Always great beer. They have good cask and seasonal options. Their food is pretty tasty too, I love the buffalo burger. Mostly though I go for the beer. There is a ton of seating inside and out and the service is usually prompt and efficient.
(4)
Becky M.
After spending so many years at Four Peaks, I was really pleased with the small size of SunUp. Maybe it gets a little too crowded during peak hours, but I was there for an early Sunday dinner and thought it was just right. My friend and I were seated immediately and had great service. I had the fish and chips and my friend had the Kobe Burger. I thought mine was good (it's hard to make a bad batch of fish'n'chips) and my friend liked his burger. I must note that we realized that the IPA is the absolute perfect drink with the Kobe burger. The PERFECT combination. It's rare that you come upon something like that, and we didn't remember seeing the recommendation in the menu. Being that it was our first time to this brewery, we tried the beer sampler. I preferred the Hefeweizen and Amber out of the bunch. The Vanilla Porter was too much of a dessert for my taste - but if that's what you're into, go for it. If I could give half stars, I probably end up rating SunUp with a 3.5, so I'd rather round up to four. This place isn't a three-star joint, and I don't want to rate them as such.
(4)
James M.
If you like craft beer this is your place. Quench the heat here, pull up to the bar, booth, table, or outdoor. In either case the beer is still good, and for the meat lover in you try the Black & blue burger.
(4)
Danica T.
I've been here twice...the first time was driven by a rumor that they made their own root beer. I'm a sucker for homemade root beer, so I had high hopes that this place would become a favorite. My husband and I were so excited when these huge glasses of RB hit the table!! And then confusion...both of us looked at each other and said "WTF???" Worst RB EVER! What the heck was in this drink that made it taste like ass? We looked all over the menu and found nothing. Then we saw the "fine print" on a small table sign...STEVIA. It's made with Stevia NOT sugar...I'm sorry, but I have to say that this is the lame-est root beer on the planet. If I'm going to treat myself to a big glass of homemade root beer, I want it to be delectable...sugar and all...no freaking high fructose corn syrup and no bloody artificial sugars (and yes, I know stevia is "natural" but who gives a crap...it tastes terrible anyway). After the root beer debacle, it didn't get better. The food was meh...service was not so great (there were moments of "is she ever coming back???"). I'd say, go here for the beer, sans root, but that's about it. Otherwise, skip this place and drive out to Four Peaks...you'll be happier all around.
(2)
Andy G.
I came here for a first date with some one and just missed happy hour.But i did like this place and enjoyed their beer!!I wish i could have tasted the vanilla porter but the were out.Will return soon!!
(4)
B H.
Its a cute atmosphere, food was alright, nothing spectacular. I'm not a beer drinker, so I can't speak for the brews. Parking leaves a bit to be desired, but for as full as the lot was, there were plenty of tables inside. A nice brewhouse in central Phoenix if you aren't in the mood for driving out to one of the Four Peaks.
(3)
T B.
Pretty good..I've been here a couple of times, small, quaint place with decent food. What I do like is their wood interior atmosphere and IF they have it, their own home brew root beer. I would definitely recommend to give this place a try.
(3)
Brian M.
I went there today for lunch if not thinking about being saint patrick's day. The place was fairly busy but Mollie made room for us for us to bar. The patrons were friendly it was a nice atmosphere. My friend had pulled pork sandwich which he always likes and I had the fish and chips. At $14.00 the fish is a little expensive but was served with a nice size piece of fish and the good serving of fries. The breading on the fish is a little thick but has a nice taste and I would happily have it again. It was a good lunch, a fun time and worth the drive from Chandler-and the beer was great too.
(4)
Annie M.
We've been coming here for over 2 years since living in the hood, not really "regulars" but pretty regularly. Having both been in the hospitality industry, we enjoy sitting at the bar and chatting up with other diners, bartenders, etc. They still don't know our names, our order, not even a perk up with a recognizable nod gets thrown our way. We're pretty friendly people and damn good tippers but apparently not much leaves an impression on the majority of the staff here. I can't say all of them deserve this review but there a few who deserve even worse. So why do we return? Damnit, the food is good. It's local, always seems fresh made and they have a magic spell over nachos that is just impossible to explain. The beers are OK, I like Four Peaks 8th St. Ale way better than anything on this menu (daily cask is typically a winner). The root beer was so much better when it wasn't made with Splenda and didn't have that aftertaste. But back to those nachos...crispy thin chips, perfectly layered with the right amount of cheese, beans, black olives, tomatoes, green onions, jalapenos, topped with dollops of sour cream and guac. Seriously, they are NEVER soggy or too much...you know how sometimes you get a pizza or nacho that the cook got too liberal with and thought more was better but it just ruined it? This place has the right ratio. The salsa kicks the ass of most Mexican restaurants in town. The wings are crispy, tasty. The house salad is a nice mix of real greens and veggies (no iceberg- whoo hoo). The flatbread sandwiches are OK, the burgers are tasty too (though the Kobe isn't that special in my opinion but my coworker loves it). The. Bread. Pudding. I will spin in the morning, do a Power Yoga set, eat veggies all day and have this bread pudding for dinner. Holy hell it's amazing. That whiskey caramel sauce drizzled over the top begs me to bathe in it. Come here for some consistently good food knowing you are supporting a local business and don't get too upset when the staff downright sucks; it's not you.
(3)
Archie F.
IPA lovers, this is your destination in the desert. I regret that I live 10 miles away, and there is no way I'll even stop in for 1 Tropper IPA (1 is impossible) and then get in my car and drive. But the balance is perfect: a hearty body with some bite, not overbearing on the malt, hops are strong but balanced with some fruity, floral bouquet that lingers on the tongue. And it's not too cold either, like some of the other breweries. I can't speak for the other beers, but I've tried every IPA in the area, this is the best! I still wish I could find 3 Floyd's on tap out here. Maybe even Crooked Tree IPA- those are still my favorites, but this will do.
(5)
Luis C.
I consider this place my hidden lunch gem in Phoenix. I work downtown and I often don't want to spend half of my lunch hour waiting for a table at the normal places. I've never ever had to wait at SunUp. The staff is always friendly and accomodating - never had one with a bad attitude. For my money, I prefer to sit in the brewery area and enjoy the quiet it provides. Lunch here is always quick, delicious and cheap for what you get. Would definitely suggest the Camelback Club, Burgers and Pretzel Bites!
(4)
Richard L.
I was excited to come across this little brew house because I love beer. I came here on a Saturday afternoon and it was definitely not busy but there were a few tables and the bar area seemed pretty full. The two beers that I had were decent but not amazing. (a hefeweisen and an IPA) Four Peaks Brew House is much better in my opinion. The service was awful. Nothing good or personable about it. Considering it was not very busy I expected more out of someone, anyone for that matter! (maybe they were angry because they had to work on Halloween) My drinks took longer than normal to receive and my Kobe burger took quite awhile too. I wasn't keeping track of the time but how hard can it be to throw a burger on the grill and fry some fries? I was expecting more from this "top seller". Not impressed and I will not be returning, if the beer and food were amazing I might come back even if the service sucked but if all three of these important factors are not up to par I will spend my money else where. Next time I'll take the extra 10 minutes to get to Four Peaks. Also I noticed the menu was really, really random. They don't specialize in any particular type of food. Fish and chips, and then some southwestern dishes....? Whatever, I appreciate small, local restaurants but this place is all wrong. Plus the staff doesn't seem to care much for their jobs so they must not care much for good tips!
(2)
Ken A.
Overall, the experience was good except for the service. The beer was excellent, several good interpretations of standard beer types. The food (steak wrap) was very tasty as well. The only problem is that the the waitress decided to take her sweet time waiting on us in the patio area which left for a very hungry, cranky person. Sure we had beer, but sometimes you need some food too. What really sealed the deal was that she ignored us, then took her own food into the restaurant and ate while we sat famished on the patio. In sum, the food and beer were excellent but this particular waitress was terrible. I guess that wouldn't keep me from going back, unless that happened again.
(3)
David A.
We eat here 2-3 times a month as the service and food is consistently excellent. It only takes a few times and they get to know you and what you like which is great. Give it a try.
(5)
Nina W.
Great beer, good food, great music! Brought our 1 1/2 year old for dinner. Loud enough so it downs him out but not too loud. Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, would come back!! (:
(5)
Sarah V.
Shepherd's pie.... Processed, pre frozen, and just plain disgusting. We then ordered a hamburger to replace the Shepherd's pie. Ordered it medium and it came out well done. I noticed this place is not known for its food nor are they known for great customer service. Not much care was given towards our crappy food. We will not be returning.
(1)
Fred M.
Something Central Phoenix sorely lacks is a top-quality microbrewery. Maybe some remember the old Tommy Knocker's, but that's as close as we have ever had. Recently when SunUp split from Sonora Brewhouse, they also added a brewery next door and have been increasing in popularity ever since. However, they come up short in terms of providing a top quality microbrewery, and SunUp only shines as a good neighborhood bar that happens to brew their own beers. On mutiple visits, I've tried multiple beers. The first visit, sampling the Red Cask Ale, I had a mostly positive feel about the beer. It was bold, reasonably priced, and packed quite a punch. I also sampled the Light Rail Cream Ale that night, which was essentially a standard ale by my count. The bartender explained while serving it that the name is "a bit misleading" because most, like myself, are expecting more of an ale with a stout-like finish. The Vanilla Porter is their best brew in my opinion, with the most distinct flavor and a perfect balance in aroma. I've become quite enamored with porters lately and SunUp's didn't disappoint, but it also didn't drive me to proclaim it one of the best porters around. Service at the restaurant has been hit and miss. One visit with an empty bar, we were waited on hand and foot, but also felt as though the staff wanted to close up and go home. They were putting chairs on the tables, sweeping the floors, and doing general closing duties, though they insisted they were not closing for a "couple more hours." Another visit I sat at the bar for quite some time with no bartender present, and the bar obvoiusly understaffed. All in all, it's a welcome addition, and compliments the other establishments popping up around Central and Camelback very nicely. Unfortunately, Central Phoenix could still use a top-notch microbrewery. SunUp, right now, has too many inconsistencies, and doesn't have great enough beer to make them not matter. One can get a good beer just about anywhere, but it would be nice to find a great beer brewed locally, so here's to hoping SunUp comes up with a great beer.
(3)
Albert H.
Parking is tight and there's limited seating, but we always seem to find a spot without waiting (on both accounts). Great selection of hand crafted beers, traditional pub fare, and overall there's a good vibe from staff and the building itself. I like that people here know what they're after and it's unlikely to fetch too many of the damn snowbird types, given that this is a small local place. If you're into craft beer then you'll like this place. If you're not, well, it's rather ordinary as far as pub food goes. Come for the beer!
(4)
Dave B.
My first review might as well be from somewhere I've been just a few times. OK, probably hundreds. In fact, I've been going there regularly since it opened in the Fall of 2001. The first day started like nearly every day there since: amazing beer and a super friendly staff. The food is excellent and for happy hour you can actually get a huge, delicious plate of nachos for half the normal price (they get the official stamp of approval from a nacho fiend that I know). The burgers are great, as well as the wings. But the star of the show is... The IPA. I've had IPA's from all over and this is as good as any of them, and better than 99% of them. In fact, this IPA is so good that we took a keg per request to our friend on a road trip to Seattle. It's a little hoppier than many IPA's and that's just the way I like it. I hear the other beers are good too but I wouldn't know. ;) Like someone else said, this place is much like Cheers: there are many friendly regulars as well as the staff. Hey, enough said: I've been going here often (perhaps too often) for years for a good reason.
(4)
Tim A.
The beer and the setting are the highlights at Sonora Brewhouse. Best thing to do here is to sit back in the old brick buildings and cool off with a pint of Light Rail Cream Ale, which is light and smooth but not at all creamy. These folks are serious about their brews, and the friendly staff will bring you a sample to help you discern the difference between a regular draught and its cask-conditioned counterpart. While the food isn't a disappointment, it's nothing to write home about either. I can barely remember the Kobe beef burger I had on my first visit. The shepherd's pie I had the second time around was good enough, but the so-called horseradish mashed potatoes on top just weren't horesradishy enough to satisfy a kid who grew up in the horseradish fields of southern Illinois. I give Sonora Brewhouse a solid recommendation as a spot to drink, but bring plenty of friends -- the place can be empty on a Saturday afternoon. It's also a worthy addition to your light-rail pub crawl, just a short walk from the Central/Camelback station.
(4)
Siobhan C.
Nice place over all. The beer is good. Other than beer, I have only had the nachos and they were average/tasty. The waitresses are always friendly and helpful. The restaurant is comfortable and they also have a nice out door patio. The beer sampler is a good way to start your beer quest!
(4)
Don H.
I have been going to this establishment for years and I still love it. The food is fair bar type food. Although they have changed ownership and brew masters they still make good beer. I have to say though the former brew master had a wider array of beer and was a better brew master. The new brew master is really good at IPA's which is good for him since they are what is in demand at this time. I so miss your pot belly porter and your midnight porter.
(4)
KC C.
Still loving the food! The crispy shrimp taco's are my fav. The shrimp are huge, the 2 tacos fill you up. I tried the Parm cheesr fries, awesome! This place has great food, only wish they had a full bar, a margarita would set me over the top!!!
(4)
Ken K.
