'Good Tymes South' serves up good times, food, fun

LANCASTER, DEPEW - Do you have what it takes to eat three hamburgers, along with the sides of French fries? Sounds easy, right? Well, Good Tymes South has put the challenge on the table and out of 74 people who have tried, only two have succeeded.

Called the “Big Bang Challenge,” patrons choose any combination of three different burgers from the menu and must eat them and the fresh hand cut French fries in 44 minutes or less. Those who succeed receive a complimentary T-shirt, their name on the Big Bang Challenge wall, and the opportunity to design and name their own burger.

Owner of Good Tymes South, Rich Amoroso, said the burgers are 10 ounces, freshly grounded, and a lot of the burgers have additional items on them like roast beef, Canadian bacon, or ham, making the challenge a little more difficult.

Food challenges have become increasingly popular for restaurants across the country to draw in new customers and simply have fun, which is what Good Tymes South is all about.

“It is a fun, relaxing place to be,” remarked Amoroso. “People can enjoy cold cocktails and good food with friends. There really was no place anymore to go to enjoy a sporting event, with a sports bar theme, eat some food, and have fun with friends and others. So, I opened one.”

Good Tymes South opened Oct. 12, 2010 and so far Amoroso said it has been excellent.

“The customers that we get I think have a good time here,” commented Amoroso. “We strive to give them good homemade food at reasonable prices in a relaxed atmosphere. That’s what we do.”

All the food served at the restaurant is homemade and made to order.

“All our food is exceptional. So, it may take a bit longer to get, but it is worth it, because it is all fresh and homemade,” said Amoroso.

Known for its Friday fish fries, serving fresh haddock fish and homemade sides, and a variety of burgers, the Good Tymes South menu has something for everyone.

“People have told us we have the best burgers in the area,” said Amoroso.

The menu also offers sandwiches such as beef on wreck and tuna melt, as well as homemade, hand rolled, and made right in the kitchen, specialty rolls including pizza rolls, Jamaican jerk pork rolls, chicken Philly rolls, and Reuben rolls.

Amoroso said they will be coming out with a new menu and adding five more specialty rolls and adding sandwiches such as battered grilled cheese with tomato and bacon and a few other types of burgers.

“Over the last two years, I think we gained a solid reputation as being known for having good food, a fun atmosphere, and having a place to go to watch sporting events,” said Amoroso.

Looking outside of just his business, Amoroso is big on extending a helping hand to his neighbors. Back in 2010, they gave a huge donation of food to the Lancaster/Depew Food Pantry and he has provided support to the Lancaster/Depew Boys and Girls Club.

Also, Amoroso presented $10,000 to the Lancaster Educational and Alumni Foundation (LEAF) to fund implementation of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in Lancaster schools in 2011.

“I have young kids and the bullying problem is well publicized around the country,” said Amoroso. “I wouldn’t want to see my kids or any of their friends or any kids bullied. The program Lancaster wanted to put together was a top notch program so I supported it.”

Also, Good Tymes South sponsors about 25 to 30 local teams in sporting events throughout the year, as well as provides any help to the St. Mary’s High School football team if additional items are needed.

“We help out as much as possible,” said Amoroso. “It’s the right thing to do if you have the means to do it.”

Good Tymes South, located at 114 Bloomfield Ave., in Depew, opens at 11 a.m. every day of the week for lunch and closes around 2 a.m. On Friday and Saturday, the establishment is opened a little later. The kitchen stays open to midnight. To contact Good Tymes South call 684-5240.