Brewhouse Grille

Edwin

Pennsylvania

2.56/5  rDev -36%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2.5 | service: 1 | selection: 4 | $$

Ahhhh...a new beer bar in the 'burbs of the HBG! After reading an article on this place that claimed "it's all about the beer", I got very excited and rushed over right after work to bask in its beer-fueled glory...in the immortal words, 'not so fast, my friend'.

Atmosphere - OK, I used to live 1/2 mile from this place when it was still the Iron Kettle. A dank, locals place with crap beer and surprisingly good food. So, my perception of the atmosphere is a bit skewed out of sheer disbelief that this is the same building. Overall, it was OK. Still some of the yokels drinking MGD bottles, etc, but more of an upper-scale crowd mixed in. People having a good time and overall enjoying themselves. Not bad, although there was something missing to it.

Quality - You can tell this is their first week. Between cooks hustling food in and out of the kitchen like lines in a hockey game and the Appetizers being in the BACK of the menu, it's fairly obvious they need to work out some kinks. My Magic Hat was served in a frosted pint glass, and I watched in horror as they served up a Delerium Tremens bottle with a frosted pint glass as well. I am going to rate it as a 2.5 because it's unfair to completely kill them for their early-game jitters, but I sincerely HOPE they get some better organization in here, or it won't be long before the place is gone.

Service - For ONCE I get to write a bad service review. I am easily pleased, and it doesn't take much for me to say 'you know, it was a bit slow, but they were busy' or something to that effect. I always sympathize with the help. Not this time, Jack. I walked in and sat at the stools behind the bar and watched the Dukes of Hazzard movie special on MTV. Two seats opened up at the bar, so I bellied up and took one. My beer was done about 20 minutes later, and apparently, so was my drinking in general. The bartender (who obviously knew as much about beer as my 2-year old nephew) passed me by for a good 25 minutes before even acknowledging me. When she finally did, I asked for a Hops Infusion. I might as well asked where Hoffa's body was. So instead of getting my beer, she made a few Martinis and then searched for my bottle. She almost didn't give me a new glass, so I kindly asked for a new, unfrosted pint and a menu. Surprisingly, I got both. I decided what I wanted, and was ready to order it to-go. I sat the menu down on the edge of the bar and waited...and waited...and waited. Nothing. My beer empty, my anger rising. Finally (25 minutes later) she came back to me with my receipt...
Her: "I have to tab you out for the next shift of bartenders".
Me: "Can I add some food and another beer?"
Her: "No, you have to ask the new bartenders."
Me: "HA! Really?" "Awesome"
I paid my $8.50 and was far less than interested in ordering anything more at this point, so I jetted. They really went out of their way to hire the cute, bubbly girls in this place, and it shows. They have no idea what they are doing.

Selection - Hey, not bad. Only 7 taps, but an admirable bottle selection. They hope to have up to 150 different beers someday. I pray that the wait staff and bartenders get to know the difference between Dogfish Pale Ale and 60 Minute IPA. The menu was very diverse and had something for everyone.

Food - N/A, but not for a lack of effort. See above.

Value - $8.50 for a Magic Hat pint and a Weyerbacher Hops Infusion bottle. You can do better in the HBG area, but this isn't all that bad.

Overall - Like the top of the NBA draft, this bar has "tremendous upside potential". Hopefully it will become Kevin Garnett, and not Darko Milicic. Hell, I'd settle for Sam Bowie or Chris Washburn at this point. The owner was bragging about having up to 150 different beers someday, but he's gotta get things in order first. I am going to sick Jaysus on them soon...I am just too laid back to say anything. Go if you dare, and let them know what you think.

07-29-2005 13:05:30 | More by Edwin

HombreWing

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -16.3%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5 | $$

SMOKEY ! uncool ! IMO some really good beer there but what the hell does that matter when my snout is filled with cigarette smoke ?..even in the non-smoking area :( ...Smokers carrying lit smokes were allowed to stroll through non-smoking to an outside area...LAME !

