Latest reviews from Ellicott City

“Nice place and very much worth a visit. We had to sit outside so only had access to the core cans, not the specialties on tap. Were able to access the restaurant menu and order food.“

jb 319 days ago

“Stopped in after Sapwood cellars. This was a hopping place on a Wednesday evening. I was able to get a spot at the bar. Taplist Maryland centric, a few from further afield. Interesting but nothing really special. Service was good, and the burger was well above average.“

bytemesis 446 days ago

“Definitely a chainy feel to it. Beer quality not great. A couple of guest taps.“

bytemesis 1829 days ago

“First stop of the evening. Parking is a bit challenging, although there is a nice large surface lot a block away. Nice east coast small town feel to it, good service, flights available. Pizza is quite solid. Beers are solid as well.“

bytemesis 1990 days ago

“This place in the Maryland farm lands, not to far off I-68. !4 taps here Some bottle stuff for sale, Some shirts for sale. Place seems huge and people seem to be having a pretty good time. The lighting is nice with big bulb Christmas lights strung thru out the brewery. Two young guys tended beer and both were full of information. Paid 6 bucks for my pint of pilsner. Overall I find this place interesting, and the beer here seems good. Worth a visit. Cheers!“

unclefrito62 2084 days ago

“ Ambiance: Can't beat the setting. Gorgeous farm in the middle of Maryland horse/farm country. Beautiful long drive up to the brewery/tasting room past the hop fields. Inside is really nice; barrels along the wall, a few tables, a long bar. All nicely appointed in a modern-rustic country style. Doesn't seem to get too loud. NOTE: They are particular about reservations during potentially busy times, to keep the number of patrons below the fire marshal's notice. One gets the sense that a few of their neighbors don't enjoy having a working brewery nearby. Service: Has ranged from good, fast and friendly at one visit to slow, overwhelmed, but very friendly at another. Not their fault on the latter, as it seemed they were unexpectedly slammed on what's normally a slow night. Selection: All their stuff, about a dozen rotating taps. Of the couple dozen of their beers I've tried over the years, almost all were good to great, with only a couple of outright (for me) misses. Good variety too. Usually at least a couple IPAs, a couple porters/stouts, some barrel-aged versions of their regulars, maybe some sours or a grisette or saison. Food: You can bring in, and I think sometimes they have a food truck or small working kitchen. Value: Typical for an on site brewery. Usually you can get a couple flights for around 15 bucks or so. No complaints there. Overall: Absolutely worth a visit. Call ahead to make sure you can get in (we've never had an issue but they do like you to call). The location is worth it alone, but it helps that the beers are usually great.“

JDBaker11058 2118 days ago

“Visited 7/15/17
We had a really nice stop in here. They were putting out some really nice beers. A bit crowded, but they handled the service well at the bar. We were able to snag a table outside (it was a touch too hot, but much less crowded so we braved the heat). Had some cornhole setup out there as well. Got some cans to go too, which were all rather tasty.“

ben4321 2319 days ago

“completely removated Tavern in the heart of Old Town Ellicott City. Pizza is authentic brick oven and other offerings are modern and great to pair with their brews. They have one or two guest taps and they rest are Manor Hill brews. Huge city parking lot across the street. Welcome addition to the area. Oh, this is Ratebeer: the beer is great, come here for the beer.“

