public at the brickyard

i wanted to like this place, with occasional tasty brews and a menu that looks great. thefoodwasn't good and the weird egg based cocktail they recommended was also gross. they double charged me and were very rude when i called to get it credited back on my card. the manager wouldn't return my call, and when i got ahold of him he was sarcastic.

i have been here sporadically since public opened--good service, super friendly staff, great drinks, great ambiance. the menu sounds great, but thefoodis south of mediocre and completely inconsistent--a table mate and i ordered the same sandwich, barely resembled what the menu stated and on top of that--it was like they were prepared completely different. the pizza crust has been completely different a few times-i've had waitresses kind of grimace when i've ordered stuff and say they would try something else. kudos for being honest. hang out here, drink here, don't orderfoodhere.

i went to the public for the 2nd time with a friend for dinner (1st time was with a group from work for an in service). the service has been great both times that i've been there & thefoodis good too. don't go by the menu on urban spoon though, because there's more on the menu than what it shows. i think it's been updated. there's a good variety of foods with some different, unusual dishes thrown in. and the atmosphere is awesomely casual with the old, vintage decor to go with the old bricks & pipes. i won't tell you what they bring your check to you in...;)

public service announcement. for those who claim wichita has nothing to offer by way of good eats, i present to you: public.

when your best friend comes into town and you're looking for a few hotspots to show off, this should make the list. here's why:
character. from the old town location to the underground (literally) speakeasy vibe, there are no other venues in town that can emulate public's feel. it embodies the highlights of kansas and captures the essence of the ict from top to bottom. from the dim, unconventional lighting and prairie rustler-esque furnishings down to the ingredients and brews on the menu.
ah, menu. the other reason this is a can't miss. as i mentioned, public incorporates wichita flavor in many of its offerings. at play are the area's mediterranean influences, inclusion meat-centric barbecue and comfortfoodstaples. even the very ingredients lend themselves to regional familiarity; bison, locally cured meats, and area-baked buns and breads populate a vast majority of the edible options. there are some oddities, but whatever you choose you're sure to get an honest tasting of the town.
my recent order of prairie sliders certainly earned endorsement. a pair of mini brioche rolls, butter toasted, acted as bookends to a smear of house-prepped honey dijon, melty sharp cheddar, thick, bison blend patties, and an onion jam spread. the dynamic duo struck all the right chords. bison tends to dry out easily, but here the meat was seared and cooked to a perfect medium after being crusted with a seasoned mix of salt, crushed black peppercorns, and roasted coffee beans for an earthy undertone. the accompanying zesty mustard and faintly sweet onion jam melded with the meat harmoniously, each offering an element of complexity and enjoying a moment in the spotlight while allowing the meat its rightful place at center stage.
on second thought, perhaps center stage was a bit of an exaggeration. the fries, the fantastic, double fried, rosemary seasoned, parmesan dusted fries, are a spectacle worthy of an auditorium. if you've never had a deceptively ordinary looking, hand cut style french fry with an outstanding crispiness nearly all the way through, you've never had a french fry the way god intended them to be produced. this may very well be the best realization of potatoes in kansas; stop what you're doing and get some. and bring me some. not necessarily in that order.
my point here, put quite simply, is that public is a worthy allocation of your funds and appetite, and those of any who you care to impress. so show your true feelings and treat me to public already. you can even bring that out of town friend if you want.

worse place ever. went there over the weekend and had the worst experience ever. server sucked, two of my friends got their meal and i got mine twenty minutes later.foodwas burnt and chicken was dry

craft beer andfoodoasis in old town. among the cultural and culinary desolation of establishments like heroes and emerson biggin’s lies a small, unassuming sanctuary for craft beer, atmosphere, and gourmetfood- public. i stopped in for the second time on the sunday after winfield last month and for a brief moment, i actually wanted to live in wichita, which says a lot....no offense folks - former lawrence local here.

we sat on a sunny patio with friends and ordered a spread of house fries (holy shit), brisket tacos, sliders, one of the salads, and a shrimp & grits special, backed up by a damn fine bloody mary and litany of craft beers (most of which i’ll note that i had never seen in kansas). while i do like knowing that my beef isn’t coming from china, i’m typically not overly fussed with “locally sourced” this, and “artisanal” that. this was one of the few restaurant meals i have had in recent memory where the quality of the local ingredients actually came through in the flavors. heirloom tomatoes, a burger that tasted like a burger, etc.

the service was warm, with folks that tended to know and possibly even care (gasp) about the beers andfood- not often seen around here. great place to spend a lazy sunday afternoon grazing or weekend night getting shitty on white whales. i’ll definitely be back.


-----06 jan, 2013-----

awesome. a welcome and much needed addition to old town. accessible, but interesting menu, comfy atmosphere, and thoughtful craft beer selection. loved the pickles and brisket tacos.

i declare public as a great place to eat tastyfoodand drink good beer!

cozy atmosphere, good eats and heady beers. glad to have a new place to stop at while traveling through wichita that has both a solid menu and craft beer selection.

at the waitress’ recommendation, we tried all the local favorites. between four of us we had the house fries, brisket tacos, sliders, shrimp and grits (on special) and a house salad. all thefoodwas great and in my opinion the fries and tacos stole the show.

seriously, how do you get fries to taste like that? the texture was perfect (sturdy outside soft in the middle) and the seasoning coupled with the moreish dipping sauces gave them a gourmet complexity. i know, they’re just fries...but they are seriously some of the best i've ever had.

the brisket on the tacos was cooked perfectly (which is not easy to do, as those of us bbq-ers know). less is more with these tacos. they’re simple on their own but the salsa-ish sauce and fresh sour cream really set them off.

we had the chance to speak with the owners and the man behind the beers. it’s clear they like making people happy and are passionate about food, as well as about supporting wichita’s local scene and sourcing quality beers. looking forward to stopping back through wichita for more!