Latest reviews from Binghamton
| 68 /100 168 WATER ST “Dropped in here after a week-long gig on my way out of town. Did a little Google search & this place seemed okay. I parked in the pay lot behind them & got away with it. It was just so damn busy looking for parking otherwise. Maybe it's free on the weekends?
Slender, old, Boston oyster house sort of entrance. Immediate round table seating to your left, bar on the middle left wall, more seating on the right as it opens, brewery view way in the back by the bathrooms.
Sat at the long bar, big chalkboard in the back, amongst the swag, ESPN & cocktail mixers. Crowd was somewhat busy, lots of brunch girlfriends, almost no guys except this weirdo who sat right next to me before & after smoking, taking about the Mets. Bartenders were x2, plus a barback. He lied to me & said I would like the Key lime sour. The dunkel was marginally better. Some big beers on the menu I said no to because I needed to drive. Though... Though... The food was serious pub food. I can in during brunch & looked it over. I was curious about the fish n chips. Bar guy says fuck the menu, fish n chips is their best seller. Guy was totally legit & came out shaking the malt & laying down extra lemon. It was a hearty couple pieces & I could care less about the above average fries. Left happy, tab was small-ish, returned to my rental, went to the airport still wishing I had another piece of fish. American Airlines recently cancelled all future flights to Ithaca/Binghampton. I honestly don't ever see myself working there again sadly.
Good times.“ |
| 70 /100 168 WATER ST “Quick stop off here for a speed flight before heading out of town. Right around the corner from Galaxy. Open brewing equipment look. Seemed like a chill spot. Bartender was friendly enough. Decent beers. Solid spot if you are in the area.“ |
| 72 /100 41 COURT ST “Had a nice stop over here on our way home from the Finger Lakes. Some pretty good beers, highlighted by the Clax, a lime summer stout that was delicious. Food was solid too. Server was new and not very knowledgeable about the beer, but a few trips to the bartender sorted that out. Bit of a cheesy vibe, kinda looks like 80s diner decor, but that's fine. Nice spot.“ |
| 84 /100 Sam the Beer Man (Beer Store) 1164 UPPER FRONT STREET “Great selection of US beers, also from the west coast. Packed store. Saw some european bottles, like De Molen and bavarian stuff. Shame that I only have limited space for the next days.“ |
| 88 /100 Number 5 Restaurant (Restaurant) 33 SOUTH WASHINGTON STREET “Broad selection of beers, food is always excellent. Bar staff is hit or miss depends on their mood "fake it til you make it" comes to mind and they should incorporate. Excellent service in the restaurant. Bands are well chosen too.“ |
| 22 /100 77 STATE STREET “Not a "Celtic Pub"!“ |
| 78 /100 41 COURT ST “Food is excellent. Some of the best for a brewpub that I’ve been to and probably for the area. Service was helpful and attentive. Their IPAs were their best offerings of about a dozen beers. The other beers were just okay. Atmosphere is kind of bland. I think they could do more with their theme.“ |
| 62 /100 168 WATER ST “Service is at the bar. But at least they have a sign at each table to let you know.“ |
| 80 /100 41 COURT ST “Great brewpub. Both the beer and the food are very good.“ |
| 64 /100 168 WATER ST “In Short: The prices are good, the atmosphere is nice, so is the area, and the food was good. The beer is mediocre though and the service was also. Ambiance: The place is in a nice area, near the river, with a clean modern feel. Fermenters were right behind me as I sat at the bar which was nice. I liked the atmosphere here. Service: Our bartender seemed more focused on other things than attending to me. He wasn’t bad, but I wouldn’t recommend him for employee of the week. Food took a while to come out and all I ordered was poutine. Selection: They have 6 beers on tap, all were low alcohol and rather mediocre. None of them really fit their styles that well. Still, a varied selection. Food: Ordered poutine and I enjoyed it. It wasn’t the best, but it was good and rather cheap. Value: Beer and food are cheap, not the best quality, but worth the asking price. No complaints about value. Overall: This place left me feeling that it was very mediocre with no plans to improve. I wouldn’t come here again unless I was stranded in Binghamton, again.“ |
