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Categories: American (New), Barbeque [Edit]
Neighborhood: Financial DistrictMon. 11:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Tue-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
"I wanted the 100th yelp review place to be amazing, delictable and very special... just like my men. Last night I found IT -- only 2.5…" read more »
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OMG, the scotch eggs -- shelled semi-hard boiled egg, wrapped in meat, then deep fried like a corn dog... skate wing swimming on a sea of bacon...salad with bacon...shrimp on grits...they should rename it "would you like meat with that fat?"
Things here are meaty, fatty, salty, and delicious. Service is efficient and inobtrusive. The sleek minimalist modern decor is at first a little jarring - the ceiling looks like a deconstruction of a giant black rubber slip mat, and the overall effect in this very intimate space is a private meal in a Manhattan playboy's bachelor loft, but in the end it elevates American comfort food (with a strong southern / New Orleans vibe, NOT barbecue as such) to a higher level.
I'd come here again, but to keep things even you have to do a 3-hour workout between meals. Prices are moderate for what it is - $15-22 per entree.
I went here for dinner last night and was totally surprised and excited about what I had. We just wanted to try out a new place, and this place looks small and unassuming from the outside, but is very cute and well put together on the inside.
The service was excellent and wines were 1/2 off (Wednesdays) at the bar. We had an appetizer of the scotch eggs, which are not to be missed. The egg is perfectly poached, and then crusted with meat drippings and flash fried so the outside is crispy and meaty and as you cut into it the yolk is just slightly runny. A bite of the yolk/white and crust all together is delicious.
I had the squid salad with persimmons as my main dish, and didn't really expect much since I'd opted for a salad, but even that had many layers and flavor/texture variety which was all delicious. Peppery arugula, crispy salty peices of ham hock, warm and sweet persimmons, tender peices of squid all lightly tossed in a deliciously tangy vinegarette.
I will definitely be going back.
I went here for dinner with a few friends and boy.....some of the best food SF has to offer. Very unique and stylish spot, small but cozy.
Our waiter gets 5 stars, the chef gets 6 stars, and for some reason the manager stopped by our table to see if everything was good and we were happy, and so I give him gets 5 stars as well.
Price was very reasonable and last but least.....save room for the sweets after!!!
"Inside out Root Beer Float" AWESOME!
Had a great dinner here with friends! Love the menu - it was very fun, yummy and unlike anything I've found in SF. Being from the south, I'm always on the hunt for some awesome comfort food - i found it here! The service was impeccible, prices good and food divine. I only gave it four stars because I would have loved to try some house cocktails, but they don't offer any.
I was impressed as soon as I stepped in the door to Wexler's. Ambiance was great; very cute little restaurant. We had reservations for 630pm and we were sat right away.
The menu is pretty tiny; but trust me, they do it all well. Ordered for starters the Scotch eggs, squid salad, and the buttermilk salad. All were delicious. The scotch eggs were definitely interesting; very hearty and I loved the outside fried goodness. For entrees we had the short ribs and the pork plate. We loved loved LOVED the short ribs! Very tasty and a nice portion that will fill you up. Pork plate was juicy as well.
The service was great at Wexler's; our waitress always was checking on us to see if we needed anything else. When our bread ran out she quickly gave us more without asking. I did feel the courses were a little rushed but that's okay they had lots of people coming in for dinner!
Mmm, Mmm, MMMMMmmmmm......just had the most scrumptious lunch at Wexler's!
It's casual with attitude
Coworker got their BBQ Chicken Sandwich - it was huge & declared tasty - paired w/ this really good looking Cole Slaw.....plate licked clean
I got their Grilled Cheese - homemade Pimento Cheese on toasty Sourdough. Paired w/ homemade Potato Chips - it was out of this world
Only downer was that there wasn't a lot of cheese & when this is the main ingredient, there needs to be a presence & not just a suggestion .... it's all about the bread-to-filling ratio for any sandwich!
Dessert was a must & the Chocolate Chili Fudge Pie was the chosen one - although they ALL sounded yummy & we *must* go back & try!!
Homemade pie crust that was tender & flaky. Chocolate cream filling was dense & rich - the chili gives it a slight kick at the end. I didn't have a lot of Toffee Pretzels on my pie but what little there was, was gewd
Can't wait to come back to Wexler's & upon a healthier portion of cheese in your sandwich, a happy 5-star bump is easily in store!
