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Big Bear Mountain Brewery
Categories: Nightlife Bars Pubs Restaurants American (Traditional) Pubs, American (Traditional) [Edit]
40260 Big Bear BlvdBig Bear Lake, CA 92315
(909) 866-2337
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Best Nights:
- Mon, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
52 reviews for Big Bear Mountain Brewery
Review Highlights
"She had the Orange Blossom Amber both times and loved it."
(in 6 reviews)
"The home brewed beer was very good."
(in 4 reviews)
"We ended up getting 3 growlers to go."
(in 4 reviews)
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52 reviews in English
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Review from Robert D.
Buena Park, CA
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
As per your typical Big Bear establishment, the serve was terrible.
We were a group of 5 that went for lunch on a Sunday. There wasnt anyone else in the place when we got there, and we were sat immediately. There was football on, but on one TV, that is hidden behind a post. You can see it from three bar stools, but nowhere else in the place.
I immediately ordered the sampler, which is their 6 types of beer, 4oz a piece for 8.95. Solid deal. All of them are pretty good, except for the chocolate porter. That might be good with some Baileys and Jamison, but not as a beer to sip on. My friend ordered a pint of the honey blonde. So he brings my sampler, but doesn't bring my friends beer. The server comes back after giving us a few minutes to look at the menu, and my friend asks for his beer, and the guy says, "Oh, you ordered a beer?" We ordered the sampler, sprite, and waters in addition to the beer. It really shouldnt be that hard to remember.
Anyway, food was pretty average. Between all of us, we got a burger, chicken strips, club sandwich, and salad. All pretty much your average of each kind. Not something to write home about, but not something to really criticize either. I will say with the salad though, my wife ordered ranch. She ate half of the salad and stopped because she didnt like the ranch. Every place up here has different ranch, so its hard to tell. So I decide to finish it, and immediately spit it out, because it was blue cheese, not ranch. I cant stand blue cheese, so thats the reason for my 3 year old response! I dont know how she couldnt tell that was blue cheese, but either way, they messed up, and too much was gone to make an issue of it.
Once we got our food, our server disappeared. I wanted another sampler, and we finished all our food before I even got a chance to order. The dude was walking around with the hood of his sweatshirt on his head, and was impossible to get a hold of. He walked outside with the only other server to clean up a table that had plates on it from a previous customer, and they literally stayed out there 10 minutes. Even if you say they were on break, there's no sense in allowing both servers to go on break at the same time, when you have customers inside! I had to flag down a person behind the bar to order another sampler, and everything was good from there.
I went to try the beer, and overall, it was pretty good. So thats why it gets a 3 stars from me. The food wont leave an impression, and the service is typical for big bear - garbage - but if you go for the beer, you'll probably enjoy it. -
Review from Heath P.
Palm Desert, CA
1/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Tangerine Wheat. The Grizzly. 8.9. Surprisingly good beer. The Grizzly is delish and a couple could be a meal in and of themselves. It's busy on the weekends this time of the year. If there isn't a wait, it's worth the stop. Service is terrible due to understaffing, but they're pleasant enough considering.
I've never had any food but my son gets the hotdog which is huge. If you like craft brews, its definitely worth the lovely drive that gets you on the mt. -
Review from Jenn C.
1/10/2012
This place isn't bad. It's worth a visit while you're in the area. We always like to stop by for a visit when we are in Big Bear. They have great sweet potato fries. I love the unique, quirky, semi-divey atmosphere. The fact that this place is a house adds to the fun feel.
Their beers aren't bad. Not amazing, but there are a few that are quite pleasing. They have a nice English pale ale, and a Red ale I like. The Grizzly [?] porter is pretty tasty also. I don't tend to like lagers, but theirs is decent. I also thought the tangerine heff was interesting and pleasant. -
Review from Michelle P.
Los Angeles, CA
1/9/2012 1 photo
So awesome!!! Super chill pub/restaurant. The home made potato chips r to die for! I had the fish n chips and it was so good. They make their own beer which is equally amazing. Loved the Mtn pub ale. and the beer in mason jars w/ handles!?!?! LOVE IT!!!
Such a cool place to hang and grab a bite. Can't wait to come again! :). Need to come for $2 beers on Tuesday nights. -
Review from Bethany J.
