Latest reviews from Syracuse
| 80 /100 720 VAN RENSSELAER ST, “Really nice place, great vibe, friendly people who were very attentive. Food options were running out when we got there, but what we had was good. Liked the beer. Will be back.“ |
| 82 /100 900 E FAYETTE ST “Visited on my way back to Canada, with some SYR friends. This is the downtown-ish loacation of E. Fayette St. Parking can be difficult depending on time you visit. The taproom is big, made of 3 rooms, most of which were filled with New Age vendors the night I visited. Taplist of about 20 beers, very different than at the van Rensalaer location. Again, all very well made sours, belgians, and a delicious barley wine. Tasters sold between 3 to 6$. Place was pretty busy. They do have a small kitchen. We had the burata flatbread (delicious) as well as boneless chicken wings, and some good strawberry mooncake pudding for dessert. The cookies are delicious. And service is impecable.“ |
| 62 /100 Blarney Stone (Bar) 314 AVERY AVE “A fun old school Irish bar with plenty of locals of all ages. Cheap bar food, free chicken riggies when i visited with friends, and Tuesday, it was the 8.50$ burger and beer special. The have a few taps of craft beer, the rest is domestic, and a dozen cans of interestings craft. You go there for the food,“ |
| 74 /100 Now & Later (Beer Store) 620 ULSTER ST “Visited while i was waiting on some friend closeby. This place is the former Brillbeck market, reinvented into a bar and store. The store side has a decent selection of interesting, but seemed a bit empty as some shelves were empty. The bar side as 10 taps (they do tasters by the glass) and loads of cans. All take out cans on that side are 30% down the bar price, with mix and match possible, whereas store side, its 4 packs only.“ |
| 72 /100 108 WALTER DR “This is my second visit. We came here before the Middle Ages 28th anniversary bash. The place is very old school, located in the back of an industrial building, decor is bric-a-brac, with a few picnic tables inside, random stuff to sell, some seating outside on the off loading ramp. Beers are IPA focused, well done, nothing exceptional. Flights of 4 for 10$. Good service. Dog on premise.“ |
| 68 /100 120 WILKINSON STREET “Visited while i was there with friends for their 28th anniversary. The event was outside in the park next to the brewery (very popular event with yound and old hippies)! Did not have anything inside due to the event, but this place has grown since my last visit in the early 00s. Very bright bar area, plenty of seating, concert hall, snacks (my recollection was that the early incarnation was dark and dungeon like). Beers are mostly , with a few standouts, but selection that day was 7$ pints of 6 different beers, a few i already tried...i do think they do flights. The beers are rather old school.“ |
| 84 /100 881 VAN RENSSELAER “This is a great surprise. The building is somewhat non descript. located in an industrial sector, close to the water treatment plant and Destiny USA. The place itself is cool, homey, nice simple decor, very old school. Service was friendly. And they do have a kitchen so you can order sandwiches, flatbreads, and wings. The star is definitely the beer, very well made sours and barrel aged offering, competing well with the like of the Bruery, Allagash, and so on. Tasters from 3 to 6$, And do yourself a flavour, pair one of the Imperial Stouts with their delicious browny!“ |
| 66 /100 World of Beer - Syracuse (Bar) 10347 DESTINY USA DRIVE “So this World of Beer is in a mall, that is different. I've seen in a handful of these over the years and always liked the fact that you can easily taste local beers. Food was ok, staff were friendly. If you need a beer this will work.“ |
| 82 /100 4504 BUSSEY ROAD “Nice barn-like building right off of the road. Small operation specializing in traditonal and farmhouse ales. Owner said she was taught by her grandmother how to brew, and one of these brews was a sahti. Eclectic styles to be found, all well crafted. Owners really knew their stuff. Worth a visit. Some food available“ |
| 72 /100 115 GAME RD “Brewery and taproom located in an industrial park setting. Fairly straight forward building, a large rectangle, and the space inside is similar. Lots of picnic type tables. Decent array of beers and good service. Nothing fancy.“ |
| 72 /100 881 VAN RENSSELAER “Outstanding sours make this place worth a stop. Went twice, and never made it inside because of COVID, you order outside at a counter, not the nicest digs outside. A bit industrial. But due to the beer quality, I'll be back.“ |
| 82 /100 120 WILKINSON STREET “Got there at 9:40 PM on a Friday and they closed at 10. Bartender was nice enough to give each guy in our group a beer and we picked up some bottles. Good selection of beers with most good to a couple being very good. I liked the place, I'm just not planning on heading back to Syracuse anytime soon.“ |
| 76 /100 Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (Restaurant) 246 WEST WILLOW STREET “With hardly any parking, a cover band, and a busy crowd even on a Sunday evening I didn't know quite what to expect when I stopped in. After placing my take out order I checked out the bar to discover a nice selection of local drafts from the likes of Middle Ages Brewing. There weren't 40 taps like some places but few were wasted on filler.
