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Issaquah Brewhouse
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Ratings by Mehinaman:
Reviewed by Mehinaman from Washington
4.46/5 rDev +16.1%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.5
4.46/5 rDev +16.1%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.5
The brewhouse is one of my wife's and I go to locations in Issaquah. The vibe is chill and the staff is very friendly. The food is not great, but it is solid and I have a few favorites such as the salmon sandwich. There are always a ton of great Rogue brews on draft, many seasonal, and they sell limited edition bottles as well. Issaquah would not be the same without this place
Jul 05, 2015More User Ratings:
Reviewed by flagmantho from Washington
3.89/5 rDev +1.3%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.25
3.89/5 rDev +1.3%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.25
Issaquah Brewhouse was bought by Rogue a number of years ago, and boy can you sure tell. There is Rogue paraphernalia all over the place, and of the 29 beers on tap, only 3 were Issaquah Brewhouse brews; the rest were all Rogue (plus 3 ciders for the non-beer drinkers). 29 taps is astounding, but it's still more like visiting Rogue than visiting a local pub. It was a nice day when I visited, so they were pretty much slammed, but my bartender was super fast and efficient if not talkative. I did like the fact that they had a large number of limited-release and chalkboard beers; the passionfruit-orange-guava sour I had was actually brewed just for Hawaii, but I guess they decided to send a keg to Issaquah for some reason. The beers I had were solid, if not outstanding. Worth a visit if you're in the area, especially if you like Rogue beers.
Jun 15, 2016Reviewed by gandres from Philippines
3.81/5 rDev -0.8%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.75
3.81/5 rDev -0.8%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.75
March 16, 2017, after work around 7pm
Vibe: Good place, easy parking(thanks
Quality: very good
Service: Very good, attentive, easy to talk and ask questions
Selection: A lot of beers from rogue and issaquah brewery
Value: Good Value
Overall: Very good
Mar 17, 2016Vibe: Good place, easy parking(thanks
Quality: very good
Service: Very good, attentive, easy to talk and ask questions
Selection: A lot of beers from rogue and issaquah brewery
Value: Good Value
Overall: Very good
Reviewed by Docrock from Illinois
3.71/5 rDev -3.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.75 | food: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev -3.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.75 | food: 3.75
Decent selection but nothing out of the ordinary. Service was by far the highpoint. Staff was helpful and offered suggestions and samples. Food was just a step above typical bar food.
Jun 12, 2015Reviewed by DOCRW from Kentucky
1.98/5 rDev -48.4%
vibe: 1 | quality: 1.75 | service: 1.5 | selection: 3 | food: 2.25
1.98/5 rDev -48.4%
vibe: 1 | quality: 1.75 | service: 1.5 | selection: 3 | food: 2.25
I went here today to finally see what this place was about, and I MUST say I was extremely disappointed in everything about it. First let me say I think Rogue ales is hugely over rated and I believe most of their success can be attributed to some very good bottle design and perceived greatness due to their way over-priced offerings! The beer I had here was all in house and honestly was terrible and I sampled 5, just very very disappointing beer! Also the glasses all smelled like soap and tables were unclean (sticky) also a lot of boxes and junk lying around, very dirty windows and run down looking. As far as prices go it's way over priced! $20 for fish and soggy fries?!? My wifes salad was equally disappointing. I won't be coming back!
May 18, 2014Reviewed by Hopmodium from Washington
3.46/5 rDev -9.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.25 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.75
3.46/5 rDev -9.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.25 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.75
Where do I start? I have a love/hate relationship with this place so I will keep it unique and unlike most other reviews, I assume, since do not read other reviews b/f posting. Have had great experiences here and some that have allowed me to leave with regret. Had some of the best beer (Alluvial) and some of the worst (many others), some quite good service and some so negligent that I felt like the staff was hinting that I should leave without paying my bill so I do not say anything to management. Weekends suck since they must push all the shitty food on snowboarders and others suspected of being snowboarders or generally malnourished, staff is only part-timers on weekends which leads to all sorts of troubles, as many of us know. Understaffed most of the time but the food always turns out great except for my last visit which may be my last visit. Consolation gifts were given but my memories will not be washed away, time may heal, so that is what I will hope for. $19+ growler fills are also insane, but I loved Alluvial, you waited for 15 minutes to get a menu one time, but Alluvial was so tasty and you had a great time...I could go on forever.
Mar 09, 2013Reviewed by LaTrappeMonk from Louisiana
4.63/5 rDev +20.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
4.63/5 rDev +20.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
Issaquah Brewhouse is one of the meeting halls for Rogue, which means they offer many of Rogue's great selections. Issaquah has only a few in-house "frog" brews, but they're good selections.
It's a great location, too. It's in a nice, quaint part of town, right next to a fish hatchery.
The food is great. I had their calamari, as well as their hummus. Both were very good.
The atmosphere was extremely laid back. Like most brewhouses, a small brewery is visible from inside the restaurant.
The only thing that disappointed me was that our server did not seem overly knowledgeable about the selections they were offering. I asked some pretty basic questions about the beer menu, such as what style the different "frog" beers were, and she didn't know, so she handed me a book with all the specs for the Rogue brews in it, but no information on the "frog" brews. So, I ordered two of the three "frog" selections as a shot in the dark. Luckily, they were both good. I can only assume that not all of their servers lack knowledge about the brewhouse beer.
Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to the brewhouse and would recommend it wholeheartedly.