The waitress was attentive but short on attention if you will. When only one of two people can get "A water please." before she turns and goes is poor service.

Enjoyed 2 Bell's two-hearted ales (fresh...great hop burps!) w/ a blackened chicken sandwich with blue cheese....decent.

I'd rather only go back if it becomes non-smoking all together.

12-22-2007 05:56:08 | More by HombreWing

86sportster883

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -10.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3 | $$

First off, if you are using a GPS to find the Brewhouse Grille you will have to enter 2050 Hummel St. vs. State St., otherwise, you'll wind up at a dead end with no bar in sight.

I initially sat at the outside bar/deck to catch the last of the day's sun. The folks were friendly, but the beer choices were limited. So, after a couple of Troegs' Sunshine Wheat I headed inside for a flat bread pizza (as recommended outside by one of the locals). Inside there was a greater selection of beers on tap which included:

Blue Moon, Magic Hat #9, Coors Light, Miller Lite, Stella, Yuengling, Guinness, Harp, Sly Fox Pilsner, Troegs' Hop Back, Pale Ale & Sunshine Wheat, Victory Golden Monkey, Erie Derailed, SN Harvest & Pale Ale, Franziskaner Weisse, Hoegarden, Smithwicks, Sam Adams Summer and Ithica Sunny Wheat.

The inside of the Brewhouse was just your average bar coupled with a good sized dining area. The bar area was nothing fancy, maybe a few notches up from a spruced up VFW post, complete with old guys sitting around drinking Bud Light (it was a Monday night). The dining area fell somewhere between an upgraded pizza joint and a mid range Mexican franchise. The flatbread pizza was unique, but not exactly something I'd go back for, or even recommend.

On the plus side, the bars (both inside and out) have rows of flat screen TVs to keep you entertained, the bartenders are prompt and the prices were very reasonable. Not sure that I'll be going back any time soon, but if I happen to crash my car right outside, I'd go in for a beer.

07-21-2009 03:03:33 | More by 86sportster883

Fish113d

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -9.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4 | $$

Well, after reading Dead Guy's review of this place, i figured I'd try it out after a week or so and give it time to settle in.

Glad I did!

My finace and I walked in through 1 of the 2 entrances (one entrance by tables and another entrance by the bar). The bar is U-shaped with about 20 bar stools/chairs around it. Around the bar are 5-8 pub tables. The bar area, which we sat appeared remodeled and nice. The actual dining section looked about bit trashy and not remodeled. However, I was there to check out the brew menu, so I didn't really care about the seating area.

Well lit, the bar area was nice. A few Megatouch machines sit on the bar, there's an internet jukebox in the corner, which pumped Dave Matthews, Rusted Root, and some other decent bands from, and a Golden Tee Live machine which is ALWAYS bonus in my book!

I had 3 brews while I was here. I had one brew (Smithwick's Ale) from 1 of the 7 taps they have set up with all but 2 microbreweries, which is nice. I then also had a Three Floyd's Alpha King and finally a Weyerbacher Decadence for "desert".

My finace had a Boddingtons and then a Franizkaner Weiss from tap. I happened to know the bartender from childhood, but her lack of beer knowledge ranging from what good beer was to knowing what kind of glass to serve Weiss in (my finace's was served in a pint instead of a Weiss glass), and all of my brews were served in a pint glass or a 7 oz. mug, which kinda pissed me off to say the least, but since I knew the bartender and I knew she didn't really know, I helped educate the poor girl in bartender beer info. She was appreciative of that.

Food: My fiance had a pasta dish (Brewroom Pasta) involving chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, peas, and bacon, with a smoked alfredo sauce...very good! Along with that, she was served a small garden salad to start, which was more than just lettuce. I had the 12 oz. Pork Chop with a Carribean Mango glaze sauce on it, served with a house salad and mashed potatoes, which were great. A little pricey on the food, but the food was good enough that it didn't bother me.

