October 17, 2020: Easy Tiger.

6406 N Interstate 35 Frontage Rd Suite 1100
(512) 494-4151

Pepper grinder rating: 0. (We were not offered salt or pepper, and (of course) there were no condiments on the tables.)

Men’s room rating: 1. (Two one-hole unisex restrooms with a single sink outside are not enough for a beer garden this size.)

Dwight’s comments:

I like Easy Tiger. I had some pleasant meals at the old downtown location (now closed) and I had a good meal at this location pre-Wuhan Flu.

This was not a pleasant experience.

First problem: outside only seating. The Linc location used to have a nice indoor space, but that’s “employees only” now. Okay, fine, beer virus, I get it. Good thing we picked a day when the weather was nice.

Second problem: there’s no table service in the beer garden. Instead, you have to scan the QR code at your table, and use something that I believe is called ToastTab to order and pay. God forbid you’re one of those people who doesn’t have a smartphone, or your smartphone isn’t charged, or…

Third problem: the second problem wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t for the fact that ToastTab is a poorly designed almost unusable pile of dreck.

Fourth problem: I’ve really liked ET’s pretzel in the past. But this one didn’t taste right: it was actually kind of tough and chewy, rather than being a good warm soft pretzel.

Fifth problem: one of our party had to wait forever for his order, to the point where I ended up flagging down a waiter and asking them to check. I’m not sure he ever got an explanation.

Sixth problem: I hate the restrooms. (See above.)

Look, I get that we have to make compromises to deal with the current situation. But in this case, the compromises Easy Tiger has chosen to make rendered the experience unpleasant for me. I would go to another Easy Tiger (they’re opening or have opened one in the old Red’s Porch space on South Lamar). But: I would not go if I had to sit outside, use a one-hole unisex toilet, and order and pay with ToastTab. And I don’t think I’ll be going back to the Linc location until this Chinese virus thing is over and life gets back to normal.

Lawrence’s comments:

What Dwight said, only more fucking so. Easy Tiger’s web interface is infuriating garbage that it’s entirely too easy to click off of, and I think the “QR Code Only” is in fact a violation of the Americans with disabilities act, and looks to be geared as a way to force you to give them your email address (I entered a fake one instead). Print some frigging paper menus.

Plus they no longer offer the multiple sausage plate that was the entire reason I wanted to go. The pastrami sandwich I ordered was OK, but not as good as, and more expensive than, competing offerings.

I see no reason to revisit any Easy Tiger location until they drop the QR-code only bullshit.