We popped in to use a gift certificate that I got for Christmas. It was a scorching hot day so a beer from Back Pocket sounded about perfect. This location is nicely situated in the heart of Johnston and offers a fantastic menu and a wide variety of house made beers and they even have some guest beers on tap. (nice touch). They have mini bowling here and the venue is a grand 2 story building with high lofted ceilings and huge rollup doors to let the outside in. But not today...to hot ! Why only 3 stars? We opted to sit at the bar, because that is what we do. After a while the bar tender finally took our orders, and honestly he was not busy enough from my perspective to warrant that long of a wait. After the initial pause (and honestly we did almost get up ad leave) He was decent enough but left us wanting a more attention the entire time. Moving on.... If you are not aware Backpocket originally started in Coralville and are the original sponsors of the Iowa Craft beer tent that follows along RAGBRAI. I have earned several shirts over the years! #earnedit. IYKYK. Today we were just after beers, but after we saw some of that fancy Mac and Cheese come out we decided to top off the bellies and share a bowl! So glad we did, the Honey Pepper Mac and Cheese is worth the calories and then some. DELICIOUS! Of course the beers were good as always. All in all a good experience and I hope the next time we visit the service is just a bit more hospitable. read more

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We were visiting from out-of-state and pretty impressed with the whole concept! Hostess wasn't very hospitable, but our server was great! We loved the food and the drinks! Cheese curds and fried pickles were amazing! The duckpin bowling was such a hit and the arcades are fairly priced and offered a wide variety of games for everyone! Casual and fun setting with clean amenities. Such a fun night and hope to be back soon! This would be a great place for a birthday party both for adult adults and for children! read more

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Only played duckpin bowling and drank here - here's my thoughts: The concept of the Johnston community hub here is SO awesome - I would have loved this when we were growing up! It's awesome to have multiple businesses in one spot that are centrally located. My family was staying at the hotel in this hub on a recent trip home, so this was walking distance and a great option for hotel goers and out of towners. The place is HUGE with some great amenities and decor! I didn't eat here, but they were able to accommodate ~12 of our family members and they shared service was good. We got a round of Old Fashioneds that were delicious, and played two rounds of their duckpin bowling. This was SO much fun and a really nice amenity to offer! It's so casual without having to rent shoes and do the big walk up thing that normal bowling requires. We had an absolute blast with this. It's great to have in Johnston for a date night, family outing, or company happy hour! read more

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Busy night with limited seating is a good problem but service at the bar is a little slow. There wasn't consistency in staffing. I think there was trivia happening but it wasn't explained and wasn't a priority, I could hardly make a drink order let alone ask a question. After the rush we were able to order an appetizer. The brisket was good but the fries were cold, so not a great display of service tonight. The space is large and open so it does get loud. It's good for a group as table settings are bigger tables. The game section looks fun and if there is a next time, maybe we will give them a try. read more

Backpocket Pin & Pixel - $4.50 flights on Wednesday - Breweries Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

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Wednesday are the day to come- if you're a beer fan--flights are half-price. I'm certain I was undercharged the most recent time I was in here--the entire flight was $4.50. $9 doesn't seem like much to charge for five beers. Perhaps I'm mistaken (and I'll take it), but want to throw it out there as a warning so no one thinks I'm posting #fakenews. They certainly have beers for every taste--orange creme ale and the Forever True are two of my personal favorites. I would skip the food. I've had the pizza, tacos, and chips/dip and all have seemed a bit off. It's hard to put your finger on it--but the chips seem to be more of a pita/tortilla hybrid. Maybe it would be better with some tzatziki or hummus, but serving salsa or elote corn dip doesn't seem very suitable with them. I've never had an issue with service here--the bar staff has always been friendly and responsive. Stay for the beer, go down the street to Flame or China Cafe first for dinner. read more

Backpocket Pin & Pixel - Beer flight w/flight card - Breweries Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

They messed up one order, long long wait for another, and they were out of multiple items. Nice atmosphere but the service was bad. We rarely saw our waitress and she was confused a lot of the time. Food was decent but service was very bad read more

