[anyone have a picture to donate?]
Back when we first found out the former Michael’s Bistro team had decided to launch a new restaurant, we knew something good was in the works. Enter 12th Street Taphouse, located on Main and, you guessed it, 12th Street.
With some cash from the Coran, the team has renovated the former Northern Exposure space, adding wood floors, new tables, new paint and some better lighting. It feels cleaner and more delightful than before. Parking shouldn’t turn you away either, because you can usuually find something on the street, in front of Kane’s or around the corner in that art store parking lot. You might be hard pressed to find a sign for 12th Street, but you are probably an idiot if you can’t find the building.
The 12th Street interior is large and daunting, especially when you need to figure out how to ask for a table. This building has always had this problem. The long, narrow entry-way doesn’t end up at an obvious host station, so just make sure you wander aimlessly to the bar and look effectively confused. Someone will address you eventually.
Then, pray that your host seats you in the third-least cavernous space. The restaurant is ginormous and with the newer, open feel, I feel not-so-cozy. Try the bar or the section closest to the kitchen. The front sections make you feel exposed. On the flipside, finding a table is probably never a problem.
The menu shares similar items to Michael’s Bistro: the spaghetti bolognese, the buffalo burger, the curry. It’s not too pricey. Menu items range from $8 to $20. I’d describe it as solid, modern pub fare. Is it a destination for eating? Perhaps. Is it a destination for eating and drinking delicious beer? Absolutely.
You can choose from 12 beers (ok, really about 8 once you subtract the Star Hills, because who drinks those anyway?). Ok, let’s make one thing clear: 20 OUNCE BEERS COST $4 AFTER TAX. What this means for you happy hour fanatics, is that 12th Street has the best beer deal in town, hands down, at ALL TIMES. Kegs rotate frequently, and from my experience in the last month or so, I’ve seen plenty of new beer on tap.
12th Street’s scene is pretty chill (although you will commit social suicide if anyone sees you drinking a bud light). Since it’s on the outskirts of the Corner and a bit far away from the mall, it attracts a lot of grad students and the related scene. Undergrads aren’t going to show up (at least in the short term).
I highly recommend 12th Street for any beer lover. It’s the best value in town and who doesn’t want that in these times? Cheers!
Some other important facts:
- The bar is smoking, but the rest of the restaurant is non-smoking.
- It looks like rooftop dining isn’t going to happen, because they removed the stairs.
- Expect more of a music scene as 12th Street books more gigs.
- There isn’t a huge selection of belgium ales like the Bistro used to have.
Other 12th Street Taphouse mentions (I couldn’t find any other reviews): Notes from Cville. Curb Places. C-VILLE.
What do you think?
Related posts:
- 12th Street Ale House Now Open
- 12th Street Tap House Coming to Northern Exposure Space?
- A Review of Charlottesville’s Si Tapas Restaurant
I’ve been here three or four times for drinks, so can’t speak to the food, but the beer, service and atmosphere is outstanding. Reminds me of my favorite pub in London – the Tup – open space, great beer, unpretentious but “grown up” atmosphere … well worth a trip.
Additionally on parking, they have 25 spaces in the garage, against the wall facing the restaurant, I think the signs for parking say “Kane’s furniture/restaurant.”
If you feel exposed, maybe you should XYZ.
I went on a Friday a few weeks ago, and it was pretty crowded. My boyfriend and I managed to get a booth near the back, but since the bar was super busy, instead of exposed I’d say we were more crowded and confined. The beer prices are good, but (and perhaps Beer Run has spoiled me on this point) I was disappointed that I couldn’t sample a beer first or that the waitress couldn’t give me a very sufficient recommendation based on my tastes. My dinner was mediocre, so the beer was definitely the highlight. It was nice that the crowd seemed more mature (aka not overrun with students).
Beer is excellent and service is fine. Food has been forgettable in the couple of times I’ve been.
We were there Friday and my only complaint was getting to the bathroom from the bar is a bit tricky – easier to waddle out into the dining room and cut back that way.
