Back Abbey

JohnnyAngel

California

4.33/5  rDev +5.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 5 | food: 3 | $$

This is a little jewel for those who fully understand all about beer. If you are looking for Miller Light or a Bud you have no right being in this place and much of what they serve will be way above your head.

Sadly, there's no Cask, but what tapped beers they have is amazing. Their menu shows 27 tapped beers, and their bottled beers are from Belgium, France, Holland, Canada, and the UK.

Their draft beers range from 4.5% to 12% ABV. The variety is quite amazing. Most of the beers are served in signature glassware from the original breweries. Their novelty glass for me is when you order a pint of Kwak (8.1% -$8). It comes in a glass that looks like a miniature yard ale glass that holds a pint. There's no way it can stand on its end or it would fall over so it comes with a special wooden holder to "hang" the glass by the front end of the tapered neck.

It's a small rustic pub but is obviously a favorite in the area as the times I've been there it's always been difficult to find a seat. They have a central long wooden bar top in the middle of the floor for patrons to either side of it on hard wooden stools.

There's an outside patio so that helps but again it's always been full when I've been there.

Food is okay, but nothing to right home to Momma about.

Prices for draft beer range from $5 to 9$ so beer isn't cheep here, but I guess you pay for the quality.

Bottled beers range from $6 to $23, but there are some seasonal bottled beers as high as $58 for their Scaldis Prestige De Nuits (13% ABV - 750ml)

03-06-2012 18:00:05 | More by JohnnyAngel

bmwehrly

California

3.85/5  rDev -6.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 5 | $$$

My homebrew club and I came here for the grand opening. John, the owner, was a chimney sweep for one of my buddies before he opened this place.

The atmosphere is good, if not a little tight. I wish they would expand to give some more room to the patrons. And to allow more seats so they wouldn't fill up so fast. This place is busy every night of the week! (except when they're closed, of course!)

Service is good, provided you get one of the original servers, and not the newer ones. It has gotten better in the last year. It's nice when a server remembers your name and face.

The food here is excellent - a bit pricey, but unlike other places I've been to around here, you actually get what you pay for.

BEER: The selection here is good, but also a little pricey. They get some nice belgian beers, and every once in a while some nice bottles sour beers. They used to have a nice little selection of Cantillon, but it's getting harder and harder to find any at all here on the west coast. Other beers from all over Europe are also on the menu, but Belgians are their specialty.

08-26-2011 19:50:32 | More by bmwehrly

Hershdawg

California

4.3/5  rDev +4.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$$

This little joint is a recreation of a Belgian Cafe. A little unassuming from the front once you walk in you notice the bar and its collection of glassware. They have and serve every beer in its perspective glassware, The seating is a scramble seating where when you get to seat yourself.

The quality available is excellent. They do a good job with food and beer.

The selection ranges from Chimay White, Buffalo Stout, to Delirum Tremens. They have a seasonal bottle list and sometimes get some Cantillon. The food is a small menu but the quality is high. However its a little pricey.

Good little restraunt for Belgian beer. The beer is about $7-10 a glass. If you want a cheaper pint go down the street Eureka!

07-15-2011 17:49:29 | More by Hershdawg

heresy22

California

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 2 | selection: 4 | food: 5 | $$

I have been twice with my better half. She drinks very little and it is much easier to get her to join me at places that have interesting food options.

The food is not cheap: burgers are about $12, which includes a salad, but no fries. There are high quality ingredients, and when viewed in that light, the prices are reasonable. The burgers we had on both visits were excellent. We also ordered fries, which were very good. Today, it seems everyone has to offer gourmet burgers, and these guys do it well.

There is an extensive Belgian-centric tap selection, and a large bottle selection. Plenty to choose from. A few local craft options would be nice. I understand what they are going for, but this is Southern California. It would not kill them to humor us and throw in an IPA and a couple Belgian-inspired Californians.

The one black mark is service. The servers could be a little more attentive. If my glass is empty and I still have half a burger on my plate, it might be a good idea to ask if I want another beer. I should not have to chase you down...especially if I am sitting at the bar. It was not overly busy on either visit (late Saturday mornings, just after opening) so that is not an excuse. However, food service was prompt and correct on both visits, which is nice.

Overall, I will go again and have recommended it to several friends.

06-27-2011 02:27:28 | More by heresy22

t0rin0

California

3.9/5  rDev -4.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$$$

Visited 3 times now, each time when people are visiting from out of town. This place is about 2 1/2 miles from my house right next to downtown Claremont.

Located right near the Claremont Colleges in ritzy Claremont. Luckily this place is on the edge of all that and on a quiet street so you can always find somewhere to park. Inside you'll find some tables and a bar with some seating outside on the patio. Very nice place, if it wasn't jam packed ALL THE TIME. I guess that's good for them but it sucks for customers.

You seat yourself so no waiting for service, which is kind of sparse to begin with. I've never had to wait more than a few minutes but I've only been early in the evening (no later than 6). For the most part it's college students in there with a few locals mixed in.