Maxbier 2591 days ago

“Great farmhouse brewery...from the moment you start down their "long" driveway with cows to the left and hops growing to the right...right up to the farmhouse and barn/brewery. Not a true "farm" yet as only a small amount of their hop requirements are grown on their property...but still a beautiful location an property design. Note that a visit here normally requires reservation...I did not research that ahead...but lucked out by arriving at 3PM on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Inside the "barn" taproom the décor is really well done. Although you can’t see the brewery...they allow you to walk in (at least while slow...but likely by tour if you are there when they are full). Tight quarters in the brewery but great equipment and quite a few fermenters...barrels too. There were 13 beers available during my visit...including a large amount of amazing hoppy beers (a favorite style of the owner I was told).I thought the Citra Splendor New England style IPA was very good. of the hoppy beers the Taylor’s Row IPA and the Bizarre Universe Imperial IPA were also great. Another great beer was the Grisette Farmhouse Ale...a surprisingly very hoppy and aromatic version of the style...quite unique and well constructed. Also great was the cask version of their Passion Fruit IPA with Mosiac hops and fresh passion fruit added. Other notable beers included The Grapeness Imperial IPA (a collaboration with Aslin Brewing)...aromatic and unfiltered with Citra, Bavarian, Australian, and New Zealand hops as well as Viognier grape juice...and the Vinz Clortho Gose with alder wood, smoked sea salt, peach wood, and smoked malt. I either had 3 flights covering 9 beers and then tried samples of the other 4. Thankfully Manor Hill cans...so I left with 4 paks of Citra Splendor, and 6 paks of the Taylor’s Row and the Grisette. This is a great effort and accomplishment by a local craftbeer and restaurant family. This is the same family that owns Victoria Gastropub in Columbia (another must visit...and if you catch the owner Tori there...she will love talking craftbeer with you) and the new location (I think similarly named) in Ellicott City. Manor Hill is a must visit when in the Baltimore area (NW side of the city out in the country).“

PRBeer 2701 days ago

“Pretty nice farmhouse brewery. Free reservations required via their website, at least for now. Nice outdoor view, no patio or outdoor seating though. Friendly and prompt service. Good varied selection of styles with 11 beers on draft. Flights of three beers were fairly priced at $5 a flight. Full pours available, along with cans and growler fills to go. No food other than some bagged snacks, but you can BYO. Nice stop if you’re in the area, especially paired with some stops nearby in Columbia.“

GenDV138 2798 days ago

“Interesting place. Nice view of the whole farm and huge house as you approach. Tasting room is very modern, brewery is through a door but isn’t visible from the taproom. 10 barrel brewhouse. Eleven beers on when we visited, available in flights of three 4.5 ouncers for five bucks, or full pours. Handful of cans available to take away as well. Friendly service. Brewery tours are self guided, so you could really arrive any time within your two hour scheduled window. Only nine people and a whole bunch of two-year-olds were there on a Saturday afternoon in late August, so clearly the reservation system and 50-person limit wasn’t necessary that day. Food is chips/crisps. Tasty beers.“

Travlr 2798 days ago

“Located on a beautiful scenic farm in Howard County with rolling hills, barns, gardens, and hop vines. This is the place I have been waiting for in Maryland since I got into Craft Beer 15 years ago. Tasting room has a rustic barn feel and look with barrel tables and a long wooden bar. Line of wooden tap handles coming out of a large copper pipe add to the charm of the tasting room. No TV’s so you can enjoy the company of your friends. One side of the room has oak barrels with beer aging in them. Step through the large barn door and enter the brew house with full view of the brewing equipment as well as pallets of empty cans waiting to be filled. Even the bathroom is beautiful. The staff is always friendly and prompt with their service. Staff is knowledgeable as well as enthusiastic about their beers. With about 10 different Manor Hill beers on tap and a range of styles so you can experience a variety of some of the best beers in the state if not the country. Food is not available other than some snack bags but I believe there is an occasional food truck or you can bring your own food. Very reasonable prices for high quality beer. The only negative thing I can say about this place is it is not open more days of the week.“

dlovell2 2828 days ago

“Made a quick stop after retro game shopping in the area with friends. Mostly wine here but a small selection of large format bottles in the back left corner along with around 5 refrigerators of 4-6 packs. Also a small growler station with 5 taps. Service was okay though my only interaction was at checkout. Small but solid selection of domestic craft along with some foreign choices. Prices are about average. Wouldn’t go out of my way but it’s a solid stop if you’re already in Historic Ellicott City.“

GenDV138 3267 days ago

“I’ve passed through this quaint and picturesque town several times, but this was my first stop at Judges Bench. Right on the main drag with a free parking lot across the street, plus a few street spaces. Large C-shaped bar, and a bunch of tables. Nice tap selection, small but well chosen. Handful of bottles in the fridge for perusing. Very friendly service, the kind of place where everyone knows everyone. Very cozy. More or less across from Ellicot Brewing. Worth a stop.“

Travlr 3307 days ago

“Standard American "Irish" pub. Decent food, good portions, nice specials. Beer selection is limited: Guinness, Smithwicks, Bud, and one or two local craft beers on tap.“

Maxbier 3325 days ago

“Nice little shop in the middle of the new village center. One isle of craft beers, nice mix of the usual stuff and a few I don’t always see. Their focus is wine but worth popping in for the beer.“

