Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -15.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 2.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5 | $$

The production facility was on W 3rd St, but the pub was on W 4th St between "G" and "H" Sts. It was a green and yellow building with a wide front which opened onto the m.d.s., followed by a sea of standard restaurant tables and chairs. The copper-topped, "J"-shaped bar was along the right wall and continued aft to a separate set of seating all of the way aft. Also in the back was a pool table and a few electronic games to the right and a dark green futon to the left, just before the back entrance from the rear (metered) parking lot. The interior artwork was Cubist/Picasso-like and the overhead was teeming with papier mache monsters, and oversized Black Widow spider, inflatable palm trees, and other eclectic stuff. The kitchen was off to the left with a glass case of logo items just beyond. This included the Beer Pest gamut of growlers, patches, and posters. There was additional seating on the second floor, but we were satisfied on the first floor. The service tended towards obliviousness and in my frustration, I asked for some of the "Free Wi-Fi" mentioned on the side of the building to go.

I really got a kick out of a great reproduction of an old sign for "Simonds' Milk Stout", which featured a dapper Reading Brewery barrel with his arm around a shyly smiling pint of milk as they sat on a bench under a grinning moon. So that's how it's made!

Beers: 8-Ball Stout; Alleycat Amber; Pale Ale; Harvest Wheat; Great White; Indica IPA; Double IPA; Downtown Brown; Raspberry Brown; Apricot Wheat; Tangerine Wheat; and Imperial Pils. They were so-so, at best. The advertising was better than the beer being advertised. Sad but (IMHO) true.

08-25-2008 22:36:10 | More by woodychandler

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.65/5  rDev -2.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5 | $$

Stopped in on my way back to Portland. This was the first time I'd been by Lost Coast in a number of years.

LC Brewery and Cafe is a good size restaurant/pub, fronting right on hiway 101/4th street in downtown Eureka. The place has a very relaxed, informal vibe, with a good size bar area in the center/right part of the pub, and with some rickety tables and chairs spread around haphazzardly both around the bar area downstairs, as well as upstairs in the auxillary dining area. There is also a pool table and some pin ball machines in the back area. The place was bustling at 5:30 on a Sunday afternoon, and I was impressed by the number of families I saw in attendance (which speaks, I think, to the value aspect of the food menu - good size portions of decent food at reasonable prices). As for the beer, all 13 beers on the draft list were brewed in house, consisting of the core beers, three fruit beers, and three seasonals (one of which, the cherry stout, was on cask). I sampled the great white wit and the imperial stout (the latter seemed very similar to the regular 8 ball, but was a bit richer, higher in alcohol, and had a bit more of a punch), both of which were very enjoyable and well made. Service was fine for what it was. Our young waitress was quick, efficient and friendly. I tend to doubt she knew much about any of the beers available, but I didn't really require any assistance or advice anyway. As for the food, it was OK. The wings I ordered were nothing special but still pasable, but my friend's portabello and spinach quesadilla was actually quite good. Prices here were quite reasonable I thought. Pints for the core beers were $3.50, and my two beers and our food came to under $24 total after tax.

All in all, I was happy with our visit to Lost Coast. Neither the food nor the beer is going to leave anyone going "wow" after a meal here, but nevertheless, this is a good place to stop for a relaxing respite after a day of driving on 101. Hopefully it won't be another decade or more before I stop by here again.

12-27-2010 04:57:02 | More by johnmichaelsen

DaPeculierDane

Wisconsin

3.83/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5 | $$

Neat pub in a neat old building in a neat old neighborhood on the edge of Eureka’s historic and picturesque, albeit hippie and hobo infested downtown. The atmosphere is part old British pub, part new California pub, and 100% freaky voodoo gypsy “I’m a paper mache artist with way too much time and LSD on my hands.” Staff are very friendly and seem to enjoy the product they serve. The food was decent but not great. I had a Navaho Chicken Sandwich. Had the fried bread been fried a touch more it would have been great. The beer sampler came with 12 beers. I really enjoyed the IIPA and was floored by their tangerine ale. It was straight up pure tangerine nectar. Very unique and delicious. The other fruit beers including Raspberry and Apricot ales were quite good as well but the Raspberry Brown was medicinal like cough syrup and pretty disgusting. The rest of the ales were all pleasing, mostly well hopped, clean, and refreshing. They were out of stout so I did not get to try that. Followed up the sampler with a pint of IIPA. Prices were very good for the quality and quantity. Overall impression is that lost coast is a fun place with some decent brews but nothing too extraordinary…yet. I do see potential.

08-07-2007 20:07:05 | More by DaPeculierDane

MilwaukeeCrusher

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev +2.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | $

Stopped in the late afternoon to find the place relatively full. Decor in the brewery was nice, and it had a friendly atmosphere. Managed to talk to bartender who happened to be from the Chicago area. As for beers, one beer stood out for me, that being the Great White. Appreciated the Tangerine Wheat for its uniqueness, however it was not to my personal taste. I recall the prices being reasonable, perhaps being the least expensive of my California brewery tour. Would probably stop again if in town, but considering the amount of other choices in California... if only in town.

01-04-2011 01:01:29 | More by MilwaukeeCrusher

flexabull

California

3.83/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

BUSY place! There are always a bunch of people here, especially on a Friday afternoon.