The beer menu is probably 40 beers "weak". However, I found the Alpha King and the Decadence by looking in the front coolers for myself, to which I found there to be a more wide variety of beers than the basics...be sure to take a look for yourself. The bartender informed me that they will be "upping" their selection to over 120 different brews within time...hopefully the next time I go!

Overall, it seems to be a decent place with some promise, but it just needs some tender loving care and some BA's to keep it honest!

08-07-2005 20:16:28 | More by Fish113d

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5 | $

Atmosphere: The Brewhouse has both a dining area and a bar. The two are reasonably segregated to prevent the smoky bar from permeating the establishment. It also looks like there is a patio in the back for warmer weather.

Quality: Service was fast and efficient and the establishment appeared clean. There was also a smattering of video games in the bar area that complimented the 6 or so big screen TVs.

Service: Bar service was attentive, providing additional pints of Pliny the Elder as requested (the whole purpose of my visit was for the Elder). They replaced a glass, kept my section of the bar clean and were friendly. No complaints here.

Selection: Selection was impressive. Draught offerings including Pliny the Elder, Bell's HopSlam, Corsendonk Noel, Stone IPA, a Lindeman's varietal (missed exactly which one) and Troegs, along with the standard BMC taps. There appeared to be a good bottle selection in the refrigerator as well.

Food: Food ran the gamut from pub grub (wings, etc) to steak and other upscale offerings.

Overall, the place was very reasonable. My two pints of Pliny (plus tip) ran $7 total. Certainly a steal by any guideline.

12-22-2006 15:10:52 | More by akorsak

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -3.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3 | $$

Decided to stop in at Brewhouse Grille for lunch with two co-workers since it is in such close proximity to our office. Upon entering, I immediately noticed the oddly shaped bar and multitude of taps… twenty in all! It was quite busy, so we found three vacant seats at the bar in front of the beer coolers and made ourselves at home.

There were two coolers with five shelves each packed to the gills with nothing but micros. The majority were US micros, including DFH, Blue Point, Flying Dog, Sierra Nevada, Sea Dog, Rogue, Stone, etc. with plenty of PA breweries represented, including Legacy, Troegs, Weyerbacher, Lancaster, ABC, Victory, and Stoudts. Their imports included Fullers, Chimay and some other Belgians, Boddingtons, etc.

I was quite impressed (and surprised) by their tap selection, which boasted twenty different beers, all of which were micros and imports save three reserved for Coors Lite, Miller Lite and Yuengling Lager. The micros on tap were as follows: Stone IPA, Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale, Blue Point Hoptical Illusion, Troegs Mad Elf, Rogue Dead Guy, DFH 60-min., Sierra Nevada Celebration and perhaps a few others. Their import offering included Frambroise Lambic, Smithwicks, Guinness, Harp, Stella, Franzi and Molson.

For lunch, I got a bacon cheddar burger with seasoned fries. The burger was average, but the fries were great. Our service was very good, and the bartender was quite knowledgeable about the various beers. However, it took forever to get our food, so they lose some points for that. One of the guys I was with got soup and a salad, and he got his salad after we were all served. I took at least 45 minutes to get our food. To drink, I had a Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale and a Chimay Blue. Both were very good, though I preferred the Bell’s (just a personal preference to hoppy ales over Belgians).

Overall, I was very impressed with their tap selection and the service was very good. The food was decent but it took way too long to get our food. It was quite crowded, smoky and noisy during our visit, but that’s understandable because it was during lunchtime. With all that said, I would still return for a few beers given the great selection of micros on tap and in bottles.

12-12-2006 14:44:26 | More by ffejherb

JohnnyM2002

Maryland

3.88/5  rDev -3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$$

Do not use the directions provided by Google...

From 19th St. (in Camp Hill) - take 19th over the bridge (you'll make a right) and hang a right after the bridge. It will be on your right.

