Gordon Biersch
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by warmstorage from California
2.08/5 rDev -27.5%
vibe: 1.5 | quality: 1.5 | service: 3 | selection: 1.5 | food: 3.5
2.08/5 rDev -27.5%
vibe: 1.5 | quality: 1.5 | service: 3 | selection: 1.5 | food: 3.5
This Gordon Biersch location has, happily, been sold and is now a BJ's ("BJ's Pizza, Grill, and Brewery", see www.bjsbrewhouse.com for new contact info and hours.)
This is particularly fortunate, since GB was long the only place to get even half decent beer in the immediate area, where thousands of us visit regularly to see our families at Leisure World, a huge retirement community (~19,000 residents), some of whose walls can be seen from the BJ's parking lot. See BJ's website for new contact info and hours:
The ratings above and comments below are for Gordon Biersch, which was MUCH worse than the current BJ's. I look forward to BJ's being listed, so I can review it directly!
The atmosphere at GB was VERY loud and typical for a chain restaurant (think TGI Friday's).The space is huge, and the industrial-chic furnishings seemed to bounce the conversations and music everywhere.
The quality of the beer, like all Gordon Biersch locations, was mediocre at best. They occasionally did interesting high gravity brews, but even these were only good relative to the bland, thin, and cheap (in terms of grain bill, but overpriced in terms of cost.) And this isn't about my bias towards bigger beers: these were objectively thin and boring, even for their styles. The regular house beers and even seasonals often shared an unpleasant metallic taste on the finish: maybe a yeast strain issue? I don't know for sure, but it wasn't pleasant.
Specific beers, most of which I think are still available at other GB locations: The Marzen is decent, with a slightly fruity body and finish, but unremarkable. The Pilsner was thin even for style, served ice cold, and otherwise unimpressive. Several times they had a Bock that heavily resembled the Pilsner in taste, just brewed with slightly darker grain. The best thing I had mroe than once was a seasonal Dopplebock, which had similar fruity characteristics to the Marzen, with a carmel color and taste hints, and finished with very little (but not none) of the characteristic metallic taste that I mentioned above.
The service was fine, though the servers always seemed to have a forlorn look, and sense that they were fighting a losing battle. The bartenders, where I usually sat, were usually friendly, if not particularly knowledgable about the beer.
The selection of beers was usually quite poor: four to five standard, thin "German style" lagers, and occasionally a decent high gravity seasonal.
The food was usually tasty, if expensive, and I don't go to brewpubs primarily for the food, and often only ate appetizers.
Aug 23, 2004This is particularly fortunate, since GB was long the only place to get even half decent beer in the immediate area, where thousands of us visit regularly to see our families at Leisure World, a huge retirement community (~19,000 residents), some of whose walls can be seen from the BJ's parking lot. See BJ's website for new contact info and hours:
The ratings above and comments below are for Gordon Biersch, which was MUCH worse than the current BJ's. I look forward to BJ's being listed, so I can review it directly!
The atmosphere at GB was VERY loud and typical for a chain restaurant (think TGI Friday's).The space is huge, and the industrial-chic furnishings seemed to bounce the conversations and music everywhere.
The quality of the beer, like all Gordon Biersch locations, was mediocre at best. They occasionally did interesting high gravity brews, but even these were only good relative to the bland, thin, and cheap (in terms of grain bill, but overpriced in terms of cost.) And this isn't about my bias towards bigger beers: these were objectively thin and boring, even for their styles. The regular house beers and even seasonals often shared an unpleasant metallic taste on the finish: maybe a yeast strain issue? I don't know for sure, but it wasn't pleasant.
Specific beers, most of which I think are still available at other GB locations: The Marzen is decent, with a slightly fruity body and finish, but unremarkable. The Pilsner was thin even for style, served ice cold, and otherwise unimpressive. Several times they had a Bock that heavily resembled the Pilsner in taste, just brewed with slightly darker grain. The best thing I had mroe than once was a seasonal Dopplebock, which had similar fruity characteristics to the Marzen, with a carmel color and taste hints, and finished with very little (but not none) of the characteristic metallic taste that I mentioned above.
The service was fine, though the servers always seemed to have a forlorn look, and sense that they were fighting a losing battle. The bartenders, where I usually sat, were usually friendly, if not particularly knowledgable about the beer.
The selection of beers was usually quite poor: four to five standard, thin "German style" lagers, and occasionally a decent high gravity seasonal.
The food was usually tasty, if expensive, and I don't go to brewpubs primarily for the food, and often only ate appetizers.
Reviewed by AtLagerHeads from Ohio
3.65/5 rDev +27.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3
3.65/5 rDev +27.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3
A huge store that is very nicely appointed and furnished. Definitely quite upscale with super seating, a huge U-shaped bar, and a grain bin/tower to greet you at the opening. A bank of TVs play a variety of programming whilst super nice rock beats out of the sound system. Not exactly an intimate spot but not a mega rock club either. Good lot parking with an adjacent shopping center lot. Standard set of Gordon Biersch lagers are available here.
Nov 06, 2003
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