The BookHouse Pub

by Sarah E.

I went to the BookHouse Pub earlier this week to catch up with an old friend.  We sat at the bar, and our bartender was super nice.  I sampled 3 different kinds of beer, and they were all tasty.  I also tried the lamb sausage (YUM) and the collard green eggrolls (interesting and pretty tasty, but the lamb sausage was yummier).The atmosphere was nice...  chill, dimly lit, non-smokey.  The vibe seemed a little on the hipster side, but not aggressively so.My only beef with the place was that they were out of two kinds of beer, which is significant when there isn't a huge selection.  Still, I would definitely go back.   :)

by Michelle A.Lauren S.Sam V.Zlatko U.jasen j.

The food here is delicious, though I get the idea that few people actually show up here for the food. The beer and alcohol is where it's at!The selection here is decent enough. It's not Brick Store, but then again, not many places are. The beers they do have are pretty awesome, though, and I love the sampler. Pick how many beers you want to sample and you pay based on how many you chose. Get enough friends to get the sampler and you could in theory try them all. Trust me, been there, done that! They also carry sweet tea vodka, which is my new vice. Vodka meets sweet tea? My southern heart has skipped a beat! Unfortunately, upon ordering this once "on the rocks" - yeah, I like my vodka unmixed, please! - the waitress looked confused before handing over a tall glass full of vodka. I figured that's the way they do it around these parts (it was MJQ night after all) until my friend asked if that was right for on the rocks as if to quiz her. He finally explained what it actually meant and she took it away and brought back a smaller glass. Some friend, huh?! Ah well, at least I snuck a number of gulps before she snatched it up... It is a strike in my book, though, to make the drink incorrectly and then throw the liquor away. Did college teach you nothing? Never leave a man down!The decor here is similar to Brick Store although a little more inviting and open. The upper shelves are lined with - what else? - books, and the outside patio is comfy and well lit. Being able to watch as MJQ folks spill out into the parking lot and fight over parking spaces and spilled beers? Priceless.Aside from the liquor mishap - which is partly to blame for my star deduction - Bookhouse Pub is a pretty sweet place. Good food, generally good service, and great beers on tap.I want to love it, I really do. The concept is cool and I love the look and feel of the place. Yet, you always fail me on some level, Bookhouse. Slow service on occasion. A menu I fucking hate. Your only saving grace is the beer. But there are better gastropubs with better offerings around. I do appreciate the fact that I only have to walk about 20 feet to get to MJQ. Bookhouse, I say all of this for constructive purposes. I do not want you to go away. Please just get a little more interesting.Yelp helps in a lot of ways, but then sometimes it seems like Yelp is full of confused hipster kids. This place is not great, at all. The service is typical slow, am I even here, who's the waiter, dive bar-ish service with drinks at regular price.The only good thing this place has is a small bit of ambiance.You should go here if:1. You wear flannel shirts, moccasin shoes, tights, hats of the knit kind, bohemianesq clothing of any kind, dreads fit in here too. Really any dirty "I'm broke.. except for the money my parents add to my checking account" look will do.2. Number one was sufficient.Mmmmmm boiled peanuts + beer = happiness. The BookHouse Pub is a pretty cool place. Has a local Pub feel and is very clean and well decorated. The service is great and their menu will satisfy nearly everyone. The only thing that I did not like were the tvs since they seemed to be out of place.Avoid the locavore Monday specials. They entrees are underportioned even for tapas, and the cauliflower I had was carbonized and greasy (protip: if you're gonna make a veggie the star of your show, then get it right.) To make matters worse, the floor was ridiculously understaffed. Go for the regular menu items and the booze, but you might want to find another Monday night place... The saltrock lights, cheesy totem head stained glass, and the maple-syrupy varnish staining almost…

by rachel c.

I'm for cool. I'm for tasty. I'm for good beers. Bookhouse has all three. One thing they do not have: nice wait staff. Went there last Friday and there were a bunch of folks standing around. So we stood around too. Then, a table opened up, and we sat down. Five minutes later, the waitress came up and gave us menus. Then, she asked if we were "on the list." We replied that we did not even know there was "a list" to be on. Then she kicked us out of the table. She also dropped an F bomb. She was really classy. My feelings are hurt, but will probably give the place another shot to win my affection. 3 out of 4 ain't bad... just watch out for the saucy waitresses.

by Paul S.

Bookhouse is a small pub in the Poncey Highlands area named after characters from the Twin Peaks series. The bar is cozy, dimly lit and inviting. With two patios, one in front and one in back, there's plenty of room for larger groups to come hang out. As others have said there's a good beer selection ,but nothing like Brickstore. You'll find rarities but nothing that stands out as special. The bartender was great though and enjoyable to talk with on a slow Monday night. I could definitely see coming back and hanging out with friends at the bar. I have mixed reviews on the food. The blue cheese chips were great... it's blue cheese.. it's almost impossible to mess that up! Both my friend and I ordered the Bookhouse burger and were let down tremendously. Both patties were overcooked, and this had to have been the greasiest burger I've ever consumed. I felt like I had made out with lard.... I didn't finish it and was left a tad disappointed. Regardless of the food not working out in the end, I'll be back. It's a cozy neighborhood bar with cool people, good beer, and a great atmosphere.

by Min Y.