It was not busy at all when we came on a weeknight. We were seated right away and then it took awhile for anyone to come up and get us menus and then to take our order. We started with cheese curds and they were alright. Then I ordered a pepperoni pizza with hot honey. I enjoyed the pizza. Everyone else seemed to like their food as well. We didn't try out anything from the bar or do any activities, but there seems to be plenty to do here inside and out when it is nice. They had fire pits, patio chairs, booths, inside bar, many arcade games, and duck pin bowling. Seems they also have trivia and a beer group to be apart of. Overall, service could be better but I should come back when it's nice out and get the full experience. read more

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A beautiful building in the Johnston area. The building is on a busy Merl Hay and the perfect setting for a good time. We walked into the building and there is some roped offsides that direct you to wait so that you can be seated. Being a Thursday evening, we weren't expecting the crowd that was there. They were hosting a party and there was a big enough "after work" crowd that was enjoying the drinks. We "bellied up" to the bar. Tracy is bartending tonight and was very nice and informative. We went over all the options and got to try a couple things. I settled in on my sour and he got my husband onto another brewed beer. Tracy was very attentive and was helping anyone within moments of noticing them at the bar. We chatted with Tracy about food options and specials throughout the week. They have space to rent, and they cater to groups and parties. Then on top of the renting of the space they and drinks and food. They have duckpin bowling. We didn't partake that night but it was fun to see. We also wandered over and checked out the arche that was tucked around the back. For not as big as it is, it has a lot going for it. We enjoyed our drinks and I think we will be back soon. read more

Backpocket Pin & Pixel - Breweries Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

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Service wasn't that great. Food was just alright. The menu looks good but when we got our food our appetizer was really the only thing we liked. We went on a Saturday afternoon & it wasn't too busy. Loud as to be expected atmosphere. The bowling was fun & cheap for what it is. The only downfall was having to wait for ball retrieval. I had higher hopes but worth checking out at least once, maybe you'll love it! They had a ton of beers on tap to choose from. Small bar seating available or booths/tables. Also has an arcade but we didn't check that out. Kids probably love it! read more

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Place is really fun. I love the bowling and gaming aspects of it. It's nice to have something like this right here in Johnston. It really brings the Town Center to life. Also, big fan of the Iowa State beer. Go Cyclones! read more

Food was fabulous bartenders were very helpful and knowledgeable. Menu is very varied and the great kids menu. read more

Now, this might just be a misunderstanding of the service industry as a whole..I don't know, seems pretty basic. Fist time in this place and it looks pretty cool, nice layout..a little above average of a beer place with games! Now I will say this was not a super busy night and there were a bunch of people walking around behind the bar and I sat at the bar so it all seemed pretty simple. I sat there for a bit...the one guy that seemed to be doing most of the orders at least acknowledge me..a while ago. There was a delay, I got a drink and ordered some food. Now, as I said there were a bunch of people behind the bar including some management people. The really interesting thing was they were all very busy, doing things, cleaning stuff..but oddly enough paying NO attention to the customers at the bar! My fish tacos were up in the window, cool. Well, for the next 15 minutes person after person walked past them...again, and again, and again! It was really quite bizarre ..in a slow kitchen someone should go "wow, those are still there"? A manger walking by for the 14th time would go, "hey, are these for someone"? No one did... After a bit the one guy that was doing most the drink orders (bartending work) asked me if I wanted a drink...Well, since you asked...15 minutes later..yes, please...and can you ask if those are my tacos in the window...for the last 20 minutes...Hmmm. At least I will say the heat lamps work well..I was f'in starving so I took a bite..tasted OK.. It seems so many palaces are filled with people doing a lot without knowing that..In the service industry you provide a service! If it's all good, the service , the food, the experience for the customer..everyone is happy. Not here! KT read more

Posted a review . But for some reason my review has been removed but picture still here. I've called state inspector due o no head coverings and health risk. Found a 5 inch hair in my hamburger. Cooks had no appropriate head coverings on. If u don't mind hair and scalp issues in your hair this is a great place eat! read more

Backpocket Pin & Pixel - Employee fixing your food. It's state law that all hair is covered including beards. - Breweries Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

