Thursday, August 9, 2012

Barley's Taproom 08/09/2012

I frequent Barley's weekly and am just getting around to reviewing it - mostly because I've been on hiatus from my reviews due to laziness. I like Barley's because it has one of the cheaper lunches downtown. I have a co-worker who likes to argue that the pizza is inferior to a few other places, and I'll concede, but pizza is pretty hard to screw up and 2 New York slices and a drink for under $6 is hard to fuss about. Sometimes there's a soup and sandwich deal, too.

Barley's has probably the best beer selection in town. Around 40 brews are usually on tap there if you count the upstairs, too, which is only open after 6:00 PM. They have darts and billiards up there, too.

Anyways, the place is dark. The service can be slow at times, but, considering the beer selection and the prices, I wouldn't eschew the place, and I'd definitely include it on any pub crawl in Asheville.

**** four asterisks

Barley's Taproom
42 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC - (828)255-0504

Black Mountain Ale House 08/07/2012

I've been here a few times with my buddy, Steve, because it's the closest thing to a real bar near his house and I don't like going to get him and driving all the way back to town to drink and then having to go all the way back out to Swannanoa to drop him off.

Likes: this bar has an excellent beer selection for such a small room. Lots of locals and craft brews and even usually a beer special. Also, try the fried pickles. They do it the way it is meant to be done - chips, not spears.

Dislikes: Too many TVs, no booths. I guess most bars have TVs to accommodate the sports fanatic. I'm not him. I go to bars to drink and socialize. I just think some booths would be nice if you don;t want to sit on a high stool.

I had a black & blue burger the other night with their potato salad. The potato salad is excellent. It has a smokey flavor that I've experienced with someone else's potato salad before but can't recall whose. The burger was also delicious.

I find the prices decent and the food and drink selection here excellent. If you find yourself in Black Mountain or just don;t mind a drive, definitely check this place out.

**** four asterisks

Black Mountain Ale House
117 C Cherry St, Black Mountain, NC 28711   (828) 669-9090