59 Replies to "Opening night for West Seattle's new barbecue joint, Brickyard BBQ"

• Mark August 28, 2009 (6:31 pm)

  Just got my food.

  A few observations.

  They are not even close to being ready to serve food, but the beer was cold. Menu? Calling it limited is being kind. Price? What prices? Ordering? Good luck, no place to order other than a bartender or server. It is crowded but if you listened to conversation it seemed to all be friends of the owners.

  I would say they have missed the mark. There is a huge void for great BBQ in the area, it would seem they want to be a bar that has bbq. The food I had was good. I would even say it has a possibility to be very good, but the the quantity they served me was more like an appetizer than a meal. When I finally got the bill (the server had no clue the prices) it was priced closer to appetizer than meal, approx $8 a plate. If they decide to become a real BBQ joint I will be back but until then Circa and Mission and Porterhouse have nothing to worry about.

  Lets hope they figure it out.

• christopherboffoli August 28, 2009 (6:45 pm)

  Wow, Mark. They just opened two and a half hours ago! Most professional food reviewers will often give a restaurant 4-6 weeks to get up and running before they go in to do a review. Opening a new place is a huge, risky undertaking. I’m all for having high standards (especially when it comes to BBQ) but let’s give these guys a chance to get going.

• GenHillOne August 28, 2009 (6:51 pm)

  I’d say that “more of a sampler menu through the weekend” is exactly what you got, Mark. To me, a sampler menu indicates something a little more limited and smaller in portion. I wouldn’t call anyone a miss on their first night (or first week), LOL. It sounds pretty delish and I look forward to giving them a try!

• GenHillOne August 28, 2009 (6:52 pm)

  and btw, I’m a sucker for a good pea salad…nice choice :)

• Mark August 28, 2009 (6:54 pm)

  Chris,

  I am not a professional reviewer and I have never even played one on TV. Yes, I agree, give them time, my wife even advised me NEVER on opening night (I tried Porterhouse on the second night). I am hungry (still) and desperate, so I will be back. Perhaps it was my pent-up desire seeing the building and construction the past few months that I some how expected or hoped for more. No one is rooting for them more than me, remember, I write this because I care, not to flame them. I just called it like it was for me.

  Mark

• Leroniusmonkfish August 28, 2009 (7:23 pm)

  Two hours after I was born my parents asked the doctor for a “do over”…

• BarbG August 28, 2009 (7:32 pm)

  christopher, with people wondering how the place is and not being able to get to it today wouldn’t it be fair to say that Mark is just stating what he observed at the restaurant? I’m appreciative of Mark’s comment, I will most likely try it since it’s near my home, but now I have some idea of what it is like.

• christopherboffoli August 28, 2009 (7:51 pm)

  BarbG: Mark is clearly a BBQ connoisseur and I’m sorry he was disappointed by his first experience at Brickyard. I’ve not tasted the food there yet so the issues he raised might be spot on. However, I do think it is unfair of anyone to assume that a restaurant’s performance in its first weeks (and first night!) is indicative of what the quality of their service will be like in the long run. It is akin to complaining about a pair of new shoes because they gave you blisters the first time you wore them. They might be really comfortable shoes once you break them in.
  .
  Starting any new business can be a massive amount of work. Restaurants are routinely at the top tier in realm of difficulty. Even chefs with four Michelin stars can have basic problems upon start-up.
  .
  Brickyard’s paint is barely dry. Their chef just turned on the ovens a few days ago. The waitstaff is new and clearly needs time to work out the kinks. I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt before I call it.
  .
  Mark is free to post whatever he likes here. I love that the WSB provides this outlet for everyone to register their opinions. However, making declarative statements like “they have missed the mark” when they’ve only been open a matter of hours seems unreasonable to me.

• MargL August 28, 2009 (8:12 pm)

  Heh – they’ve quite literally ‘missed the Mark’.
  I think we’ll give it a week or so to shake out the kinks then go have us some BBQ!

