November 5, 2011
Unusual place where you can do your laundry, shoot some pool, have a beer and order a meal from the place next door. Good prices on beer make this a tempting opportunity. has a great selection of beers 30+. It’s kinda cool that there aren’t any waiters, just a bartender. So you gotta go up to the bar and order your beer - efficient operation. The bad It’s a bit seedy, with a bad smelling bathroom.

May 4, 2011
A mandatory stop for ale tourists and locals who love their craft brews. I don’t know how they manage to maintain such an impressive selection of fresh ales at reasonable prices, but they do. ESC also seem to have a direct line to Russian River and always seem to have 2-4 of their brews on tap. Service is excellent and the staff know their stuff. A broad cross section of local micros and nanos is here, along with key Cali beers and a few from non-Left Coast brewers. They are now serving "authentic Sicilian cuisine" which I didn’t sample on this outing but from the looks of things I am officially concerned for my waistline. Prices are excellent (5.50 for a pint of Pliny!) and better if you catch a special. There is pool, air hockey and ping pong in the back and the game will be on (silently) on one of a few screens. The place is a dive bar with all the things I look for in a place which cares about its beers. If they added some international choices, I’d move in!

November 27, 2010
Great place. Huge beer selection. Plenty to do, pool, air hockey even ping pong. They seem to have Pliny on tap every time i go. Only downside is no food and they only have casks on wed.

November 15, 2010
The best pub for craft beer lovers in Olympia. Loads of atmosphere, but it may be a tad low-rent for some folks. Not to fear: the service is excellent, the staff are knowledgeable and the varied crowd mixes well. Prices are very good and even better if you catch a special or happy hour. No food is served, but you can BYO, order in or go with one of the informed recommendations of the bar staff as we did. Pinball pool and other electronic entertainment are on in the back area, the game will be on discrete TVs, you can chat with your mates or sit at the bar and talk beer with the barkeeps. A shining star (figuratively, not literally) of the craft brew world in the PNW.

November 22, 2009
Ha! One of my alltime favorite bars, 36 beers on tap these guys have been keeping Evergreen College drunk since Matt Groening went their in the 70’s! Just the right amount of Oly hippy, mixed with young college kids, mixed with lawyers and musicians... and oh yeah, BEER! They had always been a micro brew bar and pool hall, well I’m happy to say they are keeping up with the times and bringing in some great beers! But go there often, they do so much volume that the beer goes fast!

October 13, 2009
Dive bar in Oly with some damn good taps and at very good prices. I have been in twice now and one time I got a RR Damnation for $4 (12oz) and the other time I got a 2 year old Gnarlywine on draft. Draft selection has alot of the usual suspects, but there is usually about 2-4 that are standoutish. Like the feel of the place, but I have to knock the draft lines...way dirty.

August 9, 2009
The Eastside quickly became my local after I moved to Olympia a couple of years ago. It’s an old bar & the current operator, Adam, is, I believe, the 3rd generation to run the place. Tremendous selection w/ no macros on tap (well, they have Oly on tap but hey, it is Olympia). There is a selection of about 20 beers that are on the regular board and another 20+ on the seasonal board. There are 2 nitro taps (usually Hale’s cream & a rotating seasonal) and a hand pump. The focus is on NW craft brewing plus some California - there’s generally a few Deschutes on tap, Laguinitas, Russian River, Stone, Port Townsend, Manny’s, Elysian, etc. ESC doesn’t serve food (other than popcorn & pretzels) but you can bring your own in - the latest restaurant next door closed a couple of months ago. The ESC is still cash only and has some of the best deals around during happy hour ($2.50 for most pints of craft beer) and thirsty thursdays. The ambiance is kinda cool b/c there is such a mix of people - lots of Evergreen students & hippies, lots of government employees, tourists passing through, etc.

February 21, 2009
Excellent stop, especially on thirsty Thursday, when most pints are $2.50. Amazing selection includes beers on cask and nitro. Only one person seemed to be working, but he is destined for the bartenders hall of fame for both speed and quality of pour. Food available through window to neighboring diner. Pool tables and plenty of PNW young adults with dreads and facial hair. A lovely place.

May 20, 2007
Best place in the PNW!! Not pretentious or snobby, but a friendly place to relax and drink beer with friends. Barmen are the best around. Service is fast, entertaining and friendly. Everybody is a local at the Eastside.

April 20, 2007 [ Updated September 9, 2008 ]
One of the greatest beer bars I have ever found. This is a 60 something year old bar that serves beer only and takes cash only. They have 59 taps with some of the best beers ever. The bartenders know what they are talking about and they try to be sure you get the best beer every time. There are 6 pool tables, Ping pong you can even do your wash there if you want. They have food from the place next door you go to the hole in the wall and order they buzz you when it is ready. No smoking which rocks and great music and they have plenty of great beers to serve the crowds. If you want PBR on draft they have it. Ewwww but hey they also have some great rare nitro’s and cask ales. Check this place out. It is must see in Olympia.