October 25, 2009
dirty dingy small. good beer, good people. very local. when i was there a couple of weeks ago they didn’t have a very wide selection and i was told it had been a bad year. the bottled porter is very good

May 2, 2009
I’ve read other peoples reviews and I have to wonder, did I go to the same McNeills, are there more than one? This place sucked ass. It was a total dive. In fact, it could only aspire to be a dive. I realized going in that the place would be a little rough around the edges, but it’s a shit hole. They only had a few beers on tap. Some of the beers they listed as available, weren’t. Other reviewers have mentioned food. I saw no evidence that they serve food at all. The one beer I had was good, I’ll give them that. Others mentioned good service. The bartender on duty could have cared less that I was there. She was to busy chatting up someone who was, no doubt, a regular. I have read that this place can be up or down. Unfortunately, it must have been down when I was there. If, and its a big if, I ever darken their door again, I hope to see the McNeill’s others speak of.

March 17, 2009
We live here in Brattleboro and McNeill’s is one of the reasons why. First, you need to know that Brattleboro is a unique town with vastly different people all living together in harmony, a true melting pot. McNeill’s is the pub you will find every type of Brattleboro "character" from our smelly hippies to our business men in suites. McNeil’s is designed to be a social pub, with long tables, friendly staff and friendly patrons...there is always a good conversation to be had at McNeill’s. With that said lets talk about the beer. It is true some days there are lots of beers with freshly cleaned beer lines and other days that there are only two or three beers and the lines are dirty. It is also true that the beer is inconsistent, I like to forget the beers have names and enjoy them for what they are that day. Truth be told Ray McNeill is a great brewer. We enjoy the element of surprise and creativity at McNeill’s, we are hooked!

January 26, 2009
This is a charming little place to plunk down and try a handful of excellent, fresh beers. Service is excellent: fast and knowledgable. They will not let you go thirsty waiting for a bartender. There is nothing pretentious here: no flashy skiiers laughing too loudly. Full of locals and sometimes a dog or two. Wooden chairs arranged along long tables. Chips and dips. Music is usually pretty good: tending towards "indie" rock when I’ve been there. You can feel comfortable haging out hre alone with a book, observingthe locals and enjoying the beers.

November 27, 2008
I have a tortured relationship with McNeil’s. On a given day, it can be charmingly rustic, with some great people at the bar, dats that work, items advertised on the menu actually available, and fresh, clean beer. Of course, reviewing McNeill’s under these hypothetical conditions is like judging communism from its implementation in the USSR. Tried to make a reference that would resonate with Brattleboro patrons and likely failed miserably. That said, on some nights it’s great -- the beer is plentiful, and fresh. On others, they’re sold out, and the lines clearly haven’t been cleaned. Fortunately or unfortunately, it’s the same price regardless. I’m not sure if it helps, but the cask ales tend to be better most nights, which is great since their ESB is a standout. Food can be, surprisingly given the minimal prep space, tasty and distinct. The black bean dip and hummus have been great on occasion. Despite this review, I’ll probably continue to go 

May 19, 2008
This place is all about the beer, right down to the smell. I loved it though. They had a great range of their beers on tap. The bartender really didn’t say much to us just a few head nods but that was OK, It was an eclectic crowd in there. They sell growlers of their beer and bottle. They are also priced really great. The best brewery I have been to in VT hands down.

January 8, 2008
Great brewpub with an english pub feel. The bartenders seemed a little snobby on the few occasions that I’ve been there, but, they were definitely knowledgable. Good selection of beers, however, they neve seemed to have any of their most sought after beers on when I was there. Great place to visit if you make it to southeastern Vermont.

September 20, 2007
Numerous selections. Their amber is one of the best I’ve ever had.

July 11, 2007
A wierd town and a wierd bar, certainly worth the visit. Second week in July, and more people smoking outside than drinking inside. Hot inside. A freaked-out bartenderess. Three taps, and a cask. Alabama trucker meets New England. Jazz music played to blue collar. Ancient bar and tables and chairs. I heard they were robbed recently. That would explain a lot. Basic bar food. Cheap, and quick pours. Still, I would like a lot more taps. A few handpour bottles in the cooler. Not worth a long drive, say 3.5 hours from Burlington. 40 minutes from Western Mass? No problem, in daylight.

May 8, 2007
Had a nice evening here. Tried a few pints of different offerings, both on tap and cask, and had the chips and salsa (great stuff). Interesting people all over, and had a great convo with a local named Bill. Took home 4 bottles of their brew. Definately a cool place to stop if in Brattleboro. Nice atmosphere and good beer.