We have been here a couple times. Both times during the day and with children. I was suprised at how slow it was on a chilly Sunday afternoon. This was a perfect spot for us to get out of the house, grab a bite to eat and have some fun. We have tried both the NY and Detroit pizzas and enjoyed them both. We have also tried the cheese curds, which were also delicious. They have a fun cocktail AND mocktail menu along with the Backpocket beers. I am so happy they bought the Blonde Fatale recipe from PeaceTree. The service has always been friendly. We enjoy the duckpin bowling. I think the adults enjoyed the classic arcade more than the kiddos, but they also had fun. An afternoon well spent. read more

4.67* (out of 5) Food: n/a Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4* Service: 5* 01/24/2023 Backpocket Pin & Pixel Stopped here to meet a friend after work this week and was impressed with the beers and the atmosphere. If that isn't enough to capture your attention, they also have an attached arcade area with lots of fun entertainment. The beer selection is good, it is served cold - and if you like sampling different beers, their beer Flight (see picture) is a pretty good value (5 samples for $9). This place is definitely worth a stop after work or for a casual stop out before or after dinner. The have a pretty good selection of 'Bytes'...so will have to try the food during a future stop. If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com read more

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If you want people to run into your chair, eat soggy gf pizza, over salted pickles, and, prefer kid size portions - this is your place! If so, please your baby at home. That baby will put you in the seven person party size and force placed tip for your crappy service and miss-ordered mini burger. Enjoy! read more

Great time with friends/family for an evening get together. Our server Carson was very attentive and efficient. Food was delivered hot and quick, stayed for a second round of drinks! read more

I have driving past this too many time so we finally stopped for a beer. I was in shock when I seen how awesome the food looked at other tables. I will be stopping back for happy hour specials as they seemed like a good deal most days. The bar tender was really nice and so was a couple of the beers they had on tap. I was really interested in duck pin bowling on my next trip back I hoping it will be with a few friends so we can try that out. read more

Backpocket Pin & Pixel - Pretzel stout is fun - Breweries Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

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Had the pizza bitesand a couple of beers. The service, beers and ambiance were all positive. Recommend!

Good food and fun to have arcade games and the bowling for an activity. Service was not the best at all and the waiter had problems answering questions about the food (such as how big the pizzas were or what drinks they had). They were also out of half of the kids menu items and we weren't told until we ordered and then the waiter would come back and let us know they were out. Overall a good experience and would revisit with the hope of having better service. read more

For sure go for a drink! Food, we give like a 2/10 - pizza was super thin & extremely oily. When I picked up my slice the oil dripped through my fingers. The pretzel bites had little to no flavor & tough, I thought the cheese would rescue it, but, it was so peppery it wasn't delightful either. We couldn't finish our steak tacos. They were super dry & I wish there had just been a sauce or something. I love pickled cucumbers & onions & it just fell short for me also. Drinks were incredible, games were so very fun & atmosphere was incredible to be in watching the bball games. A tip: When you first enter, you'll need to use QR codes for everything. It is wonderful you can keep a tab open, and you can see when you can make bowling. I think our wait was 117min, and we just kind of decided we weren't going to see that through. Maybe another time. You can have the host help seat you, you just have to be able to find them (and also scan another QR code to be on that list) While getting sat someone sat themselves in our location, so we had to go to our third seating option (totally okay, as that seems to be the norm) but, once sat we were on our own & you order food from your phone & pick it up yourself. A genuine question as someone who serves. What is the point of tipping at a place like this, and who am I tipping? I respect tipping on drinks because they still serve you them, however, on ordering & picking up my own food? Thoughts? read more

Backpocket Pin & Pixel - Breweries Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

