Boylan Bridge Brewpub

Boylan Bridge BrewpubBoylan Bridge Brewpub
Boylan Bridge BrewpubBoylan Bridge Brewpub
Brewery, Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

201 South Boylan Avenue
Raleigh, North Carolina, 27603
United States

// CLOSED //
BEER STATS
Average:
3.51
Beers:
14
Ratings:
78
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.47
Reviews:
15
Ratings:
33
pDev:
12.1%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ncstateplaya:
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Rated by ncstateplaya from North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -6.3%

Aug 14, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by jbarry3000 from North Carolina

Jul 08, 2017
 
Rated: 3.66 by ErrandWolfe from Maine

Feb 11, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by tjcamm from Oregon

Feb 08, 2016
Photo of Lawless
Reviewed by Lawless from South Carolina

2.44/5  rDev -29.7%
vibe: 2 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3 | selection: 2
Less than a dozen patrons on a Saturday afternoon during Bluegrass Festival. Kind of run down/dirty. No flights. Gandydancer DIPA okay. Not remarkable. Given a choice, go to Crank Arm a few blocks away.
Oct 03, 2015
 
Rated: 3.41 by dailyminefield from North Carolina

Feb 13, 2015
Photo of Beerparrot
Reviewed by Beerparrot from Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +12.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.25
First time in Raleigh and stopped here, food was good, had BBQ sandwich Carolina way. Beers for nice, especially when eating as the beer didn't take away from the food. Excellent view of the city at night. I'd go back again.
Feb 03, 2015
 
Rated: 2.98 by Trevnug25 from North Carolina

Jan 22, 2015
 
Rated: 3.06 by RyanAU from North Carolina

Oct 31, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by MacQ32 from South Carolina

Aug 29, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by MalibuKenny from North Carolina

Aug 07, 2014
 
Rated: 2.25 by macuistin from Illinois

Jul 07, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by woodchip from North Carolina

Jun 25, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by MuddyFeet from North Carolina

Jun 13, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by alexm1309 from Illinois

Apr 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by tdm168 from Pennsylvania

Apr 02, 2014
Photo of bigkingken
Reviewed by bigkingken from North Carolina

3.43/5  rDev -1.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3 | food: 4
Boylan Bridge has an amazing panoramic view of downtown Raleigh, which makes it’s outdoor seating extremely popular on warm summer evenings. The place was packed when I visited it as the third brewpub on my birthday Raleigh beer tour. Luckily, we had someone there before our arrival to hold down a table.

The beers that came out after ordering a sampler weren’t as impressive as the view. Most everything hovers around the five percent range and just tasted a little thin and plain, especially after having visited Lonerider and Raleigh Brewing, which have a lot of rich, imaginative offerings. That’s not to say Boylan’s taste bad; they’re just not outstanding. They seem to concentrate on refreshing styles that go well with drinking a lot while sitting in the sun on their porch.

Not a bad business model. I bet it’s doing just fine for them.

My fiancé and I also split a sandwich, which comes out on a pretty cool wooden tray for presentation purposes. We had the Silver Star – a spicy chicken Philly with some veggies and provolone, and I had the waiter add some avocado for good measure. Everything about the sandwich was pretty tasty, and the accompanying onion rings had some great beer batter on them.

The waiter was a bit slow, and seemed to be a bit preoccupied with making sure his hipsterness was blaring brightly with reckless abandon. But I can’t criticize all that much; I had a pleasant experience.

Not bad Raleigh. Not too bad at all.
Jan 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by dbrauneis from North Carolina

Dec 09, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by ChiroBrew from North Carolina

Dec 03, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by BigGingDrinker from North Carolina

Nov 28, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by jessehd09 from North Carolina

Oct 15, 2013
Photo of SFNC
Reviewed by SFNC from North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3 | food: 3.25
Decent food, though they sometimes try too hard with less than desirable results, good service, but unspectacular and occasionally hard to flag down when busy, average beer, but oh, what a view. It's a nice place to park for a round or two, shoot the breeze and admire the sights of the city (as it were).
Jul 26, 2013
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Reviewed by TheRougeBastard from North Carolina

3.54/5  rDev +2%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.5
Second stop on our Raleigh brew tour! We opted for their in-house brews and I settled on the Porter, which wasn't bad, reminded more of a brown ale though, but since I liked the style, I was happy! The view from the outdoor deck is awesome, a clear shot of the Raleigh downtown skyline. Side note, the entertainment that night was thanks to some construction in the area, recent rains and the seemingly endless amount of large waterbugs (Japanese brown roaches) that keep freaking out a group of lovely ladies! All in all, I'll go here again!
Jun 28, 2013
Photo of SteveMi
Reviewed by SteveMi from North Carolina

2.75/5  rDev -20.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 1.5
A - Nice place to sit and drink a beer. You can see over to downtown and relax outside on the benches.