Feb 25, 2012It's a great location, too. It's in a nice, quaint part of town, right next to a fish hatchery.
The food is great. I had their calamari, as well as their hummus. Both were very good.
The atmosphere was extremely laid back. Like most brewhouses, a small brewery is visible from inside the restaurant.
The only thing that disappointed me was that our server did not seem overly knowledgeable about the selections they were offering. I asked some pretty basic questions about the beer menu, such as what style the different "frog" beers were, and she didn't know, so she handed me a book with all the specs for the Rogue brews in it, but no information on the "frog" brews. So, I ordered two of the three "frog" selections as a shot in the dark. Luckily, they were both good. I can only assume that not all of their servers lack knowledge about the brewhouse beer.
Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to the brewhouse and would recommend it wholeheartedly.
Reviewed by mynie from Maryland
4.7/5 rDev +22.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
4.7/5 rDev +22.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
Not being local made this place a lot better, I think. Having just spent the last two days in Seattle, jet-lagged and brow-beaten, dressed to the nines, we thought, but still nowhere close to the sea of yuppies all around us (compared to them we were *maybe* dressed to the fives), we got treated shittily where ever we went. The waiter at the seafood place stopped talking to me halfway through my order, so he could share a joke with the banker-looking guy at the table next to us. Later on, at Pyramid, the bartender was a total assbag, and when I walked away from the bar I heard him making a joke about my pants.
The best part about Seattle is that you only have to drive for about ten minutes before you are in its gorgeous, remote suburbs. From downtown Chicago you got to drive at least 1.5 hours until you get to somewhere pastoral, and about 3 hours if you want to go to one of them quaint little hillbilly towns where yuppies go weekending (Galeena).
So we escaped the city, and good god Issaquah was beautiful and friendly. And good god, was the Issaquah brewhouse the most wonderfully laid back and accepting bar I've ever been to.
We fit in immediately. Everyone was friendly. The bartenders were wonderful. After we had drank and been given our check, the bartender started to chat and my girlfriend mentioned that it was her birthday. Immediately, without questioning, she took off the two most expensive pints from our bill and told my girlfriend to go and pick out a free shirt.
The beer was Rogue, and so it was fabulous. The only downside is that there wasn't much rare beer, aside from the Issaquah stuff. But, hey, only a lunatic wines about having to choose between 20 Rouge taps. There were also a good number of guest taps and bottles, and firkins are tapped fairly often.
Nov 09, 2010The best part about Seattle is that you only have to drive for about ten minutes before you are in its gorgeous, remote suburbs. From downtown Chicago you got to drive at least 1.5 hours until you get to somewhere pastoral, and about 3 hours if you want to go to one of them quaint little hillbilly towns where yuppies go weekending (Galeena).
So we escaped the city, and good god Issaquah was beautiful and friendly. And good god, was the Issaquah brewhouse the most wonderfully laid back and accepting bar I've ever been to.
We fit in immediately. Everyone was friendly. The bartenders were wonderful. After we had drank and been given our check, the bartender started to chat and my girlfriend mentioned that it was her birthday. Immediately, without questioning, she took off the two most expensive pints from our bill and told my girlfriend to go and pick out a free shirt.
The beer was Rogue, and so it was fabulous. The only downside is that there wasn't much rare beer, aside from the Issaquah stuff. But, hey, only a lunatic wines about having to choose between 20 Rouge taps. There were also a good number of guest taps and bottles, and firkins are tapped fairly often.
Reviewed by z3niMAGiNE from Arizona
4.4/5 rDev +14.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
4.4/5 rDev +14.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
This is a very typical brew pub with exceptional beers.
I came to Seattle on business and decided to make an evening trip out to Issaquah. It seemed like a pretty charming little place actually but didn't really explore it beyond the brewhouse.
A long time lover of Rogue beers, it was my first time getting to drink them on tap. They had a great tap list, probably 20 or so including those brewed in house.
The patrons were friendly- I chatted up some other beer nerds around my age and I left with a couple bottles to take home with me that I can't buy off shelves. I'd definitely return.
Oct 25, 2010I came to Seattle on business and decided to make an evening trip out to Issaquah. It seemed like a pretty charming little place actually but didn't really explore it beyond the brewhouse.
A long time lover of Rogue beers, it was my first time getting to drink them on tap. They had a great tap list, probably 20 or so including those brewed in house.
The patrons were friendly- I chatted up some other beer nerds around my age and I left with a couple bottles to take home with me that I can't buy off shelves. I'd definitely return.
Reviewed by Schoenbrau from Idaho
4.18/5 rDev +8.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
4.18/5 rDev +8.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
The second stop on the 2010 Olympic Beer Tour was the Issaquah Brew House. We pulled off I-90 at noon and were ready for a break. Located near the intersection of Front St. and Sunset Way, the Brew House was pretty easy to find even for someone who had never been to Issaquah before.
Lisa's first impression was that the Brew House was "homey" my first impression was that it was owned by Rouge (followed immediately by the whole "homey" thing). It was the lunch hour and even though the tables were filling up, it still didn't feel crowded. Before I even had my coat off, Maryam at the bar was handing me a sampler of Chocolate Stout and asking me if I'd like something to eat (so much for homey, because that kind of stuff never happens at my house).
We ordered the Kobe Bleu Balls (a kobe beef and cheese appetizer) and a Manage a Frog (Issaquah's Triple). The beer arrived in about two minutes, the food arrived about two minutes after that.