Our bartender (Steven... Stephen?) and the ginger beer are the only reason this got to a 3, otherwise I'd probably give it a 2 for the beer and loud noise level. I stopped in here with some co-workers while on a work trip. We were looking for some type of brewery after going out for dinner, and this was nearby. It was a Tuesday night (Valentine's Day no less), so the place wasn't crazy busy but still had a decent traffic flow. There were couples clearly on a V-Day outing, some groups of friends (actual adults and a group that looked like maybe teenagers playing games in the arcade), some families with young children -- definitely seems like a good place for most group types. Their drink menu also had some "fun" non-alcoholic concoctions (butterscotch root beer?!). The space itself is visually really neat -- high ceilings, a bit of an industrial vibe coupled with subway tiles. The arcade is a bit separated in the back of the space. The bar is large enough where we could get spots so we didn't have to sit at a table. However, that type of construction doesn't lend itself to an already loud noise coming from arcade games. If you don't mind loud spots, no worries. But even with a smaller crowd it was still so loud it was hard to hear sometimes. I didn't know the place did the whole arcade vibe, so if I lived in the area then knowing this might indicate I should look elsewhere. But if you're into the retro game stuff, definitely check it out for that at least. I can't comment on the food as we came here right after dinner. The beer menu, however, was underwhelming at best. It was February (winter, snow, ya know) yet there weren't many dark beers on tap. Of the three, two had dessert and fruit type flavorings in them. In my mind, this is no longer beer. If I want dessert, I'll order a cake. I was willing to go with the high-alcohol imperial stout and just make that my only drink of the night, but Steven was kind enough to give me a sample... and it was terrible. I didn't like any of the beers my friends tried either. Since I was our driver I just decided I'd get a ginger beer. Oh my... I'd go back to this place for the ginger beer. This was the best ginger beer I've ever had. Perfection. As a warning, it is VERY ginger-y... which I love but another bartender mentioned he felt like it kind of burned as it went down (yes please!). It also wasn't crazy carbonated. I had three pints of it (I might have put a shot of tequila in one of them). If they'd been open the morning I was heading out of town I would have stopped in and asked if I could get a ton of ginger beer to go. So, overall, not my favorite place but it had enough redeeming qualities where I ended up enjoying myself despite my initial underwhelmed-ness :) read more

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Awful from all perspectives! They need to invest in their staff with training. Customer service. A sense of urgency to serve and making sure the chef has the food he needs to cook. Set them up for success! read more

All 6 of us enjoyed the food and drinks. Very good. The cheese curds were outstanding. Charlie was our waiter and he provided excellent service. He was friendly and attentive. Ambiance is a fun and festive. Will definitely go back. read more

I have always been a fan of Backpocket and haven't got to check out the Coralville location. I was pretty stoked to see there was one coming to Des Moines area. We started out by missing our turn and driving right by the place, but when we drove in the back way we noticed it could be a cool spot in the summer with the patio area and the windows that open up On-The-Go front and back. When we got inside we noticed it's a little crammed for the lines and video games in a busy day. I sampled some beers and decided on the strawberry shortcat sour and my wife- Bubby hazy Ipa ( both pictured) we also ordered some overpriced but good pretzel bites with beer cheese.(also pictured) me and my daughter checked out the games that were a good selection at $1 per play with a change machine. When we were playing the snowmobile game I noticed the sun was blinding through the window and I still got a high score! BOOM! I then ordered a cookie junkie desert stout that was really good. My wife observed the bathrooms are clean but cold. We will give it some time to get more than just core beers and overpriced food with sun glaring in the arcade but overall it was a good experience. read more

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Worst service and food we have ever had! I get it's a busy time and they might have been short staffed ( didn't seem that way with people literally standing in the kitchen). Cold food that we saw sit in the kitchen window for 15 min. Did NOT bus our table of glasses ( I did that!) and we had to ask to order another beer. We won't be back for quite awhile if ever. There are better places to spend money with better beer. Too bad because we always enjoyed the patio. But hey, breweries are a dime a dozen these days. read more

Service amazing! Drinks amazing! Quiet atmosphere in the day if you prefer to day drink. Logan was a super nice guy, friendly and knowledgeable about the drinks and quality if a good ginger beer to make the perfect cucumber mule. Most def will be returning! read more

Backpocket Pin & Pixel - Chips and beer cheese was ok! A lil salty but ok. - Breweries Near Me - Johnston, Iowa

