Foothills Brewing Company

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.68/5  rDev +10.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Stopped in here for the Baltic Porter release. Got in a little earlier than most, but what can you do right? This was my first visit to the brewpub, but had heard lots about it from others that I know who have visited. This location is very easy to spot coming up the street with the black and yellow umbrella covered tables out front with the big lettering confirming this fact. Parking in downtown W-S is kind of a pain but luckily there is a parking garage at a hotel just a few blocks up. The overall interior of this place is awesome. Wood everywhere with the brewing vats right at the back of the brewpub with nice large windows for viewing. Sat down at the bar and ordered a drink. They were in the process of cleaning the lines at the time so I had to wait for my brew that I wanted, which was no problem at all as I would prefer a clean line for my beer. While waiting the bartender brought me a water and two samples to try while I was waiting. As I was there by myself at the time the bartender hung out and chatted for a little while which was very nice. Ended up grabbing a bite to eat as well. The sandwich I got was quite awesome and really hit the spot. The release party was very organized and flowed amazingly well. I will definitely be going back to this location again in the future.

08-16-2010 20:35:21 | More by thagr81us

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.1/5  rDev -3.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 5 | $$

Was here for the Olde Rabbit's Foot release with 3 great friends after driving +8 hours...

This is a great place. High ceilings make it very comfortable and place is very very large compared to the beer bars I'm used to in NYC. Bar is enormous and the dining area is very large and spacious.

Quality of the food, beer, and place was also equally amazing. Everything was very clean and maintained in a very orderly manner that made you feel comfortable and relaxed as a patron.

Service was rather good considering the crowd on the day I went. Food came relatively quickly and our waitress rather attentive, coming around often to check if we needed anything else.

The selection of Foothills for a brewpub is average. They had their beers and that's about it. It helps that their beers are fantastic though!!

Food was exceptional. I came here for the beer but left thinking about the "she-crab soup", fried calamari, and chicken strips. The best bar food I've ever had anywhere, hands-down!!

A great place to visit and I wish I was closer so I could come here more often for the food. But Foothills definitely provided a good time and is quite recommended.

12-13-2009 15:57:40 | More by SpeedwayJim

oberon

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev -3.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$$

My second visit to Foothills proved to be much better than my first and really won me over.Located in downtown WS it shows itself quite well with its name in big letters across a an attractive building with its name in big letters outside,very large inside with a large upstairs.Nice wood floors and in back a long bar that both times has been empty when there,service both times has been very good this time the girl was very friendly and always there when needed and filling waters when needed.The food is quite good the first time the cuban I had was ok but not as good as the south Florida renditions the shrimp and grits I had this time was very nice and neatly spiced.both times there new seasonals were on tap to go along with there standard taps the ESB and Pale ale are standouts with the Scottish and Pilsner quite good as well.Only 20 minutes or so from me so not a problem going there often,along with Natty Greenes two nice hand craft beer places near me.

06-30-2005 20:34:08 | More by oberon

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.2/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

My wife and I spent the better part of a weekend getaway (that's what I told her it was so that she would come with me anyway) here during Sexual Chocolate weekend 2011.

A: Very spacious, with a huge bar area that was packed to the hilt both days that we went. The lighting and decor was very inviting and was very reminiscent of some of the moderate-upscale restaurants that I frequent.

Q: About the beer: Well.... this weekend was all about Sexual Chocolate, so I got to try both the 2008 and 2011 version and both were fantastic. Some other notables that ranged from very good to excellent: Baltic Porter, Hoppyum, and Seeing Double.

S: I guess it was as good as it could have been given the volume of people there for the event. However, a few of my friends ordered food at different times and some of the ones who ordered on the late side got their food first. Curious....

Sel: In terms of beer, most of the more common styles were covered. For food, the fare ranged from bar food (eg. fish and chips, burger) to more gourmet selections (shrimp and grits).

F: Everything my wife and I tried was very good with the possible exception of the spinach dip... neither of us really cared for that. NOTE: The shrimp and grits was absolutely fantastic!