Vallejo, CA
1/1/2012
We were never greeted, so we finally sat ourselves. After sitting for about 10 minutes, the ASSISTANT MANAGER came straight over and yelled at us for bringing in our own bottle. When we asked him why he was so rude to us, he just complained about his bad day and walked away. We could hear him from the back of the restaurant yelling and cursing. The bartender girl tried to cover for him by saying that she would take care of us, but by then we were already embarrassed and put off by his behavior. We decided to leave before ever even trying the food or drinks. There are too many good restaurants around to put up with the bad service.
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Review from Jax F.
Los Angeles, CA
8/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I walk in to an old house with a bar. Only difference between it and the house next to it, it's that it's open to the public. No music...only the silence of a Serena Williams interview on ESPN. One old couple sitting outside. Three older fat men sipping on beer inside and a young local couple sitting at the bar. We proceed to sit at the bar. There is a Nickel Saver newspaper to my right.
Point blank its a "so sad, it's funny" brewery. They don't care to make it more welcoming. The beer was mediocre and the food was a score higher. The owners don't know what ambiance means.
No reason to ever go back. I must agree with other reviewers that they don't care to do business. -
Review from John N.
Carlsbad, CA
The Grizzly porter is awesome! We enjoyed a nice lunch the day before Thanksgiving. All of the food was delicious and the hand crafter beers are great. We also tried the fried green beans that were a great appetizer with the beer.
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Review from Gordon C.
Brea, CA
1/7/2012
Didn't eat here, came for the beer. Since I'm a Beer-0, this brewery was a must. We had seen this place on past trips up the mountain but never had time without the kids to go drink. We found the place packed with lunch goers, mostly families with children. This is a good sign, we had Rufus with us so we had to sit outside and drink out of plastic cups, Rufus is our dog. We started with thier two pale ales, perfect, not overcooked like a lot of other breweries, good body and a real good finish...even out of plastic cups. Our order of Frips, a homemade potato chip dusted with spice hit the spot to allow for the next round. The honey blond and a amber ale. The blond was exceptionally sweet with a weak finish, I could have consumed a dozen of these, the red was a lot like the IPA without the kick. All in all the beer was very good, the service was above par and everyone was friendly. Funny thing about breweries, food is just a sideline, if the beer and the service are good, everything else falls into place. I will go back to this place...so will Rufus.
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Review from John R.
Moreno Valley, CA
6/4/2011
I like this place. I am a homebrewer and consider myself a beer connoisseur. If you come to this place expecting beers in the likes of Stone/Port/Bruery/Bootleggers, et al, you won't be impressed. But if you are thirsty, and need a drinkable beer or two to wash down some average pub-fare vittles, then this is a fine and relaxing place.
The beer batches here are very small. I'm guessing that some of Don's beers are part extract/part grain as opposed to all-grain batches. And the website itself describes the beers as "homebrews." I am a fan of the Pale Ale, Pilsener, and the Red (in that order). Because the batches are so small, the beer styles do not always taste exactly they did before, so I almost always get a taster before ordering a pint or growler. And yes, every now and then a style is mislabeled--for example, a recent iteration of "Doppelbock" that was actually a Vienna. So it goes.
The service here is exactly what I would expect for such a small establishment. At times, a skeleton crew in on hand, and it takes time to get the food ready. I usually drop by after a bicycle ride around the lake or on the mountain, and I don't mind hanging out for awhile to cool down. I go to the mountain to slow down anyway. The atmosphere inside is nice, and the outside patio faces highway 18. Not exactly picturesque, but if the sun is out, the mountain air is very refreshing.
My only criticism is the "biker's discount," which promises 10% off the tab. I never got the discount, and figured that was due to the fact that I never asked for it. It has taken me two years of going to this place to realize that the "bikers" who get the discount are the motoring kind, not the pedaling kind! -
Review from Shannon D.
Vista, CA
We're used to big breweries so when we drove up to Big Bear Mountain we were a little skeptic (it's small). But, their beers are pretty good. I really enjoyed their Orange Blossom Amber, and their Grizzley Bear stout is really good as well.
You've got to try their buffalo 'fripps (homemade potato chips) with ranch dip. OH YEAH! Not healthy at all, but oh so tasty! -
Review from Elizabeth W.
San Diego, CA
11/30/2010
My boyfriend and I went there today, Tuesday, for a quick snack and ended up relaxing for over an hour! The inviting vibe of the restaurant/bar is really nice and the bartender was really nice and accommodating.
