FOTB- Bare Back Grill

We head "south" to try out a taste of...

Bare Back Bar & Grill, a New Zealand inspired joint. Located in Pacific Beach on 4640 Mission Blvd, it's just far enough from the crowds of Garnet to not be too crowded, but you'll still find that it's close enough to make the parking situation a little frustrating.

The Food: 3.5/5 Stars
We ordered 2 baskets of fries for the table to split. Fantastic! If I stop my review right here, Bare Back easily receives a 5 star rating. The crispy fries are sprinkled with cracked pepper and some seasoning, and yes, they really are that good. The burger itself was good, but doesn't stand apart. I ordered the Queenstown Fave. The beef was tasty, but everyone's meal came in undercooked-- unacceptable. The BBG sauce didn't wow me over, but it should, because everything on the menu comes with it. The burgers were good portioned and filling, but not overwhelming. The burgers here just don't seperate themselves enough to deserve a better rating. But the fries do!

The Drinks: 3.5/5 Stars
Although Bare Back only offers beer and wine, it scores a couple of points to just beat an average rating. There is a choice selection of draft and bottled beers, but most are run-of-the-mill. You have draft and bottle options, but they are mainly macrobrews, Lite beers, with a couple of better options (No, not Corona. That beer still sucks, but you can score a Kona or something similar.) What they do have that scores them a bonus point or two is "their beer" and wine-based margaritas. Pyramid brews an amber ale for Bare Back and it is good. The look is more apple cider than beer, but it is tasty. I recommend a pitcher of it. Offering wine-based margaritas is a nice option. Most people can't tell the difference based on taste, but they pack less punch, allowing you to enjoy 1 or 2 without worrying about becoming overly inebriated.

The Atmosphere: 3.5/5 Stars
Very casual. There is amble seating, including a small outdoor patio that makes it easy to see the water as well as people watch. There are a couple of TV screens playing surf videos in the background. The space is large enough that people aren't really positioning themselves for the next table and they don't need to shout to be heard by their own table. Being PB, you will still run into some drunk assholes [Editor's note: We aren't sure who started the bantering, but our money is on our very mellow friend and not the hammered old dude who slurred his words.]

Overall: 3.5/5 Stars
Bare Back Grill is just an average place with great fries and good specials throughout the week. The specials make this place worth going to, not the burgers. Everything is casual and there's not wait, so if you want a low-key place, this spot is worth coming to if you don't want to hassle with a crowd. So fill up on food (be sure to get the fries) here before fighting the crowds on Garnet.