Ross and Hall’s Brunch Does the Routine Justice

It’s good to see respectable places going into the Bryan Place area, and one of those has a pretty decent brunch, too.

Ross and Hall sits just on the other side of that pesky elevated highway separating the neighborhood from downtown. It has a large space of high-top seating in its U-shaped building, which has an event space on the other side and a patio in the middle.

It has good weekday specials during happy hour, but its brunch menu was attractive enough to stop by on a recent Sunday morning.

It’s a modestly sized list, taking up a square on the two-page regular menu and giving plenty of options. Standards are there, from eggs and bacon with home fries ($9) to shrimp and grits ($13).

The fact that it has country-fried steak and eggs seems ambitious, as too many places have an unseasoned batter or terrible gravy that destroys the integrity of the meat. But the one here does the dish justice ($13).

The meat itself is the least impressive, a bit too thick with a softness that wasn’t ideal. But the batter was perfectly crisp – even after hanging out under gravy for a while – and properly salted. We were given the option of the standard sausage gravy or jalapeño. We went with the latter and experienced a flavorful gravy that’s good enough to go on anything.

This comes with a side of two eggs however you like (we got bacon instead) and home fries. These fries, with no toppings and seemingly no seasoning, are skippable.

However, these same little chunks of potato come covered in cheese and diced peppers with the brisket enchiladas ($12). Some sauce-smoked brisket comes in tiny tortillas that make three enchiladas. It’s a rather simple take on it, but it’s covered in cheese and a perfectly fried egg (to medium). A little bit of pico de gallo on the side makes the flavor a little brighter and the experience better overall. And those potatoes, topped with a Velveeta-like sauce (don’t hate, it’s popular for a reason), complete your calorie-filled meal to a state of satisfaction.

This spot is also one of those with $3.50 bloody mary and mimosa cocktails. Each taste like they’re worth $3.50, but they’re decently strong. Meaning you can walk out of here with one plate and one drink for under $20 and feel pretty good about it. (To compare, there are plenty of other places where the individual tab is more like $30 or $40 at brunch. I know, crazy.)

Ross and Hall, whether you’re there for happy hour or brunch, is good enough. You won’t think about the flavors days later, but you also won’t regret spending your dollars there. The staff is friendly, the beer on tap plentiful and the space is inviting. It’s a good addition to the neighborhood and not a bad place to stop by for brunch.

Ross and Hall, 3300 Ross Ave. (Bryan Place). Brunch served 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 214-301-0973.