Amazed at the decor and ambiance. Â I tried the the Bacon Wrapped Dates and Devil Eggs. Â So good! Â I also found out that they have a special on Tuesdays. Â They call it breakfast for dinner. Â So they serve Omelettes and Chicken Waffles for Dinner! Â Will definitely be coming back for that. Â If you're in the Martinez downtown area, definitely stop by here!
Review Source:FIRST VISIT BUT NOT THE LAST! Great find in Martinez. Â You can feel the "heart" that Arash puts into his place.
He keeps the servers on their toes. Â They work well with each other.
Barrel-Aged Manhattan very good. Â Scrimshaw on tap. Â I wish the coctails were 20% less expensive then I would have seconds.
Food is 4 star. Â Qualty ingriedients. Â Next time I will request my burger bun be less toasted than todays. Â Deviled-eggs were good but for $ they should offer 2 eggs not 1.5. Â Fries were good.
Its a place where they want to please, where they care what their products taste like and where they want you to be a regular. Â Pretty good attitude !
Great service, tasty food, good drink selection. Only gripe was the price of the appetizers I felt was a bit too high compared to the amount of food you get...$5 for 3 deviled egg halves (1 and a half eggs - really?) and $11 for fried green tomato. Don't get me wrong, it tasted good I just wish they had given us a bit more for the money. Burger and fries were great...will be back.
Review Source:Alan and I had lunch here today after an appointment at Kaiser Martinez. Â There's seating in an enclosed sidewalk patio, some booths just outside the entrance under cover and inside seating. Â We walked inside and were seated at a high table w/ tall swiveling stools w/ backs. Â They were more comfortable than the booth Alan tried out first. Â As we looked over the menus we were brought a couple of corn muffins w/ bourbon and honey butter. Â They were moist and delicious. Â Service was attentive, not just our server, but the others as well. Â It felt as if everyone was checking in on us.
Had we not had hamburgers for dinner last night at La Note we would have been tempted by their burgers, but as it was I went for the shrimp and grits and Alan went for the quinoa salad, which also came w/ shrimp. Â We ordered deviled eggs w/ bacon to start. Â Imagine my disappointment when our server returned to report apologetically that they didn't have shrimp. Â Alan had been flirting w/ the BLT as an alternative, so he was less dismayed. Â We could have had the grits or the salad w/ chicken or filet, but neither sounded good to me w/ the grits. Â However, the salad w/ filet sounded good so I ordered that while Alan had the BLT. Â We both had iced tea. Â I liked that our server checked whether we wanted lemon and brought his tea w/ lemon and mine w/o. Â When Alan's tea got low it was replenished. Â Water was also replenished and came w/o ice, although one of the other servers came by w/ ice, which we declined.
The deviled eggs arrived and I was surprised to see 3 halves on the plate for $6. Â I would have expected 6 halves for that price. Â They were very good, better than the ones we've had at T-Rex, nicely seasoned and w/ the piece of bacon standing up in the middle like a mohawk, but too expensive. Â It seemed to take a long time for our mains to arrive, but when they did, they were very good. Â The filet was beautifully cooked, sliced and arranged over baby lettuces on either side of a mound of quinoa mixed w/ chopped olives, cucumber and tomatoes. Â The lettuce was lightly dressed w/ vinaigrette. Â Once I broke apart the mound of quinoa and mixed it w/ the lettuce it was very tasty and the filet was wonderfully tender and flavorful. Â Alan liked his sandwich and the fries they came w/. Â The tastes I had were good. Â As we ate I listened in as the bartender gave one of the servers a tutorial on their wines, describing the characteristics of each varietal. Â After we finished eating and had paid I commented to him how I had enjoyed his descriptions. Â We discussed our wine preferences and he offered me a taste of their Merlot, which was delicious. Â It was a lovely thing for him to do and I appreciated it a lot.
Before I finish this review let me comment on the ladies room, which is small but immaculate and full of cool and useful things, like Q-tips and other grooming aids, a bowl of candies, an interesting retro ad and a plaque w/ a wise saying purportedly by Marilyn Monroe. Â I can't remember all the details now, but my impression was of a generous array of goodies for people's use and pleasure. Â It felt very hospitable. Â There's a pleasantly established feeling to the restaurant, largely conveyed by the age of the building. Â It was a very good lunch.
My BF and I had such hi hopes for this place. A nice seemingly sophisticated bar/restaurant in Martinez sounds good. But really this place did not live up to some of the hype.
We visited on a thursday night. The place was empty. We ordered two drinks to start, I, a mixed cucumber gin concoction and my BF a beer. Both were $10. After about 10 minutes finally drinks come out. My drink was tasty but super SMALL. Â We both felt are drinks were over priced.
