the Yard house-anyone been?

For anyone interested, the Yard House was bought by Darden Restaurants, operators of the Olive Garden and Red Lobster.

 

This can only be bad news. The one thing I appreciated about Yard House (aside from the beer) is that their food is outstanding for a chain restaurant. I can't imagine why Darden wouldn't do a menu overhaul and start serving up lots of the same shitty frozen meals that you get at their other restaurants. Darden is all about cost savings, where the Yard House always seemed to try to put quality first.

 

I have only been to the Dedham location. It food is very good pub food. A bit expensive but rock solid for that type of cuisine. They have a ton of taps. Nothing crazy or over the top (AKA no ticks for Tender) but I also realize that I am a bit jaded when it comes to tap lists. Usually I am skeptical of a place that has so many taps and the ability to maintain and keep them clean but I have tried 10-12 different beers in my visits there and never got an "off" beer. Better than some of the mega tap beer bars in Boston (see Sunset Grill which I have had many off beers over the years).

Not a beer dorks wet dream by any means but a rock solid place for sure.

 

I just stick to their chalk board offerings which are generally good. In fact if all they had were their chalk board offerings, I would say it is a good place.

 

Their chalk board offerings are awesome, it's usually the only thing I get when I go there. Some examples of what I've been able to get are rare Harpoons, 120 minute (8oz shorty only $7), vintage Double Bastard, etc.. In my opinion it's the best beer bar around Fenway (much better then The Lower Depths- haven't been impressed with them the few times I've been there).

 

San Diego location = no yards of beer. 18" "yards" and you can only get weak beer in them. Good beer is served in pint glasses. The place sucks, at least here.