Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant

Gordon Biersch Brewery & RestaurantGordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant
Gordon Biersch Brewery & RestaurantGordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant
Brewery, Bar, Eatery

420 S Mill Ave
Ste 201
Tempe, Arizona, 85281-2870
United States

// CLOSED //
BEER STATS
Average:
3.58
Beers:
96
Ratings:
3,670
Linked Beer Listing
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.81
Reviews:
18
Ratings:
31
pDev:
9.19%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Longstaff:
Photo of Longstaff
Reviewed by Longstaff from Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +5.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
Gordon Biersch doesn't get much love from beer geeks, but it should not be disregarded if you are a fan of German style beers. All the beers that I tried were solid examples of its style -- Hefeweizen was spicy, unique and quite drinkable, Schwarzbier was mildly chocolatey and very tasty, Maerzen was nutty and malty good, and the Festbier was quite drinkable and interesting enough to keep drinking mug after mug. They also had a "light" beer - probably a helles that I did not try. They may not wow the beer geek who is always looking for bigger and bolder beers, but it should not be overlooked by those with enough experience to know when a beer is well made.

All the beers were served in their appropriate glassware and half liter or liter mass krugs were available.

I won't hesitate to visit any Gordon Biersch in the future.
Oct 02, 2005
More User Ratings:
Photo of AZBeerDude72
Reviewed by AZBeerDude72 from Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.25
This is one of the first places I hit when I moved to AZ, nothing better than sitting on a top floor balcony in Jan and its 75 out with a cold beer in your hand. For a Midwesterner this is amazing LOL. Gordon is a great time, very fun vibe, always packed and loud, so if you enjoy a busy place with fun people this is a great stop. The beer is tasty, lots to choose from and the food is also very good. Its an enjoyable experience all around.
May 14, 2017
Photo of DJChaseTheBase
Reviewed by DJChaseTheBase from Illinois

3.74/5  rDev -1.8%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.75 | food: 3.25
Loved the vibe at this place, but was really feeling all of the beers. Typical beer selection w/ a very standard taste. Cool outdoor seating with a view of ASU campus.
Mar 04, 2016
 
Rated: 5 by MasterRigger from North Carolina

Dec 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3.68 by mwaltz99 from Wisconsin

Jul 27, 2015
Photo of Awolter
Rated by Awolter from Minnesota

5/5  rDev +31.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
Went to a Porter tasting with the head and and assistant brewers. Great beers, incredibly friendly and knowledgable staff.
May 22, 2015
 
Rated: 3.99 by Boomer4ES from North Carolina

Jan 31, 2015
 
Rated: 3.3 by italianstallion from Wisconsin

Dec 20, 2014
 
Rated: 3.7 by glinnebur from Arizona

Dec 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by EyePeeAyBryan from Arizona

Aug 22, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by zenpilgrim from Arizona

Jun 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Coconuts from Arizona

Jun 25, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by timlyon from Arizona

Jun 17, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by BeerBeast from Florida

Jun 08, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by NonicPanic from Pennsylvania

Dec 05, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by jaybrough from Arizona

Oct 12, 2013
Photo of DRTBrewster
Reviewed by DRTBrewster from Arizona

3.11/5  rDev -18.4%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3.25 | food: 3.25
A standard "chain like" brewery, comparable to BJ's and Rock Bottom, this brewery lacks a true brewery feel and is a draw for those looking for decent food in a contemporary setting that might not necessarily care about the beer. The beer itself was average, nothing they brewed made me say, bring me more of that!
May 24, 2013
Photo of downhilldrift
Reviewed by downhilldrift from Arizona

3.15/5  rDev -17.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 3
The two things this place definitely has going for it is the location (Mill Ave.) and the atmosphere. It's a good getaway with decent beer on Mill if you don't feel like clubbing or paying absurd covers to other places on Mill. It's a smaller bar if you are there just to drink, and many times it's difficult to find a seat at the bar, but the tables are alright, too. It is on the second floor and features a balcony, with a perfect view of the biggest intersection in the Mill Ave. District. The price is a bit high for the food, and wasn't anything special.
Dec 20, 2011
Photo of yemenmocha
Reviewed by yemenmocha from Arizona

4.38/5  rDev +15%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Been coming here since the late 90's when they first opened, and the location is quite good on Mill (2nd story above Starbucks). Nice upper deck that overlooks Mill with views of the jets taking off or landing at the airport as well.

