The Wilds Taphouse & BBQ — Restaurant in Newport

We came in with a large group on a Sunday afternoon after the lunch rush and before dinner. Our group had mixed reviews on their food. But I'll say this, when you go to any restaurant, you need to be able to figure out what their signature dishes are, and you won't be disappointed. For example, one of my friends ordered wings, and I thought to myself, why would you order wings here? We already know where to get good wings, try something new!

I had the fried chicken sandwich and it was the best I've had in a long time. The chicken was a thigh, which is great because it has good flavor and it's tender and juicy. The batter was light, and still very crunchy. I could taste the spices in the batter. Well done. Fries were great flavor, a mix of crunchy and soggy.

There was a variety of sauces that were all home made, even the ketchup. And there was also a BBQ and cherry sauce. You could tell the chef put a lot of thought and effort into crafting some good quality food. I could taste the nuances between the different sauces and they went well with my sandwich. It's stuff like this that helps me respect a restaurant more - they care about the food they're serving.

We had a large group and the servers were very kind and responsive. I spoke with the chef after and got a sense of his approach to food. He told me he didn't have any tomato on the menu because he hasn't found a good local, seasonal supplier and therefore doesn't want to serve gross tasting tomatoes. I respect that.

Since they're relatively new in the community, it seemed like they have some operational things to work out as they gear up for the spring and summer season. I'm sure they will figure it out. The food prices were a little high for my liking but I understand, being on the coast (a tourist town), prices of things are usually high anyway. As a local I would come back more often for that chicken sandwich if it were a couple dollars less. But BBQ is expensive to buy, prep and cook, so profit margins are slim.

Overall, I would recommend. Order something unique, be present, enjoy the atmosphere, be thoughtful in...

I try to tell it like it is. I had high hopes from the nice looking building from the outside. Of course there's no real parking close to the door where somebody with difficulties can get in. You got to park along the street. ( Note: I'm well aware of a big parking lot out behind the building. When You are walking with somebody near 80 years old who can barely stand, the parking lot It's not an option..... Too far from the building in the front door has steps, and a very narrow walkway from the ramp with tables. The owner may not understand this but those who have to deal with it will. )

We ordered a couple burgers with fries and a beer. They seem to have a nice choice of beers. We got our burgers, and I will be Frank, the only thing in it was a piece of beef and two buns. And they were tiny. All it had was mustard. No lettuce no tomato no onions nothing. And with 100% honesty, a Whopper Jr and Burger King fries at 1/4 the price would have been far more enjoyable to eat. At 17 or $18 for a burger with absolutely nothing on it the size of the palm of your hand, not including the fingers is something I'm not going to be able to do again. There was one waitress doing everything, she was pleasant and she was great and cute, but that only takes things so far. Many of the food items were unavailable because of being out of them. Even though it's a new place the cook was already gone on vacation. All the seating were made out of these small metal chairs. They put so much work into the building and cut corners on the interior. I kind of see this place as being a hangout for uppity Rich folk who sell their homes for $4,000,000 in California and move here. I wish there was more positivity I could contribute but at this time there's not. We ended up leaving and going to the tap House at Nye Beach which will continue to be our favorite hangout. It's a huge difference. The owner It's quick to be defensive about negative remarks without mentioning or bringing up the points in...

Tried The Wilds Taphouse today after hearing good things—and wow, they delivered! We met Shane (one of the folks running the place), who explained that everything is made in-house. That attention to detail shows in every bite.

I ordered the tri tip & cheddar sandwich with their house BBQ sauce—though I’m convinced it was made in heaven and just rebranded here. The tri tip was perfectly cooked and stacked deep on a smaller bun, which just made the meat shine even more. The thick-cut fries, which I normally avoid, won me over with their incredible seasoning. And the house-made ketchup and ranch? Unreasonably good.

My wife had the chimichurri tri tip sammie, which I tried—and suddenly I was faced with a brutal decision: keep mine, steal hers, or attempt the rare double-sandwich strategy. Love won, and I returned her sandwich… but we both ended up stuffed and happy anyway. Oh, and the mac and cheese? Good lord. We were full. We still kept eating. That good.

The atmosphere is just as thoughtful. I have sensory issues from a past car accident, and dining out is usually exhausting. But here, they had a mix of comfy chairs and table heights, one low-volume TV, and subtle background music. Even with hard floors and ceilings, they cleverly used cloth hangings to reduce sound. For once, I left a restaurant without a migraine. And everything was clean!

Service was equally excellent. Shane spoke about the restaurant like a proud parent—and rightly so. Everyone we encountered seemed happy to be there and proud of the place. That energy matters.

The only downside? I ate too much because I couldn’t stop. And now I’m nervous that this review means more people will show up and I’ll have to wait for a table. But hey—this place deserves the love. It feels like the owners toured every bad bar, took notes on what not to do, and just did...