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The Rose & Crown English Food & Ale House
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
302 reviews for The Rose & Crown English Food & Ale House
Review Highlights
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302 reviews in English
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Review from Tiffany C.
Palo Alto, CA
I liked this place! I've heard about it from a lot of friends and finally went the other day. Definitely an English pub-feel, this place has a GREAT selection of beers to choose from. Wines, not so good.. but who goes to an ale house and gets wine? Anyway... the bartendress was incredibly friendly, nice to chat with. Prices are decent. And we also ordered food. I got a chicken sandwich, which was delicious. My friend got the prawns and chips, which looked awesome as well.
They've also got darts, which in prime time you pay $2 and use your driver's license as collateral, but since we went during a down time, we didn't have to pay for anything.
I'd definitely come here again. Goal: to try all of the beers (well, all of the lighter beers. I don't like dark beers) that they have there and get REALLY good at darts. I would also like to try out the trivia night that they have there sometime! So if any of you Yelpers who are trivia nerds want to go sometime, let me know! -
Review from Michael R.
San Jose, CA
Brought 30 guest there this afternoon and the service was horrid. The place only had four people there before we came (I gave them two days advanced warning) and the bartender was just plain rude. She was put out because she had to stop talking to her friends and work. She seemed to really hate her job, had no problem letting us know we were a pain in her ass. She did the impossible, she sucked and blew at the same time. Feel bad for the owner because we would have dropped some good money there, but just had one beer and went to rudys where we were made to feel welcome.
Not sure if the woman bartender is fit to be working with people, she seems to hate them,a lot. I also found her a bit racist with her comments to her friends about my guest.
So if you like a place with horrid staff, dirty bathrooms, and a bigot bartender then this pooh hole is for you. I will be sure to let all my friends to stay away. There are so many better places in palo alto who want your business. Rudy's, the patio, Nola to name a few -
Review from Andrew K.
Mountain View, CA
Very fun place to grab a beer with friends. They have a great selection of beers and a fun, lively atmosphere. Unfortunately, it also gets crowded very fast given the small space.
Tuesday night trivia can be fun with the right group of people, but don't expect to win. Certain teams are just way too good and happen to know every movie ever made since the 1920s.
The food is pretty darn bad, and pricey at that. Maybe they are just trying to make it authentically British though... -
Review from Chelsea N.
Palo Alto, CA
The Rose and Crown is an unpretentious bar with a great beer selection. The bartenders are nothing but nice. The Rose and Crown is a small little british pub that is warm and feels like a small little tavern, a place to bring friends. The guy that brought 30 guests there is obviously an idiot, nobody wants his business anyway. I mean, 30 guests??? Come on, guy... Bring a few friends to the Rose and Crown and you'll be treated just fine. Pliny the Younger on tap on February 15th! So excited :D
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Review from Mark B.
Sunnyvale, CA
We came here because of the beer, as they do have a nice beer selection. I would also like to add they have a pretty decent veggie burger, too. Not a fancy, homemade veggie burger, but good enough for this place. The rest of the experience was just blah. The curry chips and the samosa platter we ordered were less than stellar; the chips were soggy with a weak curry sauce and the samosas were lame and tasteless. Most English style pubs in the area have a little more character to them, but The Rose definitely lacks any charm whatsoever. In fact, it's probably closer to a dive bar than anything. The service wasn't very good either as we had to ask for EVERYTHING, e.g., nobody asked if we wanted another drink, no water refills, no quality check on our food, etc. Bottom line, this place could use some improvement.
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Review from Paul R.
Menlo Park, CA
This place is good as long as:
1) You can wait for a long time for your drinks
2) You like a bar where women don't go
Good beers and outdoor seating.
Oh yeah....Tuesday trivia nights brings out the moron elite of palo alto....avoid at all costs. -
Review from Robert P.