Great food and service. I got their plate of pork with pork loin and pork belly and that pork belly really hit the spot. It's been weeks and i still remember it - crispy, caramalized skin, fatty, juicy meat. Their Scotch eggs were really good too, though I'd say it's a bit pricey for the amount you get. Overall a great meal. I'll be back.
JONASAPPROVED!
Am not usually a big fan of BBQ so didn't have any expectations at all when going there for a friends birthday, but I was in for a big surprise. The place is small, contemporary, intimate, and the staff is friendly and welcoming - the ideal place for a quiet dinner.
I recommend ordering the chicken mousse as a starter, it is a fairly generous serving that could easily be shared between two people, or come along as a compliment for a bigger party with other starter, and it is so incredibly smooth and creamy. The smoked chicken breast with cauliflower puree was really good, but the highlight was the smoked short ribs which was so juicy and tender, together with the creamy mashed potatoes - an absolute winner!
The only thing that didn't do it for us was the squid salad that was drenched in a dressing that tasted of salty ham, a poor choice for someone who actually wanted a salad and not a meat option.
With a good wine selection and gorgeous deserts, you can easily spend a few hours in here and not worry about what is going on with the rest of the world. My only disappointment was that as I was arriving early I wasn't told about the cocktail of the day, I ordered a vodka martini (the drinks list only lists spirits, not cocktails, which is a minus) and therefor missed out on a lovely gin and ginger cocktail which the rest of my party was informed of when they arrived That was a shame, because after sampling my friends glass, I was sorry to miss out.
It really doesn't matter, everything else was great, and we had a lovely time!
Upscale BBQ? Isn't that an oxymoron? Not anymore. I picked this spot when I felt the need to hit one of the Chronicle's Top 100 that I hadn't yet tried - and on the sfgate website they indicated Wexlers would be on next years' list - even though the year is far from over. It's that good. They lived up to Bauer's hype.
Terrific (but small) dining room (the sculpture on the ceiling - extending through the wall out to the sidewalk) is a site to behold. The food was wonderful - especially (like so many reviewers before me have mentioned) the Scotch Eggs.
Service was perfect - attentive without overdoing it, friendly without being obtrusive. A great restaurant for a casual, unpretentious evening with somebody you care for - with great food to boot.
The chili is really good, also the pimento grilled cheese sandwich.
Very crowded at noon, by 1:30pm there are plenty of open tables.
Pretty good. Chicken sandwich was a little bland, but well put together. The hot wings were… Read more »
There is really no reason for me to be impressed by this place. If I clinically look at what's on my plate, it's really the same ingredients as a Swanson TV Dinner back in the day when it came in the aluminum tray with all the triangles filled. You have the meat, you have the mashed potatoes, and you have the baby carrots. All you're missing is the little square in the middle with the apple cobbler. But impress me Wexler's did on Friday night. Perhaps it channeled my inner child, my need to reconnect with a TV dinner albeit with a lot nicer ingredients.
Wexler's surprised me. I expected tastefully cut slabs of ribs on a bed of radicchio with a Bearnaise sauce and truffle shavings. Fancy, y'know. But no, I had their house dish, the $19 Smoked Short Rib that came on top of mashed potatoes with baby carrots on the side and ladled with an au jus (see photo). That's it. Delicious, probably the most tender brisket of beef I've tasted since my mom's pot roast. She was Japanese through and through, but for some reason, she made amazing pot roast. I miss it. My only misgiving is that there were only four modest slices to savor, but it was probably enough all things considered.
Jamie W. went for a heartier entree, the $18 Cornmeal Crusted Skate with a Pulled Pork Stuffing (see photo). I kid you not as surf and turf clashed like a battle of the titans. It came with a slaw of savoy cabbage and creme fraiche. Also really delicious. Judging from what I saw at the other tables, I imagine all the entrees on the small menu must be just as exemplary. Even before these masterful dishes, we shared a couple of appetizers. The $13 Shrimp and Grits came with miniature heirloom tomatoes and smoked fresno chiles (see photo). The shrimp was tender on the inside with the shell and antennae nice and crunchy.
The $12 Monterey Bay Squid Salad was quite special with a nice crunch provided by what I thought were pig cracklings but turned out to be crispy ham hocks (see photo). The plums were replaced by persimmons that night, which I actually prefer anyway, and the arugula brought a nice pepperiness to the whole concoction. You would think we would be sated by then, but the desserts called our names..."Hey, Fatsos...more calories ahead!" The one that drew my eye immediately was the $6 Sour Cream Local Apple Pie because I had visions of Marie Callendar's sour cream apple with globs of our cream on top (see photo).
