We recently checked out the newly-rebranded “Bandero County Wood Grill” in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin for Sunday brunch.
Previously, this restaurant was called Brisco County and I’m not quite sure why they changed the name. It looks very much the same inside and the menu is also very similar if not the same as it used to be. There was a handwritten sign inside the restaurant that said “New Year, New Name,” so the change must’ve happened within the last four months, or perhaps right on January 1. We hadn’t been here since last August, so we really weren’t sure.
Anyway, we knew that Brisco County used to have a Bloody Mary Flight on their menu (as well as Mimosa Flight), so we inquired as to whether that was still offered at Bandero County.
Our waitress said indeed it was, even though we saw no mention of it anywhere on the menu, or the drink list. Later, I found it on the website, but without a price listed.
That should’ve been the first red flag, but I ordered the flight anyway.
When it came, there were four mini bloody marys with different fixins and salted rims; I estimated that they were about 4oz each. Presentation was very nice, I will give them that:
I expected the waitress to tell me what each one was, but she didn’t offer, so I asked. Turns out, she did not know. She went back to the bar, however, and came back with a list of descriptions (pictured here).
My dining companion chose to order a regular, 16oz house bloody mary (with vodka), which came with a free beer chaser and some basic fixings.
The Bloodies on the flight, as you can see, each had a different alcohol and a fixin’: Classic (vodka + two olives); Pickle (pickle whiskey + pickle); Gin (gin + lime and salt); and Spicy Maria (Tequila + lime + salt).
It seemed that aside from the different alcohols, fixin’s and salt, the overall bloody mary mix was the same in all four from my flight as well as the 16oz bloody… and we both agreed the flavor was very much lacking in all. If your basic mix isn’t good, then whatever you add really won’t help!
So, the bloodies overall were just okay which was disappointing… but then the bill came.
I was astonished to find the Bloody Mary Flight was $22.50! At that point, there was really nothing I could do–shame on me for not asking, but I figured at most it would be $15, or the price of two regular Bloody Marys. The fixin’s received were not even what was listed on the description sheet and there was no chaser provided with the flight option. I could’ve had three full-size bloodies-with chasers!-for what I paid for my mediocre flight. We definitely weren’t prepared for a $60 breakfast.
Spices/Flavor: Basic overall flavor was lacking from all varieties
Fixin’s: varied
Chaser: Free select beers with regular bloody mary; none offered with flight
Price: $7.50 for a 16 oz bloody and chaser… $22.50 for a flight.
If you’re checking this place out for brunch and want a bloody, I would definitely recommend skipping the flight and lesson learned: always ask if a price isn’t listed!
Out For Bloodies 