• Dan August 28, 2009 (8:26 pm)

  Either you are ready for business or you are not. To sell a product that is not finished is not good business. Don’t open until you are ready, don’t ship a product until it works correctly. If you bought tickets to the first night of a live performance, would you say the same thing? How about the new computer you just purchased? But you were the first one in the store? How could you expect it to work? Are you kidding me? If I spend $30 bucks for beer and BBQ, why should I not expect it to be worth the money? Just because they just opened? I hope Boeing doesn’t say the same thing about the first 787 they roll off the lot.

• christopherboffoli August 28, 2009 (8:43 pm)

  Dan: From the sound of it I’m guessing you don’t work at Microsoft :-)

• GetReal August 28, 2009 (9:59 pm)

  Listening to Mark’s comment you would think this is Switzerland we’re living in, clockwork, no mistakes, everything works, all the time. Get real, this is America, things never work at first. Fixing stuff (over and over) is part of our lifestyle. That’s why we are so laid back after all…

  Except Apple of course. They’re spot on, all time, never fail.

• JanS August 28, 2009 (10:02 pm)

  so, Christopher, one of the questions that even I have been asked is…is there indoor seating…and if, so, how much?

• christopherboffoli August 28, 2009 (10:12 pm)

  Jan: I posted a few additional images just for you. There IS indoor seating but only at stools.

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/cjboffoli/sets/72157622048607197/

• JanS August 28, 2009 (10:38 pm)

  thanks, Christopher…it’s gonna be a little chilly at those outdoor tables in December, huh… ;-)

• christopherboffoli August 28, 2009 (10:41 pm)

  Jan that depends on how close you’re sitting to the BBQ pit and how much beer you’ve had :-)

• Admiral Janeway August 28, 2009 (11:05 pm)

  You can get take out, right?

• alkisw August 28, 2009 (11:10 pm)

  “If you bought tickets to the first night of a live performance, would you say the same thing?”

  Dan: Yes, actually I would. I would go on the first night to see a perfomance that was not routine. I would not expect much at all being that it is their first public performance. For a new restaurant, I would go on the first night just to try and support them. Give them a break, let them work out the kinks, hopefully you will get to enjoy a great atmosphere with good food and good service very soon. Until then, feedback is exactly what they need to hear. Just make sure that you give them honest/fair feedback. If they don’t follow up on the issues, their bad. This is part of your neighborhood. You sound like you are not very welcoming to your neighbors.

  BTW – restaurants and a boeing comparison, really??? ‘If this sandwich isn’t out in under 8 minutes people might die!!!’ Get real…

• Donn August 28, 2009 (11:24 pm)

  Do you know if they have a website? All I found was one for Denver, CO.

• christopherboffoli August 29, 2009 (1:08 am)

  Donn: They do not yet have a website. It seems some other unrelated BBQ establishments outside of Seattle are using the same name.

• Brindisi Art Attack August 29, 2009 (1:57 am)

  As a resident of Southern Italy where food options are limited to the 4 main food groups; Italian, Italian, Italian and Italian (Meat, Pasta, Pizza, Fish), I would welcome the diversity that a BBQ joint would bring. I found a buffalo restaurant a few months ago that advertised a BBQ sandwich. I didn’t expect much but was disappointed to find the BBQ sauce was nothing more than pulverized sun-dried tomatoes. They just don’t get it. It wasn’t bad but not even close to BBQ. As far as not having prices listed and having poor service it sounds like there’s a little slice of Italy in West Seattle. Now if on top of that they just couldn’t understand a word you were saying it would almost be like living in Brindisi. . . . . . . sometimes it takes looking at a situation from a little different perspective to realize that things aren’t so bad after all.

• WSB August 29, 2009 (2:09 am)

  Come back!