Next our meals, I had the BLT and the BF had a grill cheese with tomato soup. Both came with fries. Â Both were asked if we wanted to pay extra for "spicy" sauce with our fries. UM no just bring ketchup.
While we wait for our meals the server brought us two tiny pieces of corn bread. The corn bread was nothing special. For all I know there could be a giant costco bag of corn bread back there. THis just seemed weird. Â I mean why bother.
okay so our food arrives. My BLT was very disappointing. I Â mean, cmon, anything with bacon should be good, right? Well they managed to find the most tasteless bacon ever. And the bread was stale. I tried my BF's grill cheese and though it was slightly better, the bread was also stale.
Both our meals came with fries. Nothing special about them...just fries.
My BF did not care for his tomato soup at all. He was convinced it was a can of campbells. Oh and the soup came with little hard as rocks crostini's. No seriously, what is up with the hard bread?
I wanted to send food back but my BF just wanted to get out of there given that there was a woman singing at the time to which he described later as "nails on a chalk board". I didn't mind the singing so much.
I gave this place a star because the server was kind and doing her best to answer our inquiries. Over all there this place was nothing special. We paid $60 for two bad sandwiches and two small alcohol drinks. I mean if I'm going to pay that much for two sandwiches, they better be awesome.
Lets start with the staff. The owner and his team are very, very, very approachable and personable. They go out of their way to ask you if you need anything else. I was here for the first time for a Yelp event and once I walked in, I was "wowed" to say the least.
They had the place looking like paradise. They cater as well as anyone in my book. Their barrel aged cocktails are also to die for. To. Die. For.
From what I remember them announcing, I think they have breakfast for dinner on Tuesdays that include chicken and waffles!! WHAT? Chicken and waffles, yes. This is real life.
If that didn't sell you, then I don't know what the meaning of life is anymore.
Not impressed with this place. Had it over the weekend. The drinks were gross. My boyfriend and I had the Peach Mule and the minty one, that tastes like you're drinking a straight plant. The Peach Mule had nothing peachy about it at all. It's wayyyy too overpriced for the food that they serve. So you're paying $15 for a dish of mac n cheese, you expect this mac n cheese to taste like no other. Wrong! The only saving grace was the bacon in it, which was $3 extra. There was no cheesy bite to the mac n cheese. And the portion size is definitely not what you pay for. It comes in a deep dish, small bowl. You would think for $15 this bowl would be monstrous.
The burger with the blue cheese was good,except it was alarmingly red in the middle. Not pink, but red. My boyfriend insisted it was cooked, but I would much rather eat food that isn't still moving.
The service was top notch though, we had the friendliest waitress with blonde hair and pink streaks. She knew I wasn't liking the Peach Mule very much, took care of me, and got me the Showstopper instead, which was OK. Way better than the Peach Mule.
The decor of this place is beautiful...very dark inside with dim lighting..nice outdoor seating...but we sat inside, and we were sweating bullets. It gets hot inside. I couldn't wait to leave.
This place has potential, management should work on ironing out some kinks though. My husband and I tried this place on Saturday night (6/29), there was live music. Â We first asked for seating inside but the heat and low lighting (we could not read our menu) changed our mind and we moved to outside.
Service: Needs some tightening. Â 2 waitresses on different occasions told us "I'll be right with you", but failed to come back. Â We waited for 10 minutes before finally getting a 3rd server to help us. Â One of the other servers seemed preoccupied with chatting with her friends that were having drinks/appetizers. Â It's not like they were busy when we got there, so not quite sure why the inattentiveness of the wait staff. Since it was a really warm night, you would think that the wait staff would be more efficient with checking on patrons water. Â We asked for water 1/2 way through our meal (asked 2 different wait staff) and got it after the bill came (one waitress brought it with ice the other waitress brought it without ice)
Cocktails: At first we asked our server for some recommendations, she didn't seem all that knowledgeable. Â I believe this is key when working in this type of environment. Â Management, take note that when your staff is knowledgeable and can make recommendations readily your sales will increase. Â
Drinks are made with fresh ingredients however the garnishes in both of our drinks (basil and mint), looked a bit tired, wilted and brown. Â
Food: We started with the deviled eggs that yelpers raved about, this seemed basic a deviled egg topped with a piece of bacon. Â It was ok, but would try a different appetizer next time. Â We also ordered the cheese tray. Â This needs work, first of all presentation sucked-whoever sliced the cheese did a crappy job, especially with the brie. Â It would also help if the wait staff explained the variety of cheeses on the tray when they serve it to you since it is not specified on the menu. Â
We also ordered the caesar salad and sliders. Â The salad was tasty but at room temperature so it did not seem the freshest, I tend to like my salads a little chilled, it seems more fresh. This way the patron doesn't feel like the salad was made early and sat on the line while the cook made the rest of the order. Â
The sliders, the meat itself was tasty, but the sliders seemed a little dry. Â Could use some type of condiment such as mayo or ketchup or mustard. Â
The drinks intrigued us enough to go back and give the waitstaff/food another try. Â Hopefully service is improved and consistent next time around.
