Kettlehead Tavern

[Biggd]

Anyone been to the new Kettlehead Tavern yet in Meredith, the old Mames building?

[MeredithMan]

I read the article in the Sun last week that they were opening and it mentioned that it was going to be more than just your typical brewery. The article said that they have a full liquor license, so not just craft beer, and that they will have a legit chef and serve real food, not just bar food. Based on that--and the fact that we used to go to Mame's a lot back in the day and were intrigued how the building now looks--we decided to hit it for a light lunch today.

The food menu is pretty limited at the moment. The server said that they are doing that on purpose to allow the kitchen staff to slowly come up to speed. My wife and I decided to share Hog Wings and a fried grilled cheese. We asked the server how many wings were in the order and she said "4...but they are pretty big". When the wings arrived, it was obvious they were not wings; they were short, wide pork ribs. She never told us they were not chicken and there is no mention of them not being chicken on the menu. We got the sweet Thai chili dipping sauce for them, (thinking it was chicken), but that definitely did not go with pork ribs.

The Fried Grilled Cheese was thick bread with panko bread crumbs and mozzarella cheese.

Neither of us are day drinkers, so we didn't try any of the craft beers...went with craft diet cokes.

The food was fair....would not order either of those again. We both said we'd be willing to try it again in a couple months after the menu expands and the kinks get worked out.

[Biggd]

I was going to try it this coming week but maybe I will give them more time to get their *** together.

[Mr. V]

I'm sorry, but how can anybody possibly confuse pork for chicken wings?

[LoveLakeLife]

Hog wings? When pigs fly! How was the decor? Any big changes? I liked how Mame’s looked inside. I might try it tomorrow night.


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[thinkxingu]

With a name like "hog" wings, why wouldn't you think they were pork? And, when asked, the waitress probably just went with the name of the product.

If I asked how many "chicken fingers" were in an order, I'd know I wasn't actually getting fingers...

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[MeredithMan]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

With a name like "hog" wings, why wouldn't you think they were pork? And, when asked, the waitress probably just went with the name of the product.

If I asked how many "chicken fingers" were in an order, I'd know I wasn't actually getting fingers...

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"Chicken Fingers" is more of a ubiquitous term that most everyone knows what they are without asking. I had never heard the term "Hog Wings" until yesterday. Given that true chicken wings are very common as an appetizer, and there was no description of what the Hog Wings actually are on the menu, AND when I asked the server how many "wings" were in the order and she didn't use that opportunity to educate me that they weren't actually chicken, but instead just said they were "large wings", I think it was reasonable to NOT expect them to be pork.

And just to be clear, we did not complain; we did not send them back; they were OK, it is just that they were not what we were expecting.

Bottom line is that it was my mistake to make an assumption, and the server, (and the menu), could have done a better job in explaining the product.

[MeredithMan]

Originally Posted by LoveLakeLife

Hog wings? When pigs fly! How was the decor? Any big changes? I liked how Mame’s looked inside. I might try it tomorrow night.


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On the first floor, it is still the old Mame's vibe...exposed brick and wood beams, but obviously updated with some new woodwork and new bar area. The wide plank floors look awesome. Totally refinished and gleaming. There is another bar and big game room, (the old Mame's upstairs dining room),
with pool tables and such on the 2nd floor. We were hoping to do a walk-through of the 2nd floor when we were leaving, but we were running short on time and didn't make it.

[8gv]

Off topic to relax the roll of this:


Special food names...

I took my family on a cruise where they had a "welcome to the ship" buffet.

My six year old son saw something of interest on the dessert table and brought it back to our table.

He liked it a lot but none of us could identify it so we told him to go ask the lady caring for the desserts for its name.

English was not her first language so he heard "fruit du dadu".

To this day any food that is unknown to us is called "fruit du dadu".

Hog Wings would be labeled as such.


OK, back to the thread now...

[bushwack1]

Hi MeredithMan. My question is were the Hog Wings tender and moist? I think I would go for them with the *right* sauce.

[MeredithMan]

Originally Posted by bushwack1

Hi MeredithMan. My question is were the Hog Wings tender and moist? I think I would go for them with the *right* sauce.

Yes, they were tender and moist, and you are spot on...with the right sauce, and if you were in the mood for pork, they would have been tasty.

[MeredithMan]

Hey Think, (and also everyone else)--

I re-read my Post #7 above, and I apologize if it came off as snippy. That truly was not my intent. The problem with just the written word is that you cannot see someone's body language and/or facial expressions, and I was actually smiling as I wrote that, as if I were trash-talking a good friend.

