I have nearly 100 blogposts about restaurants around Morgantown. However, some of the restaurants that I (unwillingly) frequent most often don't appear here. Yes, I'm talking about Mountainlair dining. As WVU's student union, the Mountainlair is home to a handful of restaurants for students to grab a quick bite between, before or after classes. Because I am a full-time student, this includes me.

Since my time here, I've seen some of these changes. Sbarro's and Burger King are staples, as they are across the nation. Quizno's was just opening my freshman year. I tried to use my meal plan there once, and there was some confusion and they wouldn't accept it. I ended up walking away sub-less, and I've only been there once or twice afterward. But there were two that are gone now: McCoy's, which had chicken sandwiches, and D's Express, which had Chinese food. I liked McCoys, but I'm sure most students like Chick-Fil-A more. And D's was always terrible. Despite my fierce love for the cuisine, I couldn't make that work. Taziki's is now in the spot where D's was. 

Besides Quiznos, Sbarro's, Burger King, and Freshens, the smoothie place, there are few not as commercialized dining options to choose from. Currently in the Mountainlair are JACS, which has some great breakfast sandwiches; Tazikis, which is a smaller chain that has fresh Mediterranean food; Hatfields, which is a made-to-order breakfast/lunch restaurant; and Side Pocket, which is almost like a hidden bar.

There’s a bar in WVU’s student union? Kind of. The Side Pocket is located on the ground floor of the Mountainlair, and it’s really a nice little hidden hangout. Come by to get lunch, relax, or catch one of their activities – like karaoke or live bands. They’re open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday, and 8 p.m. to midnight on Saturday.

And the part that caught your eye: Yes, there is draft beer. For $1.88. Bud Lite, Miller Lite, Yuengling and Shock Top. Maybe students are fearful of drinking (or underage drinking) in their student union, or maybe they just forget about it. But, really, it’s close, convenient and cheap. My three favorite C’s.

They have a small menu, with food specials every day.  Monday: Boneless BBQ rib sandwich. Tuesday: Hot Dog. Wednesday: Deluxe Pepperoni Roll. Thursday: Cheese sticks. Friday: Shrimp-n-Fry day. Each of these are at discounted rates.

Other items they have includes hoagies, sandwiches, wraps, hotdogs, corn dogs, fries, and chicken/fish baskets. You can also make a “basket” with sandwiches, meaning it comes with fries and a pop. Every time you order, the total comes to just a few bucks.

What's your favorite meal in the Mountainlair? I'm partial to a chili dog from the Side Pocket or maybe a gyro from Taziki's.