Maxbier 3353 days ago

“Don’t be fooled by the name, they have a large selection of craft beer and a 5 tap growler fill station. Friendly knowledgeable staff and some unusual beers from time to time. Discounts on growler fills if you sign up for the email list. Also they have extensive wine options if you’re into that sort of thing.“

Maxbier 3359 days ago

“Small authentic bar. Great taps, just five or six, but excellent craft beers among those few choices. Food is standard pub food. Don’t be frightened by the outside, worth a visit if you are in Old Town Ellicott City. Thanks to dlovell2 for checking it out first.“

Maxbier 3383 days ago

“Nice pub. 30 taps, nearly all of which have craft beer and many are local brews. Sometimes they get tasty rare beer geek stuff too. Food is excellent farm to table. I love their ketchup (some have criticized the ketchup but that is because we are all needlessly addicted to sweeteners and their ketchup does not taste like liquid candy). Sorry about the ketchup rant but when you pair their amazing hamburger with a great brew who needs to ruin it with tons of sugar?“

Maxbier 3387 days ago

“This is a nice, higher-end store located next door to Harris Teeter amid several restaurants and assorted shops in a newly built retail "town center" just outside Baltimore. The staff welcomed us as we entered and offered assistance while allowing us to peruse the aisles. The beer selection is pretty good with several beers I had not seen in my local "go to" places, so that was a bonus. The wine and spirits selection is pretty good too.“

BeerandBlues2 3591 days ago

“The Judge’s Bench is a local gem tucked away neatly along Ellicott City’s Main Street. There is a fair amount of local lore surrounding Main Street, with several "haunted" buildings. I must report that my visit yielded no haunts, only good beers and food. This is a pleasant and quaint establishment with oft-rotating taps.“

BeerandBlues2 3611 days ago

“Brewery restaurant in a strip mall with the decor you would expect. Plenty of parking. Did not try the food. Our server was very friendly and eager to help. They offer a sampler of their house beers and the quality was average, with a couple of flaws. They were out of one of their beers and served us a "seasonal" which was really a guest tap. I get the impression they don’t really have any seasonals. Might be worth visiting once if you’re in the area.“

Drake 3876 days ago

“A short walk from either Judge’s Bench or Ellicott Mills Brewery. They seem to focus on high-end wines and beers, and the beer prices are much better than other places around. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They do not carry anything you are not going to find at other stores, but the prices are better on what they do carry.“

BeerandBlues2 4107 days ago

“I am somewhat cautious of shopping center breweries, and this one is no different. The place is nice enough, but appearance is dark. The food is average, and well, they serve their own beer. There is no need to seek this place out, for what my opinion is worth.“

BeerandBlues2 4170 days ago

“Everything about this place screamed "generic" to me. It’s in a strip mall, like many American places. The menu was straightforward pub food, and I had the white chili which was bland. And the beers were safe and inoffensive. It also looked like the eight choices hadn’t rotated. You had to have all eight on the sampler, which was too much. Better to skip this place I think.“

Travlr 4252 days ago

“Large place in a strip mall. Lots of bombers, few 12 ounce singles. Prices higher than nearby places.“

Travlr 4252 days ago

“Wine shop on the main drag with a beer corner. Lots of bombers, 12 ouncers are all in four or six packs. Good prices, especially given the touristy location. Very friendly and helpful staff.“

Travlr 4252 days ago

“Stopped in here prior to going to Ellicott City Brewing. The place was a total dump, the bartender was completely disinterested, first informing me and my wife and kids that we could order from the bar, then informing us that the kitchen wouldn’t open for another hour and essentially forcing us out. The tap list was decent, but this place was entirely non-family friendly, and one of the most over-rated places I’ve ever been in.“

