Cozy Tavern

Sad to say the Cozy Tavern is closed. Sign on the door says closed as of today Jan 19. Too bad, my fave place in this town. I thought they had pretty good crowds but who can tell. A couple weeks ago I was surprised to see they weren’t open for lunch any more.

I would list 5 stars but I do love my coffee and that is the only thing we had a cooment about that it needed longer brewing
On to the 5 star part for Sunday Brunch
I would wait to arrive until 10:30.ish
Delightful choices and they will make some ammendments to the base Brunch menu
The service was great Brittany was helpful and attentive without hovering
The potatoes are great, not greasy and nice finish and texture everything was hot
The biscuits and gravy are Very good too
We had as an after breakfast sweet double chocolate cupcakes presented on a strawberry/​chocolate glacé
Plate which told me we have someone in the kitchen with chef training Bravo!
We are very much looking forward to our next visit in the evening so we can try the beers on the beer wall and the menu selections for after 3:30p are Amazing!!!

The food is on the bland side, but very cheap and still decent in flavor. The pros are that the brunch menu was cute, the service was incredible, and the music was amazing. The music consisted of CCR, Norman Greenbaum, Deep Purple… it was great on top of great.

Love the new Cozy! Menu looks great and our bartender is very friendly! Brunch only menu on Sundays so we just grabbed a beer for now. Will be back soon to try the food since it’s on the higher end side! Also, there is a Bloody Mary bar on Sundays.

Great menu for surf and turf lovers! Full bar, friendly service, and overall good vibe! Sunday brunch menu is simple with all your favorites… Build your own Bloody Mary bar!

We came here a lot during the summer when they had their live music and laid back atmosphere. We ate here the other night and realized they made a lot of changes. The menu change is good, but their food has always been good so no complaints there! However, if you want to make this place more classy then your waitresses need to know the menu and know what bottled beers you have. The people I was eating with had a couple of questions about the ingredients in the chopped salad and veggie (turkey?) burger and the waitress replied «I’m not sure, but I know it has a lot of stuff» it was only until we asked her if she could ask someone that we got the answers to our questions. I’ve worked in the restaurant industry for 10 years all the way from super casual to fine dining and it is just common knowledge that if you’re going to be waitressing, you need to know the menu.
I really hope Cozy Tavern can figure this out because we really enjoy coming here!

The beer wall is a great idea in theory, but the reality is that you pay more for the head than the beer since you don’t have a bartender ensuring a good pour. Also, I ordered the slider trio and found only one burger to be edible. The lamb slider was so gamey it tasted like mutton and the meatloaf slider was completely raw. When pointed out to the waitress, no offer of another dish or refire was made. The bill was not reduced either. Not planning to go back.

For drinks, this is a decent place. Pretty cozy, though the patio feels far too claustrophobic. The inside is a nice place to hang out. The drinks are strong, but the food was pretty blasé. I had the deep-​fried guac which was on my mind since the last time I came for only drinks. I did like the hot sauce and chipotle cream sauce drizzled on the chips, but the main event itself was not all that interesting, The guacamole was just too plain. Needed more salt and probably some cilantro.
I ordered the Cozy steak sandwich. It was chunks of meat that I could not bite through (though they tasted fine, but on a sandwich you kind of need to be able to bite through them), a small quantity of onions (menu said ‘crazy onions’ which must be describing the flavor not quantity) and some decent, but not great smoked bleu cheese. The bread was just the worst, though. Very thick and too crumbly. I think the idea is to soak up the steak juice, but it just wasnt for me. Overall the sandwich was various ingredients that didn’t necessarily work together as a whole.
I will probably be back for drinks, but the food left something to be desired.