The food is quite good and they use "seasonal" ingredients (what ever is available at that time). The basket of fries are awesome, until you see the bill. Prices are ridiculous. A beer and a decent sized meal will cost you $20. But as mentioned before they are always busy so obviously people are paying these prices.

The beer selection is pretty good. You can get any beer style you want so long as it's Belgian. Unfortunately they don't have a lot of lambics but they usually have one or two, even if they are St Louis. People have spotted bottles of Westvleteren but I'm not sure if they are for sale or for show.

I'll probably be back the next time someone comes from out of town. Actually, I'd love to go back if they could get some Cantillon on tap, or maybe some good Belgian-style California made beers (Russian River or Lost Abbey).

02-03-2011 19:03:28 | More by t0rin0

fandgale

California

4.33/5  rDev +5.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$$

A previous destination before Heroes (place is closed on Sundays), Back Abbey serves 28 Belgian beers on tap and Belgian food. Food is delicious, every bit of morsel devoured on my plate. Pomme frittes come with 3 dipping sauces (horseradish chive sauce, roumelade & ketchup). A bit pricey, especially for lunch but worth it. Beers tasted: Golden Carolus hopsinjoor 8% (Note: beer was served in correct glassware) : hopsinjoor 8%had a floral, citrusy scent & flavor and a slight hoppy taste; Schonramer Gold 6% was watery, slightly carbonated & bitter taste(to assure me it was beer), probably good on a hot summer's day. It was a wonderful date & thanks, dear for lunch!

02-01-2011 20:53:13 | More by fandgale

tombcrypt

California

4.22/5  rDev +2.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$$

This place is awesome. Everytime I go in they have a couple of different beers on tap, as well as others they have all of the time. My favorite thing about this place is that they have every glass for every beer the serve. Yes, that's right. A Kwak glass for Kwak, St. Louis Kriek glass for said beer, Straffe Hendrick glass...and on. Pretty legit. Although for their bottled selections I don't really know if that holds true because I ordered a Cantillon Gueuze and it came in some other glass. Whatever.

That said, the food is great. Mussels awesome. Best veggie burger ever. Frites with mayo sauce, fuck yeah.

The only downside is the price. The bottled beers are crazy. My Cantillon was $25, which ain't bad for a restaurant, but a 750ml of Duvel is $17! The food is pretty expensive too, but shit, they fry the frites in duck fat. Probably not cheap stuff.

12-05-2010 06:49:14 | More by tombcrypt

womencantsail

California

3.28/5  rDev -20%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3 | food: 4 | $$$$

This place is sort of hard to find if you don't know it's there. In the alley that's across from the 21 Choices/parking garage (and some other restaurants), it's a bit tough to find if you're not looking for it.

The restaurant itself has a nice rustic feel inside. Low lighting with a short l-shaped bar, a long table in the center with some tables around the walls. The problem is that it's very cramped inside, and not in a cute, cozy sort of way.

There is also some seating outside, but the tables were all full. My friends and I took a seat at the bar.

The place has about 20 or so taps and a fairly long bottle list. All the taps and most of the bottles are fairly easy to find Belgian beers with a few German, English, and other imports. The problem is that the prices are through the roof. I mean, $9 for a pour of Aventinus? You can buy a 500ml bottle for 3 or 4.

The food is good, but similarly overpriced. The fact that I paid $11 for a 6 oz burger and a few bites of lettuce with some dressing is rather laughable.

The staff seemed somewhat knowledgeable, but nothing "beer geek" about them. That said, you can't really fault them for that. The food came out fairly quickly, which was good, but they were not all that attentive.

Overall, this could be a cool little place, but they really need to work on their pricing. There is no reason for their beers (nor their food, to be perfectly honest) to priced the way that they are. I do not think I'll be going back.

02-17-2010 07:13:16 | More by womencantsail

AHebel

California

4.2/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

A great place for a meal and a few beers. They have a selection of 95%, European, well-crafted brews. Lots of great Belgians and German ones. 24 and 50 or so, taps and bottles. I had the house burger and my friend had the vegetarian burger and we were both impressed. The fries were just fine too (the full order is MUCH larger than expected. My friend and I joked about this...) Anyways, good place (not, my god, this is my new favorite), and unique in that it's really the only beer bar/restaurant that focuses solely on good European imports. No domestics here. I'll go back again, next time I make the trek from LA to Walnut and Lone Hill Liquors. I'm interested in trying more of their food and another Belgian. Check their website for details on menus.

01-12-2010 04:09:17 | More by AHebel

ArrogantHopHead

California

4.45/5  rDev +8.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

I came here last week with some friends and I was blown away. I even lived in Claremont for a year and didn't even know this was here. I would have gone here more often if I was still living near this place.

This place has a lot of heart and beer respect to give. The wooden bar tops and shelvings, central island for patrons, beautiful selection of draught and bottled beers, and the specific glass that accompanies most of the draft beers that they poor, all contribute to a wonderful experience. The selection is really good for what they have, just wish they had a larger one.

The only negative is that I wish the menu had a little description of the beers on draught. Other than that, the place is a great place to get a belgian style or international brew. I would highly recommend this place. Next time I will have to eat there.

01-08-2010 06:14:43 | More by ArrogantHopHead