Brick House Cafe — Restaurant in Plant City

My husband and I visited The Brickhouse Cafe for the first time today 4/21/18 at 11:30 am. We were actually on our way to Denny's because they serve breakfast all day. And as we were coming up on Brickhouse Cafe decided to do something spontaneous. We've lived in Plant City 3 years now and never heard a bad thing about BH. So why not?!

The staff was very friendly, the service was quick and the food we ordered was good. I had creme brulee waffles and my husband had french toast.

Before the food came our server placed a bottle of syrup on our table. My husband looked at me (he knows I only use pure maple syrup), and said: "there is a note that says they use 100% pure maple syrup." I had my doubts. So I placed a few drops on my spoon and was not surprised that it was not pure maple syrup. It was liquid sugar something, with maple flavoring. Same with the "butter." Although I we did not read anywhere that they use real butter. Thankfully the creme brulee waffle with blackberries and strawberries on top was good without any extra toppings. It's just a pet peeve of mine to use real maple syrup and real butter.

The only other complaint I had was that our server (didn't tell us her name and no name tag) only came over to get condiments from our table to fill. She didn't come over to ask us if everything was okay. She came over to ask us to hand her the salt and pepper shaker so she could fill them! (they looked filled enough to me by the way). Then she came over and removed the bottle of syrup. My husband grabbed the bottle of ketchup and put it at the edge of the table, I did the same thing with the container of sugar. Sure enough she came back and scoop them up to refill and wipe down! We laughed but at the same time it really wasn't funny that she kept removing condiments from the table while we were in the middle of some really good discussions. Then she proceeded to run the vacuum. So we try to continue our conversation a little louder. I understand that we may have come after rush hour breakfast, however we really would have loved to have eaten or brunch in peace. I don't think it was necessary for her to come over to clean up her station starting at our table when there were plenty of empty ones as she could have spent her time at. Or she could have busy herself somewhere else. I used to be a server at several restaurants myself. The goal is to please the customer. I think customer service training skills may be needed?

I asked my husband: "is this our first and last time here?" He said: "no I have to try their best burger. We should come back." So maybe our first visit was just a fluke and it's not regular practice at The Brickhouse. We'll give it...

We are new to the area and would like to not only start reviewing again but find a regular spot that we feel welcomed. Coming in we were greeted by Stanley who we found out was the owner. Very polite and inviting. From our observation he was familiar with the regulars and involved in the restaurant. We were seated promptly and had our drinks on the table within minutes. We would have preferred if they would've asked beforehand about our seating preference but not a deal breaker at all. Our waitress was patient with our indecisiveness and gave us all the time we needed to make a decision while checking in regularly to see if we were ready or needed any help. Our cups never went dry. When asking about items on the menu we were reassured if we received anything that we weren't satisfied with they would have no issue making it right or getting us something else. However, this was not needed. Our food came out rather quickly and did not disappoint. It smelled amazing and we forgot to snap pictures before digging in. We ordered the 2 eggs with two pork chops, homefries, and a biscuit for one meal. The 2 eggs with country fried steak, grits, and toast for the other. All tasted fresh. Everything was seasoned to please everyone. Enough to give it a great flavor but not too much for those who prefer less. My spouse added a dash of salt and pepper to the grits and I added a bit of hot sauce to my pork. The homefries and biscuit were definitely made from scratch, if not they fooled us, crispy around the edges, soft where it mattered and packed full of flavor. Pork chops were juicy and seasoned well. The steak was fried perfectly golden with a nice white pepper gravy. The grits could have come off a minute or two earlier but it did not ruin anything. My spouse ate almost every bite. We were checked on to make sure everything was to our liking and at the end of our meal we officially met the owner, Stanley. He came to make sure everything was okay and asked for any feedback. A great experience. For these large portions and great service our meal was only $42 before Tip (there is also a slight fee noted at the bottom of the menu for using a card instead of cash). Our only actual complaint was that we didn't have much privacy being placed out in the middle with booths all around and we received a couple straight stares and a few looks from various individuals throughout our meal. We are an interracial gay couple who is completely new to the area and that might be different from what the customers are accustomed to. It definitely looked like maybe a lot of locals. We will never know but nothing stopped the great experience we received from the...

Came here for breakfast on the recommendation of a friend; but if, like me, you're hoping for quality food and certain standards....then I suggest you reconsider.

The Pros: We were seated quickly Free parking available on site Our waitress was friendly, efficent, and provided great service for a busy weekend morning. The biscuits

The Cons: Restrooms

You can learn a lot about a business based on their maintenence of a public space. The bathrooms here are hidden behind a brick wall in the second dining room with no sign or indication that they are there. I had to ask two waitress where they were and they looked at me like I was an inconvenience. Put up the signs and no one will have to ask. The doors were sticky and discolored, and the vents inside were crusted with dust. I doubt either has ever been properly cleaned. The floor was disgusting and trash was overflowing from the bin in the corner. The sink didn't drain properly and a waitress warned another customer that there was a known lack of water pressure. If I hadn't eaten prior to this, I would have lost my appetite and left.

Food

Set your expectations aside. The menu is a single page with one side for breakfast and the other for lunch, and it's strictly country food. However, the preparation is quick.

The omelet was large and filled nicely ingredients, which I appreciate, but was oily and there were Kraft single slices melted on top. I don't know if this is a stylistic choice or a lack of shredded options, but as someone who avoids Kraft cheese (why is it orange?) I was surprised to see it.

The hashbrowns were fine, but just as oily as the eggs. I mention this because when the bottom of your plate glistens with oil, you second guess what you're eating.

Last Observations

From where I was seated, I had a sightline into the kitchen and unfortunately discovered a man with a rather long beard and no hair net over it. I can't tell you if he was a cook or a waiter, but the owners should care enough about the health code to know that a person with a beard and/or long hair (of which there were several) should be wearing a net. Though considering the bathrooms, they may not care at all.

The interor was fine, but they could elevate it by stripping and restaining or repainting the black wood something lighter to compliment the brick wall, adding nicer lighting, and not packing their guests so close together when they accommodate large parties.

Considering the above, I wouldn't...