The Old no. 102 Tap House — Restaurant in Farmington

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 out of 5 stars

The 102 in Farmington, Missouri is hands down one of the best hidden gems I’ve come across in all my travels. From the moment you walk in, the vibe is welcoming and relaxed, but what really sets this place apart is the exceptional bar service.

Let’s start with the bartender, Chris — this guy is top-tier. Not only is he a great people person who makes everyone feel right at home, but his drink-making skills are on another level. You don’t even have to know exactly what you want — just describe a flavor or a mood, and Chris will whip up a custom drink that tastes like a masterpiece. I travel across the country for work and have been to a ton of bars, and I can honestly say Chris is one of my favorite bartenders anywhere.

And then there’s Makenze — another star at The 102. She makes homemade pies that are absolutely next level. I’m not exaggerating when I say they taste just like something my grandma would make from scratch in her own kitchen. If you stop by and don’t grab a slice, you’re missing out.

The pizza was also solid — cooked well with that homemade touch. It could’ve used a few more toppings for the price, but the flavor made up for it.

All in all, The 102 is a must-visit when you’re in Farmington. And you better believe I’ll be stopping by again for another perfectly made whiskey...

Our drinks (1 special margarita, 1 beer flight, 1 beer), appetizer (loaded tater tots), and entree (one of their specialty pizzas) were all very good, and the service was great. However, we ordered a slice of their chocolate cake as our dessert to take home, expecting it would be a Very Good Thing for us to split at home, considering the price of $9 or so -- but we didn't open our cake container until after we were back home ... so imagine our disappointment to see we'd bought a very small, almost "miniature" slice of chocolate cake! Since we didn't open our cake container until after we were back home, we couldn't discuss this with management. (Lesson learned!) Yes, it was a tasty three or four bites of cake, but far from worth the price ... I'll say again, of $9 or so. For that price, it should have been at least twice, or more reasonably, THREE times the size of what was in the box. (Seriously, if the whole cake was as few as 8 such slices ... and if really estimate it would be 9 or 10, or more likely, 12 of these from one cake) ... the "whole" cake would be $70 - $100+. Just ... no.) We were very disappointed by this "miniature" finish to our meal. The stars are for the overall experience - but that slice of cake should be 1 star for...

We had the Arugula Salad, Bruschetta, and the Vinny pizza, and first and foremost the Salad and the Bruschetta looked and tasted amazing, and the only real complaint I have was that the mozzarella was desperately lacking in salt and didn't taste like it was made in house.

The pizza however was pretty dreadful. It took almost 45 minutes to get to us, and when it did it was lukewarm, and the crust was floppy, but it was at least cooked all the way through. The pesto was super overly salty, and didn't taste like any pesto I've ever had and not in the good way. The meatballs weren't much better, and had a "gamey" taste like they'd been left out too long prior to being cooked. The cheese on top of the pizza was melted, but that was about it.

The other issue I had, was that the plain water was pretty unpalatable, and it transferred into my coke which I didn't really care for. The bathrooms were also extremely poorly lit, and it was hard to tell if I'd cleaned everything properly.

All in all it was a pretty mediocre experience and I don't think I'll be back...