I was with a serious beer drinking crew and they were very happy with the beer and the prices. After spending time at the bar, six of us sat down for dinner, received friendly and quick service and all six of us were very happy with our food. That is pretty rare – especially for a newly opened restaurant.
I had a choice between Zinc and this place last night and I chose Zinc because Zinc has never turned me away. We had a 20oz Kronenburg and it was delicious.
@ 6 Plus the company at the bar was better, no?
/”oh kenny! make my seizures so secksay!”
Guys! What happens at Zinc stays at Zinc…
…or must be saved for Facebook.
Mmmm….Kronenbourg, Frances answer to a Hoppy Bud Light. No credit for posting that beer choice on a thread about good beer.
That’s funny, because I thought it was a thread about a new restaurant. Thor didn’t name a single beer just kept jizzing in his pants about how big they were.
the stairs are getting replaced and an additional patio will be made in the front paved area.
It was until some sophist decided to talk about a different place and drinking crap as if it was something to brag about. But you can learn and grow. Step into an Allagash, Old Rasputin, or for you hoppy lovers, a Bell Two Hearted.
But dayyummn! If your gonna order French beer, at least roll 3 Monts or the like. But do not name drop bad names. “I was like hanging with my main man Chris Brown and drinking white wine and sprite! Holler!”
ta.
They rotate the beers all the time so you can’t name them.
@13: I’m not a beer snob but thanks for the recommendations. My point was you can get 20oz beers elsewhere, they weren’t invented by 12th St.
i can name one that was very impressive to see on tap – Bell’s Hopslam! 10oz for $5 great deal.
the brunch is good too, just be sure that you are clear with your food order. mostly the same lunch/dinner menu as the previous location, which is fine with me. assuredly a cleaning kitchen and much more space, no complaints here.
beer is great but would never go there for food. there is only one vegetarian entre and it’s really gross.
@17:What is it?
@18: I think beanhead is talking about the red beans and rice cake with collard greens, and i think it’s the jam piece. another thing: if they get the roof top going by the summer, this place will be CRAZY.
That sounds…not like my cup of tea. Do they have any seafood? Anybody have a menu?
Yes, the redbean rice cake should never have made it out of the test stage. Take white rice, mix with red beans, form into cake.
FAIL.
Correction: The bar does not allow smoking until after 10 pm.
The Taphouse has a new Beer Drinkers Club. To join, simply purchase a gift card ($50 minimum) that will then entitle you to $1.00 off any of the $4.00 pints on draft. The card can be used for other purchases too, but only the beers are discounted.
To join, simply purchase a gift card ….
Just like Food Lion, but with cash up front.
They do have seafood: an AMAZING salmon-over-pasta dish. It’s to-die-for!
@23 Dude, you don’t have to be so negative. Yes, it does require cash up front but you do get it back and it helps a local business. There are a lot of folks who might be interested in saving 25% off the cost of an excellent beer. Equating this with a Food Lion MVP card is retarded. If you enjoyed good beers, you would appreciate it too. In fact, you could save enough to pay for that much needed porch repair.
224: I don’t eat fish, they’re me friends.. I meant otherwise…?
The beer is good, the atmosphere is good, the food is god awful.
Wow, “CP” what a deep and thorough review !! I am certain that everyone has been on the edge of their seats waiting for your expert opinion on the quality of the food at the Taphouse. How brave of you to go on a public site, anonymously, and make derogatory comments about the food without any kind of explanation about the negative experience that you apparently had with your meal. Did you bring your dissatisfaction to the attention of the manager? What exactly was the problem? I have no connection to the restaurant whatsoever, other than as a patron and a supporter of local restaurants and businesses in general, but I have been there for several meals and they have all been very good to excellent. Sure, from a chef’s perspective, with decades of cooking experience, there are aspects that could be improved, but nothing I have sampled there has ever been “god awful”. That is pure chicken shit my friend. I will now conjure up the spirit of Tomas to bash you over the head with a leg of jamon iberica you ignorant fool.
