Peter B’s Brewpub

Peter B’s BrewpubPeter B’s Brewpub
Peter B’s BrewpubPeter B’s Brewpub
Brewery, Eatery

2 Portola Plz
Monterey, California, 93940
United States

(831) 649-2699 | map
peterbsbrewpub.com
BEER STATS
Average:
3.68
Beers:
33
Ratings:
58
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.34
Reviews:
22
Ratings:
27
pDev:
12.28%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
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Photo of LXIXME
Reviewed by LXIXME from New Mexico

3.9/5  rDev +16.8%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.75
Place was quiet and subdued and everyone there seemed to want just that and that is worth something. Decent and unique beers highlight the beer offerings and again it seems that is what the local crowd wants, and again, that is worth something.
May 13, 2016
 
Rated: 2.99 by Rubalaca from California

Mar 28, 2015
Photo of JackDempsy
Rated by JackDempsy from Arizona

3.5/5  rDev +4.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
This place was "bla". Nothing there to bring me back except for their Stout - the only thing that keeps this place rated above a 3.0
Jan 01, 2015
 
Rated: 3.68 by navycb

Oct 24, 2014
Photo of Rikwilliams
Reviewed by Rikwilliams

2.75/5  rDev -17.7%
Very friendly place but slightly disappointing, good location and food was good. Beer ticked the beer itch but only just , imperial IPA was fair, normal IPA was similar
Oct 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by ChipChaight from New York

Jun 23, 2014
Photo of fitius5150
Reviewed by fitius5150 from Oregon

3.29/5  rDev -1.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.25 | food: 3.25
Touristy and overpriced (a souvenir pint glass for my collection was $12 - 2 to 3 times what they are everywhere else), this place nonetheless has decent and fresh, if not terribly exciting, beers on tap. I did the 5 beer sampler and nothing jumped out at me as even remotely interesting or noteworthy, though all were better than any store bought macrobrew. It is a sports bar/family type place in the middle of downtown Monterey. I went there with my wife after the Big Sur half marathon because it was right by the finish line. Food was decent - really good clam chowder, and we sat by cool propane fire pits outside. Service was very slow, possibly because of the race, but they were nice enough to turn on the fire pit for us. Not much in the way of fresh brew in the Monterey area, so this place will have to scratch the itch until something better comes along.
Dec 16, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by BeerisUber from Washington

Oct 21, 2013
Photo of Wakey
Reviewed by Wakey from California

2.86/5  rDev -14.4%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 2.75 | food: 2.75
I'm giving this a 2.5 for atmosphere because it's called a brewpub and this is Beeradvocate. If it called itself a family restaurant and this was Okayfoodadvocate, I'd give it a 3.5 or 4. It's kind of like going to an Applebee's or TGI Friday's that makes its own beer, and the food (and the beer) is about as good as the food in those places. I had a flight of 5 4-oz beers; I thought it was pretty funny that the flight description specified four beers and said I could choose what I wanted for the fifth, but there were only five beers on the menu anyway!

I had fish and chips, which were fine, and my girlfriend had fish tacos, which were bland. That's the kind of food it is: burgers, wings, fried cheese, chili, pizza, etc. etc.

Oh, and there were bigscreen TVs all around the room with sports on. So if you're in the mood for a sports bar with bar food and decent but unexciting beer made on premises, this is the place.
Mar 14, 2013
Photo of mactrail
Reviewed by mactrail from Washington

3.75/5  rDev +12.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3
Location is nice, at the edge of downtown Monterey in the midst of the historic buildings. On a very quiet walking street at one end of the hotel. Beer garden looks down a beautiful street with more gardens and interesting old buildings. Flowers everywhere. We came by bicycle, riding on the nearby Monterey Bay Trail. Fisherman's Wharf and big parking lots are a couple blocks from the brewpub.

Interior is vast and roomy. Happy hour from opening at 4 pm on weekdays. Cheap deals on food, if you like it fried and salty. Beers were $4 and $4.50. You can get 25 oz mugs anytime for $7. On tap were the Blonde Ale, Fort Ord Wheat, Amber Ale, Laguna IPA, Stout Resistance, with seasonal Black IPA and 40 Acre Pale Ale. The three we tasted tended to be hoppy and modest alcohol content. Some dark beers but the typical brewpub light-weight styles.