Understand, I am NOT a beer person. I actually really quite hate beer! But, I tried the Orange Blossom and fell in love - then had to get a seond glass! This coupled with their $2 Tuesday deals ($2 drafts and chili dogs) made me really happy that we ended up here.
We got the "Pine Knot", basically 3 chicken strips and a bunch of fries. We both agreed that the strips were bland and I thought the items were overcooked, but they made a nice counter-balance to the beer. I wouldn't say the food was anything to write home about, but DEFINITELY go for the beer! -
Review from Dan M.
1/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
I so wanted to like this place. Their slogan "Arrowhead's got the water... Big Bear's got the beer"... a brewery for after skiing/boarding.... how could you go wrong? Well... the beer wasn't very special and the food was less than average for pub food (which isn't saying much). I would have given them one star, but they earned the extra star for the cool atmosphere, funky barn like building, and fun signs and posters hanging around the inside.
As for the brewery, if you like good microbrews, then you will not like this place much. They have some other guest big name brews on tap which might satisfy some in your crowd. I thought the Orange Blossom Amber was quite unique, not good, but I haven't tasted a beer quite like this.... strong orange aroma and tasted like Orange Soda, so it may satisfy some sweet tooth beer novices. The Beary Christmas brew was interesting and strong (over 10%) and it tastes like a chocolate covered cherry (interesting, but not my thing). The Red Ant Hill Red is the most drinkable of the bunch. Don't even try the IPA as it doesn't taste like one. Food was sandwiches and burgers. Their sweet potato fries and soups were okay and safe, but the bread on the sandwiches were pretty stale tasting. -
Review from Valley Guy G.
Monterey Park, CA
7/15/2011 1 photo
Small and cozy place to drink microbrews at a high altitude. The service was friendly. If you're in town and in the mood for a beer sampler, this is a must stop. Beers served in mason jars ...a unique touch.
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Review from Chris D.
Corona, CA
5/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Food was not good and the tattoo waitress only enjoyed the company of her boyfriend on the bar counter than the customers
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Review from dude food G.
Santa Monica, CA
8/25/2011
Best brewery on the mountain. OK the only brewery on the mountain but this place is cool and has beers good enough to serve in San Diego and Santa Monica. This place is family run and has a decent selection of home brews of various flavors and strengths. They serve by the pint or gallon. The food has gotten better too. The patrons are nice and they have entertainment sometimes. Check it out.
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Review from Malia H.
Santa Monica, CA
11/11/2010
Great food! Never had something I didn't like. The pastrami (ruben style) was so good I ended up having to share it with the whole table. Not that they didn't lick their own plates clean, too. =)-
The location is real small though, so if you're planning to go, you might want to have a backup plan because I think they have about six tables. And, that's including the two on the outside patio.
There isn't a ton of beer on tap, considering it's a brewery, but certainly no complaints here. Even our non-beer drinking friend ordered the Orange something and enjoyed it enough to finish it. It did smell a lot like oranges.
Oh, and this might actually be the locals Chuck E Cheese, because we were the only table without toddlers. Normally, I would deduct massive stars for the rug rats ruining our pub experince, but they were fairly well-behaved and didn't bother us. Still strange that anyone would take their child to a brewery... -
Review from Fredericka W.
Burbank, CA
2/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
I don't know where to start...as far as I could see there was a staff of three and probably a cook out back but they're terribly disorganized so the service is friendly but scatterbrained.
I opted to try the fish sandwich with a cup of the soup of the day, tomato bisque. My husband ordered pastrami. His beer, he says, was okay.
It seems they were out of the soup special already, 1 pm-ish, so I had to choose another side. It was really the only thing I wanted but what can I do? I selected the salad. Then they came to tell us that they were out of pastrami. Okay...so my husband asked for a burger instead. Would you believe that the menu is about half burgers and they didn't have any made so they told him he couldn't have that either?!?
At that point I was finished with the place...my husband had two beers and I got a lemonade, the bill was over $17.00. I actually felt bad for the bartender/waitress/hostess person because she had to keep asking others to help her and with only three tables seated they should be more on the ball. -
Review from T J.
San Diego, CA
12/23/2010
I have to say this is one of the more dissapointing restaurants I have ever been to. Being from San Diego when I hear brewery I think lots of great beers on tap and killer food (Stone's beer mac and cheese. SDBC's pizza).
