Abita Brew Pub

ShrLSU

Louisiana

2.63/5  rDev -30.6%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3 | selection: 2.5 | food: 2.5 | $$$

I have been to the brew pub twice and got vastly worse each time. A few years back, me and a few buddies took the brewery tour and got to sample the brewpub. Then they had all sorts of new beers on tap, things you could only get at the brew pub. Abita Blue, Abita Chocolate, and few other different ones were on tap. The second time I went back i was very disappointed. I checked out the website in advance (figuring it was up to date). We drove about 2 hours to get there to find out that they had the same stuff on tap as every bar in LA that carries Abita products. Also the food prices had increased astronomically. $18 for shrimp etouffe? I think not. If your desperate for something to do on a saturday, take the trip. Who knows maybe you'll be lucky enough to catch something on tap there that's new. In any case, I wouldn't waste the time or the gas as a local beer drinker.

01-24-2008 06:15:50 | More by ShrLSU

millhouse

Mississippi

2.93/5  rDev -22.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3 | selection: 2.5 | food: 4 | $$

When the batch is good, Purple Haze is about as refreshing as it comes. When the batch is less than good, Purple Haze is a perfumy, well below average beer in my mind. Unfortunately, my trip to the Abita brewpub restaurant involved a bad batch of Purple Haze.

The food was pretty good and the atmosphere was nice. The actual spring behind the restaurant was incredible, as it was 90 degrees that day and I got a chill standing on the bridge overlooking it.

None of my party was overly impressed with their beers. The group was drinking amber, turbodog and, of course, purple haze. Personally, I think Abita is somewhat overrated, since I'd heard that someone had ranked it best microbrew in the country a few years ago. Don't get me wrong, it's still a fine product....but best in the country? How?

This being said, if you're ever in the Abita Springs area (and you don't get there unless it's on purpose or your lost), give it a shot. Food was good, the spring was awesome and the service was okay. I definitely hope to make it back to check out the beer again some day to see if it changes my opinion.

07-18-2005 03:17:26 | More by millhouse

Prideinnola

Louisiana

3/5  rDev -20.8%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 2.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3 | $$

Not much of a first impression of the place visually. The atmosphere isn't bland, it's just "normal". The selection is awful unless all you want is Abita, but why else would you go to an Abita pub if you didn't want Abita?

The food wasn't bad, but wasn't great. I got a shrimp po-boy. The shrimp were definitely frozen which is a shame. The hamburger is a solid choice. Avoid options that sound too complicated for the establishment like the Jockamo IPA crawfish cakes and Turbodog remoulade sauce. Also the crawfish cornbread was unnecessary. Just give me plain cornbread.

Service was not good. The food took forever which was strange considering that they weren't very crowded. The waitress was kind of rude, but to her benefit, I don't think she realized it.

I would only recommend if you're just coming out of the brewery tour and want some grub. Other than that I wouldn't make a special trip.

07-19-2010 04:10:56 | More by Prideinnola

Beerbuddha

Louisiana

3.05/5  rDev -19.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5 | $$

This place was great. It's out in the middle of nowhere Abita Springs, LA. The beer selection was okay but the food was great. I picked up a growler of Abita Andygator. My major problem with this place was I figured it would be attached to the brewery but it wasn't. The had an okay selection of Abita on tap but most of the stuff you can get on tap anywhere in New Orleans. The Andygator was the only thing which is tough to get in the city. I recommend people to come to this place when visiting New Orleans but go to the brewery first.

07-26-2007 21:05:09 | More by Beerbuddha

kensuthe

Louisiana

3.05/5  rDev -19.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 3 | $$$

Atmosphere - The Abita Brewery and the Abita Brew Pub are actually in two different locations, but are both close to each other in rural Abita Springs, LA. That's outside of Covington, LA. And that's a trip east out of Baton Rouge along I-12 and north out of New Orleans and Metairie over the Lake Pontchatrain Causeway. Needless to say, there is a rural southern atmosphere in Abita Springs, but it's not as if you'll need to drive far out into the country to get to the Brewery or the Brew Pub. The Brew Pub is actually located in the old Abita Brewery, where the beer was made before they moved to newer facilities. There is a lot of cypress worked into the façade, and there is a general wood and windows theme to the décor. The Brew Pub overlooks some hiking and biking trails, and is close to a railroad line. The Brew Pub is a restaurant that happens to serve Abita beer, and the Brewery is a brewery that happens to brew Abita beer. So if you're interested in Abita beer, you should head to Abita Springs.

