Only three months after opening, Cheap Seats has found its way into the hearts - and stomachs - of Hollister residents.
The sports bar and grill, tucked in an unassuming building on San Benito Street, opened on Saint Patrick's Day. Since that time, Cheap Seats has become known as the go-to place to grab a juicy burger or catch the big game.
Its reputation earned it three "Best of San Benito" awards for 2007, making it the only restaurant to be recognized for three awards. Cheap Seats was chosen by Free Lance readers as the winner of the Best Burger, Best Sports Bar or Pub and Best New Restaurant.
Owner Rick Hernandez said he was excited to hear about the awards and about the positive reception from the community.
"Word-of-mouth has really spread around," Hernandez said. "We've only been opened a few months and word has already got around that the burgers are that good."
During a typical happy hour, the restaurant can be found teeming with people. There are men seated at the bar talking and drinking pints, families splitting baskets of fries and groups gathered around one of many large flat-screen televisions - raucously cheering on their sports teams of choice.
Hernandez said business really picked up once word spread. Customers would come in saying they had heard about the burgers from a neighbor, he said.
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