Pomegranate Rating: 7/10

The newest addition to the long list of restaurants in Livermore, Huckleberry’s is a New Orleans-themed restaurant from a successful chain. After visiting the restaurant this past weekend, here are my thoughts on the food, atmosphere, and service.

As I was going to Huckleberry’s restaurant over a weekend, there was a wait but a short one that was accurate to the time the hostess gave us. When first entering the restaurant I found the decor charming enough, but the more I had to wait, the hokier it became. Made to mimic the swamps of Louisiana, if you had no prior knowledge of the chain you might not understand the food would be that of New Orleans, which is not swamp-like.

Once I got to my table, I was able to see even more into the odd layout of the restaurant. There are noticeably not many tables and you can see the big gaps where it would appear there is nothing. This could be partially to blame for the wait to get in as the restaurant certainly doesn’t make good use of the space they have.

After being cheerfully greeted by our waitress, I ordered the “Iced Caramel Macchiato”, “Mardi Gras Beignets”, and the “Sweet Cream Flapjacks”. Receiving my drink first, I was slightly disappointed by the iced drink. The strong caramel flavor overpowered the coffee, which tasted much weaker than I expected. Overall it was a very sweet drink that wasn’t the best choice for my meal.

As an appetizer, I ate the “Mardi Gras Beignets” which Huckleberry’s labels as their signature dish. Their own twist on what a beignet dish should be, the restaurant serves three big beignets with sides of strawberry jam, peach jam, vanilla cream, and fitting enough, huckleberry jelly. I was happily surprised by the quality of the beignets, which were able to achieve the puffiness and softness that is hard to get outside of Louisiana. The jams also were a good side and tasted quite good on the beignets.

As a fan of breakfast foods, I had the “Sweet Cream Flapjacks” as my main course. Unlike many of the restaurant’s other dishes, the pancakes did not come with any special flourishes. Served with two well-sized pancakes, a dollop of butter, and a side of maple syrup, the pancakes were just that. That isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy the meal, as the pancakes were cooked to perfection and came with plenty of syrup.

What was most notable about the experience was the speed and readiness of the staff, especially our waitress who was quick on refills and brought a cheerful attitude to the job. The kitchen was also quick and I didn’t have to wait long at all for the drink or the food.

While there might not have been too much to criticize, there isn’t enough to praise either. While the meals were good, they were not as spectacular as marketed, and I see no reason to return to Huckleberry’s, not even for their famous beignets. Considering the food, the staff, and the restaurant itself, Huckleberry’s was a 7/10. Although not worth waiting for, they do have good breakfast dishes, so if you’re not busy it might be worth a try.