Typical brewpub atmosphere, loud, a few TVs showing sports, and some games in the back of the pub.

Service was OK, a bit slow, but they sure were busy. Our server was friendly and pleasant though.

There were 8 or 9 beers on tap. I had a double IPA that was excellent, and a blend of 8 Ball Stout and Pale Ale called Yin & Yang. (so-so...)

Food is pretty good, and the prices are quite fair.

A very nice place to stop in Eureka to get good beer and food. You just need to be patient sometimes, because it is a popular place.

06-26-2007 02:33:44 | More by flexabull

VegasBill

Nevada

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

I decided to make a Ca. north coast beer tour as I have not done this for a few years, This is my first review. First for those visiting this pub for the first time there is plenty of parking just behind the building. Lost Coast is located in an old restored building that, in my opinion, was poorly done but I still love old restored buildings.
The beer is as good as it gets, my favorites are the Indica IPA and the Alleycat Amber. The freshness from the tap vs. the bottle really shows here and it is a treat to be able to have the tap beer.
The food is pub fare but the daily specials seem to go a few notches above that.

As for the atmosphere during meal times this pub seems to turn into a family restaurant, with screaming kids and the whole family thing going on and not much beer is served. At other times it has the good small pub feel to it with locals in charge.

07-08-2007 06:17:29 | More by VegasBill

Troyone

California

3.83/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5 | $$

Kind of historic building with pub and local paraphenalia all around. There are two entrances, one in the front and one back by the parking lot (pay - I think). There is at least one pool table and a loft area.

Most of the tap nozzles were brass and at least one was stainless steal. The kitchen was not really in the open but one could walk by and see the happenings. The wood tables, chairs, and brass plated bar with wood siding gave the establishment some character.

Service was friendly, knowledgable (at least tried), and prompt.

Good selection of their own beers and I did not see a cask option. Most of their beers had a similar taste, a few were possible notables, and a definite notable was the 8 Ball Stout (hence the pool tables).

The food was good.

reasonable

06-11-2005 09:26:57 | More by Troyone

SurlyDuff

Oregon

3.9/5  rDev +4.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $

Anytime i'm at the coast, I make the beautiful drive through the Redwoods down to Lost Coast Brewpub.

First of all, Eureka is an neat town. My first visit to Eureka was the more interesting, as we were passing through town around Humboldt county's 'holiday' on April 20th. A good blend of hippies and transients provides for an exciting walk downtown, complete with chanting and mumbling vagrants, sidewalk performers, and everything inbetween.

The brewpub is in an old historic building, cool atmosphere inside, though just a bit crowded even on weeknights. Bit noisy, but otherwise good. Food menu is above average pub fare. Drinks are ofcourse great. Get a sampler! I enjoy their Brown and the Indica IPA.

02-12-2008 23:44:22 | More by SurlyDuff

GreenWBush

Oregon

3.38/5  rDev -9.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5

I was perusing through notes from my left-coast trip of the past summer and realized I forgot to mention anything about Lost Coast. I must not be alone in that sentiment, with only a few other reviewers so far.

Lost Coast is very easy to find once you've made it to the downtown area of Eureka. Maybe it was just the particular night I was there, but it really seemed to be one of the few things around that was hoppin'.

Anyway, the bar and restaurant are housed within a beautifully restored old building with a rather hippyish vibe inside, only to be expected here in the "heart of humboldt country".

As far as the brew goes, Indica is really really good fresh off the tap. Quite delicious and blew away the relatively fresh bottled version I would experience later on in the night. The white ale was decent as well as their brown, which i'm not really too big of a fan of. The amber and pale were also middle of the road. But I was there for the Indica. mmm...

The service was relatively snappy while being a bit robotic. I never got the homey feel from any waitstaff like I did at most other brewpubs in the PacNW/left coast area. Very 'get you in and out' at the tables. I also really resented the fact that I had to hear the boss-waitress ordering around her waitstaff like they were incapable children.

The food was pretty good but nothing extraordinary. I had a burger that was tasty but expensive in terms of quantity. The wifey had a nice spinach salad with Feta.

Altogether a very pleasant experience with a damn fine IPA in hand the whole while. The food was decent, as was the service, and some of the beers left a little to be desired. Stick with the Indica, get to know some locals and you'll have a fine time.

11-09-2004 00:11:23 | More by GreenWBush

Jayli

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +17.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $

Headed up here on a recent trip to No. Cal. on 11/29

Nice little brewpub that is pretty damn busy for about 2pm on a Sunday afternoon (and that wasn't just at the bar stools to watch the Sunday games). Walked in the back entrance that leads right in to three of four tables on the right, a few arcade games and a pool table is located on the left. Then you come upon the bar - relatively small bar area, like your typical restaurant, and then there is an open area of seating with little tables dispersed throughout. Laid back vibe, lots of locals there (always a good sign IMO). Great music and vibe. As mentioned, busy for 2pm on a Sunday, but wait staff was is nice and friendly. Roughly 14 beers on draft (5 seasonals). Food is outstanding! Got the stuffed pretzel with jalepeno and cheese for an app. For lunch, I got the Famous Brown with parmesan lemon fries and my girlfriend got the sliders.
Overall, I wish this place was freaking east coast! Good beer, good food, good wait staff, good vibe and CHEAP as hell!

12-11-2009 02:08:27 | More by Jayli