Suitland, MD
Drank here to watch the Giants Packers game. Nice little joint where folks seem down to earth. Watched guy named "Big" and his buddy play darts...ended up getting called out to play darts - doubles with my cousin. We punked out said we were chillin just watching the game. He probably thought we were a couple of pussy whipped wanksters. lol. I should of told them I am a fan of Manchester United or Chelsea . lol. Anyways, props to Big and all the other locals chillin at the place. I'd go back there again.
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Review from Jack S.
Poughkeepsie, NY
We like this place a lot. We've come here a few times, usually at off hours, and it's always been a winner.
They have a small but excellent beer selection, with a good number of rotating taps. The staff are really knowledgable about their beers and are quite friendly.
The small patio is really nice, nestled in between two buildings (ok, it's a large alley, but it works!) and gives you a place to get outside and have a smoke if that's your thing.
They also have some special events from time to time. I missed the visit from the Stone Brewing guy and the special Stone beers they were going to feature, but that sounded terrific.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/18/2011
Good beer, knowledgable staff. It's a small hole-in-the-wall place in downtown PA, dark indoors and… Read more »
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9/18/2011
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Review from Magda M.
Mountain View, CA
This is probably my favorite bar in the South Bay/Peninsula. There is an incredible amount of beers to taste, including some of my favorite Russian River Valleys- you just won't be disappointed by the wide variety of beers for taste buds that crave something different. I always enjoy the crowd here- a mix of Stanford students, young professionals, and some older folk as well.
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Review from Emily M.
Palo Alto, CA
This has been my neighborhood bar for years, and you just can't argue the amazing selection of beers. They have great seasonal selections, belgians, german beers, and much more! Food isn't bad, but with so many other selections around, I'd probably grab dinner somewhere else unless I'm REALLY craving a grease-fest.
I've been going here for over 10 years now, and nothing about the interior has changed. Please, Rose and Crown - can you please hire a professional cleaner? Everything feels so dusty and greasy inside. Update the furniture. I think every single chair is busted in some way. Tables are rickety and sticky. The carpet is scary. The bathrooms - eek! I love this place so much - I just wish it was a little bit cleaner.
Bartenders are no-nonsense. I'm sure they are exhausted from the amateurs coming in asking for car bombs and crap like that, but try to be a little more friendly!
The place gets packed on trivia night, which is fun if you are playing. Otherwise, you'll find yourself getting shushed by your neighbors when you're having a conversation. Go another night if you just want to sit and have a beer. Trivia players take it really, really seriously.
Wish they would ban smoking on the patio. -
Review from Desene l.
Palo Alto, CA
Favorite bar in downtown pa! Cheap, diverse beer selection and darts.
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Review from D G.
Palo Alto, CA
Defies belief that this place gets a good rating. In reality a two-star would be fair.
Bartenders don't care and openly have contempt for the clearly wealthy/stuck up Stanford/Palo alto patrons. That's fine, I get it.
However, this place is an utter disgrace. It's filthy - everywhere. From the nasty toilets to the disgusting 30yr old dust mite-ridden scarves stuck to the ceiling.
I don't mind dive bars at all - I quite like the nuthouse for example.
Should mention the faux-painted wooden beams that grace the side of this concrete box. Classy.
Overall if you want to get food poisoning, get abused by douche bag bartenders in a crowded sh*thole, then this is the place for you. -
Review from Brett B.
Great place, great selection of beers, and it wasn't too crowd on a Friday night.
I also love the Trivia Tuesdays, but haven't been in quite a while. This is definitely one of my go to bars in Palo Alto!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/16/2010
Love the weekly Tuesday night trivia and $3 beers!!
I definitely need to return to get my trivia on! Read more »
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4/16/2010
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Review from Rose L.
I don't mind a dive, I don't mind some dirt, but I DO mind rude bartenders. We are nice people. We tip well. We don't complain about stupid stuff. The bartenders were OK to us when they figured out we knew what we were drinking, but they were total jerks to other customers who came in and asked questions about some of the beers. They never used a kind tone of voice, they never said "thank you" or asked how it tasted. It wasn't that busy; there was no reason for them to act so apathetic and put-upon.