Hopefully no harm, no foul.

Enjoy your day!

[jogator1]

My wife and I went to Kettlehead opening night and we were very happy to have a new establishment in downtown Meredith. My wife ordered the Hog Wings and they were amazing. They were moist and tender yet still crunchy on outside. I ordered a burger which was very good and a big portion. The fries were wedge style and delicious.

We thought the service was a little slow but that was totally expected on opening night. The customer service was great as you could see the staff trying their best to accommodate everyone (we had at least 4 different employees check in with us to make sure we were ok including the manager). I agree that the menu is limited but it's good to hear they will be expanding their options soon.

My son and his friends went last night and really enjoyed. We are looking forward to our next visit to Kettlehead and I would definitely recommend others give it a try.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by MeredithMan

Hey Think, (and also everyone else)--

I re-read my Post #7 above, and I apologize if it came off as snippy. That truly was not my intent. The problem with just the written word is that you cannot see someone's body language and/or facial expressions, and I was actually smiling as I wrote that, as if I were trash-talking a good friend.

Hopefully no harm, no foul.

Enjoy your day!

I didn't take it that way at all—in fact, I thought I might be coming across offensively.

Yay us!

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[LoveLakeLife]

Originally Posted by MeredithMan

On the first floor, it is still the old Mame's vibe...exposed brick and wood beams, but obviously updated with some new woodwork and new bar area. The wide plank floors look awesome. Totally refinished and gleaming. There is another bar and big game room, (the old Mame's upstairs dining room),

with pool tables and such on the 2nd floor. We were hoping to do a walk-through of the 2nd floor when we were leaving, but we were running short on time and didn't make it.

This is good news. I didn’t make it tonight but I will next weekend. Thanks for the description.


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[Biggd]

So, I just came from Kettkehead Tavern.
Beer was excellent, food was good, service was good, price was expensive.
I can't say I won't go back but I won't be a frequent flyer.
JMO, take it for what it's worth.

[rick35]

I met a friend for lunch at Kettlehead today and didn't like the beer or food menu. My taste in beer includes allagash, coors, blue moon and linenkeugal. They had nothing close to any of those but they did have several ipas which I don't like. The menu was limited and I opted for the so-so $18 burger. I would have been much happier had we gone to George's next door. Check out their menus before you go. You may love it. I didn't and won't return.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Biggd

So, I just came from Kettkehead Tavern.
Beer was excellent, food was good, service was good, price was expensive.
I can't say I won't go back but I won't be a frequent flyer.
JMO, take it for what it's worth.

I just looked at the menu on their website, which is for the Tilton location, and it didn't too pricey. Are the prices different in Meredith?

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[Biggd]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

I just looked at the menu on their website, which is for the Tilton location, and it didn't too pricey. Are the prices different in Meredith?

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I got 3 beers and chicken nuggets with fries, bill was $43 and change. I left a $10 tip, so $53 and change. I personally liked the beer but I'm just as happy drinking Bud Light.
Most off the places I go up here, the bill is under $30 for 3 draft beers and bar food.

[rick35]

The Meredith menu was very limited and nothing near the size of the Tilton menu. My burger and beer was $28 and Tilton has a burger and a beer special for $12.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Biggd

I got 3 beers and chicken nuggets with fries, bill was $43 and change. I left a $10 tip, so $53 and change. I personally liked the beer but I'm just as happy drinking Bud Light.
Most off the places I go up here, the bill is under $30 for 3 draft beers and bar food.

"Craft" beers are usually $8+, right? If so, the pricing seems reasonable. Doesn't make sense to compare craft beer cost to Bud Light, right?

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[Biggd]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

"Craft" beers are usually $8+, right? If so, the pricing seems reasonable. Doesn't make sense to compare craft beer cost to Bud Light, right?

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You're right but if I'm spending $50 plus, I'd rather drink Bud light and eat a Steak. So, I won't be a frequent customer.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Biggd

You're right but if I'm spending $50 plus, I'd rather drink Bud light and eat a Steak. So, I won't be a frequent customer.

Fair enough, and I wouldn't be either. I just think it's important to make the distinction between "expensive" and "not my style."

How are the chicken fingers, by the way? Taste? Portion size?

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[Biggd]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Fair enough, and I wouldn't be either. I just think it's important to make the distinction between "expensive" and "not my style."

How are the chicken fingers, by the way? Taste? Portion size?