Gordon Biersch started in Tempe with focusing just on German style lagers only, then ventured into Hefe-Weizen which became a regular offering. Too bad Blonde Bock and Dunkles are not regular offerings now as they were at first at this Gordon Biersch location.

Tapping parties and beer dinners are held periodically at this location and can be quite good. Get on their mailing list to be notified.

Food is miles above & beyond most brewpubs and beer bars in the Phoenix metro area, and in fact good enough to be enjoyed just as a restaurant even if they did not have craft beer.

Service is always good if not excellent, and they train their staff well. Such a refreshing change compared to some amateur operations in the area that are clueless.
Feb 24, 2011
Photo of SunDevilBeer
Reviewed by SunDevilBeer from Massachusetts

4.01/5  rDev +5.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 3.75 | food: 4
I think I've figured out why most BA beer geeks shit on GB....they don't offer crazy one-off beers and don't kiss their asses. All GB does is put out a solid line up of great consistent German-style beers in a comfortable environment. I guess that isn't enough for the present day geek.

I digress....this location in Tempe is similar to the other GB sites in appearance, but since this one is on Mill Ave the atmosphere is upped accordingly.

I've been here 4 times during trips to AZ, and it's always crowded, even tho there may or not be an event at the stadium or arena.

Service is always prompt and friendly...and the hefe-weiss and dunkel are just as tasty as they are at other GB locales. Lagers are always clean and of high quality.

Please GB - open a location around Boston????
Feb 06, 2011
Photo of rjochman
Reviewed by rjochman from Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -2.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
A: My first time to a Gordon Biersch. Great location in Tempe. On the second floor of a building that overlooks an intersection that is always busy at night ,especially on the weekend. Nice to have the option to sit outside and enjoy the weather or have your meal inside.

Q: The place was really clean and liked the set up with the bar and large glass walls to see all of the brewing equipment.

S: Although we went right in the middle of dinner time, the service was still really good and didn't wait too long for our drinks and food.

S: Had a good selection of different brews. Were out of a few that I wanted to try so I will have to go back again.

F: Although the food was a bit pricey, the portions were pretty big so you definitely get your moneys worth.
Jan 29, 2011
Photo of aristeros
Reviewed by aristeros from Georgia

3.85/5  rDev +1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
This is my first trip to this particular chain, but not my first trip to a microbrew chain.

The place was in a trendy college neighborhood, and was divided into a sports bar section with screens showing the game, and a dining section. Furniture and barriers, and high ceilings, made it seem very quiet even though the place was half full. There wasn't a lot of the fake olde-timey ads and items that are usually at these yuppietastic places. Decor was sparse, but there was a nice picture window overlooking the street.

The beers on tap were imitating German styles, ostensibly, with a rotating seasonal. Their regular line-up seemed solid, though German styles are not my forte. Nothing below a "B" in the standard lineup.

The waitress could talk about the beers, more or less. She recommended the seasonal "because it tasted like a cider and she doesn't really like beer," which isn't the sort of person I'd hire for a brew pub. Her assessment was accurate: the seasonal 'Sommer Ale,' which reminded me of a hard cider in a bad way. Service was quick and efficient.

My wife was restricted in what she could eat and they went out of their way to accommodate her. She had the salmon, I had pizza. Food looked and tasted good.

Ten to thirteen for pizzas, average fifteen to twenty for everything else at dinner time. Pints were four dollars, average for this college neighborhood, though it was happy hour, so I bet they're normally five.

This might be a good chain to hit if you're not sure what you're going to get elsewhere and want reliable beer and good food rather than to gamble with your evening. This place was better than BJ's Brewhouse in many ways, and had a tiny bit more character.