If you like Rouge Beers (and with so many choices what's not to like) you'll like this place. They had a total of 19 different Rouge beers on tap, 4 of Issaquah's brews and 5 "guest taps" beers from other breweries. The service was fast and friendly, the atmosphere was classic industrial brew house, the food was good and the focus was on the beer.
I could have spent the whole afternoon here (did I mention my pint only cost $2?) but the Tour was headed for Bellevue so we picked up some bombers and headed north.
Feb 12, 2010Lisa's first impression was that the Brew House was "homey" my first impression was that it was owned by Rouge (followed immediately by the whole "homey" thing). It was the lunch hour and even though the tables were filling up, it still didn't feel crowded. Before I even had my coat off, Maryam at the bar was handing me a sampler of Chocolate Stout and asking me if I'd like something to eat (so much for homey, because that kind of stuff never happens at my house).
We ordered the Kobe Bleu Balls (a kobe beef and cheese appetizer) and a Manage a Frog (Issaquah's Triple). The beer arrived in about two minutes, the food arrived about two minutes after that.
If you like Rouge Beers (and with so many choices what's not to like) you'll like this place. They had a total of 19 different Rouge beers on tap, 4 of Issaquah's brews and 5 "guest taps" beers from other breweries. The service was fast and friendly, the atmosphere was classic industrial brew house, the food was good and the focus was on the beer.
I could have spent the whole afternoon here (did I mention my pint only cost $2?) but the Tour was headed for Bellevue so we picked up some bombers and headed north.
Reviewed by bigkingken from North Carolina
2.8/5 rDev -27.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3 | service: 2 | selection: 3 | food: 2
2.8/5 rDev -27.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3 | service: 2 | selection: 3 | food: 2
Owned and operated by Rogue Ales, this local brewery was independently owned and operated until Rogue purchased the establishment (the first one they ever expanded to.) Issaquah is a nice, moderately sized mountain town just outside of Seattle. The brewhouse reflects this.
Simply decorated with brown and dark green, clean lines and a friendly atmosphere. Right off the bat, I liked this place for its look and feel. I wish my neighborhood brewpub were as warm and cozy.
The menu is extremely upscale brewpub style. They feature kobe beef in many dishes and their own, house-made bleu cheese. Some interesting dishes on the menu include froglegs, bacon (both appetizers), meatballs made of kobe beef stuffed with bleu cheese, wild coho salmon sandwich and various styles of hot dogs.
I ordered a sandwich made of the kobe/bleu cheese meatballs and was not terribly impressed. Though the meatballs tasted good, they were tiny, and there were only five of them. The accompanying megamart chips were a disappointment as well, since they make their own potato chips, I had thought I would be receiving those.
My friend ordered a smoked salmon melt with a side of freshly made Idaho potato fries. The melt was good, but again small, and nothing that I couldn't put together at home in about five minutes. The fries were also fine, but not outstanding. Overall, I wasn't really impressed.
Issaquah's logo is a frog, so their beers feature a ton of hops. I mean a ton. So much that I really didn't care for any of the samples I got. The hops even overshadowed the pumpkin taste of their harvest ale. If you are a hop-head, you'd love this place. However, I am not, so I didn't.
But besides the Issaquah brews, they also feature a full line-up of Rogue beers, many of which are solid. So if you want a dark beer, you're covered, but it isn't made by Issaquah.
The service wasn't terrible, but it wasn't really good either. I had to ask multiple times for some water, and we weren't checked on very often.
Jan 27, 2010Simply decorated with brown and dark green, clean lines and a friendly atmosphere. Right off the bat, I liked this place for its look and feel. I wish my neighborhood brewpub were as warm and cozy.
The menu is extremely upscale brewpub style. They feature kobe beef in many dishes and their own, house-made bleu cheese. Some interesting dishes on the menu include froglegs, bacon (both appetizers), meatballs made of kobe beef stuffed with bleu cheese, wild coho salmon sandwich and various styles of hot dogs.
I ordered a sandwich made of the kobe/bleu cheese meatballs and was not terribly impressed. Though the meatballs tasted good, they were tiny, and there were only five of them. The accompanying megamart chips were a disappointment as well, since they make their own potato chips, I had thought I would be receiving those.
My friend ordered a smoked salmon melt with a side of freshly made Idaho potato fries. The melt was good, but again small, and nothing that I couldn't put together at home in about five minutes. The fries were also fine, but not outstanding. Overall, I wasn't really impressed.
Issaquah's logo is a frog, so their beers feature a ton of hops. I mean a ton. So much that I really didn't care for any of the samples I got. The hops even overshadowed the pumpkin taste of their harvest ale. If you are a hop-head, you'd love this place. However, I am not, so I didn't.
But besides the Issaquah brews, they also feature a full line-up of Rogue beers, many of which are solid. So if you want a dark beer, you're covered, but it isn't made by Issaquah.
The service wasn't terrible, but it wasn't really good either. I had to ask multiple times for some water, and we weren't checked on very often.