I can't even express how long its been since I've had a meal that I would drive 200 miles for.
The Good:
-Amazing food. The quality is just superb, really nice presentation (wasn't expecting that), and the taste was spot on.
~Atmosphere. Very comfy booths, love the simple decor and how cozy the place feels.
~Service. Our waitress was bubbly, very knowledgeable and very friendly.
~The appetizers are worth it alone. Usually, the appetizers aren't anything to go gaga over, but the bacon wrapped dates blew my mind.
~The price! They could charge more and I would still come. It's crazy low for the quality of food and service they're providing.
~The drinks. Just like appetizers, blew my mind.
The Bad:
~A bit dark inside. Not really a negative, just a personal preference. Not enough of a negative to deter me from coming back.
Overall:
I live in Fresno and was only in Martinez to help a friend move, but I can safely say that I'll be visiting more often just to swing in to this restaurant.
The third star is for the staff, who are friendly, helpful and professional. Â
The food is hit or miss.
Am I the only person on earth who does not want everything wrapped in bacon, topped with bacon, or cooked in bacon grease? Â Enough already. Â I realize I'm in a pub that serves comfort food, but over-reliance on bacon shows a lack of creativity. Â Oh, and news flash for the person who writes the menu: Â "natural" is not a word that should be used to describe corn-fed beef. Â Beef naturally eat grass. Â A corn-fed cow is a feedlot cow, and there is nothing natural about that. This concludes my sniping.
I ordered a bowl of marinated vegetables that turned out to be a large pile of sliced raw summer squashes, green & red tomatoes, and chunks of cauliflower, all marinated in an apple cider vinaigrette. Â It was simple and good, and it was served with a couple of cornmeal muffins. Â My companion ordered a burger and fries. Â She liked her burger and we shared the fries, which were excellent and plentiful. Â We also split an appetizer which was topped with pancetta (yeah, more bacon) and a large beer.
Total with tax & tip: $62. Â Ambiance of downtown Martinez: priceless.
The hospitality is amazing at this place. A couple of weeks ago I had friends and family in for our wedding from all over the country. I wanted to squeeze this place in to our already busy itinerary sometime during their short stay. What I thought was going to be just one or two people ordering food at 9:50pm, turned out to be a party of eight ordering: just 10 minutes prior to them closing the kitchen (which they had already started cleaning).
They were so sweet to accommodate our impromptu party, and made us feel welcomed even though they were supposed to close the kitchen. I felt so guilty, but all the workers were so wonderful and still made us feel right at home.
I recommend this place to anyone looking for some good 'ole comfort food, and a family feel service.
Thank you to the staff again for accommodating my family and friends.
Food & Drinks were a hit! Â We have found an amazing hidden gem in Martinez! Â We will frequent Barrel Aged. Â We needed a place like this in Martinez and will support to the fullest!
Bacon wrapped dates are to die for! Â Brandied cherries in manhattans were sinfully good, almost like boozie candy!
Perfect place to hangout, great patio ambiance, great for date night, or just a get together with friends.
Arash and the folks at Barrel Aged redefine the local restaurant/bar.
Great service, amazing food and killer drinks 'muddle' together to create one of the best experiences I've ever had in Martinez. Â
Don't miss the Hopped Pimm's Cup and the Bacon Wrapped, Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates. Â Definitely my favorite place to visit for happy hour or any time!
At the request of the owner, my party returned to Barrel Aged to have the "true Barrel Aged experience." And we did. Our second visit was wonderful.
From the moment we walked in, things were improved. We were seated quickly with menus, and service started immediately. Our server brought us some deviled eggs, apologizing for not having the corn bread they usually start diners with. My party was, like, "Corn bread? They never gave us corn bread last time...?"
We started with the Fried Chick Peas and Bacon-wrapped Dates. This time the chick peas came out hot and spiced... so much better than last time! The bacon at Barrel Aged is probably about the best bacon I've had in California. It's great with everything... their waffles, Bacon Bloody Marys, wrapped around their green beans, all by itself... and around their dates stuffed with bleu cheese. Really good.