I walked into Sonora Brew House - tap room of SunUp Brewing Company - at about 8:00 p.m. after a day's worth of flights and being turned away from an up-scale restaurant due to an hour-and-a-half wait. Needless to say, I wasn't in the best mood and I had thought I was settling in for an evening of fantastic food served in small portions on pristine white dishes. Instead, I pulled a 180 and went to SunUp because it was close and it was on my food list. The interior didn't put me off. Though it's not a "classy" brewpub, the interior sports soft lighting, Spanish colors and a certain amount of elegance. I'm not saying you should take a date here if you're trying to impress her, but it's certainly acceptable before or after a movie. The atmosphere is laid back. A curved bar sits behind a simple floor stacked with numerous square tables both normal and high-top. Brewing equipment stands behind a plastic wall off to one side. A small doorway leads to a narrow room lined with booths on either side. The place is not that big, but it's not small either. The menu consists of standard pub fare with a few Spanish touches. Appetizers have the normal dips and fried dishes. The homemade bruschetta caught my eye, however. It was a bit strong on the garlic and not very well done. Outside of the typical burgers, sandwiches and wraps, they do feature some interesting entrees. I ordered the special - shrimp fajitas. It came with one giant flour tortilla which confused me, but overall it wasn't bad. My friend ordered the salmon which was a much better effort. As for the beer, they featured six standard offerings along with three seasonal. Of the typical offerings, most were a little too sweet and a little low on the hop side, especially those of lighter color meant to appeal to the masses. However, the low amounts of hops did allow the floral and citrus notes to come through on the IPA. My favorite was the seasonal Red along with the Vanilla Porter, which though sweet, had a robust chocolaty character. Bonus point for the dry-hopped, cask conditioned version of the IPA as well. The service was alright. She didn't know much about the beers, but could at least distinguish one from the other via color, even among those that looked quite similar. Overall, the place is alright. I hope there are better offerings in the area. But if not, it'll do.
(4)
Koli H.
Great micro brewed beers. The Light Rail Cream Ale and the Vanilla Porter are really good. The food is hit and miss, usually hit, but I don't go there to eat. It's nice to see a small spot with loyal customers. The beers are tasty.. that's enough for me...
(4)
Peace D.
Great Burgers. Great staff.... Great ambiance.... Great beer
(4)
Karen N.
Main reason to go to Sonora - the Kobe burger! By far the best burger in town. I usually go for lunch since its close to my office and have never been disappointed by the food. Great service, great waitstaff, great food. I've been once for dinner and the beer is exceptional. All around a great pick! Even worth the drive from the NW Valley.
(5)
Dave B.
Nice looking place ... food wasn't bad ... just something I didn't like ... not sure what ... sorry for the horrible review.
(2)
Kerstin M.
This was our second time at Sonora, and overall it was a decent place with warm woods, brick, and sautillo tile. The lighting was not too dark. Where we sat, in the hallway like middle section, was way too stuffy, however, and we were shocked by how much cooler it was when we stepped into the main area. Hubby had the Vanilla Porter, which he really liked. It was black as my soul, and probably a little sweeter. Not my cup of tea. My Hefe was very disappointing- the worst I've had in Arizona, frankly. It was dull and muddy tasting- something was just plain wrong. My dinner was quite tasty. I had the Haddock with a wonderfully spunky tartar sauce and their awesome freshly made kettle chips. The fish was huge, with a tasty batter, not at all greasy, but a tad overdone. Hubby had the cottage pie, which was good, but we've recently had far better at Tim Finnegan's. His dinner came with a cup of clam chowder- it was zesty and really different. We both liked it. Sonora is a place we will likely come back to. It has a good vibe.
(3)
Localz Clothing C.
I had there light rail creme ale BBQ chicken wings and to beer& what else to wash it down accept the light rail creme ale brew. That is def my fave light beer. The wings were flavorful,crispy and delicious white meat. Small factors that i didn't like:the cardinals game was not on the tube,slow service but over all I say there are more pros than cons'. GO AND CHECK IT OUT
(4)
arik b.
i haven't been here since it was called Sonora, not much has changed. the food is pretty decent. i no longer drink alcohol so i got the rootbeer. it's pretty good. i actually like Stevia, and was happier knowing there was no sugar or HFCS i actually like the fact a restaurant is trying to get away from HFCS. kudos. i tried the Buffalo, i kinda thought it was a burger...but only because i wasn't really paying attention. but it was tasty, 3 basted chicken strips on a roll with lettuce and tomato and nasty red onion...no...not saying their red onion was nasty..i just don't like red onion on sandwiches.. sorry. anyways..they added Sweet Potato fries to the menu and they were pretty good. they crinkle cut them..i think it adds more to the experience.
(3)
Matthew K.
My first impressions of this place is that they try too hard. It's almost completely void of the quirky character of a place like Casey Moore's or Four peaks. Normal selection of beers, some good and some not so good. I like hoppy beers but their IPA was waaaay too hoppy for my tastes. I didn't eat anything this time but the menu offerings looked fine. I would like to try the Kobe burger, I saw one go by us and it looked very good, maybe next time.
(3)
Raegen S.
Pretty Good. Nice little dive along Camelback. The Pale ale was desent... i tried the other beers and some were better than others. As far as the food i tried the southwest soup that was Excellent and a chicken salad that was fresh. Also there was a very eclectic crowd when i went there.
(3)
Kym S.
I thought overall, it was good. Not great, not bad, just good. I tired their amber ale which was pretty tasty, but not near my list of top dogs. We started with the homemade kettle chips with chipotle ketchup. Maybe I'm just a sucker for potato chips and spicy ketchup, but I thought they were the standout of the evening. I could have eaten them all night. I followed it up with some nachos which were good, but nothing out of the ordinary. I would order them again, but they have a pretty big menu so there's a lot to try. I was here for the happy hour which has smokin' deals. The pints are dirt cheap and the apps are at least half off (if I remember correctly). You can sample a lot for little dough. Gotta love that! There is a lot of parking (no pun intended...) and two separate rooms for dining plus a patio for smoking - not sure if they serve out there or not. I think this is the type of place that you have to give a few chances and you'll find some favorites that you'll settle into. Beer selection is a little on the weak side, but the food is pretty good. I would go back, but I won't be a regular. Sorry, kind of a blah review. Hmph.
(3)
Paul G.
First, I don't work at this place & I don't know the owner or have friends at the place. Overall, I liked the place. It's very clean & bright. The beer is great!!! The food is ok. It's not terrible..but it's not great either. The service was fantastic. I would say this is a good lunch place...but not in the same class as Four peaks in terms of hanging out and meeting people. Worth checking out.
(3)
Ethan A.
Food is good, beer is well done...service just needs to be more friendly...one guy had a dirty mouth on him, I think he was the manager
(4)
L G.
This seems like a great neighborhood bar. There was a warm and cozy feel to the restaurant and the prices are very reasonable. The beer is delicious. We ordered the brats and the nachos which were okay.
(4)
Bill V.
Atmosphere is wonderful. Outside patio dining with powerful misters. 70's / 80's music pumped in for effect. Staff is very friendly, cordial and fast. Food is good for bar food. I give it 4 stars for atmosphere.
(4)
M N.
Oh yah - an outstanding brew pup in the middle of Phoenix! Small, homey - very knowledgeable staff, warm, genuine folks Without our GPS, we would not have discovered the place. I had the seasonal Triple IPA (10.2%) - state law allows only two of the 9 oz jewel. Very hoppy with a sweet after taste. Fortunately, my buddy drove, so I was able to imbide and enjoy myself. Also had a taste of of the hand crafted, hand pumped ale, if it was not for the Triple IPA, I would have enjoyed it, but the Triple IPA spoiled my taste buds. Did not taste the restaurant's fare, we were there for the hand crafted bier! Will definitely return whenever in Phoenix.
(4)
Korina A.
My girlfriend and I were "regulars" at Oak Creek Brewery, when we lived up North. Once we moved down here, we started pining for the brewery scene. We gave Sonora brewhouse a shot. Granted, our expectations are very high. OCB is THE social hub for the locals. We knew we weren't going to find the same thing here, being that Phoenix has so many cool haunts available. What we were looking for was a good patio, good beer, and a good atmosphere. Sonora Brewhouse delivers on all counts. The good food was a bonus. It's not great food, but it'll do. We've learned to stick to a few select items. The chips and salsa are wonderful. If you're lucky, the flour tortilla chips will still be warm. They are fluffy, light, and delicately crisp. The salsa is the traditional smooth style, with just the right amount of heat. The other go-to food item is the American Kobe beef burger. It is so juicy, so flavorful and delicious. It's big enough to share, if you're more interested in sampling the beer, but want a snack to keep you going -- which is my usual strategy. I'm not really wowed by the beers. I think I have tried four or five of them, and of those, only two stood out for me. The seasonal vanilla porter is lovely and luscious, like a creme brulee in a pint glass - but without overdoing it. Typically, I am a dark beer drinker, but the Light Rail Cream Ale won me over. For a light beer, it has surprising amounts of body and flavor. One could easily wile away a warm Winter's afternoon kicking those back. As for the atmosphere, it is casual, but I wouldn't say friendly. I've been there probably six or seven times, and haven't had a single conversation with a stranger. Also, they play great music -- if you can hear it! Often, I can make out faint notes of Janis Joplin or the Doors. I'm told that the patio speakers are as loud as they can get. Too bad.
(4)
courtney c.
Awful service! Mediocre food... if it was what I ordered. The beer was OK but nothing great compared to other breweries around town. I really wanted to like this place, sadly disappointed. No one helped us when we walked in (they weren't busy) and our server kept forgetting about us to chat with dudes at the bar. When she messed up on our food she wasn't very graceful about it... and we still had to pay full price. It also took almost two hours, and we didn't make it to the plans we had afterward. It wasn't just our servers that was bad, the bartender was rude and so was another server. Won't go back... the owners really need to step in!
(1)
Joshua W.
I was finally able to check this place out last weekend, and it was totally worth the wait. The atmosphere of the place gives off a nice neighborhood brewery vibe, with quite a few people there either sitting at the bar just talking it up with friends or enjoying a family dinner. One of the big plusses of this place is the patio, where I sat. Two indoor seating areas, each with their own full-sized bar, sandwiches the patio area. They've even got great music playing in the background. Since it was my first time here, I ordered the beer sampler. For the most part, each beer they had was unbelievable. The Cream Ale and the Porter were my favorites, which was strange because I'm normally a Pale Ale/IPA kind of guy. The IPA they had was a little too funky for my liking, but all the others easily made up for it. I got the Kobe burger, which had to have been the best burger I have ever had. Others in my party that night got the onion rings, the bratwurst and the calamari, and all of those were out of this world too. I will definitely be back here often.
(5)
Michael S.
This place has always seemed to me about as close as you can get to a "Cheers" in downtown Phoenix. Except that nobody seems to know my name there in spite of how frequently I come. But then, I'm not part of the 30-something clientle who sets up shop at the bar. I roll into a booth or a high table that has the best view of the games that are on. It's a great place to come down and see local sports or tie one on after a terrible local sports performance. Not great because of the televisions or presentation of the games in any way(which is just two smaller flat screen TVs with no sound in the main room), but because of the laid-back, true-to-its-locale atmosphere it emits. It just seems perfectly in place and makes it feel natural to hang out and throw some back more then any other bar around town that tries to force its motif into a Phoenix landscape it just doesn't jive with. And of course the food and beverage there don't hurt its cause at all. I do agree with some people's sentiments about particular beers not being up to snuff compared to other breweries. My particular complaint is with their Pale Ale, which tastes like an IPA, and their IPA, which tastes like a medicinal strength IPA. But in spite of some quibbles with the beers here, they really do have some fantastic stuff. For some reason, the beer that is my standby there is the Light Rail Cream Ale, which is in stark contrast to the Brown and Amber Ales I typically get at other breweries. Its got that perfect taste/refreshment balance that acts as a Siren's call to bring me back here at least once a week. The burgers, salads, and pizza's are also fantastic. But the real find here is the bread pudding, which has got to be one of the best bread pudding's in existence. I always try to eat slow to make room for it. Luckily, this is a place that won't care how long you cement yourself to a seat. Which again, makes this place perfect for some Suns action or whatever is going on. But I probably remember my trips here best after catastrophic defeats. Last year after the Sun's officially bowed out of the playoffs without a championship for yet another season, and with my brother after ASU (he's an alum) lost to Oregon are the first that come to mind. The classic rock and the atmosphere and the beer (don't forget the beer) seem to breath new life into me during such trying circumstances. I guess just by being a pillar of originality in the desert.
(5)
Charlie G.
Their slogan says it all: The Best Little Brewhouse in the West! Terrif food! Great service! Reasonable prices. Nice combination. Beer is brewed on-site. It's on-draft, & they *even* have DRAFT RootBeer! [YUM!] BTW, if you can't get 2 meals out of their Kobe beef burger, metinks you're eatin' too much! :-) Once, when the soup-of-the-day was lentil (I love lentils) in a tomato broth, it was so good, I had to order another bowl to take home (it was great right outta the refrig!
(5)
Jeff E.
This was the place I went to with my friends when we first got into good beer. Their brews are very good and their food as well. Their fries are a little weak, just run of the mill compared to Four Peaks' beer battered fries, but other than that their menu can stand toe-to-toe with Four Peaks. What gives Four Peaks 5 stars and Sonora 4 stars is the fact that Four Peaks' beer is superior and Four Peaks has a great Sunday brunch. But do not get me wrong, this place is worth a visit... many many visits! P.S. BEST ONION RINGS IN TOWN!