Instead, the sour cream and Gouda cheese are baked in the crust of the pie, so you don't get the impact of the calories until later when you realize you can't move from all the food you ate. As a chaser, we went for the $6 Inside-Out Root Beer Float though I'm still not sure what made it inside out (see photo). They mix a vanilla soda with a couple of scoops of Humphry Slocombe Root Beer ice cream and op it with a couple of brandied cherries. It was definitely an old-fashioned soda fountain concoction and a nice alternative to a heavy meal-ending dessert.
Service was cordial and speedy (...Thanks Aura!), a nice surprise considering how compact and crowded the place got after about an hour. It draws the standard FiDi crowd - but the place has a nice, warm vibe even when it's packed since tables are not overly squeezed in the space. I say if you want well-prepared comfort food for not-so-expensive prices in this town, here is a viable option for you.
FOOD - 5 stars...such a tender rib...I'm sold
AMBIANCE - 4.5 stars...small but a nice, warm place in this cold city
SERVICE - 4.5 stars...good job, Aura
TOTAL - 5 stars...yep, this new place earns five stars from me, and I'm not that generous with the stars
Good food, fun patrons, a groovy design and surprisingly affordable. I would return.
A great spot for a business lunch. I had the chili, here is a picture: http://tr.im/tp_wexlers
Smoking. Hot.
This applies to 1/ the interior 2/ the food 3/ you, if you take me there.
I was treated to a lovely birthday dinner at Wexler's with my family and friends, and we were all very happy with our experience. The interior is gorgeous, with a ceiling sculpture in big back billowing waves that is meant to emulate smoke.
They usually do 2 specialty cocktails a night, depending on what is seasonal and fresh, and I had a watermelon bourbon one that pleasantly knocked my socks off.
The food features a host of inventive dishes that reap the benefits of the in-house smoker. They'll smoke just about anything there, and I love it. We thoroughly enjoyed the Shrimp & Grits, Smokey Chicken Liver Mousse, tuna with Smoked Tomato sauce, and the AMAZING BBQ Scotch Eggs. This is their signature dish and it's easy to see why - 2 soft eggs coated in Burnt Ends, with a tea gastrique - it's the perfect combination of lowbrow and highbrow eating. I would order each one of these dishes again, twice.
For dinner, I had the Cornmeal Crusted Skate, which was stuffed with smoked pulled pork - a really interesting combination that worked well. There was something for everyone, from the beef-lovers to the non-meat diners at our table.
For my birthday "cake" I had the Bourbon Banana Cream pie. YUM. Great crust, homemade flavor - it would beat the pants off some run of the mill cake any day.
The staff could not have been nicer, including owner Matt Wexler who is often behind the bar and very involved in the day to day activities - I love to see this, and it makes for a really personal experience.
I went back the very next week for lunch, and loved their Grilled Pimiento Cheese Sandwich and Pulled Lamb Sandwich - both inspired dishes and mighty tasty.
This is a new favorite on my list to be sure - when you find yourself dreaming of a dish (Scotch Eggs!) during random moments, you know you have found something special.
My friends and I got the corner spot at this restaurant Saturday night. We ordered the BBQ Scotch Eggs to start us off. Now this was delicious. I had to try it after checking Wexler's yelp reviews and seeing a lot of photos of this so-called appetizer. I'm glad we ordered it!
For my entee, I got the Cornmeal Crusted Skate. It was pretty good, but the Savoy Cabbage was a little too salty for my taste buds. I tried the Smoked Short Rib and that was delicious too! I'll probably get that next time.
We got to meet the owner of the restaurant, and he's a friendly, down-to, earth type of guy. And our waitress was super friendly too. This only makes the dining experience at Wexler's even more enjoyable.
On a side note, this restaurant has a cute interior design.
From the outside, the perception is.... Over the top BBQ done with a touch of class. While the idea sounds great, I am afraid Wexler's fell short.
Starting with the bar which is a central focal point of the place, there were many bottles on display that I would probably not be proudly displaying. The types of bottles you would find at a cheap Cancun resort. But forget that....
Started out with a coke and some chicken wings. The coke was flat. It was if it was opened 2-3 hours earlier. When we asked about getting another one that wasn't flat, the waiter reacted as if we had just asked for a lap dance or something.
The replacement coke that did come back out was just as bad.
The chicken wings were microscopic. I would have brought tweezers with me if I knew I would need them. Flavor-wise, they were OK. The rub was OK and the yogurt sauce was decent but I think I only got 5 micro wings.