Reviewed by tang3nt from California
3.95/5 rDev +2.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
3.95/5 rDev +2.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
My girlfriend and I ended up here to meet a few friends on my birthday [beer] trip up to Washington. It definitely had a nice cozy feeling to it. Not too busy and the staff was very friendly. Unfortunately I never tried any of the Issaquah brews while there, I ended up getting stuck on the many Rogue brews they had on tap. My girl started off with a flight of 4 - Double Dead Guy, Chocolate Stout, Mocha Porter, and the Red. I ended up getting a couple pints - The Rogue Charlie 1981 and Old Crustacean ( one of my favorites from Rogue) Everything tasted fresh and delicious. Our food was amazing. I got their baked mac and cheese, one of my favorite brewpub foods. The service was great and the waitress later informed me that since it was my birthday, I could sign up for the "Rogue Nation" and receive a free t-shirt(my choice) and 2 free pints(also my choice) right then and there. That made my night! I left with a brand new Rogue T-shirt, and 2 of my pints were free! All in all a great place, I would definitely return in the future.
Dec 08, 2009Reviewed by RedDiamond from Oregon
3.98/5 rDev +3.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
3.98/5 rDev +3.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
By my count, Rogue operates three breweries with two others possibly in the works. The Issaquah Brewhouse became their second brewpub and their only brewery in Washington when it was acquired in 2000. It's located at a prominent intersection in the heart of town and affects a very Main Street feel to it. The full restaurant actually occupies two adjoining buildings next to a fish hatchery and features three rooms, a glass-enclosed brew house, and the bar.
The Brewhouse gets boisterous daily from happy hour through dinner. Clearly, the locals appreciate the comfortable vibe, the three-dozen beer taps, and the low-key, satisfying food. The Brewhouse also hosts a full wet bar featuring Rogue distilled spirits. And there's perhaps 20 or more varieties of Rogue and Issaquah bottled beers to go. House décor is dominated by a frog theme. They've even got frog legs on the menu.
Thus far I've had seven Issaquah beers - four on tap, three from bottles sold at the brewery. Though the draught beers ranged from routine to artistic, the bottled beers were uniformly disappointing. Issaquah offers five or six of their beers on draught with as many as two-dozen Rogue ales and a handful of select draught guests. Service is accommodating and friendly.
Things I like: the Rogue flags and banners, the suspended Rogue surfboard, the live frogs in two aquariums, the local Seattle grunge music on the hi-fi, and the Rogue bottle display and peace-themed decorations in the side room where, if you're lucky, you can pick up WiFi from the library across the street. I also like the town of Issaquah. After a few pints, it's nice to walk about town and enjoy the scenery.
Apr 13, 2009The Brewhouse gets boisterous daily from happy hour through dinner. Clearly, the locals appreciate the comfortable vibe, the three-dozen beer taps, and the low-key, satisfying food. The Brewhouse also hosts a full wet bar featuring Rogue distilled spirits. And there's perhaps 20 or more varieties of Rogue and Issaquah bottled beers to go. House décor is dominated by a frog theme. They've even got frog legs on the menu.
Thus far I've had seven Issaquah beers - four on tap, three from bottles sold at the brewery. Though the draught beers ranged from routine to artistic, the bottled beers were uniformly disappointing. Issaquah offers five or six of their beers on draught with as many as two-dozen Rogue ales and a handful of select draught guests. Service is accommodating and friendly.
Things I like: the Rogue flags and banners, the suspended Rogue surfboard, the live frogs in two aquariums, the local Seattle grunge music on the hi-fi, and the Rogue bottle display and peace-themed decorations in the side room where, if you're lucky, you can pick up WiFi from the library across the street. I also like the town of Issaquah. After a few pints, it's nice to walk about town and enjoy the scenery.
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington
4.33/5 rDev +12.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
4.33/5 rDev +12.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I like the place -- I've been there a few times. Their growlers are expensive, from what I remember, but the food is good at a decent price, and their beer is good at a decent price. I like the selection of Rogue beers enhanced by the Issaquah brews, and every once in a while a nice guest tap (last night, they had Russian River's Pliny the Elder and Hair of the Dog's Fred). They also have Bud and MGD on tap, but they print these in very small text, as if they're not very proud to have them available...
Service was friendly and attentive, and the servers seem knowledgeable about their beers and can make recommendations at several levels.
Mar 09, 2009Service was friendly and attentive, and the servers seem knowledgeable about their beers and can make recommendations at several levels.
Reviewed by julian from Washington
3.88/5 rDev +1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
3.88/5 rDev +1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
I live about 15mins away from the Issaquah Brewhouse. It's right next door from the Salmon Hatchery and just across from the Issaquah Library right off Front St. Great location. I come here at least a few times a month.
A: This place has a nice cozy hometown feel. It's not too big and I usually recognize all the bartenders. They've got Rogue, Eugene City Brewery and other flags hanging from the street side wall with neon signs perched over the bar. It's well lit (could be a bit darker) and they play decent music. Additionally the brew tanks can be seen through the glass to the left of the bar and depending on the day you can see the brewmaster or assistants stiring the mash.
Q: The place is usually reasonably clean, but the bar foot rests are often broken which is kind of annoying. Served in pint glasses or goblets/chalices for Lambics.
S: Service is usually seat yourself. Staff is prompt and friendly. I usually sit at the bar and they are not pushy even if you're the only person there. They bartenders have a general knowledge of their beers but often are not completely aware of what's actually available and what they've run out of. (the Eugene City Brewery Honey Orange Wheat is often unavailable). Come on Tuesdays with a Hawaiian shirt and your first beer is FREE! Come on your Birthday and you get a yard of beer (your choice) for free including a free t-shirt or hat. Can't beat that! Extra points for this fact alone.
