Phantom Canyon Brewing ~ Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Jul 2024

First visit: Jan 1994

This past Sunday was a beautiful day, though a tad hot. Of course hot in Colorado Springs would be a cold front back in Texas, so we never complain. We haven't been back to Phantom Canyon since last October. So we decided to have lunch here while parking was still free before 1:00 (I just hate paying for parking...). Mrs. RJG was the adventurous one and went with the fish tacos which she thoroughly enjoyed. It came with a side of corn chips that were better than usual. I had the "usual" cheeseburger with bacon, also excellent (the Pastrami Burger seems to have dropped off the menu). And a side of fries in the grease basket haha. We each started with a cup of chile - hers vegetarian, mine pork. Both were very flavorful and spicy, though still not hot temperature enough for us. While here we talked about how Phantom Canyon has been the backdrop to our entire Colorado Springs experience. And for me personally, the brewery goes back to the very beginning as I discuss in the original review.

---2/20/23 update

Back for our annual review. As my former summary suggested: Best place in Colorado Springs to take out of town guests. But for today's holiday lunch it was just me and my favorite dining companion: Mrs. RJG. This is one of the consistently great places we go to. But unfortunately it's been pretty infrequent. In fact, I think it's been almost a full year since we last went (the update below). We didn't have time to take guests here last year, and it is fairly expensive for a "casual lunch". On this visit I went back to my "usual": Pastrami Burger with a cup of pork green chile and a unique beer. It was absolutely perfect - hot temperature, great tasting, the chile was spicy, and my Pilsner was excellent. Mrs. RJG went fancy this time and had the Lemon Tabasco Fried Chicken with broccoli. She enjoyed it, but not as much as usual. Said the chicken needed about a minute more in the fryer, and some of the seasonings were too strong (garlic in particular). But she finished it, so that's how I know she enjoyed it at least. Oh - and free downtown parking on holidays, so even better than going on a Sunday. Not much more to add to the below reviews. Phantom Canyon is likely to be a staple of our Colorado Springs dining experience for many years to come. 

---3/7/22 update

Time for the annual review. Last year I bemoaned the fact that Phantom Canyon exaggerated their pandemic spacing (removed from original review). Fortunately that's all in the past (and hopefully forever) and Phantom Canyon is what we remember from prior - a boisterous and happy place. We had a most magnificent meal. It appears the restaurant themselves read our review - and we know they did, since we cross posted to Google and they commented very positively. Why? Because on this visit the pork green chile was blazing hot in both temperature and spice level! And our waiter informed us that the vegan chile is even spicier. Well then, for next time. On this visit I tried their Blackened Chicken Club which had some fine seasoning and thick cut crispy bacon. Mrs. RJG stuck with the burger which she declared delicious even though they ignored her request for it to be cooked well done. That may be a first. We both had fries, which comes in generous portions inside of little "basket fryers". And we enjoyed 2 beers each. Like everywhere, the bill was very high (too much), though that didn't seem to deter people on this visit. They also include a 3% surcharge (in little print (which is actually illegal - must be prominently displayed), but OK it's not that big of a deal) for kitchen help. It's a small fee, but it amounts to yet another tax. I don't think that's the way to handle that - but they probably just wanted to highlight that they take care of their staff. Better would have been - 3% of the total cost goes to kitchen staff... Sounds like we're not happy here. Quite the opposite, A very fun visit - and a well earned gold star has been applied!

---original 3/13/21 review

Yea, the RJG goes way back with Phantom Canyon. In fact we were both new to the area - the restaurant and us. Well actually me, as Mrs. RJG was still a few years away from the picture. I had just moved to Colorado Springs only a month prior for work, and we had a company event close to when Phantom Canyon first opened. We've been semi-regulars ever since. During the Denver summer townhome years of 2009 to 2011, we'd skip down to The Springs for an occasional lunch and go here. Then on our semi annual visits to Colorado (2012-2017), Phantom Canyon was a mandatory stop. And now that we live here again (since 2018), we are going more often than ever. Except last year (2020), when the RJG rarely dined in at any restaurant. If visitors are in town, Phantom Canyon represents for us the best representation of a "local" place. This is to Colorado Springs what Tolbert's was to us in Northeast Tarrant. It's a gigantic place, perfectly restored from its 1901 railroad past. Phantom Canyon pretty much marks the center of Colorado Springs (quite literally - you're at the 000 North/South and 000 East/West blocks of the city). 