We ordered pretty much the same dishes, except she went for the meatloaf instead of the Monte Cristo. As last time, the food was good, but MAN, what a difference hot food makes! Butter actually melted on the french toast, the eggs and "hashed potatoes" were hot, and even more of their fabulous bacon (although I only got 3 rashers instead of 4?). As we waited briefly for our dinner, we saw others' food coming out, looking fantastic. Some dude's Monte Cristo made both her and I reconsider our dinner choices. We saw that it came out with jam, as promised, in a little dish... not like the packet she got at the end of dinner last time. Our ketchup also came in little dishes, not the plastic bottle we were given last time. The server was wonderful. She kept coming to check on us---also unlike last time---and was friendly, and knowledgeable about both the food and drink menus.
Overall, I was impressed by our second experience. My opinion on prices-versus-portions hasn't changed (way overpriced), my opinion of the bar hasn't changed (it's well stocked and chock full of tasty cocktails), but my overall opinion of Barrel Aged has improved. Â It was a 2-star experience the first time, and a 4-star experience the second time. I can only hope that service will be as good next time, when they aren't expecting me. Trivia Wednesday, here we come!
Went here with a friend to grab a bite and have a drink. Staff was great, place was clean, and we were thankful we reserved a table!
I had on my receipt : 2 drinks, burger, and fried pickles- little over $40 with tip
Burger was great with fries, wish the pickles were slices n not spears but it was still what I hoped for
Friend receipt had: 2 drinks, shrimp n grits( but no grits..lol) she substituted it just for grilled chicken and Cajun fries- little over $40 with tip.. She liked it but was still hungry after..
Overall the place was nice and we enjoyed ourselves and will be returning. Loved that we were close enough to watch the game and the bartender didn't mind turning it on for me!!!
There are also 2 separate outside sitting areas which is great for warm days and nights!!!
there was also a live band and the music was not 2 loud like most places!!!
Cocktails were great. It's a real bar with real drinks so that's cool.
The food is hit and miss at best. I tried a bunch of the appetizers a few months ago and I thought everything was good enough that me and some work pals decided to come back for a Friday lunch. We don't punch a time clock in our office, but we like to keep our lunch hour to somewhere around an hour, and apparently this isn't the place to come for lunch during a work day.
It took waaay too long to get our order taken and then it took at LEAST 25 minutes for the food to come out after we ordered it. We were joking that they must be making some incredible stuff for it to take this long, but instead of incredible we got exceedingly average. I got a few appetizer plates, one friend got a BLT and another friend got Soup and Grilled Cheese. Everything was just okay except the Fried Green Tomatoes which were fantastic. They were different in that they looked and tasted like they were tempura fried rather than skillet fried like I grew up on, but they were still fantastic and I would go back just for those if the service wasn't so bad. The fried pickles were awful.
The service was bizarre. Everyone was real nice and quite lovely really, but if you know a word that means the exact opposite of attentive, then please use it now to describe the service perfectly. We were joking that we felt like an extra table because we all got the vibe that the waitress kept overlooking us. She was very nice, but seemingly not interested in our experience. When do appetizers come out at the same time as everything else? If it took 25 minutes to make a BLT, we should have had something come out in the meantime. If those Fried Tomatoes would have come out first, I guarantee you we would have ordered another round of those while we waited for the Soup and Grilled Cheese. Which by the way was not worth the money according to my friend.
When I ordered another drink the bartender seemed interested in my complaint (the manager maybe?) but he blamed the wait on the lunch rush and the fact that everything is made with such high quality. Let me tell you something, it wasn't THAT busy and the quality wasn't THAT high. Then he blamed the order. Yes, he said that some orders take longer than others to make and that was also part of the problem. So I said, why didn't the waitress explain to me that what we were ordering might take awhile and if we were in a hurry I should order something else. For example, "oh the Pickles are great but they take like 20 minutes to cook so if you need to be back at work, you should try the Chick Peas". Or something like that, but like I said, the waitress didn't really seem interested in our experience. Anyway, the bartender deflected responsibility for the forgettable food and lackluster service and that just disappointed me even more.
To his credit he did not charge me for the awful fried pickles so that was something. I really hope they can get their act together because I work in Martinez and I like good bars, but I'm not optimistic based on what I saw today.
Customer service folks. Even my most difficult customers get my best effort. It amazes me that people in the customer service business don't understand the real value of good service.
Enjoyed our first experience at this cozy downtown Martinez restaurant. Â Service was very attentive and friendly. Owner personally stopped by our table to ask about our experience and tell us more about the upcoming classes & happenings. Â The food was very good. Â We had bacon-wrapped dates, Barrel Aged blue cheese burger (protein style since they ran out of their freshly made bread but this actually worked well for us) and the Gruyere mac & cheese with bacon. Â Cocktail was delicious also. Â One of the most extensive and amazing spirits lists we've ever seen. Â We will definitely go back.
