Three Penny Taproom

Three Penny TaproomThree Penny Taproom
Three Penny TaproomThree Penny Taproom
Bar, Eatery

108 Main St
Montpelier, Vermont, 05602-2906
United States

(802) 223-8277 | map
threepennytaproom.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.59
Reviews:
76
Ratings:
196
pDev:
6.54%
View: Place Reviews
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Photo of Sammy
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.88/5  rDev -15.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Lots of very good local taps, notably lesser distributed Hill Farmstead. Humid inside,deck fully taken.half pours served. The Capital Town downtown is lovely.
May 23, 2023
Photo of KP7
Reviewed by KP7 from Massachusetts

4.54/5  rDev -1.1%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75 | food: 4.5
One of my favorite beer places. Great selection, knowledgeable staff, well kept lines, all while not being snooty or elitist. That and the good food helps keep the atmosphere a family friendly one and the clientele reflects this--always full of people who really like beer, but not the exclusive haunt of beer snobs.
Jan 21, 2023
 
Rated: 4.24 by SlightlyGrey from Minnesota

Jun 17, 2022
Photo of Roguer
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut

4.38/5  rDev -4.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.25
Fantastic beer on tap, huge tap list, and delicious food; there's little to improve about this place.

You can expect the Vermont stalwarts like Hill Farmstead on tap, but also specials. On my visit, they had all of the Peche Mortel variants on tap from Peche Mortel Day.

Service is a bit slow but very friendly.

Menu is small and limited, but there isn't a dud to be found. Local rotating cheese boards and charcuterie are a must-try.

Indoor and outdoor seating, but this is ultimately a relatively small place in the heart of Montpelier. This has to be on your list for any trip through the area.
May 28, 2022
Photo of Sabtos
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -19.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 2 | selection: 4 | food: 3
I knew this was going to be a solid pub, but I didn't think it'd be this great.

We lucked out getting a window seat just before the dinner rush, and good thing too, because they were maxed out from then on out, having to turn away dozens of people if not giving those without reservations hours long wait times.

It's almost got a saloon feel inside, with dining booths on the one side, and an old school bar on the other. They've also overtaken a sizeable portion of would-be parallel parking spots just outside for an elevated platform with additional seating, likely in light of the pandemic.

The cod cakes, mushroom carbonara, and burger + fries were excellent, but what was most jaw-dropping was the fact that Double Citra was on draft while Hill had already sold out of its cans in 3 days flat. Not only was this hop whale available on draft, so were two dozen other stellar beers, many of which were just as rare or hyped, at least to me. I was in a sort of paradise, having trouble choosing from the taplist, as every option was just top notch.

Service was working their tails off, still masked and dealing with the occasional fussy anti-masker with firm poise, while frequently checking in on us as well as you could ask.

What an excellent stop. I couldn't recommend it more.

---

We returned in 2022 looking more forward to eating and drinking at Three Penny than perhaps any other place on our itinerary. Maybe my highly positive first impression set them up for failure, or maybe they really have gone downhill this much, but I kept reserving my judgment for things to turn around. Unfortunately, they never did.

We sat on the bar side this time, and while the space was nothing impressive, it was a perfectly fine pub atmosphere, and the crowd was rowdy. If that had been it--all other things remaining the same--I'd still come away loving it, but sadly it was not.

The bartenders couldn't be bothered to serve us, taking over five minutes before even making themselves available to us, and not to take our orders, either, but to toss some menus at us and walk back to socialize. And they weren't even busy with customers, but instead fucking around with other waitstaff and cooks. The one bartender who was most attentive to us was being trained, so that could be forgiven, but he brought us the wrong beer because he wasn't getting the support he needed from the guy who was supposed to be showing him the ropes.

That said, the beer list was still decent, but not quite as impressive as it was last year. The most disappointing part, even more so than the service, was the food menu. It was tiny compared to last year's, and there wasn't a damn thing on it that sounded good. Then what food we did see come out for other patrons only confirmed my suspicions--something happened to this place since last year, and whatever it was, it wasn't good. It's actually even more mind-blowing than it would have been had this been our first experience last year, considering the pandemic was still in full swing at that time, and they were excelling despite that. So anyway, instead of spending more time here and eating, we just went to The Mad Taco for a better time.

