Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery

Rock Bottom Restaurant and BreweryRock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery
Rock Bottom Restaurant and BreweryRock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery
Brewery, Bar, Eatery

1333 5th Avenue
Seattle, Washington, 98101
United States

// CLOSED //
BEER STATS
Average:
3.63
Beers:
513
Ratings:
3,384
Linked Beer Listing
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.29
Reviews:
15
Ratings:
23
pDev:
18.24%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Maestro:
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Reviewed by Maestro from Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +23.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
My wife and I were in Seattle a few years ago for our honeymoon. We stayed on 4th avenue. This was close and was our spot while we were there. I don't remember much about all of the beers, but I do remember that the Brown Bear Brown was one of the best beers I have ever had. It was more of a Porter than a Brown Ale. It was very rich and was filled with American Hops. The beer kept me coming back for more. The food was good. Lots of great Pizzas to share with a fellow diner and wash down with a Brown Bear Brown. Growlers were really cheap too! Definitely a nice quick stop in the Emerald City.
Jan 16, 2004
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.46 by NJB145 from Michigan

May 15, 2015
 
Rated: 3.31 by dasEbb from Germany

Apr 17, 2015
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Reviewed by flagmantho from Washington

3.7/5  rDev +12.5%
I went to Rock Bottom for a beer after work yesterday and had an all-round good experience. It's got a bit of a corporate-chain feel to it, but with all of the brite tanks and other equipment out for display it also definitely has a good brewery atmosphere. There are plenty of TVs around if you want to catch a game. I sat at the bar, so service was quick and friendly enough. It looks like the place can get hopping after work during happy hour, so be prepared for a crowd if that's your time frame.

They had 8 house beers on tap; 5 regulars and 3 rotating. I was especially impressed with their pumpkin beer, Cerveza Calabaza, and I look forward to returning to try the rest of their offerings.
Nov 26, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by SlightlyGrey from Minnesota

Sep 17, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by muskiesman from New Jersey

Aug 22, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Lorianneb from New Jersey

Jul 05, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by markgugs from New Jersey

Jun 20, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by DaveRinn from Washington

May 31, 2014
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Reviewed by BVukelich from Washington

3.5/5  rDev +6.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 3
I’m used to seeing these in CA and didn’t realize we had one in Seattle. For some reason I had higher expectations and the place fell a little flat. They were out of 2 of their main 6 or 7 beers on tap. She was nice enough to let us sample (very decent sample BTW) the porter and white. Nothing too exciting. I ended up going with their Red Ale since I ordered the Baja Chicken sandwich. The Red was above average. Nice color, great lace. A little under average on mouthfeel but good flavor for a red.

My wife ordered the Bourbonzola Burger. It was rich and the dipping sauce was excessively sweet. My sandwich was ok. Not much avocado and the lettuce was super fine chopped like stuff you buy in the bag. The onion rings were thick and good. I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to return but wouldn’t put up a fight if everyone else in the group voted for it. Take it or leave it kind of place for me.
Nov 28, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by Needmorebeer312 from Washington

Oct 24, 2013
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Reviewed by GilGarp from Colorado

2.05/5  rDev -37.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 2.5 | service: 1 | selection: 2 | food: 1.5
Not my choice but I thought it would at least be a solid place for dinner.

The atmosphere out on the patio was wonderful. By far the best part of this place, it was a nice cool evening and the surroundings and company I shared it with couldn't have been better.

However, the rest of it was pretty aweful. The service was dismal. The girl "taking care of us" stopped by once every 25-30 minutes. She seemed barely awake! And it wasn't like it was busy.

The food was really bad, at least what I ordered. Fish tacos. How hard could it be? Well the food took about a half an hour to arrive and I think the little pieces of fish had been on the grill the entire time. So completely over cooked, they were like dried out pieces of chicken.

Overall pretty aweful but at least the surroundings were nice.
Jul 27, 2010
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Reviewed by froghop from Washington

2.45/5  rDev -25.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 2 | selection: 2
your typical brew bar, reminds me of a TGIF, Ruby Tuesdays, or a Applebees. there was a ball game on at the time and the video was in HD, while the audio was in analog, so you got the 10-20 seconds delay from the sound to the picture.

service was okay, the server wanted to make sure she got a tip, "you don't want any change back, right?" and seemed to be a little pushy on wanting us to eat.

selection was only their brews, about 8 of them, and they did not offer a sampling of any.

overall was not that impressed, and the beer was average at best.
May 04, 2009
Photo of Gavage
Reviewed by Gavage from Nevada

3.68/5  rDev +11.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3
This place is hanging of the top floor of the Ranier Conference Center so it is not so easy to locate. This place had the typical Rock Bottom decor and was quite empty inside.There were several pool tables inside, and the bar seats about 15. Brewing tanks are visible from the entrance and outside. They do have a small outside section with about 7 tables which is where I planted myself to enjoy some nice sunshine and fresh air along with a pint or two.

