June 7, 2009
Went on my 2nd trip to a Sweetwater Tavern yesterday, this one was the one in Sterling, and it was pretty similar to the other location I had previously visited. The beer I tried was OK, nothing too special, but drinkable. Food was pretty good, a nice place to grab a bite and a brew.

March 29, 2009
I recently went to Sweetwater after a significant hiatus. The is always fairly solid, but a bit overpriced in my mind. The staff is friendly but not overly knowledgeable about the beer they serve. The beer can be hit or miss depending on the style you get. I look forward to having the imperial stout whenever it shows back up at this location. You can definitely do worse in terms of places to go for a beer and something to eat.

March 4, 2009
Stopped here after work one day to try the High Desert Imperial Stout and stayed to try the Buffalo Tooth Ale as well. Pretty decent feel to the place, or as good as can be expected given the location. Service was good, not great. The beer was served far too cold, and it appeared as if all styles there are served in pint glasses. Quite a few business people showed up as the evening wore on, and unfortunately since smoking is allowed in Virginia, I soon was able to smell nothing but cigarettes. One good thing is that the prices were pretty good, especially considering the area. I didn’t get anything to eat while I was there.

April 6, 2008
Sitting at the outside bar on a saturday night. Seemed to be a pretty popular destination, but this lead to being a bit loud and crowded. They offer a sampler of the 5 beers they have on tap for about $8. The beer was definitely tasty, but was served a bit too cold for some styles (especially the imperial stout). The food was tasty, but a bit pricy for what little you get. The staff was friendly, and seemed to have quite a few regulars. Overall a decent spot to catch a beer if you’re in the area.

February 29, 2008
Douche bag central on a Friday and Saturday night. The menu never changes and it gets old quickly. Best part of the experience is the bread basket and the sweet rolls. Oh beer, ok nothing special. Sometimes they have decent seasonals but every time I’m there it’s usually something very lame.

July 3, 2007
Family restaurant. Long bar in the middle, TVs above, very open and comfortable but it’s just your basic family restaurant in the burbs. Belgian Wit was on tap as the seasonal when I visited. It was ok at best, tasted like Blue Moon.

December 14, 2006
Your modern "we wan’t to be back in the wild west" decor. Doesn’t have the soul, but probably good for turists. 5 beers on tap - poor to good. Friendly service. Didn’t eat.

October 10, 2006
Eh, I wasn’t that fond of this place. Ho-hum service and a boring modern cliche decor. Limited beers on tap and most not all that good. Didnt’ try the food, but the menu didn’t look that interesting in either case. Good place to hang at the bar and talk, but that’s if you don’t get towel whipped by the bartender and drowned in bleach.

August 14, 2006
Nice bar ambience and terrific service. Good food and usually a descent beer or two on tap.

May 16, 2006
Excellent food. Excellent service. Excellent facilities. Outdoor dining offered with a nice view of their fake lake / pond. Beer is good, but not special... with the exception of their barleywine and imperial stout (seasonals). Don’t visit without eating. Their appetizers and steaks are second to none.