• Huindekmi August 29, 2009 (7:20 am)

  I actually appreciate Mark’s review. Some restaurants get it from the very beginning and are close to normal operation on the first night – Spring Hill comes to mind. Others don’t.
  Some not only struggle, but seem to have an identity crisis. Shadowland was like that. From Mark’s report, The Brickyard may as well. Are they a BBQ joint? Are they a bar first that happens to have BBQ?
  If you had gone to Shadowland during that first couple weeks of operation, you may not have gone back later. But they’ve since found their niche and centered in on an identity.
  It sounds like The Brickyard may also need a little time to work out the kinks and ficure out who they are.

• Mark August 29, 2009 (7:33 am)

  One of thing. I just read about the shooting next door, yes, I was pissed that the food was not up to what I was expecting, but I wasn’t that angry!!!

  As I posted on another article about Brickyard, I really hope they plan to become a great BBQ joint and not an outdoor beer garden (they also need some beers on tap, that was missing as well). My waist line will suffer if they do get it right, but I am willing to do the extra sit-ups for a good cause.

  I will go back in 2 weeks and try them again with an open mind.

• Junction3 August 29, 2009 (9:26 am)

  My husband and I went on opening night and were glad we did. We love great barbeque, which is hard to find. We got take-out at around 8 pm (our 2-year old in tow), and enjoyed the fun, festive atmosphere while we ordered and waited. The food was delicious — the pork, pea salad, beans and biscuit. We loved it and can’t wait to try their future offerings. Great new addition to West Seattle — and Seattle!

• Amanda August 29, 2009 (10:55 am)

  I’m waiting for the ribs! Hurray for BBQ in WSeattle! Hopefully we won’t have to drive to Branks, Cedar River or Dixies as much anymore.

  Thanks for all the interesting feedback. Remember, everyone has an opinion, but you don’t have to like it ;)

• B-squared August 29, 2009 (11:15 am)

  i’ll stick with Pig Iron until they have their act together. Although, pea salad? ……Mmmmmmmmm:)

• kg August 29, 2009 (8:24 pm)

  So was the food any good or what? I can wade through some opening night/week snafu’s if I can get some decent BBQ. If after a certain time frame passes and the rookie mistakes keep on coming in, then put some “Rant’s” on here.

• MargL August 29, 2009 (8:38 pm)

  Wellllll – they opened at 5PM today (I think) and by the time we got there close to 7PM they were already out of the pulled pork and ribs and only had chicken left. Bummer deal.
  We walked down to Royal Indian grill and had dinner there. We’ll give ’em another couple weeks to figure things out. Prices are also not posted on the chalk menu board. What? Why not?

• Huindekmi August 29, 2009 (8:47 pm)

  Same here. Decided to try for myself. Went by around 7 and all that was left was chicken. A person went up and inquired at the counter to be told that there were 16 orders ahead of him. At one table, a man was angrily asking where the beer he ordered 20 minutes ago was. Another was asking for their money back.
  We walked off and drove down to the OK Corral for some ribs. Tasty.

• sunflower August 30, 2009 (4:54 am)

  everybody is a ‘foody’ all of a sudden?. the place just wants to be a simple bbq joint but it seems impossible in this day and age because thanks to technology and the Food Network, now everybody is a ‘foody’ and anybody can have a ‘blog’ and spew their opinions (like anybody cares). give the place a break. these are regular people following what maybe once was respected as pursuing the ‘american dream’. clearly they are not trying to impress anybody that is going to go home and write about it in a blog. they don’t even have a computer in the joint. this is not what the place is about. basically, if you like food, and you’re cool with a super casual attitude, then you will love it here. plain and simple. can you appreciate plain and simple?

• WSB August 30, 2009 (6:50 am)

  As site owners/managers, we don’t publish our opinions, nor do we employ restaurant reviewers. However, I want to respond to the preceding comment, because we do stick up for the community, which is who uses WSB – some just read, some offer their opinions too, some contribute news tips, some share their own stories, etc. Saying “not trying to impress anybody that is going to go home and write about it in a blog” — if you are referring to WSB, which is a news website that publishes in blog format, not “a blog” – is in this case saying “not trying to impress 23,000 homes/businesses who are interested in what’s happening in West Seattle” because that’s how many read WSB at least once weekly.
  .
  Reader-comment sections accompany articles on EVERY type of news site, including those run by corporate media. We would hope that customer opinions aren’t being discounted in ANY place they appear, online or offline — even the Better Business Bureau advises businesses to monitor and respond to online discussions:
  http://www.bbb.org/us/article/bbb-advice-on-how-to-respond-to-online-customer-complaints-11804
  .
  People who choose to find, read and discuss their news online are no different from those who don’t, except for the fact that they comprise the majority of the news audience these days.
  .
  TR

