Great beer, tasty appetizers make up for lackluster sandwiches at Four Peaks

By CRYSTAL PETROCELLI
Get Out

Wait: We walked into the always-crowded, seat-yourself brewery at 8 p.m. on a Saturday night and managed to find two empty seats after a quick walk around the sprawling bar and grill.

Service: Our server — a young, ASU-cap-wearing, smiley young woman — kept our glasses full (extremely important when you’re at a brew-pub!) and made sure we had extra napkins and small plates before our appetizers arrived. The cooks were slammed but managed to get our food out fast and hot. Service was slow here and there, but the only annoying wait was at the end of the meal, when our waitress passed us several times without returning with our change from the bill. Overall, it was above-average service for the setting.

Meal: I was thrilled to see edible carrots and celery with our plump, thoroughly sauced plate of barbecue wings. It’s a small thing, but I’ve been served so many pale-green and limp-orange sticks that the crisp, brightly colored veggies had me waxing poetic about the importance of the little things. The meaty, messy mound of chicken and bones was not overlooked — we made short work of the entire plate. The garlic cheese beer bread (healthy, no?) was similar to a sauceless cheese pizza, but with loads of butter and garlic and an almost pitalike crust. Served with a hot side of fresh, chunky marinara, it was a tasty albeit rich treat. Definitely a one-piece-and-you're-good starter, best ordered with a large group. Things slipped with our sandwiches — the French dip was on an unremarkable hero that went soggy too quickly, and the filet mignon on the crunchy focaccia bread could easily have passed for far less stately steak.

Scene: A fun, relaxed scene with TVs scattered throughout and music that ranges, from song to song, in both volume and style. Guests will find college kids mingling with toddler-toting parents under the soaring ceilings of this turn-of-the-century red brick warehouse stashed in a residential area just east of ASU.

Bathroom break: Way too small — I had to wait in line outside the cramped space. But I give them major kudos for spending the money on the slate tiles that run halfway up every wall — even inside the stalls.
Tab for two: $46 with tip and tax for garlic cheese beer bread ($6), brickhouse wings ($7), French dip ($7.50), tenderloin focaccia ($10.50) and an iced tea ($2).

If work weren’t buying: I could make a meal of the appetizers and hearty ale — especially during happy hour, when freshly brewed pints are $2.50 instead of $3.75.

Four Peaks Brewing Company
1340 E. Eighth St., Tempe

Major cross streets: University and McClintock drives
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Reservations accepted: No
Health report: One major violation on March 10
Kid-friendly: Yes
Web site: www.fourpeaks.com