Tapping out - don’t waste your time

I have never felt so strongly about a restaurant as I do about Tap 42. This weekend we planned to see family and friend and on Sunday we planned to meet for brunch in Ft. Lauderdale. Having not known the local Brunch establishments, many recommendations were presented and we landed on this one. Great reviews. Landed on many top 20 list of brunch places in the area so why not.
The venue itself is very nice! A Modern Industrial feel with hanging fixtures of mixed sizes and shapes of Edison bulb lighting, dark wood tones, aluminum siding and bar stools. Outside of serving brunch with bottomless mimosas on Sunday it is apparently a popular night venue.

When we arrived there was a line of people that gave me comfort in the quality of food I was about to partake in.  We made reservations in advance for 11 and they took us to an 8 top. Could it be a sign? They recovered fairly well and made up for the mishap and extended a nearby two top to the 8top and stuck a chair at the end. Our server Stephanie was very good. I don’t envy her knowing that when you have a line of people waiting you have to know that you’re entire section will get seated all at once. And she and all of the other servers handled their business professionally.
The menu seemed pretty promising with things like Chicago style steak and green eggs Benedict. I had chicken and waffles - one of those classic dishes I like to try when I see it on the menu and compare.

I did not try the other dishes that we got as I usually like to do because I was feeling under the weather earlier in the week and still recovering so no germ 🦠  spreading for us. So this review is simply based on my own food and the observations of my party.

In the picture there are two slices of watermelon missing because I’m allergic but the watermelon comes with it. Seems a bit racially stereotypically for the pairing😳. The presentation was nice on heavy ceramic like plates and a tiny gravy dish of syrup.

So here it is. The chicken and waffles cost $17.50 for two waffles about the size of larger coaster and four chicken fingers - oh and the two slices of watermelon. The chicken fingers lacked flavor and were dry. Better tenders can be found at any of your local fast food establishments for far less money than what you get here. The waffles also lacked anything memorable but did have sugar crystals in the batter to make it sweeter. I’d rather eat cake if I wanted to eat sugar. Tap 42’s Chicken and Waffles lands at a 1 on the scale. The worst I’ve ever had.

Jimmy has the Chicago steak that was served on “classic hash browns” topped with sunny side up eggs. I do have to say that all the dishes served at our table with eggs were all perfectly made. But classic hash browns are the ones you get at McDonalds which requires you to have a deep fryer for the prepackaged and processed hash browns they serve (nothing fancy or hard about making it). The small amount of filet served on top was insignificant and flavorless. This didn’t come from me- that was Jimmy’s opinion.

So I came away knowing that Tap42 isn’t known for their food but for the atmosphere it provides to its patrons. The ability to get hammered on bottomless whatever for a low price of $25.
Having experienced brunch here, I have no desire to see what dinner looks like. It’s not a place I would spend money to eat at ever again and if you are a person who loves tasting great food- you’d want to avoid this place. Your hard earned dollars can find a better place to eat like First Watch.

On a side note: patrons there are inconsiderate rich kids driving fancy cars that rev their engines when children are close by very loudly for no reason at all.  Thanks to Pizzaa and McMellon🤬. Just adding to the reasons to avoid this place.