Cally’s Restaurant and Brewing Co.

No Longer In Business

A large, open place in the heart of Harrisonburg. The beers are average to a little above average, but nothing worth seeking out. The food is good; I tried a trio of sliders consisting of crab cake, bbq pork, and bacon cheeseburger.

very good quality food that borders on cuisine with the soups and salads as well as the entrees and sandwiches. Good selection of food. Some Good beer and very good friendly service. Nice looking place with booths, table seating, and a medium sized bar with vats right behind the glass. About eight homebrewed beers or more out at a time. The prices are not cheap on the food but the value is clearly there. With the different specials and liberal tastes the beer and drinks are very well made and just plain downright cheap! Period. Within fifty miles of the place you can definitely drive over and spend some time and enjoy yourself.

i really like brew pubs where you can see the equipment makes a cool environment

This place truly is a gem. When I saw the selection was only 5 beers, I was a little disappointed, but after enjoying the sampler, it was apparent that the focus is definitely on the quality of the beer, not the quantity of offerings. The food was good. I recommend the Mac & Cheese. The North German Pilsner was my favorite, though the Hefe and the Smoked Scottish Ale are not to be missed either. I already wish I had brought home a growler.

August 5 visit. Nice place with a well-balanced selection of beers. The IPA is fantastic, a strong competitor to beers such as Pliny the Elder and Alpha King to be honest. I couldn’t get enough of the IPA, although their other selections were also very good. Food is also really good and is a great value, let the prices for their beer is a big high considering it is Harrisonburg. That being said, I would recommend it to others and will be going back as well.

The beer is interesting. The staff very understanding in the quest for a booth with an outlet. The whole place has a very friendly relaxed vibe to it. An enjoyable place to have a nice beer.

The ambiance of this place is a little yuppie, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Our bartender was helpful, friendly, and efficient. In the dining area, there was an organized beer tasting underway featuring beers from Ireland. Nothing that interested me, per se, but it was nice to see the establishment educating and spreading interest in beer culture, not just peddling their own brews. All the beers I had I liked and was happy sitting at the bar for an hour. This was a gem in the sparse downtown scene of Harrisonburg.

Ambience is nice... an office building vibe but they do well with what they have. Good beers, 6 at a time it seems and a sampler available. I did not have food, though the menu was decent and someone else in my party did get a very nice looking steak that smelled great. Attentive, friendly service and I had a nice lengthy conversation with the brewmaster, which is nice. Literally across the hall from a bottle shop, which is also nice.

I figured I’d add a few details since I’ve been here many times since my first review. I’ve had a chance to meet the brewer and he’s a cool guy, and he’s hooked up some VA homebrewers with some cool vintage swag, which is even cooler. I have now had the food a couple of times, and it’s very solid. Check out the happy hour specials, which are awesome, including BOGO appetizers and pretty damn cheap growler fills. The beers range from above average to extremely good. A few other breweries in the state are a bit more consistent and polished with the beer, but if you count character these guys go really far. One of my favorite breweries and a credit to the VA beer scene. Old score was 74. New score is 82.

A cursory glance makes it appear no one has shared the name change story in these pages, so I shall. Cally’s was originally Calhoun’s. There also is a Calhoun’s in Tennessee. So.. Calhoun’s in Virginia wins a medal for their Smokin’ Scottish at GABF, but the medal was mailed to the wrong Calhoun’s. So, the Tennessee Calhoun’s, who apparently never knew before that there was another Calhoun’s, sued the good people in Harrisonburg over the name. Much money later, the Virginia Calhoun’s decided that making good beer was better than further legal action, so they changed the name to Cally’s. Now, I’ve never had the TN Calhoun’s beer, but from what I’ve heard it doesn’t hold a candle to Cally’s, which is probably why they sued in the first place. I’ll make it down there someday, try their beer, rate it fairly, then order a Smokin’ Scottish and then tell them where to shove it. It will be good.

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.

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.