• grr August 30, 2009 (8:22 am)

  I’ve been in the Southern US for the past 10 days, eating REAL bbq :) But I’ll give this place a shot in a month or so. And..there’s always Jones BBQ down by Sears…Great stuff, as long as you get the sauce on the side.

• msu August 30, 2009 (9:16 am)

  I’m a BBQ judge certified by the Pacific NW BBQ Association (We’re at Alki every year-pnwba.com). I would give them time and didn’t attend for that reason. The first night especially is a challenge and the best restaurants are proven in time. The previous posts could discourage others from trying out new ventures in this area and that isn’t in our best interest.

  I’m leaving for Kansas City tomorrow but will be back and ready to try them in a week with an open mind then I’ll revisit them in a couple more weeks but won’t post my of my opinions on this site.

• sunflower August 30, 2009 (1:02 pm)

  WSB – i did not mean to offend you or your medium in my post. i agree with everything you have said. i think my post was more of a generalization… sometimes i just want to google a place to find an address (like i did for the bbq place) and not have to read every tom, dick and sally’s opinion. i realize, this is no longer an option if i am going to use a computer.

• mlb August 30, 2009 (1:11 pm)

  sharing opinions good or bad, to get the most out of life is what this country was founded on. living in seattle for the past 12 years i have found that’s not how it works here. most residents are more concerned about being “PC”, than to truly celebrate the differences in people and situations. i appreciate mark’s opinions and do hope this new establishment takes them as constructive criticism, which it turn could make their business one of the best.

• Blondie August 30, 2009 (1:56 pm)

  Sunflower, are you for real? A “foody”? No, we want simple, basic BBQ. I went there as well. No menu, no prices, nadda. I would die for simple, a simple menu, with prices, a few simple foods.

  Did someone force you to read all these opinions as well? You should come over to my place, you can read as much or a little as you want, then we are going to BBQ some rubbed ribs, no need to be a foody to enjoy them.

• What? August 30, 2009 (4:01 pm)

  This is a lot of arguing and anger for a place that hasn’t even been open 72 hours. Patience people please. Grand ideas often eclipse the small details. The place will improve. I always kiddingly tell my clients, “if you make more then 3 complaints then you have to find at least ONE thing that was positive.”
  Just think if teachers only told your kids how bad they were all the time and never told them what they did right. How much would you like that teacher for your kid? It’s the same with any interaction. All negative and no positive puts one on the “difficult customer” list quickly.

• I had heard August 30, 2009 (6:08 pm)

  Avoid this place like the plague for a few weeks. So far it smells good but isn’t run like they have any idea what they’re doing. Was going to be open today, then had to close because they ran out of food…would be open at 5pm. Just stopped by, by 5:30pm they were out of one of the 4 items on the menu, potato salad. Hoes does a BBQ joint close all day knowing they’re short on food, stock up, and then run out of food 30 f**king minutes after they open.

  So far very bad impressions of the place. Poorly run. Food smelled great, but I’m not even touching it for a few weeks until they get an idea how to run a restaurant.

• Christopher Boffoli August 31, 2009 (8:58 am)

  There is a pizza joint in Brooklyn called Di Fara. It is in the middle of nowhere. The pizzeria is pretty ropey. No, that’s stretching it. The place is a dump. The guy who owns and runs it must be 80 years old and he produces every pizza by himself. He moves in slow motion like he’s hypnotized. The menu is confusing and the wait for food could be measured in geologic eras. If this place were in West Seattle it seems people might be calling for it to be shutdown within it’s first few days of operation. And yet Di Fara is one of the best and most popular destinations for true Neapolitan pizza in NYC. They’ve been open for 50 years and are beloved.
  .
  Brickyard might turn out to be something special. But these things take time. It is not a call for political correctness to say that these guys just got started and deserve a grace period before people start posting “reviews” that thousands of people are potentially going to read and form opinions upon. Personally, I’m willing to be patient if it means there is potentially a plate of good BBQ coming in my direction.

