Ale House

Bar, Eatery

33 Main St
Amesbury, Massachusetts, 01913-2808
United States

(978) 388-1950 | map
amesburyalehouse.com

From the owners of the Barking Dog in Amesbury, MA.
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.42
Reviews:
29
Ratings:
43
pDev:
7.69%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by EnronCFO:
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Reviewed by EnronCFO from Massachusetts

4.68/5  rDev +5.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Amesbury has become my regular bar for good craft beers, having supplanted the Portsmouth Brewery as my favorite place to drink in the area. The tap selection is almost always phenomenal for the area. Went last night to watch game 7 of the Stanley Cup (awesome atmosphere for the game) and drank the following: Sculpin, Mayflower Summer Rye, Haverhill Schwartz, and Haverhill Leatherlips on cask. My buddy also had the Sculpin, along with Dark Horse Plead the 5th, and NE Brewing Sea Hag. Pretty great line-up and that was just an average night. Have been able to consistently get the best IPAs available in the state, they always have two stouts on nitro (usually Guinness and Berkshire Coffeehouse), and one beer on cask. A great mix of local stuff, imports, and beer geek favorites (Sculpin!). My wife and I are both big fans of their food, the pizzas are delicious, they have the best frites around, and I love the greasiness of the Pattymelt. They have healthy options as well that are quite good. The staff is always friendly and really do know their stuff, plus they're always forthcoming with samples. Pricing is pretty good for the area, most beers are in the $6/pint range, with some up to $9. The short pours are pricey for the volume you get, so stick to full pours. Overall, the Ale House is the best choice in NE Mass. for quality craft brews and downtown Amesbury is a nice little town to wander around. Highly recommended!
Jun 17, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.38 by Johncnh from New Hampshire

Nov 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by garyloveman from Massachusetts

May 28, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by dcp27 from Massachusetts

Mar 14, 2015
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Reviewed by ssuraci from New Hampshire

3.68/5  rDev -16.7%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3
Best beer selection on tap within the local market and dare say north of Boston.

Pub menu fare is about average. As many have already stated, the dinner menu is a bit hit or miss.

If you are coming for the first time, sit at the bar... The staff will not let you down. They know the selections up and down and are always willing to provide a sample if your not completely sold. If you sit outside the bar area the staff is not as likely to be as knowledgeable about all the selections.

The tap list changes all the time and they publish it on Facebook if you want to plan your attack in advance!

A great place to go to find something on tap that you probably haven't ever had before.
Mar 08, 2015
 
Rated: 4.56 by PEIhop from Massachusetts

Dec 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by vonnerbeer from Massachusetts

Nov 05, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by harsley from Massachusetts

Oct 10, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by ElGallo from New Hampshire

Oct 06, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by anagog from Massachusetts

Sep 12, 2014
 
 
Rated: 4.75 by SuperHop18 from Massachusetts

Jun 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Rochefort10nh from New Hampshire

Mar 31, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by PIGuy9 from Massachusetts

Mar 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by cincysig from Connecticut

Jan 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Rekrule from Massachusetts

Nov 14, 2013
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Reviewed by nootch23 from Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev -1.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.75 | food: 4.25
I had heard so many great things about the Ale House that I just had to pay it a visit. My girlfriend and I went for the beer selection and got exactly what we had expected. A lot of taps with great choices for each of them. The bartenders were knowledgeable about each one and offered their recommendations and gave the correct glassware for each beer. Their service was just alright, nothing exemplary or anything. One of them was just one of those employees that didn't seem as if he wanted to be there but luckily it was at the end of his shift and the new bartender was better and I felt we were taken care of.

The food was really good but nothing outstanding. They are more known for their tap selection than their food so my expectations were pretty middle of the road. I got the haddock sandwich which was good and I loved their fries. I forget what my girlfriend ordered but they allowed her to substitute the fries with their fried pickle chips which made her day. She really enjoyed her meal.

Even though this place is about 45 minutes away from me and I can't get there too often, I will be paying them another visit in the near future. Really great place, nice and clean with a good amount of space. Definitely worth going again.
Jul 25, 2013
Photo of messrock
Reviewed by messrock from Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -28.7%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3 | service: 2.75 | selection: 3.75 | food: 2.5
Oh Amesbury Ale House, how things have changed.

