Heartland Brewery and Rotisserie - Empire State

Heartland Brewery and Rotisserie - Empire StateHeartland Brewery and Rotisserie - Empire State
Heartland Brewery and Rotisserie - Empire StateHeartland Brewery and Rotisserie - Empire State
Bar, Eatery

350 5th Ave
New York, New York, 10118-0110
United States

// CLOSED //
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.77
Reviews:
28
Ratings:
41
pDev:
11.14%
View: Place Reviews
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Ratings by paulish:
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Rated by paulish from New York

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%

Feb 05, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of cratez
Reviewed by cratez from Canada (ON)

3.79/5  rDev +0.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.75 | food: 4
What I had: Indiana Pale Ale on tap, sample of Farmer Jon’s Oatmeal Stout, glass of white wine for the wife.
What I liked: Gorgeous, towering, and old-fashioned bar, convenient location for Empire State tourists, draught list has good style variation and the beers are above average in quality, we didn’t eat anything but the food menu looked appetizing.
What I disliked: Took a while to get the server’s attention despite the bar being empty, though he was friendly once we ordered. Prices are on the high side.
Would I go back? Possibly.
Overall Rating: 76
Jan 29, 2020
 
Rated: 3.91 by Djon1rpt from Pennsylvania

Feb 19, 2019
 
Rated: 3.57 by Jerseyislandbeer from Jersey

May 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.84 by micromaniac129 from Pennsylvania

Mar 25, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Dec 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by LoveStout from New York

Nov 29, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by acurtis from New Jersey

Oct 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by LutherBrau from Massachusetts

Sep 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4.36 by misternebbie from Pennsylvania

Aug 29, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by bcgeiman from Maryland

Jul 20, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by njbusa from New Jersey

Jun 24, 2014
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Reviewed by bigkingken from North Carolina

3.2/5  rDev -15.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 2
Heartland Brewery is a small chain of brewpubs located throughout New York City. My hotel was a scant half-mile away from the location in the Empire State Building, so that’s where I spent the majority of my last night in the city.

It’s pretty much exactly what I expected from a touristy chain in Manhattan. The rooms (multiple) are gigantic and glitzy. Everything is extremely well-polished and overstated. There’s a ton of televisions, a lot of lights, and a lot of decorations to distract the eye.

The food sucks. I ordered a buffalo burger with some fries not expecting much, which is exactly what I got. The bun was a bit stale; the burger was overcooked and tasted like it had been frozen in patty form for some months. The fries were unexceptional. It might have even been sub-Applebee’s-standard.
The beer was also less than impressive. I ordered a flight, which came with all of their year-round brews and the choice of one of their current seasonal offerings. I do appreciate the vast variety and sheer number of rotating taps. However, none of them would be able to stand out in a crowd of other mediocre brewpubs from across the country.

At least the styles were discernable.

One awesome thing I will say about this spot, which is probably true of any spot in Manhattan, is the people. I sat next to an interesting couple arguing—the man with a thick Irish accent—for several hours about their relationship. I sat next to an interesting Cornell graduate student and struck up an interesting conversation on the economics of being a PhD student. When he left, an interesting older Italian man looking to open businesses in New York practiced his English with me and invited me to stay in his villa on the Italian coast. A random Swedish girl ordering a drink thought it was odd I was drinking alone and invited me to sit with her and her male companion.

It was an interesting night at least, even if everything else was average at best.
Apr 04, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by robebo44 from Virginia

Nov 24, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by bsm80x from New York

Oct 24, 2013
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Reviewed by duceswild from Heard & McDonald Islands

3.66/5  rDev -2.9%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4 | food: 3
Stopped in here the other day as the Ginger Man and Rattle and Hum which are both very close were packed. Restaurant was fairly crowded and seemed to be mostly filled with tourist which makes sense given its location within the Empire State building.

Quality and selection of the food was decent, typical basic bar food though priced like it is a premium item. They had about 12 taps on when I was there and a number of them seemed interesting. You can get tastes of them for about $3 each. They also offer half pints which is nice.

Service at the bar was good. Food was delivered pretty quickly after ordering. Beers and water were refilled quickly.

Overall it was a decent fall back option for me, though given the location there are many other better places around if beer is solely your focus. Also don't expect it to be cheap. Realize it's in tourist location but $16-18 for a basic burger is pricy.
Jul 18, 2013
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Reviewed by BlackHaddock from England

3.37/5  rDev -10.6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3
18th Jan 2013: I liked this place: and yes I was obviously a tourist.

