Latest reviews from Mcallen

“Adding this place for one reason as they are the only place in the Rio Grand Valley that sells Jester King. Had 5 different Jester King 750s plus about 6 regional beers on tap. Mostly a wine and cigar bar, but worth a stop to pick up some Jester King offerings.“

msante79 4419 days ago

“This place is a gem in south Texas. Medium sized bar with good sandwiches, salads, pastas, and pizza. Had the cuban which was damn good. 40 or so taps with some national and regional offerings. Decent selection of bombers. Good music and really the only option in McAllen. Will be back.“

msante79 4432 days ago

“Nice little high end market in the middle of the beer desert. Had Deschutes, Great Divide, St Arnolds, Real Ale, and a few other nice breweries. Large singles selection. All the good stuff in coolers. There is a another location I plan on checking out too.“

msante79 4435 days ago

“Wonderful market and deli. The food was of excellent quality and the atmosphere is a suprise in the heart of the valley. The beer selection is varied and changes so there is always a reason to stop in and see whats new. Excellent place to shop with a knowledgable staff and great prices.“

jsgoodbeer 5690 days ago

“This place gets packed quickly after hours. Lately there’s a struggle to find a booth or a chair next to the bar. The atmosphere & decor screams ’chain restaurant’, but some of the waitresses / bartenders are nice and know a bit about the beers they serve. Now to the important part of this review, the beer. Some of their beers are just boring (the blonde, the bock), but their other beers are quite tasty. The Piranha Pale Ale is one of the best pale ales I’ve had, its very very hoppy and citrus-y, and could be an IPA in disguise. The hefeweizen is true to Bavarian-style, lots of banana & clove flavors coming thru. I’ve had their porter & brown ale which are overly sweet for their style, so it’s better to think of them as desserts all to themselves. The seasonal beers are definitely worth mentioning. I’ve been enjoying the maibock & now the witbier (a nearly identical Hoegaarden clone). As much as I enjoy the house beers, I wish they had more microbrew selection on tap (Stella & Guinness do not count). I’ve had their bruschetta and pizza before. They were both very good, but a bit pricey for what you get. The nice thing is you can get a free appetizer if you fill out a survey on the website printed on the receipt. Good deal that’s worth taking advantage. Overall, there is nowhere close of a restaurant that cares about beer than BJ’s Brewhouse in the RGV. Definitely worth checking out.“

diamondc 5823 days ago

“The beer selection is respectable with a wide variety of imports and micros. Their wine and liquor selection is commendable, too. Unlike the typical sleezy, gheto-type liquor store, this resembles more of an upscale European bistro and market. The valet parking outside lets you know this is a store for a more well-to-do crowd. Inside, customers can expect to walk in and see clean, well decorated aisles filled with neatly stocked bottles and boxes. The little bistro section ofers a nice selection of gourmet foods and meats. Above the bistro counter hangs a number of imported cured/dried meats and cheeses. The chef prepares fresh entrees daily, everything from ribeye steaks and lamb chops, to hummus, and Greek pasta salad. Customers can enjoy the food inside or outside on the nice patio furniture provided by the store. The staff and employees are very attentive and provide superb service and invaluable advice with impecable respect and friendliness. On hand, at any given time, are a number of wine, beer, whiskey, or liquor experts who can help make your selections. Jerry is the man to talk to if you’re interested in purchasing beer. In the rear of the store is a cozy, intimate tasting room that resembles a very chic contemporary bar. You can sit on some leather sofas around a coffee table, or near the bar on some high-stools. The ambiance is very comfortable and adds to the experience when attending the weekly wine or beer tastings. Also available, a walk-in humidor with a vast selection imported cigars.“

gfolivares 5849 days ago

“This place was a bit of surprise down in the Valley. It’s a relatively upscale cigar, beer, wine, liquor, cheese, and grocery store. Lots of specialty items. Beer selection is nothing really, really amazing, but definitely a present surprise down in southern Texas. A good selection of the larger western Micros (Great Divide, Fat Tire, etc.). The prices were totally fair. A true oasis in a Modelo desert. Staff was friendly. Building is nice.“

