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| - Yard House is struggling with a serious identity crisis; it doesn't know whether or not to pretend it isn't a chain restaurant. My major issue with Yard House is that is tries to cleverly hide its corporate roots, but doesn't accomplish that task in major areas. Sure the decor is hip and they have craft beer, but there are three major drawbacks for me: an overly large menu, overpriced food, and striving to please too many demographics at once.
The menu is overwhelmingly large, and while I enjoy the super big list of beers, even that became intimidating. I'd prefer a more condensed menu, especially for food, so I didn't have to spend an hour with the menu like a 90-year-old woman at Applebee's. I know other people really enjoy the super long beer list, but I was hoping for more beer flight options with such a variety. I am not a large beer snob, so having to pick one beer out of 100 is quite a task.
The food isn't bad, but it definitely isn't worth the price tag. I ordered the pork dip sandwich that came with fries and a red pepper au jus. The sandwich itself was alright, but the fries were horrible. Imagine Steak-N-Shake fries, but without the delicious seasoning and pepper sauce to drown away your sorrow. With a $14 price tag, I expected better than frozen string fries. My SO ordered the cheese curds appetizer, and while they weren't bad, I've had better at fast food restaurants.
Lastly, what is this place? A chain restaurant that caters to families, a sportier Cheesecake Factory, or hipster date spot? I think Yard House needs to stop trying to please everyone. The interior of the restaurant screams upscale, but with TVs blasting and children running past tables, it felt like more like a sports bar. Overall, Yard House isn't a bad option if you're in the area, but it just isn't worth the price or wait time.
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