Welp, can't say I'm too impressed in my first visit here. I have been trying to spread my visits to the newer places here during my third visit to El Paso.
I had read about this place, and had been excited. Reading through some of the previous comments, I had some pretty high hopes for the locale.
Here are my initial impressions, firstly, they do not have a drink menu. Which sucks. A place like this should have a twist on some classics or even a different take on some of the alcohol offerings. Make it a different place than your run of the mill bars.
The draft beer selection, at least today kinda sucked. Nothing you couldn't get at your local supermarket, so that kind of Knicks out the craft beer crowd.
Next would be the food service. So... They have an arrangement with another company, I guess, that serves their food. I looked at the menu, and besides a burger, you've got some twists on regular local offerings. Not too bad I suppose.
I ordered the pulled pork torta and homemade chips. The sandwich was tasty. A bit messy, which may or may not be a bad thing, pending your tastes. Sucked the waiter forgot to bring me utensils, but Thats minor. The barkeep brought some out to me. The chips left a lot to be desired. They were soggy with the oil they were cooked in. I was hoping for crispy chips, but the only ones that fit that bill were a couple of the burnt ones. (Maybe I should have specified?)
What ticked me off was that I was sitting at the outside bar. I saw the previous reviews that spoke of the pungent smells indoor (spot on) and figured despite it being a little cold, I could weather the weather with a couple of beers and warm right up with the food.
Well, as I was eating, some fella that worked there, who sported a high top or whatever, sparks up a cigarette, behind the bar, but outside, irregardless of the fact that I am eating.
Now, I just came from Cali, so maybe my sensitivity to this type of stuff is a bit much, as they actually have firing squads waiting for you at the door of you were to pull this kind of stunt, but I don't think it's too much to expect the help to consider a patron's eating experience and bearing the cold a bit if the nicotine itch is too much to handle.
In layman's terms, I didn't appreciate the cigarette smoke included in my lunch. All in all, not the best of experiences. Maybe my expectations were a bit high, but I've had better experiences at nearby establishments.
I'll give this place another chance, during another time, but two stars is what it earned for me.
** had to edit as I forgot to talk about the ambiance. Pluses for the music selection, the decor, and the patio. Really liked what the patio could be. Wish the rest of what I reviewed would live up to the decor. Names of the place and all made this place intriguing. read more