My original score was a 4.7. It pains me to have to drop it so far.
Oct 20, 2021
Photo of tjcarbone
Reviewed by tjcarbone from New Jersey

4.24/5  rDev -7.6%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.25
A standout as a craft beer pub in Montpelier. Welcoming staff. Can get quite busy depending on time of year and day of week. If in the area definitely check it out.
Mar 01, 2020
Photo of cratez
Reviewed by cratez from Canada (ON)

4.1/5  rDev -10.7%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
What I had: Sixpoint Apollo Wheat, Ballast Point Yellowtail Pale Ale, Dieu du Ciel! Pénombre IPA Noire, and Grassroots / Three Penny Song of Spring on tap, sample of Founders Doom Imperial IPA, Gueuze-Braised Rabbit and Spaetzle, Spring Chicken Stew and Pastry and white wine for the wife, Old Rasputin Brownies to split.

What I liked: Exceptional food, beautiful dining room, first-rate table service from our waiter, solid and clearly visible draught list, good music, lively atmosphere on the bar side.
What I disliked: We had a group of seniors staring at us the entire time that we ate, which made things a little uncomfortable. Unlike our waiter the bartender was surly and seemed bothered when I asked for samples. He also took forever to bring the check. The tap lineup, while very good, didn’t blow me away.
Would I go back? Yes. Despite its shortcomings this is still a great beer bar and resto.
Overall Rating: 82
Jan 29, 2020
 
Rated: 4.73 by StoutElk_92 from Massachusetts

May 16, 2019
 
Rated: 4.41 by harsley from Massachusetts

Aug 07, 2018
Photo of JuanFushashi
Reviewed by JuanFushashi from Maine

4.76/5  rDev +3.7%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 5 | food: 4.75
A must-visit if you're in Montpelier, from the fantastic selection of local beers to the delicious food. Their burgers are top-notch and I highly recommend getting the TPT Fries (fries with house sauce and carmelized onions), which are absolutely delicious.

The taplist is phenomenal: expect to see plenty of Lawson's and Hill Farmstead. Don't be afraid to ask if they have any Heady or Focal available as well. When I miss out on Lawson's bottle releases, I can almost always catch it on draft here. Cool atmosphere (especially during big soccer games) and just an overall cool place.
Jan 25, 2018
 
Rated: 4.39 by Soloveitchik from New York

Nov 24, 2017
 
Rated: 4.94 by Mattybuchs from Vermont

Nov 14, 2017
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.76/5  rDev -18.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Living closer to Burlington, whenever I find myself in Montpelier - sometimes I check TPT out as I don't mind personally the "older pub-like" mentality of this place. However, compared beer bars in Waterbury and Burlington, this place is over rated. Food is good at best. Service is good. It's loud and not a place to take young children. More stuff popping up in Barre and Burlington, save your money for those places.
Jun 10, 2017
Photo of FFreak
Reviewed by FFreak from Vermont

4.16/5  rDev -9.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 4.25 | food: 3.75
The beer selection and quality are great, one of the best tap lists around. I was a little surprised at the small size of the pours. An 8 oz pour of a HF DIPA was $7 - delicious but costly. The service was prompt and friendly. The food we ordered was good but quite expensive. It's a nice pub with great beer, good service and decent food, but all at fairly high prices.
Dec 29, 2016
 
Rated: 3.95 by StoutLover14 from Illinois

Dec 12, 2016
 
Rated: 4.39 by TheBeerdedCharmer from Pennsylvania

Aug 28, 2016
 
Rated: 3.95 by byronic from Canada (ON)

Aug 05, 2016
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Rated by zotzot from Vermont

4.04/5  rDev -12%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 4.25 | food: 3
A little grungier than I would have thought
Jul 09, 2016
 
