This is 'Celebrity Chef' Todd English's second attempt at a restaurant at this location in Boca Raton. Todd English's Wild Olives closed here to make way for the English Tap and Beer Garden. It's located in a sort of 'strip mall' with a Rocco's Taco's next door and a 'soon to open' Brio Restaurant. We just so happened to be in this location on Saturday afternoon and decided to stop in for a snack and a few beers.

English Tap and Beer Garden is modeled after the Las Vegas English P.U.B. location at the Aria Casino/City Center complex. We should have known what to expect…because we didn't care for the Vegas location and this one seemed to have the exact menu. There is a bar/patio outside but it was just too hot this past weekend. Inside, the space is large with a few TVs for catching the 'game'. It's decorated to look casual like an upscale 'pub'. I was seated in a booth where I couldn't see the TV since the large screen was behind me and over my head. I'm not sure if this really is the kind of place to get a group togher and watch any game with limited TV viewing areas.


(English Tap and Beer Garden - Dining area)


(English Tap and Beer Garden - Another view of the dining area)

Our server was friendly…and was new, which was not surprising. English Tap and Beer Garden has only been open for a short time (maybe a month or so), which means traning a whole new staff. With the menu touting 100 beer selections, Jeff went for a 'sampler'. On the menu they call it 'Beer Flights'…you choose any three drafts. When Jeff asked for the Beer Flight…the server said "What's that?" He then pointed to the menu where it was clearly printed. "Oh…right, ok. Well, let me check with someone to see how that works". The guy was new and wanted to be sure we got to make our own selection (eventhough the menu clearly stated "choose any three draft beers"). At least he was friendly about it and double checked. We also decided on splitting the regular Sliders and Fries. They have a few different types of sliders…but we just went basic. They are served with fries and you can choose "skinny" or "fatty" fries, which is by type. We went for the thick 'fatty' selection.

The beers came on a small paddle. At least the glasses matched the size of the holes in the paddle (not like at Yard House). Jeff tasted each one and made a face after the third one. Flat. How can a place that has 'Beer' in their name served flat beer? He didn't even finish all of them. Jeff looks so happy in the picture...but that smile faded when he took his first sips.  And yes...I did try to use the 'red-eye' removal tool....it never works on pictures of Jeff...it just turns the red to white.  Wonder if that makes him a Warewolf or something?


(The English Tap and Beer Garden - Beer Flight sampler)

When the sliders came…they looked like what we expected. Three small sliders lined up on the plate with a device full of 'fatty' fries'. Now…I'm a fry guy. I looove French fries and can tell a lot from a place from their version of this basic food item. I took the first fry out and looked at it. It looked good…with some of the skin left on. Hmmm….maybe they were fresh cut! I then tasted it. YUCK. These fries were HORRIBLE. They had a weird 'preservative' taste. Almost like the frozen Orida fries you get at the grocery store. I couldn't believe that a place like this is using frozen french fries. Sure…maybe they want to keep things consistent from restaurant to restaurant…but at these prices?? They were also soggy and greasy. We left 1/2 of the fries. The sliders were 'ok'..beef with caramelized onions and some kind of sauce. The bun was fresh but they seemed to be missing something.

(English Tap and Beer Garden - Sliders and Fatty Fries)

After eating…we both remembered why we didn't like English P.U.B. in Vegas. Overpriced, low quality food. To top it off…there was a dirty table next to us during our visit. We will not be going back to English Tap and Beer Garden, English P.U.B, Wild Olives, Todd English or anything of the like. We won't even go to Todd English's house if he personally invited us over to cook us a meal. If these Celebrity Chefs don't check up on their restaurants…they should open them. I'm thinking it's more of a license thing. You know…they just get paid to use their name…like stadiums? New restaurants usually have to iron out some issues to catch their stride…but if there isn't any substance there….I'm not really willing to give them a try again.


(English Tap and Beer Garden - The bill...  $29.67)

$29.67 was way too much to pay for what we got.  It says 'Training' under the name of the restaurant.  I'm wondering if this means our server was in training...or this concept/restaurant is in training.  I will be shocked if this place can pull it together and make the improvements necessary to survive here.



English Tap and Beer Garden location:
5050 Town Center Circle
Boca Raton, FL

FTLToday Score: D