Three Needs Brewery & Taproom

jwc215

New Jersey

3.44/5  rDev -6.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | $$

This brewpub is small and well-lit. Fairly small bar on the right with some tables on the left. Pool table in the back. No food offered. Atmosphere more like a run-of-the-mill bar rather than a brewpub. No printed menus of the beers, though they are listed on a board. Five of their beers with seven guest beers. Their offerings were standard offerings, nothing unusual. No sampler was included, though the enthusiastic, friendly bartender let us have some small samples when we could get her attention (though it wasn't too crowded.) One unisex bathroom means you're waiting awhile if you have to go. The beers sampled were okay/decent, the stout being the best, IMO.

Worth checking out, but don't expect to be amazed.

07-25-2007 15:11:17 | More by jwc215

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.76/5  rDev +2.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | $$

We had a little trouble finding this place, I guess they have just recently moved so don't go to the College st location go to the Pearl St address next door to Fu Da Chinese restaurant. This place doesn't look like much from the outside, it looks like a house sandwiched between two bigger buildings. Its a nice open space inside with high ceilings and exposed wood adorned with breweriana. A small loft up above and a large area towards the back with 2 pool tables and a Foosball table. Small L shaped bar sits against the right had wall. Decent tap selection of maybe 12 with a focus on VT brews. The night we went they only had one house brew on tap, a Munich Lager that was decent. I'm not sure if they are done brewing or if they are behind from the move? No food served and a college bar type feel to it. Prices seemed good.

02-27-2012 22:29:18 | More by johnnnniee

tobelerone

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +16.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$

My fiancee and I really enjoyed Three Needs. After coming from the Vermont Pub and Brewery, which had a very family/touristy vibe, this place was the perfect antidote. Can't say what it's like in here on a weekend evening...probably pretty nuts...but on a quiet fall Sunday it was perfect. 2 TVs over the bar were showing 2 NFL games at key moments which I enjoyed but the sound was off and it's definitely NOT a sports bar..more of a dive if nothing else, with a pool table and darts in the back. About 10 total customers while we were here.

The bartender was very cool and friendly, chatty enough but not too much, and gave us a few free tasters to boot. The beer was really top notch and, not to pile on but, much better overall than the things we had at VPB. Prices were nice too...I think 4 or 5 bucks a pint. We had Super Chocolate Thunder Porter, Ich Bin Ein Berliner Weisse, and Scottish Kilt (I think) and they were all extremely well made and tasty. They also had maybe 6-10 guest taps of things like Stone and Long Trail.

Don't miss this one. It's well within walking distance - a few blocks - from VPB and American Flatbread.

11-02-2011 15:49:11 | More by tobelerone

Delraypete

Florida

3.89/5  rDev +5.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | $$

Can't add much to the previous reviews, but I wanted to contribute because I did like the place. It's a dive with nice house brews. Went on a Sunday evening while visiting town with a small group and there was maybe 3 other people there and 10 when we left. Bartender Troy was a nice guy and paid attention when we had an empty glass, but unfortunately he didn't know much about the beers when asked. He did give us his 3 needs notebook to contribute to, which was fun. We had beers I can't find on here, but which were pretty good - a Vienna style and the Sorachi IPA, which had an interesting dill aftertaste. We enjoyed a few and moved on to our next stop.

08-24-2011 19:30:55 | More by Delraypete

koopa

New Jersey

3.86/5  rDev +4.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | $$

Been here a few times now and could have sworn that I've written a review previously but I was mistaken. This place screams dive bar....lots of local college kids....lots of straight up drunks....cheap pints....a pay ppol table you can use for free because the glass panel is removed....loud (but good) music, etc.

Had the pleasure of meeting Dan this time who was a great bartender...perhaps the hardest working bartender in the state!

Selection is limited but enjoyable. The chocolate thunder porter is a must and the Ich Bin Ein Berliner was enjoyable.

Pints were less than $4 which is decent for the area.f

07-21-2011 00:47:02 | More by koopa

albern

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev -6.8%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3 | service: 5 | selection: 3 | $

This place is a bit rough. There is a pool table and pretty much a drunk crowd. I was in a foul mood because of my experience at Flatbread (read that review) and went to 3 needs. I had the extra stout, which I really enjoyed. The atmosphere was a real turn off, although it was pretty harmless. I'm just not into the drunken early thirties crowd. The $3.50 pints were as cheap as any I can remember. The samples were very generous and didn't cost anything. That's my kind of place. High marks on service. They had only 3 of their house beers on tap when I was there.

03-27-2010 17:49:39 | More by albern

TheRowan

Vermont

3.7/5  rDev +0.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | $$

Ya good spot for a beer if in Burlington! Don't go out of your way to hit it on a weekend. Way to packed with college phish kidss and girls who like girls (not that thats is a bad thing at all!). They do have good in house beers on the regular! No food and not a lot of room to move around! Not good for big parties but a good place for two or three!
Great place for early in a night! good locals at certain times! The pool table is always packed But duff hour on week days is not to be missed! cheep 1$ drafts for the hour! big simpsons fans

01-25-2010 11:43:25 | More by TheRowan

soccerman7

Vermont

3.45/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | $

Stopped by with friends on a thursday late afternoon. The brewpub is attractive when you first walk in. Walls are adorned with great Vermont beer signs and musical acts, and a little Simpson's shrine next to the bar.

Beer selection was pretty good. An all Vermont line up which was really cool. Had the Magic Hat Single Chair which was good, along with a few of their own brews. IPA was good along with their porter and really reasonable prices.

Only down side to the brewpub was the level of the music playing that was too loud and made conversation a bit hard. The pool table when in use made it difficult to get to the bathrooms.

The seating was ok, and was lucky enough to get a corner window booth (only 2 their), though an hour later it was packed. Service was very good and really didn't have to wait for a beer. The beers were served in standard pint glasses and I didn't really see any other style glasses there, though there may have been tulips.

A great quick after work place that makes good beer, but not an evening go to place.

11-21-2009 22:46:03 | More by soccerman7

jjboesen

Maryland

3.41/5  rDev -7.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | $

Somewhat away from the other beer destinations of Burlington, Three Needs (I know not what these are) is a small, raucous establishment that serves as a hangout for drunken students, local drunks and tattooed ne'er-do-wells.

And all the action takes place in a single, tightly-packed room; there is bar of moderate proportions on one side, a few tables on the other and a mandatory pool table near the restrooms in the rear. In fact, one must zig and zag through the Minnesota Fats wannabees to get to the bathroom.

There is a small selection of underwhelming house beers along with the mandatory regional crafts, so it won't be a complete waste of your valuable drinking time. My friend and I visited during the usual Saturday night rituals, so it was a bit of a crowd, but a well mannered one it was. Nothing was spilled, nobody was cursed at, and nobody went to the hospital. All in all, Three Needs is a quaint dive, but one unable to provide any reason to stay beyond a single pint. After all, this is Burlington where so much more awaits a thirsty Beer Advocate.

11-18-2009 15:28:13 | More by jjboesen

JimmyK77

Delaware

4.8/5  rDev +30.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | $

I was most excited about this place because they had a sour red ale on tap. I love this rarely-brewed style and this was a great sour red.

The location itself was fine for me - small crowded and loud - so probably not for everyone. But I was there for the beer, not the atmosphere. But if your looking for great beer and a good 'bar scene' you couldn't go wrong here. If you want a quieter place, I'd still go for the beer, but stick to non-peak hours.

Even with the crowd, the staff was friendly and attentive. The decor was very unusual.

10-13-2009 18:40:42 | More by JimmyK77