Samantha Hedin/ Winonan

With a name that may catch you off guard when you first hear it, Bub’s Brewing Company, pronounced “boobs,” is a fun, high-energy restaurant located in downtown Winona.

I had heard countless positive opinions about this restaurant prior to going, so I took a trip to the restaurant last Tuesday with three of my friends to form my own opinion.

The outcome was certainly nothing short of superb.

When we walked in, there was a sense of enthusiasm that instantly caught our attention. It was very busy, so the wait for a table was rather long. However, there was free popcorn to ease the delay.

Our service was excellent and our waitress was very attentive and had a fun personality.

Each day of the week there is a special deal, except for Fridays. We went on Tuesday, which happened to be buy one, get one free. This was a great deal, which was applied to food that was already very reasonably priced.

In addition, I appreciated the set up of Bub’s. There was the bar, which was off to the side rather than in the middle of everything, tables near the bar and a secluded, sectioned off area.

The only negative aspect of this restaurant was the very small waiting area. When it started to get busier, people found themselves crammed together until they were seated. However, this was hardly a problem once we had been settled at a table.

We were having a great time taking in the atmosphere, and when our food arrived, it got even better. Between the four of us, we ordered the CB burger, the reuben and a chicken ranch wrap.

Prior to receiving our food, we had a steady conversation going, but the fantastic food stole stole our focus and quickly put a stop to the conversation. Each one of my friends gave their meal a five on a scale from one to five, including myself. When we finished, we immediately continued having a good time admiring the lively ambiance.

Because Bub’s is also a bar, this restaurant is definitely pretty loud. Depending on your preference, this may be an element serving in your favor, or it could take away and be fairly distracting. If you prefer a more mellow experience, I would not recommend going here. Conversely, if you are looking for an upbeat, high-energy, delicious, enjoyable place to eat, Bub’s is the perfect option.

With nearly no negative critiques, and as a very impressed customer, I will gladly be going back to Bub’s.