Review Source:4 stars for the great cocktails and 2 stars for the lackluster food...
If I was just rating the dinner R and I had here it might be two stars at best. The smoked gruyere Mac and cheese with bacon was tasteless. How can anything with bacon in it not be good?  R had the chicken and waffles and his dinner was bland too. Before our meals were put on the table, the server said she and the other server would be unavailable for short time.  I think that they must have been sent to the store for salt and other seasonings for the kitchen.  To bad they did not get back in time so the chef  could have added it to our meals. I really feel we wasted our money on the dinner.
On the other hand, the cocktails were great. I really enjoyed the Brooklyn. Â This cocktail was a tasty blend of bourbon, bitters, and maraschino liqueur with egg whites. It was delicious! If I only had this cocktail I would certainly give them a higher rating,
The dinner would have been more enjoyable if they did not have scented candles on the table. I do hope the food improves because this restaurant is a nice addition to downtown Martinez.
Drinks are amazing and worth it....try a moscow mule. Â The owner is very warm and welcoming as is the staff. Atmosphere is like an old school lounge...my favorite is to sit at the penny table. Â Service is generally good and can be great. Â Food is simple yet dependably good....love the barrel aged burger and ceasar salad...mmmm.
Review Source:The food was pretty good, but it's pricey. Went there Friday night. It wasn't too crowded, but took them a few minutes to acknowledge us and find us a seat. We ordered food right away, and decided not to order drinks; after that, they forgot about us. We ordered the cheese plate appetizer ($13), the quinoa salad ($15), and a burger ($10). It took 35 minutes to get the cheese plate, and then 5 minutes later, they brought out the main courses. Our waitress never checked on us until it was time to bring the check, and after we finished eating, a different waiter refilled our water for the first time. A plus is that there was a jazz band playing. However, the band gradually played louder and louder, so i couldn't hear myself or my boyfriend speak. Terrible service. The food was good, but not worth the prices.
I gave this place a 3 because the first time we came here, we just ordered drinks, and they were great. Â Pricey, but delicious.
I really like Barrel Aged.
It's a great place for a first date. It's dimly-lit, small, and has a great selection of old-school cocktails. Try the Grasshopper!
Their menu is a bit limited, but even so, I still had a hard time deciding what to order. Everything looks amazing.
A quick "thumbs-up" to this place for being a very farm-to-table restaurant!
I ordered the Warm Goat Cheese Salad and the Smoked Gruyere Mac and Cheese. The salad was pretty basic. It's two chicken-nugget sized pieces of fried, warm goat cheese served over a bed of lettuce, tossed with a nice balsamic vinegar
dressing. The mac and cheese was pretty good. It's served in a clay pot, so it's piping hot when it reaches your table. Yum!
Next time I come here, I am definitely going to try the Roasted Artichoke with Curry Aioli.
Another great reason this place makes for a great first date? Check out the restrooms. Mine had all kinds of air fresheners, perfumes, lotion, toothpicks, and more. Everything you need to maintain that great first impression if you're on a first date. They even had a basket of starlight mints and cinnamon hard candies to freshen your breath! The problem? The basket sits on top of the toilet. I hope people have the decency to flush with the toilet seat down...Eh, who am I kidding? I ate one anyway. Yay for poo-mints.
This is a solid 4-star place. Go check out Barrel Aged!
Barrel Aged is officially my most favorite toddler friendly, with a bar, restaurant in the Bay Area.
We always go on a Sunday after going to the farmers market. Â Since we are usually the only people in there with a 2 year old I cant reflect on others experiences. Â But they always treat myself, my husband and the tot with nothing but wonderful service. Â They don't even mind the occasional greasy finger print on the window.
The table with all of the pennies shellacked on it is the best for high chair clad kids. Â The pennies make it fun to look at.
Some of the outstanding features, besides baby friendly, are the cocktails and food.
I haven't eaten anything I didn't like yet. Â My favorite cocktail is the East Side. Â It has Gin, Fresh Lime Juice, Cane Sugar, and Cucumber. Â Its so refreshing and fights off scurvy. Â The amount of limes I drink Ill never fear scurvy.
Another cocktail I enjoyed was the Peach Mule. Â Vodka, Fresh&Ginger, Ginger Syrup, Fresh Lime, Peychaud's and Peach Soda. Â Thoroughly refreshing in every sense of the word.
The Caesar Salad is excellent and a perfect light lunch option. Â I also had a side of Center Cut Bacon once that was the most perfectly cooked Bacon I've ever had in my life. Â Yes, I've said that for real. Â It was what I want shoved in my mouth in the event there is a real heaven. Â Some angel, or demon for that matter, better hand me some of that Bacon.