As for the atmosphere . . .overall, I thought it was pretty decent. They have a dart board and a smoker's patio. It's dark and messy. The patrons seemed nice (with the exception of the obviously recently-21 drama diva trying to bring attention to herself the whole night), and it was semi-loud . . .we could still carry on a conversation. I thought the people were casual, laid-back and easy going. No pretense here.
The beer was so-so. We loves us some Fuller's ESB and were really happy to see it on tap here. Not so happy to drink it, though. It was definitely off. Then, we ordered an Old Speckled Hen. This was good, and I have never seen it around Kansas City where I live, so this made the visit worthwhile. Sadly, everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) hoppy or pale was "out," so my bf had to make no fewer than four requests before he found something acceptable to drink while I finished my OSH.
Ultimately, I can't stand the bartenders or the fact that so many of their taps were out. This scores a "0" star. The atmosphere and the fact that they have a different import selection gives them the two stars. Will we come back? Probably. But we won't stay for more than two beers. -
Review from uriah b.
Palo Alto, CA
I want to Love this place.... I really do, but there are a few things about it that I also want to Hate.... hence I give it a 3. a 5 for beer selection and location. I do enjoy coming here when heading out to down town PA. They have two dart boards and it makes for a great place to head to throw some darts and crush down a few potent pints of delicious hoppy goodness.
They aren't cheap, but for the beer selection its certainly worth it. My big complaint about this place, and it really is BIG!!!! Everyone that works there (with the exception of Sean, you rock dude!) is a completely F$##ing ASSHOLE! and the service is terrible. If you work at a place that has crazy beers no one has ever heard of before, they will ask you questions about it. You should be passionate about beer if your going to work here and love talking about beer as much as the people that come here to drink it and not act like its a huge inconvenience on your pathetic existence. I've never met bartenders who truly seemed like they hate their lives more then their shitty jobs. Hey, try cracking a smile and being polite and I might tip you.
Sure the place can get busy and crowded, but don't ignore people, avoid making eye contact and take forever to help out a customer. If this place had fun, outgoing, cheery workers it would hands down be the best bar in PA. But because of the worthless terrible workers (i don't know why you still have a job or work at a place you seem to hate so much) I almost hate coming here. -
Review from Brian K.
Key words:
-Dive bar
-Beer!
-College scene
-Middle aged men
Did I mention dive bar? Located in a parking lot in DT PA, The Rose offers and odd layout featuring a few key areas:
-the bar area
-the 'dining' area
-the outfoor area (aka an alley)
Lots of beer, assorted decor (flags, mounted boar head, guiness mirror, etc.). Cracked seat covers and an overall aura of dumpiness.
For who wants this - 4/5, for everyone else 2/5, so I think 3/5. -
Review from Jenna K.
It's a dive bar, through and through, and I can't knock it for that really. Though, I have to be honest, it feels pretty grimy in here. All the seats are cracked with white stuffing poking out. The tables look....sticky, I guess that would be the best phrase to use. (I am high maintenance...a bit...so grain of salt here, if you must.) I found the lighting to be too bright...maybe if they dimmed the lights, the griminess would fade away. I can't tell you what the bathroom looked like, because I was scared of it.
I love the idea of an English Pub right here in PA, but really, I don't think the English would allow this. Not that I would know.
They do have a great selection of beers...they have an Oat Stout which I love. I would love to give four stars for the beer selection...but the griminess prevents me.
But the place smells of stale fried food and dirty water. The entrance is confusing, one door leads to the patio and one leads to the bar. The patio allows smoking, though both doors of the bar are kept open, causing the smell of smoke to waft into the bar.
The "bouncer" was playing crosswords, and the waiter was drinking a beer as he carried a tray of food to a table....thing that make you go, hmmmm.... -
Review from Jamie C.
This place is literally the epitome of what you call "The cuts"
If my friends did not walk me here, I would never have spot this.