For the next course I got the pulled lamb sandwich with Watermelon cider dressing for the slaw. Skip the watermelon.
The pulled lamb was good. No complaints here. The slaw was decent. The watermelon was not so good.
I passed on the sweets but my buddies had the pumpkin pie (great), apple pie (decent), and the reverse root beer float (decent)
Service was VERY slow and the people that worked at this place almost appear to be on Paxil or Valium. Walking around like a zombie is not too cool in my book when I am trying to get service from you.
I wont be back.
The skate with pulled pork and cabbage is one very tasty, filling entree .... and one I'd highly recommend as your first dish at Wexler's. It was a nice surprise to get such a rich tasting meal centered around fish and pig. Short ribs from my guy's plate were also very good - so tender!
Diet Coke was $2 with free refills ... that's awesome too, as I always give a point for free refills on the soda fountain.
Dessert - the sour cream apple pie melts in the mouth. Root beer float, with Humphry Slocombe ice cream, was so-so .. I would stick with the pie.
Roasted? quail appetizer was delicious. Surprisingly good. BBQ Scotch Eggs were very unique and quite tasty. Shrimp and grits appetizer was also quite tasty.
Plate of Pork with pork loin and pork belly was spot on. Short Ribs were pretty good but I'll take 1300 Fillmores over these. Pulled pork skate wing was pretty good as well. Decently sized portions for the price and quality.
Nice selection of beers and our waitress was great, very friendly.
Definitely going back, and going to try and save room for dessert next time!
The menu seemed to indicate that the owner or chef had a deep understanding of what people really like to eat (crispy, smoke, rich). I was nervous it wouldn't deliver.
The food delivered in spades. Flavors were superb and execution was spot-on.
Every dish showcased the intended flavors and ingredients were top-notch.
Details were present without pretense and staff was friendly and competent.
I would love to say that this level of thoughtfulness and down-right good food intuition was common in SF, but it is not - this place differentiates itself for its service, menu, and delivery.
We will be back.
p.s. the smoked squid salad with crispy hocks is the best salad in SF.
Great ambiance, friendly staff, and even got a chance to meet and speak with the owner!
We ordered over 50% of the appetizers: tomato soup, quail, smokey chicken liver mousse, and bbq shrimp. Shrimp were reportedly as fresh as possible, less than 14 hours out of the water. Quail was reminiscent of ultra tasty delicate crispy duck, but less gamey than duck can be. Chicken liver was a table-wide hit.
On entrees, I love pork belly and theirs was excellent, as was the sweet potato main course (cooked three ways), and the short ribs (sans bone, sliced like chunks of brisket), and the skate (stuffed with pork).
I also really liked their focus on American alcoholic drinks esp. whisky, they have some great stuff in the bar.
An exciting new find and I'd heartily recommend it. It is a small space, maybe 11 or so tables and a mid size bar, so it can fill up fast and it feels nicely intimate.
Review is for Wexler's BAR ONLY.... Admittedly though, after my visit, I wish it was for more!!
Spied Wexler's from the outside and saw what I thought to be a cute, upscale spot for drinks and lounging in the bustling happy hours of the Financial District. What I actually found - and while yes, they do have a bar, too - was a really cozy, modern and fabulously delicious looking 'new' barbecue restaurant. I say 'new' not because it just opened, I mean new as in original, innovative, fresh... These items are not even close to your standard Americana BBQ. Nuh Uh. Glorious glazed short ribs, smoked quail, chicken liver paté with green tomato chutney, even BBQ brisket scotch eggs. Sha-Zam!! Like a chic twist on your favorite faded 501's.
Fortunately for me, my libations tasted just as lovely as the Wexler's dishes looked... a refreshing mix of Charbay Blood Orange Vodka, Ginger Syrup, Ginger Ale and freshly muddled mint had me begging for another pour in nanoseconds. Love the craftsmanship, attention to detail and the attention paid to me by the charming cutie bartender. Hey-O! My boy Wexler also boasts a top notch beer list and holds one of my personal favs, Racer 5 IPA on tap.
Now let's just hope that Wexler's holds a spot for me too... the digs are super small and the tables are kickin' with patrons clamoring for those yummy southern morsels. Just one scotch egg for moi, si vous plait... I'll take mine at the bar.
Wexler's is just around the corner from my office, today when I was leaving the building, the faint scent of BBQ meat drifted to greet me -- it made me crave. My coworker and I agreed it was time to try this place out.