Have been to the Cozy 6 – 7 times since they opened and have not eaten there, so I can not comment on the food.
Every time, service was good.
Haven’t quite got the whole «concept» figured out yet. Not «concept» as in a theme or whatever. «Concept» as in, what crowd they are trying to attract and what the idea behind the setup/​décor is.
One of the first things I always ask when a new bar/​restaurant goes into business in Lafayette is; «What bar/​restaurant is someone no longer going to go to because they are choosing to go here?» For The Cozy, it is kind of a Sgt Prestons/​Spurlocks type of crowd/​vibe. A professional-​type crowd that non-​professionals can still feel comfortable in. Have not seen a lot of «townies» in the times I have been. I say «townie“‘with respect.
The layout is odd, for lack of a better word. In understand the lounge feel with the red faux leather and retro bathrooms, but for a place that has «cozy» in the name, it may be just a little too «cozy». The bar has 8 seats and maybe that’s the whole plan. Have sat at the bar and didnt overly enjoy staring at the row of plates on the wall or the guy cooking food.
The dining area only has two TVs, which I compliment, but it also only has two areas where you can sit high and not at the ridiculously short tables/​chairs. Any time I have been here during the day, the owners have been using the high top tables as their desk/​office space which is unfortunate because the high tops provide the only view of the happenings outside.
The room has mirrors all around it and there are limited ways to see outside. I understand that this section of South Street is not the most scenic, but the room feels closed in.
The patio feels closed in, as well. I have seen there are ceiling mounted heaters and big open walls wouldn’t be good in winter, but maybe walls that open partially so that light and ambience from the outside would be let in? Also, the few tables out back are much larger than is needed for four people that are seated there and it is tough to come as a couple and eat out back at a table with such huge tables. (Again-haven’t eaten here but have witnessed others).
There is a chair rail to sit at with glass holders, but it is shoved up against the exterior wall and feels cramped.
In the evenings when I have gone, it has always been busy do something must be right and maybe all the limited light and cramped-​ness i talked about, as well as the cramped seating, is what makes it «cozy». Again, trying to figure out the concept and what exactly the owners are going for.
Can’t forget the Beer Wall. It is a welcome addition in Lafayette, but it is in such a horrible location. Crammed in behind the bar, by the restrooms. When you walk in the Main Entrance, the beer wall, somehow, has to be the focus. Good selection on the wall and good domestic and craft selection on tap at the bar (PBR!!). Be advised though-​if you use the Beer Wall and are not the best pourer, you are paying for the foam you dump out.
Overall, good place. I mean, would I not go there because of what I noted? No. Would I make a «special» trip? Probably not. If you leave downtown or Purdue to head home on the East Side, it’s the only non-​townie, non-​chain restaurant bar before you get to Hour Time and that’s probably why I have been so much.
Overall, it seems like the owners have some great ideas. Nothing here is «bad», it is just in the wrong building. Think about the old Myers Pub building or an updated The Pub (if it still stood), and put these «concepts» in it and you have a Home Run.
I know this review is scattered and disjointed, but once you go there, re-​read this and it will make more sense.

This is the worst place I’ve been in Lafayette in the 8 years I’ve lived here. Service was pleasant but not knowledgeable about their menu or offerings at all. Our waitresses answer to most of the simple questions about their food was «I’m not sure.»
We were there for 1 hour 20 minutes before our food was finally served (when there was a max of about 20 people in the place.) They got two of our party of four’s orders wrong. Half of the food was cold while half of it was lukewarm.
My friend and I also witnessed a horrible incident where one of the waitresses slipped in a doorway on wet tile. The cook we were speaking to about our wrong orders looked back at her as she was clearly hurt and lying on the ground, rolled his eyes, and continued his conversation with us. He didn’t even bother to ask if she was okay. (Don’t worry, we did ask her, and also asked our waitress to check on her.)
I would definitely not recommend this place to anyone. Unless they were an enemy.

I’m really caught off guard by anything less than 4 stars for this place. I was there two days in a row (staying at a hotel down the street) and came away very impressed. We were initially just looking for a local bar to have a beer after work and the Cozy appeared to be close.
The first night we were warmly greeted and sat at the very small bar (6 seats?) They have an amazing tap beer tool with a bracelet that lets you self-​serve and pick whatever you want. In addition, they’ve got some great classics on tap [Coors Banquet, PBR, etc.] that you don’t just get anywhere.
Then there is the food, which is both unique and really exceptional. This is gastropub fair, but they are doing it right. We had the deep fried guac, the house made pork rinds and the daily deviled egg special. All three were excellent, but the curry coconut deviled eggs were over the top good. Highly recommend.
I had the 4 way meatloaf for an entrée’. It was one of the best I’ve ever had. Presentation caught be off-​guard. They cut 3 rounds of ‘loaf’ into medallions and serve it in a hot skillet over mashed potato’s that have crystallized in the heat. Comes to the table crazy hot, but is exceptionally tasty. I’d get it every time.
Table also had the shepards pie and the Steak Sandwich. Both got very positive reviews.
I don’t write a lot of these, but this place deserved it. Our experience was nothing but excellent.