The website has the menu and beer list to download. Lots of bar-type appetizers, salads, pizzas, burgers, soup and chilli, sandwiches, and some dinner plates. Pleasant enough place, and nice to be able to get outside. Overall, it's the blueprint for a corporate-type brewpub, but not at all overpriced.
May 10, 2012
Photo of scottfrie
Reviewed by scottfrie from California

3.55/5  rDev +6.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 3
Met some friends for dinner here a few weeks back. Atmosphere in this place is awesome with a spacious restaurant area, large bar, and outdoor seating. There is even a billiards table you can play for free while you drink.

The beer selection rotates regularly and they have a beer club where you get discounted brews and your own glass. The beers I had on tap when I was there were pretty good but could use some work. And given the atmosphere I was expecting a little bit better quality from the food. It was good though, but I was still hungry after my entrée.

I would probably eat here again, or at least have a beer, but I’m sure there are better restaurants and bars in the area.
Dec 11, 2011
Photo of marksweiner
Reviewed by marksweiner from California

3.13/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 2.5 | food: 4
Was in town staying at the Portola so it was de riguer (sp) that I stop at Peter B's for a pint. I had been here before and was generally unimpressed with both the beer and the food so I had low expectations.
I was pleasantly surprised by the increase in quality of both. The beer selection is limited: an IPA, a Stout or Porter, Hefewiezen, some other small beer, and two guest taps (think it was like Downtown Brown and one other). I stuck with the IPA which was solid. I also had the special sausage platter for dinner which was pretty damn good. It was house-made served with spaetzle and red cabbage - felt like I was in a good German restaurant. If you are staying in either the Portola or Pacific I definately reccomend you stop by for a beer. I wouldn't make a special trip.
Aug 29, 2011
Photo of jbone78
Reviewed by jbone78 from Florida

3.11/5  rDev -6.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4
Went to this little brewpub while in Monterey for the US Open this past June. It was in a shopping area located behind a hotel (can't remember the name of the hotel, but very famous, I think). We walked in the place and they had about half the tables filled. We sat at the bar because we were only interested in tasting the brews and having a pint. We sat down and the barkeep asks, "What can I get for you?". I reply, "Can we do a flight of your beers?" and he says, "Just one because we are running low on our beers." No more quotes, I promise.

I thought that was interesting. We were in a brewpub in a town hosting one of the biggest sporting events in the world and they are running low on their beer. Not just one, but all of them.

We got our flight, one was enough for me and my fiancee, and I thought the IPA was very good. I got a pint of that and then we left. I think my fiancee got the stout.

I hope they made it through the struggle.
Sep 02, 2010
Photo of jeffjeff1
Reviewed by jeffjeff1 from California

3.05/5  rDev -8.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5
I went here to try it while on my honeymoon. First thing that happened when we walked in was a lady walked out telling us the service sucks. I wasn't too bothered with the service but it could have been better. It took us a while to find the place too. It was pretty average and the few beers they have are ok. I probably would not go back there at all. The food was pretty good. I have had better but it was still good and I was pretty satisfied with that. They sat us at a nice big booth which I liked because I like the space.
Jul 02, 2010
Photo of Beerandraiderfan
Reviewed by Beerandraiderfan from Nevada

2.93/5  rDev -12.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3 | service: 2 | selection: 2.5 | food: 4.5
Cool lookin place in a cool location on the plaza by the waterfront and all that jazz. Lots of attractive ladies shopping outside, as well as the greeter. Sports on tv, heaters on patio.

Selection was subpar. The usuals. Pilsner, Hefe, amber, dark wheat, ipa, seven malt stout. Nothing adventurous or even seasonal apparently. Ipa is decent enough. Got the bleu cheese bacon burger. Kinda gay u can't get garlic on yr side fried wo ordering garlic fries off the appetizer menu. Puh-lease!

Then my bacon wasn't on the burger, but they fixed it. Onion rings are great. Burger is awesome.
Jun 24, 2010
Photo of t0rin0
Reviewed by t0rin0 from California

3.14/5  rDev -6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 2.5
Stopped in on my way back from SF Beer Week. This was a bit of a detour off of my 101 route but it's been years since I've been in Monterey. I had to ask directions from some random people to find the place as its hidden in the back of a shopping center.

The bar is very nicely done and clean. The bartender gave me 2 flights of 4 samples and since there were only 7 house beers he filled the last one with a rootbeer. I wasn't impressed with any of the beers but the Porter was the best. The guy pouring the beer was very nice, not overly knowledgeable about the beer but I get the feeling that that isn't really the point of this place. The others at the bar were drinking Bud Light and whiskey.