Let me start by saying that this place has very minimal decor, stark white with a very unusual sculpted ceiling, it has an urban feel and had some good music (reggae) playing at just the right volume. Pleasant vibe, so I was looking forward to a good lunch.
My coworker ordered chili for lunch and her plate looked amazing and smelled really good, she gobbled it down. I ordered a pulled lamb sandwich which came with watermelon vinegar (to pour on the lamb) and a red cabbage slaw. While the lamb was moist and a little smokey, it fell totally flat because the lack of salt. The slaw had all the flavor and texture of a wet sham-wow. (Note: do not attempt to eat your sham-wow).
We decided to share dessert, which was a generous slice of banana cream pie, with bourbon caramel and a little bit of salt. While I enjoyed the desert, I'll hand the blue ribbon to Marie Calendar's for a better banana cream pie.
The service was very good and friendly, but I am really sad I didn't like this place, I left there disappointed after spending $24.00 for a sandwich, cola and pie.
Went with a group of 4 for dinner and we all really liked Wexlers.
Best parts:
- The black ceiling is totally cool. I've seen it featured in a lot of design blogs and even Elle Decor this month. It made the room interesting and covered up an unremarkable ceiling underneath. Despite the drama of the ceiling, the restaurant is cozy and nice.
- The service. Our waitress was amazingly nice. Yay for Aura!
- The drinks. The watermelon specials were really good, as were the juleps and they made us a special drink and then gave us the recipe cause we liked it so much.
- The food. If you're expecting a plastic bib and ribs served in cardboard, go elsewhere. This is haute Southern cuisine (with bbq flavors) and it is GOOD! The scotch egg was yummy and the short ribs were SO delish. The flavors in the skate went well together.
I would definitely go back and sort of don't understand the haters. If you want Big Nate's, go there. If you are looking for a more upscale, hip dinner venue where you can get Southern flavors, come here.
Not you ordinary BBQ joint. They are very creative with the fusion of may dishes and sandwiches. Example. BBQ brisket in a vietnamese sytle banh minh. Price is a little high. I will try it again for dinner which the menu sounds even better the lunch.
http://sanfrancisco.me...
Every time i eat here i come out with a smile.
Service is great ,Friendly. Also they are not annoying like most places. Professional if I must say.
Food is always consistent and Fucking good.
Vibe very relaxed but fun.
That's why I made this my place..
I think i am addicted. i need help Read more »
For those who expect the typical American BBQ slavered in a mystery sauce with the obligatory Potato salad and white sliced bread - you may have an air of disappointment about you from start to finish....
This is food to savor----
The service is impeccable.
The drinks and bar superb
The Menu...A balanced melange of smoked flavors that are superbly conceived ,prepared and presented.
The Sweets ( desserts ) outstanding at $6 a plate.
I am writing this without looking at the other reviews. I enjoyed most of the food but the operation and service aspects are still coming along. The place is staffed with young pretty people who apparently are still cutting their teeth in the biz.
Other than our waiter, who was engaging, genuine and fun, there did not seem much joy among the other workers and managers. It was as if they cracked a smile or joked or welcomed you, they would lose hipster street cred. That's fine but those little things count. You can't fake it either. Again, the waiter was very cool.
Opening coctail the Cortez was quite good: bourbon and limoncello served in a martini glass. MIxed green salad was average but my wife's tomato soup dazzled, sparkled, danced? It was quite good with broth poured over tomatoes.
My spare ribs spoke to me, served on a mashed potato puree. It apparently is the signature dish. My wife got a big ol' lump of pork that was decent but could have been more tender. Our friend had the shrimp and grits; she likey.
The one server looked like he could not have been more than 22 and brought the wrong dish. Poor kid had the deer in headlights, rapid pulse vibe.
Dessert was bizarre. A chili chocolate cake, really. It was a chocolate pie-type-thing with a chile aftertaste. Our friend liked it but my wife and I thought it had a strange after- taste. ( I get they were trying something but I would rather have a standard done to perfection than a brave experiment.)
It's a fun place that needs to develop a bit more; they are on the right track. I thought the prices were fair.
We were thinking about bbq before lunch, and a Yelp search led us to this relatively new restaurant just blocks away from us. The lunch menu has a limited number of bbq options, but it was enough to lure us in.
Summary:
Pros: the service was good, the food came fast, and the food was above average.
Cons: the price was too high for the quality and amount of food.
We ordered the Bowl 'o' Red Texas style chili as an entree. The smoked short rib meat was tender, the flavor was excellent if understated. However, the portion was small. I can't even imagine how little chili we would have gotten if we had ordered the appetizer. The extra $4 to get the entree size was too much.
