The Brewer’s Art

April 26, 2008
Went here during Max’s 72 Hour Belgian Fest weekend. Very crowded and we had no reservations so we had to wait and get a seat at the bar. Once we did we were able to order food and drinks. Had a couple of well done Belgian style beers and the chili (plus part of my wife’s burger). Food was good but not great (I’ll get back there for some real dinner). Loved the ambiance of the place and the cool hand-made tap handles. Only thing I didn’t like was the packed-in yuppie crowd. Will definitely go back!

December 28, 2007
Located in a beautiful restored home. Great atmosphere, arrived near the end of Happy Hour and had a hard time grabbing a seat at the bar. Decent selection of house beers, lil dissapointed that they only had one seasonal. Was hoping for a little something out of the ordinary. I ordered off the bar menu which was decent. I sat at the upstairs bar, didn’t learn there was a lower bar till the end of the evening. The staff was too busy for any one on one, and I’m not exactly sure they knew the beers. It was take it or leave it with everything. Not a bad spot for an out of towner, not sure I’d make this my home if I was a local.

November 26, 2007
One of the best selections of beer I’ve personally seen in a brewpub (I’ve been to about 20 or so @ this pt.) The place can get kinda loud on the weekends, tending to a younger crowd, but in addition to just having some ridiculous (and expensive) imports, they make some very excellent brews (like Cerberus). Service and food is spotty, especially when they pick up pace in the evenings and they USED to sell kegs, suspended for a bit (don’t know if they resumed), but god help you if you want to get a keg of Cerberus.

September 4, 2007
pretty rad place, not very noticable from outside, two floors, I sat downstairs very dark, candle lite tables, but overall a pretty cool atmosphere. Had a nice college crowd there on sat. night. beers weren’t all the rave I thought they would be.

May 2, 2007
This place is unique in that they brew (exclusively?) Belgian style beers. I have been once. Took my wife and we visited the pub downstairs so I can’t comment on the upstairs resteraunt. I had 3 of their house brews and they were OK. The best one by far was "Resurrection". Their Tripel was 10 %abv and a bit "hot". Their seasonal was a sour cherry that was decent. Their beers seemed subdued and thin in flavor and texture. There is no table service downstairs, you have to order everything from the bar. The staff failed to mention this to us and we sat for a while before I asked a bus boy. The bartenders are above average for sure but it can be tough to get up to the bar to place your order when it’s crowded. The food was excellent! I would like to re-visit though and try all of their beers.

April 12, 2007
Cozy ambiance. Friendly service. No only their own beers (in proper glassware), but an impressive list of bottled beers as well as a fair number of guest taps. Upscale food menu; nice presentation. Everything we had was excellent. Absolutely a "must visit" place if you’re in Baltimore.

January 12, 2007
I was here this summer and it was really nice. The food was very good--way above the standard of 98% of brewpubs out there. The decor was great, although the crowd on a Friday night was just too hopping for it--too loud. The beer was very good. These are not "throw away your Rochefort" Belgians, but they are very good and interesting, with a number of seasonals on my visit that were rewarding. It justifies a rating of "essential" if you’re in Baltimore.

December 9, 2006
Looks like Belgians are their specialty. An old marble mansion, the scene is a bit Bohemian and crowded. Didn’t eat at the restaurant, but I had a nice plate of exotic cheeses - a bit overpriced, but certainly high brow and it’s all going on the expense account. There were truffle flakes in one of the cheeses, so I’ve now finally consumed some of the confiscatorially-priced fungus. Beers were very good, generally, as long as you stick to the Belgians. The PA and porter were weak. The St. Festivus was very nice. Parking is a HO! Crowded, so the service was a bit over-taxed.

October 25, 2006
Belgian beer bar. It’s in a basement. Dark and almost dank. Always crowded when I’m there. Never eaten the food. They have a very decent selection of Belgian brews and their own beers. Their beers are above average, but nothing to shout from the rooftops about. Ecclectic crowd. Federal Hill is a very nice neighborhood.

September 24, 2006
We hit this place at happy hour on a Friday, and, being used to New York, we were actually shocked that it wasn’t more crouded - there was plenty of space to move around, and we were able to snatch a table in the bar area in under 15 minutes - the beer was all pretty good, and at only 2.50 a pop at happy hour, I was in heaven - the atmosphere was a little bit pretentious upstairs, and too dark and smokey downstairs, but once I got a few beers in me it didn’t really matter - the food was excellent (you have to get the rosemary and garlic french fries if you go here) - certainly an essential stop if in Baltimore.