• AlkiDweller August 31, 2009 (9:03 am)

  Avoid this place like the plague? Are you kidding? It’s been open for three days and I’ve eaten there twice. It’s fantastic. Someone said there’s no menu. It’s right there on the wall next to the kitchen. You can’t miss it. All plates are the same price, around 8 dollars. If you guys want to stay away until the kinks are ironed out, be my guest. There will be more for me. If you’re looking for BBQ in West Seattle, you might try the OK Corral, that is if they’re still open.
  .
  To the owners… congratulations and keep up the good work! Suggestions… Since the available indoor area is quite limited, do whatever it takes to keep the “to go” business going through the winter like provide a comfortable area to wait for the food. Maybe some kind of canopy and outdoor heaters? The quantity of food that you get for $8 works just fine for me but I can see a lot of people wanting more. How about a “super-size me” portion for another $4?

• MargL August 31, 2009 (3:23 pm)

  If it’s $8 a plate why can’t they put that on their chalk menu board? Are they still experimenting with price points and don’t want to write it down if they decide to change the prices?
  I’d pay $8 for some tasty ribs and salad… but I guess I’d have to get there right at 5:00 before they ran out. :-)

• Blondie August 31, 2009 (4:02 pm)

  Needless to say, if they don’t get it figured out we know one thing for sure. If someone can figure out a way to make good BBQ, and have enough on hand to sell for a few hours a day, with pricing we can all read, they will make a killing. Hint, hint, Brickyard!!!!

• Been here a long time August 31, 2009 (5:54 pm)

  Actually, for the one who said avoid this place like the plague? Please you do that. Please go to an established place with posh staff, posh prices and bland posh, foodie type yack cream, over a bed of braised rice with demi gloss aoli food. That will make more room for the rest of us and our simple unrefined love of B.B.Q. I got a chance to try it. Yum. If anyone thinks it’s a mess due to a few hic-ups. Then don’t go. Leave the seat for me.

• Blondie August 31, 2009 (6:58 pm)

  A few Hic Ups? You call no food a hic up? ok, I will give them that. A menu with no pricing? come on. No one ever said posh, but what any customer with half a brain will demand are the basics. You know, beyond being clean, we want a menu, with prices, we want good food, served in a timely manor. Travel down the backroads of North Carolina, they have more low-key, top notch BBQ than you can imagine. Its what we want, good food, and when I went to Brickyard, they were not even close on the basics.

• Free Lunch August 31, 2009 (7:21 pm)

  I”m stuck where I am till 8:30pm, but I’ll swing by after. (It will be my third try.) I hope they have some food left – preferably, brisket – cause I’m already starving!

• Been here a long time August 31, 2009 (7:23 pm)

  Blondie- Then Don’t go there. This place obviously doesn’t live up to your North Carolina standard. Fair enough…. Stay away. Stay far away. I’ll go. I obviously don’t have half a brain. So me and the other mentally deficient will go. I really have a feeling the place will be different in a few weeks. But that’s just my mentally deficient opinion.

• Brindisi Art Attack September 1, 2009 (2:32 am)

  What happened to the wonderful community I left a few short years ago? Why so much hate? Hating the service, hating the food, hating the people that write about hating the service and food. I want to come home to the place I left but with the bonus of lots of new restaurants and some real BBQ. I’m not expecting rainbows and unicorns but some civility might be nice. As I’ve mentioned before, sometimes you have to lose something before you can appreciate it and I, for one, appreciate West Seattle and would welcome BBQ served on a paper plate with no prices on the menu and no place to sit!

