SLO Brewing Company

Posted by SLO Critic | 5 comments

Great to see an old name again but the service needs serious improvement

SLO Brewing Company has recently reopened on Garden Street in San Luis Obispo. It took back the name it had before becoming Downtown Brew and it’s a welcome change. As a long time SLO resident I remember when the original SLO Brew opened and it’s great to have it back.

The Digs:
SLO Brewing Co
1119 Garden Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

The Scoop:
Located on Garden Street across from Linneas SLO Brew is a brew pub that makes its own beer as well as has a full bar and restaurant. They have a wide range of music talent that plays downstairs and upstairs has pool tables. It’s a great place to hang out.

What Rocks:
The renovations are great and the place “feels” great. Some of the things they did were really cool, like a whole wall that is a chalk board and a massive fan that is amazing. I had the opportunity to visit SLO Brew twice in the past week and got to try the beer on tap, which was good, and then again for lunch. The menu is a pretty typical bar type menu and the food was pretty good. I had the sliders and tried one of each. I highly recommend the Ahi sliders.

What Sucks:
The service. Our server was very nice but it took 15 minutes for them to come take our order. Then it took another 35-40 minutes to get the food, and there was very few people in the restaurant. Our server felt bad about it but it was just plain unacceptable and there were too many people that worked there standing around while we sat there waiting and waiting. I realize this was probably a one time issue but the fact that no one else working there was even phased says a lot. It reminded me of a similar experience at Creekside Brewing.

The Moolah:
It’s a little expensive. Most items start around $10-12.

Buffalo Pub & Grill

Posted by SLO Critic | 1 comment

A nice stop on Higuera for a cocktail and great bar food.

Buffalo Pub & Grill is located downtown SLO and is a great place for after work cocktails or a quick lunch. In the evening it’s a popular stop for the college crowd.

The Digs:
Buffalo Pub & Grill
717 Higuera Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

The Scoop:
Located just a few doors down from Mother’s (Mo-Tav) the Buffalo Pub is owned by the same people that own one of my favorite places, The Black Sheep Bar & Grill. It’s the typical bar atmosphere and they have a number of beers on tap, a full bar, and a nice menu.

What Rocks:
Just like Black Sheep, the service is excellent. Everyone is friendly and you feel right at home from the second you walk in. I had the Grilled Pastrami and Pepperoncini Pepper Sandwich and it was great! My lunch date had the Marinated Chicken on Ciabatta and it was also excellent. It was actually hard to decide what to eat as there were many great selections on the menu.

What Sucks:
If you aren’t into the college crowd this place will get on your nerves after about 6pm. If you are one of the college crowd, this is your place!

The Moolah:
Most sandwich items are between $8.50-$12.50. Buffalo plates are $12.50-$16.50.

Black Sheep Bar & Grill

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Great “locals” bar with consistently great food

The Black Sheep Bar & Grill has become my new favorite when you want good food and great cocktails. It’s hidden off of Chorro Street, which is a good thing as it’s not too busy during lunch and the food is great. It’s also a perfect after work place for a cocktail and they make their drinks…shall we say..generously!

The Digs:
Black Sheep Bar & Grill
1117 Chorro Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

The Scoop:
Located next to The Sanctuary Tobacco Shop on Chorro, Black Sheep has a old style bar feeling and when I say that I do not mean a dive bar by any means. It’s warm and welcoming and there is a great patio area in the back for outdoor dining. The food is fantastic and after several visits I have not had anything that wasn’t great. They are known for their mac and cheese, which while I admit isn’t one of my favorite dishes, theirs is very good.

What Rocks:
Everything on the menu. The Guinness burger, tacos, or club sandwich are my favorites. If you want to enjoy a cocktail, almost every mixologist there has their own specialty so ask for it.

What Sucks:
The back patio usually has an abundance of flies which can get annoying. Also if you want to escape the college bar scene at night, get there before 7 as the younger crown tends to come in after that.

The Moolah:
Prices range between $8.95-$13.95

Creekside Brewing Company

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Great stop for lunch along the creek but needs some positive energy.

Creekside Brewing is fairly new to San Luis Obispo and its taken the old building on Broad Street by the creek. Some say nothing can survive in

this location but hopefully Creekside can make it a go.

The Digs:
Creekside Brewing Company
1040 Broad Street
San Luis Obispo CA, 93401

The Scoop:
Creekside Brewing has a nice lunch menu and not what you expect from a brewery, which is a nice surprise. They have a nice selection of sandwiches and salads and while I didn’t get a chance to try their beers, I will be back to partake.

What Rocks:
All the sandwiches look great and I decided on an old standby, the Pastrami sandwich. No matter what you order make sure you get the Parmesan Paprika fries. They are a bit too loaded up with Parmesan but very good. The Pastrami wasn’t as good a quality as expected but overall the sandwich was very good. Friends I was dining with tried the Caprese Melt and the Metropolitan and they both enjoyed it very much. If the weather is nice sit outside by the creek, its beautiful.

What Sucks:
The bar is actually downstairs so when you first walk in upstairs all you see is tables and the brewing system in the back. It’s a bit drab and desperately needs some decorating and positive energy upstairs. Service was okay but not great.

The Moolah:
Typical meal at lunch ranges $6-9. Dinner is slightly more at $13-28. Beer is $5 a pint for their microbrew