We just finished dinner here on the 4^th of July. We tried to go a few other times but it has been busy and there is very little parking.
Upon entering, we were not greeted, staff just looked at the 3 of us. We took as seat and the staff was slow to come to our table. There were a few other guests besides us at the bar and a few tables. The waitress asked if we had been before and we said no, we had to remind her we were new guests as we needed instruction for the beer wall.
The food was decent, fries were lacking seasoning and a little over cooked. The big shocker was our bill. Nearly $ 70 for two sandwiches and 5 beers!
Probably wouldn’t return due to the lackluster service and seriously overpriced food and drink. It’s a shame because I loved the feel of the place and music.

Does time visiting and we sat on the patio! The patio is nice! We had a variety of appetizers including the deed fried guacamole with chips and salsa… excellent and highly recommend! We also had the pimento deviled eggs, the pimento cheese and crackers (deep fried cheese) and the hand cut French fries! All very good! Loved the wall of beers and the watch system to get your own refills as needed — it also allows you to try a little of each kind. Can’t wait to return to try a burger, steak sandwich or the slider trio!!! Also looking forward to trying brunch sometime on a weekend.

This place has real potential but needs a lot more attention to detail to make it shine. The place is very cute and um, cozy. The service is pretty good, though I always have to ask for the specials. The times I have eaten here the food was hit or miss. The menu looks great, but could use more detail. For example, as someone else noted, the «have it your way burger» offers no options and when you ask the options are your basic lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and cheese. The chopped salad and other items also have no menu description at all.
Last time I ordered a medium rare burger on with fries and got a very well cooked burger. My server cheerfully took it back and brought back a medium cooked burger with a plate of really grey soggy fries. I ate the burger which was good if over cooked but skipped the grey fries. The lady at the table next to me ordered her sandwich with no mustard and got a sandwich slathered with mustard. Again they remade it but she had to sit and wait while her dinner companions ate their dinners.
To their credit when I told the waitress I was disappointed with my meal overall they did reduce my check and took off the burger and I appreciated that, but I really just wanted a great meal and it wasn’t that; a place that calls itself a gastro pub should do better with the food. I am giving them three stars for the effort to make it right and for my prior meals which were better.
I will come back and try again. I would really encourage the owners to work on attention to detail and execution as that is what really makes an OK meal great.

The fried pickled veggies were delicious. The beer wall is a cool plus to the food. My wife and I enjoyed our meals. Highly recommend.

I don’t know why there are people putting this place down. This quaint bar is incredible. The food is delicious. I had the trio of sliders and they were so good they made my whole week better. My fiancée got the duck sliders which were just as good. The best part is that there is a self-​serve beer wall with new brews frequently. The beers are priced by the ounce and you serve yourself so you know how much you’ve spent and how much you have imbibed. The servers were friendly and attentive and the atmosphere was inviting and clean. The bathrooms were nice too. I couldn’t have been happier with my experience

I was so excited for this place, and sad to say I was majorly disappointed. It took 10 – 15 mins to be asked about drinks which was done by the hostess because the waitress was busy. Then the hostess took our food order another 15 mins later because the waitress was still busy. Waitress came later to take our order and was confused why the hostess took our order. Just an awkward situation. The menu is WAYYY over priced, and the food is average/​nothing special. Descriptions on the menu are not great either. The chopped salad really wasn’t a chopped salad. When I asked the waitress why the chopped salad wasn’t actually chopped she replied that they didn’t like to do things the usual way… Well okay.
One great thing… THE BEER WALL! Loved this part. I tried 3 different beers. The self serve allows you to take the smallest or largest sample you want. I really like that. Then I opted to get a 12 oz glass of my favorite one, Space Station Middle Finger. They have 3 different glass sizes to choose from, and the prices of beer are fair for craft beer. I may come here to just use the beer wall in the future. Menu and service need to be tweaked.