S: Average selection, many Rogue beers and some from Eugene City brewery, as well as Kell's. They even offer the Rogue distillery Spruce Gin. They used to have a "Beer Bible" binder that provided interesting facts and trivia about each beer including some quotes from authors/poets/politicians as well as the usual beer info but they've since taken that away :( Minus points for that.
F: Nice selection of food. The Kobe Beef burger is great with the wasabi mayo and fries! Nice array of appetizers and it seems like everytime I go back there's something new on the menu. The chili is realllly good.
All in all, good value, great local watering hole with great service and a good selection of local NW beers. Stop by if you're in the area!
Jun 04, 2008A: This place has a nice cozy hometown feel. It's not too big and I usually recognize all the bartenders. They've got Rogue, Eugene City Brewery and other flags hanging from the street side wall with neon signs perched over the bar. It's well lit (could be a bit darker) and they play decent music. Additionally the brew tanks can be seen through the glass to the left of the bar and depending on the day you can see the brewmaster or assistants stiring the mash.
Q: The place is usually reasonably clean, but the bar foot rests are often broken which is kind of annoying. Served in pint glasses or goblets/chalices for Lambics.
S: Service is usually seat yourself. Staff is prompt and friendly. I usually sit at the bar and they are not pushy even if you're the only person there. They bartenders have a general knowledge of their beers but often are not completely aware of what's actually available and what they've run out of. (the Eugene City Brewery Honey Orange Wheat is often unavailable). Come on Tuesdays with a Hawaiian shirt and your first beer is FREE! Come on your Birthday and you get a yard of beer (your choice) for free including a free t-shirt or hat. Can't beat that! Extra points for this fact alone.
S: Average selection, many Rogue beers and some from Eugene City brewery, as well as Kell's. They even offer the Rogue distillery Spruce Gin. They used to have a "Beer Bible" binder that provided interesting facts and trivia about each beer including some quotes from authors/poets/politicians as well as the usual beer info but they've since taken that away :( Minus points for that.
F: Nice selection of food. The Kobe Beef burger is great with the wasabi mayo and fries! Nice array of appetizers and it seems like everytime I go back there's something new on the menu. The chili is realllly good.
All in all, good value, great local watering hole with great service and a good selection of local NW beers. Stop by if you're in the area!
Reviewed by kevman527 from New York
4.2/5 rDev +9.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
4.2/5 rDev +9.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Went to this Brewhouse when I was out in Seattle visiting some friends.
When you walk in the door to your right is the brewhouse you can see all the brew tanks and kettles and what not... To the left is the restaurant and bar.
We were there on Thursday afternoon, so there wasn't much business going on. My buddy and I both got one of the samplers they offered of the Rogue beers that they brew there, decently priced. We also ate lunch and the food was good, nothing fancy. Service was excellent, as you would expect when there isn't much business going on. We told the waitress we were from NY and she goes away and came back with a goody bag for us, with some coasters one of the tasting glasses and some fake tatoos. All in all it was a great place to visit and would recommend it to anyone who might be in that area.
Mar 01, 2008When you walk in the door to your right is the brewhouse you can see all the brew tanks and kettles and what not... To the left is the restaurant and bar.
We were there on Thursday afternoon, so there wasn't much business going on. My buddy and I both got one of the samplers they offered of the Rogue beers that they brew there, decently priced. We also ate lunch and the food was good, nothing fancy. Service was excellent, as you would expect when there isn't much business going on. We told the waitress we were from NY and she goes away and came back with a goody bag for us, with some coasters one of the tasting glasses and some fake tatoos. All in all it was a great place to visit and would recommend it to anyone who might be in that area.
Reviewed by czechsaaz from Washington
3.75/5 rDev -2.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
3.75/5 rDev -2.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
So I moved to Issaquah a while back. And let's face it, this is by far the best tap list closest to my house. The atmosphere is typically brewpub with lots of Rogue signage and memorabilia around the dining room and bar. There's another big room off the main that houses the to-go bottle 'fridges and a suffleboard game. Children are welcome (which is important to me these days.)
If you've been to any Rogue tap house then you pretty much know what to expect from the food menu. I have to agree that price/quality is a little off. My favorite menu item is the Mediterranean salad. It's really good, but it's an $11 salad. The Kobe Burgers rock, so does the chili and the Reuben. Good appetizers too. I'm not wild on their fish&chips but they're not bad. I'd say average meal with a pint will be around $14-15.
Beer selection is mostly Rogue but they are a brewery as well so there are house beers that are unique to this location. Occasionally these house beers are stellar (the Smoked Frog is one of my favorites, smoked impy porter, mmm.) There are also some local guest taps too.
Service is usually pretty good but on really busy nights it seems like they don't have enough people and things come down to a crawl.
Definitely the best beer spot in the vicinity. Worth a trip to the Eastside from Seattle, yes. Worth a special effort if you're an out-of-towner visiting, not really.
Jan 02, 2008If you've been to any Rogue tap house then you pretty much know what to expect from the food menu. I have to agree that price/quality is a little off. My favorite menu item is the Mediterranean salad. It's really good, but it's an $11 salad. The Kobe Burgers rock, so does the chili and the Reuben. Good appetizers too. I'm not wild on their fish&chips but they're not bad. I'd say average meal with a pint will be around $14-15.
Beer selection is mostly Rogue but they are a brewery as well so there are house beers that are unique to this location. Occasionally these house beers are stellar (the Smoked Frog is one of my favorites, smoked impy porter, mmm.) There are also some local guest taps too.
