Bent Shovel Brewing - Estacada

We visited on a Sunday afternoon, excited to take advantage of the happy hour advertised as all-day. However, when we inquired about the appetizer specials, we were informed that there was no happy hour that day. When we tried to order, we found that none of the items on the menu were available. I ordered nachos and specifically asked about the meat, being told it was pulled pork. My wife went for the pulled pork sandwich, only to be told that they had no pulled pork at all! How is that possible? There was no explanation given. We ended up paying for our drinks and leaving in disappointment. This place used to be a go-to spot when it was called the Viewpoint, but it has sadly lost its appeal. Save yourself the trouble and skip this place.

I can't provide a star rating because we haven't had the chance to try any food, service, or beer yet. We've visited four times, and their hours are quite irregular, so my recommendation is to CALL ahead. The lovely outdoor area is only open from Friday to Sunday, 12 PM to 8 PM. The restaurant, as listed on Google, does not follow the hours that are advertised. During our last visit on a Friday night at 8:30 PM, the beer garden was closed, and when we went to the restaurant, we were informed that they had stopped serving. I don't want to leave a negative review since I haven't experienced anything other than their inconsistent hours. The beer garden looks fantastic, though! I really look forward to trying it out one of these days—hopefully when we arrive at the right time.

The food and beer here are fantastic, and the beer garden is wonderful too. However, the interior of the bar could really benefit from some help—perhaps a makeover from a bar rescue team or an interior designer. I genuinely want you to thrive, so I hope you consider making some changes!

The menu seems to cater primarily to city dwellers, which seems out of place in a country setting. I think they should focus more on appealing to local tastes, such as bringing back more classic options like burgers and hot dogs, and including more traditional home-cooked dishes. The food shouldn't require a Google search because it's too fancy or tailored for a high-end urban restaurant. For inspiration, look at Redland Cafe and see how popular their menu is—it's always bustling with patrons. We don't visit often, but when we do, the service is slow and orders are usually messed up. My husband has ordered a salad with chicken twice now and both times, the waitress wrote it down but it never made it to the plate. I ordered a burger with Cajun fries, but they forgot my fries entirely. When I finally asked about them, they returned with regular fries when we were almost done eating. If Redland Cafe weren't always so crowded and hard to get into, we would choose to go there instead. Please consider bringing back simple, homestyle meals; I bet it would attract more customers. You do have a good cook. As for vegetarian options, there's not much variety, but they do have salads. Kid-friendliness is a plus, with a dining area designed for large families and children.

The food is excellent, with a great selection of beers, wines, and cocktails. The staff is friendly, and even though the lounge's interior is currently being remodeled, it remains a very pleasant place to be.