Captain Black’s is a strange duck. Its motto is “Eat, Drink, Pillage,” but except for a few ship’s-wheel chandeliers, the pirate theme is pretty poorly executed. In fact, the small space merely has that low-key DIY vibe you’d expect on the Hill, with a few wooden booths and tables and some bar seating. It’s bookended by two great decks, however, which get packed when weather allows.

The menu bears no relation to the pirate theme, either—where’s the rum and rat’s meat?—and it’s short on real Cajun cred, but it offers some Southern comforts like decent fried fish po’boys or chicken and waffles. The latter is the best dish on this menu: it’s done with a plump, juicy chicken breast with the wing attached; the batter has a crunch that registers on the Richter scale, while its accompanying waffle is jazzed up with sweet, orangey butter and a ramekin of real maple syrup. Together they’re wonderful—the citrusy sweetness of the waffle puts out the heat of the chicken. Otherwise, stick to the list of excellent snacks: fried cheese curds (using Beecher’s cheese), hush puppies, fries with spicy aïoli.

Captain Black’s other signature is the Captain’s Tea (sweet tea-infused vodka, lemon, and soda water). This potent concoction is dangerously easy to drink. There’s also a good selection of whiskies, and a few curiosities like Peroni on tap.