Service is usually pretty good but on really busy nights it seems like they don't have enough people and things come down to a crawl.
Definitely the best beer spot in the vicinity. Worth a trip to the Eastside from Seattle, yes. Worth a special effort if you're an out-of-towner visiting, not really.
Reviewed by barleywinefiend from Washington
3.83/5 rDev -0.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
3.83/5 rDev -0.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
Excellent place to kick back, relax and drink some of the finest brew the PAC NW has to offer. Rogue is always Good. I drove from Tacoma to drink here numerous times. My wife loved the town and the location. I thought the food was good, it is a pub, lets keep that in mind. the staff has always been friendly to me. The servers are not really beer savy but the bartender always is and if not ask a local, you can always tell the regulars here. Every Rogue beer is good and parking is on the street. The place is failry easy to find, it is average size and you can tell it is built for local, not commercial. Plenty of good beer to take home via bombers or grlowlers. Service was always up and down and food always average.
Nov 24, 2007Reviewed by TheBungyo from Washington
3.75/5 rDev -2.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4
3.75/5 rDev -2.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4
This was definitely a nice place to kick back, drink a couple beers and eat some good food. They had a great selection of Rogue beers (though sadly NONE of the XS brews) on tap along with a nice array of guest taps. Among the guest taps were Sierra Nevada Torpedo, Unibroue (not sure which one because the server never found out for me), North Coast Pranqster, and a couple others.
Yes the service could have been better. The guy who served us was strange in that he didn't seem to know very much about beer but pretended to not only know a lot but was arrogant about it. Plus after about half an hour of promptness on his part, he completely ignored us.
The food was tasty. We had two beers each (4) 2 entrees, an appetizer and the total was $60. A little steep IMO. I'd definitely go back, but I'd be prepared to shell out some dough in doing so.
Jun 28, 2007Yes the service could have been better. The guy who served us was strange in that he didn't seem to know very much about beer but pretended to not only know a lot but was arrogant about it. Plus after about half an hour of promptness on his part, he completely ignored us.
The food was tasty. We had two beers each (4) 2 entrees, an appetizer and the total was $60. A little steep IMO. I'd definitely go back, but I'd be prepared to shell out some dough in doing so.
Reviewed by xoqx from Washington
3.78/5 rDev -1.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 2 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
3.78/5 rDev -1.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 2 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
I really enjoy this brewpub, and it is an unfortunate mixed bag of great beers, good foods, and often sub-optimal service. The bar is situated in downtown Issaquah, Washington and has a nice nearly-mountain town Pacific Northwest pub feel to it. You can tell its been around a while and the bar and booths are well worn. There is brewery décor everywhere as well as a tremendous assortment of bottled beer to take home as well as pub wear. The selection of beers here is very good with nearly 20 of their own beers on tap and a few select guests. They have a printed menu of beers, but its often very important to check at the bar which beers that have that are not printed on the menu. My first complaint about the waitstaff is that two times I have been there, they seemed unfamiliar with all but their standard always-on-tap brews. This is not helpful, especially when seated too far from the bar to see whats on tap. The food is fine, with a strong recommendation coming for the Kobe beef burger. The veggie burger is a standard frozen one; not very interesting. It was very busy on a Friday night and we were seated in a newer room with much less ambience, and our food took over an hour from the time we ordered it. And it was just burgers. We were also told at 35 minutes that our food would be right out. The beer and selection is so good, that I overlook the poor service and will continue to go back, but Im more hesitant to bring out of town guests, for example, as opposed to just hardcore beer lovers. If the service were turned around across the board, this would be a great brewpub, rather than just a very good one.
Oct 15, 2006Reviewed by RoyalT from Michigan
3.4/5 rDev -11.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4
3.4/5 rDev -11.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Atmosphere This place is now owned by Rogue, and it has the typical pubbish character just like the Rogue Alehouses in Portland. There is Rogue paraphernalia overkill in every corner of the building, and when you walk in on the right the glass room with the two beer vats lets you know that they mean brewing business.
Quality The furniture is all of high-quality and I especially liked the padding on the tables, but this is an older building and looks like it could use a makeover.
Service Ive thus far been in here twice, once when it was a madhouse and another time when it was slow. Both times the service was marginal. The staff seemed more interested in bullshitting with each other and the few patrons they knew well instead of doing their job. I didnt have a bad experience at all it was just so-so.
Selection For a pub that only sells its own beers this place has selection galore. They have over 30 different beers on tap ranging from hoppy to malty, from IPAs to Belgian sour ales, and everything in between.
Food Ive scarfed down truckloads of onion rings here along with a giant half-pound high-quality Kobe burger and fries, and the quality of the raw ingredients in the food is as good as it gets. I ordered the Kobe burger with homemade blue cheese on it, and that cheese was better than what you would find in a high end restaurant or grocery store. The chocolate cake had little chocolatey chips in it and was killer definitely save room if you can.
Price The food is a little pricey for a pub but well worth it. The problem with Rogue is that their select big beers like the barley wine and double IPA are through the roof.
May 19, 2006Quality The furniture is all of high-quality and I especially liked the padding on the tables, but this is an older building and looks like it could use a makeover.
Service Ive thus far been in here twice, once when it was a madhouse and another time when it was slow. Both times the service was marginal. The staff seemed more interested in bullshitting with each other and the few patrons they knew well instead of doing their job. I didnt have a bad experience at all it was just so-so.