@28 – people are entitled to opinions on this site whether they want to rationalize them or not
@28: You freaking out over one comment reveals that you work there or have stake in the place.
@30 Wrong on both counts. In my opinion, it was a mean thing to say about a new business.
I liked the bison burger myself. I found it to be neither god, nor awful, but tasty.
Ignorant fool!
You brave reviewer!
Sharing in my triumph!
Insolent boy!
This slave of Taphouse!
Basking in our glory!
Here’s a specific example for you Chumpe, I’ve been there twice and they have been out of meat loaf both times. The beer selection was wonderful, although was a bit put off when I asked the server what was on tap and she told me I would have to go to the bar and read it off the chalkboard. The 2nd time I was there service was very good, except for the annoying problem of no meat loaf (yes, I love my meat loaf.) Bottom line, this place is great bar, but has a few kinks to work out on the restaurant side.
@35, Patty, thanks for the specific example. I would not argue that there are a few kinks to work out with the restaurant but that is not the same thing as saying the food is god awful. The bourbon glazed meatloaf is a terrific dish and hopefully it will be available on your next visit.
yeah, i even have beans for a head and i can’t deal with the beancake. you’ve got the right idea with the veggie soul food, but i’d go for a more straight up rendition. it don’t have to be fancy to please the veg. just fresh and flavorful.
I went last Friday for lunch and it was excellent. I had the Lenny Wrap (Whole-wheat tortilla wrap with hummus, lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and sprouts with a Sesame dressing) and subbed out the spinach and artichoke bisque for the fries. Also enjoyed a Celis White Ale, which was awesome. Great meal.
That doesn’t sound like a very substantial sandwich. It’s like when you get the “Veggie” sub from a place and all that’s on it is the non-meat sides: lettuce, tomato, onions.
Maybe it was hummus-ngus.
@ 39 I get that at at office catered events all the time. I call it the “condiment sandwich”.
/and thanks for putting gratuitous chunks of ham in everything…
It wasn’t small. It was a somewhat light lunch, yes, but filling. I didn’t feel stuffed afterwards; I felt just right. There was probably something else in the Lenny Wrap (I don’t recall exactly what was in it), but it was veggie, yeah.
There was probably something else in the Lenny Wrap
There’s usually a dollop of kravitz in there.
this is turning into my own personal vegetarian rant, but i just wanna say (not specifically to 12th street) that i’m sick of the vegetarian = hummusitarian equation. maybe it was exciting/novel in like 1991, but we’ve eaten our weight in the sh*t several times over and it’s time for the restaurant community to think of moving on to another vegetarian dish. it’s high time for a garbanzolution…who’s with me??? and you know what else???…since when do salads automatically come piled with meat??? it’s getting almost impossible to find a salad containing only vegetables. wtf??? alright i’ll shut up now. i hate vegetarian whiners and now i’ve become one. sry.
@44: I luv you
Rant on beanhead, rant on, Im with you. I have had my fill of the hubris of hummus! Restaurant folk take as much care with the veggie option as they do the “kids menu”… “Oh yeah just toss a grilled cheese on there for the tots, and some hummus for the hippies… voila! We’re covered!”
Fuck it. There’s more and more of us every day, and we can tell who at least respects the option, and they get our duckets.
Meat Salad would be an awesome band name, though.
Let’s start a Veggie Mafia. B yo gets to be the Don.
@ 47 You know, that idea has some flavor
We could go around and harass the restaurants that don’t have good veggie options. 12th St, from what I hear all you have is some crappy beancake and a condiment wrap. You will not be a destination spot for me anytime soon.
I always seek out restaurants from countries with strong buddhist of hindi traditions. Veggies are always respected there. Seriously though, veggie dishes are generally cheaper ingredent wise, easier to store, and can be as good as any critter. Restaurants would also have a wider possible client base. I cannot imagine why they cant get all the benefits through their pointed little heads, especially in these difficult financial times. And what are the disadvantages? I cant think of any. What, is some bottle nosed carnivore gonna make a joke about too many veggie options on the poor widdle menu because he is cranky because his most recent colonoscopy turned up a metasticzed and putrified bigmac he ate in 1983 wreaking havoc on his duodenom? Um… wait… What was I talking about? Ah yes.