Prices used to be downright reasonable for the area. In the last year they've crept into Boston Beer Bar territory. $7.50/pint for Nugget Nectar and Green Flash WC IPA? Also, all beers are served at one temperature (COLD) and casks are left on for far too long (6+ days in some instances).

Food used to be more hit than miss, last few times have been a definite miss all around. Burgers overcooked and dry. Flavorless short rib.

The service has always been suspect, especially when busy, lately it's been worse.

In the area, it's a great spot to hit for a beer and conversation, but I no longer go out of my way to stop in.
Apr 15, 2013
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Reviewed by skyelorien from Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -11.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I first visited the Alehouse several years ago when they were in their old location. At the time they were a hole-in-the-wall with amazing beer. When we went in, we were treated well by the knowledgable bartenders and felt like we'd found a hidden gem. Then they moved around the corner to a new, fancier location. At first I was still impressed, but over the past year or so each time I've made the 45 minute trek to the Alehouse I've been disappointed.

Food: Food is hit-or-miss. I'll get a dish one time and it will be great, only to get it the next visit and encounter problems (ex: nachos with unmelted cheese).

Beer: The beer selection seems to have gone down in quality from a few years ago. There are still better beers than other places in the immediate area and a large selection, but where once I considered it the best in the region (counting Boston), now it is no longer a bar I'll be going out of my way to visit. I'm not a hophead, and for me I find less and less to get excited about with each visit.

Service: Service is another area that has gone down with their success. Servers often don't know about the beers they have on tap. In one case a few months ago they made a point of tapping one of their beers on their Facebook page, but when I went in to try it the server had no clue what I was talking about.

Overall, if you're in Amesbury try it out, but if you're used to top quality beer bars don't go out of your way for a visit.
Nov 13, 2012
Photo of Damian
Reviewed by Damian from Massachusetts

4.78/5  rDev +8.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5
The Alehouse is located in a renovated mill in Amesbury center. Alongside the building is a huge waterfall that was flowing aggressively on the night that we were there. I can just image how amazing it would be in the summertime to drink a beer on the back deck and listen to the sound of running water. The interior of The Alehouse is large and spacious, and its brick walls are adorned with enormous flags of various breweries from around the world.

As for the beers, the tap offerings at The Alehouse were the best I have seen at a beer bar in quite a while. Ballast Point Victory at Sea, Founders Breakfast Stout, Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA and Firestone Walker 15th Anniversary Ale were just three of the thirty-or-so beers pouring that night. The bottle list was quite impressive as well. It ran 100+ beers deep and included a number of offerings from Cantillon, Drie Fonteinen and Fantôme, as well as Sam Adams Utopias. Most of the tap beers were reasonably priced (usually a dollar or two less than they would be in the city) and were served in the appropriate glassware.

My girlfriend and I were also amazed by the quality of the food at The Alehouse. Since it was St. Patrick's Day, we ordered the corned beef special, as well as the haddock sandwich. My girlfriend claimed that it was the best corned beef she ever had. The haddock was coated in a traditional, thick beer batter and was quite flavorful. The handmade potato chips that accompanied the sandwich were fantastic. Like the beer, the food was priced fairly.

Even on a busy, St. Patrick's Day evening, the service was efficient and friendly, and the food came out of the kitchen in a matter of minutes. We even had a chance to chat with the owner, who seemed like a really down-to-earth guy.

Our night at The Alehouse was fantastic. The only disappointment was the realization that this gem of a bar is nearly an hour from our place in Cambridge. Hopefully they will open another location closer to the city one day.
Mar 20, 2012
Photo of johnnnniee
Reviewed by johnnnniee from New Hampshire