I had 10 hours in New York, so my wife and I decided to walk along Broadway through Times Square, see Macy’s, turn onto 34th and look up at the ESB before taking 5th Ave up to Central Park (via Central Station and other touristy bits). When we walked away from the ESB along 5th Ave and turned for the view and photo shoot: my wife noticed the brewery.

It was almost 12:00 so we walked back and went in. We sat on the ground level with very few others, watching street life: downstairs was empty, but very impressive, clean, tidy and different (to me anyway). Ground level is fine too and the beers I tried were OK: the Red Rooster Ale being the best for my taste buds.

We didn’t eat. Staff were friendly and happy to talk about beer or whatever. All in all a pleasant spot to while away an hour to rest your feet before tramping around the city again.
Jun 12, 2013
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Reviewed by Rifugium from North Dakota

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Six locations in NYC. Out of the three I've been to, my favorite is the Chophouse at Times Square (43rd between B'way & 6th). This one is in the Empire State Building, and I've been there a few times. Like it's sister establishment, pretty cllassy joint, nice casual atmosphere, tasty homebrewed beer, pleasant seasonals, and good good food. Each Heartland is set up differently as thus has a different atmosphere. The Empire State location has two floors (including a basement), and is a bit busier than the Times Square locale, I think. As with the Times Square locale, I'd imagine that really serious beer pursuers wouldn't bother with this place too much, but I think it's definitely worth hitting up the Heartland when you're in the city. Again, a little on the pricey side, but not too bad.
Apr 29, 2011
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Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +8.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
The best thing about this location is its location. The worst thing about this location, is also its location.

This is the one in the Empire State building, and Heartland must turn a lot of dollars here due to all of the tourists in queue to visit the observation deck. Who knows if they're really profiting though as the rent must be sky high.

So, it's not really a place that you'd go and hang out in for a pint after work, although I'm sure people do; and it's really busy during the day on weekends which normally means a wait even to get a seat at the bar.

As for looks, it's pretty open and bright, which is nice; but it's also a little more 'common' than your standard Heartland. It doesn't have the more modern feel of the Union Square location, nor the nicer appointments of some of the other stores. Still, it's pleasant.

The food and service are pretty much the same as the other locations, and the beer IS the same as the other locations. I'd rank it second to last in their chain overall, but there's not much else in the very immediate area (stones throw) so why not?
Dec 12, 2010
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Reviewed by deltatauhobbit from Maine

4/5  rDev +6.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Let me start by saying, it's not a bad thing that this place caters to tourists. In fact, it's a bit of fresh air after being in the city inundated with hole in the wall eateries, with some being clean and others not so much, while avoiding national chains.

It does have that Applebee's/Chili's feel to it, but I won't knock it cause it knows what it wants to be, a place that doesn't feel high and mighty.

The server was attentive, he knew what was on-tap for their seasonals and had his own opinion on them.

They had about 5-6 regular beers on-tap and about 3-4 seasonals as well, for a typical brew pub that's more than enough selection, although most seemed to be a variation of some golden ale.

I ordered a couple different pints, while not exceptional, were more than adequate for a hot summer day of walking in the city.

Can't say too much about the food since I had only ordered onion rings, they were good, but not enough food to judge on.

For being a tourist, I enjoyed this place more than enough to go back again. Easy to find, not too pretentious, prices are reasonable and they have their own beer. I didn't see any facilities where they brew on-site, which might explain the "beer bar" status, but it's not unheard of to have their beers brewed elsewhere, especially since they have more than one location in NYC.
Sep 10, 2010
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Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.78/5  rDev +0.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Fairly large and central safe location. Staff was good here, its a tourist spot and room for easily 250 people, and it was filling up after work. Beer quality and seasonals have picked up, much better selection. Nice very long bar to sit at.A good turnover of beer so its fresh. Not reputable as the best place to eat in town, its a possible stop if you are in Manhatten for more than a couple days, and have already gone to the Rattle 'N' Hum and The Ginger Man. Prices not bad for beer in NYC. Big windows so you see and are seen here.
Feb 19, 2010
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Reviewed by TheDeuce from New York

3.7/5  rDev -1.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3
Heartland Brewery in Empire State Building...

