Being new to Pullman, I have been dying to try some of the local cuisine — I wasn’t sure where to start until I heard about Barm & Wallops, a restaurant located on Bishop Boulevard.
It was advertised to me as a “gourmet” sandwich shop and brewery, which piqued my interest. While I am unable to drink, I’m always up for a fancy spin on such a versatile food.
As always, I looked it up on Google to browse the reviews and recommendations for what to order. To my surprise, it boasted 100% five-star reviews from seventeen raters. This gave me high hopes for the food, as I very rarely see such high retention.
I went there with my roommate on a quiet Saturday evening, admittedly a bit early—5:30 p.m.—for dinner. Despite the glowing reviews online, the restaurant was a ghost town.
We were greeted by workers who were quite friendly, and they walked us through the specials for the day. I was impressed by the customer service — they made me feel welcome and eager to try the restaurant’s selections.
There were five main dishes and three appetizers as options, making for a relatively small menu. I ordered the Mortadella, a sandwich with roast salami, provolone cheese and mustard, while my roommate ordered the Meatballs with cheese and pomodoro. Unfortunately, as I am underage, I was unable to sample their brews, but they have a large selection of beer and mead that have received high accolades from reviews online.
These two main dishes and two bottled drinks cost us $42 before tip, coming up to around $21 per person. For college students, this price is a bit steep.
While we waited for our food, my roommate and I found a corner to sit in. The seats and tables themselves were nothing special comfort-wise, but they added to the laid-back atmosphere. We spotted a huge stack of board games and other various activities free to borrow which I readily took advantage of.
The accessibility to activities gave the restaurant a huge number of bonus points in my book. It made my experience much more enjoyable and leaned positively into the casual vibe.
After about 15 minutes our food came out; it smelled and looked divine. I could tell the quality of the ingredients just from the first appearance, giving me high hopes for the taste.
My sandwich, the Mortadella, was love at first bite. It was well-seasoned and buttered — the bread sweetly balanced with the salty salami, which was masterfully roasted and full of flavor. My highlight, however, was the provolone cheese — it was melted to perfect calculation, giving it a smooth, creamy texture without spilling out the sides. Together, it fulfilled all the criteria for a delicious sandwich — I’d give it a solid nine out of 10, would recommend.
I had a bite of the Meatballs from my roommate — they were cheesy and filling, but not as striking or unique as the Mortadella. From the small sample, I’d give it a seven out of 10.
All in all, Barm & Wallops surpassed my expectations in terms of the food. They deserve their reputation as a more upscale sandwich shop due to their clear quality of ingredients. The portions were average and the prices a bit high, but for the taste, I’d say it is justified. It would make for a nice lunch or dinner occasionally, or a hangout spot to catch up with a friend over some beer.
Barm & Wallops is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. On other weekdays, it is open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., and on weekends, it opens at noon and closes at 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 6 p.m. on Sundays.