From route 15 - make a right after the Camp Hill Mall towards Gettysburg Road...it becomes Hummel Ave/State Rd. It's on your left across from an Exxon station.


Onto the review:

Arrived around 1:15 on a Saturday and sat at the half-empty bar. My wife and I took my favorite seats - the ones right across from the micro fridge...I look for that seat everywhere I go. There are approximately 16-20 selections on tap and I counted 105 different bottles. I had a Pliny the Elder and my wife enjoyed a Sea Dog Blueberry Wheat. Tap selections included Rogue Mocha & Dead Guy, Stone IPA, Pliny, DFH 90 & Punkin, & Troegs.

Food took a long time to come out (I ordered a Reuben and she had a Turkey Bacon Grinder) but it was very good. Bartender was nice about it and joked about the slow service after apologizing.

Along with out food, I made a custom 6-pack, and the total for both was $45, so it's a little pricy for the area, but I can't complain about the quality of food and the beverages.

Stop by if in the Harrisburg area - it'll be worth it.

11-11-2006 20:40:52 | More by JohnnyM2002

ClockworkOrange

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -2.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5 | $$

Went to the Brewhouse for lunch with BA Deuane. Nice layout at the horseshoe shaped bar. Very decent draft selection with a few seasonal beers (pumpkins and Oktoberfests). But, I opted for one of my favorites, Two Hearted Ale ( it is usually always available here on tap). We got our beer, ordered our lunch and chatted with a few people at the bar. Our sandwiches arrived in a short amount of time and I ordered my second beer, a Red Seal. There is a decent selection of at least 75 bottles to choose from in the cooler as well. Prices for the beer and food were reasonable.

10-24-2008 16:54:47 | More by ClockworkOrange

Phatz

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev 0%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

BrewHouse Grille:

These are exceptionally nice people! This place, however, was not easy for me to find. Certainly not with google direction coming from Westy’s Beer Distributor. Do not take 19th street to State or if you do be sure to go over the bridge and turn right when 19th runs into state. I got so lost… Fortunately when I called they were able to help me find my way. I am not sure it was worth getting lost for it but it was a nice place with nice people and a decent selection. If your in the area stop by but I wouldn’t pilgrimage across the state for it. The beer selection is far above avereage for the area. But I have come to expect I higher standard than I used to. Especially after going to Zeno's in State college. Certainly this is thre right place to take your date and get to drink Omegang, Andrson Valley, DFH Fransiskaner and the like.

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

08-18-2006 06:17:25 | More by Phatz

orangesol

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +2.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$

I have been to the Brewhouse lots of time since it is one of my moms favorite places to eat, as well as mine. The atmosphere is pretty good, just depends on where you are sitting. The inside area has a nice sized dining room with a medium sized attached bar area with a good amount of seating around it. The deck has a large seating area and an indoor/outdoor bar area. Both the inside and outside areas have lots of TV's and music playing to keep you entertained.

The quality has always been good. They serve most of the beers in the right type of glassware but every now and then you may get one in the wrong glass, mostly when a newer person serves it up. The food quality has always been good as well, with the ingredients always being fresh and flavorful. The service has always been pretty good but at times it can be a bit hit or miss. I have been in here when it gets a little crowded and we had to wait for quite some time to get our drinks refilled.

In the past few years they have really stepped up their selection. You won't find anything too "rare" on every given day but every now and then you might find a keg of KBS or something along those lines popping up here. On my last visit I had a Green Flash west coast IPA and, since they were having a Troegs event, a cask dead reckoning. The prices are pretty good across the board with only a few beers being overpriced.

The real reason I like to come here is the food. I could eat their fries all day, every day. I usually get a burger or a club sandwich and both are excellent. I have also had quite a few other things on the menu but those two are by far my favorites. Overall, if you are in the area and looking for a laid back place to have some good food and good beer, you should give this place a try.

09-02-2011 23:20:32 | More by orangesol