Phantom Canyon Brewing Company

damndirtyape

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +10.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Had dinner and drinks with a good friend here and I can see why it's his favorite. The atmosphere is good - nothing special, but plenty of room and not excessively noisy. A little cool temperature wise, but it warmed up as the place filled up.

Service was good especially when the waitress recommended getting that 2nd beer early while it could still be had a happy hour prices.

I would put selection, food, and quality in the same category here. The food was very good and the beer was as well. The Hefeweizen had all the things you want in an American wheat (hint of sweet and citrus) and their porter had great color and coffee/chocolate smells. They had IPAs and other house beers on tap as well as beer by the bottle and they provided the right classes for the beer chosen. The food was just right in portions and the desserts were huge for their price.

Overall I'm quite impressed and should I be this way again, I'll definitely stop in again.

05-05-2010 02:47:00 | More by damndirtyape

StLThrash

Missouri

4.05/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $

I had an overnight stay in Colorado Springs, and always try to seek out a brewpub wherever I travel, so this was a good find.

Located in a really nice area of downtown Colorado Springs, but with very little parking. I couldn't find a meter at 5:00, so I had to pay $4.00 for the lot across the street which was a little disappointing.

I had 2 pints on this visit, the Streamliner IPA, and also the Cascade Amber Ale. The Streamliner was an overall decent IPA. Had a different finish to it, tasted like weed (not that I've done weed, but...), but overall was pretty good. The Cascade Amber ale didn't live up to expectations as described as hoppy, floral and citrus. I felt it was much more of a malt backbone ale with not a lot of hop presence. I had a sample of the barleywine as well which was good.

The highlight of this visit was the meal. I had the lemon tabasco fried chicken which was out of this world. A fried chicken breast with a wonderful sauce that had distinctive hints of Tabasco, lemon and bleu cheese chunks. Served with garlic mashed potatoes and vegetables. I also ordered a cup of the blonde ale and smoked gouda cheese soup that was forgotten about by the server. By the time the entree arrived, I wasn't going to go back and ask for the soup, so I just let it go. She did tell me when asked about the lemon tabasco fried chicken that it was the best thing on the menu, and it wasn't on the bill, so I can't hold the soup against her too much. I believe the entree was under $10 as well.

Happy Hour is 3 - 6 and they have $2.75 pints - quite a good deal for a brewpub. All in all, a good visit, great atmosphere, friendly service, decent beers and great food. I believe they had around 10-12 of their beers on tap, and one that was on cask. If ever in the Springs again, I'd like to spend a little more time there and sample more food / beers.

Highly recommended!

02-29-2012 15:31:34 | More by StLThrash

beergoot

Colorado

4/5  rDev -1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

One of the first places I visited when first moving to the Springs back in 1995, and have been a weekly regular ever since. It's also where my wife and I never hesitate to take family and friends when they visit.

Overall, this is one of the better places in town for the beer lover who would like some reasonably priced grub. They've done a good job of presenting new and creative beers, some real winners with a smattering of questionable choices) as well as maintaining the quality of their core beers. They have two beer engines for cask-styled beers that usually are reserved for their Zebulon porter and IPA.

The food menu is updated at least twice a year. The food is usually of excellent quality for a very reasonable price. You have all the standard bar fair plus items to suit the vegetarian or carnivore in you.

They are situated in a three story building with the main bar and dining room at ground level with huge south and west facing windows and high tin-stamped ceilings that give an open, airy feel. The second floor is an expansive billiards place with a smaller bar. The 3rd floor is for large banquet gatherings. Their is also patio seating on the south side of the establishment.

Local artists have their works displayed throughout.

The entire staff is excellent from the greeters to the wait staff, bar tenders, kitchen staff, and management. Many of these people have been there for years.

Anyway, Phantom Canyon is a fine place, either solo or with others, to enjoy some good craft brews and excellent food at a very reasonable cost and pleasant, casual atmosphere.

12-17-2011 23:06:20 | More by beergoot

MsRif

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -4.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4 | $$

Visited while on "beercation." I was excited to try out another brewpub, and this place did not disappoint. Very yummy brews and food! They were unfortunately tapped out of one of their standard line-up beers, but I tried everything else they had. Some of the pale brews were sub-par/average but the darker beers were pretty darn delicious. Definitely worth sampling everything there. The food was very good and the portions were VERY generous. Come hungry, for sure.

Service was outstanding. Our bartender was very personable and knowledgeable regarding beer...that aspect really added to the overall pleasant atmosphere if the brewpub. We did make an afternoon visit, so it was less busy than normal I wager, but the whole establishment is very spacious and even the bar seating feels private between you and the person you are with, which was great.

I probably won't be in the area again for awhile, but I will absolutely go here again if I have the chance to. They had a great selection of merch as well, if you are interested in pint/shirt collecting!

