Salt Springs Brewery — Restaurant in Saline

This evening was our second time here as the very first time was back in September of 2019. We came back because were were very impressed with the service and menu. Well this evening, was far from the case. I want to say that first off that our SERVER was outstanding. She was very sweet, attentive, and had a great personality. This review has NOTHING to do with her. We sat in the booth in the bar area right next to the stairs that lead to the second level. Everything started off normal with the same great service and same great appetizer. Well most of our food came at the same time, which was not an issue at all. As we started to eat our dinner, one of the bartenders sat down at the booth across from us and apparently was taking his break while also enjoying a beer. Then either the owner or the manager decided to join him. Now we are far from uptight, but having your employees take a break where other guests are seated and drinking a beer is not something that is proper. Well, then another employee decided they were going to have a few beer samples at the small table that was next to us. With COVID-19 restrictions, he was fully violating these. Another employee came over and sat down and joined the first guy and she was drinking a frozen beer. Then the employee that was at the small table not even three feet away from us, sat down and started drinking a full beer, eating dinner, and reading a book. The last time I checked, employees having a break and drinking right out in the open with guests is totally unprofessional and borderline unethical. Further, with the current COVID-19 pandemic and regulations, you have 100% violated these regulations with allowing an employee to sit not even three feet away to sit and enjoy their dinner and beer. We did not even finish our meal. We asked our server for to-go boxes and the bill. When she brought everything to us, I advised her that the whole situation that was going on as well this is something that I have never seen and should not be happening or addressing. There are restaurants in Michigan that have been following the COVID-19 regulations 100% and they need the money. There are many more restaurants that we will now go to and spend our money at, because we feel a "free for all" is not someplace that I want to try to enjoy a good meal (that is far from cheap might I add) and we also want to feel safe when we dine out.

UPDDATE TO THE OWER *

Ron-

Good morning.

I first want to say WOW. I have never received feedback that has been honest, heartfelt, and professional. THANK YOU!!!

Your detail and investigation into the matter is something that is admired and commendable.

As small businesses owners ourselves, we understand that owners cannot monitor everything 24/7/365.

We want to again, say a huge THANK YOU for taking time to resolve this matter and to potentially avoid this matter with other guests.

In time, yes we will be back to dine because the food outstanding, the craft beers are amazing, and prior to this incident the service is amazing.

We again want to recognize our server. Unfortunately we cannot remember her name, but she went above and beyond and was very apologetic for the matter. The only information we have from our receipt is Table 51/1/ 4/2/2021/ 8:32 P.M./ 10169.

I have updated my review to now 5 stars because you have taken the time to address the situation and respond.

Stay safe.

Scot...

Overall, not impressed with the food. 3/4 plates were ok, but nothing to write home about. The BBQ sampler that I ordered on the other hand was something to write about, and not in a good way. When traveling around this portion of Saline, it is hard to miss the aroma of a smoker doing it's thing. Really gets the mouth juices flowing. Being a BBQ enthusiast, I had been wanting to stop by and try the BBQ for some time, so the anticipation had built quite a bit. The BBQ sampler had a "sausage" some pulled pork, and a few slices of brisket. Let's start with the sausage. I have seen bigger hotdogs! People wanting a BBQ sampler are expecting more than a glorified hotdog. Just saying. It tasted ok, but nothing I would ever order again. Salt must not be happy with their pulled pork. I asked for sauce on the side (which if people are proud of their BBQ, you would never have to ask for as it would always be served on the side), which, after some hesitation, they said they could do. It still had some kind of sauce mixed in with it. It may have been smoked, or it may have been slow roasted in a pot. You couldn't tell by the appearance (no sign of a smoke ring) or flavor (as it was already mixed with sauce). Again, it tasted ok at best. My biggest beef with Salt is how they served brisket. Brisket has gone from a shunned chunk of beef to one of the choicest cuts, when done right. What they were serving was severely under cooked. The fats had not been given enough time to breakdown properly. The result? A chewy chunk of poorly flavored meat that you have to cut with a knife. I tested the brisket by picking a slice up, inspecting it, and then trying to pull it apart. You could easily see the fats had not broken down, and the amount of force used to pull it apart was well above any tolerable limit for a properly smoked brisket. I mean, would it be acceptable for a baker to sell you a half baked cake? Why should we accept half smoked brisket? It takes time to smoke a brisket. Been there done that. It will be done when it is done. One final note, when people get a BBQ Sampler plate, they expect to have enough food to go away full. The price for quantity and quality left me severely wanting. I do not plan to eat food from Salt again. I hope that the people who work there and the owners read this and make an effort to improve the quality of their BBQ, or strike it...

I hosted a birthday party at Salt Springs Brewery last night, and, I must say, I was very pleased with the event! I work in the restaurant industry and I don't tend to give that level of feedback lightly.

I worked with one of the owners, Ron, who was able to reserve the mezzanine for my party on very short notice. He worked with me to create a custom, limited menu for my party, along with custom, printed menus, with the details of our event and the guest of honor's name printed at the top. Ron was also able to accommodate my budget for the event to boot!

The mezzanine is a private area with expansive views of the line, the dining room, and the beautiful stained glass windows, and was perfect for our group.

I ordered 3 appetizers to be served as part of the reception, and then I offered guests the choice of 3 entrees. The appetizers, especially the smokey balls, were quite good. My only criticism is that the white bean bruschetta was a bit under-seasoned.

Our first course was the hearth roasted vegetables, and this dish was the highlight of the meal! The carrots and parsnips were perfectly roasted and developed a nice layer of caramelization. The harissa sauce was wonderfully seasoned and balanced by the yogurt. Really well done!

Our guests were able to choose from a list of 3 different entrees. We offered the local mushroom flatbread, the veal ragu, and the macaroni and cheese. I tried all 3 dishes, and the veal ragu was the star here. The ragu was rich and earthy, the meat nice and tender, and the pasta cooked al dente. I thought the macaroni and cheese was great, but some of our guests found the horseradish off-putting (just preferential, in other words). The local mushroom flatbread, however, ended up a bit watery and surprisingly under-seasoned. I suspect that if the mushrooms had been roasted off a bit longer, they would have lost a bit more of their water and the dish would have been better. As I mentioned, I was surprised that the flatbread was under-seasoned given the parmesan and grand cru gruyere.

The beer was quite good, especially the boreal forest and candy shop IPAs. Several of our guests enjoyed the cider.

Our sever was pleasant, attended to our needs, and was unobtrusive.

The food is a bit pricey, but this isn't surprising given the sourcing. Overall, I would highly recommend Salt Springs Brewery and I know I will...