Serv - Mix of good and bad which seems to depend on how busy the bartenders are. I've found the bar staff is more interested in getting the beers to the waitresses (I don't know if they have any waiters ..) than they are with the people up at the bar. In three visits I'd estimate my wait time at the bar standing in front of a bar girl to be about 5 minutes before I can order, another 10 minutes before I get the beer.

Sel - It's OK. They have their own beers and a few other brewer's wares.

F - Leave it. I tried both their fish and chips and their nachos and neither were finishable.
May 07, 2012
Photo of Beerness
Reviewed by Beerness from North Carolina

3.13/5  rDev -9.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 3 | food: 2.5
Well, first off, this place gets high marks for the setting...period. Probably my favorite patio in Raleigh, a well-crafted wood deck, with a wood trellis above (and maybe this is something I appreciate as an architect, but they used mostly wood joinery, concealing any metal bolts/screws used), not too mention...a great view of downtown Raleigh. I'm pretty sure this is what keeps this place PACKED on sunny days.

When it comes to the beer, it's all middle-of-the-road...in every way. It's almost like the brewmasters intent was to brew the most average beer ever made. None of it tastes bad, their selection is all quite drinkable, but I just wish they would be a bit more bold and creative in their recipes. That being said, they have several things in their selection that I can enjoy while sitting on a warm patio with a great view. AND...I'm happy to finally have a brewpub in downtown Raleigh...so I'm rooting for them to succeed.

I can't speak for their service all the time, cause the only times I've been is when they're pretty crowded, but at those times...just plan on waiting a long time for anything you order, and you would do better picking up all your beers from the bar yourself...otherwise you'll be sitting with an empty glass for a long time, and possibly forgotten completely.

And the food...eh. Even though I think they said they hired a "chef", it seems like they went to the 'bar food' section at Sam's or Costco.
Jun 08, 2011
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Reviewed by devilben02 from North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +14.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Part of a one-day tour of Raleigh's breweries, this one was our lunch stop. The atmosphere was an interesting combination of retro-styled posters and an almost diner-like layout with some warm wood-tones and modern accents. The big windows and wide patio make this a great place for a comfortable lunch with friends. The food was well done and featured some interesting touches on soup, salad, and sandwich standards.

The beer is likewise well-done, but maybe a bit common. In particular, the ESB was a satisfying example of the style, and the special-edition IPA was generously hopped, but neither really stood out. Regardless, I'd certainly recommend this place as a destination for anyone dining in Raleigh, beer-lover or not.
Jan 03, 2011
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Reviewed by LordOfTheBeer from Oklahoma

3.63/5  rDev +4.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
The BBB is a good local place to go. This was my first time there and the waitress said that the food on their new menu is much better than the old. The soups were amazing as were the beer steamed mussles. As this was my first visit, the entrees were hit-and-miss. My rib sandwich was quite good, but my friends pork loin sandwich was not.

The beers brewed on-site tend to fall into a common trap for a smallish brewpub, they tend to be very similar. Each beer could use a little tweeking. They don't leave a lasting impression and are forgettable. The draft system setup didn't help the beers, everything was a bit flat. If you get to the BBB you will not be disappointed, but don't expect to be wowed. I hope the best for the proprietors and will go back to see how this place evolves.
Oct 07, 2010
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Reviewed by daliandragon from Maryland

3.83/5  rDev +10.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
Okay, first a little background info: in the fall I lost my job and around the same time my wife became pregnant with our first child. Due to financial and time constraints, my beer consumption dropped dramatically and I stopped reviewing almost altogether. Flash forward to Friday afternoon and my wife (now due any day) informs me that we are off to visit yet another baby store. I reluctantly agree but really we are off to visit this relatively new brewery in central Raleigh as part of my first father's day present. A nice surprise during a crazy time.

Anyhoo,this place is located about a mile or so from ground zero for Glenwood South and has a cool outdoor patio but very little parking. Interior is nice but more reminiscent of a diner than a brewpub. Must have been plenty of glass and the lighter wood as opposed to the traditional dark stain and lower lighting. Six taps, three regulars and three seasonals. I tried the summer ale, which was surprisingly hoppy and flavorful and then a very respectable IPA. Food and service were good, not great. A lot of people have commented on the lack of TVs and decor but it didn't really bother me. Overall, a solid and welcome addition to the local scene.
Jun 21, 2010
Photo of jimmyjames8
Reviewed by jimmyjames8 from North Carolina

3/5  rDev -13.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 3
Stopped in on Jul 17,'09 and tried the Rail Pale ale. Very nice and crisp. Service was better and the food looked better but we did no order any. Place was rocking on a Saturday afternoon. Lots of folks outside ordering pitchers. Too many waitresses for the number of tables and patrons . They were stepping on each other.

