Ambiance and Service
Jackie: The atmosphere here is laid back, there is always a movie playing, though I don't really understand why as there is never sound and rarely subtitles. It has a nice pub feel to it. I do appreciate the art, including the portrait of the current queen with a pint. However, it a very small space and people end up quite packed together. Our server was pleasant enough to begin with. Schooners were on special and I asked for a sample of the beer I was about to order as I had never had it before, and committing to two pints of the cheapest beer on tap is always a risk! She gladly brought it and I was quite impressed. Then something unexpected happened, set off by something completely unknown, after delivering our food, her attitude changed. She stopped refilling drinks and when asked, she brought a coke back and set it down with a thud. She was impolite for the rest of the visit, and what had started off promising, ended in disappointment.
Rating 2/5
Steph: I like that the Pourhouse seems like a hidden gem (Jeff actually walked past it and kept going for a while!) and the staff are normally busy but friendly. The movies they play are eclectic (I've seen My Fair Lady, Monty Python, and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly on different occasions) and the art is definitely irreverent but all in good fun. However, on our visit our service took a nosedive about halfway through the meal. We were never offered refills, she rarely checked on us and it felt like we were getting the cold shoulder. It was strange to be sure, and hopefully everything was alright with our server as I've always had great service before.
Rating 3/5
Taste and Presentation
Jackie: Spoiler alert: the only thing that was truly delicious about this meal was the appetizer, which, for $10 is two large pretzels and two dipping sauces (spicy mustard and hot cheese). They got these right, and they always do! If you're looking for a beer and a snack, this might be the place for you.
My dinner, the Short Rib Burger ($14) was a debacle. The meat itself was good but the curry ketchup was too spicy and overpowering, leaving me unable to finish. To top it all off the mashed potatoes I got as a side had crunchy and lumpy bits, and looked as if they were the last of a slightly burned batch.
Additionally, while at dinner, Jeff asked us for a recommendation for a side dish to accompany his meal. We expressly warned him not to try either salad, and were honestly left baffled as to what he should have. Stay away from side dishes here.
Rating 2.5/5
Steph: With four of us dining, it seemed like a great opportunity to try several different dishes. The pretzels were awesome as always (that spicy mustard brings me right back to Germany!) and big enough to share. I ordered the Mac and Cheese ($15) which comes with the bistro salad. Honestly I do not understand this salad; the little bit of vinaigrette you do get has hardly any flavour but a nasty aftertaste, how it remains on the menu is a mystery to me. I asked to have the honey cumin slaw instead; crunchy but bland, I cannot recommend the slaw much more than the salad. The mac and cheese was good, but it is hard to mess up mac and cheese! It had lots of creamy sauce, the pasta was cooked well, and the portion was decent, but I would have liked more bread crumbs on top to add some texture and crunch to a gooey meal.
Jeff ordered the Bacon Wrapped Splitter ($13), essentially a hotdog wrapped in bacon, with a side Caesar salad. He liked the hotdog, but seriously regretted the salad, lamenting about the obvious lack of dressing. Plain lettuce and sprinkled Parmesan does not a Caesar make. He WAS warned about ordering any sort of salad here!
Becky decided to try the Butter Chicken Clubhouse ($14) with a side of roasted garlic mashed potatoes. She thoroughly enjoyed the clubhouse, if exclaiming "this is so good" after each bite is any indication, and was the happiest of all of us with her choice. However the mashed potatoes were forgettable at best.
Rating 3/5
Overall Value
Jackie: This place is overly expensive for underwhelming food and drinks. A good beer will cost you $9, and the our dinners were at least $14 each, which would have been acceptable had the food been good. It was edible, except for the side dishes, but they need to take their food up a notch or lower their prices.
Rating 2/5
Steph: I was somewhat put out to find that my simple mac and cheese was the most expensive item ordered at our table and the most expensive entree available! $15 for forgettable pasta and a bad salad? Unacceptable! I am usually positive to a fault, but there's little I can find redeeming about that price for that meal. Without our Groupon, a beer, two pretzels, and four entrees would have set us back $80. For a pub meal that most of us didn't really enjoy, that is pretty darn pricey.
Rating 2.5/5
The Verdict While we love the atmosphere and the pretzels and beer, they are going to need to step up their food game to get us back for a proper meal again. There are so many fantastic eateries within walking distance on Whyte Ave that you need to be pretty darn amazing to create a repeat customer. We have heard great things from friends about the other appetizers, and the beer selection is pretty top notch, so those would be our recommendations if you find yourself here one night. We have had some fun times at the Pourhouse in the past, so we're sad to say that our visit was pretty disappointing and has us questioning whether we'll return any time soon.
Final Rating 15/30
And the winner is.... Meat! Becky's Butter Chicken Clubhouse was happily devoured and Jeff enjoyed the Bacon Wrapped Splitter, while Steph's Mac & Cheese left much to be desired, so Meat comes out on top this round.
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