Latest reviews from Claremont

“Attractive...and large...warehouse type brewery. Friendly staff and comfortable vibe to the place. The selection is very large...24 of 25 taps available during my visit...13 of which were IPA or pale ale variations...add to that another 5 dark beers (porters & stouts)...and those couple of categories were the bulk of the selections...round that out with some Belgium's and wheat's and that covers all but a couple of the 24. Note that two of the dark beers were barrel aged too. Worth mentioning besides those were the Pepper & Peaches (peach & pink peppercorn IPA), the 35 Mile NEIPA, and the Grapefruit Double IPA. There was also a nice Double IPA with mosaic & centennial. Claremont Craft Ales is an impressive place with a strong offering of beers. I highly recommend a visit here...worth driving out of your way for.“

PRBeer 2191 days ago

“good food and good selection“

beer000 2931 days ago

“Un salon de dégustation qui respire bien, on y étouffe pas et on a surtout moins l’impression d’être dans une brasserie comparativement à la majorité. Le choix de bières est étoffé mais malheureusement, plusieurs ont déçu. Le staff était sec et brusque par moment, hyper chaleureux dans d’autres.“

Marheb 2974 days ago

“Type. . . . . . . . . . ..Real Pizza and Upscale Bar
Location. . . . . . . .Downtown Claremont
Prices. . . . . . . . . ..Medium
Tap Selection. . . .Very Small, 5 max
Bottle Selection. .Possibly None
Samplers. . . . . . ...Probably Not
Full Pours. . . . . . .Yes
Beer Level. . . . . ..Limited
Food Level. . . . ...Very Good
Staff. . . . . . . . . . ..Friendly
Growlers. . . . . . ...No
Noise Level. . . . ..Quiet
Décor. . . . . . . . . ..Open, Piet Mondrian, "old" Modern
Good for Kids. . ..Sure
Parking. . . . . . . ...Street 2 Hour Limited
WiFi. . . . . . . . . . ..No
Cash Only. . . . . ..No
Recommended. ..Uh, Probably Not
Comments: Claremont is a great walking town with probably 10 rateable RB places in a 5 block area. Best in my opinion is Eureka Burger. Heroes and Legends is a tad divey. Back Abbey’s food is disappointing, it’s cramped, and their tap selection focuses on Belgian imports so it’s pricety. Union on Yale has the same owners as The Back Abbey. This place has better food with excellent wood-fired thin crust Neopolitan pizzas and great antipasti. Some awkward spacing with a central bar and open spaces. Giant outdoor patio is probably best place to post up. Tap list is very small: one Unibroue tap, Redor Pils, Moretti, 3 Monts Golden Ale, and then "Voortrust", which they claim is a custom beer from Belgium made specifically for them, which I guess is possible since Lucky Baldwins in Pasadena has been doing this. That custom beer was actually quite good. So my suggestion, come for the pizza, stay for the Voortrust tick. Or the other way around. Whatever you do, explore Claremont or you are just being silly. “

GT 3570 days ago

“This is a great bar, Excellent selection always of IPA’s excellent Anniversaries and Stouts, and Belgian’s on tap. Service isn’t perfect but the food is in always in deliciously huge portions and this place is a great go to. Give em a try for sure.“

Waterboy 3634 days ago

“Well, my review of this place might be biased since the beers I got were literally only available for about an hour out of the whole year, but here goes anyway. The place was packed on a weekday night. I happened to show up right as they were tapping PtY… well, ok, I was staying at a hotel a few minutes away and saw it on Untappd. I got a sampler with PtY, PtE, Cuvee de Tomme and another awesome brew I can’t remember at the moment. It was probably the most whale-like sampler I’ve ever had. It was $20, but worth it IMO. The service was nice despite being busy and the food looked good even though I didn’t get anything to eat. The ambiance was ok.. kind of your usual upscale burger/gastropub joint in an upscale strip mall with lots of other stores and even another beer place if I’m not mistaken…All in all, I was happy with my experience here and give them points for serving PtY without a clusterf**k situation.“

joeneugs 3689 days ago

“50 Beers on tap, I love the food., the craft selection and peanut shells on the floor.“

