“You get a lot of regulars?”

“We know most everybody.”

And they’re all greeted by a life-sized (leaner days) Elvis at the door. The regulars are used to intimations of Elvis in other ways, too: posters, deviled eggs, Memphis-style BBQ…the theme is evident without being oppressive. We like that. We also like that 50-50 offers reasonably priced appetizers—despite generosity (the less-lean Elvis) being another leitmotif. But we dislike “Elvis’s Deviled Eggs” in actual fact; they are prettily piped and hit with a dusting of cayenne, but there is little underlying flavor.

Bands are another theme, starting at 9:30. But even earlier, the bar-dining room is lively with twenty- to sixty-somethings. The house’s unique burgers are rectangular in shape; the meat has good, char-grilled flavor; and the signature “El Jefe” combination with pico de gallo and blue cheese crumbles really works. But the surprise isn’t that crumbles aren’t evil, but rather that the Shiner Bock-battered onion rings are eye-popping. As wrinkled as Shar-Pei puppies and almost as large, size was the major virtue, as the batter hadn’t cooked all the way through.

We don’t know about Elvis and banana pudding (we do know about fried PB&B sandwiches), but 50-50’s version is right on target with ‘nilla wafers, a sturdy pudding and fresh bananas. Not great, but better than a hound dog.

“Be sure to come back,” she said.