Long story short, 1. Worst service ever! Our waitress was either fired or quit. 2. Food was just terrible, my burger made applebees look like Ruth Chris compared to this joint. 3. Worst beer ever, the "red" tastes like slice and smells like soda.
Go somewhere else if your in town plenty more good options for grub and beer. -
Review from rolanda n.
Westwood, CA
9/27/2010 1 photo
Food was okay, service needs work.
It seemed they were understaffed. We had to go to the bar to get menus and to let them know we were ready to order. That said, once they arrived at our table, they were very pleasant. It just seems they have some issues with handling the workload.
My friend had the french dip, which was (apparently) delicious... I had the turkey sandwich and vegan vegetable soup. It was good, hearty and hit the spot. The best turkey sandwich I've ever had? Well, no, but it was serviceable and fresh.
We tried the beer flight & it was a great idea - small tastes of all of their beers. There is something for everyone here - from the light, crisp German Pilsner-style to the (almost black, opaque) Grizzly Bear. if you like beer, this is the way to try it.
I give it three stars due to the service. They either need more waitstaff, or they need a consultant to help them streamline the workflow. It's unfortunate, because the location is prime. They seem like nice people, so I hope that they can get some help and relief for their workflow. -
Review from Frank D.
Long Beach, CA
3/2/2008
I imagined a classy upscale microbrew place and instead got a tiny dive with a metal tub in the corner. This place is super small.
The food was weak. Our group had burgers, melts, and a french dip. Nobody was too thrilled. Everything was pretty greasy...something you might expect from a snack bar.
The beer was watery. Three of us sampled all the local brews. None of them were exciting. -
Review from Bryan R.
Long Beach, CA
7/13/2009
I'm really surprised at all the negative reviews of this place, I thought it was great! We had been on the lake for a few hours having some beers and while driving back to our place we saw the "Fresh beer brewed here!" sign and decided to stop by and check it out.
Everybody got a different beer and everybody seemed to like what they got. I had the Little Beaver IPA (8.9% I believe?) and it was great. A pint is $4.75 and comes in a mason jar type thing, a quart is $8 and a 64oz growler (jug) is $13 regardless of which beer you get. We ended up getting 3 growlers to go.
We also had the french fries and the fried zucchini sticks, and both hit the spot. Great fries, great zucchini. All in all a killer place, but with a phone number like 866-BEER, what else would you expect? -
Review from Mark A.
7/5/2008 2 photos
To be honest, this one isn't going to be a long review since it was my first visit and I was told they have some great 10.5% ABV beer here by my best friend, Joshua G.
The Big Bear Mountain Brewery is true to the sign that they display outside their establishment- Fresh Brewed Beer. Located on Big Bear Blvd, right before the "Magic Mountain @ Big Bear Lake" slide park, and also before a Specialized Bike Shop/Rental Shop. It's a mom & pop kind dive bar place, in a yellow wooden building.
I totally forgot what the beer I got was, but it's the strongest beer they have. As mentioned before, it's 10.5% alcohol by volume. I can compare this beer to Tap's Fishouse/Brewery's Thomas Jefferson Ale, but Big Bear Mountain's beer seems to flow and taste A LOT smoother. Goes down easy... :D Once inside the bar, you'll notice the seating, decor, ambiance, and hospitality. The owners/workers are very nice people..... very approachable and knowledgeable of their product.
I was told they sell beer on tap in 1/2 gallon glass bottles, which is true. Beer on tap in a purchased bottle will run you up $30 (need to confirm this), but if you have a bottle from them previously, you can clean it out, bring it in and fill it up for $10.50. I came here to see if I can bring home beer in a newly purchased bottle, but was unlucky since their supplier had some delays on shipment. I borrowed my uncle's bottle for the meantime to bring some kick-ass strong beer home...
Not having the bottles in stock gives me a reason to come back here to buy and bring back my own souvenirs. There's a cute girl who works the bar, wears glasses. :)
I'll be back with a follow-up when I come back.Listed in: BOTTOM'S UP! Booze Hound List, Dive Bars with grubbin'
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Review from Megan C.
Yucaipa, CA
1/25/2009
We have had better but we've also had worse. We started off the Fawnskin, which was warm Brie in a sourdough bowl with apples. Everyone enjoyed it and I could have had just this along with the Grizzly Bear (Doppel Bock) aka beer. For the main course we ordered the Hook, Line and Sinker, Rim Forest, Pine Knot and a Crestline. Each item was alright, not horrible, but decent for filling your stomach after wandering around Big Bear all day.