Fish 'n Chips - meh, could be more flavored.
Outside seating - yes
Super dark inside - yes
Dirty vibe - sort of
Overall - Cool if you're into some beer and food with some friends. -
Review from Mark L.
Mountain View, CA
Nice little place. Went there on an early weekend morning, only five others in the whole place, everyone was seating outside & twas a pleasant way to go. I liked the fish & chips & that @ a decent price, nice selection of beer. Gonna go back one of these... weeks.. months...
well I like it personally... though St Stephen's is now closer to my domicile... -
Review from Chris L.
Sunnyvale, CA
I really want to give this place a better rating it has just a great, unique selection of beers and a bathroom completely adorned with Lagunitas paraphernalia (best brewery out there). Unfortunately though, it's hot, cramped, smelly, full of Stanford douches and the bartender just simply tries to make you feel uncomfortable, despite my best efforts to be nice. I'll still go here, but I won't like it!!!
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Review from Danielle L.
San Mateo, CA
I brought two Brits here to watch the Super Bowl. It was the first time either of them had seen American football, and while they were not super enthused (one sang God Save the Queen during the national anthem), they enjoyed the atmosphere and drinks.
Myself, I always order cider, and occasionally curry fries or fish and chips. It's a great pub to hang out in, get tipsy in, and waste away a Saturday in. Frankly, the only draw back is the pricing...which is very Palo Alto. It's surprising what they charge for some of their drinks, and since they don't tell you in advance that the lambic you just ordered cost $8 or more for a tiny drink, you might be taken by surprise...especially after a few ciders. Bah!
Other than that, love love love it. Between you and me, I can't think of a much better place for a lazy rainy weekend day with friends. -
Review from Ben L.
San Jose, CA
I want to like this place, I really do. They have good food and the beer selection is ace.
But seriously, waiting for 45 min for a beer is ridiculous. Bartenders always talk about how they hate shitty customers that yells are them for service, but apparently the only way to get your order taken is to yell and get their attention because they don't check the area carefully and manage the crowd properly, so those of us that are trying to be polite and patient ends up getting shafted.
I would love to go to their trivia night, but I'm still pissed. -
Review from Alan Y.
Los Angeles, CA
Beer Selection = great.
Them actually having it = not so great.
That is probably the main draw for a lot of people. According to the board, they really do have an impressive selection of beer. But they might not always have what you want.
The fish and chips were delicious. Tad expensive, but definitely worth the try.
My favorite part was Trivia Tuesday. I love testing my knowledge and it's always fun seeing/hearing the reaction as answers are read. Beware, this is one of the more intense trivia nights I've been to. There was a significant amount of middle aged patrons as well as graduate students (Stanford is right down the street). In layman's terms, some smart cookies. One group nearly got a perfect score, which is honestly pretty impressive.
I also like how if you win a round, you win a round of beer for your table. unfortunately this only applies if you have a team of 4 people (or less I think is acceptable). But you can play with as many people as you want, you just won't be eligible for the beer. -
Review from Randi K.
Pleasanton, CA
Cool English pub. Great and wide selection of beers. Has a weird smell sometimes due to the fried English food they serve. Trivia night is fun there! Dart boards are cool. A fun place to chat and people watch.
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Review from Brian M.
Marina Bay, CA
Good place for a beer (or two) but the girls behind the bar are kind of in their own little world. Not friendly and a bit slow. It's also a bit depressing in there... very poor lighting, not very clean looking, unorganized -- guess that can be tolerated from most pubs but not in the Palo Alto area. The patio on the side is the only bright spot.
Be warned, the entrance is in the parking lot and not directly on Emerson St. We wondered around for a bit like lost sheep looking for mama. We asked the folks at the Thai place and they pointed us to "mama".
I actually don't know really what to say... not bad... but not a place I'd like to go back to. The beer was good, great selection but the prices are a bit high but not overly so considering the area. We skipped the food as it just didn't look very appealing. The view of the kitchen from the bar made us think twice.
