Tallgrass Brewing Co. Tap House

Got to Manhattan about six thirty after a long drive through Oklahoma and Kansas and checked into the hotel before heading over here for dinner. It was packed when I walked in around seven thirty but emptied out fast on a Tuesday night and was almost deserted when I left around nine.

Handsome long bar and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating is the setting for about fifteen taps, split between house beers and guest taps. The menu was varied and interesting but I went with the blue cheese burger and side salad. Everything was excellent.

Beers were fresh and tasty. I started with a Easy Mode Cream Ale and followed it up with an IPA called Citrafied.

I am not sure when next Ill find myself in Manhattan, Kansas but would definitely try to get back here.

I visited this tap house while on a business trip It is in a very large, two-story location on the main downtown street. It is modern and upscale-feeling, far beyond what I expected or saw at other places in town. there were a number of tables on a patio in front, which is where I sat. The food menu was impressively large and my choice was very tasty. They had 12 of their own beers on tap, along with 6 guest taps. I tried samples of several and had a couple of taps, and all were good. My server was friendly and was an advocate for their beer. I highly recommend this tap house if you're in Manhattan.

 

A few days of driveabout (walkabout on wheels) before the unusual suspects roll in tomorrow 3 states from here. Been on the road for a bit but am detouring now for lunch en route to Lincoln and Omaha and Council Bluffs, oh my. Midtown Manhattan traffic is craaaaaaazy today. Not that Manhattan; the other one. And by craaaaaaazy I mean not at all. Easily located on a strip of 2 story buildings in town. Parked a sweet slander spot and mulled about suspiciously for a few as I’m early for the 11am opening…

Somehow, some guy set up ahead of me (do you know who I am?!?) ‘C’ shaped wood pieced topped bar, shimmery copper tile base, and rounded foot box. Seating for 14 on wood steel framed chairs. I sat somewhere along the way. 20 tap stainless barbell tower on the bar with logo house and guest handles, and a crowler crimper on the end. 3 sets of double high tanks behind the bar with logo placard identifiers fronting a red subway tile wall, and flats to both sides.

Alt colored wood slat floors and a black ceiling; drop to the rear, panel to the front, & vaulted in the middle where it rides to the upper floors. Large forward windows, green wall, gray wall, 2 tone yellow wall, and pillars rising. A row of tanks behind glass to the rear of the room fronting a green subway tile wall. And the rest of the brewing system behind glass down the hallway there (me, pointing) at the start of the self-guided brewing process tour. Bar scene paintings & logo art play, merch & beer to go in the front corner coolering crowls. Drop lamps, spots, & track lighting. 20 booths & tables shared & hightop to the rear, side, & front

Wandered about as I do, took a jaunt upstairs to see the what what there. It’s a smallish perch with seating; 5 booths with very cool stained-glass headers on the inside wall, and 5 larger group tables adjacent along the railing overlooking the room below. Rounded brick front fireplace on the end with a growler lined mantle. And up and up to the rooftop deck overlooking Manhattan life. Strung pear bulb lighting back and forth over a dozen squared hightops umbrella’d, some front ledge seating, & a roll up to close up service bar. Back downstairs again, I spy a room event space with a bar and the Ice Box; a smaller conference room-like single party seating space.

7 house beers. I did a sampler of 6 of them served on a rounded metal rack, and then took a taster of the 7th because I needed it (Ragnarok Festbier, German Lager, 6.2%, good malt backbone, a little sweet, very well done; Beauregard, American Pale Ale, 5.5%, had a bite but was sturdy; Autumn Wind, Fresh Hop IPA, 6.8%, and the hop was named Cascade, and it was clean and not fucking hazy and thank you; Kung Fu Master, IPA, 7%; kind of fruity, maybe, don’t know but I’m not feeling it, meh; Wildcat Wit, Belgian Witbier, 5.5%, not over the top Coriander, which was nice, tasty; Allyson in Wonderland, American Wheat Ale with Peach & Tangerine, 5.5%, pleasant, fruity, good stone & citrus fruit blend; Rise of the Zolander, Belgian Strong Golden Ale, 9.5%, very nice, a candy sugar sweety!). Festbier for the Win but Fresh Hop IPA & Belgian Strong Golden Ale were right behind it.

And 13 guest taps; a mix of craft offerings from other in-state breweries (Free State Oatmeal Stout, Walnut River Warbeard, Kansas Territory Life Coach & Pineapple Life Coach), regional (Boulevard Quirk & Wheat, KC Bier Co Dunkel, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy, New Belgium Atomic Pumpkin, Oscar Blues Can-O-Bliss Hazy IPA), and afar (Sierra Nevada Wild Little Thing, Stone Buenaveza), + a sole cider (Cider Boys First Press).

Oh, the aforementioned lunch. I had the apple spiced walnut salad (chicken, mixed greens, spiced walnuts, dried cranberries, balsamic, omitted the goddamn feta and added chicken for extra fuck yeah). It was gigantor and did the trick. I had been toying with also nabbing me the Korean friend wings but the salad was more than enough.

Kurtender today and only today, as it’s his last day before Nashvilling it. Chill crowd, it being like late morning/early afternoon on a Monday. Some solid beers, and a great goddamn salad. Excellent lunch stop. I chose well

 

 

The outside isn't particularly impressive, but not much is on Poyntz Ave. Inside looks great and they have some cool rooftop seating. Tallgrass makes great beer. All of their regular can lineup is on tap, plus a lot of their Explorer series. Then they have brewery only releases. Plus, I hear they often bring back retired brews. I didn't try the food, but many of my friends say its really good.

 

Vibe: Very clean as in a upscale restaurant meshed with a brewpub.

Quality: Excellent beer and amazing food. There wasn't one beer I wouldn't not recommend

Service: The staff was very friendly, but our waitress seemed new and didn't know much about the styles. But service overall was excellent.

Selection: With over 20+ beers on tap and bringing in craft beers from all over the country the selection was up there but I didn't see any of the imperials or barley wines.

Food: Every dish I have had there was amazing. from presentation to flavor. I would rate this as an upscale restaurant on food, at about the price of going to a steak house.

I have been multiple times and i will continue to go. Their beer is some of my favorite such as the velvet rooster and the 16 bit, and my favorite aspect is that they even have other beers on tap that they do not distribute (yet) which i hope they do, they have one called Tomahawk IPA which is in my top 5 for IPAs and i always look forward to my first glass. Their food is good and reasonably priced but their service is spotty. Sometimes its good other times its slow. They do need to seriously improve their bar situation there are times where i wait just as long for my beer as i do for my food. If in a small group i suggest sitting at the bar itself, quickest way to get your beer.

 

Recently opened extension of Tallgrass Brewing. The facility is quite large with a lower & upper dining area. They also have a "speakeasy" area that is nice as well. It doesn't have a speakeasy feel, but the area is nice. They also have an outdoor rooftop area for even more seating and nice views of the Flint Hills. The food menu has a variety of dishes that will meet most needs. The brewery currently has 6 "Tap House Exclusives" on draft. A great addition to the currently limited craft beer scene in Manhattan.