RED BRIDGE TAVERN - EAST PROVIDENCE

Red Bridge Tavern (22 Waterman Avenue,  East Providence, 401-438-3899) isn't a place with lots of polished dark wood, a super-long old-world bar, or even vintage posters; it looks pretty much like somebody's basement rec room - lots of pine and standard issue tables and chairs. It's a local bar not in the image of an imaginary Ireland; this may be one of the reasons it has a following.

What Red Bridge provides is easy access to a pretty good burger. Yelp and Urban Spoon may be a little generous in their reviews but Red Bridge is okay. Yes, the burger is preformed (what is this about Rhode Island and the preformed burger?) but the taste is about right (can't be totally right unless it's made thicker in the middle) and the bun is minimalist instead of thick and/or seedy. You can take a seat at the bar, have a beer and cheeseburger and talk to the non-hipster bartender. The onion rings could use some work.

Getting to Red Bridge from Providence is easy: cross Waterman Avenue to the Henderson Bridge and take the first East Providence exit. This will return you to Waterman in East Providence. Red Bridge is on the left after the curve.

Red Bridge Tavern   22 Waterman Avenue, East Providence   401-438-3899