Had a good thing going... off the wall hamburgers and a field for kiddos to play in. Did not care for cats walking around me and jumping on stuff but it was fun. Now... No kids menu? This place is now for "parents" of dogs to pretend they are eating "so progressive" and post instagrams of their plate. Disappointing.
Michael Fisher
We enjoyed Murdoch's many times in the past year or so. The staff were always friendly and helpful, the food was good, and the 'backyard' was a great place to relax and watch the kids all play together. I frequently recommended Murdoch's to other people.The rebrand they have chosen to do has completely excluded family customers like us in favor of a 'bistro' and 'business meeting' clientele. The owner was quoted in a recent Chronicle article saying, "(Customers) didn't feel safe with 30 kids running around kicking balls on the patio, disturbing other customers." I'm sorry my 4 and 2 year old made your customers feel unsafe by playing on the slide.I understand the owners wanting to change models (I assume) to increase revenue or profitability, decrease liability, etc. That said, I won't ever be back, nor will I recommend the place to anyone again. It seems they are scapegoating children to justify the rebrand, when I'd guess the move is simply because they want more money from an 'upscale' or event-oriented customer base.The property fit the 'backyard' model wonderfully, and doesn't really fit the new 'bistro' billing, in my opinion. I wish the owners luck with their new upscale business. Also - don't worry - dogs are still allowed.
Robert Jones
Awesome place and can't wait to go back. Love them curds and brew ! I agree with the owner on the children subject. That's great that you can bring your children but is it asking too much to NOT let your children run around like wild Banshees ? Parents should have a little respect for other people that are out there wanting to enjoy a relaxing time with good beer and good food. If you don't want to watch your children keep them home with a babysitter or take them to the park and let them run wild ! There is no gray area here, it's just good old-fashioned common sense and common courtesy
Andie Sisco
This was my second time at Murdoch's, right when we walked in everyone was so friendly and welcoming. Recommended us great food and beers! I don't recall the gentleman's name at the front but we spent a good while chatting about the types of beer I like, he paired me with one that was delicious and right up my palate. They even treated my dog Tuna well and to quite a few treats. I loved that atmosphere for the entire place. We'll definitely be coming back again.
Dave A
Cool place with a good selection of beer and a fun outdoor space. They were busy when we went and the kitchen was slow. Food was hit or miss. Fried pickles were scratchmade but were mushy on the inside. Chicken sandwich was good. Some of the fries were undercooked. Chicken strips were really good. The ketchup seemed to be made in-house and was too sweet.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
watercolor52
We came to meet up with family. We chose this restaurant because there were toddlers and the advertisement said it had a playground. We were pleasantly surprised by the huge yard, playground toys and chalk for sidewalk art. The home brew beers were good, but expensive. Because of the holiday, there was no homemade soup, but the fry were good, the home made catsup was yummy.
Lindsey A.
100% DO NOT recommend this place. We arrived wanting to have an afternoon lunch/small party for my daughters birthday(turning 7), we only had about 10 in our party. As soon as I walked into the front door, I had TWO balloons to put on my daughters chair, and a cake with some paper plates. I was immediately stopped at the door and told balloons were not allowed, and that I would be charged $15 for bringing a cake in, also later found out that the "cake fee" included nothing. There is not any wait staff therefore you are given menus and order when ready. The 2 women running the front were extremely rude not only to me, but to every single guest in my party. My own grandmother was shocked at the way we were being treated. They also advised that we would be charged a 20% gratuity because our party wasn't booked in advance, mind you... there was maybe 8 other guests not including our party that were there at the time. The place was empty. We were so upset and dissatisfied we left before even getting our food. 0/10 stars. Do better if you're trying to run a legitimate business.
Elaine R.
Really good soft pretzel, but they only have texas made and local beer, not main stream tap. the outdoor dining is really nice and open for kids. As well as separate building dining to be more private.
Jesse H.
