SOB Brewery Smokehouse — Restaurant in Salem

I do not say this lightly, the BBQ here is the best I have had in Oregon. A really good standard brisket, well seasoned, tender, moist, with a good bit of bark and medium smoke. The ribs are phenomenal; good smoke, rich, well seasoned and nearly fall off the bone with a decently balanced sauce on the side. Flank steak is flawless, so tender I can easily cut it with a plastic knife, great seasoning, mild smoke and a chimichuri on the side that is peerless to any I have had locally. Super smokey bone-in and skin on chicken leg. Smokey to the point I would recommend just one per person and cut it with sides to balance it or share it. The tacos here are also fantastic, especially the chicken, typically we avoid pollo tacos at taquerias and trucks because they are often tough and dried out, not the case here. Good standard pulled pork tacos, sometimes they change them up a touch. Asada has been decent, just a bit of chew to them. My personal favorite has been the pork belly tacos when they dice/cube them, the strips of pork belly don't blend the flavors quite as well. Also the salsa here (hot sauce) is no joke. Super flavorful but also very solid heat to it, so test your personal level before drowning your tacos. Of the sides I particularly enjoyed the esquites which were well sauced and seasoned but not watery, unlike so many others. Also the beans here are great, though they are also always a little different, and sometimes a lot different. There are only two things here I can't say I am a fan of: The pizza which was a bit bready and basic, along with the lamb tacos which were very gamey. Note I did not have a chance to try the whole lamb when it was cooked so I can't speak to that. But really it doesn't matter at that point, so much good food. The service is always fantastic and fast. The 90's-2000's playlist on the speakers, at a reasonable decibel level is very much appreciated and nostalgic. The beer selection is very good and surprisingly varied for the size of the brewery. As well they have quite a few other brands on tap beyond their own beers. Just a few ciders on tap. The seating is a mix of hard surfaces for the most part so if you are sensitive to ergonomics or otherwise might suggest getting food to go. Otherwise pretty spartan on decor with just a pile of board games in the corner, a hood from what appears to be a racing car of some kind on the wall and a Pac-Man arcade table in the back corner along with a few TV's playing sports of various kinds. The kitchen is open concept, you can see the smokers and the brewing equipment from the dining area as well. I really appreciate and respect that they don't need to hide...

My husband and I were coming here at least once a week. The beer selection is good and the bartenders are nice. We went to fill a growler and the bartender must have accidentally given us the wrong beer. My husband called back and told them, the person who answered the phone said she would have a manager call him back the next day. The manager called back and basically said there’s nothing they can do because there’s no way to prove we got the wrong beer. I know it was the wrong beer. The beer they gave us was bitter and really not good. I hate bitter beers. I like Pilsners and beers with a more mild taste. This tasted more like an IPA. Horrible. I would have never ordered a bitter beer. I ended up dumping the whole thing.

Since they didn’t make it right, we won’t be back. This place is very close to my house. I’ll just drive farther to get my growler filled...

I love pizza. I’ll eat cardboard-tier, gas station, heat-lamp special pizza seven days a week, gladly. I’ll pick it over steak, easily. But whatever cosmic debt I owed must’ve come due the day I walked into SOB Brewing.

This wasn’t pizza. This was an identity crisis on a crust. The dough was undercooked and weirdly dense, like it got lost between a cracker and a dinner roll. Cheese? Melted in the way microwaved plastic does. And I don’t know what they did to the sauce, but it tasted like someone whispered “tomato” over warm ketchup.

Not sure who we pissed off, but this pie came out like a punishment.

SOB might do beer right, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt there, but if you’re a pizza...