Quality - The quality of the beer on tap at the Brew Pub is good, and at least they have the correct glassware for their own beers. You can even purchase glasses, t-shirts, other merchandise, and growlers to go, but I don't think that the growlers have any specific logos silk screened onto them similar to what Rogue does. The quality of the beer at the tasting stations on the tour in the brewery is also good, but you'd really hope that it would be. If not here, then where?

Service - The service in the Brew Pub is good for a little rustic restaurant, but it's probably not up to what you'd want your premier location bar for your own brewery to be. The serving staff does know most of what's available, and the food and beer are brought in a reasonable amount of time, but it seems like it can take longer than necessary for a building of its size. You'd hope that at least the bartenders, if not the waitresses too, would be knowledgeable about the inner workings of each of the Abita products offered in the Brew Pub. But, unfortunately, you'd have to go to the Brewery to learn that information.

Selection - The draft selection at the Brew Pub comes in at around a dozen brews on tap, mostly Abita brews with one or two guest beers (Rogue Dead Guy Ale was on tap when we last visited) that change from time to time. I don't remember if they offered bottles in the Brew Pub, but you could order growlers to go. What was most disappointing was that their own Abita Seasonal was not even available in their own Brew Pub (it should have been the Red Ale at the time). It was also a major disappointment that their own website lists Abita Blue, Chocolate Stout, Nitro Pale Ale, unfiltered Hefe-Weizen, and unfiltered Cask-Conditioned Brown Ale, and yet our server said that none of those beers had been offered for several years. All of the Abita products available on tap were readily available at most local grocery stores and in many local bars and restaurants. You can sample most of the current Abita options at the Brewery on the tour, but everything is served in plastic cups even if the style calls for something else. Why did we drive all the way out here, again?

Food - The food at the Brew Pub is good and seems to be prepared well, with American and Southeast Louisiana offerings available on the menu, but it is also rather pricey. In addition to that, Abita beer is not used in almost any dishes on the menu and there aren't any suggested beer pairings for the dishes on the menu. The Brewery doesn't offer food, which is to be expected.

Value - The food at the Brew Pub is a bit pricier than you would expect to pay for similar fare at other restaurants in the region. The beer is priced reasonably, but you'd hope that it would be a good deal since you had to drive all the way out here to try and buy the same things you could get in whatever location you're coming from. The tour of the Brewery is a good value at free, but it does not last long enough to justify a road trip out here on its own. All in all, it was something of a disappointment.

04-01-2008 22:25:29 | More by kensuthe

dlintern

Louisiana

3.23/5  rDev -14.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5 | $$

From the city its a long drive over the causeway, and I only ever go for one of two reasons: MKOB Homebrew club meeting to meet a few Northshore Brewers or pick up grains or yeast, but usually its after leaving the Abita Brewery with its unlimited free beer and I need somewhere to fill up on food for the long drive back. The burgers are really good and cheap and the meals are good as well and reasonably priced, I would recommend paying the extra buck for sweet potato fries. The beer selection is everything that Abita makes, if your lucky and theyre in transition they will have more than one select on tap, and that’s usually it. They make a few mixed beers with Andygator and Purple Haze or Turbodog, but nothing really that special. I remember having a Belgian wit there once but that was a long time ago and I’m not sure if it was someone else’s or if it was an old select they hadn’t finished off yet. The food is good and if you like Abita you can’t go wrong here. If you don’t, then I guess your SOL until you get back across the lake.

08-24-2007 16:58:57 | More by dlintern

philipquarles

Massachusetts

3.23/5  rDev -14.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | $$$

Headed to the Brew Pub one Friday night during the summer. Most of the business was inside because of the heat, but it still was not quite full. Pretty decent atmosphere; not really loud and noisy, but still social. Memorabilia strewn about: tin signs up on the walls, beer kettles in the corner, and taps all over the place. The bar tenders take their own time, and don't seem to be particularly knowledgeable in regard to the beers. All of the beers available at the time were available in the grocery store save for the Belgian Wit, the Belgian Dubbel, and the Andy Gator. I tried ordering the Dubbel and was told they didn't have it. Price was also a bit steep. $6.00 for an Andy Gator? No thanks. Food looked good, but was also very pricey. Overall not a bad place to go and have an Abita Brew, but one can really do that anywhere in SE Louisiana, and probably for cheaper.