(4)
Mark T.
The Sonora Brewhouse is the epitome of a good, clean, moderate, Phoenician pub/restaurant. Which means that I was really hoping for more. I was hoping that this place would be a little lived in, a little less polished, a little less new Phoenix. It's kind of odd that big box chain food spots work at trying to get that aged look by throwing junk up on the walls and hanging it from the ceilings. Not at the Sonora Brewhouse, they'll have none of that here, but that's okay. Yes, they brew their own beers and yes it's good and more than decent. The food is better than average and always cooked. Even when you ask for your Kobe burger to be cooked medium with the hope that you'll see some red, it'll come out with no pink at all. Sadly, I wasn't expecting anything different. Do I sound disappointed? Do I sound like I'm sitting in a box of self pity? Oh woe is me, they FULLY cooked my burger. Oh woe is me, the beer is good and the steak fries have the perfect crispness on the outside and mashy-goodness on the inside. The quality at Sonora Brewhouse is what I expect at any of the big box chain restaurants like Gordon Biersch, but never get. The problem here is that they can be so much more. Food + Ambiance (personality) = Greatness. Sonora Brewhouse is missing the heart. They're polite and not offensive in anyway, walking the definition of middle. This is both surprising and disappointing since they have been around for a while, but also because just a block to the east, Rosie McCaffrey's is overflowing with heart and soul, more than you can imagine. If they can find it, tourists probably love Sonora, but remember, tourists often love going to another branch of the same TGI Friday's that they have in their own suburbia, while on vacation in a different town. Okay, so Sonora Brewhouse isn't anywhere near the low level of a TGI Friday's, but it's almost as clean, boring, and devoid of personality, being almost completely unmemorable. Oh. They also probably have the thinnest Kobe burger patties I've ever seen, at least the steak fries and beer are good. My advice? Go a block east to Rosie McCaffrey's and actually have a good time worth remembering.
(3)
Emily C.
SunUp Brewing Co has the PERFECT french fries. They are the perfect blend of crispy and soft batter fried yummy goodness. For this alone they deserve 4 stars. In addition to the fries, the staff is always friendly, it's never too crowded, it draws an interesting blend of customers (all ages, families, single 20-somethings) and the beer is pretty good as well. I am a fan of the vanilla porter and red ale (and I am something of a beer snob, so not easy to please!). Wings are great, burgers are fine, onion rings...delicious...but those fries! This is a nice comfy hang out when you want bar food, but are not interested in a scene.
(4)
Jaime F.
Great beers and awesome onion rings. It's a good ambiance, and pretty good bar food. The onion rings are best. I also tried the fish and chips, and it was pretty good too. But, the reason to come here is for the beers.
(4)
Michael J.
Tucked away at Camelback & 3rd is the Sun Up Brewing Company. Armed with a need for some food & adult beverage we made our way inside this cozy pub packed with people. With all the great dishes on the menu it was very hard to choose. But when we finally did the food was great (not your regular pub fare) and all the beers were wonderful...especially the Vanilla Porter. I will definitely be back for another round of food and drinks!
(4)
Liz L.
Cool Brewery! Cruising down the street a little brewery popped out of nowhere. It was a hot afternoon and a nice cold local brewed beer sounded like it would hit the spot. Stopped in and right away I felt at home. The waitress had a huge smile and greeted us and let us know we could sit anywhere we wanted, she also came back to us numerous times checking that we had everything we needed. Seemed like the main room next to the bar was the happen spot. Husband ordered the vanilla seasonal stout, and I got the Hefeweizen. Both beers were good but we liked the vanilla seasonal so much we bought a to go 64oz Growler. We ordered the honey hot wings and they were amazing. Not so much hot but the sweetness and crust of the wings hit the spot, so good, would totally order that again. All and all the vibe is really nice, super friendly service, great food, and beer is awesome. Will be back!
(5)
Andrew P.
The beer at SunUp is good, not amazing, but better than most (even Four Peaks in my opinion). The food is amazing, I don't think there is anything even average on the menu. Try the homemade chips, they are awesome, or the Green Chile Pork. Also, the building is just cool inside, so the atmosphere is great. So pretty much a really cool bar with awesome food, good beer, and it's not a chain/corporation. So go there.
(4)
Christian P.
Just had beer, it was ok but not really great. It is the type of beer that never seems to have quite enough of something..... just a little off of good. Better than some others I have had though.
(3)
Barry L.
Barleywine! Finally! We've missed you....one growler, will have to get another...
Sonora is wonderfully average. You will never be surprised by anything here, as when they tell you the beer won't be cold because it's casket, it won't be cold. The hot wings are hot, the fresh salads are fresh, and they always cook things to order and are always accurate (mid rare is always mid rare... a rarity!). I love brewhouses so the local brews are delish. There's nothing surprisingly good at Sonora, but I'll choose it over a culinary adventure almost anyday!
(5)
Pierre Trudeau I.
Cops and lawyers. You'll see plenty of them in this neighborhood brewhouse that was my office away from the office during my days at a downtown Phoenix law firm. And as a lawyer who used to represent cops, I see someone I recognize almost every time I walk in here, aside from the friendly staff of course. Needless to say since I'm a semi-regular at this place, I like it. The food is far better than one would expect for a tiny little hole in the wall like this. The soups never fail to impress no matter what kind they are. They have a good selection of beer. And the atmosphere is inducive to just sitting down with an old friend over a drink or two to relax and catch up, as I often do.
(4)
Jimmy C.
I judge a restaurant by its burger. The burger is a perfect measuring stick for every-day dining establishments; It is sold almost everywhere and does not rely on special ingredients and is always a good barometer of a kitchen's capacity for meeting your temperature needs. That said, I have enjoyed the American Kobe burger here several times and it is consistently above-average and frequently quite excellent. My wife has enjoyed the wrap and several other sandwiches and remains pleased. We also enjoy the spinach and artichoke appetizer. The wings are average at best but the kettle chips with chipotle ketchup rules. Oh, and they have 1000 island. But what matters is the beer and the porter and cream ale are both splendid if a bit too sharp initially. The server are pleasant and the place has a small, family atmosphere. It's also reasonably priced.
(4)
John N.
Good stuff. Haven't had too much of the food. Onion rings are delicious. All beers delicious. Good joint to grab a growler for the drive home...I mean for when you get home.
(4)
Surranna V.
I love this spot for happy hour. The beer prices are great as well as select apps. I am very fond of just about any stout or porter that sonora brews as far as the others I can't say. I have friends that like some of the other selections they have. A decent micro is hard to find in the southwest but this guy has been at it for a while and does a good job. The food has always been good. They have your typical bar menu as well as some better food choices. The patio is great as well. I have also found the service to be no worse than good!
(4)
Bethany C.
If you spend a sunday morning doing work over coffee, a good way to spend the afternoon is doing (less) work over beers. That's just what I did last Sunday and I was happy to have done it at Sonora Brewhouse. It is off my beaten path (which was the objective of the day) and it had a great mural on the wall of their outdoor patio. A patio that, I might add, was surprisingly quiet given its proximity to the road. It was just the right noise level for either eaves dropping or reading. The food all smelled really pretty good as far as bar food goes and the nacho plate we milked for an hour and a half was made with real cheese. The beers were also pretty decent and, after two, I was just happy enough.
(3)
Alicia B.
2.5 stars. Borderline 3. I just wasn't impressed. Oh, but I wanted to be. I mean, a local brewhouse right down the street from where I live? I thought for sure this would become my home away from home. Instead, it was so mediocre and underwhelming, I can't help but wonder, "Will I ever be back?" Probably not. My friend and I walked into the restaurant side of Sonora. I wanted to sit in the Den, where the brews are crafted. We were told to cross over the patio to the place next door. Alright. So, we did. Hardly anyone was there. In fact, the place didn't really pick up until the time we were leaving. Must've been the football game that drew people in, for there was a flat screen plasma TV behind the bar. Speaking of bar, I was excited to try their Vanilla Porter. I was told it was so good, it would make you wanna slap yo' mama. "My mama needs a good slappin'," I thought. Well, she didn't get it. Ok, so maybe vanilla + beer isn't my thing, but I wanted to try something new, something special to this brewhouse. After all, isn't that the point? The kick and finish of this beer did not impress me. In fact, I struggled a bit to finish my pint, which, was $2.75 during happy hour. At the very least, the prices to whet my whistle were great! My friend and I opted to try the food. I felt brave and ordered the bratwurst. Maybe I'm not a bratwurst person, for it was just okay. Nothing else on the menu appealed to me, even though they do tend to have a variety (fish and chips to grilled salmon to soup and burgers). The layout of the place was somewhat unusual. I mean, two seating areas connected by an outdoor patio area (with heaters). That was cool, except that when my friend and I left the Den, we had to cross the patio to get to the exit (in the other building). Along the way, I got one giant whiff of cigarette smoke. Yep, that's just what I wanted to top off what had become a very bland and unenthusiastic experience.
(2)
Justin S.
At Sonora Brewhouse, a German guy named Uwe makes the beer. The staff, though, makes the brewhouse. Since it's a brewhouse, let's start with the beer. Sonora has a brew for nearly everybody. If you like it dark and heavy, there's usually a mix of stout, porter or barley wine. For the lighter folks, there's a very competent mix of hefeweizens and pale ales. For big beer flavors, there's usually an IPA. The best stuff, though, comes out of the cask. Cask-conditioned ales have an awesome flavor that allows the character of the hops to shine out. My main quibble with Sonora's cask selections is that they're too often of the pale variety. I'd love to see a stout or porter in the cask at least once a month. I would celebrate to see a Belgian trippel wind up on the menu, too. Sonora also serves food. The cottage pie is tasty, as are the fish 'n' chips and homemade soups, and the nachos are a nice snack. The burgers, both the pub and Kobe varieties, depend greatly on how the person at the grill defines rare, medium and done well. Unfortunately, their definitions are often differerent from mine. This brewpub also has a great atmosphere. Sit at the bar and chat with the other brew lovers. It's a friendly place, and you'll have fun conversations. They staff actually know their beers and have strong opinions. And they're just as friendly as the drinkers. And you can actually talk to them without shouting over music that's way too loud (hear that, Four Peaks?!).
(4)
Dyanna P.
Oh, how I used to love SunUp. I was a fan when it was still Sonora Brewhouse, and I was a fan after the name change/change of ownership/whatever. The waitstaff was always sort of iffy, but the patio was comfortable (when smokers weren't around), and the food was pretty consistent. I was particularly in love with a new addition to the menu - the spicy pulled pork sandwich. In search of a good place open on July 4th, I stopped in with a friend, already craving that delicious sandwich. After waiting a couple minutes to be seated (and not even being acknowledged by anyone when we entered), we were led to a table by an older woman. She took our drink orders and left us with menus to look over. It took me a minute to realize they'd changed their menu. Instead of one with appetizers, salads, sandwiches/burgers, entrees, and desserts, they instead now have a lunch and dinner menu. And, sadly, the pulled pork sandwich had been discontinued. I settled on the green chile chicken sandwich of some sort and an iced tea. The waitress wasn't very friendly and seemed to be uninterested in being pleasant. Our meals arrived but without the chipotle ketchup we requested. A few minutes later, the waitress brought it to our table. There was nothing impressive about my sandwich. It was fairly blah and unseasoned, and the sweet potato fries were crispy on the outside but tough and hard on the inside. Shame I paid $1 to upgrade from regular fries. Once it came time to pay, the waitress took an exceptionally long time to return our cards and receipts to us. My companion saw she was just standing around in the back not doing anything. The place was pretty empty, so I don't really know why service was so bad. I do know that the new menu leaves a lot to be desired, and unfortunately, I'll be hard-pressed to return in the future.
(2)
Deona S.
One word, awesome! Who doesn't enjoy a good brewery really? It is rather small so if you are looking to go somewhere quiet and intimate this isn't the place. If you want good beer and good bar food with good friends and friendly staff then you are good to go. I am a fan of their Hefeweizen and they have the best onion rings in town! I hear they are known for their Kobe beef burgers and homemade root beer. I can attest to the root beer, good stuff. This is a great place to go after work for a few beers!
(4)
Trent R.
if you haven't figured it out by now, i like beer and i like bars. sonora has both. when i moved to phoenix in early 2007, my dad took me there for lunch one day. we sat at the bar and i ordered a beer that was great (i think it was a russian porter). i've never had a bad or mediocre beer at sonora. i haven't tried their ipa because i'm not a hops fan, but everything else was always incredibly yummy. the food is pretty good and sometimes really freaking good. i went one evening with my best friend and my brother. we sat in the brew house, where the tanks are separated by a glass wall from the seating and bar. we ate well and got a nice buzz, laughing and flirting with our waitress. every time i went there, the service was spectacular. the girls that work there work their butts off and are always smiling. they're easy to joke with and that's a big plus. the place would suck without them. i always thought that something was either missing or that i wasn't quite accepted there. sometimes my appearance freaks people out. oh well. that's what i get for being a madman. in central phoenix, check out the sonora brewhouse.
(4)
Jalayne A.