4/5  rDev -9.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
I went here for the first time today with the wife and kids. I know St Patrick's day probably isn't the best time to bring the family to a pub, but they enjoyed it. The beer selection is really good for the area with probably 20 taps and a bottle list that's at least a hundred deep. The food we had was fantastic, my wife and daughter raved about the French onion soup and my shepherds pie was great as well. Our server was less than attentive, but it was busy and hes did apologize more than once and took some stuff off the bill for making us wait. I found the beer a bit pricey, 5 bucks for Guinness, 6 something for smuttynose. 8 for breakfast stout and choklat. I'd go back again the selection a food were great. I would have rated higher if the prices were a bit more reasonable.
Mar 18, 2012
Photo of bird18
Reviewed by bird18 from Maine

4.58/5  rDev +3.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
the Alehouse is my favorite beer bar/restaurant. My husband and I go often and are always happy with the beer selection which is the best for many miles around. I am a big hop head and have had some exceptional IPAs here (Sculpin, Flower Power, Stone Ruination) the list is ever changing so we always enjoy taking a few minutes to peruse the list.
We have never had bad service here and the waitstaff is one of the reasons we return again and again. Granted some are more knowledgeable about beers than others but everyone is extremely friendly and attentive. We like that they always have local craft brews. We do think that some of the stronger beers with the shorter pours are a bit pricey for what you get. Food is very good - I like the beet salad or the spicy chicken salad and hubby enjoys the Amesbury Steak and various sandwiches.
Dec 31, 2011
Photo of capeannbass36
Reviewed by capeannbass36 from Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev -5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Visited the Amesbury Ale House for the first time today for lunch with my son.
This place has a pretty darn good draft beer list. Lunch menu food prices were very reasonable. Quality of sandwiches was excellent. I highly recommend the Cuban Sandwich.
Some "food snobs" may wish to argue....but I found the Cuban to be absolutely delicious. Washed it down with a Gouden Carolus Noel belgian strong ale. Outstanding! Son opted for a turkey wrap and a Notch session ale. He was also very satisfied. We will be back soon.
If I had to nitpick...service could be just a tad friendlier. Bartender/server did nothing wrong...just wish person was a bit friendlier.
Beer prices may be borderline too high for some. Have seen worse. Without a doubt would happily pay the price of quality beer at the Ale House than for sometimes higher priced domestic swill one has to settle for at all Boston team sports events.
Dec 28, 2011
Photo of rbowser
Reviewed by rbowser from New Hampshire

4.05/5  rDev -8.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 2.5
First, I would recommend you visit. If you are within 30 miles of Amesbury, this is likely the best beer bar you can find. If you are also within 30 miles of Boston/Cambridge then the Alehouse is not yet at the level of Mead House or The Public House and a few others, but still worth a visit.

The Positives
- The beer selection on tap is large, varied, and impressive from West Coast IPAs, to German Largers, Belgians, to local craft, and a lot more. They have a World class beer selection that would compete with any large urban beer bar.

- Their new space is very attractive with dark wood, expansive, long bar, tastefully decorated, with lots of different seating options.

- Location is downtown Amesbury, right near the waterfall through the middle of the city is superb. Look out back and check out the mill area. Amesbury has come a long way in 20 years and is an attractive little town, that is worth a visit or a walk around.

The Negatives
- The beer knowledge of the staff is very spotty and service can vary a lot. They have a new person on staff that is enthusiastic and super knowledgable so perhaps this will move in the right direction. The rest of the staff, I have encountered could be working at any bar and seem to have no real knowledge of and in some cases almost any interest in the beer. For me, this is not a big factor, as I am a beer geek. But, it is not unusual for someone to come in, looking for advice on the large selection, and the best the staff can do is just wait for them to decide.

- The food is really below par for almost any pub in the area (Newburyport to Portsmouth). I would choose very carefully. If you find an unusual combinations of ingredients in a special on the menu, don't assume the chef is going to surprise you by making it work, instead imagine a beginning home brewer thinking that 15 unusual ingredients not knowing what they bring to the table will be better has to be better in a beer recipe then 5 ingredients. I am hoping there will eventually be a Ramsey style intervention to bring up the food quality to the level the beer selection deserves.