Another Heartland I've tried, this one is at the bottom of the Empire State Building. Nice decor, old beer memorabilia, tanks on the bottom floor, top floor is nice not as cluttered as their other restaurants. Packed with tourists.

Food is fine, just as it was before. I recommend the buffalo burger for something different. As far as beer, I've tried all the normal beers so I tried two seasonals, an amber and a bock, both were decent. Server was very nice.

Overall, still incredibly touristy but not bad, not bad by any means.
May 04, 2009
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Reviewed by mechamifune from North Carolina

2.9/5  rDev -23.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 2
Noticed this place after my wife and I had walked out of the empire state building, so we stopped in for lunch.

As a whole I found the place pretty underwhelming. The waitstaff was pleasant enough, but not particularly interested in doing the job. As was previously stated, their knowledge of the beer didn't seem to go beyond what was written out on the menu.

The beer itself was very average. The IPA, which I still found to be relatively bland, was probably the best out of the few i tried.

Food was average, some of it to the point where it felt processed. That probably wouldn't have bothered me so much if I wasn't paying as much as I was for it.

As a whole, it was like many other things in manhattan, overpriced. That much I expected, but I was at least hoping the beer would compensate for it, which it did not.

So if you simply must visit a brewpub while visiting manhattan, i guess go for it, since nothing was outright bad. Otherwise, i'd suggest trying out some of the other endless food options in the area.
Jan 30, 2009
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Reviewed by jjayjaye from New York

3.83/5  rDev +1.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Located on the ground floor of the Empire State building. I arrived just before the lunch crowd started pouring in. I didn't know that there was an upper floor...i didn't wander around much. The lower area is large and open and the bar is large as well. Filled with an interesting array of memorabilia. The wait staff was eager and knowledgeable, yet had a bit of an attitude. I've had several of their beers before at two other locations...this time i had a couple of pints of the Indie 500. The food was good, if not a little on the pricey side. I had the Buffalo Burger (13.50) Grilled free-range South Dakota bison with homemade BBQ sauce...it was a tasty and filling order. The atmosphere was reasonable, but i was a little annoyed when the elderly German couple beside me were 'man-handled' to a smaller table for two by the staff when there were plenty of tables around. Another fine place to find a quality craft brew in NYC.
Dec 24, 2008
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Reviewed by HamFon from Colorado

4.18/5  rDev +10.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Visited 6 August 2008 (Wednesday) at 6PM. Large restaurant and bar area, beer is not brewed here, but there are still some tanks and fermenters on display for show. Vegetarian nachos were very good+. Wings also very good+. Bar service was excellent. Herb spiced chicken tenders also very good+.

Beers typically above average, with two (Indie 500 Pale Ale on nitrogen, and Empire Premium Beer) standing out as very good.

BEERS (sampler of 8-4 oz beers for $16.95) - see detailed ratings at www.BuildABeer.org.
Aug 18, 2008
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Reviewed by JMH_ from New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev -2.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3
This location is an easy find as it's literally located in the Empire State Building. There are two floors to the restaurant, with the upstairs having more of a New York Deli sort of feel and the downstairs leaning more toward a more traditional restaurant/almost Cheesecake Factory-esque vibe.

Stuff on tap is almost always very fresh and tasty and served in proper glassware, and selection generally falls in the 8-12 range, with two thirds of those being regulars and the other third or so being seasonals. The regulars are your typical Light, Red, Pale, etc but they are all fairly good, especially the Oatmeal Stout which is a favourite of mine. Seasonals are usually a bit more daring.

The food is what I'd call typical bar/brewpub food (burgers, chicken, calamari, etc) and it's okay but not overly impressive. Service is generally friendly and at least passingly knowledgeable (if not a bit better) about the beer they are serving, and a few folks are generous with allowing you to try samples first.

Overall, save for The Ginger Man, the immediate area is fairly dead in terms of good craft beer if I am not mistaken, but even if it wasn't I'd still stop in here again. It's not perfect and certainly a bit touristy thanks to the location, but it's solid enough across the board.
Sep 24, 2007
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Reviewed by Gavage from Nevada

3.7/5  rDev -1.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
Easy to find location at the Empire State Building. Large neon sign on a large glass front invites you in. When I entered I saw the bar to my left, loads of tables filled with patrons, and a set of stairs which leads down to another level of the restaurant. I did not venture down there on this trip.