| 56 /100 Belmar Pub (Bar) 95 MAIN STREET “In Short: This is a cramped dive bar, but not with a bad crowd. There’s a few good beer selections on tap at a reasonable price. Worth it for a quick stop in, but not to hang out. Ambiance: If you like cramped and beat up dive bars, this is your place! I will say the walk back to my hotel didn’t feel very safe either. Service: Not much to say, I got a beer quickly. Selection: This isn’t a craft bar, don’t expect much. I saw two Ithaca beers on tap when I went. Value: Cheap beer and shots, not much to choose from for beer but a good value. Overall: This is good for a quick shot and a beer, but nothing more. The area is pretty run-down, or getting there. I saw a bunch of rough looking people on the way to my hotel.“ |
| 72 /100 Cyber Cafe West (Bar) 176 MAIN STREET “In short: This is probably the best beer selection in the city. The prices are high and the food ranges from frozen stuff re-heated to great. This is worth a stop if you’re in the area. Ambiance: Inside is a quirky hodgepodge decor that is expected of a cafe, there are plenty of seats and couches around. The area isn’t the best, but it’s not unsafe. Service: The service was good, I felt like a welcomed customer. I have no complaints, but I feel 9 and 10 should be reserved for service that goes beyond what’s asked. Selection: The selection of beer and food was good, there was a nice selection from Rogue to Southern Tier. Nothing out of the ordinary, but nice for the city. Food: This is a mixed bag, but I shouldn’t ever have to pay $10 for a frozen burger patty without fried. My girlfriend got fried banana peppers which were nice and the cucumber wasabi sauce was excellent. Value: Frozen patty for $10 and Rogue Dead Guy for $6.75 a pint. You figure out the value. Overall: This is one of the best bars in town if you want a varied selection and I hear there is great live music here. I didn’t love this place and certainly didn’t bother coming back. Once was enough for me.“ |
| 84 /100 41 COURT ST “In Short: Galaxy is a new brewpub in Binghamton New York that I visited while my car broke down. It’s worth stopping in if you’re passing through, but not worth going out of your way for. Ambiance: The inside is modern, but underdecorated. It has a very new feel to it. Everything is clean though and I enjoy the look of here. It’s also in a nice part of town. Service: The service here is world class. All of the staff I interacted with during my two visits was not only friendly, but went out of their way to provide excellent service in every way. I miss these guys, they became people I’d definitely be friends with if I lived in the area. Selection: At all times there are 12 beers on tap, with a wide variety of styles so everyone can find something that suits them. Food: The food was outstanding, honestly some of the best food I’ve ever had. They made chips from beets which were phenomenal. I also had deep fried green beans in a malted vinegar aioli which was superb. I tried one of their sandwiches, a steak sandwich open faced with sauteed green peppers and onions. I then tried a mousse of sorts with bourbon. Boy the food taste is still in my mouth days later. Value: Pints start at $5.75 which is incredibly high for the area, and it’s also incredibly high for a brewpub. The food prices were good, but the beer prices need to come down. When I go to a brewpub I expect to spend $4-$5 for a glass of their beer, not $5.75+. Overall: I love this place and would stop in if I were in the area. I wish them the best.“ |
| 64 /100 168 WATER ST “I was a student at Bing U when this place opened up. There is a decent selection of craft beers and wine that are available all year long (including samplers). Selections are available online so you can pair food with your beer/wine selection.
The seating area is kind of limited and you will find it to be packed during the usual dinner/happy-hour times, so waiting for a spot to open up will take a long time. Service is minimal for a "restaurant", as in the customer goes up to the bar and orders.
Overall, Water Street Brewing Co. is a great addition to the area. Worth checking out if you’re in the area.“ |
| 72 /100 168 WATER ST “A modern, minimalistic brewpub in the centre of town. It has an open ceiling with iron girders and the steel tanks and mash tun are on display in the pub. It had a good atmosphere and was very friendly and welcoming. Actually, we were greeted by a gorilla man (it was Halloween), who assured me that he was smiling under the mask when I took a photo of him! The place was quite newly opened when we visited and I hope it does well. Every town needs at least one place like this.