To note, their beers are delicious. Let's just get that out of the way first. And they always have new offerings to go with their flagship lineup. My beers for all post 2009 visits to Phantom Canyon are recorded in the Bier Reise (see tab above).

As for the main course, Mrs. RJG and I specifically came here to have a beer and a brew. She had the patty melt and I had the pastrami burger (on a brioche bun). In addition I substituted the fries with pork green chile. Their chile isn't bad at all, perhaps not hot enough, in both temperature and spice level. But very flavorful all the same. Not a bad example of the dish if you're new to Colorado. The burgers, as they always are, were delicious and perfectly cooked. Nothing has changed in the kitchen. Mrs. RJG lapped up the fries, and I snuck a couple for myself.

There's really no better place in Colorado Springs to take an out of town guest. 

1//94; 7/24/10; 5/28/18; 4/28/19; 3/13/21 (new entry); 3/27/22; 2/20/23; 7/28/24

Bad Daddy's Burger Bar ~ national chain : Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Jul 2024 (Promenade)

First visit: Aug 2018 (Promenade)

HQ: Golden, CO (founded: 2007 in Charlotte, NC)

Locations: Another useless "Location Finder", only good for a specific spot on the map. One source says they exist in the following states: North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Alabama, and.... Colorado. There's just this one here and many more in the Denver area. 

It's been well over three years since I last stepped foot into Bad Daddy's, a restaurant chain I was more bullish on pre-pandemic. It was a rare Tuesday night visit as I had some music business to go over with Dr. Boom. We took a spot at the bar and yammered non stop while enjoying drinks and a burger. He went for the hard stuff, decrying its rather small pour. I had two craft beers with the Bad Daddy's name on them but they are made by Sweetwater of Georgia. As noted below, the restaurant continues to be lazy with local craft options. On this visit I tried their Fried Mozzarella Burger which is essentially a pizza burger, though it doesn't look like their website picture. I liked the originality and flavor. Excellent service on this visit. I conclude as I did on my initial review - go for the burgers - go somewhere else for the beer. Bad Daddy's stays out of the rotation but it's a reliable option when in a pinch to name a place to meet with friends / business associates.

---original 2/6/21 review

Bad Daddy's is a chain started in Charlotte, North Carolina going back to 2007. They're one of many places to capitalize on the craft beer movement while pairing it with a specified type of food - in this case the familiar hamburger. As for the latter element, this is where Bad Daddy's shines, offering up thick cut, but well made and great tasting burgers. They offer a plethora of toppings, and you can be quite creative if you want to make your own burger. The craft beer? Not so much. On our first visit they seemed to celebrate more local beers, but over time, they've gotten lazy and mostly offer "mainstream craft" breweries such as Breckenridge and Lagunitas. They do have their own signature beer, made by Oregon's Full Sail, that's a quite tasty Amber. If looking to explore new beers, this isn't where you point your radar. If just looking for a great hamburger in a rustic, yet comfortable setting, Bad Daddy's fulfills that requirement quite well.

8/30/18; 6/9/19; 2/6/21 (new entry); 7/16/24

Colorado Mountain Brewery ~ Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Jul 2024

First visit: Oct 2016

Founded: 2008

This is for the Interquest location. They have a second spot off of US-24 that we have not been to.

Mrs. RJG and I had a family emergency to attend to yesterday, and so our dinner was delayed until the evening. Once all was settled, we decided to dine at Colorado Mountain Brewery since we hadn't been this year. And it's close to our house as we were getting tired too. It's been ages since we went to dinner at 8:00, especially on a Saturday night. In the old days, you wouldn't be able to get into a place like this. But even today, we had a 20 minute wait. Primarily because, as noted below, this is really a tourist restaurant and there are many hotels within walking distance, or a short 5 minute drive. And it's the height of tourist season, and many folks are loading up their credit cards, and they'll figure out how to pay for it later.

We don't like to wait but our options were slim so we did. And then we had to wait another 10 minutes to get our beer. Ah, but did it taste good! I was desperate at that point lol. We tried their seasonal July beer of Honey Lavender Ale. For dinner we each had the Pikes Peak Burger substituting diced green chiles rather than the tomato - both cooked well done. With fries. It's the basics, but they do it very well. At a high price, nothing new there. Colorado Mountain Brewery remains a good option if you're in the far north part of the Springs.