My gf said hers the Hook, Line and Sinker had dried out bread and the tater sauce came in packets. I had the Rim Forest which was good with my beer, all hail Black Forest ham! And our friend, had the Pine Knot which she ate and the Crestline, which she licked and decided not to eat. I tasted a little of the Crestline. The wings were more peppery flavored as opposed to hot but I don't think they were meant to be eaten sober. We also passed around an Orange Blossom (Amber-
smells and tastes like oranges) which everyone agreed had a decent flavor and is good for someone who doesn't normally drink beer.
This place is basically a bar with munchies. If you wanna drink and have something to chew on then you have come to the right place but don't expect to hit upon some trendy microbrewery that you can regal all your all your friends with when you get home. PS-Check out the menu via the link below.
(http://www.mountainbre...) -
Review from Aaron S.
Spring Valley, CA
Loved this place. The burgers were amazing and the service was excellent. Our waiter turned on the big TV without us even asking (he noticed our necks craning to watch the Angels game). Its a rustic little local bar that happens to be a brewery too! I got the Red ale and the Doppel Bock. Watch out! That Doppel has a kick. Make sure you have a DD. Great place. Will return next time we come up the mountain.
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Review from E R.
Redding, CA
8/9/2010
I thought this place was good. I took my mom there and we ended up going back 2 days later. She had the Orange Blossom Amber both times and loved it. I'm not much of a beer drinker, but I tasted hers and I didn't hate it!
We just had appetizers, but they were pretty good, as far as appetizers go. We got the spinach/artichoke dip in a sourdough bread bowl and ended up taking home the leftovers and snacking on them for a day or two.
It was a fun little place to hang out. I like the fact that you can buy and take home a jug of their beer. -
Review from Laurie H.
VALLEY VILLAGE, CA
2/20/2011
AWFUL! All the "specialty" beers tasted dirty and watered down. The food was pretty bad too, and my bf got sick the next day from the burger which did not look like real meat. Our server was weird, and didn't understand me when I asked for silverware. I had to repeat fork and knife and then she brought one set for the whole table. I won't be coming back here. Ever.
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Review from Lia T.
San Diego, CA
1/26/2009
Came for the beer. The menu doesn't look great but we did have the Ranch Hand which was beans and jalapenos with cheese eaten with tortilla chips. A solid, tasty snack to go with an IPA, orange blossom and a dopplebock. Nothing to knock your socks off, but a nice, relaxing place to hang and have a beer.
Even though it was 5:00 Sunday, there was a live band. A bunch of grizzly bearded guys and a 14 year old boy. Blues and Dead covers. Not our thing, so we had to leave after a few songs, but that kid was pretty good. -
Review from Danielle C.
Huntington Beach, CA
2/17/2010
I thought about it... normally I would give this place three stars, but since it's in Big Bear and your options are really limited I tacked on that extra fourth star.
Anyway... the hubs and I stop here on our way down the mountain after a full day or snowboarding. We were looking to grab a beer and a bite, which is exactly what we got. I had the little beaver IPA, which is their signature brew... it was good and I would order one again, maybe even take a growler to go. We also ordered the chili fries which were really tasty, I think I could even go for a bowl of just the chili by itself.
However, the things that make this place great are also a bit of its downfall.... LOVE that this place is family owned and operated, but I think this is also why they lack a bit of organization. It wasn't too crowded when we came in, but it still took 35min to get our chili fries...hmm. -
Review from Natalie B.
Menifee, CA
Like the other reviewers said, pub fare is below average- think stuff you find at a super bowl party. Beer is average too although I enjoyed the Old Miners Gold, a German pilsner and the Orange Blossom Amber, the latter more for it's unique factor than actual yummy beerness. We ordered the mozzarella sticks (no marinara!! WTF?!), chicken strips, fish n chips and a yummy bean cheese jalapeno dip which was the best thing on the table but also the easiest to make at home. The chips served with the dip were obviously a grocery store brand. Lame! In any event it was better than going to KFC and we got to mark another brewery off our list. And yes we brought our kid for the reviewer who wonders who does such things. Life does not end when you have children and it's not a bar it's a brewery where you go to taste not get slammered.
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Review from Tom h.