OK - it all makes sense now. When I reviewed some of the reviews before going to SunUp for dinner - I was a little confused. I had been there and the food was good, service good, beer sampler - good. So why the bad reviews from other yelpers. Tonight I learned. We went with my mom, brother, and my boyfriend. We sat down and were greeted by a blond waitress. Not extremely friendly but nice enough, service was decent for the first part of dinner, she was good about filling up drinks etc. Then she brought the check, at the same time my brother ordered a second beer, so she took the check with her to update. And then disappeared. And disappeared . . . Brother's beer was half gone . . . and still she was not around. I had actually thought we had paid the check and we were just hanging with my brother while he finished the beer - but no - mom had not in fact paid the bill and we waited. So I look up - and there is our waitress flirting with a group of guys at the bar. Now I get it - when you are kinda cute and serving beer - a group of guys is likely to tip better and more fun to hang with. But that does not make it acceptable to neglect a table of four waiting to pay - tip and leave. So I will return - but I will be looking for our prior waitress - she was a sporty brunette - fun - and very good. (disclaimer in no way am I saying that because she was blond it made her bad - it is the only way for me to identify the waitress, should have gotten her name)
(3)
Jen A.
Sonora is home to three of my biggest weaknesses: cream ales, Kobe burgers, and wings. In two of these three categories, they completely excelled. And in the third? Well, I'm really very picky about wings, so take that with a grain of salt. The cream ale is delicious, and it goes very well with the kettle chips and the chipotle ketchup. Yeah. Chipotle ketchup. I've never even heard of that before, but it's pretty much my new favorite condiment. The Kobe burger is niiiice. I got mine medium rare, but I almost wish I'd asked for it extra-rare. I'm weird about ordering my beef rare in places I've never been to, but they cooked my med-rare burger perfectly, so I'd trust them to do rare really well. Wait, not well. Rare. You know what I mean. Like I said, I'm really picky about wings. I prefer mine to be drowning in sauce, so I was kind of sad to see that the wings at Sonora are pretty dry. They taste good, but they're just not as saucy as I'd like. It's a cute place, and if I lived in Phoenix, I'd probably be a regular for beers and Kobe burgers.
(4)
Barbara W.
Had a great evening at SunUp Brewing. The beer is excellent. My husband and I got the sampler and our wonderful server gave us tastes of others, including their home brewed root beer. terms of food, I had a veggie wrap and homemade kettle chips. The wrap was ok; the chips were better. Husband's hamburger was cooked as ordered and the sweet potato fries were very good. We enjoyed sitting in the separate room, east of the patio, which was quiet on a Wednesday evening. We hope to get there again before we leave Phoenix, and we'll definitely be back on a return trip to the area.
(4)
Paul D.
Vanilla porter and root beer pretty tasty. Rest of the beers below par. For the price food wasn't that great either. Wouldn't come back here again
(2)
Robert O.
Sunday afternoon my brother and our friend scott rode our bikes on a massive thrifting tour and then to the SunUp Brewing Co. for bunch. We'd all been wanting to try out the place and sample their brews for a while. We arrived, and were told to pick any seat we desired, so we grabbed a booth. The first thing I noticed was the interior, it was fairly small but in a good way, the ambience of the place has a classic southwestern feel to it; and not in the kitschy way that non natives might assume a "sw" theme should feel. Perusing the menu I noticed that the prices seemed a little higher than i'm used to for pub grub, but i'm sure the quality would be deserving. after a while of checking out their digs and studying over the menu and drink/food specials they had for weekends we opted to go for the "order any regular appetizer and get you're first beer for $1" deal. seems like a good deal right? Scott ordered the light rail cream ale, Justin ordered the IPA? i think and I got their Vanilla stout. They were all delicious. My stout was especially good as the vanilla taste was merely a mild hint which gave it a great background flavor and left a lingering sweetness that was refreshing rather than sickeningly fruity/sweet. It was a classic stout whose femme-y name belies it's body and drinkability; certainly not a lady drink imo. My compatriots order the light rail cream ale wings and i order the "beer bread" w/ queso dip. The appetizers were, decent. not bad but not great. The real reason to come here is the beer; despite the fact i didnt try any entrees, or their delicious sounding kobe beef burger- i'm gonna go ahead and stand by my sentiment. When our lackluster waitress finally returned i asked for MY bill, she returned after 15 min. or so with all of our checks on one tab, and she had overcharged us after we'd asked her if the weekend special (order any app and get 1st beer for $1) was still in effect, to which she'd said yes. To be fair i'm sure it was an honest mistake, and she was probably really busy....yada yada yada we asked her for our seperate checks and about the special one more time, she apologized and returned with our checks and cheaper tabs. So all in all i like SunUp brewery but i'd return solely for the brews and leaves the eats to some place more qualified for my refined tastebuds.
(3)
John T.
I've been eating here for years, since it was Sonora Brewery. I've always loved the food, the beer, and the service. I moved out of state a year ago, came back for business this week and HAD to have the yummy Kobe Burger. And I'm pleased to say, they didn't let me down. It was cooked perfectly, and the sweet potato fries appetizer was a great way to start the meal. Vanilla porter, delicious! And here's the kicker: after not setting foot in the place for almost a full year, my server knew not only how I wanted my burger, but also remembered what kind of dressing I liked on the side to dip my fries in! THAT'S personalized service! Five stars, SunUp...You deserve 'em!
(5)
Stephen A.
Sun Up is my favorite craft brewery in AZ. Brewmaster Uwe is German and brews creative - quality American ales with a euro twist. While there are regular beers, the cask conditioned and strong ales change regularly. Recently they had 4 different kinds of IPA. Central Phoenix highlight - must visit. Order off of the chalk board - seasonal ales are the highlight here.
(4)
Derrick Y.
It's really awesome to have this locally owned micro-brewery right on Central. What's even better is that they have really awesome food to go along with the beer that's brewed right on site. I've loved all the beers that they brew. My personal favorite is the Stinger IPA. Food wise, the Kobe beef burger is awesome. I did order the steak and shrimp here once and it was very good as well. This is one of my favorite places to do day drinking when I get the chance. The outdoor patio in the middle should be very nice to sit at and enjoy one of their finely crafted brews in the next couple of months. The mural on the back is awesome too.
(4)
Jae C.
Fresh and locally brewed beer and bar food. Not expensive. It is a pretty good local place to hang out! Happy hour prices are good too.
(4)
John G.
The oatmeal stout on cask was decent, but the rest of their beers had no body at all. I was very disappopinted. Atmosphere was very lame for a Thursday night.
(2)
Halley S.
My boyfriend and I come here often. I am not a beer drinker, but my boyfriend loves micro brews and the food here is always fresh and very good. I like trying their daily specials which I have never been disappointed with or I get the fish and chips or the Shepperd's pie. For an appetizer try the green chile artichoke dip it is to die for:) The service is also always very good.
(5)
Benjamin M.
Service was mediocre until a pair of regulars entered after me. Then I would have to give it a poor considering they got their beer before mine redardless of the fact that I ordered first. The food was less than good, with my Reuben looking like cafeteria food and my ceasar salad being basically lettuce, burnt croutons and bottled dressing. The beer was pretty good although the cream ale could benefit from a nitro pour and their order on the sampler is wrong, arranging them by alcohol content rather than IBU's. All and all, barely satisfactory. I will not be back. - Monday, 8/10/09 2:30pm
(2)
Ken D.
Great Porter selection for the beer drinker who has taste. Great food as well. Excellent for happy hours too!
(5)
Bobbie M.
I enjoy this place even tho I don't drink. The appetizer are really good, but I was disappointed that they no longer do 5.00 on ALL of them, just certain ones. At least they are good quality, but the chilli cheese fries lacked the essential component. ..chilli! There was barely any on the fries, which sucks, because their chilli is amazing. Good service, good food, but a little off point on portions of key ingredients, and pricey beers (per my boyfriend), that also added "they were worth it, tasted great"
(3)
John S.
Best cask conditioned beer in Arizona. Uwe is a great brewmaster who knows how to craft beer to soaring heights. Skip the food and head straight to the brewery side to experience 3 unique cask conditioned beers. The selection of styles are growing every year. Stop on in..
(4)
Max R.
I stopped in here yesterday for a drink. Enticed by a brewhouse in AZ I had to go in, I was also enticed by the fact that they were offering a Happy Hour from 3-6 even on a Sunday (it seemed that most places here in AZ don't offer Happy Hour Specials on Sunday). I was slightly disappointed when I found out that it wasn't a real happy hour, but a kind of happy hour (real happy hour is 2 for 1 drinks or fifty percent off, being honest here) while the happy hour offered here was a dollar off drinks. In fairness they offered half off appetizers, but only the one's without meat. Now I have read Michael Pollan as well and I am down with everyone consuming less meat (especially here in the Southwest) but it seemed a little rough to have rules like that at a beer drinkin' place....Anyway, I started off with the Barleywine. My mom had the root beer. The waitress returned several times to see if "us guys" were okay. When I was ready to order a second glass, the Trooper IPA caught my eye. My love affair with hoppy beers is so great, but she was kind enough to bring me a few small samples before I ordered it. In the end I went with the Amber Ale. Four stars because: The atmosphere was pretty nice, attentive staff (a little too much, especially on trying to get me ordering food), they brew their own beer, my total check wasn't too bad.
(4)
Taric W.
The bacon and blue cheese fondue burger with parmesan garlic fries is my favorite burger/fries combo anywhere. Ever. Without rival. I find a few of the mainstay brews to be rather pedestrian (I'm looking at you, Light Rail Cream Ale), but their strong ales are great to drink with such a hearty meal. If there's a cask IPA, you NEED to go for it! Service is still awesome, and there are two separate rooms to dine in, as well as a patio. I prefer chilling at the second bar while watching some sports. Their happy hour is still legit, and IIRC still all-day Sunday. $4 pints is OK with me for local crafts, and while I still am not a fan of every appetizer they have, they've definitely improved while staying at a very low price. Definitely a great supper spot for me, and sometimes I have so much fun I catch a mighty buzz from day drinking. While I wish that Uwe guy would bust out with more imperial reds and coffee stouts more often, Sun Up definitely has what it takes to keep me coming back.
(4)
Ashley K.
Very disappointing and not worth the money. It's the only local brewer in our part of phoenix so that's a plus! It's a older crowd with most of the guest in their 40s-50s. This was the first time back for me 6 months or so and they overhauled their menu for the worse unfortunately. The beer is actually pretty good, but like the rest of the menu overpriced. We went for happy hour and ordered bruschetta ($5 on HH) and nachos ($8 no meat). The bruschetta looked and tasted like they dumped pasta sauce on bread and the $8 nachos was really small! Probably 10 tortilla chips. Hope they realize their errors before they lose the rest of their customers. Can't afford to feed my man on those prices...
(2)
Kevin A.
Went here with my wife and two adult sons for a belated Father's Day celebration on a Wednesday night about 7. It was busy, not crowded and we were seated right away. The decor is very basic - there is a bar and two rooms with table seating. I didn't ask about the brewing facilities or if there is a tour as we were more interested in catching up with our sons after being out of town for a while. After perusing the beer menu (all beer is brewed on site) I decided to have the Trooper IPA, others had the porter and pale ale. There were a nice number of special seasonal beers on the menu and they also have a full bar for non-beer drinkers. All were quite tasty and refreshing. We ordered pretzel bites and wings for appetizers. The wings were medium, with most of the flavor coming from the rub which gave them a nice crispy crunch while being juicy on the inside. The pretzel bites were soft and chewy with a creamy cheese sauce with a bit of a bite. For dinner I had pork and green chili which was a nice stew that came with soft tortilla wedges that had been roasted on the griddle. Nice blend of flavors in the stew - spice level was moderate (see my review of The Shed) but still quite nice and satisfying. For the stew I switched to their SB 1030 Session Pale Ale, the crispness of which paired nicely with the stew. If you don't know, SB 1030 was the Arizona law that allowed craft breweries and small batch wineries to compete on a more even footing with the large distributors and enabled many more craft breweries to open in the state (yea!). I would definitely go back and if you live in this area and are into craft beer you must make this a regular stop.
(4)
April R.
SunUp was a great stop on my beer hop thru Arizona. If I lived nearby this would probably be my spot. Other breweries I visited also had good beer but something about this place was really cool and enjoyable. I felt really comfortable here. The parking was plentiful, the service good, the restaurant/brewery nice and the beer great. I sat and watched some baseball while trying a flight of many of the beers they had. All were good but my most favorites were the Little Tart Cherry Hef, the White Russian Imperial Stout, and the Vanilla Porter. If I am back in Phoenix I would stop here again.
(4)
Cyn V.
My favorite lunch spot! We try to come here on Tuesdays for a quick and delicious bite. They usually have tacos and pozole on special and every bite is worth it. January at the bar is always very attentive and happy. I recommend coming here for their green chili, tacos, nachos, wings... You name it!
(4)
Cody N.
Small, friendly staff, solid food. Exceeded expectations. Apparently my review isn't long enough....My cherry hef was tasty. Girlfriend liked her beer. I'm just killing time until my stereo next door is being installed
(4)
John C.
I don't know what it was about their Amber, but I was blown away by it, and the other beers in the flight weren't bad either. I enjoyed this little place, it has a bit of character without being overwhelming. The nice bartender even let me substitute one of the specialty beers in the flight, and it's always fun to try a weird or seasonal beer. I thought I should have 2 paragraphs, but don't have more to say.
(4)
Jon A.
I think the beer is just OK, but the food is pretty good. I had the fish and chips which was huge. Nice, friendly atmosphere as well. Good choice for a relaxing, easy going dinner.
(4)
Nomes A.
The beer was good i got a lightrail cream.the food is super bomb i forgot the name but it was some stew with chease melted over it with a side of corn tortillas.bomb.will be coming back again.just need music
(4)
Stacy M.