Great place, worth a visit, and a super addition to the area, but be careful if you plan to eat.
Dec 24, 2011
Photo of Sarah515
Reviewed by Sarah515 from Massachusetts

4.68/5  rDev +5.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
I go to the Ale House often since I live in town. The bartenders are friendly and helpful. They have a great selection of draft and bottled beers (and they usually have a cask beer as well). They update their draft list on Facebook which makes it easy to keep track of what is new. The food is awesome- the pulled pork sliders are good and their veggie pizza is great. It has a great atmosphere, whether you're sitting by the fireplaces, upstairs looking over the first floor, or sitting at the bar. I'm so glad it's so close to home. I've brought all of my friends here and they love it. I would recommend this place to everybody!
Nov 14, 2011
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Reviewed by rowingbrewer from Massachusetts

4.53/5  rDev +2.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
This is my new favorite beer bar they have an ever changing and excellent selection of beers on tap, while the bar tenders and waitresses may not be the most knowledgeable in the business they are still very friendly and do serve beers in the proper glassware(most of the time). They have some harder to find brews come through on tap from time to time as well as a very good bottles selection. the beer on tap is always fresh and the food is very good the nachos are excellent. the price is dependent upon the beer, i have seen beers hat i thought should have been priced lower, but i have also seen some beers come through that were outstanding deals. port older viscosity 10 oz pouurs for 8 bucks, compared to 19 for a 12 oz bottle.
Aug 18, 2011
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Reviewed by dugmar from Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev -7.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 3
We are fortunate to have a place like The Alehouse. Only issue with the location is that it is in Amesbury, as this town has a slightly seedy reputation. Other than that, this is THE place to go for hand crafted beer on the North Shore / S. New Hampshire area. The selection is good (not Great Lost Bear or Sunset good) but still very good.

The best part is that they changed locations. The previous location was terrible, it felt like an airport bar with foam drop ceilings and wall-to-wall high-traffic office carpeting. Yech. This place feels much better, with an pub-like organic feel. The only thing lacking in the new place is the placement of signage, decorations and "flair" on the bar and walls. Everything is placed with precision, and looks like they used a level to make sure it is 100% in the right position. The best bars let things accumulate over time, and have a slight level of disorganization to them that give the place character, and just a right amount of dust. While this location is much better than the old, you can tell the decorations were all new (even if meant to look old) and all went up at the same time, in perfect order and are perfectly clean. It feels like a TGI Fridays, where all the bar decorations come in a kit with an instruction book as to how to put them up. Again, I will reference the Great Lost Bear, that place has a true pub look and feel inside, with millions of things (stickers from around the world, old beer ads, porcelain advertisement signs, badges, foreign currency, neon, vintage beer cans, etc., etc., etc...) on the walls and behind the bar to look at. It really sets the right vibe.
Jul 21, 2011
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Reviewed by Sully62601 from Massachusetts

4.9/5  rDev +10.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Been to the Amesbury Ale House multiple times now and have been incredibly happy with everything each time I have gone. The draft selection has always been great as other reviews have said, having locals, craft, and imports changing continuously. My first visit allowed me to try Struisse Black Damnation II- Mocha Bomb, another visit was a Cantillon Vigneronne! The bottle selection is great also. They always seem to have something that is unavailable around here, which the beer buyer Matt must have some great contacts to be able to get ahold of them. The food has been very good also, a nice added feature though the star of this place is the beers that are available. The Amesbury Ale House is a bar you must check out if you are in the area or not, find a way to get there.
May 22, 2011
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Reviewed by lordofthewiens from New Mexico

4.4/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Unassuming from the outside, looking like an ordinary storefront in downtown Amesbury. Inside it's fairly wide and deep. Large bar on the left, some hightops overlooking the street. Booths and tables further inside. A balcony upper left. Back doors open onto a deck overlooking the river. There's even a fireplace tucked in the back. The place has a homey feel to it. Brick wall, earth tones. A high ceiling with several fans. The ubiquitous TVs over the bar. Beer flags, several barrels. Fairly quiet on a Saturday afternoon. There were a few families there with young children.

As has been mentioned, a fantastic beer list. 30 on tap with over 100 bottles. The tap list must be updated frequently. What I saw on-line Thursday had changed by Saturday. I had a couple of The Tap's Gestalt in cask, very good, and finished with De Molen Amarillo, better than very good. My wife had her usual hefe, and enjoyed it.

