Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery

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

171 East Bridge St.
Homestead, Pennsylvania, 15120
United States

(412) 462-2739 | map
rockbottom.com
BEER STATS
Average:
3.69
Beers:
470
Ratings:
3,246
Linked Beer Listing
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.55
Reviews:
21
Ratings:
44
pDev:
16.9%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Dogleg:
Photo of Dogleg
Rated by Dogleg from Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -14.6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.25 | service: 3.5 | selection: 2 | food: 3.75

Dec 12, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.41 by PrestigeWorldwide from Michigan

Sep 17, 2018
 
Rated: 3.64 by heddar33 from Pennsylvania

May 23, 2017
Photo of GregA135
Reviewed by GregA135 from Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -29.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 2.75 | service: 1.75 | selection: 2.25 | food: 3.25
This past weekend, I decided to take my family to Rock Bottom and I wish I never did. Our waitress was absolutely horrible - monotone, no desire to even be there and had to ask her twice for: silverware, napkins and water. she barely came back to check on us, she was honestly awful at her job. Asked to have gravy on the side for one chicken dish and a cup of mayo on the side for the burger - Food came out and the chicken had gravy all over it, and the mayo not even there on the plate. Their oatmeal stout, uppity jagoff, irish red and fire house ale was quite enjoyable. I'm pretty sure for the Kolsch beer they just poured Miller Lite into the glass and labeled it Kolsch, it was horrible. Another thing was that they were completely out of about 3 beers there - of course the ones that my wife wanted to drink. The only good thing to come out of this shit place, was the manager; he was sincere, nice, courteous and even gave us 40% off our meal because of the shit service Katrin provided. Honestly go somewhere else for food, service and beer - go to Voodoo Brewery in Homestead it's 5 minutes from the waterfront. The name fits this place perfectly....Rock Bottom
Apr 17, 2017
 
Rated: 3.08 by qcbrewer from North Carolina

Jun 23, 2016
 
Rated: 4.8 by Irishman_Scott from Pennsylvania

Jun 07, 2016
Photo of Sabtos
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio

2.48/5  rDev -30.1%
vibe: 2.75 | quality: 2.5 | service: 2.75 | selection: 2.25 | food: 2
A sticky, high-top dominated sports bar where sports are cranked to 11 even when nothing is playing. While it is a relatively modern bar, the drinks and the brews seem to get sloshed around so regularly that to bother to clean it up is looked at as a hassle by the wait staff. Needless to say the crowd at game time would be raucous and rowdy, but don't say I didn't warn you.

They have a moderate selection of house brews, but all of them, literally all of them, are very light-bodied and watery. And the food is pretty typical chain restaurant fare. Service is mainly focused on getting in and out and on to the next one, so don't expect much fluency in beer.
Dec 25, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by VABA from Virginia

Aug 26, 2015
 
Rated: 3.33 by JArt from Pennsylvania

Jul 23, 2015
 
Rated: 3.1 by kkdowning from Pennsylvania

Jul 17, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by JayKay412 from Pennsylvania

May 18, 2015
 
Rated: 3.59 by Grodd87 from Pennsylvania

Mar 17, 2015
 
Rated: 3.88 by slasich from Pennsylvania

Feb 01, 2015
 
Rated: 3.99 by greg4579 from Pennsylvania

Jan 11, 2015
 
Rated: 3.99 by glass_house from Ohio

Dec 31, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by MhzMonster from Pennsylvania

Dec 09, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by StevensBrewing from Pennsylvania

Oct 14, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by GameOfBeers from Pennsylvania

Aug 25, 2014
 
Rated: 2.75 by Brewski from Pennsylvania

Jul 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by RblWthACoz from Pennsylvania

Jun 20, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by ItsBeer4Me from Pennsylvania

May 19, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Saxboy10 from Pennsylvania

Feb 25, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by robgage from Pennsylvania

Feb 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by JJStorm from Pennsylvania

Jan 26, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by ejimhof from Pennsylvania

Dec 07, 2013
Photo of basickness
Reviewed by basickness from Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -0.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
not a bad place. kinda of sportsbar feel in the bar area, and normal restaurant on the other side... i hate to say it, but i do not like their beers. if i was at a party and you had one of them, i' mean sure i'd drink it, but i'd also dink an old e 40 at a tailgate and i have cbs bombers in my basement. not mad at the place, but its nothing special
May 10, 2013
Photo of theotherone87
Reviewed by theotherone87 from Pennsylvania

