Steamworks Pub on the New Port Richey Promenade
My wife and…read moreI have been working our way through the downtown New Port Richey restaurant scene, and on Friday night we stopped at Steamworks Pub on the newly renovated promenade just off Main Street.
The place is smaller than it first appears, though the front patio gives it a more spacious feel. Inside, there is a narrow bar with about 15 seats and four high-top tables along the walls and windows. The setup has an old-school pub feel, with shelves of bottles behind the bar and several big-screen TVs for the sports crowd.
We were greeted by Scott, who was serving as both bartender and server. Great name... hes wearing the "WTF Scott" tee shirt pictured. I didn't ask. He was friendly, offered good suggestions, and made me a very tasty Buffalo Trace Manhattan. My wife went with a draft beer, and the service got the evening off to a strong start.
Following Scott's recommendation, I ordered the Drunken Shrimp Mac and Cheese. He promised four shrimp, but the dish arrived with five, which earned him a "WTF Scott"? And and a fist bump. My wife chose the chop steak hoagie, and that was a winner as well. We ended up taking home half the hoagie and a portion of the mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was not especially traditional--it was more like pasta in a loose, cheesy sauce with a texture closer to tomato sauce--but it was still tasty. The hoagie was especially good, with a soft bun that held the meat, mushrooms, and onions together well.
One drawback is the amount of underused space near the bathrooms and rear hallway, though making better use of it would probably require a costly renovation. Even so, the patio was busy, the atmosphere was very casual, and both the food and service were solid. Our total came to a little under $50 before tax and tip, although the roughly 3% credit card surcharge is always an annoyance.
Overall, Steamworks Pub is a super-casual spot with good food, friendly staff, and reasonable prices. It is definitely worth a try.