Steinbeck's — Restaurant in Decatur

Okay so, this place is freaking impossible to find. Seriously. IMPOSSIBLE. Even with a GPS you'd probably miss a couple turns, since the closer you get to it, the more it looks like you missed it somewhere since it's surrounded by suburbs and non-commercial areas.

Anyways, that bit of frustration aside, the food here was actually pretty darn good and I was surprised how quickly it was brought out considering the amount of people there. I was there with Joe L. yesterday and we got the pulled pork and brisket kimchi tacos. They were both pretty good portions and definitely satisfied me. The pulled pork tacos were slow cooked with coleslaw and filled with flavor from the sauce, despite the fact that it wasn't overflowing with too much of it. Meanwhile, the brisket and kimchi tacos were spectacular in my opinion, both in taste and texture. They were very juicy and the meat had a soft texture. Although if you must eat your tacos with your hand, then you might think this is a bit too much juice. To me though, it was great that it had that much, especially since the kimchi had the same flavor from it as a result, as did the tortillas. I honestly don't think all tacos are meant to be hand eaten though, so I really liked these.

A good frame of reference for food, at least for me, is the fact that I pretty much hate most vegetables, and both these dishes clearly have vegetables. That's how good they were.

Overall, good place, also had live music, but wayyyyy too hard to find, and I didn't appreciate the fact that when my friend handed the phone to a staff member there it was of no use to me, and I was...

I know, you’re probably asking “if all the subcategories got five stars, why didn’t the overall restaurant”? Good question. All the food I’ve had has been absolutely delicious; the specials are always on-point; I think the atmosphere is super cozy; the bar service has always been friendly and speedy.

There are two reasons it got 4 stars instead of 5. First, the menu is VERY limited and a little bit all-over-the-place; I understand that they have a small kitchen, but when “Chinese breakfast” (which is delicious), steak frites, and a chicken shawarma wrap are all on the same menu, I just find it confusing. The first time I went, I was hoping for some German classics: bratwurst or other sausage, schnitzel, spätzle…. But it’s not the slightest bit German, even in the beer list. Ok, no problem — I have a German surname and am not even remotely German myself, so I get that. But then what are they going for? World fusion? Eclectic? Don’t get me wrong, the food is GOOD (very good, even), but the menu is just confusing.

Second reason for the 4-stars-only rating: for an ale house, the beer selection is also quite strange. I’m usually an IPA drinker, and can always find one on the list, but never options. But again, the list is very eclectic.

Steinbecks is a good place! I recommend local folks and visitors try it — just be prepared for a small, eclectic menu and drink list. If you know what you’re getting into, you’ll enjoy your time there, I...

Short review: For what seems like a small pub, they serve an amazing salmon dish and have overall great service. Definitely expect more options than frozen mozzarella sticks.

Long review:

The other dishes I have gotten here as a pescatarian have been good but not memorable. This, however, the salmon risotto, is one of the best things I’ve ever had and we have gotten it more than once and it has not missed. Excellent dish, well cooked, full of flavor.

Our server was also wonderful and attentive. It does seem like it can take a while for a server to come to the table at times, but our server provided such excellent service and apologized for the wait, so I don’t feel justified in taking off points.

In terms of the food selection, as others have mentioned, they don’t offer much (including dessert). They do, however, have a nice beer selection including a tasty stout (Monday stranger danger or something like that). But again, that salmon is so good, I don’t see how I could take off points.

The place is pretty small, making it feel a bit claustrophobic for my taste, but they do have outdoor seating. The parking lot is also an interesting gravel/ dirt area for multiple businesses. It might be a bit difficult (though not impossible) for those with accessibility concerns in terms of maneuvering through the parking lot or restaurant, particularly people who use...