CA
3/29/2007
Awesome place to relax after a day on the slopes. Or in the summertime. Or to check out the live bands on Fri & Sat nights. Great fresh brewed beer!!!, and pub food to go with it. Take a jug to go.
Small cozy place usually with a friendly crowd inside. Even a couple tables outside for those warm days.
Great friendly staff, will make you feel like a regular after your first visit. I alwayls look forward to going back. -
Review from Nicole D.
Tustin, CA
2/23/2009
I come for the beer, not the food, as their food really needs an overhaul. It's pub food, and mediocre at best, but their beer is pretty darn good! The favorites are their Grizzly Bear (the darkest and strongest they have) and their Orange Blossom Amber.
It's a small place, so keep that in mind if you're bringing a large group.
My only complaint is sometimes the live music is so loud I have to sit outside, and this last time I went it was snowing so that's not good. I called the manager and told her that the last couple of times the music has been too loud, and she was very accomodating and said she will speak with the band and make sure it doesn't happen again.
The Fawnskin (Brie and applies in a bread bowl) is really good btw :) -
Review from Ron S.
San Diego, CA
7/19/2009
The beer was good and the service was weak. If you go expect to wait awhile for service and your order. The staff seemed annoyed that they we were there. We had ten people in the group and when went to pay they would only allow three credit cards. Are you serious? This is 2009 and thirty-somethings do not carry cash. When I started writing this review I had three stars then realized how much I disliked the expierence and now they get two.
On a positive note we had four types of beer, all really good. Get the chili cheese fries, because they are the reason for two stars. I can buy good beer at 7-11 -
Review from Matt M.
Redondo Beach, CA
3/9/2011
Best bar in Big Bear to have some awesome original brews and hang out. Really cozy atmosphere, a cool staff, and a brewery sampler that's both reasonably-priced and the best way to get a taste of what BB has to offer in the beer department. Not really understanding the bad reviews. . . it's not a gourmet restaurant, it's a bar. Snobs can stay away, this place is tops in my book.
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Review from Jim L.
Ojai, CA
2/16/2010
This is a perfectly fine little brewpub with decent beer and typical pub grub. It's nothing fancy, just a local joint devoid of pretense. I had the Little Beaver IPA, which was pretty good -- a 7 on scale to 10. My partner had a glass of chardonnay that she pronounced "wet."
The only food we had was an order of onion rings, which were fried to near perfection. That they were previously frozen was obvious, but not a problem. The other food I saw on nearby tables looked okay.
The service is a problem, no doubt about that. When we were in this weekend it was clear they're not up to handling a big rush. If it's busy, take a deep breath and have another beer while you wait.
Finally, I'd go back again. I liked the total lack of pretension, the gritty basic-ness of the place. Nobody's going to fawn over you, and if you bring a snotty attitude you'll surely hate the place. My advice: go, relax and have a good time. -
Review from Alexandria S.
Los Angeles, CA
3/29/2010
WORST DINING EXPERIENCE of my entire life, hands down. Please note that I am not a picky person when it comes to service and food. My husband was a server in college, and I know the horror stories of awful customers, and the abuse that servers take on a regular basis. But this was just disgusting.
I first noticed that the place had a very local flavor - a neighbor of our waitress was talking her up and sticking his hand in her pocket as she was taking our drink order - rustic and cute, I guess. Our time started pleasantly enough - we ordered a beer sampler and it came pretty quick. However, the "local brews" were warm and flat (I say "local" because we later found out that they brew nothing on-site, it is all a sham).
The food menu looked standard but yummy - my husband, his parents and I ordered standard fare - hot dogs, patty melt, pastrami sandwich. Not rocket science by any means. And then we waited. And waited. And waited. I had the ability to see everything going on in the small restaurant, so I knew that the waitress had maybe 4 tables and a few locals hanging out at the bar. Not too challenging. I could also see into the kitchen somewhat, and noticed some pimply teenager moving as slow as molasses. I figured it must be because this rustic little brewery really took the time to make an amazing burger, or something. Well, after 45 minutes of waiting, the food was the most vile thing I had ever eaten at a restaurant. The burger was rubbery, and I'm not even sure the patty was real meat. Their soup of the day was a bowl of nuclear hot, crummy Campbell's vegetable. The pastrami was pure fat, and the hot dog was cold. I wasn't quite sure why it would take this long to make such disgusting food. I've had a better meal experience at McDonalds, as a comparison.