---5/11/23 update

As luck would have it, the FNABQ's were back in town. See the La Casa Fiesta review for more about them and our relationship. Not the best timing as it was the next day after our long trip. I was afraid I'd fall asleep in the plate... nose down...

But fortunately I hung in there. On this visit I went with the BYOB (sigh - how I miss that one aspect of Texas dining). Of course this BYOB means "Build Your Own Burger". I ordered well done meat, green chiles, and bacon. With chips on the side. Mrs. RJG thought that sounded great - so make it two! Not sure what our guests had, but I was a bit out of it. Mrs. RJG loved the burger - best she's had in awhile. I thought it was great too. Had a couple of beers to wash it down with. We had a great time, and this pushes forward Colorado Mountain's timeline. What are we going to do around Christmas? lol

---12/26/22 update

In what is looking like the makings of an annual tradition, the RJG's went to Colorado Mountain Brewery sometime during the Christmas season to get in our annual review. Though Colorado Mountain is technically the closest brewery to our house, I don't consider it our "local brewery" (that would be Black Forest at the current time followed by Pikes Peak). As noted below, this is mostly for tourists new to Colorado, and their peculiar ways of eating and drinking. For these characteristics they are great! On this visit I wanted to try the pizza. They have limited ingredients, so I just went with a 7" pepperoni. Good sauce and cheese - so they get kudos for that (pepperoni is pepperoni - unimaginative). But the crust was lame and not crisped at all. Thank goodness Mrs. RJG didn't try it. So a mixed result. I also had a cup of the bison chili which was delicious. As good as the Ted Montana's version that I recently raved about. I should get a bowl next time. Mrs. RJG went with the Pikes Peak burger like last year (no green chiles this time). And once again they cooked it perfectly. She's saying it's her #2 favorite burger behind Brass Tap. So it's good to see some competition brewing in her mind - so to speak. See you next Christmas season, Colorado Mountain.

---12/23/21 update

Looks like we're able to sneak in at least one more annual review. It's been since March of 2019 that we last stepped foot into the Colorado Mountain Brewery. Nothing has really changed - same large space with beautiful views. The surrounding area, however, is growing like crazy. Mrs. RJG and I each had the Pikes Peak Burger and substituted tomatoes with green chiles, though the latter didn't really bring much heat or flavor. But the burger was delicious all the same, along with the fries dipped in a chipotle ranch dressing. And we each enjoyed one beer to celebrate the oncoming holidays.

---original 12/16/18 review

Colorado Mountain Brewery may be many folks very first experience with a brewpub, and it's a great choice if that's the case. Perfectly situated along I-25 right across from the Air Force Academy, Colorado Mountain Brewery offers excellent views along with great beers and an advanced pub menu. Yes, they have the usual burgers but also pastas and steaks, along with other inventive dishes. The RJG gives a thumbs up to both the pastas and hamburgers. The restaurant is large with a woodsy feel. A great place to take guests. Or if visiting as a tourist, you will definitely feel more comfortable - especially compared to some of the down and out breweries in the area (which the RJG loves too - perhaps even prefers). We first visited here as a tourist ourselves, during our biannual trips to the area.

10/9/16; 12/16/18 (new entry); 3/2/19; 12/23/21; 12/26/22; 5/11/23; 7/13/24

Parry's Pizzeria & Taphouse ~ regional chain : Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Jul 2024 (Colorado Springs - Barnes @ Powers)

First visit: Jul 2020 (Colorado Springs - Interquest)

HQ: Greenwood Village, CO (founded: 2007 in Parker, CO)

Locations: 24 total (+6); Colorado: 11 (same), including 3 here in the Springs; Texas: 11 (+6); Arizona and Nevada have one each (same). The Colony would be the closest to our old roaming grounds in NE Tarrant. 

It's Sunday and I'm still working eastern Colorado Springs for the hobby business. The restaurant has an alternate concept called Parry's Sliceria. It's similar to the full scale restaurant, including a full bar, but it's essentially geared towards the quick service crowd. You can come here and grab a slice, and be back out quickly. Since it was a Sunday I took advantage of the bar and had one (very) light beer and a slice of pepperoni. The slice is gigantic, and very thin. To the point you almost want to ask for a knife and fork, because it's impossible to fold down the middle. I was happy with it, and I could easily have had a second slice. Which I might do next time, though with a soda instead of a beer. Just depends on what day it is and what I have to accomplish. Since Mrs. RJG usually frowns when I bring up Parry's for a lunch or dinner option, I may just make this my regular stop for annual visits, if not more.