Sat at the bar for 20 minutes without acknowledgment. Was able to flag someone down to order. Maybe we were supposed to go up and order elsewhere but there was no clear direction. Looked like bartenders had to double as servers, which seems to be making things less than great for customer experience. Ordered a flight, good beers and variety. Tried to order food using the printout, left on bar and someone finally grabbed it after 30 mins . I'd be okay with bringing it up to the kitchen(like at Big Grove IC) just to be able to ease the process for the bartender/server. The carnitas tacos were decent, not amazing but not bad either. Buffalo wings, my husband didn't like and said they tasted like anytizers, but I actually loved them and thought their outer crisp tasted like a chicken mcNugget. Cool atmosphere with garage doors that open for warmer times, unique decor, and fun games like duckpin bowling and arcade. Service needs to be figured out. read more

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I went to back pocket last night with the family and it was a great time. We shared cheese curds and a couple pizzas. we did the bowling and everyone had a great time. the kids played all the arcade games and the service was great. Charlie was our server he was very helpful and nice. Will definitely be recommending back pocket. read more

We were excited to check the place out but when we arrived it was disappointing. You walk in and immediately you are at a line to the counter to order a drink. There is no table service and only one bartender. So it took a 1/2 hour in line to get a drink and when you are ordering it says the bartender will tell where to sit. There were no open table so we were relegated to the street patio. We were the only people out there along with the extreme sun that was beating down on us. The inside was super loud but that was to be expected but what wasn't to be expected was the self service concept and people who were not watching their children. Probably won't be back anytime soon unless it is a private party. read more

I would say this is a pretty cute idea. It's definitely super loud and busy; it seems like the staff can be a bit overwhelmed. I would say skip the food and have a drink. Maybe play shuffleboard or a game of bowling if you're able to fry on the list. I would skip skee-ball because I saw the machines being pounded on a bit to get the balls to return. Time Crisis 5 is fun though; I didn't even know that existed! read more

Went here on a Friday night and it was very busy. We choose to sit on the patio as they had immediate seating. They didn't offer table servers outside. We only had drinks and the beer was good. read more

We had waited a year or better for time to go here and looking forward to it. CONS: Bar area looked like a great place to watch a game, ambience was pretty nice. My wife and I had fun in the arcade. But unfortunately that's where it ended for us. Cons: You have to order everything by phone, pay by phone, no establishment interaction. You expect great food from a brew pub, and the burgers we passable but not great. The fries were absolutely cold. We did have a young man deliver our drinks and he was pleasant, but I've never had a nixed drink served with NO ice before. Of course, had there been table service I might have said something, but at least this way everyone else knows what they might encounter? We were really disappointed! Perhaps stick to the appetizers and beer and you might be safe. CONS; read more

Super fun. Great for when I took my 13 yr old. Family friendly and drinks, which is the best of both worlds. Food we ordered was very tasty.

We had a super fun time here on St. Patrick's Day. The waiters explained the process of ordering very well. Some in our group ordered food. We all ordered beer. The one area that needs improvement is having a description of the beers on their toast tab app. Great place for groups and families. read more

Interesting experience. We weren't sure what to expect, but we wanted to take the kids and try it out. You seat yourself, and you also have to order on your phone. We weren't sure how the food was going to be delivered since it wasn't specified. We did eventually ask the table next to us how food would be delivered, and they confirmed that we would have to pick it up ourselves. Our drinks we ordered from the bar, while we had the kids pass around the phone and plug in out order, so we essentially had two separate bills, both paid when the ordering was finalized. We did add 18% gratuity to both tabs, not realizing that this was a self serve establishment. Normally, I would be appalled to tip so little. As someone who has worked in the service industry, I very rarely tip less than 40%. I realize this is not the norm, but anyone in the service industry will completely understand why I choose to tip the way I do. I support the service industry, and I support the cash industry (I hate using my card and prefer to never tip on a card, money should not lose value and cash is the only currency that does not lose value). So, our order has been placed and paid for with an initial 18% tip, with the idea was that we would leave a cash tip at the end. After having talked to the table next to us, we realized we would be our own servers. When the food was finally ready, my daughter and I approached the pick up window to retrieve our dinner. While attempting to take our food to our table, I was approached by an irrate woman saying "Are finally bringing my food to my table! You're the slowest server I have ever seen!". At first I was a little confused, and double checked the ticket. Sure enough, my name and my table. I apologized to the lady and explained this was my food that I had purchased. She then went on to accuse me of not serving her......me....a customer. At this point I just took the food to my family and tried to have a nice dinner. Easier said than done. No plates were provided, and no napkins were provided. We went to the bar to retrieve napkins, which we used to serve our family of 5 the pizza and wings we ordered. The food was decent. Not overly priced, but also not exceptional. Plates would have greatly improved our experience. Being yelled at by other patrons was also not ideal. Management really needs to be more proactive in creating a better dining experience. I'm also a little confused at why tips are expected when you don't actually receive any sort of service from the staff. Not sure we will be back, but if we do come back, at least we are now aware that this establishment is self serve and to expect other patrons to be angry that you aren't there to serve them. read more