The bar was large and only one stool was left so I grabbed it. Nice view of the street through the large windows. Kind of an airy and bustling vibe here. The bartender was busy so he was a bit slow to get my order. Plenty of people were drinking the beer - only a few had mixed drinks. Nice mix of tourists and business folks.

There were the normal 6 house beers on draft with 5 seasonals - Alpha Male Ale, Apricot Ale, Empire Premium, Grateful Red Lager, and Indie 500 IPA. I ordered the IPA and it was fresh and tasty. I did not sample any food on this stop.

Defintely worth a stop if you are in the area. The fact that 11 beers were on tap was a big plus.
Jul 02, 2007
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Reviewed by jwc215 from Arizona

4.05/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Located at the bottom of the Empire State Building, this location is easy to find and easly accessible. It has two floors. The top floor (the floor with the entrance) has tables on the right and a fairly large bar on the left. The bottom floor is located on the bottom of a large set of staris. The bottom floor is quite large with spacious tables and another fairly large bar. Both floors are well-lit with music playing in the background.

My friends and I sat at the bar on the top floor. (though I did note the bottom floor, esp. because that is where the bathroom is. The waitress was very friendly and helpful. While she wasn't overly knowledgeable about beer overall, she was very knowledgeable about the beers on the selection. She offered free samples when we wanted to try something, and served quickly and efficiently.

A dozen beers were offered. A half dozen were regulars and the other half were seasonals. The regulars included an IPA, an Oatmeal Stout, a Red Ale, a Light, a Czech Pils, and a Wheat. Another Wheat was in the seasonal (which included an interesting line-up of herbs that was rather tasty. (The waitress explained that they just ran out of the Black Lager.) The prices were $6.75 for a pint, $4.50 a half-pint, and $8 for a 23 oz. The seasonals and the Oatmeal Stout were about a half dollar more.
My overall impression of the beers was that they had a nice flavor, but very mild. They seemed easily drinkable, making this a very good intro. to craft beer, but they were tasty enough to be enjoyed by veteran beer-drinkers. Of the ones I tried (samples of several and pints of the Oatmeal Stout, the Red and the IPA), nothing wowed me but they were still all decent (except maybe the Scotch Ale, which seemed a bit "off", but it's tough to say from just a sample - my friend said that it did get better as it progressed, and he likes that style). They all poured with a decent head that left plenty of lacing. They were all served a bit too cold in a chilled, though not frosted, glass. They offer clear-glass growlers, and though we bought two, I forgot to take note of the price.

For food, we ordered a mix of different appetizers that we shared. They were all pretty good. The menu offers a range of bar-type food, and, of course, the rotisserie.

This is worth bringing a "newbie" to, or stopping in if in the area. It's also worth stopping in during a "pub crawl", or if you want to take home a growler of craft beer.
Mar 04, 2007
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Reviewed by pmatz2 from Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -11.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
My wife had tickets for a Broadway show so I talked her into stopping her for dinner. They have a monthly Beer Dinner where they serve three courses and match there beers with each course. On it's own the beer was average, I wouldn't go out of my way to have a pin. However the beer went well with the food it was paired with. If you are in doubt that beer can be matched just like wine this is a good place to try. I felt rushed through the meal (but we were running late for the show so I can't really complain) But I was able to enjoy the meal. each course was complimented by the beer it was paired with. The change the Beer dinner Monthly. For May a 34.50 dinner included 3 courses 2 1/2 pints and 3 4 oz samples. Not to bad of a price. I would eat there again if I was in the area for a few days, although it wouldn't be my choice if I was only in town for 1 meal.
Jun 02, 2006
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Reviewed by Nutleybeer from New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev +16.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4
As always, Heartland carries a great selection of beers on tap...including their old standards, Red Rooster, Cornhusker Lager, Jon's Oatmeal Stout, etc...the Indian River Light, a delicious combination of orange and coriander notes is always listed with the seasonals, yet its always on the menu. Don't know why, but regardless, it really is lite and smooth....a tad sweet, and a perfect summer type beer.
This particular branch of this NYC chain is located on the ground level floor of the Empire State Bldg. Sometimes you need to push thru the tourists waiting to go upstair for a tour and the view. The Heartland's first floor bar is small, so if no seats, go downstairs...it is usually less grounded and quieter.
This Heartland carries one of two styles, including the Indy 500 Pale Ale and an Empire Pils (I think) that I don't usually see at any of the others.
Their seasonals were a Chocolate Cherry Stout and an interesting Champagne Berry Ale. The berry ale is listed as flavored with raspberry, pomegranate and a hint of ginger. I thought it was good...quite bubbly, but the ginger seemed to be the most dominant flavor.
The Hearlands are not a true brewpub, they don't brew on the premises, but it is still a nice place to get a microbrew in NYC. Now that Times Square Brewery is gone, Heartland is one of the only brewpubs left in NYC. A damn shame the biggest city in the world and it can't support a much larger brewpub population. Cities like Philly and DC put NYC to shame.
The food, by the way, is ok...a bit pricey for what you get. The beer is overpriced...typical NYC prices. Two beers, an order of mini burgers and a side of cold slaw ran $26.
May 15, 2006
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Reviewed by Stimack from New York

