North By Northwest Restaurant

September 26, 2008
There’s not much to add about this place. I’ve been here about 15 times and it’s pretty consistent-beer is overall average and the food is above-average. Outside seating is great when the temp is below 100F. Bottled beer for takeout only-once in a while. The lambic/gueze tap is never on-never. I’m not sure why they even have it on the board. Not a bad place to stop when in the area but not a place I’d pick as my local

July 17, 2008
More Brewstaurant than Brewpub here. Large building has Northwest style contemporary trimmings with earthy stone floors and brick veneer on the walls. The vaulted and wood planked ceiling reminds me of a ski lodge. Average to good draft brews. No kriek style beers on tap during my visit. Good food, i’ll be back...

July 1, 2008 [ Updated September 15, 2008 ]
Slightly yuppy feel to the place, but relatively casual. Great service. My server gave me solid, thought-out answers to all of my questions about their food and beer, and everyone was very friendly (the bartender even lent me 50 cents for the bus). The food was spectacular. I have a special place in my heart for any brewpub that has vegan options. I had a giant plate of roasted vegetables drowned in lentils and parsley. It was phenomenal. Their beer is solid and offers a wide range of styles, but they had no guest beers. I will definitely be frequenting this place.

March 6, 2008
I am all for more Brewpubs in Austin and this is a good one. It just seems to appear and cater to the masses rather than people who love good beer/food. I haven’t ever really tried anything on their food menu that I just loved - it really isn’t that great. However, the bar area is a lot cooler and more enjoyable than the restaurant section. In the restaurant part of the building - the tables are cramped in practically on top of each other and on a Friday or Saturday night you can barely hear the person sitting next to you. However, the bar is nice and more laid back. The bartenders all seem nice and capable. The house brews are pretty decent and are worth a try (for the most part). Overall, not my favorite place to take people for food and beer - but if it is just the bar - I am happy to go.

January 20, 2008
Went on a Saturday night, parking... ha ha ha, great joke! Drove twice around until we parked across the street and just walked there. 30 minute wait for a table, and the joint was jumping! Waitress was on point all night, had great recommendations for me and the little lady. Ambiance- alot of chatter from guests (to be expected), great dining rooms with wood oven and fireplace, very clean. Food- very good- good portions, taste great, made me want to drink more. Beer- standard ups and downs as with any brewery. Summary- this isn’t in my top 3 places to visit in Austin if you had one night, but it is my top 5 right at the 5 hole. Great food, good beers, average waitstaff who initially greeted us, horrible parking.

November 10, 2007
Great food, not what I expected in a brewpub, more like a fancy restaurant with good beer. Good beer, with seasonals. Parking is a nightmare, with half taken up by valet. Nice dining room, big vaulted ceilings, fireplace, big windows. Recommended place to eat.

June 14, 2007
Good place to hang and eat/drink in North Austin. Beers are pretty darn good...although I’ve had a few I could skip. Food is okay.

November 20, 2006
A new and modern brewpub and restaurant on the north side of town which, according to its menu, tries to bring a bit of the Pacific Northwest to Texas. Nothing earth-shattering about it but, overall, not a bad place. The restaurant is really more the star here than the beers with the menu selections sometimes experimental but always great (oh! those garlic fries). Atmosphere is brewpub modern, lots of wood and exposed steel with the brew tanks visible behind the bar. Full bar service, also, and what appears to be a quite extensive wine selection. Beers are typical styles -- not experimental like Bitter End -- and are good but not terribly memorable. Five taps and a rotating offering, their Octoberfest was pretty good. Growlers available, no outside brands, which I respect in a brewpub. Worthy of repeat visits.

December 15, 2005
Parking is an f*****g joke. I spent more time driving in circles waiting for someone to leave than I did at the resteraunt. Crowded, but I was still able to get a spot at the bar. The food was way above average, but the beers were not. They had 6 beers on tap and all of them were without note, save for one, the PY Jingo Pale Ale. Worth a visit, if only for the food. Looses major points for that sad parking situation.

September 19, 2005
The food is the usual applebee’s type crap and the beer is terrible. All the beers I tried were watered down and I even had the beer sampler.