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| - Sure, it's a chain, but when a restaurant has a list of over 100 beers on tap there's a pretty damn good chance that I'll find myself there at some point. That point was a few weeks back on a random Wednesday evening around 5:30. No crowds, instantly seated. Just the way we like it. Yes, parking is a pain in the ass. You will probably have to park way in the back in the garage and actually walk your lazy ass to the restaurant. Get over it. It's probably the most exercise you've had in years.
Grab the door handles - playfully shaped as yards of ale - and swing them bad boys open. Don't be surprised if you're assaulted with a nearly maniacal greeting by several hosts and/or hostesses. We were. Joker-like grins, forced, friendly and a bit creepy all at the same time. Dial it back, folks. Another thing you'll notice pretty quickly is how large and open the space is. A huge bar is the centerpiece, high ceilings, dark wood, bigass booths large enough for a party of 8, flatscreens hung everywhere. It's a bit loud, too, so intimate isn't exactly a word I'd use here. It has a sort of upscale Applebee's feel to it. Not bad, just does.
Our server was very, very friendly. Almost schmoozy. I suppose I'd rather have this than most of the near apathetic service you'll find about town. He quickly informed us that it was still happy hour for the next 30 minutes. A nice list of specials feature some of their most popular dishes, scaled down size and price-wise, along with drink specials. Discounts vary by the type of beer, so be sure to ask your server if you're interested. Speaking of beer, if you can't find something you like on their massive beer list (ask for a sample if there's something you're not sure about), you're probably a wine drinker. And they've got plenty of wines to choose from as well. If you're a craft beer geek, get thee to Yard House. For beer alone, they're a solid 4 stars.
The menu is exactly like the beer list - big. Don't believe me? Head to their website. You'll be scrolling for what seems like an hour. Burgers, tacos, pizza, some wierd meat substitute called Gardein, seafood, steaks, chicken, ribs. It just goes on and on. It reminded me a bit of Cheesecake Factory in breadth and depth. My fellow Yelpers have deemed this place "pricey" but I challenge with "compared to what?" Sure, most of their appetizers will set you back $10-12 each and if you're looking at entrees get out that plastic. They'll hit you for about $20 a piece. I wouldn't call this outrageous, but if you're used to Steak 'n' Shake, it might come as a bit of a shock.
So, the food. This is where it fell a bit flat for me. Admittedly, I'm a picky bastard, and given their behemoth menu is, our selections are a mere fraction of the total, so there's that. I was just a bit disappointed with some with the items we ordered. For a starter, we opted for the happy hour portion of fried calamari. It was tasty, but overcooked. They also fry lemon slices along with the squid. Weird. And beware. That white aioli they serve with it packs some serious heat. It's loaded with jalapeno peppers. This is not mentioned on the menu.
Next fail The deviled eggs. Who in their right mind destroys perfectly good deviled eggs by slathering them with spaghetti sauce? It's just not done, people. The eggs themselves were great and the slightly sweet bacon pieces a delight. But c'mon. Tomato sauce? Moving on. Moo Shoo egg rolls. Deliciously fried, filled with pulled chicken, cilantro, chili cream cheese. And that sweet peanut dipping sauce? Great beer drinking food. The mixed field greens salad was also very good - just the right amount of dressing, fresh, crispy, leeks are a nice touch.
For entrees I went with their seasonal pork chop special and my wife the salmon kale Caesar salad. My wife thoroughly enjoyed her meal. The salad was loaded with fresh ingredients including shaved Brussels sprouts, crunchy pistachios, and sweet baby tomatoes. The salmon was grilled perfectly and seasoned well. My pork chop was overcooked, but tasty. The apple dipping sauce was a nice companion. The chop was served on a bed of roasted sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts, both of which were cooked unevenly.
Well, our first visit to Yard House proved a bit scattered. Service. Great. Beer list, stellar. Food. Some hits some misses a bit inconsistent. It was good, don't get me wrong and there are so many things on their menu that I'd like to try that I'm pretty sure we'll be back at some point. When is the real question.
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