Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria

mbrown26

North Carolina

4.15/5  rDev -2.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4 | $$

This is one of my wife and I's favorite places. The pizza if phenomenal and the beer selection is good. If I were going to open up a restaurant, I would try to emulate this one. The place is clean and the people are friendly.

Downstairs: Features a large eating area that still maintains a local restaurant type feel. Has a stage toward the front door and bands will play every once and a while. Good beer selection. I don't think there was anything too rare, but I remember seeing local beers. While some bars want you to show up for the beer and then have some food to go along with it, their food is worth going for, even if you don't have a drink.

Upstairs: Features pool tables and a bunch of beer on tap. Last time I was there I had some sort of pumpkin beer while playing pool.

The atmosphere of this restaurant is laid back and a great place to eat.

11-01-2010 10:23:25 | More by mbrown26

MarcatGSB

Michigan

3.64/5  rDev -14.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | $$

Large space with a "historic" feel, with a nice long wood bar, tin ceiling, etc. Plenty of room, with well spaced tables. We went during the lunch hour and it wasn't all that busy.

This place has a boat load of taps. The overall quality and selection, left something to be desired. Alot of really nice NC brews, but nothing that was outstanding. I love how the culture in Asheville embraces the beer scene, but overall the beer being produced there falls behind the likes of Michigan, WI, and CA.
We did not try any food, and we did not return during our three day stay. Not that we didn't care of the place, it just didn't offer enough for us to return a second time. There are better options in Asheville, and they are close.

12-26-2012 15:10:19 | More by MarcatGSB

jfindley

New York

4.53/5  rDev +6.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5 | $

We visited on a Friday evening and the place was hopping. We wedged our way into a couple of seats at the bar.

A - Large space that's mostly an open room on the main floor. Lots of wood and cool decorations. Long bar along one wall toward the back. Although it was crowded it felt warm and welcoming. Noisy, but you could still hold a conversation. Lot of college-ish people but also families and other people just out for dinner.

Q - The quality at this place is really good. They obviously know beer and are aware of keeping things fresh. This place is busy enough and they're paying attention enough that it's unlike to ever get an off beer here.

S - I can't say enough about the service. It was smokin' busy for the two bartenders but they kept on top of it as well as bantering with the 20 or so people at the bar. Their service and knowledge was impeccable. They could pick up for each other in the middle of helping somebody - one would pour beer, the other would pick up the empty glasses, and they kept all of it straight and were friendly in the process. Really and truly excellent. I hope I left a big enough tip...

S - The selection here is great. They had several locals as well as some one-offs like the New Belgium / Alpine collaboration. Everything was interesting and no fake craft beer or nonsense like that. There is also a good variety of styles so there is likely something on the menu for everyone.

F - I rated this down a little as we shared an appetizer and it was just okay. Pizza is clearly their thing here and they looked and smelled good. So there is food and I'll give it another try on another visit.

Overall we thought this was a great place and we had a great time. Friendly staff and patrons, great beer, and lots of fun. We should have gone here sooner and visited more often.

10-04-2012 17:05:49 | More by jfindley

adam42381

Florida

4.58/5  rDev +7.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $

The wife and I were in Asheville a couple weeks ago and decided to check out BeerAdvocate to see where we should visit and Barley's was the first place we decided to check out. I loved the layout of the place and we decided to have a couple drinks upstairs before eating downstairs. The highlight of my day their was the New Belgium Lips of Faith Tart Lychee which was fantastic. The food was quite good as well. I had pizza and the wife had a grilled chicken salad (I think). Overall, I'd highly recommend this place.

06-27-2012 20:53:20 | More by adam42381

JdoubleA

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -7.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

A- Two levels, downstairs is food only, upstairs is for games (pool, foosball, and darts). Nice old wood walls and floors. College/arty crowd overall, but so is most of asheville, and I don't mean that in a bad way. Love late evenings of pitchers and playing darts by the open windows on the second floor.

Q- I go there every time I'm in asheville, so obviously I think it's good.

S- Only real problem I have with the place, which certainly has another side to it. Regulars get waaaay more attention than you and the bartenders are always luke-warm at best, completely disinterested at worst.

S- 20 taps up 20 taps down with an occasional repeat. Maybe 1 usually.

F- I've always had the pizza or calzones and thought they were great.

V- Right in line with everybody else in asheville.

02-10-2012 18:53:51 | More by JdoubleA

Lantern

North Carolina

4.63/5  rDev +8.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$

Stopped in for a late lunch, and absolutely loved it! 