AMAZING! i wish I could give more stars for quality of service, kindness, and overall midwestern hospitality were exceeded here! My fiancé and I are out of towners from Minnesota and Wisconsin. staying close to the area we decided to check this place out. we were happily greeted by the bartender Timothy (Tim) and company. they are amazing! gave us great recommendations for the area, told great stories, and just overall amazing people! Adding on to a super fun beer and mix drink choices with fire pits in the summer for a crew of you want. A perfect spot to sit down, have a beer, and have something (drink, or activity) for everyone. we could not have been more happy with our choice and it was just amazing!!!! whenever we are in the area again we will make sure to be back!' read more

I had my son's birthday here and reserved a large area for the party with indoor and patio space. The party area worked well for our large group, ~90 guests, half divided with kids and adults. The space was composed of tables, booths, and one side of the bar was available for our party. The space was reserved for 3 hours with a 30 min buffer time before and after for decoration set-up and clean up which I utilized. The pricing is very reasonable from the space reservation perspective. The event coordinator was easy to work with, communication was great with several exchanges through email. I confirmed my food order and beverage/bar preferences through email. With a large party for our bar orders, I selected a ticketing system to limit what beer and alcohol orders ended up on my tab, they are pretty flexible with how to handle bar orders. They had several food options and I opted for one of the buffet options with some appetizer, platters, and pizza order additions. The chicken wings and tacos were tasty. The wings had a variety of sauce flavors and the pork tacos were pretty delicious. They recently changed their 'pretzel bites' from when they originally opened, the newer ones were not as tasty and looked like the Pretzilla brand bites that you can find at the grocery store. The sliders were not the best, as the meat was pretty dry. The pizzas were a hit with the kids. I was allowed to bring a birthday cake for my son as the only dessert option they have are churros. I also reserved two lanes of duck pin bowling for our party, with the kids enjoyed. There were several times where the bowing balls got stuck and the workers were very helpful retrieving the balls. The kids enjoyed the arcade and the games only take quarters. I brought a stash of quarters for our party and let guests know to bring more if needed. There's an ATM and two change machines near the arcade as well. It would be nice to have party packages for the arcade. When Bockpocket first opened, several games were out of order because the games were filled up with quarters. During the party, we only encountered it once and a worker as able to help one of our kids to get the game to function. The parents enjoyed watching the Iowa vs Iowa State game on several of the screens near the bar. It would be nice to have other screens available on the walls and not just above the bar. Overall, I would consider hosting another large party at Backpocket. There was plenty of space and both kids and adults were able to enjoy themselves. I would stray away from the sliders when ordering from their catering options, and it would have been better if they had more pitchers available for drinks. We had to order individual drinks for all, including lemonade and root beer for the kids at our party. Backpocket should be considered when anyone is planning an event. Service was great, environment was enjoyable, and food was good (depending on the item). read more

Fun date night place. Lots of kids so if you're trying to avoid that show up later in the evening. Needed one or two more dedicated bartenders, when it got busy service couldn't keep up. read more

This is our second try at Backpocket. We were ready to give them a second try. The first try was in the first few weeks of the opening. The first time the ordering system was not in place and the beer menu was small. This time we came out for the Oktoberfest event. The event was sort of off. Only four beers were available out at the beer tent. None of the selections were even remotely German style beer. There was a food stand serving extremely over cooked and old pretzels. There were also tv and games. I really think people need a better idea of Oktoberfest celebrations before they try it at their establishments. Otherwise it's just disorganized drinking and not fun and neighborly. I will try Backpocket again sometime in the future. read more