V: Since this is near a college campus (Wake Forest), it seemed like the items were priced accordingly. The beers ran between $4-5 and the food was also reasonable priced as well. Large burgers and pizzas for $10-12!

From what I gather, this place is pretty much a fixture in Winston-Salem, and I definitely see why...

02-08-2011 13:32:11 | More by Chaney

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.14/5  rDev -2.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$

Typical pub feel with a lot of wood - I liked the place as the vibe was pretty laid back.

Beers were well poured at a proper temperature and using decent glassware.

Bartenders were very friendly, wanting to offer advice if you were not sure of what to get and did a nice job of paying attention to the customer.

The selection is not enormous but it does cover about all of the Foothills beers that are in season - everything was available on my visit.

They have a menu that appears to offer typical pub food but I did not try any on my visit. I recall from years ago that the mustard and ketchup are homemade with beer as one of the ingredients and were quite good.

If this is your first time visiting, the sampler tray is a great buy but otherwise pints are a touch cheaper than at other local establishments.

11-29-2012 05:19:32 | More by dbrauneis

daliandragon

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -5.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

Stopped by a few weeks ago in the afternoon after an awesome day of hiking in nearby Pilot Mountain State Park on a beautiful early May day. The location is right down town in an attractive old building. Inside it is spacious and classy (long polished wood bar) in the front but more comfortable in the back with stools and small tables on a cement floor.

The bar is impressive looking, with a full bar (liquor) and extensive wine list to go with eight taps, including my beloved Seeing Double DIPA. The patio out front was also nice although I didn't get to partake, only in town for a quick brew. The service seemed a bit lax; even though there was almost no one at the bar besides me; I waited with an empty glass for a good ten minutes. Also, the prices seemed a little extravagant for what you get.

I would certainly return and give it another shot, and I love their beer but I have to admit I left feeling slightly unfulfilled.

05-18-2008 06:33:33 | More by daliandragon

tpd975

Florida

4.18/5  rDev -1.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

Headed to Winston-Salem for the Sexual Chocolate release.

A: Really nice brew pub. Front part is restaurant with a bar in the back. Nice looking place with a cool brick wall running behind the bar.

S: The front restaurant area has booths and tables. The bar is high boys which I like. The service was quick and with the smile despite being very busy due to the sexual chocolate festivities. It seemed as there was a team approach going on. We were asked by various people if we needed anything. We did not, as service was spot on.

Q&S: They had quite a few beers on but I stuck to the sexual chocolate since I was to attend the tasting later in the night. It was a good batch of sexual chocolate as was the 2009 batch I tried.

F: The menu had a bistro feel to it. I had the fried pickles which were pretty good (have had better though). The Ostrich burger caught my attention and it was pretty flavorful since it is prepared with chopped jalapeno's. The bun was a bit crumbly indicating it was not the freshest. I chose the pasta salad for a side, and I was a bit let down by it. Sort of blan and not real flavorful. I have had boxed ones that are better.

That being said the meal overall was good, a fresher bun and the choice of a different side would have made it very good.

V: Prices were good and service was great.

Overall: Really liked the place. The Sexual Chocolatie release ran very smoothly and they were nice enought to invite us inside out of the cold.

I give them an A- overall, A++ on the events surrounding the sexual chocolate release.

I can't wait for my return next year.

02-12-2010 21:00:45 | More by tpd975

jophish17

Georgia

3.63/5  rDev -14.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5 | $$$

Visited while in Winston for a Georgia Tech football game

I lucked out and was able to grab a parking spot on the street, close to the pub. The crowd had spilled out onto the sidewalk that evening, and was very lively. A band was playing up front, but we took our seats at the bar in the back. Fun environment to be in, but that is probably influenced by it being on a weekend night.