I was very excited to try out the new bar in town, the Cozy Tavern. It opened a week or two ago and promises a unique local craft beer experience along with respectable, hormone-​free food. While I enjoyed the concept, the execution left much to be desired and as a result I do not expect this place to become a go-​to bar for many people. The food and beer were good, but overpriced or otherwise problematic. Perhaps some of these issues will be resolved as the restaurant gets a bit more broken in (better training, a more descriptive menu, and Beer Wall instructions would all be improvements), but others — like the dimension and arrangement of the dining area — are critical flaws
The name «Cozy» is very literal, since the dining area is probably abut 40′ x 20′ and attempts to jam as many people as possible into the limited space. So, if you don’t like rubbing elbows with strangers while you eat, its probably best to avoid the Cozy Tavern (this shouldn’t be too big of a surprise though, given the name). Because we had reservations, we were fortunate enough to get one of two 6-​seat hightop tables in the back of the restaurant, which are the best seats in the house.
Food: The menu seemed good. We ordered pork belly and deep fried garden pickles (assorted pickled vegetables including peas, carrots, beats, cucumber, and asparagus) for appetizers. Most of us ordered some sort of sandwich or burger for our meals, which all had good flavor. I do have a big issue with one of the menu items though, and that is the «Burger Your Way.» Many restaurants have a build-​your-​own-​burger option, which is great, but most of those restaurants also provide some sort of additional information about what sorts of things can be put on a burger. Without this, the customer has no clue as to what types of buns, cheeses, sauces, or other toppings are available. Furthermore, the customer is fully reliant on their server to tediously list off every option, which seems like a waste of time and leaves the process open to mistakes, which was the case here.
After getting a rough rundown of some things that are available, I ordered a burger with swiss cheese, mushrooms, sauteed onions, and A1 sauce. Our server returned a while later to let me know that they did not have mushrooms, and so I had asked for garlic instead. Again, the server returned and this time told me that the kitchen was too busy to put garlic on my burger. When the burger finally arrived, it looked to be well cooked but was missing the A1 sauce. So, the server went to get that as well as an order of fries that was missing. After waiting for a bit longer, a manager stopped by our table to see if we were doing alright, to which we responded by asking for our missing items. She ran back to the kitchen and returned with a tiny amount of house steak sauce, leaving me wondering why no one ever mentioned that they didn’t have the requested A1. The house sauce was very different in flavor, but at this point I was just interested in eating my food before it was cold.
The fries were not very good. They’re small, shoestring fries, which are normally my favorite. However, these fries were lukewarm, soggy, and under-​seasoned. The seasoning issue could have been overlooked if salt was available at the table or if they came with more than a tablespoon of ketchup. Unfortunately, every order of fries was like this.
Beer: Although you can order beer by the pint, the Beer Wall is probably the Cozy Tavern’s main attraction. Basically, you get a wristband that allows you to pour 36oz from any combination of the 6 or so taps on the Beer Wall. The wristband itself is free, but you pay for beer by the ounce. There were several local breweries available, but not a great diversity of styles (I think there were 3 IPAs). Its a neat concept, since it gives you more control over what beers you drink, and the pricing is pretty good. It also allows you to circumvent the server, which is good considering the apparently universally slow service. However, the pricing becomes much worse when you consider that you’re paying for head that would normally be discarded by the bartender. Additionally, the whole thing reminded me of waiting for the restroom on an airplane. You have to wait for a path to clear through the tables and dodge people coming and going to the narrow hall were the taps are located. This is also the place where they have parties wait to be seated, so its unclear if theres a line for the tap or not. To operate the tap, you have to wave your wristband over an engraved logo above the tap, but the only way to know this is to ask the busy staff or learn via trial-​and-​error, since no instruction is provided. When you’re done, you get a separate bill for the beer, although mine was mislabeled under a different name for no apparent reason.