InstantKarma 3805 days ago

“Extremely small boutique cheese, wine, beer, charcuterie, olive oil, vinegar store with friendly staff and everything you need to host a boss beer or wine tasting. Great place to drop by if you are heading to a tasting too to bring palate cleansers and snacks. Beer selection is super small, but it did include Almanac special releases and Crooked Stave, which would give this reason to be added to ratebeer. It is also walking distance from 4 other ratebeer places: Eureka Burger, Beer Belly Deli, Back Abbey, and Heroes & Legends. So worth dropping in. Didn’t see prices on the beers.“

GT 3808 days ago

“Not sure why this is a ratebeer place, only about 12 taps. Only three were local micros. Guinness, Newcastle, angry orchard cider, la chouffe, Duvel, Sierra Nevada. Server didn’t know the rotating taps. No direction upon entering as to where to sit, seat yourself or whatever. No hostess. One server for 45 people. Decor of a deli and grandma gift store. Food was decent, not impressive. Burger was ordered Medium rare and came out well done. Not sure why they decided to build a clone of Eureka burger literally connected to Eureka burger. I don’t see this place staying in business sadly.“

GT 3867 days ago

“Big place, large outdoor partially shaded deck, inside is a very looong bar and some tables. Parking is easier than at most of the rest of the area, on street and a garage nearby. Servers are quick, friendly, helpful. Selection is top notch, and of course the burgers were tasty and creative. Well worth a visit.“

Travlr 3916 days ago

“Small, rustic place, crowded when we visited, but service was good despite that. Mainly Belgian beers, a few Germans - a small but well chosen list. Food is decent enough. Very pricey. It’s unusual, from what I can tell, to see Belgian stuff in quantity on the West Coast, so that would be your main reason to visit.“

Travlr 3916 days ago

“This is, as you might guess, a cheese place, which makes it an ideal spot to stock up on your way to a beer tasting or Ratebeer gathering, or just to visit relatives who might welcome you bringing some decent cheese instead of one more bottle of wine or store bough cake. The beer selection is small but unique, so you may find a good bottle to bring to that tasting - but prices are high. Since it’s smack in the center of twon, parking can be a challenge.“

Travlr 3916 days ago

“This is essentially a two room place, mostly restaurant on one side, mostly bar on the other. The line waiting for a bite to eat was long, always a good sign, but we didn’t eat - next time. Beer selection was small but interesting. Staff and other patrons were very friendly and helpful, and are more like normal people than beer geeks. Nice to able to toss your peanut shells on the floow, I’d like to do that at home. In the middle of the town, so parking can be a challenge.“

Travlr 3916 days ago

“Garage style brewery/tasting room with a very small brew system, but a large variety of stuff on tap. Reasonably priced. Friendly staff. Enjoyed my visit.“

Travlr 3916 days ago

“Extremely popular local tasting room with 12-14 house beers on tap including special one-offs. Tasters available of everything except one barrel aged specialty. Good prices- $1.50 to $2 per taster. Flights were well organized. Service was quick. Beer quality is all over the place from below average to average. Lots of variety from cherry wheat, to APA, to BA strong ales. For the beer quality, it really is perplexing how crowded this place is. Food trucks here on Thursday, Friday, Saturday so come hungry. Legit food trucks. About as crowded and fun as a brewery taproom can be.“

GT 3942 days ago

“Awesome place that I just discovered after 15+ visits to Claremont. A huge upgrade from The Back Abbey with better beer, better food, better prices, and better atmosphere. No reason to hit up Back Abbey anymore. Service was fantastic- they even have full menu/kitchen open until 1am. Vodka burger was insanely good, coleslaw excellent. The rest of the menu looked solid. Great value for the quality of food and beer. Sampler flights available. Had some odd local stuff including nearby Claremont Craft Ales, Cismontane, Brouwerij West. Great ambiance with patio, modern wood rafters, some old saloon type feel. Loved it.“

GT 3962 days ago

“Visited July 25, 2013.

This place is hidden in the back of the Packing House building. I saw the sandwich board on the sidewalk pointing the way but I ended up walking all the way through the building before realizing that this place is hidden in the farthest darkest corner. They really need a bigger sign, or at least get themselves on the building map.

