2-year-old). Served with a generous helping of hand-cut fries for under $8, that's an All-American great deal, no white chef's coat required.

[Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill, 16003 Pacific Ave., Spanaway, 253.507.7808]