Maybe we just caught them on a bad day? -
Review from Jordan Z.
San Francisco, CA
Sometimes a bar feels like it has put more thought into its beer selection than interior design. I call these places "Bar Bars." The Rose & Crown is such a place. It's not fancy, and it doesn't need to be.
On the night I went there it happened to be Belgian beer week, and they had a nice selection of Belgian beers on tap, including Duvel! Unfortunately they were out of Samosas, but a small order of fries is enough for 3. Friendly servers, great beer selection and the potential for samosas makes Rose & Crown a fine place to hang out.
I recommend the outdoor seating. -
Review from Katie Anne N.
San Francisco, CA
Awesome low key casual spot. Grabbed a beer here and was pleasantly surprised PA has a place like this. I was eyeing the lad that was eating the fish and chips. Will have to come back and try it out.
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Review from Sunil R.
Errr, not sure about this one.
It was loud when I walked in and kinda divey which I am good with. However the service was weak. The lady at the bar seemed annoyed and was a challenge to get her to help me out. I read that a smile was the best way to get the bartender's attention. Did not work here. Seemed more interested in catching up with other patrons who she seemed to know. I appreciate that but help all your other customers first before you chat about the weather. This negatively tainted the rest of the experience.
Food was below par greasy bar food. The restroom was nasty and entertaining with the graffiti.
Perhaps if you are a beer connoisseur which I am not, this place might be more attractive since they have a large collection and different glasses for the different kinds of beer which was interesting.
I ain't going back here. -
Review from Abby S.
Definitely a fun pub in Palo Alto - met up with some friends/yelpers here on Tuesday night. Apparently *this* is the place to be for trivia and it didn't disappoint!
Food - mediocre. Greasy fish and chips with little flavor. Deviled eggs were pretty good, though. I just started eating them recently and they're even better with bacon!
But people don't really come here for the food. It's the beer list and the company. And the trivia. Some seriously hard questions being fired at our team. Good thing they didn't ask anything about geography 'cause it would have been the true downfall of our team. We didn't win, but we certainly weren't in last place, either.
Servers were pretty nice, but there isn't any table service later in the evening. Lines weren't too bad, but it does get crowded. Would go back with some other smarty pants to play again.Listed in: Beer thirty, South Bay, SF, Salty Goodness, Palo Alto
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Review from Suni S.
Mountain View, CA
I frequent The Rose & Crown, not because I love the place, but for a lack of better options when it comes to craft beer south of SF. The food is nothing special, the atmosphere is meh, at best, but the beer list is excellent. Unfortunately, I suspect the tap lines aren't particularly well-maintained, and I'm not sure I'd trust everyone on their beer knowledge here.
That being said, the regular crowd is a friendly as can be, and at off-peak times, it's a good place to pop in for a quiet drink. I'm sure I'll go back again, unless another awesome beer spot opens nearby soon. -
Review from Matthew C.
Palo Alto, CA
Rustic pub with lots of charm. The place needs sand blasted, but if you can look past the decades of funk that has collected on everything, you will find yourself enjoying some of the best beers on the peninsula. They have an amazing array of hard-to-get brews on tap, including one of my favorites: Pliny the Elder. they are routinely rotating fresh stock, so drop by often to see what's on tap.
As for food, it is hit-and-miss. The best thing they do is fish and chips, and they are extremely proud of them (very expensive for what you get). Don't be surprised if you order a two piece f&c with a beers and end up with a $25 bill.
They claim that their deviled eggs are famous, but I am not sure why... perhaps because someone made a sign saying so?
This is also a great place to observe the Palo Alto start-up/entrepreneur crowd. Every time I walk in, I see other CxOs and founders of hot silicon valley start-ups. Great scene. -
Review from Angela W.