3.88/5  rDev +2.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Decided to stop at the Heartland brewery/restaurant that is in the Empire State Building. First experience with Heartland even though they have been in the city for as long as I can remember. Nice looking restaurant, dark colored woods dominate giving a warm feeling. Eat at the bar and had the Oatmeal Stout and the Indy 500 Pale Ale. The Oatmeal stout was very good the Indy 500 was fair, was expecting more. Had a plate of Nacho's which where really good. Prices seemed reasonable for the city. Over all I liked the place, probably will eat there again while in NY.
Feb 27, 2006
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Reviewed by mck144 from Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +2.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4
There's more to the Empire State Building then the tour on top. When you get back to the ground stop at Heartland Brewery and go down to the beer hall. Their selection of beer covers just about everyones pallet. I made a few trips to Heartland while at NYC and it was enjoyable each and everytime (my hotel was right around the corner, can't beat that). The beer is good and the atmosphere can't be beat (the beer hall anyways).

It's get your own drinks unless your ordering food when in the beer hall, but the bartenders are fairly quick with orders. So don't be shy and belly up at the bar. You'll be there awhile.
Feb 25, 2006
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Reviewed by Jason from Massachusetts

3.23/5  rDev -14.3%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3 | food: 3
This satellite location is pretty much for the beer drinker that is visiting the Empire State Building … though the Ginger Man is right down the street. The service is fine and the food was just ok … $11 buffalo burger & $12.95 for a smoked chicken sandwich?!!! All of the beer seemed fresh and served in basic tumbler pints for $6 a pint … what can you say, this is a touristy part of NYC. I certainly could not see staying here for more than a pint or two and you are seriously better off visiting the Ginger Man.
Nov 12, 2005
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Reviewed by PopeJonPaul from Oregon

4.05/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
When you visit this Heartland, don't hang out upstairs - make a beeline for the basement. The basement (if you can call a 20-foot ceiling a basement) bar is one of the nicest looking bars I've seen. Giant arc made a dark wood, half-height back wall with multipane windows specked with color-stained glass inserts. Separate freestanding arcing bar in front with red-seated stools for even more seating, red leather booths, old brewery subway posters on the walls, 20's-era chandeliers, fantastic atmosphere. I'd give it a five, but have to dock them a half point for the fake-ass "brewing tank" setup on the way to the bathroom. (Come on....)

Of course none of the Heartland's are really "Breweries" anymore but the beer can be good. I still like their oatmeal stout and wheat beer but their new Indie 500 wasn't so hot. The bartender was friendly but not too knowledgeable, but he did give Slander samples of about half the beers so he could make up his mind. I'd have liked to see a cask engine behind the bar (they do cask the barleywine sometimes.) The food is good bar food, I'll sometimes go to Heartland just to get a bison burger. Had the fried chicken sandwich this time, which was good, especially for only $9.95 (more money for beer!) Many flat-panel TVs behind the bar, so a good place to watch my Baseball Giants... suck :(

Also, all the tourists seemed to want to sit upstairs, maybe so they could watch the line for the Empire tour. Or maybe Heartland just crowded everyone upstairs on purpose to get more people in. Either way they can have it, just make sure you don't have so many downstairs that you can't make it back up the winding staircase.
Jul 20, 2005
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Reviewed by slander from New York

