Whym Craft Pub & Brewery

Whym Craft Pub & BreweryWhym Craft Pub & Brewery
Whym Craft Pub & BreweryWhym Craft Pub & Brewery
Brewery, Bar, Eatery

853 Lafayette Rd
Hampton, New Hampshire, 03842
United States

(603) 501-0478 | map
whym.beer
BEER STATS
Average:
4.09
Beers:
12
Ratings:
10
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.31
Reviews:
14
Ratings:
34
pDev:
9.28%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4.14 by slasich from Pennsylvania

May 17, 2020
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Rated by neerbeer from New Hampshire

4.48/5  rDev +3.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.25
go out of your way to visit this place. a wealth of information especially the local scene
Apr 13, 2019
 
Rated: 4.75 by atlbravsrno1 from Maine

Sep 18, 2018
 
Rated: 4.2 by steven3241 from Massachusetts

Nov 11, 2017
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Reviewed by Newbeergeek1 from Maine

4.56/5  rDev +5.8%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.25
What a nice find to have looked at it on BA because I was in the area for a few days and have it be every bit as good as it was rated. Glad I don't live in the area or I would live there.
Sep 10, 2017
 
Rated: 4.4 by 2ellas from New Hampshire

Jun 13, 2017
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Reviewed by ManapuaMan from Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +3.9%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Swung by on a trip to Portland. Thanks to all you BAs for reviewing the spot! Never would have found it. Odd location behind a motel-ish compound outside of Portsmouth. We got there right at opening so got lots of attention from the bartender. Enjoyed a fresh pint of Peeper; great tap list of local and "long distance" beers including some small ME breweries I've never heard of. Pretzels and fried pickles were awesome, and the wild green salad was on point - crisp and bitter. Awesome spot.
Oct 30, 2016
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Reviewed by johnnnniee from New Hampshire

3.98/5  rDev -7.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 3.75 | food: 4
Stopped here today for the first time. Odd location on rt 1 tucked in behind a motel of sorts. Inside is smaller than it looks as your walking in, but they do have a nice looking patio area outside as well. It was early and I sat at the bar. Maybe 10 taps but they are well thought out with a local focus and a pretty decent bottle list.Decent menu I had the stuffed pretzel du jour and it was tasty. It was slow, but the bartender was friendly and attentive. Two beers and an appetizer were $22 so a little pricey. Boxes of vinyl albums and a constantly moving turntable. I'm told if you ask nicely you can pick the next record. Great vibe, nice place, I wish it were closer!
Sep 03, 2016
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Reviewed by BUSABEERGUY from Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +16%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
All I can Say is i will always make the Drive to this bar Place is the best bar in country! Friendly Great Food and love the no t.v. part with the Record player going all day!
Mar 29, 2016
 
Rated: 4.16 by bostonbeans from Massachusetts

Aug 15, 2015
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Reviewed by SawDog505 from New Hampshire

4.56/5  rDev +5.8%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.25
Stopped in on accident with my family, were staying at the hotel. Very knowledgeable and friendly staff. Oaked Stone Ruination 2.0 on draft, with plenty of others to back it up. My burger was excellent and the pretzels also, menu expanding wouldn't hurt. Overall this place is great, really love seeing a place in NH take pride in craft beer!
Aug 01, 2015
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Rated by lou50rp from Maine

4.55/5  rDev +5.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.75
Great mac n' cheese and beer selection. Might become a habit.
Jul 05, 2015
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Rated by GwenHoughton from New Hampshire

4.68/5  rDev +8.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3
Beer selection is really good. Limited food selection. This place is all about Imported and craft beer.
Mar 07, 2015
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Rated by HaightAshbury from New Hampshire

5/5  rDev +16%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
Great place! Awesome beer choices and fish n chips...was actually fresh real fish...best fish n chips I've ever had! Played great music to boot.
Dec 30, 2014
 