Great service by Emily! Check in & u get $1 off a beer (nice!) ordered the Sun Up salad w/grilled chicken and it was very tasty. I just recommend they serve it in a bowl instead of a flat plate, it was kind of hard to eat. Hubby's fish & chips were great' he chose onion rings instead which were big Ol' amazingness. Will be back!
(4)
Samantha R.
Great food and a good beer selection! I love going here with a group of friends and sitting on the patio. Service is usually great, maybe a little pricey, but I think it's worth it. It's a smaller place and not quite as noisy as some of the breweries in the area can be. I would definitely recommend it!
(4)
Jon H.
Today was a Great day. Not only was it the day after the worst "holiday" on the planet... Valentines Day, but it was also the first day of Arizona Beer Week. This was particularly special because it's my first time experiencing AZ Beer Week. To start the celebration off, we went to SunUp Brewing Company. I don't know much about them, but it turns out they do sell beer and they also make some really good food. I tried two of their brews, the Amber was the first. Pretty good. I would say it's a little lighter in flavor than other ambers I've had, but I liked it and would order it again. Next up was the Light Rail Cream Ale. Their description says that this is their closest thing to a domestic and I couldn't agree more. It's light, crisp and refreshing. Now to the food. We started with the pretzel bites which were okay. The best part about them was the side of mustard. It was actual legit mustard with mustard seeds, not the yellow nasty goop people put on hot dogs at baseball games. Then I had the Trooper IPA Pulled Pork sandwich with a side of the Green Chile Mac & Cheese. The sandwich had cole slaw on it with delicious tender BBQ pulled pork. I haven't had a BBQ sandwich that good since I left the South. I also haven't sought out BBQ too much since I've been in Phoenix, but bottom line is that it was a really good sandwich. The Mac & Cheese was also a winner. Giant elbow pasta with a nice mix of creamy and stringy cheese in each bite. The green chiles added some uniqueness, but I would have liked it just the same without them. The service was super friendly. Very good food and beer. Thanks to SunUp Brewing Company, the start to my first AZ Beer Week was a success.
(4)
Bridget P.
I'm a huge brewery girl, and in Phoenix new ones seem to be popping up right and left. However, if you are in the downtown area, look no farther than this place - I'm shocked that their rating is lower than Phoenix Ale Brewery (next closest to downtown) because everything here is mearsureably better IMO. First thing, SunUp has a deal on Restaurant.com right now and so I took advantage of that today and a coworker and I went up there to grab lunch. I love the feel of the bar area with the exposed brick and wooden stools, its warm and welcoming but also feels like a cool joint. My coworker had never been but she too was immediatly impressed. Our waitress was nice and attentive, bringing out our drinks and taking our orders timely. She also noticed our $15 GC on the table and went ahead and took that off the bill for us witout us having to mention it. When we mentioned we were on our lunch hour, she made sure to keep our glasses full and get out food out fast, and even with the place filling up quickly she was on top of it and got us cashed out in a hurry. The food was really good - especially for brewery/bar fare. I went with the chicken ceasar wrap and my coworker went with the green chili dip. Both were great, and reasonablly priced. I had a great lunch here and will definately be back soon.
(4)
Chelsea B.
Ok so I didn't care for the beer but this gets a lot of stars because of how insanely personable the staff is. When we walked in the bartender effortlessly balanced her bar tending abilities with guiding us to a seat of our choice. Top notch. Then once seated in a booth, the service was quick and personable without being overbearing. Our server, Catherine, was fantastic. She was incredibly informed and friendly. I had the double IPA W/ citra and my fella had the SB 1030 and the Tanline. All beers had the absolute chance of being fantastic but they just didn't stick the landing. We also had the pulled pork sandwich which was simple and delicious. I asked the sweet server where I could smoke and she not only assured me the patio was fine, but she walked me out and showed me a table. So. Sweet. I really only go to a brewery for beer but this place was so unpretentious and welcoming I'll drink whatever they bring me.
(4)
Jennifer J.
We stopped in to pick up a growler for the Super Bowl. The beer was good (we had their amber) but the service was downright surly. Especially for a brewery, where the staff is usually so friendly. Maybe they weren't Seahawks fans?!
(3)
Ed C.
Finding good food and beer on tap in Phoenix is not difficult. Finding great grinds and great brew is why I'm writing this review. I'm an IPA drinker by nature and this place did not disappoint. Check out the Sweet & Spicy BBQ Pork Sandwich with melted cheddar cheese on a honey roll. Mmmmm good.
(4)
Rudy B.
great local beer destination that is standing the test of time. i will always be an advocate for more micro/craft breweries, which seem to be popping up at a rapid pace lately, and i will always return to sun up. i just had dinner there last night, and had the wings, which are always great. classic enough to satisfy a wing craving, but unique enough that you know where you are. their beer is great. i've been enjoying the tanline brown this summer, and their vanilla porter is fantastic. i would recommend the wraps (they are remarkably good), the grilled shrimp tacos, or green chili pork. i have never had the bread pudding, but i know i will finally dive in and order it at some point.
(4)
Tiffany K.
This place was so surprising! We showed up wanting to watch a game, with a group of 8. We were a little put off by how small the establishment was. Then they guided us to another building that they opened early to accommodate our large group. Chris our waiter/bartender was amazing. He gave us amazing suggestions and tasters without us asking. All the food we ordered was great. We really enjoyed the bourbon barrel aged porter. Happy hour is from 3-6 and all appetizers are $5! We will be back!
(5)
Stephen G.
This place is awesome. For what it is, a great little neighborhood beer joint that is consistently solid. Good food, GREAT BEER, and cool staff. Been coming here for almost 10 years.
(5)
Roxanne G.
Good pub food indeed. Had my first Hefeweizen here. I'm not a beer drinker so I can't compare it to anything but, my friend who was stationed at in Germany for a few years told me it was superb! So yeah... There you go! Friendly service, a bit slow but had an enjoyable visit and seeing the onsite brew side was a cool plus!
(3)
Krystle M.
My hubby & I stopped in to sample their craft beer, which by the way is awesome! Our server Chris was even more awesome. We had so much fun sipping our brews & sharing great stories & experiences. We would def recommend. Ask for Chris!
(5)
Ron B.
Great craft beer in a very cool urban vibe. The place is really small, but very comfortable with a decent patio and nice rounded bar. I had the pretzels which were tasty. Other food looked really good. Will definitely be going back again.
(4)
Alison S.
Ignore the 'wait to be seated' sign and grab a table or head to the outside patio. Love love this place. If you come in fairly often (1-2 times a month like me) they remember your meal and drink preferences. Service is always spot on and I've never had a bad meal here. Wish they'd bring back the salmon Reuben though. That was my addiction!!
(5)
Jordon H.
Been here for the fourth or fifth time and always enjoyable. Love the atmosphere (people, and building structure/decor. Beers are SOLID! A+. A must try with appetizers, meals I haven't really dabbled in so I'm not sure. Cheers! And come try if you haven't already, what are you waiting for?!
(5)
BJ B.
I am a fan and supporter of local breweries here in the valley. Last night I visited two of them in the city, SunUp was my second stop for the evening. So first impression when I walked in was that this place has got some interesting history to it. There were pictures of past figures and well known people within the community. The bar area has some limited seating so if you wanna head there with some friends, somebody needs to get there early. The rest of the place has plenty of seating for more private conversations. The brews are not too bad and I know I have seen the sunup crew at alot of beer festivals and events, so I do like that they go out there and represent who they are, gotta keep local brews alive! Llast night for me was two pints which were descently priced HOWEVER with my Yelp check-in, I only paid one dollar per pint and even got discounted appetizers! I was shocked but after talking to my bartender, I come to find out the owner is crazy for yelpers! So if you don't minda smaller size bar and a not too bad central location, go down a get a pint or two for a buck!
(4)
Tiffani G.
Pretty good spot to check out. Had the pretzel bites, a burger and a pulled pork sandwich. All of the good was really yummy especially the pulled pork. As far as the beer selection I'm big on dark beer and was really looking forward to the vanilla porter. Unfortunately they were out so I wasn't really into it much. My boyfriend really enjoyed the IPA though, said they had a great selection. I'm sure I'll go back to give it another try, everyone seems to love it.
(3)
Chris B.
The food was very good and the service was very good. I would highly recommend this restaurant. The large variety of beer that is brewed onsite was also very good!
(4)
Greg M.
Sunup is the best brewery no one knows about. It's been there forever but we all just drive by not even noticing it. I go about once every 2 weeks. The beer is good the seasonal beer is amazing. But I don't go for the beer or the food, I go for the staff. The servers and bartenders are genuinely friendly. I know that one of the bartenders, Emily, recycles all the bottles. I recommend ordering the wings and a seasonal beer. Sit at the bar and chat up January or Emily. I don't think you'll regret it... I almost forgot Mollie is awesome.
(5)
Sarah W.
The cherry hef and the vanilla porter were A-ok. Were they my favorite? No. Were they bad? Not at all. Would I consider buying this stuff in a pony keg for our place? probably not. They have a decent happy hour in which if we were close by I would rather stop here than going to a place like hazelwoods or dillys deli. But since St.Francis is across the street I would personally choose them over this. Had a manmosa yesterday for my bday which was awesome thats probably one drink I would definitely stop in for.
(4)
Noor B.
Not bad. The vanilla porter is nice if you like dark beers. Trooper IPA is good, too. Pretzel bites are pretty good, although I think the ale cheese sauce is a little thin and plain. Servers are all really friendly. There's plenty of parking and the patio is nicely shaded. Lots of indoor seating as well if you want to enjoy the AC. I wouldn't mind stopping in again.
(3)
Teel M.
Update re: overcharge: Manager Mollie from SunUp got in touch with me & credited back the difference; she also explained that, when looking through the receipts, she found another receipt with the same subtotal as mine but the doubled tip--probably the server entering all the receipts/tips from our group got the two mixed up (and charged the other person less). I applaud the responsiveness not just to a negative Yelp review but to a customer service issue; it was handled quickly and politely. Original review follows: Went to SunUp on Saturday with a group, they seemed nice & accommodating at the time & had offered us an entire room/building to ourselves (which we more than filled), ran separate checks/tabs for each person/family like any bar and the food & drink were good. 3.5 to 4 stars for the food & drink, I'd say. Just checked my bank account and noticed that *they doubled my tip*. Yes, I had filled in both the tip amount and the total amount clearly, and yes I did the same on my own copy of the receipt--and I keep all my receipts, and log them when I get home. A little neurotic, maybe, but I'm disputing the transaction with my bank right now, and at least I have the proof I need. *** See note above: This situation has been satisfactorily resolved and the dispute cancelled with my bank.
(3)
Ariana M.
The food here was decent enough to stick around for, although what really disappointed me and my guests was the service. Our server seemed to really want to be somewhere else the entire time. She was not friendly, she didn't write our orders down, therefore a few things were missed, and most of all she never smiled! Also, didn't recommend anything on the menu, just told us what not to get, weird. Next time, I'll buy a 12 pack and host my own gathering.
(2)
Troy W.
Stopped in for lunch and they have great food and good beers. The food kind of reminds me of gordon biersch and the beer selection was very unique and tasty.
(5)
Bryan S.
Rate Beer: Fair (where's the hops in the IPA) Service: Great, very nice Atmosphere: Good. I like the beer garden.
(3)
Hannah D.
Not impressed at all. Poor service, decent beer, poor food. Came here on a Sunday for happy hour the calamari I ordered was cold and it took me twenty minutes to get my beer. When I reminded our waitress she said oh I think she's changing the keg.. Okay that's fine but I would like to be told that before all my other friends have their drinks and I'm just waiting. Won't be back here.
(2)
Aaron A.
I'm a huge fan of local breweries. Been a while since I've been to Sun Up a few times this isn't on the top of my list of favorite Az breweries. I asked myself why and decided to try it again and my answer was simple. For me there isn't a huge ambiance when going here. Basically I find it boring. Mainly because of the super tiny bar top once you enter. There are plenty of seats and a the place is actually big. Beer is just average in my book. Not bad, not great. Again I love local breweries, just Sun Up isn't on the top of my list. Just because its local, I know I'll give it another chance if I find myself in this area.
(3)
Chris F.
I went to this place about once a week with my roommate over the course of a year living here. Always had a good experience with the exception of one girl there who has the personality of a mop. I find it amazing that someone can see you dozens of times, even after waiting on you, will not even acknowledge your presence. No head nod, no smile, just very unfriendly to the point of being rude. Last night I went there for their anniversary with my roommate, and then another friend had joined me later on. We ordered 2 chicken nachos from one girl. After 20 minutes, I made mention that we still didn't have them. Another girl said the order must have not made it to the kitchen. Another 20 minutes had passed and I then told the bartender. It took another 15 minutes on top of that. Never ONCE did anyone bother telling me what happened. No reason given. Honestly, no one even gave a Sh*t either. My buddy even commented on that after we left. No one even cared. Clearly the first person didn't put the order in. The second..who knows. No accountability what so ever! I won't be going back. I"ve worked in the restaurant business before for 4 years. Never has any restaurant I've eaten at or worked for not went out of their way to make up for an error on their part. No free beer on the house, no discount for the next time, no free nachos, no half off the nachos, not even god damn apology! I'll never recommend this place to anyone as I have in the past. And I did so fairly often.
(1)
Michelle A.