You will not be a destination spot for me anytime soon.
I certainly haven’t been enticed. All I got was called “negative” (you aint seen negative) for making a stupid joke, and then told I could “save” enough money to fix my porch by buying $7500.00 worth of beer on a prepaid card (parlie helped me do the math). Whatever. If I owned 12th street, I would call the “beer club card” (or whatever the completely creative name they came up with), the MVB (Most Valuable Beer) card or some other play on all the supermarket citizen monitoring services that are so ubiquitous these days – maybe with some snazzy parody graphics or something (people would love that) – rather than getting all butthurt about the joke. Dont make fun of our beer card! You’re retarded! We’re local!
And if Champé doesnt work for or own 12th street, he or she is surely sleeping with some one who does. I’d bet my broccoli money on it.
Hey Beanhead, want to own a restaurant? There are a lot of them for sale. Some are even free (Zydeco, OXO, Pizza Bolli) I’m happy to help.
I for one would love some educated vegetarian consumers, of which there are numerous on this site, to tell me what they want to eat. We are adding fresh Greens to the list of sides at The Nook, that addition came from a regular customers comment. I thought Hummus went out of style in the 80’s.
Shen and B yo, what do y’all want to see on menus? My veg friends are sick to death of pasta too.
Make some suggestions and let’s hope the right people see them!
http://www.greensrestaurant.com/
This is the gold standard for veggie restaurants. Their cookbook, “Feild of Greens” can be found in the “books and gifts” section of the website. For thirty dollars plus shipping you can have access to some of the most incredibly innovative vegetarian cooking on the face of the earth. You may be able to adapt some of the recipes to your meat loving folk. Their seven course weekend pri fixe menus must have fucking opiates in them they are that good.
I would also recomend “The Enchanted Broccoli Forest”, which has been around forever.
Or you could wait til the hummus revolution of 2009 when a handfull of internet malcontents rise up and start waxing and wharrgarbling, then act all defensive like you just cant seem to find ANY veggie ideas on the internets. I see th way cooks look at recipe books.”What would YOU cook? YOU wanna own a restaurant…. Um… wait…
Hmm.
Jeeze, sorry Im so testy today. I must have altitude sickness from being so high up on this soap box, which is precariously setting atop a highhorse, mounted in an iory tower. Lawdy…
Yeah, pasta as the only veg option is effing disappointing. I like it when a place has a decent amount of veggie sides ( Mas, X Lounge) to choose from and vegetarian soup. Places that actually take the time to put on Faux Meatloaf or Seared Seitan (Maya, the Local), get my business too.
I ate Seitan General Tso’s from Whole Foods at a super bowl party it was awesome!
I wanna try Maya’s “Chicken Fried” seitna with spring onion gravy.
@50 Poor thing, without your broccoli money you just might starve. I have no connection to the restaurant whatsoever, I just appreciate what they are doing. You, on the other hand, enjoy being bitter and cynical. Congratulations for the success you’ve achieved in being a big star on Cvillain , entertaining your circle of worshipping catamites. I’d rather be out in the real world, dining in local restaurants and supporting them. TTFN.
@53 – Good call. I have all of the books from that restaurant, and Fields of Greens is my favorite. I’d recommend it to anyone, even if they’re an omnivore. Annie Sommerville wrote another great book in ‘03 you’d probably like– Everyday Greens. Also check out The Greens Cookbook and Deborah Madison’s The Savory Way, which are both also excellent.
Shen, it never occurs to me to cook fake meat. I just can’t get around the fact that it’s this weird substance with a strange texture. Even when I was a vegetarian, I stayed away from it. But lots of people really love it…
Whatever. I apologized for being cranky today. And yes, Im cynical, very, but Im not bitter. I got nothing against 12th St, how could I, I have never even been there. Im just commenting on what I read here. That said, I will shut up about it.
