Has Monkey Wrench Brunch Gone Downhill?

My husband and I stopped by Monkey Wrench on Sunday for the brunch buffet. In a word, awful (and we like the Monkey Wrench most of the time). The brunch buffet we had there about a year ago was fine, so I am wondering if things have gone downhill or were they just having an off day.

The food....
We spent some time, trying to figure out what was going on with the gravy. It was weirdly sweet. We finally decided that someone in the kitchen had intended to salt it and had mistakenly grabbed sugar.

The eggs were the pre-fab, bag stuff. Cold and bland. The sausage patties were super dry and oddly flavorless. Bacon soggy. Biscuits dry. Then there were other items we just couldn't figure out.

The grossest thing was this one chafing dish filled with roast beef strips and mashed potatoes -- all stirred up into one very gray, unappetizing mess. They weren't mixed up due to diners serving themselves and inadvertenly messing up the presentation. They were actually intended to be stirred together. The result was not pretty. I didn't try it.

I won't go on, but back to my original question. Was it just an off day? Has anyone else tried their Sunday buffet lately?

I've only had the buffet once, and it seemed mostly prefab/thaw and bake stuff. IMO. I don't know that I'd call it bad, but certainly not impressive. But then I didn't expect to be very impressed for $10. But I didn't have sweet gravy and I don't eat meat so I would not have had the beef. The grits were quite strange, though.

I've been once and it was almost inedible it was so bad.

I've been three times. It is at its best when busy, there is much faster turnover in the buffet items and the taste is much better. When it has been slow, the buffet items have been . . . not as good.

It is at its best when busy, there is much faster turnover in the buffet items and the taste is much better. When it has been slow, the buffet items have been . . . not as good.

This could have been part of the problem. It was not very busy. There were only about eight diners when when we were there.

I had the buffet there about a year and a half ago and was really unimpressed. We've been back since for regular food, but I definitely wouldn't go back to the buffet. It was unfresh and blah.

Velocity wrote a lil article today about 5 brunches. Here's what they had to say about MW:

Monkey Wrench

1025 N. Barret Ave.

The Bluegrass Brunch ($10) has always been a favorite. All your favorite breakfast dishes are here, along with delicious lunch selections. We enjoyed lemon-pepper breaded fish nuggets with garlic mashed potatoes. The biscuits and gravy and French toast with fruit toppings are a treat. The most unique feature is the Bluegrass music that plays while you eat.

Here's the link to the rest of the story - http://www.velocityweekly.com/apps/pbcs ... 81001/1065

I didnt know there was an uphill at that place. I have been there 4 times out of friendly pressure and all four times were atrocious. I can't believe that place survives.