First, let me reiterate that this is one of those times that I wish there were half stars in the rating system. It is definitely better than a 3 but I am not quite ready to give it a 4. I do have to say that it really all comes down to the purpose of your visit here. Its a brewery. As a brewery it was so fun and we really enjoyed our server, Amanda. She was helpful and knowledgeable, as was most of the staff that visited our table. Ambiance, meh. I wanted to sit outside but it reeked of cigars and cigarettes so we settled for a booth in a side room. The front room was definitely where it was happening. Mostly locals/regulars, from what we gathered. An eclectic bunch of people. We only had appetizers so again, hard to know what the regular menu was about. Our green chili quesadilla was burnt on the outside but the inside was good. The melted cheese was the right consistency. Our calamari tasted like most bars. Good, crunchy. The big hit for us was the hot artichoke and green chili dip. I could have eaten the whole thing myself (I think I did). So, I will definitely go back. Found the beer that I liked the best...the Lightrail Creme Ale was my favorite. And I would probably try something of the dinner menu. I'll keep you posted.
(3)
Sonya K.
I recently had my wedding rehearsal dinner here and was very satisfied with the service (Catherine), and correspondence from the GM (Mollie), regarding the reservation. We had our own private room, and chicken buffet with a private bar. My guests were very satisfied with the food. The craft beer is a plus too! ;)
(4)
Christopher G.
In order to have our cask Ale you must order both the barley wine and the cask ale. It is two 11ounce pours then you . . .pick the one you like more. Yeah, when I'm trying craft brews I want complicated rules and stupid ranking games. This is a brewery plus pizza place, and on both fronts it is decent. Not exceptional. I found the beers solid and tasty (a very unique heff for instance) I went there for happy hour ( The happy hour deal couldn't beat the yelp check-in offer (any beer for $1.00). Nor, does the happy hour work for this weird-stupid-whatever $11.00 to buy one beer deal I discussed earlier. Bottom line - a fun place, friendly enough staff. Guys just quit the stupid beer games and sell pints. ..
(3)
Kevin P.
Nice cozy neighborhood brewery. Friendly staff, bearded brewer with smiling face on website, what more do you need? Ok, honestly the beer is nothing special. Amber, ipa, pale ale, cream ale, yadda yadda, heard it all before. But in this instance I don't mind. I'm not looking for some ginger infused sour beer at Sunup. I'm looking for solid drinkable beer at great prices with a friendly staff and a simple but satisfying menu. And hey, every now and then they'll throw something interesting on cask. Come and get it.
(4)
S P.
This is a must-stop for every craft brew fan visiting Phoenix. Located near downtown in a small lot. Broad spectrum of brews including several cask brews and firkin draws. Great menu and friendly, fast service. Nice relaxing atmosphere to enjoy beer with the locals. Try the garlic fries or green chili dip-yummy!
(4)
Chad G.
Whenever I know I'm going to be in the area I always have my growler ready for a pour. I've been twice and don't remember anything about the food to blow your mind away but their beers are tasty!
(4)
David H.
Food was regular bar food, the beer was ok. Omg but the wait staff, yeah that's what we did, WAIT. Had to call them over to take our order, bring drinks and our bill. All of this with only 6 people in the restaurant and 4 wait staff. Will give them one more chance.
(2)
Susan R.
This was my first visit to Sunup Brewery I really enjoyed the red IPA. The chicken wings were pretty good as well. I was quite surprised to learn how much the owner loves Yelp members. The brewery is small and quaint compared to others I have frequent. If I was in the neighborhood I would definitely stop by for a pint or two to quench my thirst.
(4)
Rob P.
If you're into great craft beer, don't waste your time here. The cask conditioned IPA tastes like dish water. Food was average. Meh.
(2)
Valerie G.
Unbelievably HORRIBLE service. Never again!! My husband and I have been to this restaurant twice now within a few years. Our first experience was ruined by a very rude waitress. We stayed away from the place. Recently we thought we would give it another go. We were greeted warmly by the bartender and asked to seat ourselves. It was early evening, cool and breezy outside, so we chose the patio. A waitress came out and literally said 'What do you want?' My husband said 'Well, can we start with some menus?' She turned and went back into the restaurant. She brought the menus and the beer list (which have no descriptions of what the beers are like, btw) and we waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. We finally gave up. We walked through the restaurant to leave and there was our supposed waitress, standing there doing nothing. Sorry SunUp - we tried you twice - your staff need some serious customer service training. Oregano's got your business that night.
(1)
Ella M.
Beer. Burgers. Wings. How can you go wrong? Well, my burger was over cooked and lacked flavor. Their craft brews are ok, but they have a pretty good variety. I really like the fact that they bring you a chilled glass! That is rare in these parts! I'll definitely try this place again in hopes that they rotate their beer selection and include some seasonal offerings.
(3)
Anthony W.
For me, Sun Up is a strange concoction of microbrewery, pub food, hipster alternative music and silent sports bar. I filly do not understand why this place keeps the tv on, and volume off... Especially when there is a game people really want to watch. The beer is tasty and the selection is pretty good. The service can be hit and miss (I was here one day and the oven was broken, limiting the menu). But it's not bad. Overall, the get 3 stars.
(3)
Stephanie F.
A cute and fun little fine in downtown PHX. We had the beer samplers which was enjoyable. We also sampled the Apple Cider which was good, but not home brewed. As for food, we sampled quite a bit! Reuben and club sandwiches were good. Honey BBQ wings, garlic Parmesan fries, calamari and pretzel bites were also good. The cheese for the pretzels was gross. The best items were the green chile artichoke dip and the home brewed rootbeer.
(3)
Errol N.
Beer... Yes Please!! Great Place Emily, January and Jamie are the best! Any beer on Casket is the best! Great place to meet the locals too!
(5)
Arizona T.
Great beer! Didn't try the food. Very friendly folks.
(4)
John J.
Been coming here (almost daily) since I moved back from California in 2007. And finally decided to write a review. Great place! The food is excellent. Love their wings. And the beer is amazing. But what really sets this place apart is the fact that it truly is a place where "everybody knows your name". The servers do an excellent job of getting to know their customers (especially January - who really likes coffee, by the way). Have made some good friends here over the years. Excellent staff + Great food + Great beer + Good people + Only thing that would make this place better is cushy patio chairs and bikinis.
(5)
RillaAnn J.
The first time we came here the "seat yourself" sign was visible, so thats what we did. Fifteen minutes later, we left. No one ever came to greet us.... This time, we were set immeadiately and ordered some beers. Everything started out fine... Some of the wings that came with our order were so over cooked, there was no meat left. They were the ones conveniently located at the bottom of the stack. Once we ordered our entrees, our server started coming around a lot less.... Our food took a while, it seemed. I ordered a burger, pretty basic, but when our server offered me a temp request I said medium. It came out over cooked, but still good. I hate being asked, then end up disappointed. The onion rings were delicious and my beer was AMAZING (White Russian Imperial Stout). Now, my husband order the red pepper pasta dish.... Starting off, the pasta was over cooked. The sauce was more like a butter sauce and hardly resembled red pepper anything. The green chili mac led me to the same disappointment, i just didn't think it was good (there is another place on 7th st... that green chili mac is delicious!). My husband and i both agreed the beer was great, he had the hefeweizen. I really doubt we will return.
(2)
Jason C.
I love the local brew scene in Phoenix, it has grown so much over the last couple of years. SunUp is right in the middle of it all. With a wonderful selection of beers brewed right on property its really hard to go wrong. If you not sure which one to get you can always try a sampler and pick any 4. The food is really good as well, I have already tried the Shepherd Pie and the Kobe burger, both were really good. You can go for happy hour and get any appetizer for $5.00. Like beer and good food, I would definitely recommend this place!
(5)
Adrian B.
I love this spot. There is an awesome living social deal going on right now too. The seasonal pale ale they have right now is amazing. The wings are so good. I got the honey hot. I'm going back again this week. I am also considering having my next birthday in the adjacent brew house.
(4)
Leslie C.
Warning I may be beer bias coming from the NW so the sun up beer wasn't anything I'd take home so I'm glad I got the living social deal to sample first. On the flip side their cider is good! Nachos were ok. Their chicken strips & onion ring are horrible too much beer breading. They said their mac&cheese with green chili's was great - ugh sorry it was not. Maybe go with a sandwich or burger and have better luck.
(3)
Cindy S.
Great food, beer, friendly service. Love their bread pudding :). Definitely check 'em out! We come down as often as we can ... it's our fav hang out :)
(5)
Mike M.
So much better than my last visit. Service was awesome and so was there food. I'm glad I gave this place another chance I will definitely come back to eat here again. My wife and I really enjoyed our lunch at the anniversary party and had a decent band. I would like to see some more variety with their crafted beers
(4)
Ingrid E.
This place is so good!!! Their seasonal beers are bomb and my favorite dish Is the grilled shrimp taco! Great service, great food and above all great beer! !
(5)
Jakob M.
My family and I were vacationing in Arizona, and only had 1 afternoon to kill in Phoenix, so decided to swing by the SunUp Brewery for lunch. I had the Trooper IPA, which was definitely tasty. My sister had the beer sampler, and was able to try all the beers. She wasn't a huge fan of the Stinger Pale Ale, but really liked the Vanilla Porter. Prices here were definitely on the low/average side for a pub. The Brickhouse Nachos were certainly worth the $7. The portion wasn't huge, but it was loaded with cheese, onions, tomatoes, black olives, jalapenos, and guacamole (sour cream on the side). There were only 4 of us and we were still pleased with how much it filled us up! I had the Chicken Caesar Wrap (with buffalo sauce), which was definitely good and packed to the brim. The others in my group enjoyed the chicken tenders, chicken club (was a special that day) and the Fajita Salad. Overall, very pleased with the food and service.
(4)
Chrystalle B.
Lets start w/ this: this place comes up on you quickly. If youre not actively looking for it, you may miss it. And when Camelback is busy, itll be a chore trying to get back to it. This place is not as tiny as you think, it has different rooms. Ive been by the door near the 1st bar and all the way at the back bar across the patio. The staff is great,we've never had bad service here, and its usually very busy. The food here is good, not as good as some other breweries that serve food, but also definitely not like your average bar food. The beers here, I dont so much enjoy. The Vanilla stout was good, but everything else was kind of bland. I should mention that we got samplers the 1st time we came as to try everything, They did, however, brew a special cherry beer for the AZ Girls Pint Out group that was awesome. Seriously, if you ever see that they have Cherry Buzz on tap, get it. I wont be coming here again, but I encourage those who like craft beer to check it out. You may find something you like.
(3)
Becca H.
I went to this place to chill out with some friends and found a awesome to get a beer with friends. I noticed that this place served food but I didn't try any while I was there. It was nice to find a local place that offer locally made beers instead of the typical large company beers. It was also nice to see that the servers were knowledgable about their products. During my visit I tried the local amber and was pleasantly surprised. It was smooth and delicious. The second beer I tried was a crimson red. It had the bitterness of a red without being too bitter. I had the opportunity to sample the whiskey beer wine which was flavorful but not my cup of tea but it was worth the try. It was a cool evening and we sat on the patio. The only downside was that there was not enough heaters to make it enjoyable. Overall it was a good place to hang out with some friends.
(4)
Ryan R.
3 steps to bliss: 1. Whatever you are doing right now, stop. 2. Go to Sun Up. 3. Get a smoked salmon Rueben. My brother drug me here during a recent visit and told me the pork verde was really good. He was right, but when I see something as strange as a salmon Reuben on the menu, I just have to give it a try. It was amazing. I haven't been that surprised by delicious food in years. I didn't do a full beer tasting, but I did have the barley wine and it was very good. It was very fresh, as it should be in a brewhouse, but you could also tell they keep their lines and tap really clean. All I tasted was beer; it was served in a slightly chilled glass. Thanks, January!
(5)
Jeremy P.
I met a few of the coworkers here for lunch, never having been here before. I don't really frequent the brewhouse scene. When I asked the server what they had in the way of nonalcoholic beverages, she mentioned they have homemade root beer. Of course I had to try that out. The root beer is delicious. I still have not obtained closure on the root beer mystery: it tastes virtually identical to Sonora Root Beer, which is Arizona's finest brew, and available at numerous local restaurants. It appears as if SunUp formerly had (or still has?) some sort of partnership with Sonora Brewing Company, or if Sonora is even still a "thing"; I'm not sure if this means they now make the root beer, or what. Whatever it is, the root beer is delicious. The food? It was, well, OK. I went with the black and bleu burger, medium rare, with garlic parmesan fries. I did like the fries, and the burger had a nice flavor. The meat, however, was not the greatest (or the most plentiful), so I can't say this is a place you would go for a burger. The menu in general is nothing special, although if I go back, I would try that smoked salmon reuben. I think that is the only item on the menu that really struck me as unique. Overall, a decent restaurant, but nothing I would go out of my way for.
(3)
Kevin B.
Had the pale ale with cascade hops on the cask followed with a pint of the hefeweizen. Beers were quite good and worthy of a trip back. Wings were flavorful and plentiful. Lots of good flavor with just the right amount of heat. The turkey burger was decent but could have used a little more flavor.
(4)
Chukki S.
Eh, this place needs some help. Jon Taffer anyone? My friend ordered chicken wings and they were not cooked all the way. He had to send them back. My food also seemed to be a bit undercooked but I ate it anyways. Our bartender was very friendly and did a great job but the kitchen clearly needs help. This place would be a great candidate for Bar Rescue. There is potential here.
(2)
Katie H.