Went here a few years ago with my uncle and father on my 21 birthday to grab a beer bc I live relatively close. Was refused service. Been here a handful of times bc I do live so close. No way this place is "top 50" that's a lie. Extremely overpriced for the area and terrible service. So many places around here have the same type of outdoor bars better and cheaper food, and learned this place closes at 9 thought it was a joke
Isaac Gaetz
Everything on the menu, from the burgers to the ketchup and mustard, to the bread pudding are home made on site.The burgers are practically legendary. This place is great..the owner is also really friendly and they have an extensive local beer selection on tap.Parking: Easy parking right in front.Kid-friendliness: Lots of fun activities for the kids. They have a playground, lights, lots of fun decorations , cats. This place is my son's favorite restaurant.
Their food is always outstanding with everything house-made...even the condiments. Plus, their beer selection is stellar. This is one of our favorite places to go and we always appreciate the friendliness of everybody who works there! Definitely highly recommend!Vegetarian options: My wife is a vegetarian and she absolutely loves their veggie burger. The variety of toppings (6 included) allow her to customize it and make it different each time we come.
Shauna B.
Fun place for a back yard burger, fries, great selection of beer. Best part is that dogs are allowed on a leash. We enjoy dining here when wanting to dine outside. Sometimes service is slow getting food.
Jo T.
Such a fun place! Great space for the whole family, tasty food, and delicious beer! We went to check out a live band and thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere! Must. Go. Back!
Cathy Hernandez
I was highly disappointed in the food. The hot dog didn't taste different and by the time I got home and realized there was no cheese on it. A lot of money for a hot dog that could have come from Sonic. The Onion "rings" were burnt as was the "Doug" burger and the lettuce was wilted. I ended up throwing everything out. For a wait that took a while I really expected better food than what I came home with, especially for that high price. They're homemade ketchup was good with the fries.
Lindsey E. E.
The MOST AMAZING! Food was INCREDIBLE. EVERYTHING was homemade..down to the ranch. The beers on tap were awesome (26 give or take), there is so much room for the kids to run and play. There were chickens to observe, some cats running around that the kids could play with that were super friendly, and so much space. There's a lovely covered patio as well as an open outdoor space that is highly shaded with picnic tables. The service was amazing, the food was off the chain, and I absolutely cannot wait to go back!! And forget ordering fries as a side (though they're probably amazing)...it was just the side salad that I'll dream about for weeks! GET THE RANCH!
Had a good thing going... off the wall hamburgers and a field for kiddos to play in. Did not care for cats walking around me and jumping on stuff but it was fun. Now... No kids menu? This place is now for "parents" of dogs to pretend they are eating "so progressive" and post instagrams of their plate. Disappointing.
We enjoyed Murdoch's many times in the past year or so. The staff were always friendly and helpful, the food was good, and the 'backyard' was a great place to relax and watch the kids all play together. I frequently recommended Murdoch's to other people.The rebrand they have chosen to do has completely excluded family customers like us in favor of a 'bistro' and 'business meeting' clientele. The owner was quoted in a recent Chronicle article saying, "(Customers) didn't feel safe with 30 kids running around kicking balls on the patio, disturbing other customers." I'm sorry my 4 and 2 year old made your customers feel unsafe by playing on the slide.I understand the owners wanting to change models (I assume) to increase revenue or profitability, decrease liability, etc. That said, I won't ever be back, nor will I recommend the place to anyone again. It seems they are scapegoating children to justify the rebrand, when I'd guess the move is simply because they want more money from an 'upscale' or event-oriented customer base.The property fit the 'backyard' model wonderfully, and doesn't really fit the new 'bistro' billing, in my opinion. I wish the owners luck with their new upscale business. Also - don't worry - dogs are still allowed.
Awesome place and can't wait to go back. Love them curds and brew ! I agree with the owner on the children subject. That's great that you can bring your children but is it asking too much to NOT let your children run around like wild Banshees ? Parents should have a little respect for other people that are out there wanting to enjoy a relaxing time with good beer and good food. If you don't want to watch your children keep them home with a babysitter or take them to the park and let them run wild ! There is no gray area here, it's just good old-fashioned common sense and common courtesy
This was my second time at Murdoch's, right when we walked in everyone was so friendly and welcoming. Recommended us great food and beers! I don't recall the gentleman's name at the front but we spent a good while chatting about the types of beer I like, he paired me with one that was delicious and right up my palate. They even treated my dog Tuna well and to quite a few treats. I loved that atmosphere for the entire place. We'll definitely be coming back again.