Selection For a pub that only sells its own beers this place has selection galore. They have over 30 different beers on tap ranging from hoppy to malty, from IPAs to Belgian sour ales, and everything in between.
Food Ive scarfed down truckloads of onion rings here along with a giant half-pound high-quality Kobe burger and fries, and the quality of the raw ingredients in the food is as good as it gets. I ordered the Kobe burger with homemade blue cheese on it, and that cheese was better than what you would find in a high end restaurant or grocery store. The chocolate cake had little chocolatey chips in it and was killer definitely save room if you can.
Price The food is a little pricey for a pub but well worth it. The problem with Rogue is that their select big beers like the barley wine and double IPA are through the roof.
Reviewed by Knuckles from Washington
3.63/5 rDev -5.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3
3.63/5 rDev -5.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3
I really like, yet dislike this place. So I'll just work through them one by one.
Atmosphere: I like it, because it's a convenient place to stop for lunch when I'm on the way from Bremerton to North Bend to spend the weekend at my parents cabin. It also has a nice cozy feel inside (plenty of wood to warm the place up), and there's always room for me and my family.
I dislike it, becaue it's on Front Street in Issaquah, which can be a colossal pain in the ass to get to and get back from. Issaquah traffic is (possibly) the worst in the greater Seattle area.
Quality: I like it, because I've never had anything bad here either beer or food. It's always prepared correctly, and generally brought to the table quickly.
I dislike it simply because the menu is so boring it'd be hard to screw anything up. You'll never hear me say that about the beer, however.
****Edited on 08/22/05: I'm downgrading quality from 4.0 to 3.5, and again, this is a reflection of the food, not the beer. There are so many better places to eat in the Seattle area (hell, in the Issaquah area for that matter. Go to the XXX Drive In for a grease bomb, and then come over to the Brewhouse), that it simply isn't worth the cost and effort to eat here. Drink the beer, however. Arlen's stuff is damn fine.
Service: I like it because the waitstaff/bartenders are always quick with a hello, and instructions as to where to place my big fat ass (and my wife and sons much smaller asses).
I dislike it, simply because once you are finished with your meal, it takes FOREVER to get paid up and get out.
Selection: I like it, because they carry a very large selection of Rogue beers on tap, as well as the beers they brew locally (Bullfrog, Chamomellow and Wide Awake Drunk were the ones they had last I checked). I've never counted their taps, but I would have to guess that they have at least 20 going at any given time.
****Edited on 08/22/05: I've downgraded the selection from 4.0 to 3.5. While the beer selection is great, and the brewed in house selection is getting ever larger, the food choices really just blow. If they'd put some effort into developing an interesting menu, they'd have a helluva place here.
I dislike it because the menu is rather pedestrian, and their kids menu is a joke. (Three, count them, THREE options for kids. And come on, $5 for a freaking PB&J? Not that my kids would ever eat one, but that's just plain ridiculous. We end up splitting a fish & chips more often than not).
Food: I like it, because everything is well made, and I can generally find something I like (hell, they even have Kobe beef burgers).
I dislike it because it's overpriced. They are, on average, $2-$3 dollars more per entree than most other brewpubs in the greater Seattle area for comparable dishes.
I've been going to the Issaquah Brewhouse since long before it was bought out by Rogue. The beers that they brewed there were always decent (I was a particular fan of the Cougar Mountain Brown), and the food was good. The menu hasn't changed much since ownership changed hands, and I wish it would. If nothing else, go for the beer. Great stuff.
Jul 21, 2005Atmosphere: I like it, because it's a convenient place to stop for lunch when I'm on the way from Bremerton to North Bend to spend the weekend at my parents cabin. It also has a nice cozy feel inside (plenty of wood to warm the place up), and there's always room for me and my family.
I dislike it, becaue it's on Front Street in Issaquah, which can be a colossal pain in the ass to get to and get back from. Issaquah traffic is (possibly) the worst in the greater Seattle area.
Quality: I like it, because I've never had anything bad here either beer or food. It's always prepared correctly, and generally brought to the table quickly.
I dislike it simply because the menu is so boring it'd be hard to screw anything up. You'll never hear me say that about the beer, however.
****Edited on 08/22/05: I'm downgrading quality from 4.0 to 3.5, and again, this is a reflection of the food, not the beer. There are so many better places to eat in the Seattle area (hell, in the Issaquah area for that matter. Go to the XXX Drive In for a grease bomb, and then come over to the Brewhouse), that it simply isn't worth the cost and effort to eat here. Drink the beer, however. Arlen's stuff is damn fine.
Service: I like it because the waitstaff/bartenders are always quick with a hello, and instructions as to where to place my big fat ass (and my wife and sons much smaller asses).
I dislike it, simply because once you are finished with your meal, it takes FOREVER to get paid up and get out.
Selection: I like it, because they carry a very large selection of Rogue beers on tap, as well as the beers they brew locally (Bullfrog, Chamomellow and Wide Awake Drunk were the ones they had last I checked). I've never counted their taps, but I would have to guess that they have at least 20 going at any given time.
****Edited on 08/22/05: I've downgraded the selection from 4.0 to 3.5. While the beer selection is great, and the brewed in house selection is getting ever larger, the food choices really just blow. If they'd put some effort into developing an interesting menu, they'd have a helluva place here.
I dislike it because the menu is rather pedestrian, and their kids menu is a joke. (Three, count them, THREE options for kids. And come on, $5 for a freaking PB&J? Not that my kids would ever eat one, but that's just plain ridiculous. We end up splitting a fish & chips more often than not).