---3/11/23 update

Back for the first time since the Cowcatchers were here, and only the second time for Mrs. RJG and I together. On today's visit we went for a house salad, a Caesar salad, and a large 18 inch pizza with spicy sausage on all of it with red onion and pickled jalapeno on just one-half. We also had one beer each and split another. Everything came out fantastic. I love their Caesar dressing, one of the best I've had to date. The pizza was cooked much better than what I state below. Just the right amount of crispiness and chewiness. The tap selection was better researched than on our last visit too. And finally the service was considerably better. Parry's is moving up in our world and starting to give Walter's303 a run for their money. An overall excellent experience. We hope to get back at least once or twice before next year's review.

As of this writing, Parry's has 11 locations in Colorado (same as last year), including 3 here in The Springs. Two of those are known as Sliceria's, so they have a limited menu compared to their main locations. They also have 4 locations in Texas (+1), with 4 more planned this year. The closest to our former NE Tarrant HQ is in The Colony. Parry's also has one location in the Phoenix area, and they plan to open on the Las Vegas strip this year (synchronicity!).

---original 7/2/22 review

So... we have the Cowcatchers in town for the weekend. Dear friends from our old stomping grounds in NE Tarrant. Last year we were able to visit with them for one day in Denver, but I didn't get the experience down (which is too bad, since the Mexican restaurant we went to was excellent - a revisit is in order). For the first night, they wanted to try Parry's. Which was great, because I've been wanting to go back. We had tried to kickstart going out after what appeared to be the end of the pandemic in the summer of 2020. It was short-lived of course, and dining at that time felt weird. The menu's everywhere were very limited and "6 feet distancing" was strictly enforced. After eating here, Mrs. RJG and I decided to hold off going out again, which we did until the late spring of 2021. So it really wasn't a visit that could be characterized as "fair".

Now it's a Friday night, and the crowds are back to 2019 levels. Colorado Springs, especially up north where we are, is heavily touristed this time of year. And Parry's has 80 taps and well respected pizza, so it's a magnet for out of towners. It's a large place including upstairs patio seating, but it was still completely packed when we arrived at 6. So we had to wait about 30 minutes to get a table, which honestly was less than I thought it would be. And we had plenty to catch up on with our friends, so waiting in line wasn't as painful as usual.

Despite having so many taps, it's surprising they don't have more local and obscure options, like Walter's303 for example. It's mostly "mainstream craft" beers - though if you're a visitor from out of town, it would be a dizzying array of new choices. But for veteran Colorado beer guzzlers like me, it's an OK selection. But they do have their own specific beers made by Epic, so that's where I turned my focus, as did Mr. Cowcatcher. 

For dinner, Mrs. RJG wisely laid off the pizza (she's very particular when it comes to pizza) and had the Chicken Parm. I tried some myself, and the chicken was crispy and delicious. And the spaghetti was al dente. The sauce could have used more flavor in my world, but she enjoyed it. The only complaint was the chicken portion was much smaller than the menu pictures would have you believe. We weren't sure if the waitstaff took a bite for themselves...

The rest of us tried the pizza. I went with a 14 inch with only spicy sausage as an ingredient. Good amount of tasty sauce (hooray), gooey cheese, and the sausage wasn't really that spicy but still good. They lost points on the crust, as there was no crispiness to it and a tad mushy. So thank God Mrs. RJG stayed away as that's exactly what she doesn't like. No matter, as I took half home. Now we can throw it in the air fryer, add some cheese and sauce - and it's even better! The Cowcatcher's ordered a variation of a spicy pizza, with jalapeno's, hot peppers, pepperoni and more. I had one slice - same crust as mine, but otherwise also very good. They seemed to enjoy it.

We don't usually cover service, as that changes visit to visit - especially from chains like this. In this case it wasn't terrible by any means, but frenzied. The waitress gave the impression she was being rushed and made mistakes, and oftentimes items didn't show up for a long period of time (like our beers). Especially noticeable was our bill, which included 3 items we didn't order. I don't suspect foul play, I'm sure it was an honest mistake (Mr. Cowcatcher and Mrs. RJG saw it differently...) and it was corrected immediately.

Overall, we're giving it a thumbs up. We'll go at a less busy time for our next visit - probably for lunch as we did on our first try. If you go, watch the details...

