Barks & Brews — Restaurant in Wichita

Writing reviews like this isn’t something I normally do, and I don’t like dragging a business down. But in this case, people should know what to expect. I took my two labs (ages 5 and 8) to Barks and Brews tonight, and the experience was extremely disappointing.

Both of my dogs are fully up to date on all vaccinations as we take them to daycare and the groomer regularly, including this week, both of which require the same vaccines Barks and Brews does. Despite this, the staff member checking us in was dismissive and unprofessional from the very beginning. She told me she didn’t see bordetella listed for either dog, so I had to point it out. Then she claimed rabies wasn’t listed, and again I had to show her exactly where it was. Rather than carefully reviewing the documents, she was more focused on finding something missing.

She then said that because the vaccine cards didn’t list expiration dates for bordetella, they “didn’t know” if the vaccines were valid which is something no other daycare or grooming facility has ever questioned. When I asked how they determine expiration, her response was vague (“oh it just depends”), which made it clear she either didn’t know or simply didn’t want to accept the documentation. During this, my dogs were understandably excited and barking because they heard the other dogs. The entire 15 minutes we stood at the tiny check in area, she looked at them with visible disapproval, as though their size and energy alone made them unwelcome.

I left feeling judged, unwelcome, and frustrated. If you want a place where you and your dogs are treated with respect, professionalism, and common courtesy… save yourself the trouble and...

Need a good vibe place to hang out and let your dog(s) run free? Check out Barks and Brews. First off, you'll want to register your pups online and ensure you have their medical records available. This ensures the dogs here are healthy to begin with.

With that being said, be mindful of your own dogs and their behavior. I'd say a vast majority of the dogs here have been excellent and play really well.

As for yourself, kick back, enjoy some drinks. The bar has anything from liquor, mixed drinks, seltzers, beers, and snacks. There's a self serve popcorn machine.

One may bring in their own food, but remember the dogs that will stare at you. One may NOT bring in food or treats for dogs, keep that in mind.

Anyway, this place has been very comfortable, the employee team has treated everyone well, and the environment is nice. Once the sun gets behind the trees, it's cool here during summer with the shade and occasional Kansas breeze.

There are always plenty of events, too. Stop by...

This is a really great place to socialize your dog. I have a young Doberman, and he had a bad experience at the Meridian dog park. He became very timid and nipped at other dogs that came too close with too much energy. It is reassuring to know that all the pets in the building are fully vaccinated (something you don't know at other dog parks). They also must be well behaved, or they are not allowed. With this environment, at first Duke was still timid and scared. It took him awhile to adjust. Lucky for us they understood his trauma at the dog park before and gave him some trips to adjust. I watched him blossom and go from this scared, and nippy puppy who was Velcro to my side and scared of other dogs to a puppy that often acts like I'm not there bc he is too busy having fun with his new pup friends. The people I have met there are very nice people, and I've never witnessed any bad behavior from the adults either. This is a great environment for both...