Brick Alley Pub & Restaurant

Hibernator

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +4.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$$

We made a day trip down to Newport on this unseasonable winter day. This was my first time there and I had checked out BA beforehand for some ideas to get lunch.

Brick Alley is located on the busy and centrally located Thames Street. The restaurant itself is rather large and showcases an eclectic decor of sports memorabilia, Rhode Island portraits and odds & ends. There are some nice football helmets, jerseys, pictures, etc.

The menu is extensive and the food was really good. I started off with the Baked Stuffed Clams a la Portuguese that were awesome, definitely recommended. I also had the Lobster Bisque that was tasty and flavorful. I ordered the Lobster Roll, which had too much mayo for my liking, but there was an ample of amount of lobster meat.

The beer selection is solid with approximately 15 drafts and 30 bottles. The draft selection featured Sam Adams, Sam Adams Seasonal, Magic Hat #9, Harpoon IPA, Bass, Blue Moon, Heavy Seas Loose Cannon, Guinness, Narragansett, Newport Storm Seasonal, Newport Blueberry and Newport Amber Ale.

There are some interesting bottle options like Newport Cyclone Series, Chimay Rogue Ale, Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout, Westmalle and Lindemans Framboise.

I was really happy with this place and enjoyed a nice lunch. Good food, beers and atmosphere. Worth checking out if in the area.

02-04-2012 23:23:49 | More by Hibernator

merc7186

New York

4.13/5  rDev +8.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$$

I came to the Brick Alley on a recommendation from the people at Costal Extreme Brewing Co. (I called Coastal Extreme for tasting room hours and wasnt going to make it before they closed, they recommended this place).

A: The place is really good on the inside as it had a very eclectic motive to it with pictures, old liceense plates, gas memoribilia, etc. Not a beer snob paradise, but a really cool place to visit.

Q: Most of the beers they had on tap were decent. They had 16 taps and it looked like 12 of them were craft oriented.

S: The bartender I had was very nice, attentive, and never let my glass stay empty.

S: They had 3 Newport Storms, Naragansette, 1 Harpoon, 2 Sam Adams, Harpoon, Heavy Seas, Magic Hat, Blue Moon, Guiness, Miller Lite, Bud Light, etc

F: The food I ordered was decent...had the Lobster Bisque, Salad, and a burger. All were well done, preppeed and cooked well, no complaints

V: Pints were 4.50-5.50, bottles about 5 each, food was slightly higher, but I think eveerything in Newport is slightly higher.

Overall, a nice place to visit, cool place, great vibe.

03-21-2012 21:46:22 | More by merc7186

YaKnowBrady

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +4.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | $$$

While vacationing in Newport for Memorial Day weekend with my wife, stopped in for an early morning pint or two. Got there about 30 minutes before the restaurant officially opened, and got 2 seats at the bar.

Started off with a Heavy Seas Loose Cannon. Nice brew, super hoppy. I originally asked for a dark stout recommendation, but the bartender, who reminded me of John C. Reilly (think Dale from Step Brothers), and he said they only had Guinness, which I passed on.

The atmosphere was great, super kitschy, but in a good way. decor around the bar was mostly different license plates with bar related titles (GUINES, CGRAM7), and the servers were friendly. Decided not to order food, as it was still early, and we had other plans for lunch. My wife ordered a Bloody Mary, which she enjoyed.

Second beer was a Westmalle Tripel, served in the bottle, with a non-frosted Westmalle Chalice. I was very pleased to be given the beer this way, as some places less educated would just hand you a trappist beer in the bottle (or just not offer any trappist ales in the first place).

By the time we left, after about 45 minutes, it was nearly impossible to leave the place, as it was JAM-PACKED. 15 minutes after the place opened, there was a line 10 people long waiting for a table. This place must do gangbusters, because they're likely the most popular eatery in Newport.

I'd recommend for any traveler to try it, but I can imagine it being a madhouse in the evening. I recommend going early, like when they still have the chairs upside down on the tables.

05-31-2011 15:56:31 | More by YaKnowBrady

lehows

New York

3.88/5  rDev +1.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4 | $$

Located on cobblestone Thames St, right in the center of Newport, this place is popular with both locals and tourists alike. You can't miss the bright yellow awnings out front. The inside is decorated in a frenzy of americana and other nautical memorabilia displayed on walls throughout the dining areas. The place is larger than it looks and has a salad bar in addition to the several dining rooms and bar. The beer selection was solid but not spectacular. A nice showing of local and regional beers with several Newport Storm beers on tap along with Narragansett, Harpoon, among others. The food menu was extensive, and everything we ordered was good. This is not a beer destination but a good restaurant/pub that has a few good beers on tap. Definitely recommended for a bite to eat or to down a pint while exploring downtown Newport.

05-09-2011 18:57:07 | More by lehows

ShogoKawada

Rhode Island

4.15/5  rDev +8.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 5 | $$$

Great restaurant with a decent bar. Usually 8-12 lines running local and NE microbrews. Pour a cold pint, and have great service. Not a large bar area, this is better as a restaurant. There are less family-friendly beer bars up the street. Not to say that the atmosphere is off at Brick Alley... it's a fun place to be. Still, come for the food, stay for the beer.

The food at this place is very good. I've brought countless friend and family members here and they've all been impressed. Very well presented dishes.

A great place to grab a bite and a pint in Newport, RI. One of the top 3 "americana" restaurants in Newport. Pricey, you bet.. but Welcome to Newport.

07-13-2009 03:04:51 | More by ShogoKawada

msubulldog25

Oregon

3.7/5  rDev -3.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 4.5 | $$$

Visited on 28 October, 2008; our last full day in Rhode Island.