The crowd was a bit thin as it was a Thursday night but it seemed like more of a sports bar. I didn't eat but I did get out for less than $10 after tip for my 8 samples. Parking was also free at that time but I had to park in the structure, so be prepared to pay if you visit the place on a weekend.
Mar 02, 2010
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev +7.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
This place was on the north end of the Portola Plaza Hotel Complex and I was glad that I asked directions on the way. There was a decent sized patio area out front, but it was a bit too chilly to sit there.

Entering, the brewhouse was off to the right, behind glass. The scent of popcorn from a small popper permeated the air. The "U"-shaped, light wood bar overlooked a fancy stone tile and mirror back bar with an impressive selection of liquors. A fireplace sat in the center and was going on my visit. High tables and swiveling CAPT's chairs filled the rest of the bar area with a sea of booths all of the way aft. Lots of TV monitors throughout. Billiards table aft on the right side.
The beers were decent, if a little cold, and the service was friendly. Not bad, but probably not a destination, either.

Beers: IPA (decent); Porter; Winterbrau: Pilsner (too sweet); Amber Ale; Wheat Hefeweizen; Dark Wheat: Peach Pale Ale; Raspberry Wheat.
Nov 26, 2009
Photo of ocmpoma
Reviewed by ocmpoma from California

3.13/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3
Peter B's is located on the ground floor of a hotel complex, just steps away from Monterey's Fisherman's Wharf, and is equipped with large booths and lots of screens for sports. To me, this is three strikes against this place. I prefer my bars and pubs a little bit further away from the tourist crowds and with less (preferably no) TVs.

Peter B's is pretty much average all around. This includes their brews. For a brewpub, I was surprised how run-of-the-mill their beers were on the occasions that I've been there. Overall, I'd say there are better places to have a pint within walking distance of Peter B's, and a better brewpub only a short drive away.
Nov 15, 2009
Photo of Alexmc2
Reviewed by Alexmc2 from New Hampshire

3.08/5  rDev -7.8%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 1.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
This place opens early on Sundays for the East Coast football games. It has a popcorn machine in the bar area for a free pub snack. I had three of their beers, the IPA, Amber Ale and Dark Wheat. The IPA was a bit mellow and in my opinion more of an APA, but it was the best of the three. The Dark Wheat was a black and tan with the wheat mixed with a porter, not the greatest I've ever had. The amber ale was barely worth mentioning. Service was fairly slow, it took almost 40 minutes for us to get a plate of nachos (though they were quite good). Not a bad spot to watch the game if you find yourself in Monterey, not much else to do in that town.
Nov 14, 2008
Photo of trackstar1043
Reviewed by trackstar1043 from California

4.15/5  rDev +24.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Great location right in the downtown fishermans warf, nice friendly atmosphere, has more of a resturant feel then pub. Extremely friendly service, alot of regulars all very friendly. Nice out door seating area. Beer selection was very nice, not huge but great quality beer, they had a octoberfest, Plisner, Porter, 7 malt Stout, Amber, Hef, IPA and a Razz Hef. I tried one of each and they were all exellent, very easy to recomend this place to anyone, also great food large amount a cheap appitiers, pizzas, steak, chickens and pastas salads, great soups.
Aug 11, 2008
Photo of Ig0r
Reviewed by Ig0r from Virginia

3.75/5  rDev +12.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
This place is definitely more of a sports-bar/resteraunt than a pub in terms of decor and selection. It's embedded in the lowest floor of a big hotel complex; the construction is very modern with a lot of wide-screen televisions against the walls. The bar itself is a pretty good size and there is a prominant list of the house brews (about eight available at a time) along with some Sierra Nevadas and some macrobrews.

The food I ordered was pretty good, but I was rather unimpressed with the range of their brews. I ordered the 5-beer sampler and while none of them were 'off' or distasteful, neither were they distinctive.
May 12, 2008
Photo of Kemmerlin
Reviewed by Kemmerlin from Colorado

2.85/5  rDev -14.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 1.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
A: Has a sports bar type of atmosphere with multiple TV's placed throughout the restaurant. The place was pretty empty at the time since it was winter time and the tourist season was coming in a few months.

Q: The beer quality was very generic and tasted like they were brewed from common recipes just to say "hey we are a brew pub come check us out tourists."

Service: Perhaps the servers were in a bad mood because they were not making any money do to the lack of people there but our waitress was not very interested in serving my buddy and I and didn't seem to care that the ketchup bottle exploded on us (yeah that was weird).