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They were chicken nuggets, cooked a little too much for my liking. There was a good amount but also expensive. I took some home for my dog.
I saw a customer eating a burger that looked good.
I'm happy to see the old Mames building open again but I think it will be more for tourists than regulars.
One thing I thought was odd, two large TV's at the bar were just showing rotating pictures. I'm guessing that maybe their internet wasn't working yet.
I was going to ask but the bartenders were quite busy and it was tough to get their attention.

[garysanfran]

Anheuser-Busch still makes Bud Light?

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by garysanfran

Anheuser-Busch still makes Bud Light?

Yes they do, and politics won't keep me from drinking it!

[MeredithMan]

Originally Posted by Biggd

Yes they do, and politics won't keep me from drinking it!

It's my "go-to" as well, and now the Patriots-logo'd cans are in the stores, just in time for football season!

(Disclaimer: I also very much enjoy Maine Beer Company "Lunch" IPA, which I have only been able to find at Case 'N Keg in Meredith)

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by MeredithMan

It's my "go-to" as well, and now the Patriots-logo'd cans are in the stores, just in time for football season!

(Disclaimer: I also very much enjoy Maine Beer Company "Lunch" IPA, which I have only been able to find at Case 'N Keg in Meredith)

A lot of the craft beers are heavy on the hops and give me indigestion. The light beer I had at Kettlehead was great, no indigestion!

[Hillcountry]

Originally Posted by garysanfran

Anheuser-Busch still makes Bud Light?

It’s just SALES of that beer that is suffering for obvious reasons…😊

[barefootbay]

Originally Posted by Biggd

A lot of the craft beers are heavy on the hops and give me indigestion. The light beer I had at Kettlehead was great, no indigestion!

Market Basket sells Maine Lunch. Great beer !

[retired]

I switched to Miller Lite from Bud after the Dylan Mulvany controversy. A very good lite lager. Tastes great and is less filling! LOL

[LoveLakeLife]

I’m here now. Expensive is right!


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[rick35]

Originally Posted by Biggd

A lot of the craft beers are heavy on the hops and give me indigestion. The light beer I had at Kettlehead was great, no indigestion!

When we go to a restaurant I always ask what's on tap that isn't an IPA and it's usually a short list. In an emergency I'll even drink Bud Light. Kettlehead had several IPAs and I didn't see the light beer. I don't like IPAs because of the hoppy aftertaste. Apparently most other beer drinkers do as they seem to dominate beer lists wherever we go.

[rick35]

Originally Posted by retired

I switched to Miller Lite from Bud after the Dylan Mulvany controversy. A very good lite lager. Tastes great and is less filling! LOL

Apparently the youth of Merrimack haven't switched as Bud Light cans still seem to be number one going by the litter down the road from our house.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by rick35

When we go to a restaurant I always ask what's on tap that isn't an IPA and it's usually a short list. In an emergency I'll even drink Bud Light. Kettlehead had several IPAs and I didn't see the light beer. I don't like IPAs because of the hoppy aftertaste. Apparently most other beer drinkers do as they seem to dominate beer lists wherever we go.

They did have a light beer, first one on their menu, that was very good. I loved it and I can understand the $8.50 for it. I had 3 but that's not something I can afford every week.
I will go back at some point for a couple beers but I will probably go elsewhere to eat.
I went to Guiseppi's the following night, had 4 Bud Lite drafts and bought one for the guy next to me, 5 Bud Lites for $15 and change.

[Pam]

My husband and I tried Kettlehead in Meredith yesterday. The menu was limited but the food was good, and we're both IPA fans. However I'm curious what other people think of the decor. I was disappointed frankly. That's such a charming old building and I felt like they didn't take advantage of the charm.

In fact the decor seemed all over the place. There are the exposed brick walls, but then there are murals painted in Caribbean style colors- there's a wall upstairs that's all pink swirls. They did a few cool things like use golf clubs and skis as railings, but again- no unified design. Honestly, it struck me as sort of frat-housy, though I haven't been in a frat house in decades, so that may not be fair.

Anyway, I'm curious what other people think. I always loved that building and felt a little let down, especially since it's been closed for so long.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by Pam

My husband and I tried Kettlehead in Meredith yesterday. The menu was limited but the food was good, and we're both IPA fans. However I'm curious what other people think of the decor. I was disappointed frankly. That's such a charming old building and I felt like they didn't take advantage of the charm.

In fact the decor seemed all over the place. There are the exposed brick walls, but then there are murals painted in Caribbean style colors- there's a wall upstairs that's all pink swirls. They did a few cool things like use golf clubs and skis as railings, but again- no unified design. Honestly, it struck me as sort of frat-housy, though I haven't been in a frat house in decades, so that may not be fair.

