Update: FO2 part deux
Needed to try their cocktails, so went back for that. Wanted a Manhattan but the rye whiskey hadn’t come in yet. So got the Sidecar, don’t think I’ve had that before, it was a well made drink. Also got the duck confit salad: duck leg was cooked as it should be, falling apart tender but still moist, flavorful, the salad had dried figs and hazelnuts in it, great flavor combination, nicely dressed, low on the acid.
Got there at 7pm, there was a short line that moved pretty quickly, but no place to sit inside. We friended two people sitting at the bar, so when they left we got their seats. Plus we bumped into two friends who happened to be there that night, very cool.

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FO2’s first lunch service was today, starting at noon. We got there at 11:50, of course there was already a line. The doors opened at 12:07. Then there were lines to put in your order. I got the mussels (curry/lime), they were excellent, just cooked, great flavor. Seemed kind of expensive at $14 since mussels aren’t that expensive. Also got the sweet potato fries, now I understand all the raves. And the Tripel Karmeliet, from their list of really special beers— this beer was fantastic! Many of the beers are served in the various beer companies’ glasses—nice touch.
My friend liked the burger, and the regular fries were really good too.

And you have to try the water. They use reverse osmosis filtration, and the water tastes very pure.

Everyone working there was so friendly and completely kept their cool in the face of the onslaught.

I’ve gotta go back in the evening for their specialty cocktails. Too bad for all the hoopla and thus the lines. It would be such a great bar to just step into. The space is quite beautiful, with a 50-ft walnut bar, and generally lots of wood everywhere. Nice red tiles on the wall in the sink area where the restrooms are.

Having heard a lot of chatter about this unpretentious (but not inexpensive) beer and burger lounge, I had a high expectations when I finally tried it out for the first time. I was not disappointed.

This F.O., as the shirts worn by the waitstaff say, was far smaller than I expected, and very crowded for a Monday dinnertime. Since it’s self seating, the ordering and table-grabbing process is pretty chaotic. It would’ve been nice if they had a host that actually helped you find a table, instead of just smiling mutely when you walk in.

Given the pleasant setting of a father’s office (burnished wood and a nice bar), we expected service to be better, but it wasn’t. After we sat ourselves, we had to go to the bar to place our order, and the waitstaff wasn’t the most prompt or attentive throughout the meal.

Luckily for F.O., their food and beer makes up for anything lacking on the service side. There’s only about 10 items on the menu, but you only really need to get one – the Office Burger. And maybe some Sweet Potato fries. Then choose from one of their numerous beers. Trust me, you’ll be happy.

Now that I know what to expect service-wise, I’ll definitely be going back to savor the fantastic food and beer.

Everywhere in life people want options. They want to pour over every possibility, every scenario and leave no stone unturned. Father’s Office offers a lot of choices when it comes to beer but if you’re hungry there really is no other option than a burger that has no peer. Half a pound of dry aged beef, caramelized onion, Applewood bacon, Gruyere cheese, Maytag blue cheese and arugula combine to form perfection. It’s like having Sandy Koufax throw a perfect game for your fantasy team every single day. The bread is ideal in texture in that it holds the burger together so you don’t have a sloppy meal in your hand and in the basket after a few bites. One of the mistakes that burger places make is trying to seduce you with sheer size in meat and toppings but if it’s subpar then what’s the point? F.O.’s perfect portion leaves you happy without having to loosen your belt. Add a basket of their sweet potato fries instead of the shoestring with one of their blonde beers and it really amounts to a perfectly balanced hamburger meal