The main draw here should be the food which was excellent for the area. If you happen to sit in the bar area it is even relatively quiet as the building and people muffle the street noise to a low din. Overall I wouldn't classify this as a destination in Syracuse but should I find myself craving BBQ and a good beer en route to somewhere in upstate New York I'd stop in again.“ |
| 84 /100 Now & Later (Beer Store) 620 ULSTER ST “My new favourite spot in Syracuse! Super cool local spot a bit far from the downtown, but worth the effort. Open area with big tables, a dozen well curated taps, tons of cans for onsite or take away. Great service. Loved it.“ |
| 84 /100 The Evergreen (Restaurant) 125 E WATER ST “Great food. Good selection of beers. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area.“ |
| 80 /100 World of Beer - Syracuse (Bar) 10347 DESTINY USA DRIVE “Kinda busy on a Monday night but I easily found a place at the bar. Typical WoB atmosphere, but that is just killed by the fact that its in a mall. Oh well. Tons of taps, lots of locals, good selections. No rarities, but some less common stuff. Take my service score with a grain of salt as Jake the bartender WAS providing good service to everyone, but we quickly found out that we have a mutual friend, and that probably altered the experience. Did not try the food, but it’s good if it’s like the other locations. Prices a tad bit high but not unreasonable.“ |
| 68 /100 Trader Joe’s - Erie Blvd E (Grocery Store) 3422 ERIE BLVD E “OK, so this is not going to be a destination for most beer hunters but this supermarket had a fairly decent selection of mostly local beers AND you could mix and match to do your own six-pack, which is a major plus for me. Prices were good. Groceries are decent and well priced too.“ |
| 78 /100 120 WILKINSON STREET “nice enough tasting room with the beers they brew and some souvenirs. really nice talkative young fella at the bar made the place a gem. i used to be a bartender when i was very young and i know how important that can be. this guy sells the place and the brews well. he could be good somewhere really BIG!“ |
| 90 /100 Burnet Park Newstand (Beer Store) 419 SOUTH WILBUR AVE “Great place to shop for all kinds of crafts! Perfect service!“ |
| 72 /100 120 WILKINSON STREET “Dan and I were there in March 2011. We got to sample every beer they had on tap. Bought a mix 6 to go. We enjoyed the Monty Python theme.“ |
| 78 /100 World of Beer - Syracuse (Bar) 10347 DESTINY USA DRIVE “Neat spot in the big mall. Sports bar with dozens of taps and hundreds of bottles, nothing super rare but lots of tasty options. Service was great, food was good and prices were better than I expected. Definitely worth it if you are in the mall looking for something to eat.“ |
| 94 /100 108 WALTER DR “A unique place to go get about 7 or 8 beer tastings for $4 then pick out your favorite to buy to-go in a growler. The two times I went there were some really dark beers and lots of hops. If I didn’t live 30 min away it would be a weekly stop to fill a growler and talk about beer/local events. Every neighborhood would be better with a brewery like this down the street.“ |
| 74 /100 World of Beer - Syracuse (Bar) 10347 DESTINY USA DRIVE “Visited late August. Sports bar style in a busy shopping mall. Extensive tap and bottle list, mostly Americans and classic imports, nothing out of the ordinary. We didn’t eat, but food is standard pub fare. Not my preferred setting to enjoy beers, but after an interminable day of shopping, that does it for me.“ |
| 76 /100 Kitty Hoyne’s Irish Pub (Restaurant) 300 WEST FAYETTE STREET “Standard Irish place with a few interesting taps, but not a lot of total taps. On a pub crawl of the usual places, one of the bartenders at a different pub (shall not be named), recommended we stop here too. It was worth a stop and we saw him later in the night. Super friendly, knowledgeable, attentive. I hear the food is good but we did not try.“ |