There was only one server outside and he seemed a bit miffed I was only having a beer and no food. There were 6 beers on tap: Daylight Lite, Faller Wheat, Peashooter Pale Ale, Rain City Red, Brown Bear Brown, and Flying Salmon Stout. I had pints of the brown and red and both were of good quality and tasty. These were probably the best beers I have had from trips to numerous Rock Bottoms.

I know there are plenty of great beers in the area, but this place was worthy of a stop despite the service and limited selection. The beer was pretty good.
Aug 01, 2008
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Reviewed by bobsy from Canada (ON)

2.96/5  rDev -10%
vibe: 2 | quality: 2 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3
Close to my hotel in Seattle, hence the visit on an early June weeknight. It was pretty quiet when we arrived, so service was quick, friendly and efficient. Sadly, the bar is devoid of any character, and has something of a chain feel to it (go figure). The beers were also uninspired. As is my want on vacation, I ordered a sampler tray to get an overview of the offerings that then allows me to pick my favourite for a full pint. This time, I didn't even bother ordering the pint. The best beer I had was the Flying Salmon Stout, which was unremarkable and not a beer for stout lovers. Meh.
Jan 16, 2008
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Reviewed by Hollenbeck2 from Oregon

4/5  rDev +21.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I was in Seattle with my fiance, good spot for lunch, not dinner.

This link in the chain occupies a strange area up about 500 stairs and you cannot see across the space inside, it is very broken off.

I liked the location and how it was a short walk from the hotel we were at.

They had good beers on tap and some interesting collectors glasses

I enjoyed all the beers off the sampler which came quickly and cold.

Good service. The bartenders were fast and friendly.

food was good, we had lunch, i was full all afternoon
Jan 01, 2008
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Reviewed by barleywinefiend from Washington

3/5  rDev -8.8%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 3
I went in here a few times but only because I was in the area shopping. Guys, a Louis Vuitton store is up the hill, great excuse to go get a brew and satisfy the wife. Parking is by garage only. The staff was spotty on good/bad service. I liked drinking their and watching football, the Rain City IPA gives me a headache and the Brown Bear Ale is decent, very smooth. The food was always good, your typical, you know pizza, burgers, chicken sammich and so on. Overall, it was a good place but I heard the Bellevue location was much better.
Nov 24, 2007
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Reviewed by Greenfloyd from California

3.05/5  rDev -7.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 1.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
If you are looking for a quality dining experience, with friendly knowledgeable staff members who care about you or the beers they represent, you clearly took a wrong turn to end up here....

I can't speak for all the help of course, but the ones I've experienced were terrible (mind you, we were all in a good mood because of the Seahawk victory we just came back from). To start off the festivities, we ordered a round to warm up with. They were out of the beer my friend ordered, so instead of asking him what his second choice would be...she just randomly brought him a totally different style, and basically implied that he should deal with it. Nice. Oh well. The brown ale was OK, not bad. The stout was fairly light, but not bad tasting either. The beers aren't so bad when you compare them with the thought of getting stuck with only macros to go with your eats, that's for sure. The food was pretty good all around, and the nacho appetizer was pretty decent sized, filling four of us until the food arrived. Of course more issues there with our lovely and talented waitress, but by now I think you get the picture. With several TVs around playing various sporting events, the low lighting, and pretty comfortable seats, the ambiance wasn’t to shabby. All and all though, I don't think I'll bother making my way back if other options are available....and seeing as we are in downtown Seattle, options are NOT a problem...Good Drinking
Mar 01, 2007
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Reviewed by Redrover from Wisconsin

3.8/5  rDev +15.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
I was in Seattle for work and was able to stop by Rock Bottom for a few pints.

This link in the chain occupies a fairly large space. I really didn't like the way they chopped it up in different areas. I think a better design could make this place a bit more appealing.

I did like that they have a few pool tables. It is always nice to have a distraction while downing a few beers. I think they charge $10 per hour, which seems reasonable to me.

They had 7 beers on tap. Unfortunately, we were 2 days away from trying the new seasonal and the cask beer :(

I enjoyed both the pale ale (almost an IPA) and the sweet stout.

Good service. The bartenders were fast, friendly and up on their beers.