Stopped in about a month ago on a Saturday afternoon. Place was about 25% full. Waitress had no clue about anything much less beer. Of about 5 or 6 advertised beers brewed on site, they had 2, a scotch ale and a stout, neither of which I was in the mood for. Tried a local (NC) IPA and was good as usual. Ordered some onion rings which never got transmitted to the kitchen. Complained to manager on duty and got some greasy onion strings and some dipping sauce.
Drank our beers, paid and left.

To be fair this joint has only been open a couple months but not only can you not find this beer anywhere, they don't even have it there. Will go back when I hear some good news about the place but there are too many good beers and brewpubs in NC to put up with this. Also, almost no parking so be prepared for a walk.
Jul 22, 2009
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Reviewed by blackie from Oregon

3.83/5  rDev +10.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Boylan Bridge is located on a quiet side street in downtown Raleigh on the north side of its namesake bridge, unassuming but easily spotted, the all-glass front of the building affords a clear view of the spacey wooden interior and semicircle bar, the crown jewel of Boylan is the patio - elevated above a small industrial cluster and railway - offering one of the best views of the downtown skyline available, people complain about the lack of music and TV - but I tend to dig it, the crowd is generally varied and relaxed

service has always been good, but never great - I've had pretty simple questions about the beer that weren't easily answered, server education should obviously be of high priority at any brewpub

selection of the house brews has been pretty weak as Boylan struggles to keep their beers in stock, this is remedied by the fact that they are replaced by other NC micros - particularly Aviator Brewing from nearby Fuquay-Varina, the BB beers I have tried were all quality, all served in standard pints

had a pizza appetizer, which was pretty bland but satisfying enough - on a following visit the onion rings and wings proved quite tasty, so a bump here is due

nice little place with a unique character, really hoping they get the kinks worked out and succeed over the coming years
Jul 22, 2009
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Reviewed by willibrewer from Connecticut

4.18/5  rDev +20.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Easy to find in a renovated building with lots of open space. The brewhouse is easily seen from the bar. The bar is comfortable to eat at and the food was very tasty and priced fairly. They just added 2 more fermenters so they hope to increase the tap selection. I had a sampler of their 5 beers, a pale ale, bitter, porter, stout, and a golden. They were all exceptionally made and had a clean taste. The stout and porter were full flavored but not heavy and the others had great hop character. They have a huge outdoor patio overlooking the Boylan Bridge. Easy to find but very tough for parking. They opened in February so there are a few kinks but they are well worth the stop.
Jun 05, 2009
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Reviewed by atsprings from North Carolina

3.65/5  rDev +5.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3
Stopped in here twice since they opened, both on Tuesday afternoons and the place was as busy as you'd expect for that time of day. The atmosphere works for what they've chosen to go with; no TVs or loud music, just at nice environment to enjoy some fresh brewed beer. They also have an entire wall inside dedicated to anything patrons would like to bring in to add to it. I have not checked out the patio yet as both days I visited it was simply too cold out to sit outside. The service is about what I'd expect for a place that opened recently, the staff seemed fairly knowledgeable, but occasionally needed to check with a higher-up to answer a question. The food seems to be my biggest problem so far as the portions are much smaller than most other restaurants that charge the same amount, I'm pretty sure the $9 burger I ordered was only a quarter pound. Overall, the prices at least on the beer are very reasonable. I'm anxious to see what else they come up with while upholding to the German Purity Laws.
Apr 03, 2009
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Reviewed by GJ40 from North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5
My wife and I went the day after they opened. Despite it being a rainy day, the place was packed and there was a great buzz to the crowd. The staff seemed a bit frazzled getting the system down but they were working hard and providing good service. The décor was pretty ordinary, mismatched and lacking in character but it didn't detract from the experience. They have a nice outdoor seating area that looks like it'll be a great spot once the weather warms up. Boylan Bridge is in a developing area just off downtown and adjacent to a historical neighborhood with traditional old homes. Parking isn't easy and it'll only get worse as the apartment across the street fills up. But the location does make a nice addition to the downtown Raleigh beer scene.

They offer six beers including a pale ale, golden, bitter, winter, porter and a stout. The golden and stout stood out the most for me. I thought they were all good but very tame and safe. The pale ale, golden, bitter and winter all fell into a pretty narrow range as did the porter and stout. I was shocked they didn't offer an IPA. I really hope they start to offer something a bit more flavorful such as an IPA, a Belgian or an Imperial Stout.

Boylan bridge is a welcome addition to the area. It's not the best beer destination in town but it's worth a visit. I'm hopeful they'll grow into something more compelling as they get settled.
Mar 31, 2009
Boylan Bridge Brewpub in Raleigh, NC
Brewery rating: 3.51 out of 5 with 78 ratings