By Tracy Ransom
Gunther Toody’s is a well-lit, upbeat restaurant with three locations in Colorado Springs that reflect the lively ’50’s era in American history. Named after the character of Joe Ross, who played alongside Fred Gwynne in “Car 54, Where are You?” the restaurant features a brilliant array of Corvettes decorating the interior with bumpers to grills, and a full ’58 original hanging from the ceiling at one location.
The Gunther Toody’s located at 5490 East Woodmen Road, just southwest of Powers, dazzles its customers with chrome walls, fire engine red booth seats, the Three Stooges poking one another’s eyes out on television and a mint condition ’59 Harley with a sword back. Buddy Holly sings on the juke box at pictures of the Beatles next to you. Aglow with the red and green fluorescent lights coupled together overhead, the waitresses in pink poodle dresses and waiters with groovy sideburns are ready and waiting to take your order with a smile.
Early birds can fly in at 6 AM to enjoy the Big Bopper (2.99), which includes hash browns, three strips of juicy bacon, two eggs, and three slices of toast. The Steak and Eggs (5.99) dishes out a succulent 6-ounce steak cooked to order with hash browns, two eggs, and four slices of toast. Later owls can treasure the Philly Cheese Steak Melt on sourdough bread until 10 PM, 7 days a week.
Unfortunately, the menu and atmosphere were where much of the fun stopped. The coffee (1.59) was brewed fresh and full of flavor, but was just warmer than tepid. After a full share of free refills, the busy staff found it difficult to keep up with the dry coffee cups for some time, and neglected to excavate their hair out of my eggs. Turned off by the sight of this, I decided to pay and leave, but the blooming associates were caught up in their duties and had little time for me to flag them down. They served the toast at mouth-watering temperatures of extravagant hot freshness, the butter melted into its crisp, soft surface at just the right consistency to share a spread of grape, strawberry, or raspberry jellies. The toasty portion of the meal was absolutely irresistible.
Gunther Toody’s attracts chipper, fun-loving people of all ages from teenagers out on a hot date to Vietnam veterans remembering the good old days. The casual atmosphere isn’t torn down by the cheap texture of deep-fried fast food, especially since everything is cooked right on the front line behind the bar counter.
The food, however, must be impressive in order to bring the customer back again and again. Through the spic, span, clean presentation of the restaurant, the indifferent quality of the dining experience itself said it all. Knowing that every food establishment has its good days and its bad days, I would certainly go back to a different branch to see how they would compare. As for me and the Gunther Toody’s at Woodmen and Powers, our days together are toast.
(Back to top)