I did not sample the food. Well worth a stop!
Sep 01, 2006
Photo of TheName
Reviewed by TheName from Washington

2.93/5  rDev -10.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 2 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
Just downstairs from my office, this spot has become the de facto "happy hour" bar. Unfortunately. Much more focused on the food than the beer, the wait staff is generally dismissive and the idea that you might move to socialize is frowned upon.

The beer selection is fine with highlights being whatever's currently special or on cask. A relatively recent Chai Brown was wonderful and an older, casked IPA was quite satisfying. These, of course, are untried by the average patron because the waitstaff has--any time I've asked--been unable to name them without a trip to the bar. Their standard tap lineup offers the standards for chain brewpubs with nothing really standing out; the IPA's mild, the brown's light, etc.

Food is tasty if a little greasy and meager in portion.

The service is what really hurts this place for reasons that run the gamut. When simply drinking I've yet to be charged correctly (generally finding several extra pints on my tab). When ordering food, waiters are inattentive and rarely seen. When attempting to play pool waiters excruciatingly slowly return with balls and are liberal with the time-keeping. On more than one occasion a busboy has been obviously intoxicated and viciously imposed himself on a few female companions. In short, not the people you want to rely on to bring you food and drink.

Not recommended but if you're with a big group after work it does in a pinch.
Jun 02, 2006
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Reviewed by TheBungyo from Washington

2.9/5  rDev -11.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 2 | selection: 2 | food: 4
I don't know what it is ... for some reason every time I go here I end up either irritated with the service here or downright pissed off. I hadn't been to Rock Bottom in about 4 years because of previous horrible service (I'll explain later in the review) but I decided to revisit as a BA.
I entered the front door, taking refuge from the pouring rain and waited by the "please wait to be seated" sign. I waited for about 2 minutes before a slovenly greeter noticed me. He looked at me, and instead of asking "how many" he asked in a very rude tone (as if I were a bum who didn't belong there) "is there something I can help you with?" Wow, thanks for making me feel so welcome!
Anyway after explaining that I wanted a seat and a meal the server I was presented with was very polite. Unfortunately he was swapped out with someone who was somewhat indifferent about me being there just minutes later. The food was very good. In fact, I've always enjoyed the food at this place, which is why I used to go there somewhat frequently. That is until 2 very bad experiences made me give up on the place. The first experience saw me and my sister seated and then ignored for over an hour. Everyone near us was served and had their orders taken while we waited ... and waited ...
The second time was fine until I tried to pay a $30 tab with a $100 bill and was not given change until I demanded to see the manager (which took half an hour).
The food was quite tasty and very reasonable. I tried 3 beers and 2 of them were very good.
In all, if you're visiting the downtown Seattle area, travel just a few blocks away and go to the Collin's Pub. The food is even better and they have a fantastic beer selection. You will however, probably be stuck with the same rotten service, though nowhere near as bad as Rock Bottom.
Apr 29, 2006
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Reviewed by OldFrothingSlosh from Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +6.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
As this place was within spitting distance of my hotel, RoyalT and I stopped here for a quick bite and some beer. Reminds me of Hops, a chain brewpub that has several locations in Richmond. Decent atmosphere, pretty slow for a lunch hour. Seated quickly. The laminated beer list at the table, with the waitress telling us about each one. Sampler available. They did had a non-listed beer that both RoyalT and I had: The Hop Bomb. Despite repeated warnings from the waitress that this was hoppy. Duh....I like having the enamel taken off my teeth by a good hoppy beast. Food was good. The grilled mahi tacos were tasty, if on the meager portion size side.

Not too expensive. RoyalT said that each location has a little flexibility in what they brew and that's good. Thinking outside the corporate box is a good thing when it comes to beer. Nothing stellar or off-the-wall, but not too shabby, either.
Sep 15, 2005
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Reviewed by beertaster13 from Washington

3.5/5  rDev +6.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 4
Went out to the Seattle Rock Bottom to try a new location, have visited the Bellevue branch many times. We love there food and there fajitas are top notch. The atmosphere of this restraunt/brewery is packed on weekends and very slow on the weekday. The quality is average, while the food is excelent the beer isn't the greatest you will find, although there beer club is great to join. The service was fast at the beginning but once we ordered the waitress had a hard time keeping up with are refills of beer. Selection on the food menu is great, the beer menu is not average, just the RockBottom beer is available through the restraunt on tap. A good place to go for a great bite and an average beer.
Feb 24, 2004
Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery in Seattle, WA
Brewery rating: 3.63 out of 5 with 3384 ratings