Rated: 4.97 by zahara15 from Vermont

Jul 04, 2016
 
Rated: 4.51 by zimm421 from Ohio

Jun 20, 2016
Photo of JMFP
Reviewed by JMFP from Delaware

4.64/5  rDev +1.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75 | food: 4.5
Three Penny is always my first stop in Vermont, on the way to Waterbury. For me, it' the gateway to the Northern Kingdom. Friendly & welcoming atmosphere, with great comfort food, and one of the best taplists in all of Vermont. Always 4-5 HF brews on tap, plus regulars like Lawson's SOS & Super Session, as well as various other locals. A must stop.
Jun 02, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by Sound_Explorer from Washington

Jun 02, 2016
 
Rated: 4.32 by Uconnelmo from Connecticut

May 31, 2016
 
Rated: 4.53 by HeartofMiami from Florida

May 26, 2016
 
Rated: 4.56 by CBrodbeck from Florida

May 19, 2016
 
Rated: 4.79 by SveNss0N from Massachusetts

May 16, 2016
 
Rated: 4.59 by MilaMila from Massachusetts

May 10, 2016
 
Rated: 4.75 by elkinbrown from Tennessee

May 06, 2016
 
Rated: 4.95 by ScottP from New Hampshire

Apr 03, 2016
 
Rated: 4.81 by JMiller68 from Massachusetts

Feb 03, 2016
Photo of jhavs
Reviewed by jhavs from New York

4.95/5  rDev +7.8%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.75
Great place with an awesome selection of VT brews and selected high quality American and import choices. They usually have Heady and Focal Banger in cans and always have some options from Hill Farmstead and Lawson's on tap.

The vibe is comfortable. Nice bar and separate dining room. Big window views of the main street.

The food and beer is very high quality and they make sure to provide local and well made menu items. Menu is not huge, but has a pretty good variety. Burgers are great. Fries are great.

Service at the bar is always great. Knowledgeable staff, very friendly, no hipster vibe at all. They are helpful with decisions for food/beer and are quick to offer a taste from the taps to help with your decision.
Feb 01, 2016
 
Rated: 4.35 by fastestmanalive from Florida

Jan 20, 2016
 
Rated: 4.43 by Brian29 from Ohio

Dec 22, 2015
 
Rated: 4.59 by Gatch from Massachusetts

Dec 17, 2015
Photo of J-Calm
Reviewed by J-Calm from Vermont

4.41/5  rDev -3.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 5 | food: 4
For a little place in the middle of almost-nowhere (this is the smallest state capital in the US with under 10,000 pop. and surrounded by farmland), this place has a surprising selection of good beer on tap.
It's definitely a find for beer lovers.
And the food is good too. Again, not a huge menu, but for a small town, they do a good job of serving "pub classics" like burgers with peanut butter and fried pickles as well as more common fare.
Like their close neighbor, Heady Topper, I was determined to be disappointed in what I expected would be a trendy, overrated place. My only disappointment was how wrong I was... This place carries its weight just like Heady Topper proved damn good after all, too!
Nov 03, 2015
 
Rated: 4.61 by bluehende from Delaware

Oct 06, 2015
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Reviewed by BranfordBound from Connecticut

4.56/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Went here on Monday after we got Heady in Barre. Great vibe overall and a cool place that could fit into any urban city. Tons of beers on tap and the service was spot on the entire time. Drank Hill Farmstead, Crop, and Lawson's. Had a seared tuna sandwich that was SPOT ON amazing. Would go again in a heart beat, the best place in Montpelier.
Sep 29, 2015
 
Rated: 4.84 by Miccal from Vermont

Sep 25, 2015
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Reviewed by Smakawhat from Maryland

4.41/5  rDev -3.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.25
Great stop with a solid list of brews that can't fail.

Excellent and even roomy to some degree, like walking into an old school soda joint or candy store, with a great vibe.

Tap list is classic Vermont and full of lots of goodies and all in one place. Lost Nation, Alchemist, Lawsons, Hill Farmstead and so forth. Then there will be a couple of other taps that will easily add to make it even better.

Staff here are really friendly, almost too much, but also the food here is real solid as well. Definite must stop if in the area. Tap list changes relatively leisurely I notice too.
Sep 22, 2015
 
Rated: 4.35 by emottram from Massachusetts

Sep 11, 2015
Three Penny Taproom in Montpelier, VT
Place rating: 4.59 out of 5 with 196 ratings