The Bitter End Bistro & Brewery (OUT OF BUSINESS)

November 19, 2006
February 2003: My impression: standard main street brewpub with average food and averagel beers. Marginal service and pricey merch.

April 17, 2006
B-Side...dark, cool, a place to just get away and just have a few tasty pints.. Iwas there the day of the fire...what a damn shame...

December 9, 2005
RIP Bitter End. Victim of an Aug. 2005 fire and the landlord’s subsequent decision to non-renew their lease. Here’s what you missed: In describing the ambience of the Bitter End, it’s important to note that there are two distinctly different sides to the place. Well, not that distinct: they’re both fairly upscale looking, but whereas the restaurant side has a well done but generic brewpub atmosphere (they’re obviously after the yuppie dollar with their $10 hamburgers), the B-Side feels more like an underground meeting society. Unfortunately this can also extend to the service. Too many of the bartenders in the B-Side tend to look down their noses at you if you don’t come in dressed like a terminal preppie (to use a great Jello Biafra coinage). But then again, other times you’ll get excellent service so I’ll meet ’em halfway in this regard. Yet the B-Side always has two additional beers on tap over the restaurant half, and these two beers are usually the best on offer at any given time. The only problem with the Bitter End is that many of their specialties are highly addictive (the Whiskey Stout is probably the best stout I’ve ever had) but if you’re lucky they may be on tap for 2-3 weeks at a time. The bright side is that most all of their specialties are well worth drinking - it’s hard to imagine that the Bitter End isn’t one of the best brew pubs in the state.

December 3, 2005
I sat at the bar and had beer and dinner. There were a few very good beers, and a few that were just ok. But overall, they were all above average. The food was good, but a little overopriced. This place may be too trendy for some beer enthusiants. But what do you expect in that part of town. The bartender that served me gave me great service, and even comped me a free beer. Worth a try if you are in the area.

September 3, 2005
Very knowledgeable staff and good selection. Light airy facility with lots of sunshine and comfortable seating. The Bar is a great place to sit and make new friends as you try some new seasonals. Easy walk from a number of other venues.

August 21, 2005
nice place. the food is out of my league but the beers are alright. they have some pedestrian offerings, but they have to stay in business afterall. a bit of an upscale crowd in the restaraunt proper but the b side lounge where the good beers hide is a different creature all together. i spent my evening talking poker with aceofhearts and drinking too much, so good times i will be back. and as an fyi, the growlers easily last a week if kept cold and unopened.

August 18, 2005
My second trip to this brewpub. I thought the quality of the beers has went down in the last year. The typical Bat City and Austin Pale beers were predominate. The Black Beer and Bullseye were marginally OK. The "B-Side" of this bar had the 2004 Barleywine and Happy Jack Black Imperial Stout; both of which were quite good. Ambiance was OK, but was dimly lit and I think I have memories of this place being something else many years ago. On the negative side, I think the bartender was not very knowledgable at all. Knew the buzzwords, but that was about it. What really pissed me off something terrible was that I asked him at 10:30pm about buying a growler, and with the slow service (and decent selection) by the time I got to the Imperial Stout it was 12:05am, and he nicely and politely informed me that I had missed my window of opportunity on the growler by 5 minutes. What a dumbass! Needless to say, his tip took a nosedive south. Overall, mostly decent beers with a couple of much better than average. Unfortunately, they are in desperate need of knowledgable service and this experience left me wondering if I will frequent on future trips.

August 17, 2005
Service blows and everyone in the place is much, much, much cooler than you. I had some really good beer and some really crappy beer. I didn’t try the food.

August 14, 2005
Nice atomosphere in downtown Austin. Beers are great, food is overpriced and mediocre. Service is almost nonexistent when sitting at a table- I suggest sitting at the bar.

July 20, 2005
Do not miss this place if you come to Austin. Brian is brewing the best array of beer in central Texas. From excellent, "to-style" and more German pilsners and lagers to Bourbon-barrel aged Wee Heavy and Barleywine, Saisons, Tripels and more, you can count on 8 or so delicious beers to choose from. The side bar, the B-Side, is an excellent lounge to hang out in. And like Austin, it is visited by some suits and some shorts & flip-flop customers. The food is delicious but affordable. From chicken-fried antelope to a great hamburger and the best fried calamari I have ever had, you will find something to enjoy with your beer. Yes they have wine and the hard stuff, too. There is also a patio to enjoy the outdoors. Free wi-fi though not advertised.