3.86/5  rDev +8.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
Have been coming here often the past month. The bar is kinda on the small side. They do have a cool bar area where they keep your drinks on a frosted area instead of using a traditional coaster. I went here last Friday nite with friend. We met there around 930pm and the place was pretty packed. Did not take long though to get two seats at the end of the bar and a couple of beers. Both the bartenders were real good. The one kept telling us jokes. They had a decent selection of beers on draft. The uppity jag off was so good my friend and I both got a Growler of it to go at a good price too. They have a nice reward system involving there mug club card. The card also upgrades your beer to the 22oz glass intstead of 16oz for the same price. Overall I liked the place alot. The beers are a little pricey, but most of them are fantastically brewed. Well Done.
Oct 17, 2011
Photo of goblue3509
Reviewed by goblue3509 from Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -22.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 2
The bar portion of the place is much like you average sports bar. Flat screen tvs and what not. ALl the beers are listed on the chalk board however you have to ask the waitress if they are actually in stock for the night. Our waitress was having a hard time knowing the difference between a pale ale and an ipa. The service other than that was adequate. The food was between average and bad. The beer is average what you would expect form a place like this. The beer had a decent flavor but weak aroma and not much complexity.
Jul 04, 2010
Photo of mgbickel
Reviewed by mgbickel from Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev +1.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5
My wife and I visited here for dinner on Valentine's Day.

As you enter, the bar area is off to the left and the main dining area is to the right. The bar area has tons of flat screen TV mounted on the walls. A few pool tables are surrounded by a number of high top tables. The bar itself is along the back wall, which is partially made of windows, exposing the brewing area.

The current beer selections are highlighted on a giant chalk board hanging from the ceiling. There were probably 8 different offerings, ranging from light to dark. They give lots of info on each brew, including a brief description and ABV.

The service was slow at first, but ended up being above average. Our waiter returned to our table a number of times to make sure we were satisfied.

The food was very good. I had a burger and my wife had a salad. We both were satisfied. We both had the imperial stout (served in a snifter, thank you), which was excellent.

Overall a good experience. The beer itself would get a $$, but the food jumps the value up to a $$$. Would go here again...
Feb 15, 2010
Photo of joeysmokedporter
Reviewed by joeysmokedporter from Maryland

3.9/5  rDev +9.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Had dinner here the night before christmas eve. not a heavy crowd around 8 pm but maybe people are missing something.

The inside area is wide open, with a bar occupying the left half of the room (from the entrance) and the dining area on the right. Atmosphere is fairly warm, but average and like many other bars. However, in some places you pay for atmosphere, and the other elements definitely make this worth a trip.

There is a large sign in the middle of the room with a list of current beer available on draft, including the year-round regulars as well as the seasonal and brewer's specials. The selection includes the brewpub staples, including pale and amber ales, as well as a light lager and several higher gravity choices. On this night, a tripel, RIS, and doppelbock were among the offerings. The seasonal wheat, a Belgian-style wit, was very well made, as was the tripel. Growlers are a deal at $9, and I took advantage of this by taking home some of the RIS, another good call.

While food is standard pub fare, it is well prepared and made. My roasted chicken was a great match for the tripel, and my wife's mediterranean pizza was also a good choice. prices are fairly reasonable with most dishes, sandwiches, and pizzas ranging from $8 to $15.

Service was very good; our waiter was prompt and seemed to show up exactly when he was needed. His command of the beer selection was also very good.

Would definitely make this a stop in the Homestead waterfront area.
Dec 26, 2008
Photo of Kolsch
Reviewed by Kolsch from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +12.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Stopped by on very busy Saturday night right before our stop at the Comedy Club across the street.

Atmosphere: Nice decor with restaurant to your right and bar area with Pool Tables on the left. We only stopped for a couple of beers, so we got lucky when 2 bar stools opened up as soon as we walked in.

Selection: On tap that night, Pale Ale, Nut Brown, Wheat, Light, Rotating Dark(Oatmeal Stout), Brewmaster's choice and Cask. I had the Brewmaster's choice which was a Belgian Dubbel. Very tasty and not a bad interpretation of the style. What I really liked though was the Cask, which tonight was the Brown Ale. All I can say is, if we didn't have to leave I would have drank this all night. The fact they have a Cask Beer on is reason enough to make a stop.

Chain Brewpubs get a bad reputation and some are deservedly so. I like this one and the last couple of times visiting here, the quality and selection of the beer have been solid with some interesting choices. Steve Panos is doing a fine job as Brewmaster.
Nov 24, 2008
Photo of PittBeerGirl
Reviewed by PittBeerGirl from Ohio

3.58/5  rDev +0.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
This was one of the last beer destinations left in the area for me to visit. We stopped by on the way home from Kennywod last week. This is located across from Dave & Busters at the Waterfront in Homestead.