Selection: Decent selection but the full list was not published on the menu. They represented the typical beers and some interesting brews such as the dark wheat.

F: The food was pretty good not the absolute greatest but good and fast.
Mar 16, 2008
Photo of bjohnson
Reviewed by bjohnson from Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev +5.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3 | food: 3
Stumbled upon Peter B's while walking around Monterey on a sunny afternoon. A small looking place from the outside, but large on the inside. We decided that since it was such a nice day we'd sit on the patio near the entrance. Large windows allow people passing by to see the head brewer at work. This is also viewable from inside the restaurant.

The patio outside was perfect for what we wanted. Not a huge selection of beers on tap, but a few to choose from including an IPA, stout, pale, dark wheat, hefe, and lager. The IPA was just your everyday run of the mill IPA with a caramel malt base and slight fruity hop characteristic. The stout on the other hand (brewers special) was loaded with chocolate, caramel, coffee, and dark fruit. A very nice and smooth body with lots of character.

We enjoyed just one sampling from their pub grub laden menu. While we were waiting to place our order, Emma snacked on some popcorn, which is available to all patrons. The sliders, which included a crab cake burger, normal meat burger, and a pulled pork sandwich. All were decent--not great, but just decent. What really shined about this brewpub was the bartender, John. He was friendly, engaging, and energetic. He even gave us a free round as we were out of town and chatted him up some. Nothing is better than excellent service.

While Peter B's isn't the greatest brewpub in the world it does the trick in a pinch. Friendly waitstaff/bartenders with knowledge of the beers and the surrounding area is always helpful.
Sep 24, 2007
Photo of bradybeer
Reviewed by bradybeer from California

2.6/5  rDev -22.2%
vibe: 2 | quality: 2 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 3
I was in the hotel that Peter B's is attached to for a seminar. Since I wanted to visit this place I snuck in at lunch to watch the OSU/UM game.

I read the reviews so I knew what I was in for.

Atmosphere-as others have pointed out-is it a sports bar, bar, etc. For me one of the drawbacks of Peter B's is the location. PBs is located tucked away in the corner of the plaza and is nearly invisible.

You walk in and the bar is to the left with the brewing equipment on the right-straight ahead is the dinning area and pool tables.

Quality-The quality of the beers that I tried were not for the most part what I would call drinkable.

IPA-was OK-nothing great but nothing bad either
Dark Wheat
Hefe
Pilsner
7 Grain Stout-not a good beer It's color was more like a porter and there was a lack of body, head, and any stout qualities at all.

There was also two fruit beers on tap which I didn't try.

Service was good-no complaints

Selection-7 beers on tap.

Food-I had the three mini cheesburgers which were good and a ton of free popcorn.

Value-It was good for the area. Although, I am a bit perplexed by the fact that they charge $5 a pint for a stout and $4 for the other beers. Odd because I found the stout to be the least drinkable of the beers.

In conclusion, I wouldn't make a special trip to Peter Bs. The beers were disapointing and the food was OK. I would suggest to Peter B's they move to a better location on the plaza and take their brewing to the next level-which would be to make good beer
Nov 22, 2006
Photo of carln26
Reviewed by carln26 from Missouri

3.58/5  rDev +7.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
I was in the areas for this weekend’s ALMS race, so when I needed a beer and a bite to eat Friday afternoon, I went in search of Peter B’s. It’s located on the property of the Portola Plaza in downtown Monterey. Best bet is to park in the hotel parking, and ask someone who works there for directions. As others have noted, this place is tucked out of the way, and can be a little difficult to find.

There is a small bar area on the left as you enter. 7 taps, a few TVs, lots of table and booth seating throughout. A large pool table, and a few other games dominate the rear of the restaurant. Bright, airy place, simple bar decorations throughout. About 8 tables outside. That would be a perfect place to site on a beautiful day.

They had roughly 7 taps including 3 wheats (a Hefe, dark wheat, and a peach wheat). Unfortunately all the wheats were off line for some unknown reason. There was a pilsner, an Oktoberfest, and an IPA. The pilsner was bland and lacked any noble hop character. The IPA had a nice fresh hop character (glacier or cascade), and was drinkable, but was relatively unremarkable.

Foe dinner, I had the Monterey Bay clan chowder which came in a sourdough bowl. It had plenty of clams, was well seasoned, but the cream was just a bit overdone. The sourdough bowl did taste good. Food prices were just a little high, but certainly acceptable for the area.

