October 3, 2009
I think this place (now called Highlands) has moved up a notch or two under new ownership & brewery management. The beers are definitely better now, with some actual character which was missing before. I’m not sure where they are going to go with the music, but with a large stage and a great area for it, I hope they keep the live bands. (Plus I play in one, so I want to get a chance to play there). Thursdays are ladies night & they get to drink draughts & wells for FREE - no charge!! I may have to play a little dress up this week...

July 14, 2009
Sight is under new ownership and called Highlands Restaurant and Brewery. Half of the building was still under construction but looked to have a very nice atmosphere when done. The finished part we ate in was semi-trendy looking with a HUGE bar, TVs placed around to watch games, nicely lite as well and a big glass window allows you to look in on the brewing process and their fermenters while you eat. A patio out front looks like the place to be when the weather is nice as its covered and large. The service was pretty quick to get refills for pop and beer. The brews were overall pretty good but there are no sampler trays for their beers. They did however allow me to sample to brews at a time and decide which I wanted to drink. Food was okay with the typical bar grub plus some more trendy stuff. The menu online was almost exactly what was offered in the restaurant so you can plan ahead before going there. The only big knock on this place was the fact they had run out of fries (of all things) and my 2 year old son was sorely missing them. They did their best to accommodate us and subbed the fries for chips for the adults and grapes for the kids. I chalk this up to new ownership/management. Overall not a bad place with a large selection of beer and food with plenty of room to sit a very large crowd.

February 10, 2009
Decent place. Love their oversized pint glasses which have a line where the pint is and then another inch or so for foam. Food is good

February 6, 2009
This one started out strong. But the food has seemed to decline. The beer is good (not great). Nothing too extreme or exciting. Still an enjoyable place if you are with good company.

October 10, 2008
(Visited 02/2008): Alandale’s is located in Kirkwood which is not too far from St. Louis. It is on E Jefferson and there is a small private lot adjacent that stays pretty full, as well as street parking all around. The interior has a bar and dining area to the right, and another dining area that was under construction during my visit. Sea foam green and wood are the motif. The bar is large and V-shaped, and most seats have a view of the street thanks to large windows. The current beer list is on a large chalkboard, with the brewing equipment visible behind glass right next to it. The beer selection numbers around eight with one or two seasonals. The beers are available in samples if you ask the bartender nicely, as there is no formal sampler on the menu. They range from Lager to Porter, with a couple of interesting options like Altbier mixed in. Overall the beers are average to above average. Service was pretty good on a Wednesday evening. The bartender was familiar with all the beers and willing to pour samples for me. Food here is good. My BBQ burger was very tasty, and the homemade chips were as well. Overall this spot is worth checking out when in the STL area thanks to a pretty good group of beers and enjoyable food.

July 12, 2008
Alandale take no chances with their beer. Nothing exciting. Been here a couple of time to try to catch the entire beer rotation but I did’t find any standouts. There menu is much better than the beer. Service is typically poor. Growlers available.

June 24, 2008
A decent place but nothing you have to go out of your way to get to. Walking in there are 2 dining areas and the one to the left has a stage for bands. Beer is ok. Only 8 taps and nothing mind blowing. They have your brown, amber,pils,lager and porter etc. Your not going to find a Belgian trippel or barleywine here. Food was decent. I had the fish and chips which was huge and tasty. The one great thing about this palce is the 4-7 happy hour where pints are only $2. If i lived closer I could see myself coming back just for that but this is one of those places that is probably good for a visit to see whats going on but somewhere you probably won’t have to come back to.

March 23, 2008
Very nice place, even somewhat upscale. Waiter was well informed about the beers they brew and did a nice job of explaining the differernces in their offerings. Food was good but the entrees were pricey. The bar area was more active and noisy but the dining area was quieter. Musicians were setting up when we left.

March 21, 2008
Smoke-free environment always a plus! On the night I went they had a bluegrass band playing, which seemed a bit odd since the crowd was very young. Took a while to get service, but then the service was decent. Was told they stopped doing samplers since people kept stealing the glasses. They were out of a lot of their beers, a few I wanted to try as well. It’s a decent place though nothing spectacular. I did not eat here since I ate at Schlafly before I came here.

October 31, 2007
Maybe they’ve changed policy, but there definitely was smoking at the bar (thier web site still says smoke-free, though). Still, it seems to be settling in as a good neighborhood family place. Beers seem to be improving based on previous reviews. Not surprising that with this city’s German beer heritage they have a focus on lagers. I found their doppelbock a nice treat. The whole lineup is solid if not spectacular, no extreme beers on the horizon just yet. I rate the food based on their having a plate of restaurant-made potato chips as an appetizer for $4 because you need at least one decently-price nosh while drinking beers.