Oblivion Taproom - Hog Wild

After hearing about Oblivion Taproom’s amazing Burgers from a couple of friends I really wanted to see what it was like. Then after reading the extremely mixed reviews on Unbanspoon.com I was a little skeptical, but knew that I still wanted to give it a try and judge for myself.

The ATMOSPHERE… By the décor and overall ambiance I would assume that Oblivion is run by fans of late ‘80s Gothic music. Posters of Bauhaus and Slipknot adorn the Red and Black painted walls of this building which use to be a Straub’s several years back (I think) There is plenty of seating, pool tables, and a bar specializing in unique draft and bottled Beers.

The SERVICE… Our server was great with helpful suggestions on different Beers to try and which Burgers were the most popular.

The FOOD… Although they do have things like Sambuca Spiked Spinach and Artichoke dip and Scotch Eggs, it mostly the Burgers that bring people here. There are about twelve different Burgers to choose from – all stacked high with your choice of Fries, Tots, Potato wedges or Fresh Potato chips – And they can all be seasoned with six different spice toppings such as Cajun or Old Bay.

I was hoping that Oblivion Taproom would be open for lunch, because that is usually the time I like to go out to eat, however they open at 4pm and stay open until 2am (bar hours – closed on Mondays). I ended up going around 7:30 on a Tuesday evening. There were some people playing pool, no one sitting at the bar, and there were probably 4 or 5 other tables that were occupied. I was expecting to find a younger, tattooed and pierced crowd, instead as I looked around I saw parties from all walks of life – a table of Bikers, sat right next to a table of four with two members in their ‘70s. Quite refreshing!

Upon looking at the menu I knew that I had to try the HOG WILD (Beef burger topped with Chopped Pork, Caramelized Onions, Bacon, House BBQ Sauce, Onion Rings, and Sharp Cheddar. Served on a Brioche Bun - $11) When a restaurant offers homemade Potato Chips I usually get them, and most of the time I like them better then Fries. I chose the Parmesan Garlic seasoning for the chips, and I thought that with this meal I could not go wrong. All of my favorite things, I was so excited and so hungry!

I ordered an Iced Tea and was informed that they were out. OK fine, I’ll stick with water. Then the Burger arrived. It was stacked high and I wondered if it could all fit in my mouth or not. I squashed it together with determination and took my first bite. All I tasted was Onion Ring. The next bite, a little Beef and some Tomato. On to the chips, although they were plentiful they were far from great. And so on and so on. I managed to consume most of the Burger and most of the Chips, and then when I came to my stopping point I had the sad realization that I quit because I wasn’t really enjoying it, not because I was full. (Insert Sad Face here) The Beef, Pork, and Bacon had very little flavor, and the Onion rings overpowered the whole thing. I also felt that I had wasted way too many calories on something that was just not worth it. I had wanted to prove to the people that had given this place a poor review that they were wrong, but at this point I found myself agreeing with them. It is highly doubtful that I will return, but at least I gave it a try. I wish I had something better to say about the food.