Hamburger Mary's Returns!

Several years ago, i had a birthday party @ the original Hamburger Mary's on Karaoke night. It was one of the most fun, flamboyant and entertaining birthday's i have had, and i was totally blown away by the crowd and energy flowing through it (and the karaoke was SERIOUSLY good). When Hamburger Mary's turned into the Universal Grille, i really didn't see much of a shift in decor or menu items and didn't see a change in clientele either. It basically was the same place but with a different name. The food there never really impressed me - in a town full of good burger joints, it was just mid-grade food and i wouldn't classify the menu as much more than pretty good bar food. Maybe i just didn't get adventurous enough with the menu, but what i always thought was the biggest asset of the restaurant (whether it was HM's or UG) was the bar there. I remember getting good drinks and enjoying some awesome people watching, but always wondered whether there was ever a strong lunch crowd that would go there during the work week.
When UG closed, i was sad - it was yet another restaurant downtown that was no longer a dining option - but the past 6 months or so, it has been in transition as a new owner has worked to revamp the menu and decor and re-open it. The restaurant portion of the revitalized Hamburger Mary's opened last week, and though i was out of town this past weekend i am hopeful that they had strong crowds from the various events around town this weekend. Below is more info on what's ahead for the restaurant - i'll be sure to review their menu before commiting to dinner, but will certainly go there for happy hour with friends once the bar opens and works out all the service kinks that invariably occur. If you go, please feel free to post your thoughts on the "new" Hamburger Mary's.

Hamburger Mary’s reopens downtown
Business Courier of Cincinnati
Hamburger Mary’s, the casual eatery known as much for its live-and-let-live atmosphere as for its creatively named fare, will reopen tonight under the stewardship of a Chicago-based partnership.
Franchisee Mary Onken, a Chicago attorney, will open the doors of its original site on Vine near Ninth Street at 5 p.m. It will be managed by Gail Marlow, who studied music at Xavier University and relocated to Cincinnati to run the restaurant.
Onken pledged that Hamburger Mary’s will remain true to the original concept, but with a few added menu items and with more entertainment, including music students. The restaurant was well known and popular for its kitschy decor, lighthearted menu and gay-friendly atmosphere.
The Vine Street location had changed concept several years ago, becoming the Universal Grille when its franchise agreement expired. The Universal Grille closed in 2008.
Hamburger Mary’s master franchise is owned by Ashley Wright and his identical twin, Brandon, who also operate Hamburger Mary’s Chicago.
The downtown location will begin serving lunch on July 29 and be open seven days a week. But the main bar, called Dirty Mary’s, is still under construction and expected to open in a month or so.