So, needless to say, I complained. I told the waitress exactly what we were dissatisfied with in the meal. And then....I GOT RIPPED A NEW ONE. The waitress screamed at me about how it was a Saturday, and they were slammed (they were not), how everyone else was perfectly content waiting 45 minutes for their food. How people like us (I guess visitors who keep the place in business), complain EVERY WEEKEND about the service, and how ridiculous it was. She said that we must pay our bill, but we don't have to tip her. I have never been yelled at this way by anyone in my life, and I was completely stunned. THEN, she proceeds to badmouth me to the entire place, yelling about how someone always complains about the service, etc. etc. I'm sorry, but if there are complaints like this every Saturday, then it's not my fault. It's the restaurant's fault for not properly staffing their kitchen or waitstaff. I don't give a crap how "quaint" you are - bad service and bad food is inexcusable.
In the end, she harassed us all the way out the door, telling us to take it up with the owners when they returned on Monday. Then she ran to the table to make sure we paid the bill in full.
By the time it was over, I was shaking and crying. I felt like the bad guy, when this was literally the first time I have complained about poor service. DO NOT VISIT THIS PLACE, IT IS A TRAIN WRECK! -
Review from Sarrah A.
San Diego, CA
9/8/2010
This place would be a cool hang out with friends, but we had a really bad experience. We went there because we could sit on the patio with our dogs, which was nice. They even had a water dish out for them.
Unfortunately our service was really awful. Our server took our order and then about 10 minutes later came back to tell me they were out of what I ordered. After that she disappeared for good. Our food was run by the bar tender, and we asked him for more drinks, which we never got. In fact, it was a good thing we had water with us from our earlier hike because our drinks were empty for at least half an hour. My husband's meal came out wrong. It also took a really really long time to get both our food and our bill. We had to go inside and ask for it more than once. The food was mediocre at best.
Also, I'm not a beer drinker, but my husband got excited about the "brewery" aspect, and was very disappointed. Apparently the Orange Blossom Amber tasted more like orange crush. I have to say, it was unnaturally orange and smelled just like orange soda. The lady at the table next to us took hers back the bar because she didn't like it. My husband and my sister both got the beer sampler and neither of them found a beer they actually liked.
I think you could probably find better food and service elsewhere in Big Bear. -
Review from Rene B.
La Verne, CA
8/18/2010
I have always wondered with this place isnt always packed. After visiting, I have to agree, the service isnt great, and they seem to have an attitude. Too bad the waitress doesnt read these reviewes, maybe she would finally figure out why everyone complains about the service.
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Review from Garret S.
Lawndale, CA
6/13/2011
Great place to kick back & throw down some good hand crafted beer. Bikers take note...Park your ride out front & receive 10% off your bill!!!!! Had the spinach/artichoke in the bread bowl with the jalapeno/cheese soup. Wife said soup was GREAT!!! Bread bowl seemed like it was a brown & serve type that never got browned. Normally a good hunk of sourdough will get eaten, but not this one.UGH. dip was heavy on the spinach but could barely find any artichoke. Probably not their fault & not complaining...just stating a fact. The owner was our server, (we sat @ the bar) she was very friendly & quite amusing to talk to. I highly recommend the beer "FLIGHT" That way you are not tied down to 1 beer, but rather sample all of the beers. The Dopplebock & the IPA was my favorite!!!! Prices were very reasonable. Even got a couple of t-shirts!! Don't forget to remind them about your 10% discount as they might forget! Will definitely go back!!!!
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Review from Helen C.
10/14/2007
I can see how this place might theoretically be a cool place since the bar food is decent (which is asking a lot around Big Bear) and they have their own micro-brews on tap (ladies, try the orange flavored brew which is dangerously sweet and delicious). But on my visit the place was empty so it seemed like we were intruding at a private residence. Would consider returning during the busy season.
Listed in: Weekend Trip to Big Bear
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Review from Matthew M.
Los Angeles, CA
2/17/2010
I did not try the food at this place but it was a nice, little local joint that lives up to that. The home brewed beer was very good. i had the english ale which exceeded my expectations a lot. The growlers are very reasonable with the first one being $15 and refills at $12. They even have a beer called the Grizzly Bear which is a double bock coming in at 10.8 % alcohol that you can fill at the same price as all the others. If you are looking for a small, quiet local establishment without all the hype, this is the place to go.