Cool place with a good selection of beer and a fun outdoor space. They were busy when we went and the kitchen was slow. Food was hit or miss. Fried pickles were scratchmade but were mushy on the inside. Chicken sandwich was good. Some of the fries were undercooked. Chicken strips were really good. The ketchup seemed to be made in-house and was too sweet.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
We came to meet up with family. We chose this restaurant because there were toddlers and the advertisement said it had a playground. We were pleasantly surprised by the huge yard, playground toys and chalk for sidewalk art. The home brew beers were good, but expensive. Because of the holiday, there was no homemade soup, but the fry were good, the home made catsup was yummy.
100% DO NOT recommend this place. We arrived wanting to have an afternoon lunch/small party for my daughters birthday(turning 7), we only had about 10 in our party. As soon as I walked into the front door, I had TWO balloons to put on my daughters chair, and a cake with some paper plates. I was immediately stopped at the door and told balloons were not allowed, and that I would be charged $15 for bringing a cake in, also later found out that the "cake fee" included nothing. There is not any wait staff therefore you are given menus and order when ready. The 2 women running the front were extremely rude not only to me, but to every single guest in my party. My own grandmother was shocked at the way we were being treated. They also advised that we would be charged a 20% gratuity because our party wasn't booked in advance, mind you... there was maybe 8 other guests not including our party that were there at the time. The place was empty. We were so upset and dissatisfied we left before even getting our food. 0/10 stars. Do better if you're trying to run a legitimate business.
Really good soft pretzel, but they only have texas made and local beer, not main stream tap. the outdoor dining is really nice and open for kids. As well as separate building dining to be more private.
Went here a few years ago with my uncle and father on my 21 birthday to grab a beer bc I live relatively close. Was refused service. Been here a handful of times bc I do live so close. No way this place is "top 50" that's a lie. Extremely overpriced for the area and terrible service. So many places around here have the same type of outdoor bars better and cheaper food, and learned this place closes at 9 thought it was a joke
Everything on the menu, from the burgers to the ketchup and mustard, to the bread pudding are home made on site.The burgers are practically legendary. This place is great..the owner is also really friendly and they have an extensive local beer selection on tap.Parking: Easy parking right in front.Kid-friendliness: Lots of fun activities for the kids. They have a playground, lights, lots of fun decorations , cats. This place is my son's favorite restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Build Your Own Burger
Restaurantji Recommends
Their food is always outstanding with everything house-made...even the condiments. Plus, their beer selection is stellar. This is one of our favorite places to go and we always appreciate the friendliness of everybody who works there! Definitely highly recommend!Vegetarian options: My wife is a vegetarian and she absolutely loves their veggie burger. The variety of toppings (6 included) allow her to customize it and make it different each time we come.
Fun place for a back yard burger, fries, great selection of beer. Best part is that dogs are allowed on a leash. We enjoy dining here when wanting to dine outside. Sometimes service is slow getting food.
Such a fun place! Great space for the whole family, tasty food, and delicious beer! We went to check out a live band and thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere! Must. Go. Back!
I was highly disappointed in the food. The hot dog didn't taste different and by the time I got home and realized there was no cheese on it. A lot of money for a hot dog that could have come from Sonic. The Onion "rings" were burnt as was the "Doug" burger and the lettuce was wilted. I ended up throwing everything out. For a wait that took a while I really expected better food than what I came home with, especially for that high price. They're homemade ketchup was good with the fries.
The MOST AMAZING! Food was INCREDIBLE. EVERYTHING was homemade..down to the ranch. The beers on tap were awesome (26 give or take), there is so much room for the kids to run and play. There were chickens to observe, some cats running around that the kids could play with that were super friendly, and so much space. There's a lovely covered patio as well as an open outdoor space that is highly shaded with picnic tables. The service was amazing, the food was off the chain, and I absolutely cannot wait to go back!! And forget ordering fries as a side (though they're probably amazing)...it was just the side salad that I'll dream about for weeks! GET THE RANCH!