CITY SLUKKER

Let’s face it. Any watering hole with the name beer in it, is bound to attract the City Slukker’s attention.

And when you add “yard” — well, that simply suggests that there’s a large space involved as well.

Beer Yard therefore ticks a couple of glasses alone on a “thirst come, thirst served” basis.

POPULAR POZZIE: Beer Yard ticks a couple of boxes (SUPPLIED)

The Slukker, of course, knows this particular Richmond Hill pozzie quite well.

But he hadn’t been in the “yard” — except maybe his own rather overgrown one at home — for yonks.

So being Reconciliation Day and all, he and the Slukker-tary-General decided it was time for a little reconciliation with their favourite brew.

In line with many similar celebrations elsewhere in PE/GQ like the Opening of the Sluk-sea-son.

The Beer Yard has an array of craft beers and so CS opted for the Jack Black 500ml draught (always a goodie) at R42, while the S-G took the more international route of a 500ml Heineken draught (also R42).

Both were suitably chilled and delivered with impressive speed by our server, Clayton, who gets full marks on the Buzz Barometer for his huge grin and impeccable service alone.

VISUAL MENU: Beer Yard wall art (SUPPLIED)

With its roomy bar area, pool table and then the main attraction — a “pool yard” — featuring plenty of seating and a pool (the water kind), the atmosphere is most agreeable and indeed, extra festive on this occasion with the holiday season having kicked in.

And boy, everyone agrees that it’s sorely needed (and in need of a smooth cool-me-down) after a bit of a rough 2025.

Beer Yard has daily food specials — posted on a chalkboard outside the entrance — with Tuedays being their “pasta day” for a terrific value-for-money R75. Other specials are equally enticing.

The Slukker team however decided on a chicken and mushroom pizza (R130) and a honey mustard grilled chicken salad (R95).

For a spot known for its pizza and pasta, the chicken and mushroom offering was a tad on the disappointing side — something the slukkers felt could have been vastly improved by a little longer oven time which would have melted the cheese to the right consistency.

On the upside, the chicken salad was fresh and scrumptious with plenty of avocado slices and the most delectable dressing.

So all in all, a great meal but in the end, just some tweaking on the pizza would have enhanced the experience.

So with some really exceptional service and and a really chilled and lounge-about vibe, Beer Yard is definitely an improvement on the Slukker’s own backyard and you will definitely get better service. Guaranteed.

Just a note on the ablutions. The inside restrooms were shipshape and ultra clean, so no argument there.

The Slukking team did find, however, that the men’s outside, open-air urinals are a bit too close to the dining area (with the obvious iffy side effects depending on the wind direction).

And the one flushing mechanism had loosened and was not connected, meaning of course that a flush may well be misdirected and leave the user more than a little flushed himself!

BITE BAROMETER (4 out of 5)

Tasty meals and a large choice. Pizza was a little on the dry side and could have done with more melted cheese to enhance it. Honey mustard grilled chicken salad was superb.