Bar service was fairly quick - a few taps, and I think all of them featured Foothills beers (a welcome sight for me). I started with the oktoberfest, which was seriously good. A bit bigger, but also better than most in the style. My other beer was the Seeing Double, which I've had before, but not at the source, so freshness was an upgrade. With a smaller selection, I imagine the turnover is better than average.

We grabbed a couple late night snacks, which were decent, but were also a bit pricey (at least from the perspective of this Georgia boy)

Foothills is pretty good - an above average brewpub with solid beers all around.

11-02-2010 18:39:17 | More by jophish17

OldFrothingSlosh

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev -1.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

I finally had a chance to visit the FBC last weekend as part of the North Carolina gathering.

Location seems to be pretty ideal for the lunch crowd wanting to get away from the office downtown and catch a good lunch and perhaps a pint or two with a client. Given the success that the two local Capital Ale Houses in the Richmond area have had drawing on this group, I hope FBC thrives.

The front of the building is very "clean"...green front with lots of brick. Some outside seating as well. Upon entering, you see a large dining area that is two stories high. Very open and the "lots of brick" theme carries over. Off to the right is a long, yet narrow, multi-windowed smaller room that was reserved for us. Further back is the bar to the left...which is a real beaut. Lots of dark, warm, and inviting-colored wood with two serving stations, many seats, and two plasma TV's. You can smoke back in this part, but not out front. All the way to the back is the brewing equipment and storage area.

All the beers were quite good. I tried several different beers: the scotch ale, stout, ESB, Pilot Mountain pale ale, pilsener, and a one-off IPA that was stellar (AKSmokedPorter and I took home a growlers of the single-batch IPA and stout). Very fresh and tasty. Solid lineup of beers to appeal to most of the common crowd, yet there's a few that appeal to those with a more refined palate.

Service was good, too. Orders brought quickly and correctly. Didn't get a chance to see what sort of beer knowledge the wait staff had, but I suspect they know a thing or two about what they are serving.

Decent selection on the menu. Didn't get a chance to immerse myself in the selections, but the few dishes I saw around the table looked good and for the most part were consumed completely. My turkey bacon sammy was tasty and the ketchup was the shit (made on site with one of their beers, as is the mustard).

The brewer (Jamie) was on-hand for the gathering and really made us feel at home. He obviously enjoys what he does and the fruits...er....beers of his labor are well-crafted. He gave us a great tour and appears to have things well in-hand to start distributing kegs out and about. Kudos to the lucky wedding party that ordered kegs from him!

Prices are a little cheaper than my area, with pints around $3.50. Growlers (1/2 gallon) filled for $13, with refills on the cheap. Prices for food were very reasonable.

I liken this place to our own Richbrau and Legend, but with a better lineup of beer and more inviting atmosphere. Hopefully, the locals will taste the goodness Jamie is brewing and make this a welcome addition to the downtown area.

Do yourself a favor and stop by if you are in the area. And if you live in the area, feel very lucky.

07-30-2005 01:57:52 | More by OldFrothingSlosh

nickd717

California

3.98/5  rDev -5.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5 | $$

Solid joint. I went here at 7pm on a Sunday night with my friend who was trying to go out and "beat it up" (the way he refers to meeting a nice, respectable young woman at a social establishment and returning with her to his residence for a rather enjoyable evening). He remarked, "Come on! This place is dead!" No shit, Sherlock, it's a Sunday night, and early still. For comparison, the Deac'n Dive afterwards had a total of 3 people in it, all over the age of 60.

Anyway, I digress. They had 8 beers on tap here. Some were rather pedestrian, but the others were pretty good. Seeing Double IPA was best, People's Porter was second. Our server was very responsive and gave us the lowdown on the Sexual Chocolate release. I ordered a Cuban sandwich with a side of mac 'n cheese, which was good. Some menu items were a little overpriced but the beer prices were very reasonable. Pretty nice atmosphere, besides the fact that it is not a rockin' party on a Sunday evening. Big place and nice setup though. Like Arnold says, I'll be back (if I find myself in the area).

09-02-2009 21:48:58 | More by nickd717