We also ordered the 4505 meats mission dog. I had the chilies on the side because I am not a fan of spicy food, especially when it often times is just a cover up for plain or bad flavor. This dog was definitely plain without the condiments. The caramelized onions added nothing to the flavor, even the mustard was bland. The tender sausage tasted like it was 100% fat-free - absolutely bland and barely moist. The kitchen did an admirable job of cooking the dog though, and with the excellent roll, the dish was good enough to finish.
Despite this luke warm review, I was happy enough with the entire experience to go back and try some other dishes.
Scotch eggs are my new crack cocaine. Awesome food and decor, but I agree that the service doesn't match. The service was way too rushed and there was a little bit of attitude when we tried to strike up conversation with the servers on two occasions. The hostess was a little chilly on the phone when making reservations too. I hope they get it together in the front of the house because something good is going on in the kitchen.
Service was amazing, Decor up scale and modern, Food so so...
For a place known for its bbq, non of the plates stuck out for the smoky, grilled, tangy taste I was hoping for. Had the food not been pushed as bbq it would have been more memorable. Portions are a bit small, but flavorful and a little on the pricey side. The bbq scotch eggs were crispy and yolks were well cooked. The Smokey chicken liver mousse was very good but not at all smokey. The Wexler's plate of pork was a plate with a pork chop with collared greens and sweet potato. It was good but nothing stood out except the service and company.
I can't say I really understand this place, but the food was good.
The decor is strange, and (as everyone else has mentioned) do not go into this place thinking it's barbeque. That's very misleading. It's more along the lines of nouveau comfort food and there's very little on the menu in the way of traditional barbeque flavors at all (let alone preparation or ingredients).
It was incredibly loud due to a group of douchebags straight out of a scene in Sopranos that had a lengthy stay at the bar. I heard more f bombs that night than in my entire life previously. Not a problem for a real bar, but definitely an issue when you're treating your sweetie to a promotion dinner and are trying to have a nice date night.
The food was good...
Basil/anise cocktail: really good if you like anise (i do) but i couldn't finish it before our food started coming and it REALLY didn't work with our meal. I wish I'd ordered it sooner.
Quail appetizer: my favorite of the night
Oyster stew: eh. but the hushpuppies in it were perfect.
Plate of Pork: decent smoked pork. candied pork cheeks were unique - incredibly tender meat with a crunchy exterior.
Short ribs: mistake.
Inside-Out rootbeer float: interesting but i wouldn't order it again.
Wexler's is fine, and I think it's one of those places you have to try once. I don't think I'll go back though.
PRO: Good food, nice clean design, friendly service
CON: Some dishes coulda used more spice
***If ya want the full VinDivine review & more reviews , check our profile...
Woo Hoo! BBQ, bitches. In fancy-shmancy FiDi in SF of all places. No need to risk your miserable life heading to Big Nate's or anywhere outta your comfort zone just 'cuz ya get a hankerin' for some down home goodness. Now your white-collar pencil-neck self can get it right around the corner, almost as fast as you can make a couple day trades.
Here's what we had:
Bowl 'o' Red ($9): Texas style chili with house smoked short ribs, shallots, and some créme fraîche. This is a damn fine good bowl of chili. Smoky, rich, and tender as all-get-out ribs make this a go-to meal for me each and every time. Hint for the homies: Ask for some of their house hot sauce to spice things up a bit. It's made with Fresno chilis and has a great flavor and kick but not too OTT.
Smoked Chicken Wings ($8). With homemade hot sauce (not enough) sitting on a little bed of Point Reyes Blue Cheese. OK, OK, Wexler y'all got carried away. Yes, people it is a beautiful dish some Academy of Art student would love to snap a pic of. But it kinda breaks down, since the wings on bottom get all the blue cheese and the ones on top don't. Maybe it's just us, but the whole 'form over function' argument doesn't work for us. That said, the smoked wings were..that's right, genius - Smoky. Go to the head of the class! As you know, we are Wing Bitches, and these were good wings. Nice combo of chick and dude wings, very plump (Hey Spencer get your wings from the same place these guys do!) and a nice appy. I woulda liked a little more kick, but that's just me. We'll give 'em a 3.
***If ya want the full VinDivine review & more reviews , check our profile...
Yelper Michelle A. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) nailed it when she wrote none of the plates had that smoky, grilled, tangy taste that you look for in a BBQ joint. That's what I was hoping for. Wexler's is not that place.