You know, for a chain.
Sep 08, 2009
Photo of Yeastcakes
Reviewed by Yeastcakes from Colorado

3.9/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 4.5
Overall impressions: A good restaurant to for a celebration or fine dinning. A first-rate place to get a good German lager. Be prepared for some waits for bigger parties. Not necessarily a place I would go for a casual meal or an after-work beer.

Service: Staff was courteous and knew their beer descriptions (even if they were obviously memorized). Staff was prompt with beer and food.

Atmosphere: Nice dim lighting and some outdoor balcony seating. The place is up a set of stairs on the second floor a building housing several other tenants.

Selection: Five regulars - mazen, heifweizen, pilsner, swartzbier, (and another that I forget) and, for the seasonal while I was there in January, a winter bock.

Quality: The food was well prepared and presented. I had the chicken fettuccini which was good. For beers I had the mazen which was clean with a nice malty sweetness and hop flavor.
Jan 21, 2009
Photo of scoobybrew
Reviewed by scoobybrew from Indiana

3.58/5  rDev -6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5
I stopped here on a recent trip to Phoenix while visiting friends.

Typical of Gordon Biersch, the place has an upscale type vibe, but not so much that you feel uncomfortable dressing fairly casual. There's outside seating that overlooks the Tempe 'main street' downtown area - which is what we choose.

Quality was top notch from what I expected, having been to a couple of their locations in the past. I was very impressed with the seasonal winter bock. It was quite tasty.

Since we were one of the only people outside (it was chilly 55 degrees or so on this night in Phoenix for the natives - but being from the frozen Midwest it was quite comfortable) so the wait staff too perhaps a little longer than expected. However, they were not unfriendly and the service was decent all things considered.

Selection is typical of a Gordon Biersch, all German type styles, primarily lagers with the exception of a hefeweizen. All of which were of good quality.

The food was tasty enough, but my spicy stir-fry I think needed a bit more heat for being labeled spicy. However, it was nicely done and those with me liked their dishes.

If you've been to a Gordon Biersch before, this is really no different. That said, it was consistent with my memories of the other locations, which were consistently good - and I think that's what the proprietors have in mind.
Jan 11, 2009
Photo of bigbelcher
Reviewed by bigbelcher from Arizona

3.7/5  rDev -2.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5
It is your typical Gordon Biersch chain style restaurant and bar but set in a college party area. The crowd is out of place with those that are in other bars in the area, probably due to the higher corporate type prices. Beers are usually spot on to Gordon Biersch mass market standards without usually having anything truly outstanding to drink. Sometimes the seasonals are above average. Food is expensive and your typical nuvo california cuisine. Good views from the outdoor patio upstairs of the college hooligans prowling the street below.
Dec 18, 2008
Photo of Georgiabeer
Reviewed by Georgiabeer from Georgia

3.45/5  rDev -9.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5
What can I say about this place? Typical Gordon Biersch. Solid if uninspired German beers, decent modern fernbar type food that is one step up from Cheesecake factory. This location is sleek and fairly posh looking, but perhaps no quite as much so as the one in Palo Alto. We ate on a small balcony upstairs overlooking the drunken revelers below relatively late on a Saturday night. The food and beer were unmemorable but pleasant and the scene in the whole area was- a bit too much of a scene. Overall, I'd definitely choose 4 Peaks over this one.
Oct 27, 2008
Photo of barleywinefiend
Reviewed by barleywinefiend from Washington

2.88/5  rDev -24.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 2.5 | selection: 3 | food: 3
I paid 11 bucks for 2 macro induced beers. Ouch! The food and beer was pricey but it is a Gordon Biersch, between here Vegas and Seattle I have yet to find a cheap one. This place is located on Mill St by ASU where the party zone is. It is upstairs, the patio is nice and so is the inside. The pigeons can be annoying outside though. Serivce was a little slow, our pizza was horrible. I have had better food at other gordons and the beer was overpriced for sure. Staff was friendly. Overall a decent place but there are better places to eat around the area and the worse of the Gordons I have been to.
Jan 19, 2008
Photo of wagenvolks
Reviewed by wagenvolks from Texas

3.45/5  rDev -9.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5
To preface, I went here on New Year's Eve during the block party for the Insight.com/Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, AZ. That being said, I understood the $10 per person cover charge that Gordon Biersch was charging. They even said they'd discount that cover provided we ordered food from the menu and brought the "bouncer" a reciept.