Peter B’s is like many brewpubs in North America. It’s having an identity crisis. Is it a brewpub, restaurant, a sports bar??? If you are in Monterey, and need a fresh beer, give it a chance. But next time, I may try Knuckles with their wide selection of Sierra Nevada products.
Oct 22, 2006
Photo of wingnut2600
Reviewed by wingnut2600 from California

4.1/5  rDev +22.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 3 | food: 4.5
This weekend, I went to the lovely Monterey Peninsula to relax and celebrate my fourth wedding anniversary. With the increased distance from home, I had the opportunity to check out some local brewpubs in the area. The first of which I visited was Peter B’s in “historic” downtown Monterey. This brewpub was attached to the Monterey Convention Center and was spacious and inviting inside. They had a nice oak bar with a brass rail and the inside was decorated with models of sailing ships and historical photographs and miscellania.

I sat down for an excellent lunch consisting of pizza and beer. I ordered a 5 beer sampler for $5; an excellent deal.

All of the beers were rather tasty. I especially enjoyed the IPA, which had a crisp, citrusy quality and a nice dry hop flavor.

They were out of their 7-grain Stout, and instead, they had the New Belgium Black Ale on tap. I immediately ordered another pint of this brew. It was full-flavored and unapologetic in its robust thickness. It was delicious. I must hunt down a place that has this on tap in the future…

The service at this location was second-to-none. The waitress/bartender gave us an overview of the brews and gave exceptional service with personality. The owner of the pub was congenial and personally spoke to my wife and me at our table. The waitress showed us where to get on a free shuttle so that we could enjoy an additional beer before going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Good beer, nice people, great service and food as well as inexpensive beer prices make this brewpub a must for any trip to the Peninsula.
Jul 10, 2006
Photo of Rumrunner
Reviewed by Rumrunner from California

3.65/5  rDev +9.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3
Peter B's is located behind the Portola Hotel. It has a nice location close to the water and the touristy warf. Shops are nearby and so is the maritime museum.

Let me start off by saying this place has gotten much better. This was my first visit in four years. Four years ago I would have given this place terrible marks. The service was horrible and the beers were watered down and limp. This brew pub is moving in a better direction. Finally.

Atmosphere is still boring. Pretty antiseptic, bland and it has that hotel diner decor to it. They do have some very interesting pictures of Monterey and Carmel on the walls that date back over one hundred years. These are interesting for us history lovers. The outdoor patio is a plus in the summer months. In the winter months there is a fireplace separating the bar from the dining area. A good sized pub. The bar is medium sized and the bar area has high tables and chairs. The rest of the pub is made up of booths. There is one pool table in the back. T.v.s are plentiful if one is looking to watch sports. The brewing equipment is behind glass and to the right of the front door.

We sat at the bar. The bartender was attentive and on the ball. She tried her best to answer my questions about their beers but the brewer had left her with limited information.

The food was average. We only had appetizers. The spinach dip was bland and bland. The clam chowder was tasty. I will re-review the food at a later date. Peter B's has a full bar(Excellent selection of scotch) and a quality wine list. The menu is large and covers many styles of food.

The beers have gotten much better over the years. The amber was good and is one of their best sellers. I did enjoy the stout and the porter. The stout had nice flavors but a bit watery on the mouthfeel. They have about eight to ten of their beers on tap at a given time. The beers I already mentioned, a pilsner, a wheat and a couple of other fruit beers and a seasonal. They make an IPA but they were out when I was there. Sigh! Also a few macros in bottles to appease the crowd who refuse to try craft beers. They do an imperial stout from time to time. No regular schedule.

They also blend beers here. This is a new concept for me. The Dark Wheat beer is their wheat beer with some of their stout poured in to it to make it dark and this of course changes the flavor some. They had a Peach and a Rasberry beer as well. A mix of rasberry syrup with a splash of stout mixed in to mostly the wheat beer. The dark wheat was not bad but I did not like the rasberry. Anyway if you like mixing beers and flavors this is the spot for you.

Overall I think this pub has credibility. Weak atmosphere aside it should be investigated. I just think it needs a bit of a push from some true beer lovers. This may not be easy in a town of pubs in which most beer lovers want their English and German beers and are not willing to experiment too much.
Jul 06, 2004
Peter B’s Brewpub in Monterey, CA
Brewery rating: 3.68 out of 5 with 58 ratings