Anyway, I'm curious what other people think. I always loved that building and felt a little let down, especially since it's been closed for so long.

My wife is all about "atmosphere and decor", so we don't see eye to eye on many eating establishments. You can't eat or drink "atmosphere or decor" so for me, that's the least of my concerns.
There are some beautiful places that I won't step foot in ever again, JMO!

[Winnigirl83]

Originally Posted by Pam

My husband and I tried Kettlehead in Meredith yesterday. The menu was limited but the food was good, and we're both IPA fans. However I'm curious what other people think of the decor. I was disappointed frankly. That's such a charming old building and I felt like they didn't take advantage of the charm.

In fact the decor seemed all over the place. There are the exposed brick walls, but then there are murals painted in Caribbean style colors- there's a wall upstairs that's all pink swirls. They did a few cool things like use golf clubs and skis as railings, but again- no unified design. Honestly, it struck me as sort of frat-housy, though I haven't been in a frat house in decades, so that may not be fair.

Anyway, I'm curious what other people think. I always loved that building and felt a little let down, especially since it's been closed for so long.

Totally agree. Wish they hadn't covered the exposed brick. The "graffiti" style decor is not my taste. The big TVs behind the bar will be a plus for watching sports.

We didn't eat, but the food to our left and right looked good. We had 2 beers and 2 mixed drinks, both were good. Servers and bartenders were vary personable. We'll go back and try the food next time.

[Hillcountry]

Originally Posted by Pam

My husband and I tried Kettlehead in Meredith yesterday. The menu was limited but the food was good, and we're both IPA fans. However I'm curious what other people think of the decor. I was disappointed frankly. That's such a charming old building and I felt like they didn't take advantage of the charm.

In fact the decor seemed all over the place. There are the exposed brick walls, but then there are murals painted in Caribbean style colors- there's a wall upstairs that's all pink swirls. They did a few cool things like use golf clubs and skis as railings, but again- no unified design. Honestly, it struck me as sort of frat-housy, though I haven't been in a frat house in decades, so that may not be fair.

Anyway, I'm curious what other people think. I always loved that building and felt a little let down, especially since it's been closed for so long.

We haven’t been to the new one yet but as for the original one in Tilton, I did ln’t care for the “decor” either. Bright fluorescent lights no “sound baffling” materials, just stark, and loud. Not MY cup of beer…!😊

[phoenix]

Went total with a friend. I think they did a good job with inside. Regarding food first the beers on tap are varied and they offer a flight of four. All we tried were good. The food was just average. the pork wings were very dry and the chicken nuggets were too small to get a chicken feel. I though the burgers ( we didn't get one ) looked good

[grantdylan]

Originally Posted by MeredithMan

I read the article in the Sun last week that they were opening and it mentioned that it was going to be more than just your typical brewery. The article said that they have a full liquor license, so not just craft beer, and that they will have a legit chef and serve real food, not just bar food. Based on that--and the fact that we used to go to Mame's a lot back in the day and were intrigued how the building now looks--we decided to hit it for a light lunch today.

The food menu is pretty limited at the moment. The server said that they are doing that on purpose to allow the kitchen staff to slowly come up to speed. My wife and I decided to share Hog Wings and a fried grilled cheese. We asked the server how many wings were in the order and she said "4...but they are pretty big". When the wings arrived, it was obvious they were not wings; they were short, wide pork ribs. She never told us they were not chicken and there is no mention of them not being chicken on the menu. We got the sweet Thai chili dipping sauce for them, (thinking it was chicken), but that definitely did not go with pork ribs.

The Fried Grilled Cheese was thick bread with panko bread crumbs and mozzarella cheese.

Neither of us are day drinkers, so we didn't try any of the craft beers...went with craft diet cokes. also they have Windows and doors installation in San Francisco consolewindows.com

The food was fair....would not order either of those again. We both said we'd be willing to try it again in a couple months after the menu expands and the kinks get worked out.

Really cool

[Shreddy]

I'm never one to wish ill will on a local business, let alone a restaurant in our area but I'd suggest heading to the New Hampshire Eats page on Facebook to see what's transpiring with the Za Dude Pizza company.

I've never had them before, but Za Dude seems to be very small company with an owner that devotes a lot to his craft. He was brought in for a partnership with Kettlehead locations and he worked endlessly to get their pizza operation up and running. KH has now allegedly abruptly ended the partnership with Za Dude with minimal explanation as of a week ago or so. As of today, it appears KH has now taken Za Dude's menu and changed some names in a relatively shady move. It's very hard to respect local businesses that blatantly steal a business model. Here, they not only stole the model but abused the training.

