Brix Brews

Halcyondays

California

3.66/5  rDev -6.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | $$$

Went here on the ides of February. It's only 3 or so miles from my house on the southwest corner of PCH and Admiralty. Parking is tight but shouldn't be a problem, as there usually is parking on Pacific. Walking in it is quite small, reminded me a bit of Naja's with the tap makeup, the coolers of brew, and the look of the bar. The beer selection is solid with lots of Stone, some New Belgium, Ommegang, Deschutes, Unibroue and Green Flash. Very CA heavy but looks to be rotating which is a good sign. Limited Belgian selection, I saw Chimay and St. Feuillien. Prices were all over $6.50 if it wasn't happy hour, so go during happy hour would be my recommendation, at happy hour the prices are really good. I ended up having a Taps Dunkel and later went over to the adjacent wine bar and had a glass of a Washington Merlot/Cab blend. A nice place, nothing particularly stands out, but it'd be a place to go on Mondays especially with an extra long happy hour (3-10pm) and with Beachwood not being open.

02-16-2011 06:13:24 | More by Halcyondays

dcgunman

California

4.14/5  rDev +6.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

My first impressions from the outside was okay. A bit short on parking spaces. But thats to be expected along Hwy 1-PCH. There were two entrances. We walked into the closest entrance and the first thing we saw was the bar with the 22 taps and beer fridge to the left. To the right was the kitchen. There were about 5-7 tables and chairs throught the entrance area. To the left was a door leading into the wine bar area with more tables and chairs throughout. If you weren't paying attention, you of thought it was pretty small. But in fact it was a good size restraunt/wine/craft brew bar. Did I mention there is room enough in the wine bar area for a band to play.

I met my old high school buddy Kenny for happy hour around 3:30pm. This was both our first time at Brix Brew & NY Deli. We were greeted by a friendly Rick Reich(owner) behind the bar. There was nobody else inside when we arrived. Some of the selections on tap was Raging Bitch from Flying Dog, Avery Maharaja, Russian River Concencration, Afflegem Triple, Bootleggers Rystic Rye. You know the rest. The good stuff! By the way, Happy hour hours start at 4pm. We arrived around 3:40 and Rick was nice enough to give us the happy hour price then. Regular prices range from $7-10 per glass. Minus $2 for happy hour. The glasses compare to Hollingheads Deli. And it looked like had a selection of glassware to pair with the beers. As we drank Raging Bitch, Rick was getting ready to tap Stone 14th Anniversary. To our surprise Rick poured the first two glasses on the house for us. This was the second time I had the 14th this week. First time was 2 days ago with a bomber I purchased from Farmer's Harvest in surf city. Another great Anniversary Beer from Stone.

Brix has potential as a craft brewpub/wine bar. I had not heard anything about this hole in the wall place till 3 weeks ago when I went driving by it going to work. And I then forgot about it till this morning when my co-worker gave me a small ad from a local newspaper in the Belmont Shore/Seal Beach area. So instead of stopping by my local stop at the Wood today, I decided to give Brix Brews & NY Deli a go. Being this is between Beachwood BBQ and my house I would stop in again. Very clean inside and very friendly owner Rick Reich. The problem is that nobody knows it exist, except those who went there when it was Brix Wine Bar. It still has the wine bar with the new addition of the craft brew barpub. So for those who are in the area (Seal Beach, Long Beach, HB, Newport and rest of OC and beyond, stop in and have a great craft beer. You dont have the crowd of the Wood or the noise of some other brewpubs or places. But you will enjoy a great glass of craft brew. By the way when we left there 45 minutes later there was still nobody there.

I think this place will do well, give it some time and advertisement and word of mouth. Rick told me that he is working upgrading the website to include the new craft brewpub and what he has on tap. For now he is sending out emails on what on tap at the time. It's only been one month since he re-opened the new Brix Brew & NY Deli. Thumbs up to Rick and Brix Brews & NY Deli.

www.brixsunsetbeach.com

I am adding to this review. I just checked out there website(above). Dont be mislead of the other regular beers that Brix has advertised on his website. From what I remember he did have some cans and bottles of the "other" beers in the cooler. On tap is the good stuff. And it also says on the site that happy hour is from 3pm-6pm Tuesday-Thursday & Mondays 3-8pm.

06-26-2010 03:43:28 | More by dcgunman