The Husband and I have good friends visiting us this weekend and weren’t sure what to do today.  We decided to check out the Olde Mecklenburg Brewery but it wasn’t opening until 3pm.  We decided to get lunch beforehand and our friend Heather recommended The Flying Saucer.  She had been there before when in town for business (she’s from DC) and the Husband had been to the one in Columbia, South Carolina and was a fan.  They’re famous for their numerous taps so what better way to prep for a brewery tour than a restaurant with lots of beer?!?!

The beer menu (which I don’t do a good job of showcasing here) is 4 pages long! And lots of columns on each page.  Many taps and many bottles.

Couldn’t get all of the taps in one photo and I don’t think this covers all of them…

And the walls and ceiling are covered in large plates (some call them “saucers” i’m sure )  If you drink 200 different beers (I think), you get your name on a saucer plastered toward the top of the wall.  Only 3 beers are counted per day to help protect from some craziness, but there were some saucers that showed individuals who had had 5 or 7 times the 200 beer requirement.  Amazing!

The menu was divided into types of beers with descriptions of the types.  I decided on the Abita Purple Haze while the Husband ordered the Flying Dog Tire Bite.

Our beers (from left to right):  Matt’s Green Flash West Coast IPA, Heather’s Blanche de Bruxelles wheat beer, my Abita Purple Haze, and the Husband’s  Flying Dog Tire Bite.   My beer was light and refreshing with a hint of raspberry.  Yum!  The others all enjoyed theirs as well.

As an appetizer, I decided to order the Rocket Tots for the table.  They were cheese and pepper potato tots with a habanero sour cream dip.  Everyone at the table loved them and they all said they were surprised at how good they were.  Spicy but not too spicy!

For my entree, I decided to try the Goat Cheese Pizza Slice – pizza with goat cheese, mozarella, onions, and roasted red peppers.  I was very happy with my choice.

The Husband ordered the Sheboygan Side-By-Side – two beer brats with mustard and sauerkraut.  As his side was a potato salad, but not the traditional kind – potatoes with sour cream, bacon and chives.  I had a bite and it was good!

Our friends ordered the Reuben-esque (in the back) and the Kick-Ass Chicken sandwich.  They were both happy with their lunches as well.

With still some time to kill before heading out to the brewery, everyone (but me – I decided to hold out since there would be more beer later), ordered another round.  This time they got the (from left to right) Sierra Nevada Saison Brown, LH Saint Vrain, and Avery IPA.

Our experience at The Flying Saucer was very enjoyable.  Our waitress was super knowledgeable and every suggestion she provided was perfect for what the Husband and our friends were looking for.  We will definitely be back and I look forward to trying out other locations throughout the country.