| 76 /100 Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (Restaurant) 246 WEST WILLOW STREET “Awesome dive-BBQ joint. Food is outstanding. Beer selection is much better than the Newark or Harlem locations although not huge. Service is pleasantly ornery. Prices are fine. Be prepared to wait a very long time to get a table but you can drink on the sidewalk. I love this place very dearly.“ |
| 72 /100 Faegan’s Cafe and Pub (Restaurant) 734 SOUTH CROUSE AVE “I will freely admit that my score is tainted by the many many nights I spent here in college. Typical Irish pub in most regards, especially in terms of atmosphere and food. Service has always been excellent in my eyes. Having graduated 10 years ago, the bartenders that remain from my time at SU still remember me, making this sort of like my Cheers. Selection is large for a college bar but it’s mostly imports. Place definitely gets crowded before and after games. Flip Night remains one of the great drink specials of all time. Not the greatest beer bar in the world but still one of my favorite places on earth.“ |
| 70 /100 Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (Restaurant) 246 WEST WILLOW STREET “(Visited 08/2014): Dinosaur Bar-B-Que’s Syracuse location is located on West Willow off of West Genesee. There is a tiny lot next to the building as well as limited street parking nearby. There are picnic benches in front for patio seating and a dinosaur mural. Inside there are multiple rooms with table seating, and the bar is along the right side. Tons of kitsch and tchotchkes all over the place. The beer menu consists of around 20 beers on draught, with nearby breweries like Empire and Syracuse, as well as a house beer made by Middle Ages. Other craft breweries like Southern Tier and Founders. About the same number of bottles, which skew more on the macro side. Service on a busy weekday evening on the patio was good. The server kept up pretty well and knew a fair amount about the available beers. Dinosaur’s barbecue is very good, and my colleagues and I all enjoyed our dinners. Overall this place isn’t necessarily a beer destination in and of itself but is a worthwhile spot for solid BBQ and a few local beers.“ |
| 78 /100 Syracuse Real Food Co-Op (Grocery Store) 618 KENSINGTON RD “Small local and organic grocery store. As far as beer go, it’s definitely a quality before quantity place. Very limited selection, but they are offering beer that I haven’t seen anywhere else in the state. There’s also three taps for growler fills. Certainly worth a visit, maybe you’ll dig some treasures.“ |
| 70 /100 Stafford Convenience Store (Beer Store) 372 STAFFORD AVENUE “When I visited: Early August 2014.
What I bought: A mixed case of Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA and Double Jack IPA, Ommegang Rare Vos, Ithaca Flower Power IPA, and Orval Trappist Ale for $66 USD ($74 CDN).
What I liked: Most beers are refrigerated, owner was pleasant and welcoming, everything I grabbed was reasonably fresh, plenty of free parking out front.
What I disliked: Selection pales in comparison to Brilbeck’s, prices were higher than I expected, almost no rarities to be had here.
Would I go back? Possibly.
Overall Rating: 70“ |
| 72 /100 Alto Cinco (Restaurant) 526 WESTCOTT STREET “When I visited: Early August 2014.
What I had: North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Left Hand Milk Stout, and Anderson Valley Holy Gose on tap, bottle of Middle Ages Swallow Wit, Bean & Cheese Enchilada with Mole Sauce for myself, Chicken Soft Tacos with Black Beans, a cocktail, and a French sauvignon blanc for the lady.
What I liked: Intimate, laidback atmosphere, authentic Mexican fare, well-selected beer list, fair prices, bartender Derek was very hospitable.
What I disliked: Dining room service left a lot to be desired, my partner thought her wine was just okay, lots of hipsters at this place.