DocLock 4298 days ago

“Excellent selection. I didn’t see everything by every brewer but I certainly saw a few by many many brewers. Found some things I had not seen elsewhere like the Dogfish Head Pearl Jam. Very impressive amount of cooler space. Staff were helpful, almost to the point of fault by which I mean the fellow stocking almost forced me into conversation and to allow him to help when I just wanted to browse. I suppose that could be a response to comments about organization, they seemed a bit afraid I wouldn’t find something. You definitely won’t regret a stop here.“

mnoud 4485 days ago

“Small shop with a nice ambiance, small but adequate parking lot on side. Much more wine than beer, but a respectable and interesting selection of craft beers, about an equal mix of 12oz 4 and 6 packs vs. 750ml and bombers. Staff were very friendly, including the dog. I just happened to be going through the area and stopped at a few places. I’ll probably pop in here if I’m passing by again.“

mnoud 4485 days ago

“Really nice selection. Will be going back. “

porterhouse 4534 days ago

“Located right off Rt. 40, a little past Chatham Mall. Lots of beer everywhere with probably 50 micros. Not very well organized. Small singles area in the back. Not too bad for the area, but if you can drive a little farther, I would definitely rather go to Perfect Pour. It didn’t help either when I was looking for Sprite for my pregnant wife and the woman behind the counter called me a dummy for not being able to find it behind the piles of trash and empty boxes.“

lcwakshul 4624 days ago

“Eh. Middling selection of beers not particularly well organized. The staff I encountered was clueless. The blow-back of the employees who smoke, either from outside of the entrance or in a back room, filled the store with the smell of stale cigarette smoke. Since I don’t live next door to the store, this was my first and last visit.“

rollingwood 4779 days ago

“I was impressed with the beer selection but the organization and pricing leaves some to be desired. ~300 beers seems to be alittle high, but there are many offerings to please any pallet. Larger focus on wine and some liquor. Large cooler section to take their selections with you and enjoy immediately upon your arrival to destination. Prices are steeper than the average. Have Trappist, decent Belgian selections and good variety of multiple selections from each offered brewer. A good find and worth a visit if in the area-“

themadmumis 4821 days ago

“I thought this was a really nice little place. The service was outstanding very helpful and very friendly. I liked the dog roaming around. The selection was all about quality and not quantity. Lots of bombers and a fair amount of six-packs.“

KUEric 4848 days ago

“I didnot spend time in the bar area... just the restaurant. Service was excellent although the waiter couldn’t offer much about the beer. Food was decent but bbq reminiscent of Famous Daves. Beers were average to above avg. Was a good place to bring the family. The bar area looked large and music was being set up. Would recommend trying.“

strongpieman 4988 days ago

“Nice, friendly, clean bar in a nice location. This place is small but they are definitely into craft beer with a pretty impressive draft list. Think my biggest gripe would be be with the $$ as my two big beers were $8 each (and strangely both served in shakers). But I’d definitely go back to see what’s on.“

porterhouse 5037 days ago

“Great local pub in downtown histoirc Ellicott City. Very nice selection of rotating craft brews on draft and in bottles (website updated daily with selections). Did not have the food, but it looked good. Friendly ambiance and a friendly owner make the decision to go back here easy. I’ll be back many times over....“

scraff 5138 days ago

“Just expanded (most recent visit was January of 2010)--doubled literally--their floor space. Added quite a few beers and breweries to their offerings (really expanded their room-temp magnums). Long line of coolers and a walk-in for self-serve cases. Service is not particularly beer-knowledgeable, or at least they do not go out of their way to offer in-depth information. Large selection of liquors (partial to SM Scotch and Cognac myself). But, that being said, they don’t hover either, which is a blessing if you don’t want or need assistance. Parking is more than adequate. Wide aisles. That being said, though they are trying to compete with A-list stores in the area, was disappointed to buy a stale 6-pack of Great Divide Titan IPA (complete with ’chunks’ floating in a beer that is not bottle-conditioned). Rotate the stock! And another update, Jason’s continues either to fail to rotate their stock, buy in quantities that result in beer ’sitting around’ for months, or store stock in an unprotected environment. Today, again, I purchased a 6-pack (this of Goose Island IPA) that has begun to deteriorate in the bottle, dated 5/23/12. So my rating of them drops and I return an old six-pack. Long story short, I should not have to verify dates and look for sediment in each beer I purchase that isn’t bottle-conditioned: that’s their job.“

rollingwood 5205 days ago

“Nice little beer store in Ellicott City. Great selection of foreign beers as well as all the locally distributed American craft beers you’d expect to see. Lots of Victory, Troegs, Clipper City, Flying Dog, Weyerbacher, Southern Tier, etc. I was also surprised to see some beers from The Bruery there, which I didn’t realize Maryland is lucky enough to get. One criticism of the place is that they don’t allow mixed 6-packs, but oh well, you can’t always have it all. Service is hit-or-miss depending on who you happen to talk to. Good beer store overall though.“

