BEER BARN - Not So Strongly Worded Letter

AkanmuAbuja@gmail.com

Rating: 7.8/10

December, 2012
"Beer Barn" - Bar
72 Aminu Kanu Crescent,
Wuse 2, Abuja, Nigeria.


Please see the bottom of this letter in the Highlights section, as well as the bold sentences for the brief version of this letter/review.

Letter to Beer Barn Management

Dear Beer Barn Management,

This is a strongly worded letter to express my opinions following my experience at your establishment. This letter has been written after multiple visits to Beer Barn, which has allowed me to form strong opinions about the establishment. I should inform you that this letter is being made available to the public through the internet, primarily for the purpose of empowering or entertaining other consumers curious about your establishment.

My first impression was that I was going to a place that specialized in beer (yea, the name gave it away). Most places (at least the dozen or so others I've patronized) that claim to specialize in beer stake that claim on the impressive beer menu they have. This usually means a wide array of local brews or imported beer that would otherwise be reasonably difficult for a consumer to come across in the average bar in that community. Beer Barn's menu did in fact live up to those standards. Although the beer menu wasn't very extensive, it did contain a wide array of imported beer from different nations (and continents) that allow it to rise to the BARE MINIMUM (I resisted saying 'beer minimum' as a pun) of a place that can lay claim to its impressive beer menu so much that the bar's name is tied to it. That being said, it would be incredibly wise to do the 2 following things:
1) Have the imported beer you claim to have on your menu available. If not all of them, at least half of them and not just 3 or 4.
2) Make sure the waiters are informed about the beer on the menu. In fact, they should be informed about the entire menu.
Basically, the name Beer Barn is not done justice based on the (actually) available beer you have and the waiters' inability to fluently discuss the beer on your menu. The waiters should at least know what a customer means when they order a particular beer that is clearly on the menu without the customer having to point to it on the menu in an already dark and difficult to read in room.

Moving on from the beer, I was impressed by the overall menu. There was a wide range of both food and drinks (assuming the other 3/5th of food and drinks I never ordered isn't like the beer and is actually available). Furthermore, the food comes out in a reasonable amount of time, even on evenings when the bar is crowded (and the bar can indeed get crowded at times). Moreover, the appetizers on the menu meet the criteria of bar-appropriate-fast-finger-food (or pub grub, Nigerian style). Basically, the depth of the menu makes this a very good place to come and spend hours snacking and drinking with friends.

Now to talk about the "barn". There is something very charming and cozy about this bar. That in itself is what I find most impressive about it (yea, even more than the beer, menu, and service, but that's not usually a bad quality for a bar). As you walk into the bar, you go up a spiral staircase that is lined with some black and white photographs that feature famous artists and such. This entrance and the prints are a perfect introduction to the dark and laid back atmosphere that defines the bar. Similarly impressive (and perhaps done for reasons other than those I will appreciate here) is the fact that there is good lighting in certain areas of the bar such as the snooker table and actual bar area. These well-lit areas, in addition to the balcony attached to the bar, take away from any uncomfortable feeling of claustrophobia that could have otherwise come with such a dark environment where most of the space looks reduced due to a large number of booths that allow groups of 4-8 to huddle together (oh, and by the way (as if this long sentence needed another bracket, and now a bracket within a bracket to explain that I love brackets), I really like the fact that there are many booths in the bar).

I have dropped a copy of this letter at your establishment and will post one online as well. If you or any other readers have any questions, follow-up and/or comments regarding this letter, please feel free to e-mail to me at AkanmuAbuja@gmail.com.

Highlights/Review

1. This is a positive (and thus, not so strongly worded) letter.

2. Point 1 above means that I like this bar and recommend it to anyone in Abuja who would like a nice bar to hang with friends or do a low-key celebration with 4-8 friends over drinks. Perhaps a group of more than 8 should go to a larger place though.

3. The second part of point 2 above is because the PRICES HERE ARE AMAZING given the location and standards. You can have a great time with 7 people, sit on two side-by-side booths, order a few drinks and snacks, and have your total tab come to less than 15,000 Naira (15,000 for 7 people or less when both food and drinks are involved is my cut-off for 'reasonably priced').

4. The beer menu is not impressive but it is good enough to warrant a visit, especially if you're craving foreign beer like I was craving a Corona with lime on my first visit (which they had by the way). Oh, and  for those of you who also value good beer, they have German beer (well, they have a few on the menu but only 1 or none available each time I asked on a visit). It should be noted though that they do not, have an impressive list of German beer (given how many good ones they could have easily added).

5. The food here is not great but it is meets snacking expectations. The only truly impressive food item on the  menu are the buffalo wings. The rest of the food works well enough though.

6. Waiters in all establishments should know about the menu. The waiters at Beer Barn don't have a strong grasp of the beer.

7. The atmosphere of the bar is one of the best of all the bars in Abuja.