Would I go back? Possibly.
Overall Rating: 72“ |
| 78 /100 Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (Restaurant) 246 WEST WILLOW STREET “When I visited: Early August 2014.
What I had: Founders All Day IPA, Middle Ages Dino Smoked Porter, and Southern Tier 2XIPA on tap, Swag Sampler Plate and Tres Hombres Combo to split, a few sauvignon blancs for my better half.
What I liked: Really fun atmosphere, equal parts biker bar, barbecue joint and beer pub, diverse crowd, friendly and efficient service, bartender made great food recommendations, BBQ is top-notch (delicious seasoning, beautiful smoke rings on the brisket and ribs, tasty sauces), was happy to try fried green tomatoes for the first time.
What I disliked: Draft list is decent but could definitely improve, bartender double-charged us for a wine.
Would I go back? Absolutely. Despite its flaws Dinosaur is a “must-visit” when in Syracuse.
Overall Rating: 78“ |
| 86 /100 Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (Restaurant) 246 WEST WILLOW STREET “Great food“ |
| 84 /100 120 WILKINSON STREET “Great place
Visited many times“ |
| 74 /100 World of Beer - Syracuse (Bar) 10347 DESTINY USA DRIVE “When I visited: Early August 2014.
What I had: Ommegang Cooperstown Ale on tap, glass of sauvignon blanc for my girlfriend.
What I liked: Plenty of seats at the bar when we arrived, quick service, well-organized draft menu, clearly visible bottle selection, standard WOB atmosphere with some ball games on the flat screens, they take requests from customers to bring in specific kegs/bottles.
What I disliked: Tap list isn’t nearly as good as other WOBs that I’ve been to, but it’s still pretty solid. Prices are on the high side.
Would I go back? Probably.
Overall Rating: 74“ |
| 76 /100 Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (Restaurant) 246 WEST WILLOW STREET “Came here one night to find grub, and a few beers. Place was packed but we only waitied like 20 minutes for a table for 5. BBQ food was really good, beer selection was pretty decent. Our server was good, really no complaints.“ |
| 82 /100 108 WALTER DR “came here yesterday after work to kick the tires. small open brewery space with a hommage of SU stuff including a super huge fathead of McNabb. had 8 beers on tap, all of which were pretty solid. had a super chill bro serving beers.. sorry man never got your name. got 8 samples for $3, can’t beat that. walked out with a few freebie samples and two growlers. i will be back.“ |
| 70 /100 108 WALTER DR “A work in progress: right now it is a tasting room with a lot of empty space, and that is not a bad thing. He makes some pretty good beers, and if you live in Eastwood-Lyncourt-Northside, you can swing by for about 30 mins, hang out, have a couple drinks (only $2 for 5-7 samples) and get a growler. They are quick to fill your cup, answer your questions and have a chat.“ |
| 72 /100 120 WILKINSON STREET “Stopped in to buy a couple of cases to go along with some Dinosaur BBQ take out. Beer was very reasonably priced and enjoyable. Definitely want to go back when I can spend some time tasting.“ |
| 38 /100 320 S. CLINTON STREET “Being located in a cool looking old building is the only thing this place has going for it. The beer outright sucks, and the food isn’t much better. The ’award winning’ Fish ’n Chips must have gotten the bronze in a contest versus Mrs. Paul and the Gorton’s fisherman! Service was decent, and the prices were fair........but considering the quality, I still felt took for a ride. Would. Never. Go. Back. Ever.“ |
| 78 /100 120 WILKINSON STREET “Great beer, friendly staff, reasonable prices, nice selection (when I was there) and KITTIES! Will come back the next time I’m in ’Cuse!“ |
| 72 /100 321 SOUTH CLINTON STREET “When I visited: Mid-September 2013.
What I had: Ommegang Witte, Good Nature Belgian IPA, and Middle Ages ImPaled Ale on tap, caprese salad, carnitas quesadillas, a few white wines for the Mrs., bottle of Lagunitas Hop Stoopid to go.
What I liked: Beautiful, towering bar with ample seating, great laidback atmosphere, friendly and efficient service, bartender was happy to provide samples, really good live music, cheap and tasty eats, impressive draught list considering it’s a spirits bar.