Many aspects can be shielded in the confines of a legal agreement, but at the end of the day, being good people will always prevail. If nothing less, it's interesting to see the details unfold on the New Hampshire Eats forum and wish Za Dude nothing but the best.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Shreddy

I'm never one to wish ill will on a local business, let alone a restaurant in our area but I'd suggest heading to the New Hampshire Eats page on Facebook to see what's transpiring with the Za Dude Pizza company.

I've never had them before, but Za Dude seems to be very small company with an owner that devotes a lot to his craft. He was brought in for a partnership with Kettlehead locations and he worked endlessly to get their pizza operation up and running. KH has now allegedly abruptly ended the partnership with Za Dude with minimal explanation as of a week ago or so. As of today, it appears KH has now taken Za Dude's menu and changed some names in a relatively shady move. It's very hard to respect local businesses that blatantly steal a business model. Here, they not only stole the model but abused the training.

Many aspects can be shielded in the confines of a legal agreement, but at the end of the day, being good people will always prevail. If nothing less, it's interesting to see the details unfold on the New Hampshire Eats forum and wish Za Dude nothing but the best.

Was just reading about this on the Facebook page you mention and the individual restaurant pages. Pretty crazy stuff, though I've never been into KH as the menu always looked awful.

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[TomC]

My wife and I went there this past weekend. If what we experienced is typical, they won't be around long. The place was essentially deserted at dinnertime on a Saturday night. Only one patron at the bar. The beer was good and the server was attentive (hard not to be with virtually no one else there). The food did not attain even mediocre status. The sandwiches were uninspired, but what really got me was the soggy fries. They had the consistency of thick noodles... I have never seen such poorly prepared french fries in my life. Not like the kitchen had much else to do either. Anyway - the Kettlehead Tavern is off the list. Curiously, while walking back to the car, we noticed that the Breeze seemed to be doing a brisk business, so we will try that next time.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by TomC

My wife and I went there this past weekend. If what we experienced is typical, they won't be around long. The place was essentially deserted at dinnertime on a Saturday night. Only one patron at the bar. The beer was good and the server was attentive (hard not to be with virtually no one else there). The food did not attain even mediocre status. The sandwiches were uninspired, but what really got me was the soggy fries. They had the consistency of thick noodles... I have never seen such poorly prepared french fries in my life. Not like the kitchen had much else to do either. Anyway - the Kettlehead Tavern is off the list. Curiously, while walking back to the car, we noticed that the Breeze seemed to be doing a brisk business, so we will try that next time.

I guess they do a great in Tilton, but they better change things up in Meredith or they won't last long.
I went when they first opened, their beer was great, but their food was terrible, guess that hasn't changed.

[chachee52]

It's kind of interesting that people are saying how bad it is. I have been to the Tilton one once. I can't drink beer so it's all about the food for me, and it wasn't bad if I can remember. They opened a few up, Meredith and Nashua that I know of. So they must be doing something right somewhere? Or is the chef in Meredith that bad?
I'm still waiting for a Distillery to open a pub up.

[TomC]

A long ride from Gilford, but the next town over for me... this distillery is worth a visit. In the summer they sell boxed lunches that you can grab and go sit by the river... https://tamworthdistilling.com/

[chachee52]

Originally Posted by TomC

A long ride from Gilford, but the next town over for me... this distillery is worth a visit. In the summer they sell boxed lunches that you can grab and go sit by the river... https://tamworthdistilling.com/

Have a few whiskey's from them, and my wife likes their Gin. Go there at least 2 times a year to stock up. I agree, well worth it and sit by the river and have a drink.

[BillTex]

Originally Posted by TomC

A long ride from Gilford, but the next town over for me... this distillery is worth a visit. In the summer they sell boxed lunches that you can grab and go sit by the river... https://tamworthdistilling.com/

Had negative experience there. Snooty/unwelcoming. We did purchase a bottle because they are local-pricey!
Won’t return.
We do like cathedral ledge products!

[MeredithMan]

Originally Posted by TomC

Curiously, while walking back to the car, we noticed that the Breeze seemed to be doing a brisk business, so we will try that next time.

Not to hijack this into a Breeze thread, but we are big fans of Breeze Meredith. Have been there 5 or 6 times since it opened, and it has been great each time. Had lunch there on a Saturday a couple weeks ago. We split a bowl of clam chowder and a flatbread that was the special. Flatbread was chicken, spinach, red onion, buffalo mozzarella, and a balsamic drizzle, (I think there was also a bit of artichoke in there too, if I remember correctly). It was delish!