We decided to visit Grinders on Saturday around 6pm for dinner. I'd read about it a while ago, forgot all about it, and re-discovered it on the interwebs Saturday afternoon. I feel extremely late to the party on this one and am embarrassed that we've lived here for 1.5 years and have never been once, beer enthusiasts that we are. Upon walking up to the place, I was immediately taken back to NE Portland - funky art & graffitti, crowded, and smells a bit like beer, old wet wood and pizza. Ahhhh, I was home.
We bellied up to the bar near the door and ordered our beers - I wanted the Southern Tier IPA but they were out, so I settled for something else I can't remember - I think it was the Avery IPA but to be honest I can't remember. John got a pint of Rogue's Morimoto Imperial Pilsener. We ordered our food (half order of tots, a 10" pizza which turned out to be more like 14", and the El Diablo burger) & were told it would be 45 minutes. Our food came about 1/2 hour later, just in time for our 2nd round of beer. I asked if they had La Fin du Monde, which I was hoping they'd have on tap since they have a giant Unibroue tower at the bar. The server said, "yes we do!", ran over to the fridge, opened a bottle and poured it for me. Ah well.
The place was very busy for the time of day I thought, and they were having a "glass shortage" at the same time. The patrons outside were drinking out of plastic cups. A group of people ordered 2 pitchers of Delirium Tremens (YES, PLEASE), and the woman pouring told the server to make sure they were OK with drinking out of plastic cups. Now THERE is a level of beer-awareness I'm not used to here.
Overall, I'd rate this place up at the top of the list of watering holes in KC. Their selection is great for the area, their beer appears to be heavily rotated, and they offer a wide range of styles. Thier food is... how do I describe it? Retro hipster? Tots, cheesesteaks sandwiches with cheez-whiz, pizzas with piles of tots in the middle, wings with inferno sauce... it's certainly not diet food, but I didn't go there for that. I went there for the beer, and they delivered. I am already looking forward to going back.
I do love me some grinder's tots. The only problem is the service but hey, at a water hole that serves Tremens, it's to be expected.
ReplyDeleteYeah, if you want to be pampered, go to Morton's or the Chophouse. :) It didn't seem like a place you'd get warm fuzzies from the staff, but they know what they're doing. I'd rather they focus on beer provision than the niceties of dining.
ReplyDeleteI love pretty much everything about Grinders with one glaring exception - the bathroom! They really need to do something with that nastiness. The smell alone is enough to keep me away - not to mention the worst hand sink I've ever used.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I do keep going back, but I effin' hate their bathroom.
Last week they had Southern Tier UnEarthly on tap for $18 pitcher - $4.50/pint is almost cheaper than the liquor store!
ReplyDeleteYeah, their prices are pretty reasonable! I'll probably make a visit there this weekend to see what's new. :)
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