And I dunno what a catamites are, but if you think I have them, I guess I will go ahead and call the dermatologist.
Tell you what, if I see you out and about in the real world (where I spend a little bit of time when my mom lets me out of the basement) I will buy you a beer with my broccoli money. Yeah? Life’s too short…
/peace.
@59 I think that Champé has basically said that Shenanigans is a boy that you are having sex with.
(so that really seems like not much of a cata-strophe)
Well fuck that… what about the bitch-for-hire bartenderess that pointed her only-just-opposable thumb at the blackboard when my DH asked SO pleasantly “what was good on draft”. Fucked up that uber-largo-tipo that night you snotty faced cow.
@57: It’s apparent you have something to do with this place, so just man up and admit it instead of being all touchy concerning jokes. Us talking about the place, good or bad,is better than it not being talked about at all, and maybe we’ll change our minds once we’ve gone there.
But anyhow, there’s a reason B yo is a “big star” on here, as you put it, and that’s because he’s funny, intelligent, and contributes to the banter, not hiding who he really is. You’d do well to follow his lead more.
@58: Meat substitutes can be a bridge between those who are vegetarian but weren’t always, but decided to do it for health or ethical reasons. Food habits are pretty darn ingrained and it’s nice to have the option while still doing what you believe. Many a fake meat has let me be happy and not eat meat while hanging with meat eating friends. Ex: Instead of pitifully munching a salad while my family eats Thanksgiving turkey, I get my little fake turkey and get to participate too.
I get my little fake turkey… that just sounds so sad
It’s fucking delicious so shut your trap fatty.
Feeling snappy and short-tempered Luv? Could be an early menopause, what with you being in your thirties. You might want to get your estrogen levels checked.
So earllyyyy. Grumph.
@65: What was that? I don’t speak old crone…
Sorry… I forgot about those scary big words you find so tricky. I’ll keep it to 2 syllables next time… oh and my 3 year old wants to know if you are finished with the Dr Seuss book you borrowed from her. I hope you didn’t use yellow highlighter all over it like you did on her ‘Big Red Ball’ book.
I used pink this time. Do I have to go sit in the corner again?
@58 i don’t think fake meat has any more of a strange texture than real meat. i love fake chicken patties & nuggets, & fake ribs might actually be better because there’s no bones or veins. fake salmon sounds gross though because what you’re taking fake meat & making it taste like FISH? ew.
@70 – as a food professional, I will say that this attitude– Meat Fear– is the weirdest thing to have developed over the last 20 years. It’s the “ewww” reaction most often seen in younger females, but sometimes in dainty males. I swear to you, women didn’t used to go all faint at the sight of veins and bones. With women’s liberation comes the constitution of a hothouse flower?
It’s bizarre that people won’t eat red meat because it’s “gross’” but have no problem eating chicken, the filthiest creature around. They’ll eat a fish that’s been swimming around in the raw sewage dumped off a cruise ship, but not an organically-raised pork chop. And that fish better be de-boned so we can pretend it wasn’t once alive. I can understand having different tastes and preferences, but actual fear of the inate substance of the meal like veins and bones? Jebus, it’s just food for fuck’s sake.
/meat fear comment containing buckets of double entendre… fire away…
//cranky food professional who works hard but hates cooking for scaredy-cats
@71: That’s part of why I don’t eat most meat, because it grosses me out and I don’t wanna be a hypocrite and eat meat that’s been processed to no longer look like meat.
@champe.. i hope you make it to the pizarty
@71 actually, i love red meat. and i am not grossed out by veins and bones. but it really is easier to eat things without them. like PIZZA.