My latest try was the Sliders. Â Three little burgers perfectly proportioned and perfectly seasoned. Â Not to mention cooked perfectly. Â Everything I've had has had the really great home made feel to it. Â My grandpa could make these burgers for me and Id love them just the same.
These are just excerpts from my visits. Â This is my new go to place for my Sunday cocktail outings. Â Its perfect!
Honestly .. the place had a nice terrace and a good service ..
We had sunday brunch there ... Â
I've ordered a burger ... the bun was cold ... but burned ... the blue cheese was over aged ... nearly couldn't eat this ... Â the coffee was also bad ... and over roasted ...
Never again !
I love Barrel Aged!! I just recently moved from Walnut Creek to Martinez and the downtown areain Martinez leaves much to be desired..... until I found Barrel Aged.
Their cocktails are to die for, I love their mix of classic cocktails and new inventive yummy ones.... Im not a big whisky drinker but my boyfriend was BLOWN AWAY by their awesome selection. He as especially excited about the Pappy Van Winkle.... whatever that is.
The bacon wrapped dates are delish too.... Definately my favorite spot in Martinez so far.
Once upon a time four harried, exhausted and rather annoyed people were hungry, but all the kitchens looked dark. Parched and disheartened from a long and disastrous week of slaying dragons or standing at our counters eating pb&j's. We just wanted to sit in a dimly lit hip (not tragically so) bar with springy booth seating to simmer down. All we were seeking was a perfectly mixed cocktail and some savory small plates. We didn't expect to find gluten free food or friendly service, but there you were like an warm oasis in the chilly night. Â
We are just lucky that way.
The only good thing here was our nice waitress. Â Why are the booth's already rubbed raw, for a "new" restaurant? (did you really keep the old,warn out ones from the previous place?) And why is the paint job there, an embarrassment? Could you NOT use painters tape to stop from going over the other colors?
The only good food we had was the bacon wrapped dates, but $7 for only 3. Â
We also had the sliders, and garlic fries.
I got some $12/pint beer, that I wish I hadnt gotten, and my wife ordered the Monroe, which was $9, and she liked that.
Sliders bread was a bit stale, and the cheese was melted too thin to taste...we only ate half each of ours(of the 3 we got), the waitress didn't say much about us not eating them. Â The garlic fries were gone too fast, good, but for another $7...we got a very small amount. Â After these disappointments, we decided not to order an entree, and go to somewhere else. Â
We had been looking forward to trying this place out, but will not be returning. Â Also, its REALLY tacky and annoying for non smokers, to have employees outside smoking at the front door. Â It is also illegal to be smoking within 20ft of the entrance, yet they do it daily when walking by
Stop reading and just go!!!
Oh you didn't listen and are still reading? Â The drinks are cool. The scotch list is really nice and there are some good beers.
The food is pretty good too. I don't know what the talk about the eggs are but if you have enough time to watch the the food channel and can be a judge on chopped then maybe you should order more than deviled eggs or mozzarella sticks:)
This is a great spot. Friendly people. Great food great drinks. Fun events.
Our second time there just this weekend! Â The food was just as we remembered it from last summer just two days after they opened. Â The menue is reasonably price, the food quality is excellent. Â We recommend the Barrel Aged Hamburger! Â Yummy. Â The service was excellent. Â We met the owner as he and his partner are very available throughout the meal. Â They worked for other food establishments and learned the best of how to run a business and it shows! Â If you want a nice cozy, warm feeling of good food and good cheer, Â Barrel Aged in martines needs to be on your list to try. You'll return like we did! Â
It is worth the drive!
Interesting establishment with a really fun, dark, wine-themed interior. Came here for a drink and ended up sitting outside on their front outdoor dining area. They've got some great cocktails, wines, and beers on tap (Weihenstephaner on tap...don't see that very often). Everything was served in mason jars.
They didn't have a very extensive bar menu between serving times just deviled eggs and a cheese platter. Deviled eggs have bacon in them and are to die for. Didn't get to try anything off the regular menu. According to one of the employees, it's a favorite hang out for those on jury duty.
Come for the old world themed cocktails in period appropriate glassware and stay for the food. Â Bartenders are using top notch spirits, liquers, and ice (yes, I mentioned the ice) with style. Â Not sure what you want to drink? Â Describe something to the award winning owners Ashley and Arash and they will hand craft something from behind the bar that is certain to not dissapoint. Â "These are true and talented mixologists, not bartenders" (quote from a local bartender who has been tending bar for longer than I've been alive).
Food is generally simple and well executed. Â Solid burger and sliders. Â Lamb shank special a few weeks ago was outstanding! Â French onion soup was wonderful last night.
