With its fabulous patio and deck, Mullet’s might get by with serving frozen pizzas and rote burgers – people would probably still come here just for a few beers and the venue’s phenomenal view. But Mullet’s does much better than that.Atmosphere: The rough-hewn, roadhouse-inspired spot gets its name from the mini-gallery of celebrities sporting the mullet hairstyle. While the indoor seating offers a good groove and plenty of windows, I always head outdoors, where the lower patio and upper deck give expansive views over the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers and the cityscape beyond.

Menu: Located just off the bike path, the restaurant attracts a crowd of cyclists, and indeed, the big food here seems best suited to those who’ve spent a few hours working up an appetite. Look for lots of fried appetizers, plus burgers, pizzas, po’ boy sandwiches and a handful of entrées.Because Mullet’s is run by a sister company to Full Court Press (the folks who brought you such goofy-but-good venues as El Bait Shop and the High Life Lounge), you can expect a few quasi-daffy menu items. A chili dog pizza, for instance. Or a gringo burger, stuffed with jalapeños and cheese and covered with barbecue sauce.

The food: A chili-dog pizza could be a wacky disaster if the kitchen didn’t take it so seriously, with an expertly thin, blistered crust and a thoughtfully balanced mix of chili-spiced beef, sliced hot dogs, cheese, onions and pickles. Burger lovers should go here on Wednesdays, when the Big Mullet (a take on the Big Mac, only fresher and better) goes for just $5 with a side.If the enormity of it all is getting to you, you can go a little light with the sides – I appreciated the sautéed corn with red peppers, onions and warm Cajun spices. According to our server, the potato salad is not homemade, yet this creamy, bacon-studded version is, at least, well purveyed.

The catfish po-boy proved satisfying, if not quite a standout; I expected something a little more engaging from this kitchen. Cornmeal breaded and deep-fried crawfish, shrimp, bluegill fingers and scallops filled the Minnow Bucket appetizer, but after a few bites, a sense of monotony set in – they tasted more about the crunchy coating than the stuff inside.Bottom line: Good, casual and abundant food on a good-time patio.

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