@56 that sounds fucking amazing
@58 i think the best meat substitute product thingy is veggie sausage (most realistic probably because sausage mostly tastes like the spices it contains) and would LOVE it if some of the breakfast restaurants around town would offer it as an option
@all: my taste in vegetarian food is stuff that’s not terribly fancy but super fresh and prepared so the flavors of the ingredients shine. i don’t mind veg dishes where the veg takes the stage, rather than a meat substitute; and frankly i’m a little sick of tofu cooked by people who don’t know how to deal with it. i’m always jonesing for southern food–where even the vegetables contain meat–so eppie’s is a huge fave of mine in town for awesome vegetarian sides (collards, mac’n'cheese, black beans, corn pudding–that shit, though good, is NOT southern cornbread, which disappoints). maya’s vegetable sides are AMAZING and getting three of them makes it sort of affordable to eat there. tofu pot pie can be done REALLY well and is a super-hearty, satisfying vegetarian dish. also, inventive vegetarian salads, people–not that hard.
also, a really well-seasoned (i repeat, the key is well-seasoned) portobello steak with a couple kick-ass veg sides is satisfying, does not contain hummus, and would be very easy option for chefs.
I’m not a fan of portobello steak. I find it doesn’t leave mushroom for dessert.
That pun shiitake long enough Floozy, I’m still happy you went to the truffle. I guess that’s the morel of the story
@75: La Taza offers veggie sausage! Sooooo gud in breakfast scramblez!
Trumped… by a punning Kraut no less. You’re lucky I’m a Fun-gal.
La Taza offers veggie sausage!
…with a big fat black hair last time I went. Emphasis on “last time”. I almost hurled on their burl. Gak.
/am working on a topic about this…
Why does hair in food bother people? It’s just a hair. It’s only gross if you start to swallow it and then you have to pull it out of your throat and chewed-up food’s going everywhere…Oh.
Sorry Shen but I’m with Byo on this one. I bought sushi at Giant a few months back and it had a hair in it and I could not ever buy it there again. I also once ordered a baked potato and it came out with a pube sticking out of the sour cream…. but the restaurant was owned by Andrew Ridgely ( other half of Wham) and he was a bit of a twat so no surprise.really.
Hairophobes. Although, I’m with you on the pubes bc they smell funny.
horrible, horrible service. would never go there again b/c on 2 separate occasions there has been terrible service and undercooked meat. When one of the diners and my party sent back the meal, she received a charred to the point of inedible burger in exchange.
are you guys doing a smear campaign now?
Is there some kind of Bistro vs. Taphouse relationship drizzle?
@85 no such thing as undercooked meat!
@88 if it started out as a frozen patty there is
If you had a bad experience with the food at 12th street, you need to go and try it again. I’ve been there twice and the food was excellent, particularly the specials. I had a filet mignon cooked perfectly to medium rare, and I am usually disappointed with filets because most aren’t cooked perfectly to my taste. Not so at 12th street; it was one the best filets I’ve ever had. Moreover, who can turn down all-day brunch on Sundays, especially when chorizo benedict and guinness pancakes are involved?
Also, I’ve had very good service both times I visited 12th street. The kitchen can get a little slow during brunch rush hour, but really, it’s rush hour and brunch: a certain level of forgiveness has to be allowed; they’re only human and can only work so fast. I’ve also worked in restaurants for 6+ years, so I totally understand how insane the kitchen can get. If that’s really your problem, you clearly have no appreciation for how hard restaurant people work or what a total cluster fuck a restaurant is and you’re probably the type of customer that makes servers hate their lives.
Finally, the beer selection is seriously impressive. As someone who lived in Poland and moved back to the states last year, I’m very disappointed by the beer selection at most places in the US (the brewpub is pretty standard in Polska). 12th street kicks ass here, too. The fact that they even have Zywiec, a standard Polish beer, is mind boggling. My only complaint: I wish they had more Polish beers, like Warka or anything by CK Browar.
the type of customer that makes servers hate their lives.
And then subsequently take out that anger on the next customer, and the next and the next. I can easily forgive slow, especially if its busy. I cannot forgive rude.
But yeah, I get what your saying. Its always the customer’s fault. I mean, constantly interrupting the kitchen and waitstaff with their “orders” and what not. Bastards.