Barrel - Washington

This restaurant offers Southern-style cuisine in a lively neighborhood bar with welcoming service. Their BBQ platters include a serving of beans, creamed greens, a biscuit-scone, and a selection of sauces. The thick-cut fries are topped with cheese and are both fluffy and crispy. They also have a wide variety of drinks to choose from on their extensive menu.

This was my first time at this restaurant. The food was quite tasty and packed with flavor. We were seated downstairs where it seemed like the bartender was disinterested and unfriendly. They appeared irritated when we asked questions, which was a bit of a dampener on the experience. I would have liked to give a higher rating, but the service was subpar. It seemed like they were understaffed and had asked a dishwasher to step in as a bartender. They were unresponsive to questions and overall not very helpful.

I decided to visit this restaurant based on a friend's recommendation, and I must say, it did not disappoint. The brisket was incredibly tender, as were the ribs which practically fell off the bone. The sweet BBQ sauce was a bit sweeter than I usually like, but still enjoyable. The Mac and cheese was delicious and perfectly baked. The biscuit and ham appetizer was warm and tasty, especially with the added butter. While I wasn't a huge fan of the creamy collard greens, the BBQ baked beans were incredibly flavorful. Overall, I would definitely return to this restaurant.

Sitting here as we speak, the brunch menu is extremely small but the food is good. I ordered the steak and eggs and it was flavorful specially after pouring a ton of hot sauce. The biggest issue is the downstairs bartender. This guy really doesn?twant to be here, and his knowledge of mixers is non existent. I think they took a cook from the back and brought him up to mixdrinks. He?s dry and doesn?t communicate well. He seems to have 0 social skills. My friend was talking to him placing an orderwhen he turned around completely ignoring him. I get it, he?s the only one working down here for 3 tables and the bar but atleast have some social skills. We are about to leave to find somewhere else to eat since the portions were so small.

This is the kind of restaurant/bar located on my alley. It is not a huge restaurant, but has a lot of seating, and this is specialized in South Inspired food, and has an excellent, but not a wide choice of whisky. The service is friendly and hospitable, and I would say the mood here is jovial. I came here with my cousin on his recommendation because we were looking for a place to drink. We sat at the bar and I wasn't super hungry, but I really wanted to try something. I think I ordered a pecan/banana pudding cake or something. The food itself looked amazing when I saw people order it, but I think we had already eaten dinner at that time. So Dessert should have done this. The main reason we wanted to go there was for the whisky. There is no great selection, but there is a very remarkable and it is also really good. But what I love in this place is that this is one of those places where you find it hard to get a bottle that is not too expensive. Sure, there can be a light charge, but nothing ridiculous. If you are creative or simple quality South food, and really good whisky at reasonable prices, this is a must to visit.