October 10, 2009 [ Updated October 11, 2009 ]
With all the money they spend on adverts it’s hard for a beer connaisseur to not have their curiousity piqued. But don’t waste your time. Consider the location- a mecca for angry, sweaty, hungry tourists who put through hours jammed-packed in an elevator for that Empire St. Blg. experience. The restaurant is more of a business than a place to pride beer and given their location, why would they? All the negativity aside, the bartenders are really great guys who put up with that daily dose of "non tip paying out-of-towners". They know what style you’ll enjoy, and they probably like their job. Good for them. I couldn’t do it. #3 on 10102009 DG.

September 27, 2009
Went here for dinner on 9/26. Style is clean, old time America. Much bigger than I had expected with massive amounts of seating (for Manhattan standards) downstairs. Every corner is decorated with old beer signs and wheat husks.. somewhat tacky but enduring. The fare is American - Rotisserie, Burgers, Ribs, etc. Prices are on the high side. Food was good, beer was good ( 4 sessionals + 4-5 year round brews on tap). Better than I expected. My biggest gripe... I was really confused when 18% gratuity was already included on my bill.. Especially since we were only a group of 4. I thought this was a bit sleazy because it made no mention to "tip", just "+18%" ... Clearly looking to take advantage of tourist/foreigners who may think they need to tip on top of the bottom line.

August 28, 2009
An easy stop for the NYC tourist. This one is really at the ground floor of the Empire State Building. This is a touristy place, a HUGE touristy place. I thought it was very big from the ground floor but then I went to the bathroom one floor below and realized this was one of the biggest place on ratebeer. Beer is what I expected. About half-a-dozen on tap, their classic Farmer Jons Oatmeal Stout was enjoyable. The others were lame. Food was good but nothing special. Prices (beer and food) are a bit steep for what you get. Overall I don’t recommend it. Get some quick food at a cheep pizza place and spend more time at Gingerman that is only a few blocks away from there.

August 22, 2009
i stopped here after a visit to the empire state building observation decks. i had some mini burgers which were ok. the place was nice enough, but didn’t have a lot of personality. the service was professional. also, the beer and food was signigficantly cheaper than at my new jersey hotel, so i found it to be a comparative value even though it is in manhatten. the beer was decent enough, and i enjoyed the indiana pale ale the most (i had a sampler of the 6 house beers). there were a few seasonals on tap also, which i did not try because i had a lot to do before the long trip back to new jersey. maybe next time.

August 10, 2009
Nice cozy place, decent selection although not all their beers are all that good. Not exactly cheap either. Got samples before we bought, so that’s nice.

July 24, 2009
Very shrewd move to place a brewpub right next to the Empire State building! This bar conforms to the format of the other 3 or 4 Heartland brewpubs in NYC. Spacious with the option of bar or table service. The full range of Hertland beers available; and a six-beer taster board is offered for $16 - on my visit yesterday I was given eight beers. A comprehensive food menu is offered and service appeared quick (I had dined elsewhere on an American scale so didn’t sample food on this visit). By far the most impressive beers on yesterday were Indiana Pale Ale, hoppy and aggressively bitter; and Farmer Jon’s Oatmeal Stout with bitter roast malt and delicate chocolate notes along with grassy hop aromas. To anyone visiting the Empire State Building - Do NOT miss this pub!

April 13, 2009
This Heartland is the nicest one of the chain, in terms of aesthetics and atmosphere. Also, it has a nicely diverse menu, and most of the food items are quite good. The beer selection tends to surpass the other Heartlands also; usually, these guys have the most on tap. The problem is that it is easily the most expensive Heartland. They cater to tourists, and often you pay for every single round. The foods tends to be a little price also. The service is decent, not outstanding.

March 29, 2009
nothing special here. cavernous room under ESB. Beers were below par as was the food. As noted, was like a tourist trap and would have preferred eating at a Chilies.

March 22, 2009
Big place under the Empire State Building. Beer was average at best. Did not try the food. The place didnt have a great feel to it. Another cold chain kind of place. Tourist trap out the door. Still a tidy place mind.

February 6, 2009
Good for ticking and nothing else. The ultimate tourist trap, this place rushes you through like nowhere I’ve ever been. I guess that’s good service, though you are being pushed out the door within 15 minutes of getting your food (which comes within 10 minutes of ordering every time -- never a good sign). The food sucks too, as does the beer, but I guess if you want some quick, easy ratings, this is a decent bet.