Vantage Point Brewing Company — Restaurant in Coeur d'Alene

Vantage Point Brewing Company - Good fries, bad beer, and an apocalypse of apathy

Vantage Point Brewing Company is a strange mix of promise and disappointment, like a movie that starts with a great trailer but fumbles the plot halfway through. On paper, it should be a relaxed neighborhood brewery, a place to grab a pint and some solid bar food. In reality, it’s a study in contradictions.

Let’s start with the small victories. The roasted corn dip was surprisingly good; warm, slightly smoky, and satisfying. The tortilla chips held up under the weight of the dip instead of disintegrating like so many appetizers I’ve suffered through over the years. The garlic fries were generous, crisp, and properly seasoned, a little explosion of flavor in an otherwise underwhelming meal. For a moment, you think, “Okay, maybe this place gets it.”

And then reality creeps back in. The tri tip hoagie; a dish that should be hearty and comforting, arrived dry, sad, and begging for the au jus that was barely there. There was a horseradish sauce that hinted at salvation, but it lacked punch, leaving the sandwich a bland shadow of what it could have been. My wife’s chicken sandwich was in the same boat: cooked fine but flavorless, a reminder that effort without passion is just... food. The kid’s meal, bless its little soul, was the most consistent thing on the table, which says more about the adult menu than I care to admit.

And the beer. The “red & blue” IPA was an abomination, bitter and metallic, a concoction that makes you wonder if someone in the back was actively trying to ruin your evening. I wanted to try another pint just to see if it could get worse, but our waitress had disappeared somewhere in the ether, apparently auditioning for a role in a play called “How Not to Serve Customers.”

Speaking of service; well, there wasn’t much to speak of. Fifteen minutes for menus, twenty more to place an order, and an hour later we were still fighting for boxes and a check. You start to feel like an intruder rather than a paying customer, a guest unwelcome in their own meal.

The price didn’t match the experience, either. A few sparks of flavor; fries, corn dip, maybe the horseradish, but everything else left you feeling like you’d been shortchanged. And yet, despite all that, there’s a strange charm here. It’s not awful. It’s just… apathetic. Like a place that had the tools to be great but couldn’t be bothered.

Bottom line: Vantage Point Brewing Company is a study in contrasts. It has flashes of competence, bursts of flavor, and a few things that actually make you smile, but they’re suffocated by dry meat, bad beer, and invisible service. Go if you want some decent fries, a passable dip, and a reminder that not every place with a tap list has a pulse behind the bar. But don’t go expecting consistency, passion, or a beer that won’t taste like a chemical experiment gone wrong.

Food, like life, is an adventure—sometimes a thrilling ride, sometimes a slow-moving disaster. This one? More of a tragic misstep, like a tourist ordering fugu from a guy with a twitchy eye. But hey, we eat, we learn, we survive—mostly. Until next time, may your meals be memorable for the right reasons. Join me at Northwest Chef Food Reviews on Facebook for better food...

My wife and I grew up in north Idaho so every time a new pub/brewery open we enjoy checking them out. First off there was no one to greet you at the front just a sign “seat yourself” which doesn’t work around here because there are just to many people and not enough restaurants. After waiting and waiting some more for an open table we saw a couple leave and snagged that table which had not been cleaned yet but we didn’t want to miss the opportunity. Once seated we waited almost 15min before a server even came close to us let alone made eye contact, I had to convince my wife several times to stay. Finally I got up and flagged a server down, they explained I was not sitting in their section but they would get my area server, 5 more minutes we waited. After the server found our table and took our order I had a chance to relax and look around, it was very obvious to my wife and I we were surrounded by California yuppies that are probably used to waiting around in crowded restaurants for subpar service and food, also the parking lot was full of California plate cars. We each had one beer and a sandwich before trying to flag down our server which we had not seen once after they dropped off the food. This kind of place may be just what all the Californians enjoy but it’s not the kind of place north Idaho needs. Long waits, poor service, high prices and ok food are not something my wife and I will be visiting again nor will we suggest to friends and family. So if your looking for that family friendly home town kinda feel this place is not it! If your a California yuppy who likes poor service and expensive food this should be...

Great atmosphere. Our server Chase was on his game and did very well.👐👏🙌👏.Thank you Chase. We started with the huckleberry chipotle wings which get were absolutely amazing. I got the prime rib dip with a Caesar salad and asked for the hot mustard on the side instead of of the sandwich. I recommend informing the customer of the 3 dollar and change charge for putting it on the side instead of on the sandwich. I understand you need to do what you need to do, was just a little surprised at the end to see the charge on the bill for that much. This meal wasn't horrible by any means I just believe needs a little fine tuning. The meat in the sandwich was a little dry which I believe could be solved with a little less time on the flat top. And the Caesar salad being tossed to order would insure the taste of the Caesar dressing, it was little bland. My husband got the VP sandwich and was having a hard time keeping the chicken between the buns with the amount of aolie put on the bottom bun. Sometimes less is better.. but enjoyed the the veggies were on the side to build himself. 😁 Good choice on that idea we liked that. The garlic fries have potential. I believe if grated Parm with garlic mixed would stick to the fried instead of coming out in grease balls not stuck to the fries at all. All and all you guys really have a great place going here and training people and getting everybody on the same page truly is a work of art but I see it all coming together very nicely. We will see...