Brouwer’s Cafe

September 29, 2008
Amazing selection, atmosphere, food and ambiance. Does everthing right. It is like the Disneyworld of the brewing world. Very upscale decor that is clean and invitining. Great bar, lighting, tables and booths. Unmatched selection and amazing food. You really could not ask for more.

September 15, 2008
This place does have RR Deviation. The downside? It is $40 and cannot be taken home. Despite this, this place rocks. Some amazing PNW beers on tap, the food is decent, and the ambiance is definitely Belgian.

August 17, 2008
Nice ambiance, big bar with lots of taps. Good selection of bottles too. Food is decent. Worth a visit!

August 3, 2008
I would just take up residence here if I lived near Seattle again. Great location, love coming down to Fremont whenever I get a change when I’m in town. I always make a jaunt over to Gasworks for purely sentimental reasons and come here and enjoy their amazing food and tap selection. It is so refreshing to be around a staff that is that knowledgeable. Been here several times in additions to Bigwood and Hard Liver.

July 3, 2008 [ Updated August 14, 2008 ]
I will go back, because they were having a barleywine/high percentage fest when I was there so I cannot speak to their normal arsenal (rated high on reputation and on the heat they brought for the fest). Staff gets a little bashful when it comes to throwing out drunk idiots, which I don’t respect, but other than that this rivals Brookline’s Publick House in execution.

June 11, 2008
Best combination of craft brews and atmosphere of any bar in Seattle, or any place else I’ve been. Kinda of a brooding yuppie bar feel to it at first but the geeks and freaks clientele quickly quashes that notion. Just a block from the Burke-Gilman bike trail so you can cycle here from Redmond if you so desire. Across the street from the original Redhook brewery and tap room (now in Woodinville). Perfect location in the Fremont district.

May 22, 2008
Last trip 2 years ago went Friday night and could not get a seat. Went Saturday afternoon this time and had excellent food and excellent service. Great beer selection. Daily beer menu.

May 13, 2008 [ Updated August 8, 2008 ]
Visited the evening of Monday, May 12th with after4ever. This was day #4 of their Sour Beer festival, so for a sour fan like me the selection was just amazing. The restaurant itself is very open and modern. The bar is large, covers two full walls. The glassware is always perfect, clean and the condition of all beers I had was excellent. The crowd was pretty thin and tame when I arrived, but by the time I departed, most tables on the main floor were filled. Staff was attentive, knowledgeable and interesting to talk with. I had the cheese plate, and the croque-monsieur both of which were decent. I have heard this place is chock-a-block with people on the weekends, and I’m not sure I would want to be there for this. Overall, a great place with an incredible beer selection and a nice simple menu. This a great place.

May 13, 2008
Fantastic beer bar, probably the *nicest* beer geek’s paradise I’ve ever been to. The interior is stunning, from the giant horseshoe upper balcony area to the beautiful wood bar and some of the most comfortable bar stools that have ever graced my ass. Practically every effort is made here to present the beers at their best and most extravagant as well, with proper (and immaculately cleaned) glassware, a terrific short-draw system, and port hole glass doors to the refrigerated walk-in (set to a proper cellar temperature, not too cold) where many of the wonderful bottles are on display. They also throw terrific festivals and pull out the stops to procure the best and hardest-to-find bottles and kegs that they can, including one-off rarities and vintage treats. The *number* of bottles they have on-hand does not speak to the quality of goods, which are all top-notch. Prices can be a bit much, and I thought the food was just decent after it sounded so good on the menu. It’s certainly a bit more ambitious and Belgian-themed than your typical American pub fare, but I think the execution is a bit off. Still, of all the pubs that I’ve been to, this place comes the *closest* to doing everything right, and matching what I would put into my own establishment if/when I ever open my own place. The single malt scotch bar is an added bonus and a captivating scene in its own right.

April 6, 2008
This is an utterly fantastic spot, by far my new favorite. You might just feel like you’re in the basement of a castle in Belgium. The beer selection is the best in town - more than 60 taps, none of which is fizzy yellow macrocrap. Great selection of rare bottles, too. To boot, the food is amazing - everything is not only delicious, but a perfect accompaniment to whatever beer you might be having. They also have a full bar and a great whiskey selection. The service is generally very good, though I wish the staff was a little more eager to teach us a few things about their selection, and the kitchen can be a little slow. Overall, though, it can’t be beat.