Goodland Pour House — Restaurant in Huntsville

We visited Goodland Pourhouse a few weeks ago on a Tuesday. We couldn't make our normal trivia on Monday at Melt, so we thought we'd try the trivia here + it was restaurant week and their restaurant week menu special was a great deal, so it seemed like the perfect time. It was my first visit since their relocation from Madison to Huntsville; I enjoyed my visit at the Madison location though and as such had moderately high expectations.

The new digs are nice and it's clean and fun inside. Lots of TVs, most of them airing different programs, enjoyable decorations, etc. The women's restroom was clean but I will say the toilet paper dispenser in the larger stall had too much paper in it, which made it overfull and therefore difficult to get any paper out. The paper was also oddly slightly damp, but manageable.

Anyway...

It was busy for trivia but we were fortunate to get a high top for the six of us near the caller. Trivia was fun and the prizes are generous; I think I like the format better at Melt but this was also good. The music and caller's microphone was very loud the entire time and my parents and father-in-law had a hard time hearing us and each other, but I understand the whole restaurant needs to hear the caller.

Service was...okay? Friendly for the most part, but a little slow/inattentive, though I will grant them they were busy. My husband asked for ranch for his pizza but the waiter who brought our food out didn't hear him. Since we often had to wait a while between check-ins, I hopped up and walked over to ask him for it and got a bit of a huffy treatment from him. I get that he probably didn't want me tracking him down, but I was afraid our food would get cold before we could get any dipping sauce.

As for the food, I didn't enjoy myself as much this time as when I went to the Madison location. The (exceptionally affordable) Huntsville restaurant week special offered your choice of appetizer, a cheese or pepperoni Detroit-style pizza, and your choice of skillet cookie to share for dessert. Hubs and I got the Dixie dip (pimento cheese + bacon braised collards), a pepperoni pizza, and a chocolate chip skillet cookie. My parents did the exact same except had a giant pretzel for their appetizer.

All four of us walked away having learned we don't really care for Detroit-style pizza. None of us had tried it before but we all agreed it was more bready than we preferred. I also thought our pepperoni pieces were a little burnt and had a sort of acrid taste, as well as finding many bites with too much sauce for me. This definitely could be a preference thing rather than a bad pizza thing though; we're typically thin-crust light-sauce people so it checks out.

My mom didn't like the ice cream on the skillet cookie but liked the cookie; I was the opposite. Thought the ice cream was pleasantly creamy and sweet but the cookie was too thin and crispy. Preferences again I guess.

Given how much hype I'd heard about the Dixie dip, I was a little disappointed to say hubs and I both found it rather bland. Definitely needed to gas the bacon flavor up a bit more; I could also go for a little heavier pimento cheese and a little lighter on the collards. It was still solid enough though, and definitely my favorite of our three items. The pretzel was pretzel/10 (i.e. we liked it) but it came out a little on the cold side.

As for the rest of our party -- my buddy who plays trivia with us had their Royale burger and tots. He said it was alright but a little too greasy for him. Father-in-law was just drinking beer; he was pleased with the large selection and appreciated the tasting he was offered for one of them.

The mostly-minor shortcomings of the food and service can probably be explained by the overall busy-ness and high demand for the special in particular. Although this visit wasn't all I was hoping for, I'll probably return in the future to give them another chance. I do genuinely like the vibe and the creative...

I have not eaten here. I am a Door Dash delivery driver. I only go in to pick up orders and deliver. This was my first and only time in this place and I did not appreciate being lied to multiple times when I asked when the pizza was going to be finished. He kept saying "a couple minutes" - "a few minutes". That time lapsed, so where it is? How long will it take? After 9 minutes passed, he finally told me the food wouldn't be ready for at least 20 more minutes. Oh...so sit here and wait so I can get a violation or lose my job because we are penalized over 15 minutes. His selfish disregard for our jobs and job security left a lot to be desired. Customers don't deserve to be lied to. Tell people the truth - Hell will freeze before comes to your table and the manager can admit he could care less, he still collects a paycheck. Staff needs to be honest, communicate better. I will never eat here so I don't care how good the food may or may not be. I refuse to spend money where I have been disrespected. I prefer spending money where people treat me well, don't lie to me and places that have excellent customer service. The ladies at the bar and the servers stayed on top of the customers at the tables - refills given, tickets taken care of. I felt sorry for them because when those people are not fed, they will start getting irate with the servers and the manager could care less, not his problem. He will fire the girls because "they made customers mad" when all they are guilty of is doing their jobs and doing them well. You need management that cares about time, efficiency, hospitality, ethics and honesty.

UPDATE TO THE THREAT FROM MANAGEMENT BELOW: Door Dash can look at the history and see how many drivers have been forced to unassign because of the long wait time to avoid violations. They can also see how many people were forced to stay the course for 30 minutes to 1-1/2 hours to wait for food to delivery. This restaurant's turnaround time will be in the Door Dash history. We are not at fault and management chooses threats instead of fixing the problem. Drivers can now ignore requests for this company so they can refund customers' money. Not our problem. For burgers and pizza, none of us have issues at Applebee's, Marco's Pizza, Carrabas, Outback, Logan's Roadhouse, Bad Daddy Burgers and Baumgardners. We are treated very well, with respect and honesty and excellent turnaround time elsewhere. Their food is outstanding at each restaurant. Also, proof the man is a liar, "a full house Friday night" - he calls a full house empty seats across the bar - no one there except me waiting for this order - 1 table with 5 people and me. That's a full house. That's pitiful for any bar on a Friday night. That still offers no excuse for a lousy turnaround time, which breaks the agreement this company made with Door Dash for turnaround time. When they complain, Door Dash will see the poor history from this company and what drivers have to put up with. They hurled threats to me instead of solutions for more efficiency and better service. I recommend any other place...

If I could give more than five stars, I absolutely would! Goodland Pour House is hands down one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had. From the moment we walked in, we were welcomed with a warm and inviting atmosphere, and the service was nothing short of spectacular.

A special shoutout to Zack Y—he went above and beyond to make our visit truly unforgettable. His attentiveness, friendly personality, and deep knowledge of the menu made all the difference. He made excellent recommendations, ensured we always had everything we needed, and treated us like VIPs.

And let’s talk about the food—WOW! Every single bite was perfection. The flavors were on point, the ingredients were fresh, and the presentation was top-notch. You can tell the kitchen takes pride in every dish they serve. Whether you're craving a juicy burger, flavorful appetizers, or an ice-cold drink to pair with your meal, Goodland Pour House delivers on every level.

The atmosphere is perfect for any occasion—whether you're out with friends, family, or just looking for a great place to enjoy a fantastic meal. It’s rare to find a spot that nails it all: food, drinks, service, and ambiance.

If you haven’t been to Goodland Pour House yet, do yourself a favor and go! And if you’re lucky enough to have Zack Y as your server, you’re in for an absolutely stellar experience. Can’t wait...