Holy Hound Taproom

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.74/5  rDev -9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | $$

Stopped by this past Sunday afternoon for lunch. Have been on the lookout for a viable substitute for Al's of Hampden (nothing against Al's, but it would be nice to find someplace a bit closer to my home in Baltimore), and while this probably isn't it, it's not bad.

Located in downtown York, the taproom is very near to the Mudhook brewery and central market (which is convenient). There's only street parking and nearby lots, but at least on a Sunday afternoon, I had no problem locating parking.

I'd be curious to know what this place was in it's past life. The place is fairly good size with high ceilings, but the fairly large dining room is pretty stark (neutral colors with minimal decorations presently), and the dining table layout just seems a bit awkward. I sat at the good size bar for a while (around 15 or 20 seats I would guess), and found the atmosphere here to be relaxed and informal. The taproom has three or four flat screen TV's, all turned to baseball games on this particular day (no complaints about that).

As for the beer selection, it's pretty good, though I wouldn't call it outstanding. The HH typically has 30 beers on tap, with the more interesting (to me) options including the Dupont saison, FBS, weihenstephaner weisse and Bell's two hearted. Unfortunately, the Springhouse Big Gruesome had just kicked prior to my arrival. The HH also has a few bottled craft and import selections (10 or 11, depending upon whether Yuengling counts), as well as the usual macro swill choices (bud, bud light, etc.).

Service was OK, though I think this is one area where the place is still struggling a bit (it's only been open since 7/2/12 I was told). I waited nearly 15 minutes for my first beer before someone finally noticed me at the bar (the HH was no more than half full). At that point the bartender noticed me, apologized, and indicated the first beer was on the house (so full marks for that). After that service was pretty good and I didn't have to wait more than a minute for a beer (I'm still not sure what the problem was initially; the staff was friendly, but they just seemed a bit slow, as if they were still trying to figure things out).

Prices were decent, though I wouldn't call them cheap. Lower alcohol beers were sold by the pint, generally selling for $5 a pop. Higher alcohol beers came in a snifter or tulip glass, with the price ranging between $6 and $7 generally. In terms of food, my understanding is that the HH does not yet have an operational kitchen. I don't know if this is just a temporary arrangement, but at present they get everything from the central market and, if necessary, heat it up at the taproom (soups and chili, for example). My BLT wrap had clearly come right out of the fridge; it was pretty decent, though I thought the $8 price tag a bit high for a medium size (at most) wrap. In any event, I don't feel as if I can rate the HH's food, given the current arrangement.

Shrug. All things considered, I enjoyed my visit here and will likely come back (the beer selection is decent and the folks working here were very nice). My bartender indicated they're hoping to model the taproom after the Toronado in SF (they realize they have their work cut out for them in that regard), with a focus on a large selection of high quality beer. The place has only been open for a couple of weeks, so clearly there is room (and time) for improvement. For now, I'd say this is a solid addition to the local craft beer scene in York.

07-16-2012 13:13:22 | More by johnmichaelsen

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +2.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$$

I stopped in at the Holy Hound taproom which was originally supposed to be called the Good Dog, but to avoid confusion with the bar in Philadelphia it was changed. The place is easy to get to -about a block away from the square and on the corner of Beaver which is right on the same block as the White Rose and Central Market.

The atmosphere is pretty cool, just relaxed and open with lots of seats at the bar and scattered tables around the interior they have a cd jukebox and the chalkboard displays the taps in an easy to read format above the tap handles. You can get food which is supplied by local businesses nearby like Busy bee in the market. They had a carolina style pork sandwich on the menu while we were in. The quality is good everything I had was fresh and served in the appropriate glassware at good temperature. The only drawback to me was pricing can be high depending on what you order since they serve higher abv beers in snifters which are 10oz and it could be 7 or 8% as the cut off depending, so you might want to ask first.

Overall the place is a nice alternative on the York scene with good selection of beers that is well run from what I can gather on my first visit. The service is good for a new place and I will return based on the friendliness of the owner who mentioned the free wi-fi to us while we sat at the bar. I hope to come back for food and a beer in the near future.

07-10-2012 16:47:40 | More by Slatetank

mk66

Pennsylvania

4.93/5  rDev +20%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

Pure, beer! This place is a beer lover's paradise. 30 rotating taps. No liqueur. The service was excellent. They do not have a full menu, because this place is all about beer. However, the food they offer is great, it's fresh and tasty. They had live music the first night I was there, not great, but didn't force me out the door either.

03-02-2013 17:41:26 | More by mk66

DrBier

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -14.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3 | food: 3 | $$

Have been in twice now with few complaints. 30 taps with ~10-12 dedicated to PA beers. They did have 3 beers I never had before on my first visit, quite suprising for a 15+yr craft drinker like myself, that number did drop to 0 on my next visit. Bottle selection is quite limited, about 10, nothing special here. Pricing is reasonable, had a Noble Rot served in 12oz tulip for $6, most pints are $5. No happy hour or sample sizes / flights. One server was a little weak on describing some beers and where some breweries were located. Nice open space, big bar and an amazingly friendly crowd for York, at least the folks I met at the bar my 2 visits. Food is locally sourced and decent, limited menu. Beer, food, staff and organization pretty good for just opening. Live music one or two nights a week and with the owner being an old Deadhead, we'll see, how about Yorks original Dead cover band Hexbelt, they're allowed to play in York again :)
Nice addition to York, will go back when I'm downtown. Otherwise I'll still go the extra miles to Al's or Shady's or to Max's most days.

07-16-2012 00:54:10 | More by DrBier

bad72amx

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 2.5 | $$

As a York resident, I am thrilled to see what the small area roughly around the ball field is becoming. Mudhook, Liquid Hero, and the White Rose have all rejuvenated this small area, and I hope more is to come. This summer, more did come, in the form of the Holy Hound Taproom. I have been twice now, and both times I was pleasantly surprised.

The selection of the 30 taps is interesting and widely varied. While many of the taps are more common craft beers, you will never see a macro and not likely to even see more than one Sam Adams and the like. It is nice to see beers from all over the country and the world, even some rare choices. There is always a Founders, Southern Tier, Dogfish, and other well known craft product on tap, as well as something from the locals like Liquid Hero, Troegs, and Victory, so you're sure to find something that pleases.

While there are always many Lager's and Ale's on tap, less common genres like high gravity barleywines and Wee Heavies, and Altbiers are well represented as well. I love the turnover; I was there Saturday, about 4 months after opening, and saw the 500th tap kicked (It was a Belgian Tripel, my mother ordered it.) Once a tap is kicked, it will be replaced by something different, and often something new to HH.

Another positive attribute is the glassware. The menuboard lists both glass type and price, and you can rest assured your beer will be poured properly into an appropriate vessel. Speaking of price, it isn't cheap, but considering there is nothing like HH in the area, it is very reasonable, and attracts a respectable crowd. It was busy during both of my extended stays, and is filled with young and old, usually well dressed, and rarely rambunctious. It is, however, already growing beyond its capacity, and can get very crowded during peak times. The place has a long bar, several tables, and barstools surrounding the perimeter, as well as a roped off area where drinking is allowed outside. A small stage area is set up off to the side for live bands, usually local and very good matches for the place. It is located in a restored former hotel, and is decorated with wood, earthen tones, and beer and music memorabilia.

Long story short, if you are near York and want a craft on tap, this is your place. Food selection is limited, so I suggest dinner at the White Rose up the street first.

11-14-2012 05:00:13 | More by bad72amx