Food: I like it, because everything is well made, and I can generally find something I like (hell, they even have Kobe beef burgers).
I dislike it because it's overpriced. They are, on average, $2-$3 dollars more per entree than most other brewpubs in the greater Seattle area for comparable dishes.
I've been going to the Issaquah Brewhouse since long before it was bought out by Rogue. The beers that they brewed there were always decent (I was a particular fan of the Cougar Mountain Brown), and the food was good. The menu hasn't changed much since ownership changed hands, and I wish it would. If nothing else, go for the beer. Great stuff.
Reviewed by beerceller99 from Louisiana
3.9/5 rDev +1.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3
3.9/5 rDev +1.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3
Rogue bought this brewpub some five years ago. located in a weathered building in old Issaquah. Parking is tight around the pub. A nice " L " shaped bar with 12 or so stools. An open seating dining area is on the small side. This place is always packed at dinner time, less so at mid afternoon or late evening. The food is decent here, nothing outstanding, though a little pricey. The wait staff is friendly though not beer savvy. There are 15 or so taps here, mostly Rogue with a couple Issaquah brews. I've never seen any of Rogue's big beers on tap here a la I2pa, Imperial Stout, Old Crustaceon, etc, bottled versions only. Speaking of bottled beers, there's cases upon cases of Rogue brews for sale here. Over all this is a nice little neighborhood pub.
May 17, 2005Reviewed by zacharius from Washington
3.78/5 rDev -1.6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
3.78/5 rDev -1.6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Atmosphere is just like any other bar/restaurant/brewrey. If you sit at the bar you can see the fermentaion tanks. Piles of Rougue products everywhere.
Beers are Rouge ales and a few Issaquah Ales holdovers. All high quality brews.
Service was friendly but not too knowledgeable about the beers. They poured samples to help people find what they want.
Selection of beers ranges the spectrum of styles.
Food is typical pub grub with some seafood options done right. I've had the burger and it was average. The clams were great.
Mar 29, 2005Beers are Rouge ales and a few Issaquah Ales holdovers. All high quality brews.
Service was friendly but not too knowledgeable about the beers. They poured samples to help people find what they want.
Selection of beers ranges the spectrum of styles.
Food is typical pub grub with some seafood options done right. I've had the burger and it was average. The clams were great.
Reviewed by beercollector from Oregon
3.8/5 rDev -1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
3.8/5 rDev -1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
This is a Rogue establishment. It has brewed the Trolley Ale in honor of their heritage trolley.
I stopped here to have dinner with friends who work nearby. We go seated quickly in the front dining area and had brews quickly. It was good to the Rogue beers and also good to try the Bullfrog ale.
Typical of Rogue there were stacks and stacks of 22 oz cases. I guess this is the corporate decoration. We had a great dinner. My soup, salad, and fish special were well done. The beer was a good match for fish.
Mar 27, 2005I stopped here to have dinner with friends who work nearby. We go seated quickly in the front dining area and had brews quickly. It was good to the Rogue beers and also good to try the Bullfrog ale.
Typical of Rogue there were stacks and stacks of 22 oz cases. I guess this is the corporate decoration. We had a great dinner. My soup, salad, and fish special were well done. The beer was a good match for fish.
Reviewed by jreitman from California
3.25/5 rDev -15.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 1 | selection: 4 | food: 4
3.25/5 rDev -15.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 1 | selection: 4 | food: 4
The Issaquah brewhouse is in a row of shops in "Historic Downtown Issaquah". As you walk in the door, stacks of Rogues products and the Issaquah brew room are all saluting you on the right. The atmoshphere is nice with a large bar area and around 12-15 tables of varoius sizes. There is a gift shop selling Rogue and Issaquah specific shirts.
The beer selection rotates regularly and included 12 taps of Rogue beers, 3 taps of Issaquah beers, and 2 guest taps. We had the McMonk's Dubbel (Issaquah), Bullfrog Ale (Issaquah), St Rogue Red (Rogue), Chocolate Stout (Rogue) and the Mocha Porter (Rogue). The food selection was standard pub far, but tasted a lot better than the food you will find at a TGI Friday's.
Service, on the other hand, was quite spotty. There were 2 waitstaff on hand and the waiter we had seemed to be the slowest. He forgot to bring water to the table and hardly checked on us all night. The waitress on the other hand seemed to be on the ball and taking good care of her tables. I will revisit the brewpub at some point and re-evaluate their service.
In the end, I would recommend checking it out if you are in the area if only for the beers.
Jul 15, 2002The beer selection rotates regularly and included 12 taps of Rogue beers, 3 taps of Issaquah beers, and 2 guest taps. We had the McMonk's Dubbel (Issaquah), Bullfrog Ale (Issaquah), St Rogue Red (Rogue), Chocolate Stout (Rogue) and the Mocha Porter (Rogue). The food selection was standard pub far, but tasted a lot better than the food you will find at a TGI Friday's.
Service, on the other hand, was quite spotty. There were 2 waitstaff on hand and the waiter we had seemed to be the slowest. He forgot to bring water to the table and hardly checked on us all night. The waitress on the other hand seemed to be on the ball and taking good care of her tables. I will revisit the brewpub at some point and re-evaluate their service.
In the end, I would recommend checking it out if you are in the area if only for the beers.
Issaquah Brewhouse in Issaquah, WA
Brewery rating:
3.44 out of
5 with
123 ratings
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