08-23-2008 05:27:32 | More by philipquarles

mulder1010

Australia

3.38/5  rDev -10.8%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3 | food: 3 | $$

Had really high hopes and left disappointed.
Service was excellent. Was all over everything and first server on this trip where me and my girlfriend did not have to ask for a refill. Was ahead of us and asked for things before we need them.
Beer... Turbodog was ok and Andygator was disappointing for a bigger ABV. Was just very light. Bought an Abby Ale for later and was also disappointed.
Food was average. High point was the onion rings. Very nice.
Was very quiet for a lunch and did not seem busy at all.
honestly the brewery could do so much better and pales to the CO breweries

11-10-2009 06:30:46 | More by mulder1010

Daytripper42

Mississippi

3.4/5  rDev -10.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 4.5 | selection: 2.5 | food: 4.5 | $$$

I had been wanting to visit this place for a long time, so when my friend and I got the chance to finally go, we made the hour and a half trip to check the place out. Disappointment doesn't even begin to describe my feelings for this establishment.

First of all, we had visited their web site a few days before, which listed several different beers that you "could only get at the brewpub", including a chocolate stout and a blueberry-flavored brew. When we got there, the "brewpub's" beer list only consited of about 10 beers, and about half of those were conveniently "not available" or "seasonal". The chocolate and blueberry were nowhere to be found, and the waitress told us that they hadn't sold those particular beers for at least five years. They didn't even have the Strawberry Ale. What made me even angrier was the fact that we had passed up an entire stack of Abita Strawberry at a grocery store in St. Bernard Parish because for some reason we thought we would be able to find it at the place where it was actually brewed.

The food, however, was excellent, even though it was a little bit on the pricey side.

So we left the "brewpub" and went to the brewery, where they informed us that we could only buy the chocolate and blueberry at the brewpub. How ironic. Needless to say, I won't be going back to the town of Abita Springs any time soon.

06-02-2007 02:47:24 | More by Daytripper42

msubulldog25

Oregon

3.55/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

Visited for lunch on 05/20. We were a party of 6 (my parents, brother, sister-in-law, my wife & me). My wife and I were visiting from Portland, OR -though we used to live in nearby Slidell, LA. First time back to Abita since the late-1990's.

Atmosphere: Laid back and comfortable, not really noisy but "lively". Surprisingly dark inside and nobody seated outdoors (despite sun and mid-80's). Big bar predominates the main room, we were seated at a round table in a side room. Decor is eccletic antique junk, posters, photos etc.

Quality: Beer was hit-or-miss. My wife got the 6 pc.sampler and only liked the Turbo Dog and the seasonal Red Ale. All the others were pretty average, (wife & I realize we may be jaded since living in Portland exposes us to so many great craft beers). I got an AndyGator (good but I've had better barleywines) and a special cask item, the Cream Ale (very good). Mom had a Purple Haze and Dad a Golden - both said they liked what they ordered.

Service: utterly rude at first. "Hostess" who sat us literally tossed the menus onto the table. Server seemed tired and acted very impatient when we didn't all know what to order when she came around. But once we'd ordered, beer and food came in an appropriate time. We also ordered an extra dinner to take on the plane home - it was nicely boxed up for us. Before leaving, bought a couple of 6-packs of TurboDog and 2 pint glasses. The man who waited on us was very friendly and helpful.

Selection (I assume this means beer): A nice group of about 8 Abita beers. The basics were all there: Golden, Amber, Purple Haze, Turbo Dog, Light(!) plus the Red Ale, Cream Ale and AndyGator. There was one "guest" beer, which I think was Guinness.

Food: We liked the menu, lots to choose from. Good sandwiches and burgers, good salad. My dish was the Pecan-crusted Catfish - a huge fillet with a delicious coating of pecans. Good sides of potatoes and vegetables, too. We liked it so much that we ordered another one to go!

A good place to visit - definitely stop in if you're in the NO area.

05-31-2006 00:41:01 | More by msubulldog25