Inside is very reminiscent of the old T Phillips with the high ceilings, the dark wood furniture, and the nice stone bar. Actually, come to think of it, the nice stone counter top disappeared when T Phillips became Lordsburg Tap House, which is about the same time that another appeared at Tony’s new place (Beer Belly Deli), hmm... Anyway, the place is a deli primarily but has a lot of beer as well. Not sure if either aspect of the business would survive without the other.

I had a Sculpin on tap but could have just as easily gone for Ruination, Chouffe, or Orval (scrolled past the $9 bottle price). Service was good. The prices were a bit high. My club sandwich was alright but the dill Havarti they promised was really only a small cube on top of the sandwich and not in the sandwich at all. Next time I’ll try the BBQ pork sandwich.“

t0rin0 3964 days ago

“Cool new spot right behind Eureka Burger Claremont. I got a Reuben sandwich on Rye with some chipotle mustard served with a side of sweet potato tater tots. 12 beers on tap and approximately 50 different bottles. Service was good, everyone was friendly. It is on the pricey side for a sandwich though. They are working out some opening kinks still and said the beer selection should get better.“

JoeTheYounger 3973 days ago

“Now that Eureka Burger has become a household name in the beer world (it seems) this place is pretty much constantly crowded. However, when one is able to get a seat at the bar it can be a very enjoyable experience. They usually have at least two very reliable IPAs on tap and once in a while a new tick or two from a local brewery. The food is good but the value isn’t there.“

wutangfinancial 3973 days ago

“Not really a beer place, but certainly a nicely done restaurant with a nice seasonal menu and some creative dishes. Nice craft cocktail menu and there are a few nice beers to choose from, including a Belgian Ale that is made specially for them called Voortrust. Can be a little uppity, but hey, you’re in Claremont (the Silverlake of the IE).“

wutangfinancial 3973 days ago

“Visited half a dozen times since they opened about two years ago.

Small store on the same street as Heroes, Pizza n Such, and Rhino Records in downtown Claremont. Its primarily a cheese store, and they have quite the cheese selection at that. They will also let you sample them before buying. Prices are out of control on the cheese though at $10 per.... half pound. They also have wine, snacks, and of course some beer.

The beer selection is pretty small but its well thought out. Pretty much everything they carry is either local or in some way boutique. They also have this inexplicable ability to get Logsdon. Last year when all of LA county only got half a dozen cases of the fresh hopped saison, the oaked saison bretta, and the two Flemish beers these guys managed to get some cases. You’ll also find Bruery, Stone, Golden Road, Ballast Point, and a number of other CA breweries along with some Great Divide. Bottle prices are on the high end. What this place is missing is a draft selection, even if it was just a couple taps, put some Saison Dupont and some AleSmith IPA on tap. I want to say I’ve seen people drinking wine in the store so they probably have the appropriate license to make it happen.

Service is quite good. These guys are all about the cheese. Since I’m not an expert I couldnt tell you if they are more knowledgeable than any other place but I do know that I can go in and say "uh, well, I kind of want something that tastes like Swiss cheese" and they’ll bring out 3 different Swiss-made cheeses. Only one tasted like the Swiss that you get at the grocery store but they were all good and opened my eyes (somewhat) to the possibilities.“

t0rin0 4004 days ago

“A serious Belgian beer bar in Claremont village right in the middle of things, though slightly hidden if you don’t know where to look. Pretty much always packed. The problem here is that the beer and food while good, is not good enough to warrant the cost. The frites were good but not outstanding, the sauces good but not outstanding. The burger not up to gastropub standard given the ingredients and price. Patty was gritty, not cooked as specified, with store bought paper tasting buns. Salad overdressed. Beignets were oily, not much flavor besides butter. Service was okay. The beer list is annoying because they ONLY have Belgian beer on tap and mostly duplicates of sweet blonde Belgian ales rather than variety. Some odd german beers and maybe one English beer. But it is ironic to overcharge for imported not fresh Belgian beers in the middle of BEER MECCA that is southern California! No flights available and no samplers even though the beers are expensive and have no flavor profile notes on the menu. Ambiance cozy, packed, can be overwhelming. No lagers on tap, nothing really hoppy. Also only serving beer in it’s matching glassware gets annoying such as saison dupont in an 8oz becher. For $10. Like Womencantsail said, large format bottles of these beers are cheaper than the tap Pours here. Come on.“

GT 4006 days ago

“Karma whoring at it’s finest, adding this place. Stopped in on my pub crawl of Claremont back in March. Pretty lame place actually. I mean, they did have a few taps including some Stone and some Bear Republic but in 20 minutes we didnt get so much as a "hello" from the bartender. It wasnt like there were a lot of people at the bar either. Looked at the menu for a minute and then made the call to go somewhere else, where I can actually get a beer.“

t0rin0 4015 days ago

“I’ve been by here a dozen times but never noticed it. The one time I did go in was on a "pub crawl" of Claremont after hitting I&I, Dale Bros, and Claremont Craft Ales and being dropped off in downtown.

