Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

I was kind of surprised by this place.  We came in for lunch and it was packed, which is a good sign since a lot of the restaurants in the area have closed down or gotten turned into something new in the last few years.

We had a couple of the tall tables pushed together for our group.  It was freezing cold but otherwise, no complaints there.  Good service, quick with refills, and timing on everything was fine.  The girl who brought out some of our food (who was not our server) was a tiny bit grumpy but it wasn't an issue.

I was also sort of surprised with my food.  I don't remember the menu being that great when we used to come in here a few years ago.  Middle of the road, almost leaning toward mediocre sometimes.  Now, I may be a salt-craving monster this week but I really really liked the shrimp and lobster tacos.  Decent flavor, an appropriate amount of food on the plate.  Tasty stuff.   Other folks had chicken fried chicken, burgers, fish and chips and I think we all really liked our stuff.  It was definitely better than what I have eaten here in the past.

And since we were on lunch from work, we did not get to try any of the beers.  Maybe something to try some time but I think we will be more likely to come back here again.

Last night it was a choice based on logistics:  it was the halfway point for us and some friends, and my husband had a gift card.  We had dinner earlier in the evening, so this review is mostly based on drinks.

There's a nice cocktail list, but I felt like a tool drinking a cocktail in what is obviously a beer bar.  But the beer list is shorter than the wine list, and that's just wrong.  I'm not a beer snob, but I was hoping that since it's fall, some kind of cider or pumpkin beer would be available.  Instead, we were met with the 5-6 standard beers "brewed" by Rock Bottom, and a list of 3-4 other seasonal options, which were all darker beers.  There is no other beer available except for Rock Bottom's.  Don't go in here wanting a Miller Lite, Corona, or Heineken, etc.

So I tried the white ale.  It was good.  I'm not a beer aficianado, so I have to stick with simple adjectives like "good."  It was a quality beer and I liked it.  But I wouldn't go back just for this.

I browsed the menu, and the waiter told us they recently re-did the menu.  Most of the entrees at $15+, and I don't think I could justify spending that at Rock Bottom.  Instead of Rock Bottom, I'd visit World of Beer if I wanted a beer experience, or Buffalo Wild Wings if I just wanted a beer and some good food.

The complimentary root beer barrels when you leave are nice though.

YIKES! Ok, so this place USED to be awesome but I guess the head chef is no longer there. The place was on a downward spiral anyway because the menu has changed so much. It has ultimately hit rock bottom and I will never set foot there. The Southwestern Chx and Shrimp pasta that I used to love changed its sauce and is now oily and disgusting. The steaks have gone down in quality. Flavor is still there but the quality is gross. The remaining good thing on the menu is the MacNChx but they tend to screw that up every now and then. Bye Bye, RB. It was a good run while it lasted.