The Independent

stopped in after checking out the seminole heights neighborhood while house shopping. very friendly service, huge beer selection, and yummy food that was served quickly!  i've heard good things about this place, and now i know why! the patrons were as friendly as the staff - it had a real "neighborhood" feel. love.

Suppose you take 1 part pretentious hipsters, 1 part great beer selection, and 2 parts mediocre food options and grind it together? Yep, that's The Independent for you. Went 2 times and both were the same. Great location(I live down the street) in that it is right off of 275, and a pretty good beer selection that is constantly changing, run parallel to rude servers that feel the need to look down on people(myself and another I saw) and pretty basic bar grub.

I get that it is a spot for the "cool" kids,  but maybe bringing it down a notch will help, or maybe I am just out of touch. Either way, the Mermaid a little further north, is a better bet for a drink in the Heights.

As an out-of-towner, this place is amazing, yet confusing as can be!  I stopped in for lunch 2 weeks ago.  I walked into the bar area, and instantly realized that this wasn't what i was looking for, so i went around the corner, and found a coffee-tea house and placed an order for a pear and brie sandwich, then went to sit outside.  The cashier brought me my sandwich, but wouldn't take a tip really... yet he came back to clear my plate.  Kind of a strange service set-up, but everyone else seemed to understand it, so maybe I need some work?

Anyway, the sandwich was AMAZING!  Genuius pairing.  I feel lucky to eat something so delicious for lunch.  One of the perks of being an 'adult'.  The pear was poached and carmelized and sweet, and the cheese was gooey.  It was atop a toasted crispy bread that had received a quick smear of butter to 'grilled cheese' the sandwich.  

I'm now dreaming about having another one of these.