Paul B.
Yelp
Went to this relatively new venue last night for the first time to see a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young cover band appropriately called 4 Way Street. As this is only the 5th review of the place, I will try and dig in to some of the nitty gritty details since it became clear to me during the course of the evening that many patrons there didn't know the lay of the land as is no doubt the case for many who are reading this who've never been there.
Immediately upon entry, a bouncer type will demand $10 per person as a cover charge in exchange for a stamp of the hand. This must be paid in cash. No adding the fee to a tab.
The place is large with the seated area taking up only about 30% of the total space. It is understood that the majority of the patrons will be standing to watch the music with libation in hand. It creates a good vibe and adds to the energy. If you want a table (and note that tables are located in the choice viewing area), there is a two drink minimum per head).
We arrived at 7 which was the time that the band was to go on. We saw this as a great feature of The Warehouse. Many music venues (such as KJ Farrells who we understand have common ownership with this place) don't get the music cranking until 10PM. But a lot of people like me (read middle aged) are hoping that our evening is starting to wind down by 10 and not just getting started. The early starting time also allows the patrons to have dinner while drinking their minimum which makes the evening a bit more fullsome.
As for the food, we weren't expecting much. The menu isn't very extensive and is pub fare. I had a glimpse of the menu on line and was hell bent on the Warehouse Burger which was a burger on a garlic roll with bacon, mozzerella and onion straws. My wife got the chicken kebob which came on a flat bread. My burger was solid. Not nearly the best I ever had but better than I expected. Fries were as expected (frozen but serviceable). My wife said the kebob was average. Reasonably fully meated (not all chicken but with the usual accompanying things on the skewer). Once again, exceded expectations. You're not here for the food and I consider it a victory when a place like this can give you a satisfying meal while providing the benefit of a kickin live band. I also liked the logistics of the billing process. They grab your credit card upon ordering. The waiter checks in every half hour or so. When you ask for the bill, he brings you a copy of the receipt so that you can agree everything before he puts it through the machine. This is a good practice because it's loud in there with the music and they don't want a negotiating session after they've gone to the machine.
Perhaps the best news of the evening were the prices. Our expectation was that we would be ripped off. You expect it at a music venue. Here, the Warehouse Burger which was pretty loaded was $16 bucks (a plain burger would have been $14). Wife's kebob was around $12. Beers were $7 and best of all, sodas for the designated driver were just $3 bucks. If this were a straight up restaurant I would have said the value was ehh. For a music venue like this, that's really good value.
Other factoids:
About half of the table tops rest on large wide barrels which impair leg room significantly. This was a surprising bummer. Perhaps the reason was that they add to stability in case a tipsy patron dances a little out of control or starts to lean a little to heavily on the table.
While it was apparent to me that the sound technicians had a good core competency (which one would expect given the owner's experience), there were a few kinks to be worked out the night we went. The first band (4 Way Street) played one song and then took a 40 minute break while a sound problem was rectified. As we were having a good time, we decided to stay for the second band as my wife was told that the change over should take about 25 minutes. It wound up taking a lot longer than that as there was a problem with the sound from the bass. Don't know how often this sort of thing happens.
Though the tables have the best viewing area, that didn't stop the stand up crowd from invading the space and standing up on a direct line of our view to the stage. The tables are high tops which helps a bit. Most patrons are respectful but some feel it is their right to set up in the very front and dance all night. A 2 or 3 foot higher stage would go a long way to making for a better viewing experience.