Stanford, CA
Tucked away in the back of a parking lot, Rose and Crown has established itself as the place to satiate your craft brew needs. An ever-changing blackboard filled with liquid quenchers on tap and bottled. The atmosphere is reminiscent of your stereotypical ale house: dim and musty feeling (but not musty smelling).
With their popular Tuesday night trivia, this place fills up with young people. Friday nights are cheery as are Saturdays before 9PM. Order your food at the bar and then take your pick of indoor or outdoor seating.
Two dart boards as well as an electric juke box for those who get antsy "just chillin" in the bar environment. -
Review from CHRISTELLE C.
San Jose, CA
As Uriah B. and Alan Y. Said, the beer selection is amazing, and they deserve 5 stars for this. The service? 0 stars, maybe 1 star if you're lucky with the waiter you get. There's a woman serving the bar, I've never seen someone working in a pub with such an attitude.
My husband loves to come here for the beer, but I hate it because of the service! -
Review from Jeremy G.
A great ale house tucked outside of view from the street and is a great place to stop for a tasty beer and food.
They always have some good beer on tap. My favorites are their sour (I forget the exact name) and the chocolate stout. Start with a normal ale or IPA and then end with the chocolate stout for dessert. Trust me.
I'm also impressed with the food. Where most bars, pubs and ale houses usually serve only greasy items, they actually a few tasty and healthy-ish selections on the menu. My favorite is the chicken sandwich. It's perfectly seasoned and very moist.
I always leave the Rose & Crown happy. -
Review from Matt S.
Palo Alto, CA
If I didn't have this little pub nearby, the nightlife in Palo Alto for me would kind of suck.
It's the epitome of a pub: kinda dirty, kinda gruffy bartender, great beer selection, random hard-to-find beers on tap, jukebox and dart boards. They also have an outside area that is awesome to chill out in.
I love coming here, mostly to see what kind of cool cask beer they have or random beer on tap. I also love throwing some tunes on the jukebox.
It can get crowded as all hell during nightlife busy times, but still great. People who goto pubs are generally friendly people. It's not like at clubs where if you bump into someone accidentally it's a big deal. -
Review from beck l.
Fremont, CA
Not my kind of place but the guys love it. It's loud, divy, and no drinks other than beer. So you see, my review might not be a fair one because I don't drink beer... just married to one.
Hard to find location. And it's cold in here. -
Review from Bob B.
San Jose, CA
I don't get it. The place is dirty, the service is terrible, and the bartenders are rude. Oh yeah, they have a huge selection of great beers....NOT.
They have a chalk board listing all of the rotational beers they have on tap. I ordered one, sorry we're out. Asked for a different one...nope. Then a 3rd and a 4th, no luck. If you ran out maybe it would make sense to erase that beer from the chalkboard.
As it ended up the beer selection that they did actually have was about average. -
Review from Greg S.
Although mostly a drab college hang-out, the Rose & Crown does offer some great beer selection in a hidden-away location in the heart of Palo Alto.
The patio is a decent option if the bar area is packed. On the food front, I've only had their fries, but they were satisfactory.
I have issue with their bartenders...rarely do they ever seem excited about their jobs, or much interested at all. Always checking their cellphones and sometimes outright rude. I think if they hired some really great and hospitable service, the place would light up and seem more inviting.
It's just an o-kay place...for a better experience I'd recommend the German beer garden in Redwood City. Leagues better than the Rose & Crown. -
Review from Margaret p.
San Jose, CA
great brew selection, fun atmosphere, decent service
Just wondering why when I asked a question about one of the beers you usually have on tap, and when you might have it again, I got a super lame answer. Maybe lots of people ask and you get tired of explaining why you don't have it?
and no, sorry I'm not going to follow you on twatter -
Review from Mark A.
Sunnyvale, CA
The only place I want to go have a drink really. I don't really like 'bar' atmospheres, so the dive-like feel of R&C is great for me although it does get quite busy. The real reason I come here is the beer. They have one of the best selections of any bar in the area, and frequently feature rare kegs when they can. I'll be camping out there when Younger comes out
