Jack of the Wood

Fantastic bar/pub in Asheville.  Stopped on our way through town for a good beer.  Green Man IPA on draft is a great IPA, good appetizers, good people, good vibe.

I've been visiting Jack of the Wood for nearly a decade, and though it pains me, after last night, I must write up my experience and share why this place is nothing like the friendly pub it used to be.

It was apparently a singer songwriter night, and someone interupted our meal to ask us for tips for the singer onstage.  We were sitting in the very back of the place, no view of the stage, and were clearly not engaged in the performance so I'm not sure why we were interrupted.  When I inquired about the special of the day and how it compared with another item on the menu, the waitress shrugged and had no insight for me.

But what frustrated me most was the beer situation.

Asheville is a beer destination.  I've seen it grow from it's pre-Highland days into the mecca it is today.  I visit pubs and restaurants based on their beer selection and the knowledge of the staff, and while JotW had a decent selection, their staff was certainly lacking.

When I went to JotW last night, I asked some simple questions about a couple of beers on the menu, finally settled on a 7% ABV Farmhouse Ale, and was disappointed when the waitress brought me a half-pour of the beer.  I asked why that was, and she told me it was "expensive" and came in a small keg.  

I asked her, rather nicely, why they didn't list on the menu that some beers come in half-pours, and she blew me off, and just said it was "expensive."  It took her running back to the bartender three times before I could order a second beer, because there was no rhyme or reason why a 7% ABV Farmhouse Ale was a half pour, and a 9% ABV beer was a full pour.  

Put prices on your menu, please, and explain which beers come in 8 oz. sizes instead of the standard American pint size.  It's not too much to ask, and on a city that now relies on Beer tourism, it's a pretty basic request!

I love Jack of the Wood for several different aspects.  First off, it's a great place for entertainment.  On a few nights a week, you'll have people just show up with instruments in hand and jam in the corner.  The music is outstanding, it just gets a bit loud in there that you cannot hear the people across the table from you.

They have a decent beer selection and server their own beers.  Apparently they also own Green Man brewery.  Good stuff.  Some of my favorite NC beers before I even tried it here.  

Finally the food.  The food is hit or miss.  The rueben and the fish and chips rock here but the nachos were bland.  

One note is this place is very popular and you may end up sharing a table with total strangers.  But hey, that's one of the great things about Asheville.  People are so friendly here!