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Bethlehem Brew Works

3.5 star rating
based on 10 reviews

Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, Lounges, American (Traditional), Breweries  [Edit]

569 Main St
Bethlehem, PA 18018
(610) 882-1300
  • Hours:
    Mon-Sun 11:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m.
  • Price Range: $$
  • Attire: Casual
  • Waiter Service: Yes
  • Wheelchair Accessible: Yes

10 Reviews for Bethlehem Brew Works

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Photo of Candi K.

 

1

80

Candi K.

Bethlehem, PA

3 star rating
05/01/2008

Decent food...great beer & a large martini menu.  Try the beer battered fries and the pumpkin ale when it's in season.  I'm sure it's crazy when it's busy, but on a weekday evening outside of Musikfest, it's normally pretty quiet.

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Photo of alexis g.

Elite '08

404

584

alexis g.

Washington, DC

3 star rating
01/28/2008

This is a good place to hang out and people watch, especially during the Musikfest season. Order the nachos and ask for extra cheese... you won't be sorry.

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Photo of s m.

 

2

14

s m.

Downingtown, PA

3 star rating
03/04/2008

Stopped in here for a quick beer and an appetizer before a big Patriot League men's basketball matchup between Lehigh and Bucknell.

This place has a nice corner location at Broad & Main with big windows for watching the world go by. The bad side is they are attached to a small mall-like complex. We parked behind the mall and walked through it to reach the Brew Works. It smelled of urinal cakes and hobos which didn't quite set the appetizing tone for entering the restaurant.

Once inside we had our pick of booths by the bar. It was early enough to not have a smoking issue so don't know how it is from that regard.

I enjoyed my Steelworkers' Oatmeal Stout. It hit the right tone for a blustery winter evening. The appetizer we chose had a description in the menu that far outshined the reality.

We chose: The Steelworker's Union
Samples of our Roasted Tomato
Fondue, Spinach Artichoke, and Southside
Black Bean dips. Served with tortilla chips. Sure
to satisfy any Steelworker's demands! $10.00

They arrived as very small bowls of the various dips with a small pile of bland off-tasting-from-the-bag tortilla chips.

I would give it 2 stars based on that, but don't feel we gave it enough of a chance on the appetizer and a single beer. Will definitely go again and order a proper meal. The beer is worth the trip.

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Photo of Matt R.

Elite '08

43

109

Matt R.

Oakland, CA

4 star rating
12/30/2007

Yes, the food is very American, very Comfort, and not very adventurous.  But what they do is done well, in large portions, at reasonable prices. My old favorite, the crab cake with Hoegaarden aioli, was as good as usual, although it totally outclassed the plain ol' white bread bun it was served on. The fries were crispy and tasty. Ribeye steak was very well prepared, tender, and not at all gristly (as you often get in this neck of the woods). Fish and chips were appropriately greasy but cooked in clean oil at the proper temperature and served sizzling with deep-fried goodness. Good bar food at a great bar.

The beer is best when you work the fringes. If you really like beer, taste all the dark beers, hoppy beers, Belgian-style beers, or whatever they're brewing on the edge of conventional taste. The Rudolph's/Rude Elf's has been making me happy for quite a few seasons now. Look for it in cases at Tanczos. The lighter stuff is good, maybe not inspiring, but I rarely take the time to drink it. Go big or go home.

I wish these guys luck trying to get another place going in the black hole of downtown Allentown nightlife. That 'hood is gaining on Oakland when it comes to murders per capita.

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Photo of Megan D.

 

7

36

Megan D.

Philadelphia, PA

3 star rating
12/11/2007

I've been here several times, this time was for dinner.  I ordered the crab cake and to my surprise, it was one of the best I've had.

Like most breweries the beer list was intimidating and I tasted three before deciding.  I wasnt impressed.  

It was really loud, even in the back room where we were seated, making it difficult to hear eachother.  The food won me over, but I would not go on a Friday night again.

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Photo of Chrissy J.

Elite '08

24

132

Chrissy J.

MA

3 star rating
01/24/2008

I only gave this place 3 stars because I felt it was unfair to judge it against the other, more gourmet, establishment I had been lucky enough to eat at all weekend. But seriously, I wanted to give it 2 stars. Why?
The service was less than stellar. I asked for mustard and the waiter had to ask me twice whether I wanted Dijon or yellow. When it was finally brought over, he brought the wrong one. Not to mention he acted like every time we needed a drink we were asking him to part the sea.
The food was not good. Actually, the beer battered onion rings were really good and the fries that came with my burger were delicious. But the burger itself was rather flavorless and I am of the opinion that a bun is the best thing to serve a burger on. Not a ciabatta roll. The nachos were basically a bag of tostitos thrown on a plate with some cheese, black olives and jalapenos sprinkled on top.  After the top layer was eaten, we were left with a plate of chips.
The bill only came to $158 for 6 dinners, 2 appetizers and like 10 drinks so I thought that was very reasonable. Almost makes up for the screaming Giants fans at the bar!
GO PATS!

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Photo of ricardo s.

 

0

13

ricardo s.

Bethlehem, PA

4 star rating
02/22/2008

Very good......it can go both ways.  You want to hang out with friends and enjoy some apps, good beer, and just chill. This is a great place for that.  You want to have a nice dinner with some friends, or with your parents while they're visiting?  This is a great place for that.  They brew their own beers, worth trying a few while you're there.  Seared tuna, Kobe burger, wings, the food is good.....Keep in mind, it is a brewery, if you want a four course meal, don't go here.  If you want to enjoy a nice low maintenance meal and maybe go to the lounge downstairs afterward, shoot some pool while enjoying a drink and good company.  Or sit on a couch and have a drink and a glass of wine with the wife in a dimmed down loungy joint, then go check it out.

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Photo of Vanessa W.

Elite '08

22

462

Vanessa W.

Bethlehem, PA

4 star rating
08/04/2006

A good American-type restaurant. Everything's decent from burgers to salads. I especially like the hot spinach dip.

Can get packed for weekday lunch.

Very trendy and often packed bar downstairs called the Steel Garden.

Both the restaurant and the bar have a good atmosphere.

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Photo of Mike M.

 

1

21

Mike M.

Bethlehem, PA

4 star rating
01/01/2006

Both a restaurant and a bar. You can bring your kids here and sit in your choice of "other" dining areas. Food is kind of on the TGI Friday's or Applebees order. Good, but nothing special. What makes this place special is the micro-brewed stuff they make here. Some are really excellent, and prices are not bad. Setting is right downtown in Historic Bethlehem. There is a lounge downstairs that is more quiet, and has a pool table and nice chairs. Upstairs is a big regular bar, booths, and another large dining room.

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Photo of Steve W.

 

0

7

Steve W.

Bethlehem, PA

4 star rating
05/04/2007

Brewpub with decent food for a fair price.  The beers tend to be a little bland for my taste, but they have been improving.  Still a pretty nice place for a dinner with friends or family.
The downstairs steelgarden has a great selection of belgian beers, but it tends to get pretty crowded on the weekends with the young professional crowd.

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