Eric B.
Yelp
The offbeat location - a back road lined with industries - heightened our anticipation of a unique experience. The entrance is actually located at the rear of the building. Signs directed us to check in at the bar. No reservation? It was early, so there was no problem. A congenial host explained how their cashless contactless ordering system works. Once seated, you scan a QR code on the table to open a ToastTab page. You browse the menu, order your meal, and pay your check through this site. This worked for me, but what do you do if no one in your party has a smartphone?
Service was rudimentary at best. Runners ferried food and beverages from the bar and kitchen to our table. Period. They didn't check back to see if we needed anything else. We did a couple times, and it took some waving to flag down roaming runners. Personally, after 15 months of pandemic lockdown, I crave more interaction with servers.
A remarkable variety of beers is offered onsite. I ordered a "Tap 15 - 16oz Fresh IIPA V51 (Hazy IIPA)." Wow. This juicy thirst-quencher deserves some sort of award.
Hot dang, the meaty & smoky dry-rub BBQ ribs are comparable to Smoque's but come off the bone easier. These were accompanied by thick, tangy BBQ sauce, a bite of pucker-worthy vinegary slaw, and house-made pickles. The Missus and I added some sides. 5 stars for the amazingly good smoked sweet potato, which we haven't seen anywhere else; 4 stars for the mac & cheese, very good but not the best; and 3 stars for the corn bread, bread-pudding-ish consistency and a bit too savory. We had hoped to sample a house-made dessert, but at present the only desserts on the menu are grocery store-style ice cream bars.
The crowd was youthful and it was fun to soak in the mod steampunk ambience. A large patio beckons, but we chose to avoid the blazing sun and dine indoors in view of the gleaming brew tanks.