Initiative Brewing the Fortress — Restaurant in Madras

▪︎The wait staff, bartender, and even chefs are upbeat and seem to enjoy their work, which contributes to an enjoyable, pleasant atmosphere. Smiles are frequently seen. ▪︎The main area is divided between a dining/family area with wooden benches and a bar area with padded raised chairs. ▪︎The food is excellent with a decent selection of entrees and some healthy choices. They are offered with a satisfying selection of beer and spirits, as well as non-alcoholic drinks. If not busy, food may be served in as little as 15 minutes; if busy, better order another drink. ▪︎It can get quite loud in the evenings, so it is likely not a first choice for first dates or important meetings ▪︎A couple more big screens might be advisable; there are none in the dining/family area--a seemingly good idea. ▪︎The facility, including restroons, appears very clean, sanitary, and organized. ▪︎Payments are quick and easy with handheld devices. ▪︎Parking can be challenging if arriving later in the evenings or after work on Fridays. ▪︎ The 'connection' to Madras' airport during World War Two is blurry. Hopefully, efforts to solidify this will provide a number of marketing opportunities and fun times (celebrations, new beers, etc) as it boosts pride in local history. ● In summary, it is Madras' hot, new place, well deserving...

April 14th First visit. Lunch. I ordered the patty melt, not sure if the smashed patties was actually meat. It sure wasn't cooked on a grill, the burger patty was very light in color and most likely microwaved but nothing like a beef burger patty should look or taste like. Maybe that's why they just call them patties. The swirl rye bread was soaked through and through with grease, I used so many napkins it was unbelievable. The only crunch was the crust.. Not sure how they accomplished that with so much grease in the actual bread. The very best part of the meal was the fries! I really don't order fries often but they were very good. The staff was excellent, friendly and attentive. It was getting warm in there and they opened up the class garage doors to allow fresh cool air inside. Heavenly.... If I hear they change there food quality I may try again otherwise I doubt they will be in business long. But in reality I will probably never recommend or return because of the food and menu items are over priced for what...

Loving this addition to our town’s places to eat, drink, and be with friends! Miss the digital menu-system, so we hope it comes back.

Change is hard, we’re human, but liked the Caesar salad with less-chopped lettuce, bigger pieces. Hoping you bring over bowls? And the wing-experiment in Redmond…thought the wing-meat was great (not over-grown Godzilla chicken pieces)…looking forward to your menu changes/tuning!

The beers have been great. The crafting is there on most styles (imo), and we can find a beer to quench our thirst. I’m a beer nerd, including profiles and recipes, and even if I think it’s a miss (imo), it’s not like I don’t believe the brewer(s) loves beer. The best recipes are always evolving. We look forward to future beer tuning too!

All perfect? No, but you don’t need us to tell you that. You can be a five star place and still find room for improvement. That’s just good business. Keep your spot in Madras interesting! (I gave 5 stars on all 3 categories, but not seeing it saved with the...