Came here for Sunday beers. Local atmosphere. We could tell there were a lot of regulars there. The waitress could have been a little more friendly. I got the 4 sampler of beers because they had too many IPAs to chose from and my boyfriend had the triple IPA. Beers were good. We also ordered the chili fries for $6. We were expecting something a little larger but they're were very tasty and worth the $6. My only issue is the bathrooms. Definitely could use a little air freshener or two.
(3)
Deb S.
First stop on our pub crawl. Great service, nice vibe, and plenty of choices. Their brewer is out of town but we still enjoyed all the great beer they had to offer. The food was good pub fare and the root beer was some of the best I've ever tasted. Inside is cozy, and the patio was quite pleasant.
(5)
Clubber Z.
Good craft beers. The seasonal brews can be excellent. Nice cozy atmosphere. I didn't try the food.
(4)
Chris B.
I knew that SunUp would be an eventual beer destination for me, but never got around to checking the place out until fate intervened. I had planned on meeting a friend at Angel's Trumpet Ale House (another fine venue for beer fans) only to find out they were closed on Mondays. SunUp however, was open and was my first suggestion so that I could still hang out with my lovely lady friend who is also a connoisseur of fine beers. SunUp turned out to be a cozy little place to enjoy beer and some righteous grubble. Knowing that my drinking companion was also a vegetarian (although she allows for bacon, which makes her an ovolactopesciporkatarian), we chose to split the nachos (sans meat) and the smoked salmon reuben. We also sampled the onion rings, which were downright tasty (especially if you sweet talk the waitress into bringing you a side of the remoulade that is normally served with their shrimp)! Although I found the smoked salmon reuben a tad on the salty side, I appreciated the fact that it was served on a nice marble rye. As for the beer, I found it fresh and quite drinkable. They offer their own house beers as well as guest taps, so I found the selection was ample enough to satisfy my beer wanderlust. The atmosphere was my favorite element of SunUp... it seems to be a great gathering place and yet it is intimate enough to serve as a decent place to take a date. Even better if your date digs beer, but you definitely won't be disappointed with the gemütlichkeit (cozy ambiance). Prost!
(4)
Kev C.
Turkey burger was legit, green chili style. The nachos were a little plain, but still good. Pretzel bites were decent, the cheese sauce made them. The wings looked good, but I didnt have any, Had half of my aunts philly steak and it was delicious. Stuck with the seasonal beer all night and it was really smooth and really good. overall, great experience, decent food, great beer, great atmosphere, accommodated a party of 10 with no problem, $5 appetizers during happy hour. we'll definitely be back again.
(4)
Art R.
Been awhile since we've been here but still top notch beer. I think the food has gone down a little though, seems to be hastily put together.
(4)
Isaac S.
It wasn't bad. But it isn't a brewery I'll visit again. The beer was ok, the seasonal brews were pretty good. They had a cask red ipa with simcoe and cascade hops that I found delicious. The bar service was good. The wings were decent, good flavor but drowned in sauce.
(3)
Stephen B.
This place is great!! Parking was easy and ample, the interior was clean, inviting, and cozy. Service was quick to seat us and make us comfortable. The appetizers were great, and servings more than ample. Wings were meaty and tasty, pretzel bites were warm and very good, the hummus plate was a meal in itself. The menu looks to have something for just about everyone. My burger was cooked to order and very tasty as was the cole slaw. We didn't have the fries or onion rings, but we noticed that other patrons ordered them and they looked great as they went past our table. My wife had the Oktoberfest brew, and said it was wonderful. We found our new favorite place to take and meet friends.
(5)
Monica J.
I have never been a big fan of SunUp's beers. I usually prefer amber or brown ales but there is something a little off about their amber. So, I did not really ever make it a point to visit their brewery before. Then I saw that last week, for AZ beer week, they were doing something kind of fun. Beer floats. That's right, they had paired four of their beers with different flavors of gelato: cream ale with strawberry gelato, pale ale with blood orange sorbet, amber with sea salt caramel gelato and vanilla porter with tahitian vanilla gelato. Some were better than others but it made for a fun experience. I just love the fact that there are so many breweries in town now and they each have their own vibe but yet they are all part of the local craft beer community. The brewery itself was very homey and comfortable. It was decorated with a lot of wood paneling that was probably left over from the seventies but it gave it sort of a cozy country lodge feel. They have a nice inner courtyard with a secluded patio even though they are on a major street in the middle of downtown. There is a larger separate room where it seems most people who are eating a meal get a table, but the main bar area is pretty small. Most of the people there seemed to be regulars and it was an eclectic mix of ages and personalities. The bartender (who was also the hostess and the server) was very friendly and that also contribuited to the warm and fuzzy feeling we got while sitting at the bar. Though I don't go that often, I will probably return to SunUp. Firstly because I have discovered that their porter is actually pretty good, and secondly because it just seems like a cool place to hang out. The main thing that kept them from another star was the awful smell in the ladies room. My hubby said it was even worse in the mens. Gross. I hope it is not a permanent thing.
(3)
Amanda N.
The food and beer is amazing. Top that off with a killer wait staff and bartender Jeannette! The husband and I love this place!!!
(5)
Kathy J.
Sweet little brew pub with friendly clientele and staff we checked out after the final DBacks game of the 2013 season. The craft beers are really good. The only food item we tried was an artichoke and green chili dip covered in melted, shredded cheese and served with tortilla chips...low cal and delicious! It goes great with a cold beer for sure. They are super close to the Camelback light rail stop so if you are on your way downtown or back from there, I'd suggest you give them a try. They are on the north side of Camelback and their sign is low profile so it's easy to miss...keep your eyes open for it.
(4)
Amanda M.
Only came in for beer sampler flight. Prompt service from friendly bartender. Really nice cream ale and vanilla porter. I hate IPAs and even sort of liked theirs.
(5)
Meredith M.
I'm not sure why I order burgers in general, because generally I don't like them very much. Not the case at SunUp. I have had the burger with the blue cheese fondue on it several times now, and it is amazing. The bun is chewy, burger is juicy, and the blue cheese is very blue-cheesy. It was cooked to perfection and served with some crispy fries that were also very good. I have yet to be disappointed. My friend had the club, and it is a giant sandwich and looked delicious. His only compliant was there isn't any "regular" white bread available to put it on. Another friend had the green chile pulled pork and said he really enjoyed it. The beer on the other hand - I really have struggled to like. As an avid drinker of the "other" brewery in Tempe's flagship beer, I am always looking for a red-type ale, which they have, but I find too hoppy. So I recently have had the Pale Ale, which has a good flavor, but once again I run into a hop issue. I just really am not a fan of hoppy beers, and as of my last sampler tasting, these are too much for me. Another bonus of SunUp is the small, partially-covered patio. There aren't many tables, but it is perfect for lunch in the nicer weather.
(4)
Rebecca R.
My husband and I have been coming here since before it was called SunUp. I think the other name may be copyrighted so I won't mention it. Whenever we come here we get something different but always order the homemade rootbeer (unless they're out!) and a side of kettle chips. Keep up the good work SunUp!
(4)
Brian B.
Today was my first experience with SunUp brewing. All in all it was pretty awesome. The food was great, the beer was fresh and awesome. My wife and I asked the waitress/bartender several questions about their craft brews, which are brewed in house and they had all the answers and knew what they were talking about. I am a craft brewer too and was testing them with some of my questions and they were spot on with the answers. I will 100% be back there in the future! Awesome beer and food!
(5)
Kat K.
Been here 3 times. I don't know how I ended here the 2nd time, let alone the 3rd. This doesn't reflect the staff, who have been very helpful and friendly. I think the beer is just OK. Actually, its forgettable. I can't give the place 2 stars because the brews are not that bad, but I am not a fan either. See, I already forgot what beers I tried out. Though I do remember they were cool, not cold. This is one of those reviews where I just don't know what to say, my experiences here were just blase. I think its because I found the ambiance kinda dull. There was a fun couple at the bar with us, trying to make it more lively, but sadly it just was not happening. Everything was an effort. I won't be back for a 4th visit (I say that now, we will see). But I do wish this venue the best.
(3)
Brian M.
This is a neighborhood bar and grill located in Windsor Square. I like to sit at the main bar here because you always get roped into some conversation with the friendly bartenders and the folks sitting next to you. Their regular beers are good or OK and I usually get the Trooper IPA. However, they usually have seasonal or special beers of the day, which almost always contain a double or triple IPA, which are great. As far as food it is definitely bar food but I do enjoy their nachos (not really the best thing on the menu, I'm just a sucker for nachos), wings and fries. I do hear their fish and chips are superb as a gentleman from Vancouver wouldn't shut up about it one night. Sun Up runs a lot of specials like Chili dog Monday (Chili dog and beer for $6), Wing Wednesday and Happy Hour all day Sunday.
(4)
Monique H.
This is a nice little pub. January is everything you would want out of a bartender - funny, quick to serve up your next beverage and easy on the eyes. I had the SunUp IPA, pretty tasty. To eat I ordered the Sonoran Chicken Salad - or something along those lines. Aside from the sliced chicken breast, the salad tasted exactly like the prepackaged southwestern salad you can get at the supermarket. I'm not all together sure that they didn't just give me the salad straight from the bag.
(3)
Leslie G.
we didn't even know this place existed until I saw a living social deal and snagged it. then the deal sat and sat until almost expiring. After spending the morning hiking we were in the area and decided to pop in. The living social deal was 2 beer flights, an appetizer and 2 pint glasses to take home. The sampler was a tasting of the entire line up, so 7 samples. Found a few favorites and a couple we didn't like, but the vanilla porter was delish! Not our typical style of beer, but will most definitely order it again. Instead of getting the 2 pint glasses to take home they honored our request to have a couple pints of beer instead! Our server was just amazing - she was friendly and informative - big props to Angela for great customer service. We loved the atmosphere and oh - the food. It was good. For our appetizer we got the green chili dip with chips. It was good - not amazing, but we were starving from our hike and cleaned the bowl. We also ordered a BLT breakfast sandwich from the brunch menu which I thought was great. It was your typical BLT, but served on a croissant with a fried egg on top and served with home fries. So very good - next time I won't share though and order it only for myself. They definitely seem to have a local following as everyone that came in after us seemed to know someone else already there. When the locals like it and keep coming back you know it is a good thing. We will be back!
(4)
Jeremiah T.
I worked down the block from this joint for years and kept forgetting to stop by the place until I briefly spoke with Uwe at another beer event and was inspired by his jolly nature to get my ass in there and try his beer. My expectations weren't high for the place overall, and BOY did I feel like a jerk when I found it to be such a nice place with good beer (and plenty varieties of it) and food that was truly delicious. I figured it would be limited to standard bar food, but they have home style meals as well. My date got wings, which were good, and I got a chicken plate with mashed potatoes that was just about a perfect portion size for being satisfying, yet leaving room for beers. The vanilla porter was delicious!
(5)
Phyllis A.
I have eaten at SunUp Brewing Co. at least 4 times (maybe 5) since moving back to Phoenix in January...it' one of my favorites! I'm not a beer drinker so I can't rate the beer. I came upon SunUp Brewing Co. through Restaurant.com . I like to try different restaurants so I use Restaurant.Com to find them so if it's not a good experience I'm not paying full price for the meal. :-} On to my experiences...the first time I went there I was disappointed in the service; my pasta dish arrived lukewarm and the pasta had started to stick together from sitting in the kitchen, BUT I left my comments on Restaurant.com and was surprised to receive an email from the owner (maybe?). I received an apology with a request that I give them another try...and I did. All my subsequent dining experiences have been superb! I'm hooked on the spicy pasta dish with salmon. I have taken friends and visiting family members there and they order different dishes and all have said they liked their dishes. I haven't tried any of their dishes because I don't want anything to "taint" my taste-buds from enjoying my favorite dish. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly.
(4)
Liz S.
I like sunUp. I like the beer, its good, I especially love the IPA. Oddly enough, I have yet to eat at SunUp. I just really like that this is a nice place to kick back and have a cold one. The services is consistently quick and friendly, and the selection is great.
(4)
Rhonda H.
First time there, I'm a big fan of craft beers, these guys nailed it! Had a burger & onion rings, awesome! We started out with the sampler, I don't usually like dark beers, but I enjoyed them all. My fav was the Lightrail Cream Amber! A must try in Phoenix!!
(5)
Jim P.
They brew a decent beer. Last time I was there I tried some crazy-high IBU IPA, or DIPA from the cask - which was quite smooth and an excellent brunch beer despite the amount of hops. The food is fairly standard brew-pub fare. You can get shrimp sliders, burgers...that kind of thing. As for their website - u can click on that link above, but it won't do you much good. They don't seem to update it ever - so its useless to see what they might have on cask, or the current seasonal. And that menu link? Circa prior-to-the-name-change from Sonoran Brewhouse, so you can't rely on that.
(3)
Brad W.
Stopped in for a 10pm drink and place was pretty empty for a Saturday night. Employees seemed more concerned with closing up and making plans for later even though the place didn't close until midnight. A bar should stay open til 2am, but the owners of this place I was told prefer an earlier closing time. Menu looked pretty lame with items crossed out with a marker and we decided to skip the food. Beer is good here since this is a brewery. Huge oatmeal stout fan, but this wasn't the best version and that is all I tried.
(3)
Julie M.
The place has a cool atmosphere, and the waitress was very friendly. They do a great burger and chips. The root beer is worth a try, too. I'm making this my lunchtime hang-out.