Food was good, maybe a little better than typical pub food. But I bet that people don't go there just for the food. My wife had a turkey, bacon, avocado wrap and really enjoyed it. I had a spicy fish wrap with coleslaw and cherry peppers, really good.

Our server was very attentive; I never sat with an empty glass in front of me. The meals arrived promptly, and we were asked a couple of times if everything was alright and if we needed anything else.

I wish The Alehouse was a little bit closer. I'd be there more frequently.
Apr 13, 2011
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Reviewed by Nuggethops from New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev -3.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
The atmosphere is nice with high tin ceiling making the space seem larger than it is nice wooden bar with plenty of open space around to accomodate the busier nights. The restaurant sits along the pow wow river in Amesbury with tables overlooking the river in the rear of the pub.

I have visited on a few occasions since moving relatively close. the beer selection is solid with 30 taps and a wide selection of american craft beers and a few nice belgians as well.

I have enjoyed Dulle teve, Slaapmutske Nightcap Tripel, Ithaca ground break, DFH world wide stout, tripel karmeliet and Green Flash west coast IPA on tap and a 750ml of 08 Cantillon Lou Pepe Kriek.

The food good but nothing too special, but let's face it I came here for the beer so the food is better than it needs to be really.

I would highly recommend this place to anyone who enjoys fine beer and is in the area. You will find many fine brews drafts that you do not usually see on draft and the opportunity to try something new with each visit.
Apr 06, 2011
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Reviewed by tendermorsel from Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev -2.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Wow this place is a total hidden gem. When I saw and empty bottle of Isebella Proximus promentently displayed behind the bar I know this place was gonna be good.

Great beer list. About 20 taps none of which are macro beers. Mostly a American beers but a few rare Belgians on tap.

I went with two buddies and we had the following beers:

Nugget Nectar (ON CASK!!!)
Mad Bitch De Dolle
Haverill Black IPA
Founders Centential
Lou Pepe Kriek 2008

Quite a selection indeed. They actually had 2 vintages of the LP Kriek 2007 and 2008! Wow.

The food was great too. Had some Corn Lobster and Crab cakes which were great. My burger was cooked to order perfectly.

I noticed that the had an Allagash dinner coming up and in looking at the food and beer pairing and it looked like a top knotch event.

I am pretty far from this place so I don't know how often I will get back here but I would highly reccomend this place. The best beer bar I have ever been to on the North Shore for sure.
As good as any of the big well known Boston beer geek bars only out in the burbs.
Mar 25, 2011
Photo of jjcote
Reviewed by jjcote from New Hampshire

4.55/5  rDev +2.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 3.5
I actually read about this place on a thread in the forum and decided to check it out. Super easy to find right in downtown Amesbury. I went on a Saturday afternoon with my wife and one year old son. The atmosphere is great lots of wood paneling, huge bar and plenty of seating including a second floor balcony. The building sits on the Powwow River so there are water views from the back. They have a great selection of beer on tap, i believe there are about thirty, plus a cask selection that happened to be '09 J.W. Lees Harvest Ale. The beer selection changes often. I know this because I had checked the website the weekend before and several kegs had been replaced by the following weekend. The food was pretty good. My wife and I are vegetarians so there was not much we could eat anyways. Meat eaters might have better luck. I will certainly be going back but next time with some bros.... too many beers to try with the boy around.
Feb 10, 2011
Photo of BigStarFan
Reviewed by BigStarFan from Massachusetts

4.78/5  rDev +8.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Simply put, The Alehouse is beergeek heaven on earth. Many times I have sat at the bar with a tasty dish and a pint of hoppy nectar in front of me and thought how incredibly fortunate I am that such a place not only exists, but is less than 10 miles from my house!

Atmosphere - Since moving to their new, larger location last summer, the atmosphere is warm and inviting; usually busy and active, but never feeling too crowded or overwhelming. My kids think its like something out of Harry Potter: you step into this tiny storefront on Main St, and it magically opens up into this large, high-ceilinged bar/restaurant, with even a second level in the back. How do they do that?