Service is friendly. Â
Great to see a young couple making their dream come true as owners have poured their hearts into this venture and are becoming community members, not just business owners in the community. Â It's not uncommon to see other local restaurant owners visiting.
Also, congratulations on winning First Place AND People's Choice awards at the Martinis on the Plaza Gala for your specialty martini! Â Cool trophies displayed behind the bar.
Keep up the great work and community building!
Barrel Aged rocked it during the 2012 Martinez Restaurant tour by sampling killer sliders and deviled eggs, so I was looking forward to returning to try their fare properly.
Visiting a bar with a restaurant attached during Game 1 of the World Series wasn't the smartest idea since all we wanted was a nice dinner. Â For future reference though, this would definitely be a fun place to grab a drink with friends and watch the game while eating good nibbles. Â Though I have only tried a couple of their apps, I give this place of lot of credit for unique offerings, like those aforementioned deviled eggs and fried green tomatoes. Â
We were on a mission for a great burger though, and to sample the mozzarella sticks we had seen patrons eating through the window. Â A warm welcome comes in the form of a free cornbread muffin with whipped butter, and ice water served in mason jars. Â I was totally won over by the jars, the box-mix-taste of the muffins not as much. Â
The mozzarella cheese sticks are gigantic, and served 4 to an order with sidecars of marinara and ranch, presented beautifully. Â The great thing about a cheese stick though is to bite in and practically scorch your mouth on warm gooey melty cheese covered in an awesome seasoned breading. Â I don't know what they did to make these cheese sticks so huge, but it ultimately was an injustice because the cheese was refrigerator cold in the middle while melty on the outside. Â If that's a deliberate spin on the app, I will never order them here again. Â The breading also lacked seasoning - even with the cheese inside, they needed a little salt. Â
I went with the BBQ burger, which sounded awesome, topped with crispy onions, BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, bacon and the usual veggies. Â And strangely, even with all those toppings together, it was ultimately pretty tasteless. Â Their plating is fun though, the burger arrived on a rectangular plate with a little bucket holding my fries, and two small dishes each holding ketchup and I assume fry sauce (I'm not a fan so I didn't sample). Â But even though portions are generous, seasoning is not. Â
Barrel Aged is a fun neighborhood joint that fits in perfectly in downtown Martinez, with a fun divey vibe and a very helpful and polite staff. Â I won't return just for the food, but I will return for the atmosphere and a cocktail.
Great people and great food...what more can you ask for? Oh yeah, great drinks too, and live music!
The environment here is cozy. I usually sit at the bar because I'm here to catch a baseball game or grab some lunch (was here for lunch during Game 5 of the NLDS, Giants vs. Reds - great crowd), but I also really love the look and comfort of the booths. Â If I am here by myself, which is probably 50% of the time, I don't feel weird. That is saying a lot.
The food - I've yet to eat something bad here, but my favorites include the Barrel Aged burger, sub cheddah over the bleu, the sliders (you can do a combo of pulled pork and burgers), the garlic fries with the sriracha aioli, the veggie salad with the awesome tomatoes and homemade dressing, and the chicken salad sandwich that is unlike chicken salad I've had elsewhere. They grill the chicken first or something - that little touch totally makes a huge difference.
The drinks - I often come for lunch during workdays, so I can't imbibe too much. But., I can tell you that the Pimms Cup is DELISH and super refreshing with a ginger twist that I loved although I'm usually not a fan of ginger flavored stuff, and I am super intrigued by the bacon bloody marys. Â You know they have pride in their craft when they refuse to serve something before it is ready. Case in point: Someone came in on a weekday asking if the bacon bloody mary is available. Arash said sorry, but no, it has to marinade all week before it's ready. I may make my way up here on a weekend just to try that.
The owners (Arash and Ashley) and all the wait staff and even the kitchen staff are also very friendly. Â On multiple occasions I've had the cook come out and check on me. I'm very excited to see a place like this added to the Martinez downtown area! If I lived in town, or if Barrel Aged was in SF, I'd be here all the time. Â If you haven't been here yet, don't just take my word for it...come check it out yourself and support your local businesses!
I've now been three times. Â Once by myself for a quick G&T (Hendrick's, of course!), once for cocktails when my hubby's cousin and partner came from London to visit and once this weekend for lunch. Â Well, all three times have been great! Â I'll be back! Â Women actually sit at the bar by themselves and are safe here! Â
I must explain that I'm from Chicago and every neighborhood has at least one tavern.  I lived on  a street that had maybe five or six in under a quarter mile.  I lived above one for three years.  Neighborhood taverns should be welcoming.  If you walk in by yourself, you're greeted, not only by the workers but the patrons.  You should be prepared to buy your neighbor that you don't know a drink and maybe your bartender, too.  And they should feel comfortable doing so back.  Not as a proposition for hanky panky but as a way to get to know your neighbors.  A little dark and seedy is acceptable.  There certainly  can't be any trace of snobbery or the shi-shiness that is so prevalent in CA.  Well, this is the closest to home that I've found in the East Bay!  Not that I'm out cruising bars but I do miss home!