10-26-2011 00:08:44 | More by MsRif

JayS2629

Alabama

4.78/5  rDev +18.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

They redid an old train station and it is very nice. Restaurant styled with lots of tables and a small outdoor area corded off. The bartender was very helpful, alert, and knowledgable about the beers. I got the flight and it was described in detail for each beer. They didn't mind sharing ingredients and timings.

Very good atmosphere. Upscale, and downtown. Balanced and delicious beers. Quick and kind service topped things out. Awesome little spot with tons of choices. Looking at the menu, looked upscale and tasty. Nice, clean, well lit, and friendly. Overall a great little hangout.

09-01-2011 02:35:33 | More by JayS2629

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -2.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

I was looking forward to this place, and for the most part I was satisfied with my visit. Simple decor, class and dignity for the most part (aka no sunglasses-wearing alligator heads on the walls), with an early 20th century vibe going on; lots of wood and mirrors, etc. A decent-sized bar with plenty of tables. Our bartender was great: friendly, good-humored, and knowledgeable about the house beer, beer in general, and the local scene. As for the beer, I wasn't really blown away by anything. It was average overall, I suppose. There was nothing really bad, but nothing that I'd want to fill a growler with. Food was very good and in good portions, and prices were decent all over.

Definitely a nice place, and I'd go back if I found myself in the area again.

08-28-2011 16:08:54 | More by Rifugium

DesMoinesMike

Iowa

4.13/5  rDev +2.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

This was the first stop on our "Springs" brewpub tour courtesy of Uncle Dan. The building is a spacious restored railroad office with a fair amount of the original material, such as wood floors and tin ceiling. The bar has some very impressive woodwork. The brew tanks are in a glass-encased room to the side. The menu had some good variety, and in the spirit of the mountains I ended up going with the buffalo meatloaf sub. It tasted great but had one small flaw, there was a broken-off peice of another plate in it! I got the waiter's attention who promptly got the manager. The manager appoligized and offered to replace my meal. I ended up having my food and some of the beer taken off the tab. It was soemthing that shouldn't happen but the issue was quickly resolved. Aside from that it was a very enjoyable lunch.

07-07-2011 17:31:56 | More by DesMoinesMike

chugalug06

Colorado

3.73/5  rDev -7.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$$

A - Very nice and open atmosphere with many great distractions. There's many nice pool tables as well as a private room for rent. The bar is large and seems to be always quite crowded.

Q - Quality is always exceptional. Brew is not always on-top of it's game but always palatable and never a drain pour. I've tried many for the brews and all seem just fine, none amazing and none poor.

S - Service has been hit or miss, as it typically is in most middle of the road restaurants.

S - Great selection menus are all full of options... There's always around 8 brews to choose from. Food menu is great too...

F - Always quality, not top notch, but always good.

A bit pricey, but a good stop if you're passing through town or comeing down from Pikes Peak.

05-27-2011 00:51:53 | More by chugalug06

evanlarkin

District of Columbia

4.08/5  rDev +1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5 | $

This has become my go-to place whenever I come to Colorado Springs, about every month.

The bartenders are easy to talk to, and the patrons are generally pleasant. The atmosphere is solid, especially when they play Atmosphere.

Happy hour is what makes this place. $2.50 pints of house beers, of which all are solid. I cannot and will not ever complain about that. In addition, free pool during happy hour. That's what originally brought my girlfriend and I here, and that's one of the things that keeps us coming (though I'd even come just for the beer). Full size tables, your choice of cue weights, and cheap pints? Fantastic.

The beer, like I've said, is really great. They have an actively rotating menu too, so every time I come back to Colorado Springs I get to try something new. No complaints with that, other than I want to try their barley wine again. On the other hand, the King Mixer is a great substitute.

The food? The food is fine. It's not as vegetarian as I am (bacon on the potato wedges, etc.) but I understand that if it were they'd be catering to the minority, and I wasn't always a vegetarian. In any case, the food mostly seems to be meant as restaurant food and not bar snacks, which is cool, but requires more commitment than I usually put into my visits. My actual meals there have been very pleasant though.

So, overall, great value on beers, decent food for a meal, and free pool from 3-6 (and if you've got a cute girl with you, free pool no matter what). It's a place I'll definitely remember.

04-05-2011 22:48:36 | More by evanlarkin

corcoranjc

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +10.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

Bristol and Trinity were a lot of fun during my trip to Colorado Springs, but Phantom Canyon was the hidden jewel.

This place wasn't even on my list of places to stop by, and I ended up there one evening simply because it was across the street from hotel we were staying in, and I was floored.

Wonderful, large space with a relaxed atmosphere. the food is surprisingly good, and the beer exceptional.

I went back a couple days later when I had a few free minutes and read a book at the bar while enjoying a couple happy hour beers. the prices are good all the time, but the prices during happy hour are insanity. When i went in and ordered the bar tender served me 20 minutes before happy hour and said that if i nursed the beer i could pay during the happy hour time and get the discounted price...crazy nice.

met a couple dudes who work for the GABF at the bar who were doing a beer tour, and they were as impressed as I.

02-18-2011 00:12:46 | More by corcoranjc