The place was quite busy, but my girlfriend and I promptly got one of the few tables left-and it was the best one of all- right next to the window with a clear view of the beautiful day outside! 

Our server wasted no time taking our drink order, and was really patient when I couldn't decide on a beer because the beer list was FREAKIN' HUGE!!! I finally decided on a Sierra Nevada Hoptimum on tap. (And later, a bottled Delirium Tremens)

Even though pizza is their thing, I'd eaten pizza the day before, so I didn't really want any. There was a lot on the menu that looked really good (sandwiches, subs, salads, pitas, pasta, calzones, etc.) I ended up ordering Pasta Primavera. It was very quick to be served, and tasted exactly as I'd expected (kinda hard to ruin it).

Our server was quick, patient and attentive, and always smiling. She really helped the already awesome experience. 

I can't wait to get back here and have a brew or five. Awesome establishment if you're in the area and in need of a place to kick back and have a great beer!

01-23-2012 17:24:28 | More by Lantern

DCon

Missouri

4.35/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Coming in for dinner on the second night in Asheville, NC, I saw this was rated high on BeerAdvocate, so thought we would check it out! Must have passed it twice before seeing it on the left hand side of the road, a couple blocks South from downtown. Great music coming from the street, there was no need to look at a menu.

We first started out at the bar, ordering a few beers but then the "Jazz Trio" (more like a Jazz Jam session) made us want a seat closer to the entertainment. Closed out at the bar and then sat closer to the front door and stage. Fun, music enthused crowd, we fit right in. The place was decorated with trophies (must have teams they sponsor) and tons of beer, obscure signs. Really felt inviting and cozy in here.

Quality was good. Could be cleaned up a bit but nothing wrong. The menu was a bit hard to read but the server was able to throw me in the right direction.

Both the bartender and the server were both great! Recommended their best in both the pizza and beer department. Always nice to be able to trust your server.

Had an extremely impressive tap line up. Enjoyed MANY of their beers and found myself tipsy. Good job Barley's! Luckily, everything is close in Asheville, so I didn't have to drive very far.

Enjoyed both the Garlic Knots and "Make-Your-Own" Calzone. The Garlic Knots could have been taken out of the oven a bit sooner (a bit burned) but the Calzone made up for it! Unreal. We added Pepperoni and Andouille Sausage to the already garlic, herbed, and multi cheesed Calzone.

With all of the pizza offered in Asheville, we took a break from the pie and the calzone made up for it! Try to come on a night they have music because the jazz was awesome the night we came. Another easy spot to get to from downtown, don't be afraid to explore!

01-15-2012 01:38:46 | More by DCon

PorterLambic

Florida

4.8/5  rDev +12.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $

Awesome place! You really need to come here if you fnd yourself in the area.
Ceiling is that cool hammered metal from like a century ago.
Downstairs is a big open room with wooden tables and chairs.
Service is great. Staff is friendly and attentive.
The pizza with beer malt dough is easily one of the 5 best I have ever had. The entire menu had me drooling. From jerk chicken to pizza to beefalo burgers. I feel like Homer Simpson.
Didn' t get upstairs but maybe next time I will.
Very family friendly place, too.
Most pints are $3.75 or $4. Pitchers are $12-$13.

08-08-2011 22:56:59 | More by PorterLambic

JebediahScooter

North Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +3.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

Ate and drank at Barley's many times before hitting a show at the Orange Peel while living in the area. I love the black bean hummus and the pizza is pretty solid (great deals on a plain old slice if you just want a snack).

There are tons of interesting taps at the main bar downstairs as well as upstairs with the pool tables and dart boards. I generally stuck to Pisgah brews, but there are always plenty of interesting selections.

It can be a bit crowded downstairs during the dinner rush, but the bar and wait staff are attentive and fairly knowledgeable about their tap list.

I moved away from the area but visit several times a year, and Barley's is always on the itinerary. Note that there are other locations (Knoxville & Greenville off the top of my head), but the Asheville spot is the best of the ones I've visited.

07-31-2011 15:48:27 | More by JebediahScooter

damjadi

Oregon

4.85/5  rDev +14.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $

Wow! A real surprise! Great beer selection at very reasonable prices. Excellent tap selection with a local cask. You can get the higher gravity beers upstairs and bring them down or enjoy them there. Very good selection of locals. The menu has an excellent explanation of each draft most drafts are $3.75. Cheapest good beers in town!

The food was high quality and inexpensive. The appetizers, the sandwiches, and pizzas were all high quality. Portions were large. Came home with food for the next day.

Service was attentive and professional!

07-03-2011 00:28:34 | More by damjadi