SouthEnd Brewing Co — Restaurant in Greensboro

Though it would have benefited from the location regardless, SouthEnd definitely does not coast on that or fun beer names (such as the Wendover River blonde ale or the HaHop with Nelson hops) alone. For fans of the building’s previous tenant, the master brewer here is a Gibbs Hundred veteran. There is also plenty of space, some eye-catching murals, and food that is several notches above standard brewery fare.

My wife and I tried SouthEnd for Sunday brunch and found it bustling but far from full. It’s counter service here, and you’ll want to watch where you line up so that you don’t block anyone’s path. A preponderance of tantalizing options (poke nachos, chicken and waffles, and various specialty fries among them) made decisions difficult, but we ultimately went with a brunch bowl, a maple porter brisket sandwich, and Bavarian pretzels to share. My wife also opted for a Three Raccoons in a Trench Coat vanilla porter and found it to her liking.

Food took a bit to arrive, but it was well worth the wait. The brunch bowl offers a choice of egg styles, meats, and potatoes or grits, and my wife opted for potatoes (fried nice and crispy) and pork with a delectable gravy. The pretzels were very salty (as, perhaps, they should be), and we paired them with very good beer cheese. Both of these items came in rather filling quantities. However, “rather filling” does not even begin to describe the brisket sandwich. Unless you fast beforehand, this is a two-person job. Thick slices of brisket join bacon, onion straws, tomato, egg, and pepper jack along with maple porter honey mustard on a bun that can barely contain it all. It’s a glorious meat-tastic mess of a sandwich, one that will require several napkins and considerable resolve and stomach capacity to get through while leaving you thoroughly enjoying every bite even if you can barely move afterwards.

Given the quantities, prices here definitely aren’t anything to complain about. Pretzels with beer cheese were $8, the brunch bowl was a mere $10, and the overstuffed brisket sandwich was $14. Add to that friendly staff and bartenders, and SouthEnd sets itself apart from the other downtown...

The beer and food were both pretty good. The bartender was nice and helpful. The person working at the food window was not helpful at all.

We got to Southend around 1:30. We got our beers and went up to order food. During that time the restaurant was serving from their “Brunch Menu”. Brunch runs from 10:30am - 2pm. We decided to order the Maple Porter Brisket sandwich. This is available both on the brunch menu and the regular “Kitchen Menu”. The difference for this item is that on the sandwiches on the brunch menu it says “served with fried potatoes during brunch only”. On the kitchen menu it says “all sandwiches served with beer battered fries”. Now, on the brunch menu as a separate item they also serve “‘OG’ crispy beer battered fries”.

Since we would prefer the fries I asked if we could substitute the fried potatoes that come with the sandwich on the brunch menu with the beer battered fries. The person working the counter looked back behind her, did not say anything nor ask the kitchen anything and told me no, that’s only on the kitchen menu.

Fine, no worries. We were there before kitchen menu hours began after all. That’s on us. So I ordered the brunch maple porter brisket sandwich and also ordered the “‘OG’ beer battered fries” from the “Specialty Fries” section of the brunch menu. I also asked for a side of ranch to go with that.

When the food arrived the potatoes with the sandwich and the “‘OG’ beer battered fries” were the exact same thing. This means I spent an extra $6 to get the side I wanted, but did not have to. There was also no ranch with the order. My Fiancé went up to ask for the ranch they forgot, and the person at the counter then asked for our tab and charged us an extra $0.50 for the cup of ranch. This was infuriating, not in the cost, but in the principle.

Thank you for...

Let's talk about SouthEnd. First let me be the first to say I feel like a tool for not going sooner. We went on a Saturday around 730pm. We being my 9 year old and I (single parent date night with my kiddo). We hit up boxcar for some games and then to southend for some grub. It was busy but I was super impressed with how well they handled the mask mandate and cleaning. There were several points where you can get served from a side counter and the bar. We ordered food and went on to find a seat. It was a bit chilly out and only patio seating was available. That didn't discourage us when we say the patio. I felt like I was hanging out in a friend's backyard. From the heaters to firepits along with the couches and tables the environment was truly welcoming. Food was yummy. My son loved the pretzels. Portions were just right. The glasses are cool imitations of beer cans! What a neat idea. Staff was incredibly friendly and kind. I was able to take a crowler home. Cashing out was super easy. Again I could go to food counter or the bar. This convince made it fast and easy. We will definitely be back. My son suggested we bring a deck of cards next time while we hang out on the deck. *random idea - southend printed playing cards? Lol thanks for such a...