Anton's Taproom Restaurant

Let's start off with this: the atmosphere is awesome.  Love the 'green' part of the business and that they have a little deli and bakery.  

We went in for Happy Hour to celebrate my sister's birthday.  The Happy Hour specials weren't posted anywhere, so we asked our server.  She stumbled thru the specials, missing a few things we'd seen online.  When we asked about them, we were told that they were out of a few menu items because of a new chef.  We had to ask several times for water and a few other items, which is always frustrating.  When we went to tab out, it took at least 5-10 minutes.  One of my biggest pet peeves of dining out is not being able to leave when I'm ready.  

We tried the fries and the friend pickles.  Both were good, but nothing special.  Typical bar food, but not what you would expect from a place like Anton's.  The drinks were nothing to write home about - totally something you could get somewhere else.  The only reason I would return to Anton's is to sit in their little backyard area.  And hope for better service.

My husband and I went there tonight -- the reviews hadn't been great, but we decided to give it a chance.  We were very pleased with our experience there.  They have a new executive chef who is passionate about the restaurant and the concept.  I had the tilapia which was fabulous and my husband had the pork burger and we were both very happy.  To those of you who have had less than desireable experiences, I urge you to try it again.

I give up!  I want to like this place much more than it wants to like me.  I'm not going to force it anymore, I'm going to count my loses and wish them well.  Anton's has been the most inconsistent business I have had interaction with in years.  Everything from the front of the house service, to the bar, to the food, to the service.  It has been a different experience on all six visits.  Once I figured out it was a "seat yourself" establishment, it then turned into a "check in with the host" type of place.  Items from the menu and the bar have not always been available.  The service has been everything from sweet to bitter.  It's a great space, a great concept and a great menu, but I'm done waiting for them to actually execute all of these things on a consistent basis.  Done.