4.25/5  rDev +12.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Is it just me or is Heartland multiplyin' like rabbits?
Union Square, then Radio City Music Hall, then the Chop House, then the South Street Seaport, and now the Empire State Building. What's next do you think? Roosevelt Island or at the base of the Statue of Liberty? Don't get me wrong. It's not like having good beer places all over the city is a bad thing. This one is pretty easy to find, as you really just need to look up and walk in the direction of "the tall building". You do have to cut through the line to the Empire State Building that wraps around the block just to get in here, but that really can't be helped...
Entering through the revolving doors, there's a "C" shaped bar seating 2 dozen over to your left with about a dozen tables adjacent to it, mostly running it's length along the windows looking over 5th Avenue. To the right is a seating pen holding some 2 dozen tables. We headed down the large spiral staircase to the lower floor which seemed devoid of the whole tourist crowd on this Saturday afternoon. In the center of the spiral rests an ornamental fermenter completely painted over with a mural. As you come to the bottom of the stairs, there's a spacious 15 seat arc wood bar off to the left, with large dark wood pillars in the curved bar back unit and panelled red, yellow and white glass panes behind the bar. The 5 center units hold 3 or 4 shelves each. The bottom shelf holds booze 2 bottles deep, the shelf above that holds showcased liquors spread out, somewhat displayed. One shelf was all Gin, another one Tequilla, the next one Whiskey, and the shelves at both ends hold the Single Malts. The shelves above those hold glassware or Cognacs and the like. Above them were displayed old Utica Club & Blatz figurine pieces. 3 towers across the bar and 3 flat screens overhead. Glass lamp lights on the bar back pillars and track spot lighting overhead.
A smaller arc beer counter sits in front of the bar seating about a dozen. Roughly a dozen and a half bar tables in the bar area, many of them sharing a common bench that runs the length of the room. The area above the bench is mirrored, with a row of beer trays above that, and up atop is an area with some old beer barrels and a massive Heartland Brewery neon sign. An additional seating area below the bar holds about 3 dozen booths and tables of various sizes and shapes. And a small banquetish room holds a handful of tables in an area sectioned off by red curtains. Mostly dark wood slat lowers, yellowish stucco wall uppers and brick pillars with chandeliers around them and overhead. Industrial ductwork, ceiling fans, tile floors, and a small corner room withg ornamental fermenters (Hell, one of them is leaning on the fermenter next to it). The walls are adorned with 40' X 60' framed French beer prints, as well as old prints from Ballantine, and a whole bunch of long defunt breweries (Stanton Brewery, Troy, NY, Hudson Brewery, Hoboken, NJ, Stevenson Brewery, NYC, Piel Brothers, NYC, Oshkosh, Bartels, and on and on). It's a great room.
5 regular house beers (Cornhusker Lager, Farmer Jon's Oatmeal Stout, Indiana Pale Ale, Red Rooster Ale, Harverst Wheat Beer) and 4 seasonals (Empire Premium Beer, Indian River Light, Indie 500 Pale Ale, Summertime Apricot Ale). Sampled Cheese's Summertime Apricot which was good but not what I was in the mood for, and Pope's Indie 500 which was also okay, but I wanted something else. The Red Rooster Ale was excellent. Done with Caramel & Munich malts, it was very malty with a deep toffee flavor, and a nice hop balance. A real nice beer.
Had a bite. This site has a Rotisserie chicken thing going on, but I opted for the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich, which was just perfect. Service was pleasant and attentative, gave me up samples when I asked for 'em. One of the better Heartland locations, me thinks...
Jul 10, 2005
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Reviewed by newyawker from New York

4.05/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
This restaurant is huge. I have to confess that even though it isn't your regular brewpub, I really enjoyed the experience. You can easily see that they put a lot of dollars into making this a nice place. The menu is large and varied, with something for everyone and well executed. Service was very efficient despite the fact that it was really crowded. I had to wait quite a while to find my perch at the bar. The IPA was solid. I definitely appreciated the Farmer John's stout as well. Very drinkable. Tevlevision screens everywhere, so I was able to enjoy my Yankees while sipping my brew. I highly recommend this very professional establishment.
Jul 03, 2005
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Reviewed by rousee from Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +15.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Located at the Empire state building, this has to be about as touristy as you get. There is a huge line of people around the front of the building and you have to cut through the line just to get into the place. Standard big brewpub look and feel when you enter and I am glad it was not very busy when I went. I could see it hurting the service if it were really packed.