---Mr. Music review (5/3/23):

What could be better than an evening at dinner with Mr. And Mrs. RJG? I was in Colorado Springs to visit! When they said they wanted to take me to their favorite Italian restaurant in the Springs, I was excited and had visions of a little Italian dining room with red and white checkered table cloths run by an old Italian couple. Remember Pietro's on Greenville and Richmond in Dallas? (ED: Well... not our favorite Italian here in the Springs, that would be Luigi's...)

We walked into a new building. It was a big and bright brewhouse, filled and bustling. It felt more like BJ's on a Friday night than Pietro's. I thought to myself, what in the world is going on with the RJGs, has the thin air of Colorado Springs effected their minds? Even the shiny plastic menu reminded me of BJ's and had much more than Italian food.

But those thoughts drifted quickly when I saw pizzas and pasta dishes floating by.  Mrs. RJG and I ordered the same exact thing! A dinner salad with house dressing and chicken parm and fettucine with marinara. I was a bit puzzled when I asked for angel hair and the wait person told us they only serve fettucine pasta, but no worries.  Mr. RJG opted for sausage pizza. The salads were great! Simple, fresh greens with tomatoes and a nice house dressing. 

The chicken breasts were big and moist with a great, crispy batter. A huge pile of fettucine accompanied the parm and both were smothered in chunky marinara with mozzarella and fresh basil sprinkled on top.  We took our first bite of pasta and knew it was fresh made. Mrs. RJG said "ohhh these are fresh, that's probably why they only offer fettucine noodles." I think so! The dish was wonderful. 

Mr. RJG thoroughly enjoyed his pizza and gave me a couple slices. The pizza was really great! Nice chewy edges and thinnish crust on the bottom. Just how I love it. The sauce, cheese and sausage were all yummy too. The food was great and we were stuffed! The RJGs came through again; I never doubted them. 🤣😉

---Rude Dante says (9/24/22):

Great selection of beers, including seasonal offerings from local and nationally distributed craft brewers. Have only had pizza, and it has been good but not great. Pretty consistent. On latest visit I enjoyed a Pilsner from Prost, a Marzen from Four Noses and a pie with pep-saus-mush in Longmont. Solid!

7/11/20; 7/2/22 (new entry); 3/11/23; 7/7/24

Bootleggers Bistro ~ Westcliffe, Colorado

Latest visit: Jul 2024

First visit: Jul 2022

As mentioned on the Chuds review, we had every intention of going to Westcliffe at least once this summer. And yesterday was the perfect day to do just that. Blue skies and a cool breeze. The town was more crowded than in the winter, but not that much more. It's not on the tourist map and I hope it never does get on there. Bootleggers Bistro has become one of our go-to lunches in the area, and we decided to play it safe and went here again. Ah, but there's cracks in the foundation this time. I tried something new, essentially an Italian meats panini. Mrs. RJG stayed true to the chicken cordon bleu. Each comes with chips and a pickle spear. Problem was they didn't heat it up enough, so our sandwiches were lukewarm, though the bread remained toasty. The beer list has gone from interesting to perfunctory. Gone is Paradox and any other near-local brewery. Now they only have national brands, even if some are truly craft. I'm sure getting product into such a remote place isn't easy, but they had done it prior and set that expectation. Whatever the case, we were disappointed, though not distraught. They did the needful, but we're not here enough for a mediocre meal. So Bootleggers is a scratch.

From here we went on to Sugarlump for our ritual post-meal ice cream. It was delicious as always. We already have our annual report written up for 2024, but we hope to update the entry next year, likely in January!

---2/5/23 update

Yesterday Mrs. RJG and I decided to visit Westcliffe, our favorite scenic place in Colorado, just a little less than 2 hours away. Since last year's visit to Bootleggers was a hit with the Cowcatchers we decided to repeat the experience with just the two of us. It was an unusually warm February day, and this is the perfect time to come to Westcliffe. It's more quiet (not that it ever gets too busy) and the Sangre de Cristo mountains are pure white. It's such a sight to behold.

On this visit I went for the pastrami on an Italian roll, and Mrs. RJG stuck with the chicken cordon bleu. We proceeded to split our meals. I had potato chips and she had the potato salad. The bread was once again perfectly grilled/toasted, though the meats could have been hotter, especially the pastrami. The chicken wasn't a thinly sliced breast like last time, but rather cut pieces. All the same, we were happy with our meal overall. Washed it down with a strong bock from nearby Paradox brewery, which I talk about a bit below.