(Visited 31 October 2012).“ |
| 74 /100 168 WATER ST “On the way back from the Turkey day visit at the in-laws, my wife got a hankering for a halfsheet of Nirchi’s pizza to take home. the GPS guided us to the closest one and this place was next door. On street metered parking up the street. Long bar on the left also serves as the food ordering station as the wait staff stays behind the bar. The pork shanks were fantastic. Darker interior gives a nice feeling of your own space at the tables. Friendly owners took time out of their frenzy to talk with me and the wife. Active brewing going on. Open since March of this year. The work in progress is coming along just fine. Glad we bypassed Nirchi’s. By the way...Lemmy defends the Brewery from behind the bar. This is the only place you might hear one of your favorite old metal albums playing whilst you eat and drink.. Secret Treaties was playing in its entirety was I dined. Hoo rah!“ |
| 78 /100 168 WATER ST “Great litte brewpub in Binghamton. Worth checking out even if you’re just stopping by Bingo. Well crafted beers, knowledgeable staff. You’ll see the owners/brewers in there all day every day, always willing to talk about beer. They give away excess yeast to local homebrewers when available.“ |
| 64 /100 Sam the Beer Man (Beer Store) 1164 UPPER FRONT STREET “pretty good selection in what looks to be an old gas station. Good service. Had some top notch beers like 120 minute dogfish and worldwide stout, avery, great selection of rare belgians and much more. A great find.“ |
| 60 /100 Sam the Beer Man (Beer Store) 1164 UPPER FRONT STREET “Friendly staff and good selection of local stuff-Stoudts, Troegs, Clown Shoes, Southern Tier, Weyerbacher. Fair prices. Lots of other goodies too: Brooklyn Chocolate, Yeti, Green Flash.“ |
| 74 /100 Belmar Pub (Bar) 95 MAIN STREET “The Belmar is a great dive. 16 taps share equally between craft beer. and swill. All beers are inexpensive, and the craft beers change periodically. Ommegang Abbey ale on tap. This is not a fancy place, but feels loved and lived in. People go to this Irish bar for fun and good craic. They also go through an amazing amount of Jameson Irish Whiskey. Very good jukebox.“ |
| 60 /100 Number 5 Restaurant (Restaurant) 33 SOUTH WASHINGTON STREET “Classic brick firehouse converted into a very elegant restaurant. Expensive high-end dining, but there is a fairly sizable bar area. Very comfortable. Beer selection, while better than normal for the area, is somewhat limited and uninspired, with the exception of offering Ommegang’s Abbey and Three Philosophers ales. The food is outstanding.“ |
| 100 /100 77 STATE STREET “frankly a great overall place I dont know what this other guy that reviewed this is talking about he must be really old the music sounds great there.The selection is over the top for music and beer.I have never found the music to be loud but keep in mind this other review must be from an old person.I’m 32 and work selling hearing aids so go figure. this place is about the only hot spot in binghamton period.“ |
| 42 /100 77 STATE STREET “No drought beer. This self proclaimed celtic pub does not have any taps, not even Guinness! It’s the nicest and cleanest bar in the area and they have a great patio. This place mainly caters to the college kids that frequent the state street bars. At night the music is too loud and the place is too dark. Nice place to stop in for for lunch and happy hour.They do have one or two superb bartenders. Very Nice bar, but not a beer bar, and this website is called ratebeer.“ |
| 66 /100 Cyber Cafe West (Bar) 176 MAIN STREET “The Cyber cafe is the only venue in the Binghamton area that promotes and encourages original music. The cyber has a simple bohemian earthy atmonphere complete with mismatched chairs and couches. It’s a low key place that claims to have 20 beers on tap. Taps include beers by Stone, Victory, Dogfish head, Ithaca and regular stuff like Sierra Nevada and Yuengling. They also serve coffee drinks and cafe food. It’s the only place in town to see some live music and have a decent beer.“ |
