As an Eastsider, I'm always looking for a great spot for food and drinks close to home.  I was hoping that the Jovian Taphaus would deliver, but unfortunately it fell flat.  The restaurant/sports bar itself is still welcoming and comfortable, and the gorgeous view hasn't changed.  Unlike previous experiences at Cloude 9, our service was great and the beer selection was decent.  But the food disappointed.  \nWe sat at the bar and ordered the mac and cheese, short rib sliders, and fried pickles.  \n\nThe pasta in the mac and cheese was overdone and mushy.  Normally I love bacon, and think it's probably the greatest invention ever, but it completely overpowered the dish to the point that I wondered if the sauce on the mac and cheese actually contained cheese.  Because I certainly couldn't taste any.\n\nThe fried pickles were abysmal.  I love, love, love a good fried pickle, and I think that in order to do them well, you have to start with ice cold thickly sliced pickles so they retain their firmness and crunch through the deep frying.  Unfortunately, these pickles were thin and limp, and so encased in batter that you had to hunt to actually find the pickle.  Plus they were greasy as heck.  We took the leftovers home in a doggy bag for our dogs, and they didn't even like the deep fried pickles.  \n\nThe short rib sliders were easily the best dish of the night.  And by best, I'd say average.  They were fundamentally okay - tender shredded short ribs on a nice brioche bun.  But they could have benefited from some oomph - maybe a bolder aioli or at least more of it.  \n\nIf you like bland \"upscale\" bar food along the lines of your local TGI Friday's or Applebee's, then you'll probably find Jovian Taphaus to your liking.  But if you're hoping for something that's actually delicious and not just meh, you'll be very disappointed.