I definitely get a fancy restaurant feel from this place. Dark lighting, quiet, candles on the tables, expensive drinks... not my kind of place. However they did have an interesting tap or two including some Craftsman beer that I hadnt heard of before. The bartender was nice enough. Didnt spend a lot of time here as the place was full and I think we were taking up room at the bar.

Maybe I’ll try eating here next time I go to Rhino or Cheese Cave.“

t0rin0 4015 days ago

“Visited a half a dozen times over the past three years.

Short version of the history behind the place: the Heroes on La Verne (later became T Phillips and now sold and will reopen as Lordsburg Tap House) split off and made this place, along with the location in Fullerton and a couple of Roscoes Deli (not chicken and waffles) locations.

This place is kind of large inside with peanuts everywhere, plenty of tap handles and tvs, and serves everything either in a pint or a liter. The beer is cheaper than a lot of places for the size that they pour but the food is more expensive. Classic "American sized" portions of course. They usually have a couple nice beers mixed in and even try out a random new beer or two. Dont ask for samples though, because not only will they not give it to you but they’ll give you crap about it.

I need to get back here more and order pints of Vitus.“

t0rin0 4015 days ago

“Visited a dozen times since opening.

We were customers 2, 3, and 4 when they opened. It’s nice that this place is only 5 miles away because I can ride the bike over here when they put new stuff on tap. They make some good hoppy beers but like most of the homebrewers gone pro they have some work to do. So far so good though, as their beers have gotten better and they’ve expanded the brewing system (albeit only to 3 bbl).

The tasting room can get pretty full with yuppies from Claremont but it’s still a good time. Lots of seating and they have a small area roped off outside with some gas heaters in the winter and misters in the summer. They also have food trucks regularly now, which is nice since there arent any places to eat in walking distance (though on Foothill there are plenty if you want to drive a couple minutes).“

t0rin0 4015 days ago

“Interesting that I havent rated this place yet. Been here probably two dozen times now since they first opened. I dont want to badmouth the place but it started off so good and has slowly (but steadily) gone downhill since opening. I appreciate their desire to put on a bunch of local taps and get some more popular stuff (Pliny, Blind Pig, Ruination 10, Enjoy By, etc) but the selection has become stale and so has the beer. Mission Shipwrecked is a nice beer fresh but I swear that it’s the same keg that’s been there since they opened.

Same goes for the food. The fig marmalade burger was one of my favorite burgers of all time but the last couple times I ordered it not only did it take an hour to get (the fries show up barely warm too), but its way over cooked. I always order medium rare knowing that it will show up medium well but this was very well done. One time we walked out before the food even showed up since we’d been there over an hour waiting (since ordering).

The bartenders are nice and if you are lucky enough to get a seat at the bar you can at least get some service but if you’re at a table, good luck.

I’ll continue to stop in and check out the tap list when I’m already in Claremont for something else like Heroes (this place has gotten way better over the past couple years), The Cheese Cave, Rhino Records, or even Back Abbey, but this wont be the sole reason for going to Claremont.“

t0rin0 4015 days ago

“Fancy bar/restaurant owned by the people from Back Abbey. Upscale food with an emphasis on seasonal, local, etc. ingredients. Eats pretty good, but it will definitely cost you. Special cocktails that run $10+ and a small but respectable list of beers, though similarly priced (~$8). They offer Sunday brunch and have games to play, such as bocce ball. I guess I like this place better than Back Abbey since it’s larger, more open, and has a better variety of food, but it’s still a little on the pretentious side.“

brokensail 4023 days ago

“Outstanding selection of Belgian beers, on tap and in bottles. Good food and good atmosphere. What a find!“

mgdo5756 4025 days ago

“This place was very enjoyable. The food was the highlight of the night. I had a burger that was cooked wonderfully and tasted the same. The beer selection was good and there were many diverse beers to choose from. The waiter was semi helpful but did not seem super knowledgeable. Overall a very nice place that I will frequent again.“

