Dock Street Brewery - South

I think that apart from Dock Street ownership and management I'm pretty sure that I'm one of only a few people who've been to all five locations as the D.C. store never really took off (having the wrong address listed didn't help it). This is, in my opinion, the worst location in terms of interior decor and feel. It's got a modern look that's already dated with black iron beams on the ceiling, exposed brick walls, leather bar chairs, and large live-wood tables. It's cavernous in a way, with lots of hard surfaces that lead to bad acoustics. There's a pool tables which is cool, but it seems like they're trying too hard to be everything for everyone, and on that note on weekends around lunch time it can seems like a Chuck E. Cheese with all the kids running around. To a certain extent I can't blame Dock Street for that, I blame the parents, but it really kills it for me. The food is good, although pricey, but again, I can't blame Dock Street for that as Philly has become the new New York, and with it expensive. It's worth a visit.

Philly phact phinding mission! It’s been a bit, we’re overdue on being overdue. Made the unusual suspects motivate in the 9am hour and we managed to get down into town and sweet slander spot parked by 11am. Not. Too. Shabby. The day is full of possibilities. Long and low on the corner of Wa and S. 22nd. Dead empty at Sunday brunch hour opening, the way I like it…

Loooong cut tree topped bar with a wavy and alternating diagonal (Chevron) patterned plank base, some of which are painted nautical flag-like. Seating for 12 on cushiony brown chairs, but the bar extends much further both ways and goes lower on the ends for pizza and service or maybe to-go on the front end. 8 tap & 12 tap non-descript row towers along the bar and a 4 tap wine tower in between. Sprawling white Formica looking bar end and wraparound counter top barback with glassware running the length, and an espresso/coffee situation further down. Cupboards below, and cold space on both ends. A large alternating diagonal (Chevron) patterned plank panel wall above with a few flats showing “A shark’s tale” and “It’s always sunny…” (duh). A pair of 3x4 horizontal boards suspended listing draft selections in alt colored markerings (beer, ABV, and a whole lot of description action). On the other end, shelving inlay with growls, cans, prints, glassware, booze, pieces, tins, & toys.

Wide plank floors, and black rafter ceilings with phat I-beams, piping, & ductwork. White walls with a ‘Man full of trouble bar’ mural piece on the front wall, and distressed concrete and brick patches at both ends of the room. Tall vertical panel windows inlayed forward and larger ones on the end with potted planted things, and the doorway there. Drop hairdryer lamps tracing the bar and far seating, and strung baby white lights back & forth across the room.

2 dozen tables about the room; raised roundys babies, low recs, and larger shareds. Lots of mix & match. And then a few cushy set ups and a pool table in the back corner. Pride flagging, house signage & prints, and some paintings (local art and yes, it’s for sale). Potted plants a-sprawling, an obligatory disco ball, a projection screen on the far wall, and a can cooler & merch corner over there (me, pointing).

Hallway off that corner riddled with lots more art, down the hallway past the loo… a small ‘L’ shaped bar seating 8 around the pizza oven and 5 baby hightop tables alongside. And through to a small event space to the rear, an ‘It’s all in your head” neon, a handful of tables, and some cushy seating, + brew room views. There’s also some slight seating outside both ways off the corner, tables umbrella’d up.

11 beers up, a good mix of a bit of everything; Pilsner (Bohemian Pilsner, 5%, Futuro Italian Pilsner, 4.8%), Belgian (Bubbly Wit, Belgian Witbier, 5.5%; Bindletstiff, Grisette, 4.8%), hoppys (Golden IPA, American IPA, 6%; Friends, Hazy IPA, 6.5%; King Juice, DDH Hazy DIPA, 8.5%; Rye IPA, 6.8%), and then a few things not those to round out the group (Graf, ½ beer ½ cider hybrid, 5.8%; Barracuda, Berliner Weisse, 4%; Prince Myshkin, Russian Imperial Stout, 9.8%).

Futuro, Italian Pilsner, assertively hoppy, Hallertau, good stuff; Bohemian Pilsner, crisp, lovely, memories; Rye IPA, spicy nice; Bindletstiff, Grisette, Belgiany pleasant; Bubbly Wit, not bad, could use a bit more coriander, me thinks; Prince Myshkin, Russian Imperial Stout, dark fruit, chocolate, coffee, very nice. Am thinking Bohemian Pilsner, Rye IPA, & Bindletstiff Grisette for the wins.

Bartender did some time out at North Park, so he knows of what we speak. A light bite, perhaps. Yep, Old Bay honey wings. They were tasty but for $14, I want more of ‘em. Tunes, Zeppelin, PJ, Chris Cornell, Fleetwood Mac, good stuff. Someone just shouted out my name and I looked up to see it was one of my Brooklyn sales managers, down in Philly to see old school friends nearby. Needless to say, he was surprised to find me here (Um, Dock Street Amber was my first craft beer darling back in ’91 when you were still in short pants, sonny). Some nice beers here. Wish the Man Full of Trouble Porter hadn’t kicked. Wish the Dock Street Amber was up. And the Illuminator. Chill house at opening and filled in nicely around us as we bring, you know, ‘it’.

I've been here a few times, and I want to support everything Dock St. as I have for decades, but I don't know about this place yet. Beer is average-below average except the Golden IPA which is consistently good. The Bean 2 Bean Stout is good.

I like the location and the large space, but its a little too concrete-y, the bar stools are odd and ordering food from a separate register is weird. There are game tables, TV's and community tables besides the large bar and some small hightops so there is plenty of seating. Its a good spot to meet a large group of friends or to watch a game. They open at 10am and there is a coffee bar/pastries area also. I could see people coming here and having meetings like at a coffee shop. I'm happy that the menu is healthy, but the food is average, kind of bland and some things are too expensive for what you get.

Stopped by to have a beer and pizza.

This location does not make pizza.

I left to eat elsewhere as I was not impressed with the food menu or the prices.

Large loud open space. Seat yourself. Order your own beer and food. The beer was good.

The folks at the huge bar were friendly and knowledgeable but did seem a bit overwhelmed on a Saturday afternoon.

Chalk board has beer name, ABV and three prices. No place does it tell you what the three sizes are or explain anything about the beer. There were two pale ale on the menu and I had to ask the difference of the two. I saw pitchers of beer after we ordered our beer. Again, no mention of this option.

Food menus all around but no paper beer menu anywhere.

There is a station for cans to go. No prices posted.

Make it easy for your customer. I don’t want to ask about everything.

If you get your beer and walk past the bathrooms there is a nice quiet room looking into the brew room. We sat there and it was much more enjoyable than the large loud main room.

I get they just recently opened this location. I enjoy the pizza and the feel of the other location but this one is much easier to get to.

I will try again in a month or so and see if hey have fixed these small issues.