| 78 /100 Sam the Beer Man (Beer Store) 1164 UPPER FRONT STREET “The widest variety in the Binghamton area makes this the default beer store. The Belgian selection has increased of late, but still lacking and unimaginative when it comes to German beers (never had an Altbier, ever). Well represented in regional craft beer but under-represented when it comes to the better national craft beers (no Russian River, New Belgium, etc).“ |
| 84 /100 Cyber Cafe West (Bar) 176 MAIN STREET “An artsy but not pretentious cafe style restaurant with interesting and delicious food. Order food and beer at the counter and find a seat. Place is draped in local artwork. Live music several nights a week. Very well selected tap list which rotates regularly.“ |
| 74 /100 Sam the Beer Man (Beer Store) 1164 UPPER FRONT STREET “Just off of 81 on Upper Front Street in Binghamton, NY. They have an excellent bottle and 6 pack selection. Locals, micros and internationals. No single 12oz though, only bombers. The place is tightly packed and a little hard to move around in. Prices are excellent! I don’t think you could find cheaper bottles or sixes at a grocery store. Clientelle is very varied. Students, beer geeks and townies. The guy buying Lord Chesterfield behind be stated, after seeing my purchase "You spent $54 dollars on a case of beer. You must got an expensive palate." It was actually 4 sixes and a four pack of Dogfish Palo Santo (for $14) but that should give you an idea of who shops there, the $54/case guy and the guy in the NASCAR hat.“ |
| 88 /100 Sam the Beer Man (Beer Store) 1164 UPPER FRONT STREET “I love this place, I also love the NY laws that allow you to purchase a bottle, 6-pack or case in the same place. Prices are great compared to PA and there is an excellent selection.“ |
| 86 /100 Sam the Beer Man (Beer Store) 1164 UPPER FRONT STREET “This is a good place that I frequent. They have a good selection of beers not available in my part of PA and is close enough for a day trip with a few buddies to pass the time. Recommended if you are in the Binghamton area!“ |
| 60 /100 Sam the Beer Man (Beer Store) 1164 UPPER FRONT STREET “Decent store. No 12oz singles and they won’t break 6-packs, but they have bombers of Middle Ages, Southern Tier, Smuttynose and others that I can’t find in DC/MD/PA. Worth a visit for the regional craft beer, though they do have some Belgians.“ |
| 74 /100 Sam the Beer Man (Beer Store) 1164 UPPER FRONT STREET “Stockpiles of beer everywhere. Eclectic collection: walked out with two Belgian specialties and case of PBR tall boys for Memorial Day. Good value.“ |
| 70 /100 Sam the Beer Man (Beer Store) 1164 UPPER FRONT STREET “I too disagree with the first rating (Sammy), and agree with JFURYCAT. The prices here are not bad, and they have a moderate to decent selection. Plus, they are probably the only real bottle shop in the area for miles----my guess is the next best places would be in Ithaca or Syracuse.“ |
| 70 /100 Sam the Beer Man (Beer Store) 1164 UPPER FRONT STREET “I disagree with the rating below. I bought several single bottles here including Rochefort for $5, Avery Maharaja for $6 and they had singles of Thomas Hardy’s 2004 available among the other beers. There was a selection of Belgian singles. Singles of Yeti were available. There was a variety of Bear Repubic bombers. I got a 12 pack sampler of Great Divide. They seem to like Middle Age brewing. They had Stone RIS a few month ago. In the back they have micros on tap and you can get growlers of beers like Arrogant Bastard, Rogue offerings and Victory offerings. The issue is you have to look because the staff are friendly but not beer geek librarian types who jump in to help direct unless you have the time to chat with them. They love beer and are good at matching your tastes but are more down to earth. The macros are here but the micros are noticeable. The prices rock!!!“ |
| 36 /100 Sam the Beer Man (Beer Store) 1164 UPPER FRONT STREET “This place was on the way down the 81. There are often good places listed in beerfly one wouldn’t othrewise know about, I don’t think this is it. Six packs only, a lmited selection of micro product line. A rough and tumble place, almost like trying to shop for beer in a gas station. Prices were fine for New York State. Just off the highway on exit 30. More of a "what do you want" and load it into your van type of place.Decent selction of Middle Ages 750s, a decent Belgium selection.“ |
