The Perch Kitchen + Tap

Next stop puts me in the general West Town area to see what's going on with Finch's these days. Past the "café" seating outside, inside is a fairly open-concept area, the bar on the right, table and booth seating to the left, the brewing equipment at the far right, the kitchen in the rear. I'm not a major fan of the layout, what with server and patron paths crossing in the shared walkways in the back (I always feel like I'm going where I shouldn't be, even though it's the only way to make it to the bathroom). The décor is contemporary and fairly minimalist, everything evoking an aviary with the greenery and the vaulted ceilings and skylights and all, but there's a home-y modernity to it as well. The range on offer is pretty solid, with a hef, a few IPAs, an O-Fest ('tis the season), a maibock, a cream ale, a kolsch, and a few others. In terms of quality, the shakiness of Finch's remains as consistent as ever, the beers oscillating between fairly solid and really just kinda off. Didn't have too much interaction with the bartender, though she seemed affable enough. Also didn't try any of the food, so can't comment there. Overall, a nice spot, sure, especially if the food is good (again, couldn't tell ya), but not what I would consider anything close to a must-visit, honestly.