Quality and Selection - 30 taps and 60+ bottles of exceptional quality. Lots of beers on tap that I had only previously heard about (Founder's KBS) or never even knew existed (Aventinus Cask Conditioned Weizen-Eisbock). Nice mix of local brews (usually one or two from Haverhill Brewery plus Mayflower, Berkshire, Clown Shoes, always Allagash White); rare and unusual Belgians, Sours, Lambics; a few West Coast IPAs; seasonal brews (several Imperial Stouts and Porters on tap as I type); at least one cask, and two nitros; wonderful, wonderful, wonderful...

Service - Friendly and attentive. The staff know their beers and can make very good recommendations. And if they can't help you, Matt the beer guru is usually around as well. And... how can I put this delicately? OK, well the scenery is just as good whether you are overlooking the waterfall at the back of the restaurant or sitting at the bar in the front (wink, wink).

Food - every bit as good as the beer (well, maybe not QUITE as good...) A great mix of pub standards (shepherd's pie, fish and chips), upscale entrees (braised shortrib, seared scallops, lobster ravioli), tasty and unusual appetizers (cheese plate with local and imported cheeses, fried pickles are amazing!). They even have some healthy options which I really appreciate. Try the beet salad. Trust me.

Overall, just a wonderful place!
Jan 31, 2011
Photo of Casey10
Reviewed by Casey10 from Maine

4.68/5  rDev +5.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Was able to visit this place on 10/09/2010 after seeing some reviews was looking for a new place that I had not been to before.

A - Keep in mind this was a Saturday night the place was hopping to me in a good way just the right lighting I we sat at the bar so it was definately a cool vibe. I really liked the metal punched copper lights above the long bar. The exsposed brick and wood floors looked gorgeous and did have a chance to check out the back and there it is a view of a beutiful waterful.

Q - really shined here there was nothing but quality taps. I had Gandi-bots on tap!! The wife had tried a couple of things but settled on a nice mixed drink.

S - I have to rate it a 5 I think every person who walked past said hello, checked to see if we needed anything else, keep in mind it was a busy Saturday night.

S - They offered a a really nice selection of taps while nothing super rare there was something for everyone. They also will allow a sampiling of anything they offer !!

F - Top notch we started with the fried pickles, I have had them before from other places, these might have been the best. I also had a Sweet patato hadock with sweet chili sauce over a bed of green beans. The wife had the lobster quesadilla. Both were great.

V - One might think that with some fancier choices it might be expensive. Given the quality of taps and the food pricing for me I found the value reasonable for what you are getting.

Do yourself a favor check out The Alehouse you will not regret it!!
Oct 12, 2010
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Reviewed by NEhophead from Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev -2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Made the trip out last Friday night for dinner. This was my first visit to Amesbury and as we were navigating the quiet, desolate streets, we were shocked to find the entire, small town congregating in 'The Alehouse'.

This place is certainly a hot spot in this small town, and after reviewing the draft menu (both quality and selection) and the exciting food menu, it came as no surprise.

The atmosphere is clean, updated, slightly upscale; loud and energetic is the bar area, and calm and mellow in the upstairs dining area.

I counted approximately 30 taps; all of which, were of above average quality. It was tough to find a brew on tap that I've had before or one that I wasn't curious to try. I settled on a Mikkeller IPA, Dieu de Ciel's Aphrodite, and BBC's coffeehouse porter on nitro. The bottled selection is even more extensive with a heavy Belgian influence.

Service was attentive, but a bit preoccupied; certainly within reason given how occupied the establishment was.

The food menu is more upscale than your traditional brewpub or beer bar. The lobster quesadilla was delicious as was the turtle cheesecake.

Worth traveling!
Sep 29, 2010
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Reviewed by SunDevilBeer from Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +1.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Stopped by with the fam on the way home from NH after hearing some positive things.

An old restored mill building, recently re-done, right in the quaint Amesbury center. Long winding bar, plenty of booths and spacious tables. Very comfortable. On the afternoon we went, there was an Irish trio playing at a reasonable decible level.

Service was very attentive. Greeted promptly for drink orders and our server was there throughout the meal.

24 taps, mostly regional and well thought out. Had a Pretty Things Field Mouse and a Southhampton Pumpkin, both well-poured pints and reasonably priced for the area ($6 & $5.50 respectively).