While Sunday and Monday had been beautiful and sun-filled in the Newport area, Tuesday presented falling temperatures and wind-driven rains...not conducive to Boston sight-seeing as we'd intended. No problem: we changed plans and decided on a couple hours in Newport. After a little shopping and several late-morning queries on where to eat, Brick Alley had (by far) the most votes.

The restaurant is easy to find; it anchors a prominent corner of Thames Street near the wharfs. Bright yellow and white awnings flapped in the breeze and large windows offer views to the cozy interior. Many articles and awards from local publications speckle the windows and entry - what out-of-towner could resist such high praise? (though the locals seem to enjoy and support the place in numbers - at least after Labor Day)

We arrived a little before noon and were happy to be seated at one of the semi-circular booths in a front window, facing Thames. Among the multitude of kitschy/cool artifacts covering every wall, we sat beneath a standout: a 1950's-era black & white of 'Senator Kennedy' teaching the boys at the Newport Y his patented 'set shot' (Obama - not the first ballin' president???). A small but emphatic 'Repeal the 18th Amendment' sign was mounted right above my head. The vibe of the place is great: sure there's alot of 'stuff' everywhere, but it showcases the color of Newport. There's memorabilia from tennis tournaments and sailing events, skiing equipment, hockey sticks, a dizzying array of photos (historic and current) of local heroes, old signs, license plates; it's (to me at least) a rather fascinating collection, mounted throughout a labyrinthine series of rooms. Amidst all the table and booth-filled rooms a modestly-sized 'U'-shaped wooden bar dispenses cocktails and beers to the masses...finally, I get to the beers...

Knowing this to be a 'tourist' area, I wasn't surprised by the array of US/UK 'macro' beers; well over half the choices on the 30 bottle/20 draft list are those standards. Among the handful of beers I considered most intriguing (probably because I'd never see them out west): IPAs from Harpoon and Offshore and several from local Coastal Extreme - the Amber, the seasonal Oktoberfest and the Blueberry. Sierra Nevada PA (the only west coast beer I saw) caught my eye, as did a small sampling of 'better' imports: Chimay Red, Sam Smith Stout, Westmalle and Lindemans Framboise. Prices generally ranged between $3.75-4.75, regardless of bottle or draft, with the latter imports in the $7-9 category. For the record, I picked a pint of the Newport Storm Oktoberfest, which was fresh and flavorful.

It being our last day (and final chance) for the wonder known as 'Lobster Roll', did we have a choice? All four of us ordered one - not cheap ($17 a pop), but very tasty and loaded with meat. The ladies picked French Onion soup (which was deemed 'awesome') and my BIL and I went the clam chowder route - very good call. Vincent was our server and was efficient and friendly, even offering an honest opinion of a couple dishes SIL considered before 'settling' for more lobster.

In summary: A likable place worthy of a visit for the food and the vibe, with just enough beer selection to keep a BA entertained.

11-02-2008 15:49:24 | More by msubulldog25

3.45/5  rDev -9.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 2 | $$

Stopped by late on a Sunday night.

Atmosphere was great, lots of wood, assorted beer and nautical paraphenalia on the walls. A cool place to hang out and look around.

Quality was fine, beer was in good condition.

Service was fairly quick and courteous, despite the fact that it looked like they were getting ready to close it down for the night.

Selection is where they really didn't impress me. Of the draft and bottle selections (maybe 40 total), less than half were "craft" options, and very few of those pushed the envelope much.

Overall, a fun bar, but not a destination for great beer.

07-01-2008 14:20:48 | More by

Saunapoika

Florida

4.58/5  rDev +19.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Took the wife and kids to eat lunch the day after Christmas. Quite busy and we were told the wait would be 20 minutes. Not to worry since we headed upstairs and sat at the bar with a brew while we waited. We were called and our table was set up nicely with a high chair. Good selection of beers on tap as well as the Newport Storm series which I'm not crazy about. Huge lunch menu with specials to boot. Pulled pork sandwich for me - outstanding, cajun chkn sandwich for the wife - also outstanding, and the oldest boy had a cheeseburger with fries. Kids portions are as large as I would expect an adult to eat.

Anyway, overall, great food, atmosphere is antique - sports bar-ish. I like it. Service was outstanding resulting in a 25% tip. Also, if you are so special that you don't feel like waiting, maybe you should try a different town. Prices are reasonable to high depending on what you order.

12-27-2007 02:35:17 | More by Saunapoika

auxiliary

Rhode Island

3.83/5  rDev +0.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

The place as a wall of awards in the front, but I was not impressed.
First off I hate waiting in line, place was packed and they had a empty dining room upstairs. OPEN IT! You have people waiting outside.
So I went upstairs and ordered a Newport Storm Amber Ale , yummy. I ordered the gourmet burger that had bleu cheese, a bowl of lttlenecks and some nacho's

I wasn't crazy about the burger, I like bleu cheese, but i think this was the good fresh stuff. I guess i'm use to cheap stuff. Din't like it
Littlenecks and nachose were great.

Waiter was awful we didn't even want to leave a tip.

10-30-2007 17:35:27 | More by auxiliary

harpus

Alabama

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 4 | $$$

This place was only a few blocks from our hotel in Newport. The beer selection was OK, all the macros and a few local beers. The local beers were Extreme Coastal. I ordered the hampburger and it was very good and my wife ordered the Phily Cheese Steak sandwich, it was also great. I tried the clam chouder on a recomindation. I am not a big clam chouder person but it was good. My wife ordered a mixed drink and was given the wrong one and the waitress offered us a free desert, but were too full to order any.

10-25-2007 04:41:32 | More by harpus