The restaurant (I sat in the dining area so I didn't get to use the ice bar) is filled with dark wood. I think they are really trying to go for that pub-like feel. The bar area is in the back left from when you walk in and the dining room fills up the other 2/3 of the front room. You can see the brewing kettles through glass on your way back to the bathroom. Overall the atmosphere is comfortable and not over-bearing.

The beer menu features their interpretation of a wheat beer (rotates seasonally), a pale ale, an amber ale, a nut brown ale, a light lager, a rotating dark beer, and the "brewmaster's choice" (which today was a fruit beer). They also feature a cask ale (I thought this was a nice feature). I ordered the cask ale, which was advertised as the pale ale. When the waiter brought it out it was actually the Nut Brown, which was ok with me but I would have rather had the pale. The beer itself tasted much more like a porter than a brown ale. The second beer I ordered was the amber ale, which boasts of hopiness with a nice (caramel) malt balance. In reality this beer was pretty boring and didn't taste like the description. The wheat beer, however, was right on.

Their menu offers a nice variety and pricing from fancy to bar food and our meal was good.The waiter was also very nice and helpful. Overall this was a nice experience and I wouldn't mind stopping there again when I am in the area; but with everything else the Pittsburgh area has to offer I won't be making a special trip here.
Jul 28, 2008
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Reviewed by Dodo2step from Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +16.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
While i was out in Pittsburgh visiting my fiance's family we hit up this place.

When walkingin it seemed very spacious and well laid out. The ceiling had no tiles and was just the metal roof and pipes. It made you think you were 'rock bottom' like a sunken ship. Location of this place was key. It was at the waterfront and a Dave and Busters was across from it as well as a comedy club.

Service was great. Our waiter checked on us frequently and did a phenomenal job. We didnt have to wait for refills and the food came out fairly quick.

A nice selection of food. I went with the brewers club sandwich and a the stout onion soup. Not too shabby and a decent meal. The soup was alright but i have had better. The sandwich was a lil dry but good nonetheless.

I went with the sampler that they had and it was quite tasty. They have a rotating dark special that they do and the guy wasnt sure what 'dark' beer this was. Not too smart on beer but not bad beer by taste standards.

A nice place and anice formal yet casual atmosphere.
Apr 29, 2008
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Reviewed by wvukb from West Virginia

2.78/5  rDev -21.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2 | service: 4 | selection: 2.5 | food: 2.5
I stopped in Rock Bottom while shopping with my wife at the Riverfront and ordered a couple of appetizers and the sampler. The sampler consisted of a lager, pale ale, brown ale, double boch, irish stout, and wheat. I was not terriblly impressed with the food or the brews. The stout and double boch were the best and only average. The food portions were quite small and expensive. I had the sampler and pint of double boch; my wife had a pint of the wheat and we had two appetizers. The bill was approaching $40. My best advice to folks looking for a brew pub type experience in Pittsburgh is to stick with Church Brew Works and skip Rock Bottom...
Feb 17, 2008
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Reviewed by beerphan from Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -8.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 3
Rock Bottom in Homestead is like an Applebee's with a brewery attached. The place says chain all of it. O.ur waitress didn't drink beer. What? The beer was average. Nothing in the lineup was really stand out. The Hefe was a little above average, but everything else, well average. Nothing bad either, so don't be afraid to drink some of the brews, just keep your expectation in check. A good selection with about 9 beers on tap and one on cask. The food portions were tiny. The steak was undercooked.

A good place to session some brews after work, but not a destination at all.
Jun 06, 2007
Photo of rabsten
Reviewed by rabsten from West Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +14.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Rock Bottom on the Homestead Waterfront is a good deal and that's the bottom line. The beer is pretty good (but not great) but man, those prices. Cheap as craft beer gets. Hell, cheap as most beer at all gets here in the 'Burgh. And like I said, the beer is good.

Atmosphere...well, it's in an ungody piece of strip mall hell and once inside ... it looks like a strip mall establishment. You know, kinda homey in an engineered/market tested/Red Lobster/Ruby Tuesday kind of way. S'ok, but sterile. No real character.

Now, the beer was fine. There're usually 7-10 brews avaialbe, covering the gamut from American Light Macro-style lager (why bother, you know?) to stouts and porters. The bartenders seem genuinely enthused to be there and hand out samples aplenty. Prices were cheap - half of what a craft costs at D's or Fatheads - but of course, it's reflected in the beer, somewhat.

Anyway, if you're out shopping at Target or Best Buy and want a decent beer, Rock Bottom is worth a stop. If you're coming into town and want an experience, go to Chuch or Penn or something. Or Sharp Edge or D's or Fatheads...you see where I'm going.