Everything (except the float) just missed the mark. The BBQ cured salmon with fried green tomatoes would have been more accurate had they listed it the other way around. I wanted more salmon, less fried tomato. The whole egg inside of a fried crust was inventive, but the taste didn't blow me away. For the main, I was looking forward to the chicken with baked beans and poached peaches from the menu, but tonight they were serving it with a watermelon and yogurt sauce salad. Good, but not spectacular. In fact, and this is a rarity for this healthy yelper, I could have used more oil, butter, something - the chicken was very dry. This is where a house BBQ sauce would have been perfect. Unfortunately there was none to be found.
I don't think my dining companions were all that impressed either. Nothing was really bad, just unmemorable.
Space is cool, very tiny, I can see why it's tough to get a reservation. Service was fine, if a little indifferent. I didn't sense a lot of personality coming from the wait staff. Prices were OK, around $10 for the apps, $20 for the mains. It wasn't overpriced, but far from a deal.
I'll end on a positive note - the root beer float. House vanilla soda and Humphrey Slocumb root beer ice cream came together to create an outstanding dessert. Almost good enough to earn a third star on it's own. Served in a milkshake glass with straws, I'll leave it to your imagination how this goofy and at times immature group of four heterosexual male friends shared it. There might be a picture uploaded to Facebook.
I'll likely come back for lunch, the chicken sandwich does look good. But I can't recommend them for an authentic BBQ dinner. There are much better places (Memphis Minnie's and B's come to mind) to be had.
Where there's smoke, there's fire.
Well, maybe not literally, but there is something hot going on at Wexler's at it's not just the cute owner of the place either! ;)
Yes, Wexler's is a true treat. From the simple, yet fetching decor to the simple and mouthwatering cuisine, Wexler's definitely delivered a delectable meal. I started with an outstanding, do you hear me: OUTSTANDING Mint Julep that was perfect. Not too strong and not too sweet, just right said Drunkylocks. I then tried the smokey short rib and it was so tender and perfect that I had to fight off the urge to lick the plate, or at least put the plate in my purse and adore the dish alone back at my hotel. Yes, that good.
The staff was also super friendly and while the food was a little slow to make it's way to the table, I really didn't mind since there was plenty of fun people watching to be done and the place makes you wanna relax and take your time. Always a good sign.
Bonus points for the cool grey smoke creation that runs the length of the place and out the door. Very cool indeed.
I really really enjoyed my dinner at Wexler's. But before I go on, keep in mind: WEXLER'S DOES NOT SERVE TYPICAL "AMERICAN" BBQ....I like to think of Wexler's food as "fine" BBQ. No tangy and messy sauces, no huge racks of ribs. So please don't go to Wexler's with the wrong expectations.
I went with a large group and was able to taste almost everything (seriously) on the menu.
Highlights:
- BBQ Salmon with fried green tomatoes: the cool and creamy salmon with the crunchy tomatoes were a treat
- Little Gem Salad: the dressing is surprisingly light and the salad itself is very refreshing. The cornbread croutons are crunchy and slightly sweet.
- Beef Shortribs: wowowowow. The beef was crispy on the outside but oh so tender on the inside. That first bite was MONEY. I loved how I could taste the salt on the beef because it made the flavors more intense.
- Molasses Glazed Black Cod: the cod tasted so light and so moist at the same time. The outside was nicely pan-fried and brown-ish. MMM.
Misses:
- Inside Out Root Beer Float: yes, I know everyone else looved this dessert. It is creative and interesting, but that was all. With the flavors all muddled together, I felt like I was just drinking something sweet rather than an inside out drink.
- Oyster Stew: The hush puppies were good, but the stew itself had a strange tangy taste to it.
I would write more but my review would be a page long. Overall, Wexler's is a good place to enjoy something different. I like that the BBQ flavors are in the food, but it is something that you sit and admire rather than scarf down right away.
simple decor, cozy ambiance, service was AWESOME, and the scotch eggs were the best thing we had from the menu. the plate of pork was so-so, not what we expected. they were different cuts of pork but none tasted all that great/extraordinary. short ribs were good but again, nothing out of this world. since the menu is small, we'd come back only if they changed the menu since we we weren't that impressed with our main dishes. if you do come here, GET THE SCOTCH EGGS! they're really good!
What a disappointment.
Before opening, the owner and chef were quoted in numerous food blogs i read about how they went on a BBQ pilgrimage trip to Texas and name dropped some of my favorite BBQ spots from my time growing up in Texas. Needless to say i was excited and counting down the days until they opened. Given shabby state of BBQ in the area, i was really excited about having some place to go. But it was all in vain.