Barreras 4212 days ago

“Visited a dozen times now, usually when people are visiting from out of town. This place is about 2 1/2 miles from my house right next to downtown Claremont Located right near the Claremont Colleges. Luckily this place is on the edge of all that and on a quiet street so you can always find somewhere to park. Inside you’ll find some tables and a bar with some seating outside on the patio. Very nice place, if it wasn’t jam packed ALL THE TIME. I guess that’s good for them but it sucks for customers.

You seat yourself so no waiting for service, which is kind of sparse to begin with. I’ve never had to wait more than a few minutes but I’ve only been early in the evening (no later than 6). For the most part it’s college students in there with a few locals mixed in.

The food is quite good and they use "seasonal" ingredients (what ever is available at that time). The basket of fries are awesome, until you see the bill. Prices are ridiculous. A beer and a decent sized meal will cost you $20. But as mentioned before they are always busy so obviously people are paying these prices.

The beer selection is pretty good. You can get any beer style you want so long as it’s Belgian. Unfortunately they don’t have a lot of lambics but they usually have one or two, even if they are St Louis. People have spotted bottles of Westvleteren but I’m not sure if they are for sale or for show.“

t0rin0 4220 days ago

“Cool little tasting room in a business park in Claremont. The room itself is decorated nicely, plenty of seating areas, and a small bar at the front. The ordering/serving can be a bit slow. The service was okay, prices are okay too (6 tasters for $9). Beers were below average at best. Seemed to be fairly crowded, mostly with locals.“

brokensail 4306 days ago

“Was anxiously awaiting the opening of this place for a while now. It’s conveniently located across the street from my work! I showed up for the sneak peak #1 night from 5pm-7pm, which was neat because they don’t officially open until August 10th 2012. They had 6 brews flowing on tap (blonde, pale, rye IPA, oaked red, stout, black rye IPA) and it looks like a pomegranate wheat is coming soon. They are brewing on a three barrel system at the moment and they have growlers, t-shirts, and stickers for sale. There were probably around 30 people that showed up for the sneak peak and they do have some seats including a couch with fake grass on the ground and one restroom. I thought all the brews were really solid. I’m excited to see these guys grow soon.“

JoeTheYounger 4322 days ago

“Cool little pizza place in the Claremont Village. Not as many taps as Back Abbey, Eureka Burger, or Heroe’s, but always a Stone beer or two, some local stuff such as Dale Brothers, and a Bear Republic tap or two. Pizza is quite good, too. Prices are also reasonable, particularly for Claremont.“

brokensail 4324 days ago

“Not quite as extensive a tap list as the Fullerton location, but still good. Peanut shells on the floor kind of place. Pretty much the standbys on tap, but they do get a handful of seasonals in as well. Beers are reasonably priced. Food isn’t necessarily cheap, but there’s enough of it to kill a horse. Sharing or using a to-go box is recommended.“

brokensail 4324 days ago

“Came here fairly frequently when I used to live just a handful of miles down the street. Food is pretty good, but a little bit on the pricey side for burgers and fries. Beer list is good for the area, lots of local breweries which is nice. Could use a little bit more rotation in the tap list, though.“

brokensail 4324 days ago

“This place is sort of hard to find if you don’t know it’s there. In the alley that’s across from the 21 Choices/parking garage (and some other restaurants), it’s a bit tough to find if you’re not looking for it. The restaurant itself has a nice rustic feel inside. Low lighting with a short l-shaped bar, a long table in the center with some tables around the walls. The problem is that it’s very cramped inside, and not in a cute, cozy sort of way. There is also some seating outside, but the tables were all full. My friends and I took a seat at the bar. The place has about 20 or so taps and a fairly long bottle list. All the taps and most of the bottles are fairly easy to find Belgian beers with a few German, English, and other imports. The problem is that the prices are through the roof. I mean, $9 for a pour of Aventinus? You can buy a 500ml bottle for 3 or 4. The food is good, but similarly overpriced. The fact that I paid $11 for a 6 oz burger and a few bites of lettuce with some dressing is rather laughable. The staff seemed somewhat knowledgeable, but nothing "beer geek" about them. That said, you can’t really fault them for that. The food came out fairly quickly, which was good, but they were not all that attentive. Overall, this could be a cool little place, but they really need to work on their pricing. There is no reason for their beers (nor their food, to be perfectly honest) to priced the way that they are. I do not think I’ll be going back.“