The beers were excellent. I got 1/2 pints as I was driving a few hours later and did not need to be having any issues with that. I started with the chocolate wit--very slight chocolate profile and nice. I tried their cornhusker lager, their nitro-IPA which was called Indie 500, the Oatmeal stout which was (IMO) the best one they had and their empire beer which was the lowest on ABV. Prices are pretty Manhattan tourist trap--esque but moreso on the food than the beers. I actually thought the beer prices were reasonable.

The bartender was very nice and attentive and didnt mind giving me samples for free when I was ready to try a new beer. The food was good --I got rotisserie chicken and had some fried wonton appetizer. Both were quite good. I would go back here in a second but I would avoid this place if it was really crowded. A nice brewpub--kind of surprising considering where its located and the fact that there are a few of them.
May 02, 2005
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Reviewed by Goldorak from Canada (QC)

3.95/5  rDev +4.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Definition of a tourist trap: A place where out-of-towners lose both time and money.

We arrived at the empire state building on Sunday morning, around 9-ish, to find the lineup to take the elevator up to the 86th floor observatory go a block and a half around the building. We bought our tickets from the tour guide two days before, and realized we just got bamboozled. 3 hours it took us to get up there. And only two toilets. The girls were not too pleased. While waiting in line, turning the corner on 5th av., we saw the Heartland Brewery. We didn’t plan to go there at first, but after standing around for so long we were pissed off, hungry and tired and anywhere would have been fine.

This place looks brand spanking new, in fact I think the waiter told us it’s only been in operation since October 2004. They sat us downstairs, behind the main bar area. Nice old vintage brewery posters everywhere. Walking down the stairs, the old Molson wooden signs were nice, the only other place I’ve seen those was at the brewery itself.

Our waiter, a charming guy who really looked like Beck, seemed a little aloof at first but was totally helpful, explained the Beer menu, gave suggestions and gave us a free sample of the chocolate wit. I took half pints in order to taste more stuff, and was pleased with everything I had, even though nothing really knocked my socks off. The oatmeal stout stood out, the tripel and double IPA were good, and the regular IPA was pretty decent as well, they were all well-crafted, and true to the styles.

The food came quickly and was enjoyed by all, including my friend Alex, who always finds something to complain about, but she was probably too starved and bushed to find anything bad to say about her humongous burger. I had the pulled pork sandwich and I loved it.

I’m glad this place was right there on the corner, and it helped turn our day around after getting gouged 86 stories up.
Apr 01, 2005
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Reviewed by TheJudge from New York

4.2/5  rDev +11.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Of all the Heartlands, I think this one will end up being my favorite. Stopped by for a few in the later afternoon on a Thursday. I remember the Houlihans that was here. The only remnant is the spiral staircase down to the "beer hall" on the lower level.

This place is BIG. The upstairs bar has nicely appointed, fancy, comfortable bar stools, seating for maybe 25, with some bar service seats by the window onto 5th Ave as well. The service was good, not overly so. they had no issue with me opening my laptop on the bar for a while as I sampled the offerings (naturally, I put it away towards 5 oclock, to make room for other patrons)

What appears as fancy upstairs turns into a real bar downstairs. A large, sweeping spiral stair takes you down to a darker, more natural wood room. Dining ahead and to the right, a large bar area to the left. Multilevel, this space really feels vast. This is also where you will find the bathrooms (a serious drawback, that). the brewery works are also here.

The selection was excellent. They had a large selection of "seasonals", including a steam, a winter(ish), a belgian chocolate wit, a nitro pale ale, and others. All were quite tasty. I was not disappointed by a single one, even the light beer. 10 or so selections in all. Very good options

The crowd was good, upbeat and boisterous, especially considering that it was snowing. Seemed to be a place where people were meeting and having a good time. It is my intention to do the same here when the opportunity arises.
Mar 01, 2005
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Reviewed by IPA17 from New Jersey

4.39/5  rDev +16.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4
I was happy to see that the latest Heartland kept with tradition: a nicely done bar/restaurant, it has class and style and should prove to be a big draw. I was happy with all aspects of the bar (didn't have any food, however) and, of course, the beer was all that you'd expect it to be, given the Heartland branding. The service was good and the atmosphere very inviting. They do have a beer or two that is unique to this location and that makes it all the more reason to get out and have a sampler at this Heartland.
Jan 30, 2005
Heartland Brewery and Rotisserie - Empire State in New York, NY
Place rating: 3.77 out of 5 with 41 ratings