Cally’s Restaurant and Brewing Co. (formerly Calhoun’s)

June 28, 2008
Very nice spot out in Historic Harrisonburg. The beer is excellent and the food is tasty. The staff is very friendly, especially the brewers. Samplers are available, along with growlers (German style swing-tops). It’s a shame they had to change the name though.

October 25, 2007
I was actually very pleased with this place. The beer wasn’t outstanding, but definitely acceptable. The location is pretty cool, in quaint downtown Harrisonburg right across from the main square. I dropped in for lunch and they weren’t busy at all. The layout is very open with lots of hardwood and, at least during the day, lots of sunlight. I had pretty good service, good food, and some beer. Really, it was quite an enjoyable experience. I don’t know how busy this place gets at night, but I was relaxed, comfortable, and satisfied during my visit.

September 27, 2007
Great Micro-brew. They aren’t perfect, chances are you will find a beer you don’t like... but this is mostly because they are constantly trying new things! Great happy hour pints and appetizers. Not to be missed if you are in the Shenandoah Valley. Food is fairly solid, menu doesn’t rotate as often as the beer, unfortunately. When they recently got sued over the trademark for the Calhoun’s name they changed the menu up a bit which was nice.

January 5, 2007
This place is awesome. Harrisonburg wouldn’t be the same without it. The food is decent, but not great. I almost always get the Santa Fe Burger which hasn’t let me down. The service is also good, but not great (with the exception of some of the bartenders). The beer is awesome. Eric and Tim are great brewers. Some of my favs include Plowman Porter, IPA, Smoking Scottish, Hefeweizen, and any of their stouts. They have a nice deck that you can sit on in the summer which is conducive to sipping on a Hefeweizen. I’ve never had a beer that I didn’t like. The only complaints is that it’s often very hard to get a seat at the bar and during the week they close their doors a bit early (sometimes around 9:00PM).

December 3, 2006
Some of the best microbrew in the east coast! Great view of the bewery from anywhere in the resturant. Small beer selection (4 or 5 anytime), but nicely done. Selections rotate and seasonal beers are always a special treat.

July 6, 2006
Nice place. Five beers on tap when I visited. Samplers and growlers available. Decent lunch. Very good service, but it was a quiet lunchtime.

April 24, 2006 [ Updated April 25, 2006 ]
Very nice brewpub, with great food, great atmosphere, and some really great craft beer. You will find 5-7 beers pouring, and an impressive menu with a variety of dishes. Try their Smokin Scottish Ale, which is one of their flagship brews, and is one of the most impressive Scottish ales you will find on the East Coast. Beer should always be the star with a brewpub, and in that regard, Calhoun’s is a real success. As good as the food is here, and as popular as this place is, the beer has always taken center stage. You can see the beautiful brewhouse behind the glass at the long, inviting bar. Enjoy a few drinks at the bar, and then enjoy a nice lunch or dinner in the dining room. You will be pleased with all the beers at Calhoun’s, and it is well worth a stop if you find yourself in Harrisonburg, VA.

March 9, 2006
Of the microbrews I have visited this one is the nicest. The restaurant was very clean, well kept, and modern. Parking was difficult to find and they only offered 4 beers. Aside from those drawbacks this was found to be a pleasant spot and the beer was outstanding.

February 22, 2006
Big brewpub with standard brewpub layout. Only had 4 beers on tap when I went, but three of them were tasty, so no complaints. The food, on the other hand, was subpar. Service was adequate but nothing special.

December 16, 2005
Calhoun’s brews a wide range of quality beers, which they rotate on a handful of taps. One can always find their GABF gold winning Smokin’ Scottish on draft, as well as a lighter beer for lighter tastes. The other taps typically carry anything from standard craft styles to special brews like their Bourbon Barrel Aged Plowman Porter and Belgian Strong Ale. A great place to pull up and have a pint. As a restaurant, I find Calhoun’s very inconsistent, both in food and service. I’ve had great food and great service and also bad food and worse service, in no particular order or combination. The waitstaff seems to turn over fairly often, with a few longlasting exceptions. It is frustrating when a member of the waitstaff at a brewpub cannot begin to describe or answer any questions regarding the pub’s own beer, something that has happened on numerous occasions over the years at Calhoun’s. That said, the bar staff is typically very knowledgeable and friendly. Certainly worth a visit if in the area for the tasty beer.