I went to Schmitt's Saloon when they FIRST opened - like had a limited menu and everything - and it was one of the worst dining experiences I've had in Morgantown - maybe anywhere. So much so that I debated how to write my review until so much time passed that I probably couldn't have even written an accurate one. It just wasn't even clear in my memory anymore.

I can tell you the service was atrocious - I waited more than an hour to get my bill. The food was awful - including a fly in a cup of ranch dressing, wings that were undercooked, and a burger that was supposed to have cheese in the middle but was instead burnt and all the cheese had seeped out.


Since then, I've had friends tell me it's gotten better and I should try it again. So, I did.

Schmitt's Saloon is positioning itself to be the premier country bar in town. There was a lot of press (and here and here and here, just to name a few) about it opening because WVU football standout Owen Schmitt is the mastermind behind the restaurant/bar. They frequently have live music, including the Davisson Brothers, with whom they headquarter.


It's located across from the Glenmark Center, so there is some parking available. Inside, the wood comes from reclaimed church benches, which I was told my first visit. There's a bar and stage area. They serve drinks in mason jars. The girls wear short short jean shorts - denim panties really - with flannel and cowboy boots. A jukebox in the corner plays country hits on repeat - sometimes too loudly.

And the menu? Well, seems like something that a football player created: fried pepperoni rolls, bourbon glazed deviled eggs, deep-fried pizzas, funnel cake, deep-fried Snickers, deep-fried Oreos, etc. Lots of shock value, novelty items.

To start off, we ordered the Schmitty Sampler: Jammin Fries (sweet potato fries topped with peanut sauce, bacon and banana chips), bourbon deviled eggs, fried pickles and fried pepperoni rolls.

Jammin Fries - What an odd assortment of stuff. The peanut sauce was fine, I think. But the bacon wasn't nearly as crispy as it should've been. And the banana chips were nonexistent. But the fries themselves were okay. Seems like an ambitious idea that just didn't pan out.

Bourbon deviled eggs - These are okay. My mom makes a killer deviled egg, so this has nothing on her. The filling was fairly flavorless, and I like mine to be much more tangy. The bourbon glaze added a little sweetness.

Fried pepperoni roll - good. It's a good pepperoni roll, filled with pepperjack cheese, so it's all nice and melty inside. And the outside is just a little crispy instead of soft dough. Tasty. I was also a fan of the marinara.

Fried pickles - Fine. I dipped them in the honey mustard, which had a little kick to it. But I think if these were chips, they would've been better. The batter fell off most of it so meh. Kind of flavorless.

For my entree, I went with the deep-fried pizza - because where else can you get that? They're personal sized pizzas that are deep-fried and topped with sauce and cheese. You can add mushrooms, onions, olives, pepperoni, peppers and sausage. You get two small pizzas for $8.79.

This isn't really as exciting as it sounds. It's just a puffy dough with some sauce and cheese on top with three or four of the toppings you requested. Maybe if you like really thick, pillowy crust, it would work. Otherwise, it seems like a recipe gone wrong.

Dessert was fried Snickers and fried Oreos. Because fried.

The snickers was just lovely. It had a little blueberry drizzle over it. There's just something lovely about a hot chcocolate, caramel and nut candy bar covered in a batter. Good.

Oreos - here's their description on the menu: "The best tasting cream and goo you'll ever have in your mouth." Blech. But I'm not a big fan of Oreos to begin with - the snickers definitely wins out for me.

Grade: C