brokensail 4419 days ago

“The Press is a small restaurant/bar located in downtown Claremont. The area itself is fairly quaint and the home of the highly regarded Claremont Colleges. The crowd at The Press varies quite a bit from the young college students to older folks who live in the area (or are simply visiting). While the appearance of the place is somewhat "high end" the feel is fairly casual. There are people who are dressed up for a night out and those that are simply in jeans. The restaurant prides itself on healthy food options and the menu reflects it. They have quite a large number of vegetarian (and even some vegan) dishes which are wonderful. I often opt for the Vegetarian Thanksgiving meal. The tap list is far from extensive, usually about 8 taps which have some standards such as Stella and Guiness, but generally also some beers from Stone and a few local breweries such as Dale Brothers and Skyscraper (among others). They also have Chimay White on tap which I don’t see all that often around here. There are some bottled beers and ciders as well such as Chimay Blue, Stone, Sierra Nevada, Sam Smith, Paulaner, and others (you can check out the list on their website). The service is generally pretty good, but I have had some questionable moments over my visits. They are always courteous, but sometimes a bit slow. Overall, it’s one of my favorite places to go for a nice meal because I know that I’m going to get good food, good service, and if I want a decent beer, I can get that too.“

brokensail 4419 days ago

“Great place with a great selection of beer. The food here is delicious, and the staff is very helpful. Ive been here many times and its always a good experience.“

amlove 4505 days ago

“Stopped by for dinner. They were running a Russian River "keep the glass night" which was cool. Big parking structure next to it. Somewhat dim at night. Good selection of local and non local taps. A pretty decent bourbon selection as well. Food looked a bit better than it tasted. Moderate pricing. Seemed worth while overall. Friendly service.“

BMan1113VR 4560 days ago

“What started as a challenge to try every burger on the menu has ended up being a weekly excursion to one of my favorite restaurants in Claremont. The burgers and beer are delectable, especially the Fig Marmalade with the Jamaican Red (I recommend adding Gruyere cheese).“

marshall1209 4582 days ago

“Great beers, great food, pretty pricey though. I would rather go to Eureka Burger unless you are set on drinking only Belgian brews. I took a date there before 2 beers each and dinner was over $100.“

JoeTheYounger 4589 days ago

“This place is pretty cool. Sports bar/restaurant very laid back with about 20 taps I would say. They always have a few Stone brews and always a few rotating. Last time I was in they had Great Divide Yeti and Double Bastard. I couldn’t believe they served me a 32oz. Yeti for like $12. Always enjoy going and the food is ENORMOUS! The full size nacho they said is bigger than your first born and they are right. Be prepared to share a meal with someone else.“

JoeTheYounger 4589 days ago

“Slick modern place. The burger list looks good. I thought the beer list here was well-chosen. They’ve got a good mix of widely-available breweries and local breweries I’ve never heard of. They also have a good mix of styles, running the range, with a few bottles to round it out. Overall a solid showing.“

Oakes 4650 days ago

“What a great find! The Back Abbey is among the best beer places I’ve been to. A bit pricey but not a gouge. Very good place.“

gd4evr 4778 days ago

“This place finally opened after months of anticipation. Found a seat right at the bar. Service was phenomenal and beertenders were super cool and talkative. Great beer selection and the short rib quesadilla was awesome.“

JoeTheYounger 4801 days ago

“Old college standby. Sports Bar/Restaurant with character down the peanut shells covering the floor. Decent beer selection but the main draw is the 32 oz specials.“

Injemanze 4855 days ago

“Outstanding beer selection, excellent food, walking distance from my alma mater, what more can I say. “

Injemanze 4855 days ago

“Been here several times and the last time I tried their Quack, a beer you are supposed to give a shoe for.“

TuskerPombe 4993 days ago