Outpost 611 Eatery & Taphouse — Restaurant in Safety Harbor

This place is tucked back in off the road so you have to look for it, but it is well worth the stop (In the shopping center on the Southeast corner of the intersection). The owners used to run a craft beer distributor so they know their stuff and it shows. The beer selection here is quite possibly the best in town. They have a half dozen beers on tap that I consider "must order" beers at any other restaurant. Beyond that Ian the owner was very happy to make suggestions and educate us. He introduced me to a beer I hadn't had before that has been brewed out of the same Belgian monastery since the 11th century. They have absolutely perfected their craft at this point. It was number 13 on tap when we were there. I can't even pretend to pronounce it. They offer beer flights for the adventurous or like me, the undecided. A few at our table ordered liquor. Pours were generous. The bourbon selection was good. They have Blantons which is not always easy for a new bar to get.

Beyond the beer, the food was amazing. Our table ordered a lot and shared so bear with me here. The Bavarian pretzel is a show stopper. It's huge, delicious, and paired perfectly with a big juicy bratwurst that was boiled in beer and finished to a perfect crisp on the grill and served on a bed of sauerkraut. They serve it with a really tasty spicy mustard and their homemade beer cheese (I think it was the monastery beer from earlier).

The cauliflower bites were great. They are fried but not breaded so good for those watching carbs. Served with a great thick sauce.

I had a bit of the chorizo chili that my wife ordered. Also amazing. It is all homemade and it shows. We were warned that it went fast and they were almost out for the night when we were there so I might recommend showing up early to make sure you get some. It was just spicy enough. My wife is pretty happy with heat between 2 and 5 on a 1 to 10 scale and she ate it very quickly.

I had part of three different entrees (I told you we shared). The Shaggy Belgian is the showstopper here. It is their take on chicken and waffles. The waffles are true Belgian waffles and thick and decadent. They are dusted with sugar crystals and a juicy thick and perfectly crispy piece of fried chicken is nestled down within them. They serve this with maple syrup. If you have a big appetite just stop here. This is what you should order. The rest of the table will be jealous.

I also had the opportunity to try the Philly Cheesesteak which is served with beer cheese and a spicy pepper relish. I put the beer cheese in top of the cheesesteak then piled the peppers on top. On a scale of 1 to 10 this is a 7 or 8 for spice. I loved it, but if spice isn't your thing then I believe they offer a toned down relish to top your sandwich.

I also had some of The Pacino, their Cuban sandwich. I know especially in this town there are Cuban sandwich purists and this one doesn't stick exactly to the book but honestly you won't be disappointed. Live a little, get outside your box, and give it a shot. Also serve with a nice tangy cole slaw. Fries were good but those who had the cole slaw agreed that was the best side option.

Finally, the chocolate. Wendy, the other owner is the only distributor of Leonidas chocolate in Florida. It is flown in direct from Belgium and is some of the best chocolate I've ever had. It is soft, creamy, and has just a hint of (maybe) hazelnut. Eat some of them for dessert and take some home. Also a great gift to get the chocolate addict in your life.

All in all our meal was flawless. Ian, Wendy, and their son Riley were all working and talking to the guests, making suggestions and educating us on beers and pairings. Our server Jason was attentive and helpful. The place was clean, the atmosphere and decor were unique. This hidden gem is well worth seeking out and a great value for what you get. I'd recommend this for lunch, happy hour, date night, or a...

I happened upon them several months ago and we have been several times. Most of the time we sit at the bar as that is where we are most comfy. Yesterday we invited friends and sat at a table by the window. From the outside it is a strip mall but do not assume it is your average Joe. (Joe gets a bad wrap from time to time.) Greeted immediately by very friendly staff. Sit wherever you'd like and out friends opted for the elevated "stage" table. (I would prefer an actual glass as the waste from cups like this really adds up. I would also recommend no straws and if someone needs one to offer them paper straw options only. I am certainly not an over the top environmentalist but I do try to minimize my footprint slightly and solo cups/straws/single serve plastic bottles are a focus of mine.) Offered food menus and draft lists and then provided a cans/bottles menu. The cocktail menu was already on the table. I do like that they offer everything on paper so you can read at your leisure and not have to keep up with a tv rolling ticker of drinks. We ordered our drinks and then some apps. Everything arrived fresh and hot and everything was phenomenal. So, we had the pretzel with various dips included, grilled cheese with soup which we opted for the chicken pot pie, fried pickle chips, chorizo tots, and flatbread. Yes, WAY too much food but sometimes you just have to go all in. We then ordered a bourbon flight with some guidance from the staff and it was great. Then ordered several chocolates to go. Throughout all of this the manager came over and offered us a bit of chocolate. She is super kind and genuine. They are expanding their business to include the place next door which will include a chocolate stand and some whisky/bourbon choices along with some snazzy items for sale. It is going to be great.

We do love this place and love that it is a better dining experience but you don't have to show up in your best clothes. You most certainly can but they also do not mind your t-shirts/shorts/flips. It is non smoking and smells of chocolate and divine food.

The last time we visited I opted for the chorizo chili and grilled cheese and that was great. I had a speciality margarita on national margarita day and it was made with freshly squeezed fruit juice. He opts for the Belgian pours which can be hard to find but they always have them.

As I sit here writing this it is making me hungry and I totally want to head back to their bar for a snack and a drink. Stop in, say hello and oh, sometimes the owner is in the back creating whatever it is...

Be wary… this place is a hard pass right now. I’m dumbfounded by the current aggregate rating based on tonight’s experience.

We had enjoyed a couple of trips here a long time ago and decided to try it again: we remembered it as over priced but tasty and our kids couldn’t agree on pizza or burgers tonight, so here we went for an early dinner (4PM).

Service was attentive. We ordered the pretzel and buffalo cauliflower as apps, adult burger and pizza flatbread for the kids and we split a Cesar salad with shrimp and a Hawaiian flatbread. They also had a solid selection of German marzens for Oktoberfest.

Apps came quickly and pretzel and mustard were on point but beer cheese was a touch bizarre. The buffalo cauliflower was pretty disappointing - we were starving so we ate it but it was a small portion, and somehow under fried but too greasy at the same time?

Main plates also came out fast but here is where the wheels fell off the bus. Flatbreads would have been somewhat passable save for the cardboard consistency of the crusts, later confirmed by our server as frozen. The burger was actually the high point but was mediocre - be aware the classic cheeseburger today looks nothing like the photos in reviews from 5 months ago.

The Cesar salad itself was also passable if uninspired. Shrimp were good but you get only 3 - kind of par for the course these days but also still a disappointment in an $18 salad.

Ultimately, I ate half my son’s burger and my spouse had the salad. My son - who loves burgers - refused to eat his. The flatbreads went sampled by three of us but unconsumed. My daughter went hungry save for the pretzel.

After paying the bill - and leaving the flatbreads essentially intact - I offered our server a point of feedback, specifically on the flatbreads. In reply, she stated she could pass the message along but there wasn’t anything she could do… this was in fact all that I had asked her to do, but never mind. I hung out for a few minutes while my kids visited the chocolate store but management never came by. Too bad - will not be returning.

In fairness, our server was young, but staff should be empowered to escalate such concerns to a manager.

Overall, highly disappointed and cannot recommend. Apart from the company, a waste of a Friday...