Rated: 4.64 by rjp217 from Massachusetts

Dec 21, 2014
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Reviewed by mjstacker from New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%
One of my favorite beer stops. Always 10 great beers on tap with a large bottle list. The Mac & Cheese is perfect, have some pretzels as well. The owners & staff have a ton of beer knowledge and love helping everyone find the perfect beer. Cheers.
Nov 10, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by NHbeerguy from New Hampshire

Oct 30, 2014
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Reviewed by Faxmesomehalibut from New Hampshire

4.7/5  rDev +9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Best beer bar in NH!! There is no place I would rather spend my time. My wife and I moved to the Seacoast about 2 years ago and ever since we first came to WHYM there is no bar/restaurant we frequent more!
From the amazing draft selection to the wonderful food specials this place has everything you look for!

The food is always super impressive and the specials are very creative. The Mac n cheese might be some of the best food I've ever eaten! They also have a great meat and cheese offering that always hits the spot if your not interested in a full meal.

They have an ever rotating draft list that always impresses me. From rare belgian offerings to local beers WHYM only brings the best of the best into their bar. They have lots of local breweries as well as some long distance ones as well. No matter what you choose to drink you will be happy as they only bring in quality beer. Also the growing bottle list always has something I've never tried that I've always wanted to. One of the most impressive things about this place is the cleanliness of their taps and lines! The owners Alex and Gretchen take pride in presenting the cleanest taps and lines to provide their customers with the best tasting beers possible.

I cannot think of one bar that I would like to spend more time at than WHYM. Do yourself a favor and check this place out! You can thank me when you see me at the bar.
Aug 28, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by mklisz from New Hampshire

Aug 13, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by JKV96 from Massachusetts

Jul 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Chefdolan from New Hampshire

Jul 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Pwbres from Maine

Jul 16, 2014
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Reviewed by EnronCFO from Massachusetts

3.01/5  rDev -30.2%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 2.75
Stopped in on a Tuesday late afternoon. Tap selection was weak (MBC Lunch kicked the day before I was there) and prices were higher than I find at craft beer places in Boston. Clown Shoes Galactica was priced as a $9 pint, but served in a 12 oz. pour. No A/C and no TV for the World Cup, the place kind of looks like a dump to me. Old restaurant/lodge kinda thing behind a dumpy hotel (short-term apartments?) on Rte. 1 in NH. Not worth seeking out and I do not understand the praise this place gets. Didn't try the food. The guy behind the bar was nice.

But hey, they've got a summer cornhole tournament about to start up.
Jul 11, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by LilLJStuff from New Hampshire

Jun 18, 2014
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Reviewed by Jodi215 from Arizona

4.2/5  rDev -2.6%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 3.25 | food: 4.75
Stopped here for lunch while exploring the New England coast. We heard about it from a salesmen we met at a Liquor store named Kappys. He said the name stood for the ingredients in beer. W for water, H for hops, Y for yeast and M for malt. Atmosphere was nice yet casual. the location is behind a motel so very secluded. Quality was excellent. Service was friendly and helpful, wait time was reasonable. Beer selection could use some improvment but was decent. I had the fish and chips and it was the best I've had on this vacation. Huge piece of fish with crispy batter and a wonderful ginger tartar sauce. Best tartar sauce I've had ever. The guys had hamburgers and said they were delcious. Value was very reasonable.
May 22, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by Janeinma from Massachusetts

May 20, 2014
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Reviewed by rosstracy from New Hampshire

4.53/5  rDev +5.1%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
I can't say enough about WHYM, it has everything a craft beer cafe should. Alex and Gretchin are great owners, very knowledgeable and personable, and truly have a must-visit establishment. Over the last few years we've hopped around from place to place trying to find a respectable mix of good craft beer and good food, WHYM has neither. In fact, they have a great mix of craft beers and great food! Put that into a great atmosphere, comfortable lounging, fireplace, music and NO TVs, and you've got yourself a place you'll want to visit regularly. Sure there are times when things are busy and hectic or the service slows a bit, but when you're in that environment, there's no need to rush! WHYM hosts unbelievable beer dinners and fun trivia nights, also.

