Meat Locker

Blue star is a favorite of mine, so this is a huge disappointment. If you’re going to have an open concept — keep it clean. The kitchen looks about as clean as the obnoxious boys running the show. Dirty clothes, dirtier mouths. Here’s a novel idea — how about not serving RAW chicken?! I didn’t even bother sending it back…

Since their opening, The Meat Locker has lost much of the creative spark it once possessed. With what I ascribe to a change in staff, no longer are there weekly brunch specials (nor is there brunch at all,) the specials change at best occasionally (many of which are just slight variations on normal menu items,) there’s been complete abandonment of the charcuterie intent, innovation has been replaced by dependable, and the ever evolving entrees options have become by a core of none-​too-​exciting sandwiches.
Nothing is wrong with one’s experience at The Meat Locker; what they do offer is a reliable and friendly experience, but which no longer serves as an Ivywild draw.

I called this place 4 times without an answer. their site said they were open, so I went to where Unilocal has it located. it wasn’t there and they still didn’t answer my calls to figure out where it was. impeccable business tactics.

This place doesn’t serve burgers, hot dogs, or bbq. It’s also pretty hard to figure out what’s going on when you walk in due to lack of signs and a funky layout.

GREAT potato salad! Spicy mustard based. Just, yum. The Turkey sandwich was great, but I wouldn’t have been so ecstatic to spend $ 8 if it weren’t for the Potato salad.
I really want to know the recipe.

Had several of their sandwiches and brats via the Bristol Brewery in the last 6 months and have been very disappointed. The brats were just chunky. Had a pulled pork that was just ok. My son asked for ketchup for his brat and we were told they do not have ketchup. What? Bristol is going to have to put a lot of pressure on the meat locker to get some better food or Bristol is going to get hurt. There is no other food in the building, so go have a great beer at Bristol, but skip the food. This is a real problem. Hope you are listening Bristol.

Wow, what a cool place to hang out! The Ivywild atmosphere is just what Colorado Springs needed.
You order at the cashier and they bring the food to you, wherever you choose to sit (including Bristol’s taproom). You can also bus yourself, but they did have staff to clean it up. The guy manning the register was scatterbrained that day, and he was having issues repeating my order. He handed us silverware wrapped in cloth napkins, and we found a place to sit. Food came out in due time with a friendly smile.
We ordered a Chicken & Dumpling and a Thai Sausage Banh Mi sandwich, the latter of which the naming is weird to me because Banh Mi is the Vietnamese word for «Bread» or «Sandwich.» Since it had the word «Thai» in it, wouldn’t you want to name it the Thai word for sandwich? Or vice versa?
The Chicken & Dumpling was very tasty — LOVED the pulled chicken meat. The drizzled green (pesto?) sauce added an element of surprise. The dumplings, on the other hand, were not as soft as expected, and the 3 of them were rather overbaked as they had some darker marks. Also, the liquid was more soupy than expected — if anything, I’d expect the broth to be thicker. Overall, the dish was very good and it was a hearty size.
The Banh Mi was nice as well. Although the hoagie bread had an amazing texture, it was too small. The sausage was very good, but it was on the drier side. Thankfully the peanut butter, cilantro, and other veggies still made it a cohesive sandwich with a Southeast Asian twist even if the name is confusing.
Best part is the vibe. Exposed brick, plenty of seating, good energy from the clientele. Fabulous outdoor patio seating with 2 firepits. There is parking in the back and along the street — all free.
We will be returning.

So after going here for quite a while I am finding that even though I gave it 5 stars initially I would continue to rate the Meat Locker and the Ivy Wild school in general with 5 stars. Though it may be considered simple compared to pricier venues that you are brought hot towels between your courses the fact of the matter is, it gives you some obtainable class and enjoyment without draining your wallet. The menu is small but also unique and changes on an almost daily basis. The fact that you have a small selection allows the people cooking to focus on making your order better than if they had 50 choices for you to make. Their pursuit of getting better each day is noticeable. The name does throw you off as I wouldn’t say it is a deli but more so a café. They like what they do and if they don’t you can’t tell. They expose normal everyday people to healthier or at least more exciting versions of what you would normally eat but they don’t lack in flavor or boldness. For examples: They have a side salad that is extremely inexpensive. Upon getting it you find that it looks quite simple but also vibrant. Upon first bite you find that the lettuce is not cool kind of crunchy but cold and crunchy… perfectly tossed in their house vinaigrette along with tomatoes and onions. It is something simple but it is done well. Second example: Bangers and Mash. They followed the idea and put their own twist on it. Instead of mashed potatoes… mashed squash. Instead of your typical sauce… a special cranberry relish. So here you sit getting your awesome food but you feel at home because it isn’t overwhelming but instead just right. They aren’t perfect, but they are perfect for what they do. I honestly haven’t had very much I didn’t like and if I don’t like it I say something. When I say something they appreciate it. The atmosphere is great. Wood floors. Exposed brick. Fine art. Etc. To re-​purpose a school that has history and charm as opposed to tearing it down to build something new that in 30 years will look dated was a ingenious move. More of Colorado Springs should understand the importance of keeping our historical buildings and re-​purpose them for something better. I will say this. I was raised different than most Americans… so maybe my palette is not on the same frequency as most but I am OK with that. The point of food is be nutritional and healthy. The joy of food is to experience all the flavors it has to offer. I hope you enjoy it here. I know I do.

For a place called «The Meat Locker» we were rather disappointed that there were only a handful of sandwiches and few items that contained meat. Food was tasty, a good value and atmosphere was great but we really hope that they expand their menu with more options.

It hurts my heart and soul to write this review. I’ve been a fan of everything the Blue Star folks have ever done and I LOVE the Bristol Brewery and the new location.
BUT — one star really doesn’t do this place justice. If there were negative stars, this place would have them.
We had a large party, probably around 10 people. Came in on a Saturday night, between all of us we probably ordered almost everything on the menu (literally every side there is). Not to be too much of a downer — but it was all terrible. Not bad, not mediocre, it was awful. This is like my 40^th review, this is the second time I’ve ever given a one star rating.
It wasn’t just me who left this place with a bitter taste in my mouth — the entire group was completely blown away by how bad it is. Next time I’m at IvyWild, I“ll definitely stop by for a beer. I hope this place changes things up — because I really want it to not suck anymore. If they do, I’ll update the post.

What a great little spot. We had a meat plate which had some of the most amazing meats I’ve had. It was awesome. I saw several other plates come out and they look really good too.
They have their own seating or they will deliver the food down to the Bristol tasting room. It’s a cool atmosphere in a wonderful renovation of an old school. I highly recommend giving it a shot.

I’ve given them about 6 weeks since opening to work out the kinks, and things are DEFINITELY improving. They lowered the prices to a reasonable amount for the fare. They are quick, and will bring your food over to Bristol if that’s where you’re hanging out. Food is tasty, selection is reasonable. Meat plate was yummy, as was the Turkey Speedie. I just wish they’d throw in a few kettle chips with the sandwiches!