Interesting little bar in the same mini-mall general area as MJQ and The Local on Ponce De Leon Ave.  It's not big on space but there aren't that many people who go here anyway so it's comfy enough.The interior is laid out pretty well with a long bar to sit at and table booths to sit at everywhere along the walls.  The outside is also really nice, it's got a two-level area with a patio and plenty of seats.Good service from the bartenders as well as a pretty decent beer selection.  It's not Brickstore Pub level but it's better than your average bar.

by Lauren S.

I want to love it, I really do. The concept is cool and I love the look and feel of the place. Yet, you always fail me on some level, Bookhouse. Slow service on occasion. A menu I fucking hate. Your only saving grace is the beer. But there are better gastropubs with better offerings around. I do appreciate the fact that I only have to walk about 20 feet to get to MJQ. Bookhouse, I say all of this for constructive purposes. I do not want you to go away. Please just get a little more interesting.

by Todd P.

I've got bad timing. I met up with Tulie L. at the BookHouse Pub, arriving just after 7 to join her and two of her friends who had been there for a few minutes already. Ordered a beer, then started perusing the menu left on the table to order some food. When the server brought my beer, I told her I'd like to order some food as well, referring to the menu."Oh, you can't order from that menu now. It's after 7," she said. I then noticed that it was printed on the top that that particular list of items was only available to early guests -- after 7 pm the normal menu kicks in. She brought me a new one and I learned that all the dishes on the early bird menu were also on the full-blown menu -- at a 50-75% increase in price. Eg. Hangar Steak, $10 for early birds, $18.50 for late comers. Damn!Glass is half empty -- What? 10 minutes after this "deadline" expires and I get bent over the table with significantly higher prices? Ouch!Glass is half full -- people that get there early get a great discount on some normally pricier items. I settled on a burger, which incidentally wasn't available to the blue hairs (aka early birders). It was just okay -- the meat wasn't seasoned very well and was on the bland side. It was also kind of tough, even with a medium-rare to medium temperature preparation. But the toppings were fresh and the bun was decent. Meh. The beer was good though.

by Michelle A.

The food here is delicious, though I get the idea that few people actually show up here for the food. The beer and alcohol is where it's at!The selection here is decent enough. It's not Brick Store, but then again, not many places are. The beers they do have are pretty awesome, though, and I love the sampler. Pick how many beers you want to sample and you pay based on how many you chose. Get enough friends to get the sampler and you could in theory try them all. Trust me, been there, done that! They also carry sweet tea vodka, which is my new vice. Vodka meets sweet tea? My southern heart has skipped a beat! Unfortunately, upon ordering this once "on the rocks" - yeah, I like my vodka unmixed, please! - the waitress looked confused before handing over a tall glass full of vodka. I figured that's the way they do it around these parts (it was MJQ night after all) until my friend asked if that was right for on the rocks as if to quiz her. He finally explained what it actually meant and she took it away and brought back a smaller glass. Some friend, huh?! Ah well, at least I snuck a number of gulps before she snatched it up... It is a strike in my book, though, to make the drink incorrectly and then throw the liquor away. Did college teach you nothing? Never leave a man down!The decor here is similar to Brick Store although a little more inviting and open. The upper shelves are lined with - what else? - books, and the outside patio is comfy and well lit. Being able to watch as MJQ folks spill out into the parking lot and fight over parking spaces and spilled beers? Priceless.Aside from the liquor mishap - which is partly to blame for my star deduction - Bookhouse Pub is a pretty sweet place. Good food, generally good service, and great beers on tap.

by Linnea M.

Stopped in a few times after work for a beer and a bite. It is a little cozy place with a strong reference to Twin Peaks. I would go back as a mix in happy hour late beer hangouts.Decor: Warm and cozy but super small. Usually you can't find much seating inside unless you belly up to the bar. Service: I am more drawn to sit outside most of the time but it can make service a challenge. You can easily be ignored and feel snubbed.Food: Great small bites menu with a twist on Southern classics. I have ordered the fried green tomatoes and  collard green egg rolls more than once. The draft beer list is full of interesting choices.

by Rob C.

Smoke free, cool interior, properly laid-back without overbearing hipster feel.  The beer sampler options are a nice treat, as you can sample multiple tastes of goodness.  Good beer selection as well, though that's just a pre-requisite these days.What pushes this up to 4-star territory is the grilled cheese sandwich.  Now,  I don't doubt that there are better grilled cheese sandwiches out there somewhere (maybe even here in Atlanta).  But I can say in over three decades of grilled cheese eating I've never had one this good.  it was a masterful blend of tastes and textures - truly epic.  The cajun boiled peanuts were also a nice touch.