Honestly, I haven't found anything that I dislike about WHYM, other than it's location not being across the street from my house!
Apr 30, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Rekrule from Massachusetts

Apr 08, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by coombski from Maine

Mar 29, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by cincysig from Connecticut

Jan 28, 2014
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Reviewed by ElGallo from New Hampshire

4.7/5  rDev +9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
UPDATE 9/20/16: this place rocks. Service is excellent. Great variety and rarities among the 10 taps. Menu was overhauled this summer and added options for the health-conscious beer enthusiast. Lots of great events throughout the year, and a friendly chill atmosphere. I love coming to this special little place.

WHYM is definitely a beer lover's destination, even if it is in a odd location for a craft beer bar. Tucked back off Route 1, the location is actually nice as it's away from the downtown Portsmouth crowds and has an outdoor patio and an area to toss some corn hole while enjoying a fine beer and food. Interior is cozy with a small bar and table seating for about 30. The draft list is small (only 8 taps this first year in operation) but very distinguished. The owners work very hard to get the best kegs available in the state, and the variety among the draft offerings works for whatever you might be in the mood for. Bottle list is solid and rotates. Food offerings are higher-end pub-style appetizers and nice sandwiches. The pretzel appetizer is excellent, with a nice mix of dipping sauces. The owners are friendly and happy to answer your questions. Service is very attentive. I look forward to seeing this place grow - definitely worth checking out.
Jan 27, 2014
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Reviewed by afi4lifer from Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev -3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Stopped here on a whim (sorry I had to) after reading about this place. Very very cool. Lots of beer porn displayed around the bar. 8 tap lines split between local brews and other beers. Alex absolutely knew what he was talking about and loved to talk beer. Had some local Maine Beer Co. stuff and a sour from Blue Lobster. Great spot, very good food and worth stopping by if you're in the Portsmouth area. Not quite the selection that Thirsty Moose offers but very well thought out tap and bottle list. Service and vibe are great, and it was awesome how clean and cared for it was. Highly recommend!
Jan 25, 2014
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Reviewed by MattyEsq from Massachusetts

4.34/5  rDev +0.7%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5
Excellent selection of hard to find craft beers. The owners know their stuff and are very engaging with everyone. The food choices are somewhat limited but the food is fresh and you can't go wrong. The atmosphere is really chill without the distraction of TV's. Awesome place!
Nov 02, 2013
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Reviewed by rbowser from New Hampshire

4.35/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
WHYM is Portsmouth's first craft beer bar. Although there is at least one other beer bar in Portsmouth, WHYM is the first to approach it from an enthusiast focus. The owners and staff are knowledgeable about beer, and their selection, although limited to about 10 taps is well chosen.

The taps are split between Neighbors, those beers within a few miles such as Blue Lobster and Smuttynose and “Long Distance” selections, which ranges from Craft US to Craft Europeans.

The location is unusual, in that it is on the property of the Village Inn, a motor Inn about 5 miles south of downtown Portsmouth. At first it does have a David Lynch quality, but its hidden quality grows on you very quickly.

So, if you are visiting Portsmouth you will not just walk by this place downtown. Like most of the more interesting places, the economics of downtown mean newer start ups are opening either north in downtown Kittery, or south along route 1 in Portsmouth / Hampton. They have parking on site and it is an easy straightforward drive down route 1.

Once you get inside, the interior is very comfy with darker wood, a bar, 10 or so tables, a small grotto with a large table, and a small outdoor patio. The owners (a couple) are friendly and the place is easy to settle in at the bar.

Unlike say the Black Birch or Pigs Can Fly, in Kittery; WHYM feels like a comfortable nice bar, not a restaurant, along the lines of the vibe of Novare Res in Portland.

The food is very respectable, with a super cheese plate from nearby C’est Cheese, and some nice sandwiches. Like many craft beer bars, they feel the food should match the quality of the beer. If you are in the Portsmouth area, I would recommend a stop.
Jul 28, 2013
Whym Craft Pub & Brewery in Hampton, NH
Brewery rating: 4.09 out of 5 with 10 ratings