• Fred September 1, 2009 (11:22 am)

  mlb has it right. This thread has the MOST whiny group of posters I have yet run across on WSB, but in keeping with Seattle culture, I guess.

  I want to hear diverse comments on the topic at hand – not reviews of posts, or attempts at censoring others.

  I know I have now violated this position, but I do so only because I feel this thread is no longer solely about Brickyard.

• Diorist September 1, 2009 (12:09 pm)

  We’ll try Brickyard, but we’ll wait a few weeks. Meanwhile, until they’re seasoned, perhaps Brickyard could offer “break us in” coupons. I’d like to see them acknowledge their learning curve. Plus, it would help bring customers in (or back) despite the negative reviews. Turning lemons to lemonade is also part of the Southern tradition.

  Panning a shop (or event or product) that fails customer expectations isn’t whiny: it’s honest. Whining about criticism is actually whiny, though.

• PAPA-SAN September 3, 2009 (3:37 pm)

  I can’t speak to anyone of the earlier poster’s experiences over the weekend, except to say, gotta give a new place a chance to work out the kinks. Every restaurant needs time to iron it all out. I’m no connoisseur by any means or critic, but I am happy to give my observations. I stopped by the Brickyard yesterday (Wednesday) and had lunch. The owners sure have a creative vision. Congrats to them. The atmosphere is casual, fun and engaging. Plenty of seating with a great beer selection. I had a chance to meet Dan, one of the owners while I ate at the bar. Nice guy with an upbeat attitude. Service was friendly and timely. The menu features pulled pork, beef brisket, beans, cole slaw, salads (including pea) and jalapeno corn bread with honey butter. I loved the brisket plate I ordered with beans, slaw and corn bread. The brisket was, moist, tender and the spicy sauce was tangy and sweet and served over the beans with bacon. Portion size was perfect for lunch. I thought the presentation was awesome. Price was totally reasonable…. less than nine bucks for a delicious meal. Yes, I’ll be back for sure. And soon. Can totally see catching ball games there or enjoying late afternoon lunches with the family.

• Ray West September 12, 2009 (10:06 am)

  Well, I couldn’t wait to try this place, but now I’m very disappointed–not because the food was bad, but because when we got there we were told that almost everything was gone! Now I’m reading here that this is an ongoing problem. I realize it takes time to work out problems, but how hard is it to order and cook MORE food? I guess unless you show up at ten in the morning, your chances of eating are slim. It was also very confusing upon entering. We didn’t know what to do–wait for someone to seat us, seat ourselves, order first at the counter–or maybe at the bar–we finally grabbed a waitress and interrogated her about the protocol, only to find out there’s no food anyway. I will go back, but I can’t see how their venue is going to work–combining a bar in such a small outdoor establishment seems silly. And how is this place going to work in the winter? Do people have to sit outside in the rain and cold or settle for take out? Will there be outdoor heaters and more covered areas? Considering how limited the seating is, the bar just adds to the problems by allowing people to loiter with a drink. I’m also concerned about the food portions. I’d rather pay a little more for a filling meal, rather than go away hungry for a lesser price. I think the owners have the beginnings of a great place here, but they need to rethink a few things.

• Ray West September 13, 2009 (4:03 pm)

  The third time was finally the charm after two failed attempts to eat here. Let me say that I really do like this place, but there are still problems. First, when I seated myself at one of the small counters, I apparently turned invisible. The nice couple sitting at my counter finally flagged down a server for me. I ordered the brisket of beef, but they had already run out (it was only 2:30 pm, for gosh sakes). I then ordered the chicken, beans, and side corn bread. This was somehow translated into pulled pork and bisquit, although I did get my cornbread. Both the beans and pork were only slightly above room temperature. I never got a refill on my “smallish” cup of Coke that was chock full of ice. There is still the problem of too few tables and combining a bar w/BBQ. If nothing else, get rid of the big-screen TV hanging over the bar so people aren’t just hanging around watching sports for hours, sipping drinks, while waiting customers are piling up outside or leaving hungry and frustrated because they can’t get a table. You want a fast turnover to keep customers happy and also to make a bigger profit.