nickd717 5337 days ago

“In a plaza in Ellicott City. Had some wings and sampled the beers. Not bad. Others in the party liked the food. A nice time was had by all.“

arventresca 5359 days ago

“nice looking store with a great open feel to it. decent selection of six packs and bombers but it is definitely geared to the wine crowd (wines were a bit pricey... but i can be a bit spoiled). though i think th eonly stuff i couldn’t get in phx was southern tier... friendly service though.“

hellbilly 5408 days ago

“I totally agree with the other reviews. A nice surprise with a very nice selection for where it is. You can fins a better selection a few miles away but this is a mom and pop place. Prices are pretty good.“

mwelsh13 5422 days ago

“Nice little place. Nice tap selection and same with the bottles. Some are priced a bit high, but 120 Minute was $7 on draft. Food was good even though they only had the cold selections at 7pm on a Saturday. Definitely will go back again.“

mwelsh13 5422 days ago

“Lot’s of folks hanging out willing to talk beer with you. Taps rotate pretty much nightly, as one blows you never know what will be put on next. One evening the patrons even got to vote on what when on next. Bartenders are knowledgable and willing to give you a sample to find your fav. There is also a glass front beer cooler with even more selections including Magners Cider :)“

ScarletLady 5502 days ago

“Located in a restored firehouse in the historic area of Ellicott City, the emphasis here is on wine (maybe a clue in the name?) but a surprising amount of space devoted to good beer. Prices and selction were fair-to-good. Service was friendly but focused on the wine crowd. If you are dining or drinking at the outstanding Judges Bench directly across on Main St, you should be able to find the same beer in bottles here at the Wine Bin (a tip from the owner, Mike, at the Bench).“

guzzler67 5555 days ago

“This place was a pleasant surprise. it’s right across the street from the Judges Bench in Ellicott City; I just happened to stumble upon it while heading there. Only been open @ 3 weeks. Nice looking place which had a good wine & spirit selection & some good brews; Chimay Allagash, Dogfish, Clipper City... Nothing exceptionally rare but plenty to choose from. Only sold Micros, no swill! Owners were quite nice, they were pouring wines when I was there & are planning more formal tastings in the future. Not a destination type store, but it is convenient if you are in this area and they have plenty to choose from“

beachbum25 5597 days ago

“This place rocked-great local feel to the place. 17 rotating micro taps- 2 blew when I was there & 2 DIFFERENT micro’s were immediately put on to replace them! Had Mc Chouffe, Unita Monkshine, 3 Philosophers, a couple Victorys, Weyerbacher XIII...Good bottle list as well. Good bar food, place is small so I’d get there early-particularly on the weekend. Had a good band playing on the Friday night I was there & lots of folks came in for the micros. Had folks drinking swill as well, but they managed to serve both crowds well. Samplers were available but they were free w/letting you try before you buy. I hadn’t been here in several years; I always liked the look of the place, but not much else about it. If I lived in this area, this would be my local. This place is a much better choice than Ellicott Mills brewing down the street-far superior beer choices.“

beachbum25 5597 days ago

“This store is jam packed. Plenty of wine & beers. The aisles are very narrow and not much room to move about. Cases of beer are stacked all over. The individual bottles of beer selection is limited, but they do have a good amount of variety with 6pks & cases. I was there recently looking for Mendocino Oktoberfest. They didn’t carry any Mendocino products, but I was telling the manager about their beer and he wrote it down and said he would check into it and possibly start carrying it. I’ll have to go back and see if they have it now. Not a bad neighborhood store.“

gpekar 5685 days ago

“Cozy place. nice tap and bottle choices. 17 taps- allagash currieux, dubbel, weyerbacher. avery/RR colab, hennepin, north coast old stock, flying dog-double dog, cant remember the rest. bottles- pretty much everything available in MD. didnt try the food. seemed like a bar foods menu. live music, most nights. cover tunes. nightly specials. price-$3-$8 a beer. most people drinking miller lites in there. but I noticed a few beer seekers as well. overall, quality establishment. a good beer bar..“

barleycorn1 5697 days ago