What I disliked: Some of the patrons were pretty wasted and belligerent on our visit, but we didn’t encounter any problems.
Would I go back? Yes.
Overall Rating: 72“ |
| 78 /100 321 SOUTH CLINTON STREET “Definitely an interesting place. You could go here for the beer (20+ taps) but really you should be sampling something from the hundrends of offered bourbons, scotches or other spirits. Turns into a bit of a meat market at night, at least at the front, but always pretty chill in the back with some pool and golden tee. Have to rate this highly because of the spirits and its a stone’s throw from the tusk.“ |
| 64 /100 Beer Belly Deli (Restaurant) 510 WESTCOTT ST “A tiny place that looks like a repurposed old diner. They don’t have a ton of beers (maybe 5-6 taps) but they do have enough taps and bottles to spend a few hours there. Oh, and the beer is *expensive*.
The sandwiches are LEGIT too. Welcome to hipster country.“ |
| 72 /100 Faegan’s Cafe and Pub (Restaurant) 734 SOUTH CROUSE AVE “This place gets insane before/after SU football and basketball games. Very limited bar space, and very limited table space at the bar. The seating for dining looks plentiful, but on certain nights the limited space can be a bear.
The visibility of the chalkboard is very good, and the selection is very very solid for a bar on the Hill. A good way point while in that area.“ |
| 76 /100 Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (Restaurant) 246 WEST WILLOW STREET “Visited; 6-3-12
A: Atmosphere is decent, not uptight by any means with a nice low key vibe.
Q: They have some decent taps and bottles, I settled on a Roc Brewing Golden Pale Ale but it was a miss...but thats my fault for picking something new.
S: Service everytime I go there is very attentive, even when they are busy, they seem to have a good handle on things, orders paced promptly and food arrives in a good amount of time.
S: They have a great selection of taps and bottles with a vast variety of styles, not bunched up on anything specific.
F: Decent, nice smokey flavor on the BBQ, good selection of sauces. I had the Smoked Pulled Pork which was well cooked, nice smokey flavor and sides were killer, the mac and cheese was a nice change.
V: Two Adults, One Child, Several Beers came out just under $40.
Overall, I come to Dinosur for the food and the craft beers are just a nice addition to a great place to eat.“ |
| 26 /100 320 S. CLINTON STREET “When I’m out with friends drinking beer, I’m always in a good mood. Two things that will remove my good spirits are bad service and bad beer. This placed failed on all levels.
We stopped in on 19 July after the Empire Brew Fest let out. We sat at the bar and immediately smelled a foul stench that we could place our fingers on. My buddy and I each ordered a sample flights. We were told only one of us could because they ran out of sample glasses. Out of glassware?? Ok. So we decided to split the sample flight, which turned out in our favor because the beer was terrible. Good thing they didn’t have enough clean glasses. After sampling the Pale ale and Weizen I got to the Irish Red. After telling the bartender that something was wrong with the beer, she poured me another sample (from a pint glass) and it was not unclean glass or unclean tap line. The beer was infected. I told her so. She stated she would tell her manager but looked completely like she didn’t give a damn. However, she did apologize for the ungodly foul order from behind the bar that was Blue Cheese salad dressing that somebody could not clean up properly after dropping on the floor.
It’s not often I walk away from a place without finishing the beer in front of me. But what brewpub servers their customer’s infected beer? I would avoid this place unless new management is hired and a new brew master replaces whoever the hell is brewing now.
Oh, and if you don’t want the house beer you can order a Bud light or Miller High Life so that’s a huge plus!! HA HA HA
“ |
| 78 /100 Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (Restaurant) 246 WEST WILLOW STREET “Stopped here on my way home from Montreal. Awesome place for BBQ with a great selection of beers on tap too. Definitely worth a stop.“ |
| 76 /100 Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (Restaurant) 246 WEST WILLOW STREET “Cool joint. Well worth the visit if you are in the area.“ |
| 86 /100 Stafford Convenience Store (Beer Store) 372 STAFFORD AVENUE “Best corner store.“ |
