Jacobs Brewhouse Restaurant — Restaurant in Deadwood

I so badly want to rate this a 5 star experience but cold, impersonal and dry is something I can’t stand to witness in any service industry.

Perhaps it was just the Monday staff (which anybody in hospitality could tell you is a wretched excuse). Perhaps it was the fact that we had a dog with us… despite our choosing this restaurant partly given the fact that they have a dog menu!

Yeah, a menu just for dogs!

We were thrilled to arrive… then we did, to a fanfare of blank stares and a palpable err of antipathy when we requested a different table from the one they pointed to and grunted at without so much as leaving the hostess stand. The waitress, fully capable of flashing a bit of personality as we witnessed after we made a complaint about some of the food, could have alleviated the unwelcome feeling upon her introduction but instead doubled down on the sentiment and left us wondering if we should leave… but the dog menu was too much, and the reviews of the food too solid to ignore both. So we dined, and were 98% pleased, until one of my children pointed out that “fruit” she selected were dry orange slices that last nights bar back forgot to throw out, which is when I had to say something. Which I did, about everything. Justin was the shift supervisor that came to our aid when we asked to speak to a manager and honestly it felt like I was talking to the GM. He not only made us feel heard but reversed the prior feelings of unwelcome with which we were originally greeted. He wanted to hear us out and we adjourned the discussion with the feeling he was keen to help out the hostess stand and all the rest. Kudos to that guy - I should mention he busts out the full sized glasses of water...

Atmosphere is what keeps it from getting 2 stars. I had the Lavender Lover as my first drink and at first few sips, I was like this is alright. But the more I drank it, the more I really disliked it. The second drink was the Pretty In Pink and it tasted like..... alcohol. No distinctive flavor. Then the food came out. My father and I got two plates and shared them, so this review is compiled of two opinions, mind you of people who have eaten all over the United States and have worked in the restaurant business in various positions. We got the pulled pork plate with Mac and cheese plus bread and the Fettuccine Brussel Sprouts plate. The brussel sprouts were tender, but they cooked the grapes????? When they should be fresh and cold, yet parts of the pasta were cold.... and the pasta was cooked to the proper tenderness, however the flavor of everything was lacking and quite frankly just bland. Same with the pork, texture was just fine, but flavor was bland, along with the gouda mac and cheese. Also quite lacking. The dessert was redeeming, however still was not up to par with expectation. The menu reads delicious, as if crafted by a true chef, although not cooked by one; the food doesn’t deliver. The service staff was friendly but not knowledgeable about the menus when asked questions. Atmosphere is great. This place screams potential. I have never written a review before but because this place could be everything it advertises, I thought it prudent. I would like to eat here when I return to the area in May and see these changes. Small story short: Bland food all the way around, drinks need serious work, servers need more knowledge of the menus and the atmosphere saves...

For context we have been coming to Jacobs since it opened. It used to be a place we adored. The food was amazing and we always told people to support this growing local business. The owners were often present and were so proud of the place, loved showing it off and it was great to see them so involved. As mentioned we have eaten here numerous times. The head chef left and that is when food quality started to decline but we kept coming back because we genuinely liked the place. Today 9/7/23 will be the last time we eat here. The place was not busy whatsoever. Ordered duck lollipop appetizer (never got it) the waitress didn't write down our order which is very annoying if you can't get 2 peoples orders right you probably shouldn't be trying to memorize orders. The brisket tacos were beyond dry and flavorless, the side salad was 10 cents worth of lettuce and a few slices of carrot and cucumber thrown on top. The waitress spilled ranch all over the table and therefor onto the floor and almost onto my foot she didn't seem to notice. The fries my husband got with his tacos were seasoned nicely but came out lukewarm at best. Again, the place was not busy it was 1:30pm and we were a party of two that got tacos, an app that didn't even get made, a side salad and side of fries. My husband ordered a margarita that came in a small glass that was barely over half full which cost 14 bucks. Pathetic. Im embarrassed we used to tell people to come here. The prices do NOT match the quality or quantity of food and this has been happening since the original cook left. Today was the final straw for me. I dont believe these 5star reviews are from real customers. Sad to see the direction...