auerbrau 5850 days ago

“Let me start by saying that I loathe chains, especially when they do a bad job with something I like. Too much sports, high ceilings and faux antiques for me. The service was terrible! It took us almost two hours at lunch to get in and out with at least two different waitresses. The food I had was mediocre and the beers were about the same. Bland craft brew, an overly polished menu and cultural homogenization. Just as the Lower Rio Grande Valley doesn’t need Maquiladoras and a bunch of gated housing developments to shelter white transplants out of Atlanta from the grim realities of the cross-border drug trade, it doesn’t need overly safe, poorly brewed substitutes for real beer.“

auerbrau 5850 days ago

“Exotic arabian-style arches decorate the front of the otherwise small unasuming building in the heart of a city crowded with Mexican restaurants and Latino businesses. A painted mural along the side of the restaurant depicting an outdoor food market with multi-ethnic foods, hint the approaching visitors to the culinary treasures laying inside waiting to be discovered. As you walk into the store section, your senses are greeted with the exotic smells and sights of middle-eastern pastries, incense, spices, gourmet deli meats, wines, and a delicious kitchen aroma snaking its way from the rear of the restaurant. The store offers a broad selection of middle-eastern products, gourmet european cheeses, and hard to find dried/cured meats, and a very good selection of wine and beer as well. In the rear of the store, alongside the wine cellar, is an impressive refridgerated display case full of freshly made baklava and and a wide assortment of gourmet deserts. Inside the restaurant section, one feels instantly at ease, with the lived-in, aged look of the small room whose yellowed walls are covered with tapestry-like fabric, winding grape leaves, and dimly lit lantern-like light fixtures. An enviable collection of aging vintage beer bottles line the top of the wall almost all the way around the room. Patches on the floor and wall seem to tell the place’s story of perseverance despite countless change over the years. Every visitor will quickly notice the enormous, wall-high wooden shelves filled with an impressive selection of brew. The bottled beer list is a respectable 75-100, with representative brews from a plethora of Asian, South American, and European countries. Equally impressive is the array of mediteranian and middle-eastern entrees on the food menu. The delicious greek gyros, stuffed with warm lamb meat and minty yogurt and cucumber sauce, have been a long time favorite of the regulars who frequent the restaurant. If you want to be daring, order the Middle Eastern Sampler (hummus, baba ghanoush, stuffed grape leaves, yogurt cheese, feta, and pita bread), or order the Wine Drinker’s Delight (an assortment of rich, appetizing gourmet cheeses) with a good bottle of wine (or beer, of course). The tiny space can get crowded during lunch and dinner, but the wait staff is attentive and unfailing. There is no question why this establishment has been around over 30 years.“

gfolivares 5855 days ago

“Visitors are greeted by enormous, red Chicago-style brick walls and a massive wooden bar with an equally massive jumbotron in the middle broadcasting the latest sporting event. Beautiful shinny copper stills peak through windows in the back of the building to let visitors know the beer here is made from scratch. The dim lighting, art deco lanterns and fixtures, velvet booths, and nostalgic posters give this establishment a unique, cozy atmosphere that contributes positively to the drinking and dining experience, and to the enjoyment of the unique beers. Although their overall selection of beer is not great, this place does offer a handful of delicious craft brews such as Brewhouse Blond, Harvest Hefeweizen, Pyrana Pale Ale, Jeremia Red, PM Porter, Tatonka Stout, Nuty Brunette, Pook’s Pilsner, The Bock, and other specialty/seasonal beers. Hand crafted brews are hard to come accross in this part of Texas, so if you’re a beer lover this far south and need to quench you thirst, this is the oasis in the middle of a dusty Texas desert you were wishing for. They usually offer about ten of their brews on tap, with seasonal variations and local specialties available from time to time. They also offer the typical macrobrews and imports on tap and bottle. The food is above average (although a bit pricy), and the service is excellent. Inside the food menu, you will find an eclectic fusion of Americana, Asian, and Tex-Mex. This establishment is very popular throughout the week, so be sure to call and reserve a table for the night, or expect to wait one or two hours in line to get in.“

gfolivares 5856 days ago