---original 7/3/22 review

It was time for a day trip with the Cowcatcher's. What better place to represent Colorado's majestic beauty than Westcliffe? No summer crowds like Breckenridge - but double the scenery. The original plan was to go to Chappy's, a place we recently visited and wrote about here. Though it said they were open at 11:00, they inexplicably did not open until 1:00. That's their loss then, because that opened an opportunity for us to try someplace new. And a few doors down is Bootleggers Bistro (guess they recently altered their name a bit). The menu is made up of creative sandwiches and they have a full bar. Perfect for this group of 4! The beer selection is a bit more fleshed out than Chappy's, and Mr. Cowcatcher and I each tried the La Fiesta Mexican Lager from Paradox Beer, a brewery you don't see too much even in the Springs. The ladies went with bottles of cider. Later I added Berthoud's Little Thompson IPA, while Mr. Cowcatcher stayed with another La Fiesta.

As for the meals, we each tried a different panini. Mrs. Cowcatcher had the "Beef" sandwich - had a different name but essentially it's what you would expect to get in Chicago. Mr. Cowcatcher went with the Reuben. Mrs. RJG had the Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich, perhaps learning from me from our last recent trip to Alamosa. I had my usual bar favorite - the Cubano. This variation had pulled pork and ham with the usual mustard, cheese, and pickles. I also went with marbled rye bread in a twist. The bread was toasted properly using a panini maker. All of us enjoyed our meal. The setting was similar to Chappy's - and sits comfortably in an old building that has been renovated. The theme is 1920's speakeasy. There's outdoor seating as well. I suspect we'll come back here instead of Chappy's next visit. It's their fault. Oh - and we then went to Sugarlump for dessert, and that entry is also here in the RJG from our last visit.

7/2/22 (new entry); 2/4/23; 7/6/24

Cogstone Brewing ~ Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Jul 2024

First visit: Nov 2018

Founded: 2015

A couple of nights ago I asked Mrs. RJG if she wanted to out for dinner Friday night, something we rarely do anymore. She said "Sure! How about a pizza and a couple of pints?" HUH!? My wife? I wondered what they did with Mrs. RJG. I asked the lady in front of me who she was, because Mrs. RJG wouldn't make that suggestion, especially in that way. I figured my real wife would eventually show up and scrap the plan, but nope, we're really doing this. And so it happened. We arrived early, around 5ish. This is just the kind of place that if it were 2019 it would be packed with patrons. But it was relatively quiet with a few regulars. We did just what Mrs. RJG suggested - pints and pizza. I had the Karni again, and this time she substituted mushrooms for onions, but otherwise the same as last year. Pizza came out perfect again, restoring Mrs. RJG's faith in the potential of the dish. Hooray! I did notice that they really don't have much rotation in their beer selection - it was pretty much the same as last November. They didn't (or don't) have a hazy IPA (Mrs. RJG's favorite style), something that is common nowadays. When I asked the waitress about it she wasn't even sure what I meant. Regardless, Cogstone remains in the rotation.

---original 11/1/23 review

Continuing our trek through the Colorado Springs breweries, I've been waiting for the right moment to reintroduce Mrs. RJG back to Cogstone. This is only the third time I've been here and all three times are within the same week in early November. Very bizarre as that certainly was not planned. On our first visit we came to try their beer and ended up really enjoying their pizza. I went a second time alone, and haven't been back since the pandemic. On this fine Wednesday night there was a decent crowd, and it appears they have a loyal local neighborhood following.

Like with our recent encounter at Blue Skye Brewing in Salina (Kansas), Cogstone doesn't just make a simple pizza as a supplement to the beer, but rather they have a special pizza oven. So they're very serious about pizza as much as beer. We each ordered a pizza for ourselves (they're 11.5 inches). I had the Karni (meat) pizza, and Mrs. RJG had a basic cheese and added mushrooms and jalapenos. Really delicious. Excellent sauce (just the right amount hooray), and superb crust. Slightly crispy just the way Mrs. RJG likes it. I finished mine and she took half of hers home. She already wants to go back. Alright!

Cogstone is a decent sized location and feels cozy inside (after dark). Plenty of TVs to occupy your eyes if so desired. Their beers are uniformly excellent, though on this visit they didn't have as much for me to try as I usually prefer, but I did find two new ones. See you next year, if not sooner!

11/3/18; 11/9/19; 11/1/23 (new entry); 7/5/24