Bottom line: value.
Dec 18, 2006
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Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +8.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Wow, me at Rock Bottom. What a surprise! I'll bet that Sears is having a sale, also. I was here when they first opened in 2002 or 2003 and I got to meet brewer Matt Carroll, who now greets me enthusiastically on each visit.

You enter up a short flight of stairs and through a short vestibule, arriving at the maitre d' station. There is then a short passageway that divides the entire space in half, with the restaurant off to the right and the bar area to the left. The restrooms are straight back, down a short passageway and the kitchen is off to the right, behind the dining area. The whole place is softly lit with blonde wood and light pastel paints for the decor.

The bar has a unique Ice rail for keeping beers cool, but not cold, once they have been presented to the customer. Behind the back bar is the entire brewhouse, including Brew Kettle and Mash Tun, on display. The Serving Tank room is also glassed-in and visible. There are a couple of billiards tables and a sea of high tables and chairs over on the bar side. They also have a number of television monitors, usually tuned to sports. To the extreme left of the bar are a series of double doors that lead onto a patio that is primarily used during the summer.

As I have stated previously, I am a big fan of the Rock Bottom chain. I almost always have the salmon fish 'n' chips and I am continually racking up points on my Mug Club card. Havng a Rock Bottom in Da 'Burgh is just a double-plus bonus, as far as I am concerned.
Apr 18, 2006
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Reviewed by JackTheRipper from Pennsylvania

2.9/5  rDev -18.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 2.5
Finally broke down and decided to visit this place. Heard a lot about it, sorry to say it didn't live up to the hype.
The atmosphere was really nice here. Big, wide open spaces, lots of A/C vents visible in the ceiling, sort of a bare/industrial look, which certainly fits the area. The bar was probably the most comfortable I've rested my arms on. Curved just right and nice warm wood. Large glass windows inside allow a nice view of the brewing vessels. The one thing that stuck in my craw as soon as I saw it was a freaking cold plate on the bar that had about a quarter inch of frost on it. I didn't realize what this was until I saw someone put their beer on it, I guess to keep the beer cold enough that you don't notice how mediocre it is. Nice location, decent shopping area, near Kennywood.
The beers come in a fairly sizable mug, I tried them all and found them to be, well, wanting. Had a mug of the North Star and some samples of the other offerings, enough to know that this place really wasn't to my personal liking. Probably a good place to take a macro drinking friend, their light beer is inoffensive and lacking flavor or aroma, perfect fodder for a big three victim.
The only things I liked about this place was the atmosphere, which was really nice except for that freaking iceberg in the bar, and the location. Really easy to get to, which I can't say for some of the other bars.
Not someplace I'd be interested in visiting again until they start brewing beers that would make it worth the trip.
Jun 10, 2005
Photo of soulfly967
Reviewed by soulfly967 from Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -3.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3
Rock Bottom is located at the Waterfront next to Dave and Busters. The bar area has two pool tables, a some TVs and the kettles and other brewing equipment are seen behind the bar. The place had a warm feeling to it. They had six beers on tap and one cask, which the bartender NEVER mentioned to me as an option. It took a while to get a fresh beer, but it was busy at the bar, so I will let that slide. None of the beers really jumped out and caught my attention. The porter was good, as was the amber, but the light was a bit too light, but it happens. I'll stop back here next time I'm in the area. Not bad, but not great either.
Apr 25, 2005
Photo of BruceBeerman
Reviewed by BruceBeerman from Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +14.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Even though this is a chain brewpub, I think they have a certain "Pittsburgh" style. Located in the Homestead waterfront under the historical Highlevel Bridge. They carry the normal:
1) Lumpy dog light (Coors like- yuk)
2) Stacks Pale Ale
3) Amber Ale
4) High Level Brown Ale (nice name for PGH location)
5) Stout brewers choice
Today they have 2 seasonals (a lot for this place that normally only has one on tap at a time and sometimes runs out quickly). They have Fireman's special Pale Ale and German Alt. The Fireman's special procedes go to local PGH firefighter's charity. Nice cause and worth every penny!

This brewpub subscribes to the pub discount program for AHA (American Homebrewer's Association). With it's 20% discount for beer and food, it is well worth it. I also belong to the mug club. There is no buying your own mug up front, instead they always have one for you!

They also have Pitt Panther $2 pint (or 20 oz mug club size) specials. With plenty of sports on big screens, they truely fit into the local Pittsburgh Sports scene.

Even though I think other microbreweries in town have a more selective quality beers, this place is the cheapest and has decent beer and food for the price. A place to frequent!!!
May 05, 2004
Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery in Homestead, PA
Brewery rating: 3.69 out of 5 with 3246 ratings