The third time I was there it was based on the recommendation a patron made to me the first time I was there. Â He worked in the neighborhood and had taken meals all up and down Main St. and declared Barrel Aged's burgers the best in Martinez. Â That was HIGH praise so the first opportunity that arose, the hubster and I headed over. Â We shared one of their most excellent prohibition era cocktails. Â Unfortunately, one had to be our maximum but I will eventually try every one of them! Â Yes, they are that good! Â Then we chowed down. Â Let me tell you something, Â I'm a kick ass cook and I make fantastic burgers. Â Barrel Aged's burgers were just as good as mine. Â Maybe better because they use better quality meat than I do. Â The fries were cooked crispy - something lacking in so many restaurants. Â They even make a tingly fry sauce that is not for the faint of heart.
The owner came and introduced himself and all of the waitresses spoke with us, not just the one serving us. Â Everyone was welcoming and friendly. Â Kids are welcome for meals. Â The booths are like lounging in your living room if it were 1970. Â I love this place and may even be persuaded in to doing one of their tastings that happen every second weekend for a few bucks. Â
My only complaint? Â They aren't within walking distance of my house! Â Does Martinez even have a taxi service?
My wife and I decided to check out Barrel Aged on Friday. Â The decor is great and they've clearly gone to much effort to make this bar look like a speakeasy of the 20s. Â It reminded me quite a bit of Rickhouse in San Francisco. Â The glassware was vintage and truly sent you back across time to slower days. We got there at about 6 PM and the bar was packed save for 2 stools, which we promptly grabbed. Â I ordered the Brooklyn cocktail while my wife went with a Manhattan. Â Both drinks were very tasty and well prepared and packed a nice punch despite the smaller size for the price ($10 for a coupe, while not pricey by San Francisco FiDi standards, is certainly on the higher end for a blue collar town like Martinez)
We also ordered a few appetizers to share:  Blue cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon, Fried green tomatoes, and Deviled Eggs.  I thought that the stuffed dates were beautiful, but getting 3 dates for $7 is pretty pricey, even by SF standards.  Either serve 5 dates or bring the price down to $5 was the consensus between the wife and I.  The deviled eggs, 3 of them, were very tasty with fresh and crunchy  bacon sprinkled on top.  The price there, I think, was in the 4-5 dollar range, which is perfectly fine.   Lastly, the fried green tomatoes was a good value at $3, but my wife was not impressed with the fact they were served with a side of ranch and marinara sauce.  Of course, she's got Brenda's French Soul Food on the brain and her Fried Green Tomatoes were to die for.  Then again, Brenda's Tomatoes were not $3 either.
The verdict? Â Both my wife and I loved this place and we hope it makes it. Â If I were the proprietor, I'd ditch the full menu service and just serve mostly booze and small plates. Â This way, you could bring in a lot more clients. Â In short, the one thing that was packed when we were there was the bar, so people are clearly interested in drinking there because they have good drinks that taste good and make you feel good. Â Since that's probably where Barrel Aged makes its margins, why not focus on that almost exclusively? Â Besides, while the food was tasty, it wasn't top notch and frankly was a bit pricey for what you got. Â I think this formula would work beautifully in Walnut Creek or the 680 corridor, but it's probably a little too posh for a town like Martinez. Â Still, I hope they make it because it's a killer atmosphere and really nice drinks!
Upon arrival, I took a sip of my friend's cocktail and quickly ordered the same. It consisted of grapefruit juice, lemon, vodka and elderflower liqueur. It isn't on the menu (yet) so just ask for the "Jackie." It was the perfect level of tartness and not too sweet -- a great warm weather cocktail. I don't think they use any pre-made juices, everything seemed nice and fresh. Most of their cocktails are between $9 and $14. A bit pricey to some but that is pretty standard for specialty cocktails.
Our server brought us complimentary cornbread which had good flavor and texture -- not too dry.
There are lots of seating options - cozy rounded booths, tables inside and out and of course you can always sit right at the bar and watch the mixologists at work.
Some of the street parking meters now take cards and parking is free after 6:00 pm.
One last thing, they use iPads for credit cards and you sign digitally and e-mail or text yourself the receipt. That's cool.
I sent Ivy R a message while we were still here because I feel like this place was made for her and other cocktail aficionados.
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