Brick & Bourbon — Restaurant in Stillwater

Brick and Bourbon apparently does not want customers and actively encourages you to go elsewhere through their actions. I wish I had read the one star reviews before choosing this restaurant, as the exact same issues happened to us. Apparently this is a consistent problem that Brick and Bourbon chooses not to correct.

Their website says they do not take reservations after 5:30 on Saturday and to add yourself to their waitlist on Yelp. I’ve used this feature before at another restaurant, and it worked perfectly. The idea is you can wait virtually rather than at the restaurant. I added our group of 4 to the waitlist at 5:13, hoping to be seated at 5:45. We had somewhere to be at 7:30. Yelp said to check in at 5:44 and estimated seating time was 5:44-5:59. We were third on the waitlist with two groups of 6 ahead of us. We arrived about 5:47. The hostess was incredibly rude and inhospitable. She said it would be another 45-60 minutes. We noted that we were already on the waitlist for 30+ minutes. They said we were next on the waitlist. I don’t see how it’s possible that you would have an hour wait for the party at the top of the waitlist. That means you expect every single person in the restaurant to be there for another hour. If that’s accurate, then this restaurant is absolutely terrible at turning tables and are very very slow.

There was an open table for 6. We asked about that table. They would not seat a group of 4 at a table for 6. I could see not seating a group of 4 at a table for 8+, but I’ve never in my life seen a restaurant refuse to seat a group that is literally standing there ready to eat and instead wait for a group with two more people to arrive. Then they tried to tell us that the open table was reserved. We asked how that could be when it was now nearly 6 by this point, and their website says they do not take reservations after 5:30. They said it was an earlier reservation and that group wasn’t there yet. Again, what kind of restaurant holds a reservation a half an hour plus after the designated time when the group isn’t present and you have customers standing right there waiting to be seated.

The manager came over and tried to assist us. She was kinder than the two hostesses and did attempt to help. She said there were a few groups about to leave, and she’d get us the next open table. At this point we’re mad and don’t even want to eat there anymore, but don’t know if we can get in anywhere else at 6 pm on a Saturday. We waited another 5 minutes. Then our husbands went across the street to Mad Capper and were able to be seated immediately. So we left and will not ever be returning.

I’ve worked in restaurants as both a hostess and server. I have never in my life been treated so poorly just trying to be seated and seen such terrible business practices at a restaurant. I completely understand that the virtual waitlist is still a waitlist, and you may have to wait for an open table once you arrive. That is not the issue. If they had said yep you’re next on the waitlist you get the next open table, we would’ve been happy with that. We were expecting to be seated between 5:45-6. But instead, they said it would be another 60 minutes (around 7 seating time) in addition to what Yelp said. This is completely unacceptable, and the restaurant has shown they’d rather give excuses than fix the...

For those not interested in reading my long winded reviews: In my opinion, Brick & Bourbon has taken very generous liberties with the descriptions of some of their menu items. So, buyer beware. Be prepared to pay a premium for something fairly basic that may not meet your expectations. And be prepared to pay a surcharge if paying by credit card, as some other businesses have started to do as well. Perhaps I will adjust the rating if the menu descriptions change to more accurately reflect the menu items served.

My group of 4 visited the Stillwater location on a Saturday. I loved the look of the interior with the whiskey barrels between the overhead beams. We were promptly seated in an alcove area overlooking the front sidewalk. Shortly after our drink orders were taken even though two of us had not had time to look over the extensive menu as only one was provided. Not really an issue though.

The cocktails were pricey but interesting. My daughter ordered the Smoking Gun Maple Old Fashioned ($15). The presentation was excellent as the cocktail was difficult to see under the smoke filled glass dome. Check out my pictures to see it. I ordered the Elder Fashioned ($12) which was not presented as dramatically but just as tasty. Likewise, the Bite the Bullet cocktail ($12) and the Alesmith Nut Brown beer ($7.50) were less dramatic but enjoyed none the less. A little too expensive for a beer.

I had a difficult time ordering from the menu as many items looked appealing. Same for my SIL but we managed. I ordered the St Louis Rib Mac & Cheese. I was tempted to get wings but the description of the "roasted ribs piled high" better matched my appetite. This is where the disappointment started. The mac & cheese came with 3 small ribs set on top. I have seen this dish prepared elsewhere with a generous portion of shredded meat on top. Not here. Not even close to be considered "HIGH". And one of the ribs was just as much cartilage and gristle as it was "tender" rib meat. Did it taste good? Yes, it tasted good. Not $16.99 good though.

My daughter ordered the Charred Citrus & Shrimp Caesar Salad ($14.49). The salad looked like the standard Caesar salad we all know yet this was also served with Charred Citrus and Shrimp. Or was it? There was not a single piece of citrus and nothing in the salad was remotely charred. While we waited to get the attention of the server to question the "mistake", the rest of us politely hesitated to eat. The server explained that the dressing was made with charred citrus and that "everyone" asks about the missing citrus. Wow! How about explaining this when people order or include some charred citrus on the salad for a better presentation? And char the shrimp? Just another disappointment.

Fortunately, the Duck Philly ($14.99) and The Big Cheese ($14.99) received no complaints.

The service was fine and the server was friendly and professional, although I still think there should have been a warning about the...

Looking for a nice lunch while in Stillwater and the 4.6 overall for this place had us excited to go and try. I didn’t scroll down far enough to get at least one “meh” or a review with some substance which had I did, I could’ve avoided this place and experience.

Much like all the 5 star comments, our server was not genuine and just want to tell us “yeah, that’s great” or “yeah that’s very popular”. We all deserve quality food, and good service for how much restaurants charge.

Apparently B&B doesn’t care about fresh. All we had was premade or reheated so it felt.

First the drinks.

Blood orange margarita- more like blood migraine of the head. Basically the only thing relating to a margarita was the salt rim. It was horrible mix of flavors that was pure waste of $14

Second drink “Ed Sheardin” was OK. The sprite carbonation and hint of something (not rhubarb) as noted at least chased the blood orange margarita taste I had away. A waste

App 1. Candy bacon flight. - ok but cold and overcooked. When I think of bacon, I think of fresh off the fryer.

App 2- Jalapeño bread pull apart with bear cheese sauce. Cheese Ok but bread bowl loaf saturated in oil of some sort and pretty gross

Blackened Caesar with shrimp - watery and shrimp was overcooked and seemed old. Felt sick after a bite

French onion crock- what a crock. Obviously frozen. Was spicy and OK but not great.

So when you get seated and the host gives a I don’t give a crap about you feeling, that was the first red flag.

When the server is not genuine, that is a red flag to leave. She was nice but just going through the motions rather than from the heart and a place of joy.

When the food comes out in a min or two, that is a red flag it’s not going to be good.

When it’s clear you are not happy but the server doesn’t care or engaged to even ask why something is wrong, I guess they too know the food isn’t great and don’t care.

While I get this is a bar, they need to dumb down their menu and whatever is on it, make it great. Make it from scratch. Service was not friendly and vibe just off. I must be in the minority as I cannot give more than 2.5 overall and frankly for $100 for two people that is more than fair. I avoid bad reviews but the 4.6 or whatever it isn’t currently is not reality.

Don’t go here unless you are a pre-fab junkie. Food and drink should be made from the heart and with zest to please. Not happening here. Totally disappointing for a lunch out with my wife. It wasn’t worth saying anything because we will not be going...