First Look: Wild Oats Taproom

Wild Oat Taproom is open from 11 a.m.-midnight Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday. (Credit: Liz Morrisey)

Craft beers and the feel of a downtown bar is what Wild Oats Taproom in Simpsonville prides itself on. It doesn't aim to just be a bar. It also wants to be a family-friendly neighborhood restaurant where you can come to catch a game and dig into some fresh food.

"It has a downtown feel, but you don't have to travel to Greenville," says Matt Lamunyon, general manager.

Wild Oats has a menu just for its beers. The bar has 20 craft beers, such as Fat Tire, 1554, Shocktop, Westbrook Belgian Pale Ale, Sweetwater, Bell's Lager Beer, Avery Ellie's Brown Ale and Stella to name a few. The house brew is the Highland Oatmeal Porter out of Asheville, which is a robust beer that's black in color and malty with hints of chocolate-roasted flavor.

"That variety just isn't out in Simpsonville," Lamunyon says. Wild Oats now occupies the space that once was The Zone Sports Bar & Grill at 404 Harrison Bridge Road.

Lamunyon, who is from Greenville, likes to offer local beers like Thomas Creek and RJ Rockers. "I appreciate small businesses and I like to give back. They make a great product."

Wild Oats, which is non-smoking, has 27 televisions and many people hang out at the bar to watch their favorite team or sit at one of the booths and grab a meal. The menu features bare fare that's made to order as well as pasta, steaks, seafood and pasta. "It's not pulled from the freezer into the fryer," he says.

One of the specialties are the wings (a patron at the bar says they're the best in town) There are a number of sauces, including  Chicken Little (their mild sauce), Growing Up (a little hot), Man Up (really hot) or Three Degrees from Hell Hot. If hot wings aren't up your alley, you can order teriyaki, Jamaican jerk, dry rub lemon pepper or Carolina BBQ.

Wild Oats does have starters you might find at your typical bar like nachos, chips and salsa, potato skins or mozzarella cheese sticks. However, it also offers Punyuns — sweet yellow onions, jalapenos and banana peppers coated with a spicy batter. Or try the Frickles — lightly breaded dill pickle chips, deep fried and served with ranch dressing. And by the way their dressings are also homemade.

"We make our own unique menu," according to Lamunyon.

The menu also includes soups and salads, burgers and sandwiches. The main courses are items such as the wild burrito, chicken and riblets, an 11oz sirloin, pasta, salmon, fish tacos and Ahi Tuna. For dessert, you can finish it off with the unique fried Oreos with ice cream.

The craft beers and fresh food might even find their way to other locations in the future.  "If the concept takes off, maybe we'll open throughout the Upstate," says Lamunyon. "We would love to franchise."

Take a photo tour of Wild Oat Taproom.