What we had:
My DH had the Big Boy Prime Rib Sandwich. Although the sandwich wasn't as good as Yard House, it wasn't bad at all. The jus, however, was a watery embarrassment.
I had the Fondue & Mushroom Burger, which came out cooked to shit & dry, but still edible. A subsequent visit made me realize that you can order your burger cooked to taste. Had that been mentioned, I might not have gotten a hockey puck. Duly noted. The side of broccoli I got instead of fries was great.
On said subsequent visit, we had: the fresh pretzel appetizer, which was awesome and is not to be missed; the bacon Mac & Cheese, also great; and a big chicken salad, which even though topped with a smattering of bacon & egg may be the healthiest thing on the menu and was pretty good.
Décor:
This place knows its primary demographic (the 20-30 something testosterone fueled beer drinking set) and isn't afraid to cater to it heavily. Think Tucker Max from "I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell"... over the top & larger than life but somehow still working well.
The menu is loaded with attitude and "man food" callouts, and the walls are lined with alcohol-related sayings like the one bridging the fireplace to the kitchen door: "We're not here for a long time...we're here for a good time. Booyah!"
I would be utterly amiss if i didn't mention the plethora of attractive (long-haired, mainly well endowed and tattooed) waitresses in tiny shorts and tight tops.
Seating is ample and varied with 6 separate styles: outdoor patio that opens to a large wraparound bar, high top tables, a "rec room" area with big screen and couches, really comfy couch booths, and regular booths & tables in the back.
During both of our visits to Brick House over the weekend--once for lunch and once with a beer afficianado for dinner--we saw families and older people eating here as well. The target demographic was heavily represented, but the families were an interesting touch.
Service:
Friendly and helpful with menu suggestions.
Overall impressions:
The atmosphere is more fun than the other beer-centric joint I can think of, Yard House, and the service is way better ( at least it's better than Yard House's Gulfstream Village location, which is always fairly terrible), but the food isn't nearly as good. More than just a place to grab a beer & a bite, they're selling a lifestyle here. Something along the lines of "Eat here, and become more than you are. Be that hard charging Type A guy you see in the movies & on TV, instead of the suburban Fort Lauderdalian you are." this should be obnoxious, but for some reason it wasn't. Maybe it was the lack of Affliction tees & trucker hats.
I would rather drink with friends and eat appetizers at Brick House, but eat a dinner of slightly-elevated American sports bar comfort food at Yard House.
A note of warning for the fat and calorie conscious: this place may not be for you. I had a real hard time choosing between the lesser of 2 evils both times I ate here, even with a salad.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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