Wednesday August
7, 2013
3720 E. 82nd Street
Indianapolis, IN 46240
317-577-7800
Price: $8.00 - $33.00
Date Potential: First date drinks and
appetizers
Dress: Casual to straight from work attire
Appetizers: 4/5 stars
Entrée: 1/5 stars
Atmosphere: 2/5 stars
Atmosphere
Walking up to the Brewstone in January is a bit
unimpressive. During a Midwestern winter that can be expected of most places,
but the patio still looked like a forgotten space with furniture left out to
(hopefully) withstand the elements. Once inside we were greeted nicely by the
two hostesses standing behind a large structure which seems to serve as a “hang
out” spot for employees. We were quickly seated towards the rear of the
restaurant near a fire place. From our table we had a good view of the entire
restaurant, which centers around a medium-sized bar area. I would expect this
to be the main attraction in a restaurant labeled as a beer company, but the
design left something to be desired. The area seemed cramped, dark, and
unwelcoming to diners. I would not recommend this as a family spot, given that
the restaurant is centered around the bar, the televisions almost exclusively
play sports channels, and the music is late 80s to early 90s pop.
Unfortunately, it seems the restaurants outside dinning isn't utilized to it's full potential in the summer months either. While patrons were lingering and mingling outside, it did not seem to be a dinning area.
Service
Our waitress, Karyl, greeted us promptly and
was helpful and polite. I was disappointed to learn that this “beer company”
does not brew any of its own beers; however, they do carry a large variety on
tap which includes many local companies. Our waitress suggested we begin with
the lettuce wraps, and I am glad she did.
The service among the waitstaff remains excellent, however I found myself wanting a bit more customer service in the bar area.
Food
The lettuce was crunchy and looked fresh but
felt a bit frozen towards the stem, and the chicken filling was a sweet and
spicy delight. I would recommend this dish to any patron looking for a light
but flavorful starter. We then had our meal: I ordered the Brewstone burger,
and my dining partner had the mac & cheese. My dining partner won this
round. The burger consisted of a medium rare patty topped with cheddar cheese,
BBQ sauce, applewood smoked bacon, and onion rings. With this many toppings one
would expect a burst of flavor in every bite; unfortunately, this is an
incorrect assumption. The burger was cooked to a proper medium rare, but all of
the toppings lacked flavor. The bacon was lost in a sea of lackluster BBQ
sauce, greasy cheese, and soggy onion rings. I was only able to eat half before
giving up on this dish, but luckily my dining partner’s mac & cheese was
almost spot-on. The noodle were cooked well, covered in a gooey but not
overpowering cheese, and topped with nicely grilled pieces of chicken. I am
lucky that she is good at sharing!
Sadly, the food remains sub-par and does not entice me to return rather than visit the many establishments of it's kind within a 3 minute walking distance.
Overview
Overall I would give Brewstone a second try,
as the appetizer and my dining partner's entrée were both excellent and worth
the price. I will be interested to see what the restaurant looks and feels like
in the warmer months.
After visiting again, in warmer weather, I have come to the conclusion, that while the Brewstone can be a fun place to maybe hang out, I would not specifically choose this restaurant as a must see/go to for an Indy foodie.
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