This place isn't so much a BBQ restaurant as a stuffy and over priced financial district bar that serves some good beers and some bbq *inspired* food.
I started things off with a hard to find 3 philosophers beer. Delicious as usual.
Next up was the BBQ quail. It was okay but kind of bland, not a hint of smoky flavor. To be honest, i don't even think it was BBQ'd, but oven roasted. I know quail is small, but the serving size was pretty ridiculous.
After that we ordered the 'plate-o-pork' special because, with a name like that, how could you possibly go wrong?
Turns out you can. The plate-o-pork i envisioned was a heaping plate of bbq'd pork butt or shoulder meat, super tender and falling apart, served with the described sides of candied yams and collard greens. What showed up was a bland, over cooked, and tough pork chop sitting on top of a tiny scoop of bitter greens (as a child of the south, i love collard greens, but these bordered on inedible), and a mushy and bland pile (or puddle) of yams.
We left disappointed, still hungry, and $50 poorer. I wouldn't even go back if someone else was picking up the tab. It would just make me sad.
Very good lunch. Monterey squid salad with fried green tomatoes - wonderful combination of taste and texture. Pulled lamb sandwich (sorry Mary. . . .) was smoky, and not gamey. Excellent unobtrusive service. Maybe 1 in 10 restaurants show that they appreciate why people pay a premium to eat out. Wexler's get's it.
This will come as no surprise to my friends in Texas that I dislike BBQ so when I heard we were going out for a BBQ dinner in SF I was a bit disappointed. However, when I walked into this beautiful unique looking restaurant (um they decorated their ceiling with a grill- so cool!) I thought I could perhaps learn to love BBQ.
This didn't turn out to be like any BBQ meal I've ever experienced. In fact, a friend and I discussed that we weren't quite sure if listing Wexlers under the BBQ category on Yelp is truly accurate. Yes, they have some very nice smoked meats..but if you're looking for some good old BBQ this is probably NOT what you're looking for.
If you're looking for good drinks...head to Wexlers. I ordered one of the specialty cocktails of the evening, which was some sort of watermelon drink. While it wasn't overly sweet it definitely was one of those drinks that hides the alcohol well, but I guarantee you'll be quite tipsy after just 1. Then again that may just be my non-existent tolerance. It's worth noting that they had a pretty nice looking wine list as well.
If you're looking for good food...head to Wexler's. My party of 10 enjoyed a very unique, but tasty appetizer called the BBQ Scotch Eggs It was basically a hard boiled egg inside a ball of brisket...we all loved it!
As for my main entree I ordered the lightest thing I could find on the menu- the cod. It was topped with a lovely marmalade sauce and served with a ton of deliciously small cherry tomatoes.
For dessert we ordered a bunch for our table to share. I liked them all, the inside-out root beer float being my favorite.
If you're in a hurry Wexler's may not be for you. While our waitress and the other employees at Wexlers were super nice, they were quite sllllooooowwwwww. So slow I considered they had gone out to actually catch my cod. We were a party of 10, which always takes a little longer, but in this case we got to dinner at 7pm and I didn't get back to my hotel until it was close to 11m. Regardless, I was a fan. Now this is BBQ I could learn to love...
I definitely wouldn't classify this place as damn good, reminds me of home, BBQ, because the ambiance is fancy and there's not even the hint of a smell of delicious smoky BBQ sauce, but that's fine. It's just Wexler's interpretation of BBQ.
They have fancy items on the menu such as a pulled lamb sandwich, Monterey Bay squid salad, cucumber soup, and an eggplant club. I went with a girlfriend for lunch and we split the pulled lamb sandwich and the bbq chicken sandwich. They were both delicious, but the lamb was the table favorite. It comes served on a French roll with a watermelon vinegar sauce on the side. The lamb was super juicy and extremely tender. The juices all soak into the bread, which softens up the French bread and makes it extra tasty! The chicken sandwich was just ok. The bbq sauce was sweet, which was weird and there was nowhere near enough sauce on the roll. I had to ask for extra...per usual A creamy coleslaw was also served on the sandwich and was a nice touch. The chicken was dark meat and wasn't shredded enough. Service was a bit slow, but everyone was super friendly. Wexler's is also a bit overpriced for what it is.
HOWEVER, I would love to come back just for dessert to try either the chocolate fudge pie or the cheese plate. Perhaps, both :)
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