The atmosphere of the place was nice. They brew their own beers, which I like, and the dark, crimson colors gave the place a swanky feel. A jazz/funk band set the mood for a nice New Years evening. The service was okay for a busy night. Our waitress was attentive when she was around, but that wasn't very often. The selection was limited to the beers brewed on-site by GB, roughly seven beers.

The major downside to this place was the price: everything on the menu was uber-expensive. Since we weren't really all that hungry to begin with, my two friends and I settled for an appetizer platter at a "reasonable" $17.00. The entrees were in the ballpark of $23-33 apiece. Sure, the food looked good, and our appetizer platter was actually above the norm in the way of flavor, but that's just too expensive for my wallet. It also gave the place less of a "brewpub" feel and more of a "high class restaurant that just happens to brew its own mediocre german-style beers".

Skip this place if you're in town.
Jan 04, 2008
Photo of dbalsock
Reviewed by dbalsock from Vermont

3.6/5  rDev -5.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 2.5 | food: 3.5
I've gone to a couple Gordon Bierschs, but this is the only one I've felt like reviewing... for whatever reason. I took careful note of what impressed me while there, because usually I focus on negatives. The service has been very good for me, and I noticed it maintains its quality even on busy friday nights. The food is better than average: especially the garlic fries which are addicting and seem to go with every beer they make. The beer selection is weak, however. They had 4 on tap the last time I was there with a usualy number of 5. Their fifth was still their marzen, which I think it's time to change. The atmosphere is alright, but nothing to write home about. The place is large, and more like a restaurant than a bar. This is good sometimes, not so good others.
Feb 16, 2007
Photo of schoolcb
Reviewed by schoolcb from Texas

3.83/5  rDev +0.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Nice place, with a nice selection of beers, especially if you like the german style beers. The service was decent. The waitress I had made regular rounds to my table to make sure I had what I needed. The food was ok, not great, not bad, ok. I sat in the bar area as I was their alone (traveling on business) and they have TV's set up where you can watch something from almost any angle. On nights where the weather is good they have a patio with a great view of Mill Ave. If I hadn't had to be at my best the next morning, I would have stayed longer and sampled more of their beer.
Feb 05, 2006
Photo of ecoboy
Reviewed by ecoboy from Rhode Island

3.58/5  rDev -6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 3
Have you been to a GB before?

This was surely one of the best set-ups I've ever seen. Situated on the second and third floors of a building in downtown Tempe, there's tons of open-air seating overlooking the bustling streets. Reminded me of second floor dining experiences in Key West.

There's also indoor seating at some pretty nice dark wood tables, with cloth napkins and nice china. Plus a bar with TV's and a view of the tanks through glass. Each beer on the menu has its own serving glass. One big mark off: I got a healthy dose of leftover lipstick on my glass, which the server did not notice or acted like she did not at all. C'mon, when you're pouring a beer, don't gaze around the room. Watch what you're doing.

Saturday lunchtime in May. Both the well-dressed and the ready-for-a-lil'-ultimate-frisbee are in there. Family-friendly to be sure.

GB concentrates on German styles. It only offers four choices at a time, and hop lovers should drink elsewhere. This is the world of malt and even ulp, sweetness. I refuse to fear malt, though. GB does a nice job keeping their styles drinkable even as one might scrounge around looking for "bite." The maibock was very nice, both in quality, and the very fact that it existed.
May 08, 2003
Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant in Tempe, AZ
Brewery rating: 3.58 out of 5 with 3670 ratings