I had driven past Beaver's on a couple different occasions of exploring unfamiliar streets in my general vicinity. Randomly, this venue's name popped into my head when being asked by a friend about what to do on a certain Friday night this December.
A quick search of their internet revealed a fun website that made the place look more like a "bar with food" than a standard restaurant. This impression was wrong, however. Upon dining [and drinking] at Beaver's, I would say a more accurate description of the place is "Hipster barbeque joint with a solid bar menu". If the cute animal silhouettes on the wall, modern (yet wood-sy) decor, and fun names of menu items weren't enough to assure you, Bar patrons dressed for an 80s prom night (as well as one or two in animal costumes) definitely convince you that Beaver's is a fun place to be. Oh, and they make their drinks strong!
While I didn't fall in love with the Rosemary Rickey that our waitress had recommended to me, the option for ordering a "mystery beer" made it an adventure to go up to the bar. For only $2.75, you can order a Mystery Beer. In return, you will receive a top-shelf beer selection of the bartender's choosing. We got to try some new beers at bargain prices. How can that be a bad thing?
For the most part, the group loved the food. As a vegetarian, I had few options--I was underwhelmed with the Macaroni and Cheese and just plain not impressed with the Vegan Chili. The Macaroni and Cheese clearly took time to bake in the oven and had been labored over. The sauce, however, was too runny and it lacked the necessary amounts of cheesy goodness required in "From-Scratch" Mac & Cheese (except for the cheesy crust baked on top). The Vegan Chili was just plain unoriginal. It tasted like an unfinished work of art. By that, I mean it was enjoyable enough and had potential, yet was missing some flavors and necessary oomph. Plus, I have a bias against mushrooms, which were not a fun surprise to discover amidst black beans.
Two of the boys got the Pit Boss Chickwich and raved about it for several days. Even the coleslaw was good! Though some would simply call it a Chicken Sandwich, the Pit Boss is hearty enough to give you the meat sweats, but thoroughly enjoyable at the same time.
So, would I return? I would love to return for happy hour to sample more of their inventive drinks (like Smokey Julep & Blood Orange Sour) or to bring some meat-loving out-of-town visitors. You will like this place if you enjoy good [Texas] barbeque, want a fun & casual place to eat good food, or have a thing for beavers (and who doesn't like beavers??!!).
