Shortly after Tap 42 opened, New Times panned it in a January review, and commenters on Yelp and Urbanspoon went nuts complaining of lax service and uneven food. Some restaurants shutter after such a rough start, but Tap 42 responded by hiring a new chef, a new manager, and a staff that's nearly unrecognizable from opening night. The changes are dramatic. The service is now spot-on, with a staff that's educated about the extensive beer, bourbon, and wine lists. The kitchen is putting out consistently stellar food, from a burger that's among the best around to salads locally sourced at Marando Farms. Then there's the stunning space, including a sweeping bar backsplash made of 15,000 pennies and cross-cut wood beams that are sunk into the back wall. The bar has been crowded since day one, but where you'd once hear grumbling about servers who'd gone missing and food that came out wrong, nowadays the talk is about Tap 42's comeback.