Junkyard on 66 Brewery at 1436 E. Hwy 66, Grants, NM 87020

Man o man do I want to rate this place high. I just can’t though. I’ll start with the good, just as everybody else says, awesome motif and a great idea. The cars and parts are a great background and the music was good. I did like the beer as well… but.

It was just odd. I would put this off as we were greeted unexpectedly with the owner and staff demanding a mask… this threw me off a bit as we just can’t from Texas, but I understand that they need to comply with state proclamations and they absolutely have the right on their own to require this. I could also take it as it was the bartenders first day, and it was evident that she was still learning (she did great by the way).
But I just found the entire experience odd… we were forced to order before sitting down 15 feet away, I can assume this was due to the only menu being a white board below the server counter, but it was out of date and they were put off items listed. When we ordered I was asked what chips you want, but wasn’t given any options. As we sat down at the bar, I personally didn’t feel comfortable at all on the bar stools, and noticed the original tailgate tables, a nice touch but I found it super odd that they were the outside of the tailgates which are typically rounded. It made sense when thinking about the engineering. It’s easier to make the tables with mounts that are flat, but that just looked up make it more difficult to hold food and drinks.

We ordered simple BBQ fare and it took longer than expected to get it.

The final bit was when we wanted to pay up, we were asked again to go to the front 15 minutes away to pay instead of paying at the bar. I just found it odd.

I can go on, but don’t want this to be negative. These are just meant to be constructive criticisms. This place is very original and along route 66 I can absolutely see the charm. It just seemed to fall short for me. Maybe a second chance sometime will make the experience better.

Excellent beers and fantastic barbecue in a neat location.

We stopped by for dinner while driving through, and the meal was excellent. We had the stouts and the pulled pork sandwich, and they were fantastic. It was neat to eat on the junkyard theme too.

First, you have to ask yourself, what I am doing in Grants in the first place, roaming around and looking for a place to eat and a nice spot have a beer or cocktail. Next, you admit that you are an alien in a far out town and then you open your mind and heart to see what the Universe provides. In my case, Junkyard.

I’ve read the Covid-times reviews of Henry’s place that reflect the wild difficulties affecting virtually every public enterprise, be it a retail store, a pub, a restaurant, or grocery store, and one experienced reviewer last year was gracious in his conscious awareness that much of the masking surprises he endured were New Mexico state-driven and the oddness of how he had to pay his bill at the front counter seemed stilted. The whole flippin world was like this then and he accepted this as part of his journey to The Junkyard. A good reviewer, he.

I have been a lot of places in my 71 years and still seek out original, one-of-a-kind venues, be it a hotel, bar, restaurant, or dance club. I’ve eaten sushi In Guadalajara (the Best) and Jerk Chicken in Negril, but my visit to Henry’s fantastic creation added another wonder to my bucket list. The Junkyard is his baby and I can say no more. His Alien Stout and IPA are perfect, the brisket was spicy and marvelous, and best of all, the Mad Max sort of atmosphere, inside and outside, left nothing to desire.

By the way, how DID he learn to brew beer and come to have such an offbeat brewery? Why did he buy this old auto yard and have the vision to make it into The Junkyard? And who is he anyway?

A unique bar theme, with historic cars & trucks. Staff was warm and friendly, as we enjoyed chatting with Maria and Beezus. Service was helpful, quick and attentive. Smoked pork and brisket were deeelicious! My favorite was the stout and my husband enjoyed the Alien IPA. Best to you Maria and Beezus! ❣️

We heard of this brewery on the Harvest Host site. We weren’t expecting it to be an actual junkyard. It is one of the coolest bars I’ve ever been in. Everything including the tables and bar are made from car and truck parts. Lots to look at and explore. The bartender Maria was awesome and made sure our stay was great! They have great beers brewed on site. Every Friday they smoke ribs, brisket, and pulled pork. A great place to visit if you are looking for something a little different.