http://www.hdrestaurants.com/brazenhead/dublin/menu.htm
Overall GrubGrade B
The Breakdown:
Atmosphere: Grade C: We visited Brazenhead Irish Pub in Dublin, Ohio, on a late Friday evening. On the outside, Brazenhead looked like a big red house in the middle of downtown Dublin. When we walked inside, the place was really busy. The basement area was closed off for a private party, and except for the couple of occasions where we had to crash the downstairs party to hit the restroom (we could only find ones in the basement). The rest of the restaurant seemed cramped, and since there was no hostess, we had to seat ourselves. We might have snagged the last table in the upstairs lounge area, judging by the despondent people who came in after us and couldn’t find a table. This place really needed a hostess. Once seated, it took around 10 to 15 minutes just to receive a menu. Luckily, since we’re both geniuses, we had already looked at the menu online and made our choices. Table spacing was okay, but the upstairs tables were extremely small and probably not intended for dinner service.
High marks: Okay table spacing
Low marks: No hostess, very busy, cramped interior and tiny tables
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Service: Grade B-: Our server, Kelly, did an alright job with our service. We’ve certainly had better, but we’ve had worse as well. We believe it was just too busy and noisy, and our server had to keep going up and down the stairs. She was out-shined by the food runner, who made sure we were okay every time he walked by our table. When our food arrived, we were missing silverware, but Kelly quickly corrected the situation. Other than the initial wait for menus and a rather lengthy wait for our check, the meal progressed at an acceptable pace. Had Brazenhead been anything but a madhouse, this service would have been horrible. But in the context of the situation, it was okay.
High marks: Meal progressed at good pace, attentive food runner
Low marks: Start and finish marked by lengthy waits, no silverware
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Food/Spirits: Grade A-: The start of the meal was shaky, but once we got going Brazenhead really shined. For drinks, I opted for a Hoegaarden, which in my opinion is the spiciest of the wheat beers. Katina ordered a Woodchuck Raspberry Cider, which had a really nice raspberry flavor. The cider could have been a little colder than it was when served, but other than that she really enjoyed it. For our appetizer, we selected (……dramatic pause)….pretzel sticks. Up to this point, the pretzel sticks at TGIFriday’s have ruled supreme in our opinion. Brazenhead may have usurped them from the top of the pretzel mountain. The sticks were crispy on the outside with a nice buttery flavor. On the inside, they were nice and soft. The pretzel sticks were served with a beer cheese and a spicy mustard for dipping. The cheese had a hearty flavor and was thin enough to work nicely as a dip (as opposed the the cheese “paste” we sometimes get with our pretzel sticks). The mustard was thick and creamy with a nice kick, but the spiciness was not overwhelming. Katina ordered a pulled pork sandwich for her entree, and I asked for the fish and chips. The pulled pork had a nice smoky sauce but it wasn’t as sweet as Katina likes. The sauce did have a bit of a kick, though. Served on a regular bun, the pulled pork sandwich had a generous amount of high quality meat, not the crappy, fatty meat of questionable origin that sometimes tries to pass for pulled pork. The sandwich was topped with mozzarella cheese, which complimented the smoky BBQ sauce nicely. I would be remiss if I did not mention that this might be the first time in 15 years that I have seen Katina eat something topped with sauce and not ask for an extra side of sauce. With fish and chips, it all comes down to the batter, and the tartar sauce. These particular thick cod fillets were coated in a Guinness batter and cooked perfectly. But the tartar sauce….oh, sweet Jesus! Creamy, flavorful, and smooth (all the ingredients were finely chopped), the tartar sauce at Brazenhead is the best tartar sauce I’ve ever had. The house-made chips were crispy and good, but not a star feature of the meal. But I would eat broccoli and Brussels sprouts if they were covered in that sweet, glorious tartar sauce.
High marks: Pretzel sticks with sauce, dipping sauces, tartar sauce, high quality pork
Low marks: Plain sandwich bun, good but not mind-blowing chips, cider should be colder
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Value: Grade A+: We toughed it out, and while we probably had enough room to snag dessert but showed the willpower to abstain. However, we didn’t leave hungry, and at less than $50, we feel the quality of the food warrants a visit from you if you haven’t been yet. Just try and visit on an off day or time unless you love eating amid chaos.
High marks: High quality food for a very fair price
Low marks: Chaotic
grubgraders 