  Also, what’s with the horsehoe pitch in the back? This is just wasted profitable space that could have been used for more seating, although if you continue to run out of food, then there’s certainly no point in having more customers. And get more covered areas so partons will be protected during the inclement weather.

  Other than that, the food was delicious. Work out these problems and you’ll have a successful venture that way exceeds your dreams.

• bangles September 14, 2009 (12:30 pm)

  My husband picked up some bbq from them this weekend. Said the patio set-up was cool.

  He ordered pulled pork but when we went to eat, it was sliced pork and unfortunately quite fatty and a bit tough. The beans were a little firm for my taste but had good flavor.

  I’m a Carolina/Georgia girl, so I do know a thing or two about bbq (it’s a mandatory for graduating). As to the question of why they can’t just “whip out” more food: good bbq takes quite a while to cook and doesn’t hold well (it gets dry and gamey). I suspect that they are trying to get a sense of demand so they can optimize the quantity they prep and not waste. Who, opening a restaurant in this economy, can afford excessive waste? Hopefully they’ll get this figured out shortly. All the menu and price stuff, well I just don’t know about that. I suspect, back to the demand issue, they’re trying to get a handle on what to charge.

  I’m going to give ’em another shot and will likely try for the beef. Constructive, objective feedback is the best way to help them succeed and to get us all some decent bbq in W. Seattle.

  See y’all on the patio,
  Bangles

• Erika September 16, 2009 (3:35 pm)

  We visited a few days after they opened and LOVED the food. (the prices were posted on the wall and on paper menus at the table) The salads were noticeably different than the common “from a box” potato salad and the pea salad was really fresh. I’m not normally into spicy foods but really enjoyed the jalapeno cornbread. We tried each of the different meats and the brisket was our favorite. My impression was that it was new and clean yet had a worn-in, comfortable neighborhood hang-out feel. The owner told me the wooden bar is actually made out of an old dock so it has a neat character to it all. I would imagine they’ll get a good feel for the inventory needs soon, so I’ll definately go back. He also said they are putting up some sort of tent and heaters to make it comfortable when the weather turns colder.

• Junctionite September 16, 2009 (7:52 pm)

  We went this weekend, there were some pluses, but also a number of negatives.

  We thought the food was good, the portions are pretty small, the service was erratic. There was no clean silverware, we had to find plastic ourselves. Our server was obviously really stressed, she miscalculated our bill (about $5 too high) I didn’t figure it out until the ride home, but it just wasn’t worth going back.

  However, we did like the food and on a nice evening the outside seating is a real treat. I just wonder how popular it will be much of the year when it is 55 degrees and raining (sorry to bring it up). It seems like carry out will be the only path to long-term survival.

• dolly September 22, 2009 (8:28 pm)

  Sadly, we were dissappointed. The shredded(?!) chicken tasted old and the brisket my husband ordered was probably an underwarmed left over. Is it because we did not go on the weekend or is this their norm?

• Ray West September 24, 2009 (11:13 am)

  Overall, I think they are getting better at running this place, and the overwhelming customer response has settled down somewhat, hopefully making it easier to concentrate on quality control. My main complaint (like other peoples’) is that the food temp on meat and beans is never “hot,” just lukewarm. The beans really do need to be cooked more tender. I really like the potato salad and the cornbread. Keep at it, guys, you are improving. I do think my soft drink is too small and I have never been offered a refill.

• Lives next door September 28, 2009 (8:53 am)

  I am all about supporting new businesses in West Seattle, especially around Admiral! My one request for Brickyard is for you guys to be a bit more considerate of the community that you guys moved into. There is an apartment building right next door, and we get to hear it when you have people yelling and playing loud music until 2am (specifically on weekdays, I’m not even talking about Friday/Saturday noise). If you guys are going to be an outdoor establishment, fine, but please remember that this is also a neighborhood. Other than that, more power to the brickyard :)

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