Both the mrs and I had the fish sandwich with fries - nice fresh crispy haddock on a fresh roll with crispy handcut shoestring fries. Kiddos both devoured their large Pearl hotdogs with the same shoestring fries.

I would go out of my way to come here again, I wish this place were closer to me.
Aug 26, 2010
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Reviewed by telecomz from Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev -2.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 3 | selection: 5 | food: 4
The atmosphere of this place is wide and expansive. It is likely because of the very, very high (tin) ceilings. That said, there is plenty of room for the bar to be 10 deep with thirsty patrons. The beer selection is very good. Comparable to anything I've visited in New England. The food is very tasty and good quality.

The re service is so-so. Always quick to refill a pint of grab another Grand Cru for you, but slow in the food and check delivery. It is a new place so they will have to work on it.

For North Shore residents not wishing to venture up to Portsmouth Brewery or South to Lord Hobo's; then check out The Ale House in Amesbury, MA. It doesn't disappoint.
Aug 14, 2010
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Reviewed by FrankLloydMike from Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev -2.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
This may be the bar that has convinced me that you don't need to live in anything close to a large city to enjoy a lively, comfortable bar dispensing a huge selection of world-class (and local) beers.

In our attempt to visit all seven (or at least the six continental) Flatbread Company locations, my girlfriend and I headed to Amesbury after an afternoon at Plum Island and a visit to the Tap in Haverhill. We arrived to cross the bridge over the Powwow River in the waning Saturday daylight, and emerged to the thunderous roar and mist of the overflowing river in the closing moonlight. We walked out into the square, then up the road to the Ale House. We had drive by it earlier in the day, and even by night it looked more like a stripped down Applebee's than a special local bar, but we'd soon be proven wrong.

Upon entering, the dimly light, small space was immediately homey and sophisticated; the owners clearly knew how to make an unassuming building in a great location into a truly worthy vessel for excellent libations. We sat at two of the few open seats at the bar, directly in front of the glorious display of the beer fridge. The tap list was long, diverse and contained detailed explanations of each offering. The bottle list was astounding and beautiful. We only had time for one beer, and I had the Clipper City Loose Cannon IPA on cask, which was excellent and mellower than when I've had it in bottle form. Our server was attentive, friendly and prompt.

Before leaving, I stopped by the bathroom and noticed the couches and patio overlooking (or at least overhearing) the adjacent river. I wished we'd come early and had more time. This place really doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside it's very special, and seems to be quite a hit. I'd love to be a regular here, as it manages to be sophisticated and homey, and reminded me a bit of Cambridge Common (right down to the questionable soundtrack). Lackluster music aside, every small town should be so lucky as Amesbury.
Mar 22, 2010
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Reviewed by borderjumper from New Hampshire

4.75/5  rDev +7.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4
This is a great find in such a small town. People in this area often head for Portsmouth or Newburyport but if you like beer this is the place to head to. They have a selection that rotates and is always of great quality and always have a cask offering. The food is decent upscale bar/Irish Pub offerings. When we left the big city, we thought we were giving up this kind of place and were very happy to find something like this in such a small town. Matt knows his beer too and can always explain why things are done as they are at the Alehouse. We're also fond of the sunday night Irish music. All in all, a hidden gem.
Mar 13, 2010
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Reviewed by liquorpig from Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +7.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Stopped in for an early lunch last week shortly after they opened at 11 am. Hard for me to critique the service since I was the only one at the bar. Bartender was very gracious and knowledgeable. I got to sample several brews and I had 2 excellent Belgians. Great variety of beers on tap and a vast selection of bottled brews. A look at the beer menu tells you that this place knows their stuff. Did not get a chance to stop by their sister pub Barking Dog down the street but was told they have 16 micro taps.
The food menu was quite extensive. I had the fried calamari with hot peppers which was very good.
This place is very convenient to get to, only minutes from either Rte. 495 or 95. This is, in my opinion, the best beer bar on the North Shore. Kudos to Matt for running a great operation.
Aug 25, 2009
Ale House in Amesbury, MA
Place rating: 4.42 out of 5 with 43 ratings