(5)
Meschelle H.
So, it has been a while (a long while) since we ate here, but there's always room for more Yelp reviews! Ok, so back when I was a meat eater, I ordered the Kobe beef burger (I was excited), I asked for it medium, cause I can't take a totally bloody burger. We both ordered their beer sampler, (6 four-ounce beers!!) and the server also brought a taster of a seasonal beer for us. Let's just say by the end of it, I was super tipsy! The Light Rail cream ale is good if you're new to beers, or just like lighter brews. I am not a hop head, so the IPA was definitely not my fave nor was the Red Ale. The hef tasted rotten, and I usually like wheat beers, so maybe something was a little off. My favorite, hands down, was the Vanilla Porter! I absolutely adore dark beers (Stouts/Milk Stouts, Porters, etc.) and this one was a perfect blend of vanilla and dark beery goodness. I still think about this beer, and I will go back for it someday. The food was a different story. Remember how I asked for my burger medium? Yeah, it came out well done, which sucked...but I ate it anyway, cause I needed something besides beer in my stomach. I don't remember my partner being over the moon with her meal, she wasn't disappointed either. It's the kind of food I will eat if it's there...but I won't go out of my way to get it. The service: I've had better and I've had worse. Cheers.
(3)
Larry G.
Food and beer have been great for years, I heard they have a new manager so I went back to try out. Service is great now.
(4)
Toryanni E.
The food here was fantastic and so was the service!
(5)
Whitney H.
My brother is a total beer snob and loves trying out local breweries, so when he came in town this weekend he picked SunUp for us to check out. My father and brother were already there when I arrived and my dad said that the waitress told him everything on the menu is good (which in my mind is the same as saying nothing on the menu is good). My brother and I picked the fish and chips with garlic/parm fries, and my dad got the shepherd's pie. My brother got the flight of seven (I think? that's usually the number served for a flight at these types of places) beers and enjoyed them. The food was a different story though. The fish was one giant piece, which wasn't bad in itself, except that the breading was super thick and not crispy at all, really. It was also a bit dry. The garlic/parm fries were WEIRD - just something about the taste was wrong. The coleslaw literally made me laugh out loud when I tried it - it tasted like nothing. No salt, no vinegar, nothing. My dad, who will virtually eat anything, salted it and said it still wasn't good. His shepherd's pie looked okay, and he ate it and said it was alright. I would personally never come back here for food. Maybe just some beers.
(2)
Beth K.
Had the grilled chicken sandwich, the Mac & cheese with green chiles - both delicious! Accompanied by the heifeweisen for a very satisfying lunch.
(5)
John A.
My fiance and I have been coming here for a little over a year. We have since moved from the surrounding area, but we stop by when we are hitting up the furniture places in the Melrose District. Meal: The fiance usually gets the edge salad, the veggie burger or the nachos. I typically whatever is on the special, such as the pot pie . . . and onion rings! I am a big fan of any of cask ales and the light rail cream ale. The fiance always goes for the wheat beers or something with a strong fruity taste. Taste: First and foremost, the onion rings are the best in the valley. They are thick and bread-y. Yes . . . that is a new word in the Yelp lexicon. The beer can be hit or miss, but if they haven't run out of the cask ale, run with it. The food is spectacular. I rarely go with something on the menu because their daily special is usually a stand out! 8 out of 10. Value: Portions are pretty reasonable. They definitely don't skimp on portions. My fiance and I always end up a to-go box. 4 out of 5. Service/Cleanliness: Service at SunUp is its Achille's heel. The servers can be rude and rarely know the menu. And its funny and kind of sad when the staff is unable to describe the beers on tap. Its a brewery . . . I would imagine they would know what the beers are like. Finally, their beers are served too warm sometimes. The temperature of some of their beers are room temperature. I respect the fact that some beers are to be served warm depending on the style, but the entire selection isn't to be served at room temperature. 4 out of 10. Atmosphere: I like the atmosphere because its low key, has a great patio, and a nice variety of music. The bars are pretty nice and when the bartenders are actually working, the conversation adds to the experience. 3 out of 5. Overall: If you are in the area, stop by for a visit. I wouldn't avoid Friday and Saturday evenings. I would drive across town to try it out and just be prepared for poor service. 19 out of 30 points, 3 out of 5 stars.
(2)
Jill D.
Cask drawn IPA.....good stuff!
(5)
Evan B.
4 Stars for beer only 2 for their food. One of the best micro brews I have ever had was here. It was a cask conditioned IPA that was just incredible. It is great that they offer a cask conditioned beer and a rotating seasonal beer along with the wide selection of standard brews. Prices are on par for a micro brew $4-5 per pint. My dinners here have been fine but nothing special just common bar and grill food. The Nachos were decent but cheese on chips can't be bad. the selection is a bit uninspired in the food department. Burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, salads and the usual fried appetizers. I will be going back again and again for their great beer.
(4)
Dawn B.
After a five and a half hour drive from San Diego, we showed up needing two things: (1) something to eat; and (2) a cold beer. We found them both at the SunUp Brewing Company. The menu is primarily pub food - burgers, nachos, and wings - although they did have a grilled salmon special that sounded good. There was a minor mix up with the kitchen, but the service was great and the beers more than made up for it.
(4)
David R.
Me and my friends checked this place out because of a Groupon which got us a flight and logo pint glass. The location is kind of obscure being not in the greatest of Camelback areas but the brewery itself is very nice. We had some nice outside seating and ordered only beer and apps. The little food we tried was great and definitely going to go back for dinner soon. The beers I enjoyed the most were the Amber and the Vanilla Porter. They also had a seasonal Stout that was also surprisingly delicious. Great for a nice dinner with craft beer.
(3)
Valerie A.
Service was great. Loved the BlackBerry Pear Cider. The seasonal double IPA was delicious too. Wait for special guest Black Pat and your time will be amazeballs.
(4)
Chris P.
We have driven past this place several times. We never really drink so breweries are never high on our list to visit. The inside is very very nice and inviting. the staff very friendly and fairly quick service. we arrived at an off time between lunch and dinner and saw how quickly the place started to fill up as we finished are dinners. we had the light rail cream ale and the vanilla porter. pretty good. the prices were really good as well. Seems like it would be a great place to hang out with friends. also very clean. we will be back again soon
(4)
David L.
High Strength Cask Ale. $5. This beer has generous amounts of floral hops without being loud. The malts are crisp and the ale is well balanced. This is a real ale and a good sipper. Served in a dimpled pint glass. I place an order for the sea bass special. $14. Perfectly baked with a beurre blanc sauce and most likely reduced with one of the ales and on the side, seasonal vegetables. Excellent meal. Sitting on the breezy patio was pretty good as the interior was solid packed. The only annoyance was the occasional smoker. What I would give to light up a rollie. But being a reasonable non-smoker, I ignore the irritant. Anyway somebody tell the landlord it was a great time.
(4)
Nicole G.
Menu isn't very appealing, however the food is delicious. Had the Cesar salad and soup, very good. Husband had the shrimp slider which were very good. Service is very chill, kinda a small place but VERY clean.
(3)
Teri B.
All you with inner fat-kids... you MUST get the onion rings. They're like the size of donuts and SO good... so I've heard ;) For a tiny local brewery this place is great. Warm, brewery vibe. I wish they'd do a little something more with the patio but overall no complaints. My husband is super picky about beers and really likes SunUp so I guess they're good. It's perfect for a bars-on-bikes stop when you're looking for something casual and good old fashioned fat kid bar food.
(4)
Brian T.
decided to take the fam out for dinner last night, was reallly craving a juicy burger and a beer. I do have to say that the beer was great, but the food was just meh. We started with the calamari and the beer bread with beer cheese for an appetizer. I wasn't a fan of the beer bread, but maybe I just don't like beer bread. Nothing was "wrong" with it, I we just weren't fans. The calamari was good, I liked it anyway. I decided to get the black and bleu burger with onion rings, wife got the crispy shrimp tacos, my son had a smaller cheeseburger with garlic parm fries and my little daughter had a grilled cheese and sweet potato fries. My burger was cooked perfectly, but was somehow bland. Not sure how, with the bacon and bleu cheese fondue, but it was. I think the meat was just underseasoned, but overall a decent burger. I have to say the onion rings were terrible, not very crispy and soooo much "breading". ick The wife's tacos were impossible to eat, super sloppy and just fell apart. My son reallly liked his burger and fries. On to the beer. I had an awesome red beer then a pilsner, both very very good. The wife had the light rail cream ale, that was also awesome. In the future, I'll go back for the awesome beer and maybe just a simple cheeseburger.
(3)
Mr D.
Best brewery I've been to in the United States! I like the fact that there was a wide variety of beer. Something for everybody. But it was also some of the best beer
(5)
Jason B.
This was stop numero uno on our group's light rail bar crawl. None of us had ever been there before so we were excited to see what this place was all about. Situated about a 10ish minute walk from the light rail station, it is a nice walk through a part of town where I wouldn't normally be. You wouldn't think this place is a brewery because of its small size but it is. The inside is very quaint and taverny. It has a very relaxed vibe going on. I ordered the sampler and all their beers are pretty decent. I decided on the Amber for my pint, but they were all good so it was a difficult decision. Not bad for a little local brewery at all. For a quick bite before we moved on we ordered the calamari and the bratwurst splitter. The calamari was pretty standard and the aioli had a nice kick to it. The bratwurst was excellent and unique. Each was perfect to split among 4 people. The rest of their menu looked good but is pretty much typical bar food. Well probably a bit better than average bar food. Anyway, it is perfect food for the place and looking back we should have probably eaten dinner there instead of only an appetizer. Pro Tip: Cross over to the north side of the street at the light as soon as you exit the light rail station. Otherwise you will be dodging traffic as you try to cross because the place is located on the other side of the street far from another crosswalk. Anyway, I would like to come back for a few beers and food. I would also like to do the brewery tour.
(4)
Amanda K.
My man loves beer, but we both hate bars. That's why this classy little beauty less than a mile away from our house was a definite must-try. Let me begin the review by letting you know, up front, that we really enjoyed everything about the place. Minimal complaints! We visited Sonora on a Friday at around 7:00...there were a few parking spots left in what is really a very ample parking lot for downtown Phoenix. I mean, damn! There must be at least 20 spaces. I'm a worrier and I stress out about things like, "WHERE WILL WE PARK?!" before I go anywhere. I know...I know. So, I was pleased to see that I needn't have gifted myself with an ulcer over where we could park without getting towed or ending up on blocks. Sonora Brewhouse is comprised of two buildings, joined by an outside dining area between them. The building you first walk into, (the older building, I perhaps incorrectly surmised), is small and was filled with many jovial patrons on our visit. We wouldn't have wanted to sit at the bar, but we couldn't have, anyway! It was completely full, as were almost all of the booths and tables. We made our way to the outside seating area, and were about to sit down when we noticed the second building...right on the other side of the outdoor seating. We ventured in, and it was much less full than the other building, but several times as noisy. Oh, well. We sat down and surveyed our new environs. I've read several reviews on here vaguely bashing the ambiance of the restaurant - I found nothing to complain about. Then again, I like faux exposed-brick walls and dark wood paneling. "Duly noted." Alright, cool. Thanks. I also liked the kind of fun, amateurish canvas paintings of the images they pair with each of their beers that are strewn about said exposed-brick walls. Plasma TVs abound, which I hate, but I know people eat that technology crap up so I guess it's worth mentioning. Our waitress was just friendly enough, avoided all bitchiness, and was on top of things without being obnoxious. In other words, perfect. My boyfriend ordered the pale ale, (I think it's called The Stinger? Something like that?), and I, not a beer drinker in the slightest, decided to throw caution and personal preference to the wind and have a Vanilla Porter. Because, you know. It would taste like vanilla. And...vanilla is for girls. Like me. That don't drink beer. My boyfriend chuckled at this logic, and told me I wouldn't like it and that I didn't know what I was ordering. ... Yep. Just about right. As far as beer goes, I did like the kind of bitter and still beer-like hint of baked goods flavor, but it was not anything like I cluelessly imagined. I still drank it! My boyfriend really enjoyed his pale ale with no criticisms. My boyfriend ordered the Tavern Steak with steamed vegetables and steak fries, and I ordered the Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich with the kettle chips/chipotle ketchup. We were both very pleased with our entrees...the jalapeno butter (?) on the steak is pretty tasty. As for the sandwich, I'll eat anything if it is slathered in guacamole. The steak fries were as good as steak fries ever are, and the kettle chips are as good as all of the other reviews have told you. I don't eat potato chips and I hate ketchup, but I loved the combination here. Fun tip: I tried putting some of the chipotle ketchup on my sandwich, and it tasted really gross. Maybe limit your use of the ketchup to its intended, menu-endorsed purpose. When we were done, we had no problem getting the bill, paying the bill, and getting out. The parking lot was completely full when we left, and there were two cars jockeying for our spot. That was probably around 8:00 - 8:30 PM, so if you're a damaged individual like me who finds cause to stress about parking, go earlier than that. There were a lot of other options on the menu that sounded like they might be on the "delicious" side. If you are like us, and not into the drama-filled 20-something bar scene downtown, this might be a nice alternative. It's so close, and we were both really down with the experience...we will definitely be back.
(5)
Steve L.
I went to a catered event here, so while I didn't get the full restaurant experience (I was in a private, separate building across the patio), the catered food was really quite good. Not much to complain about the beer, either!
(4)
David S.
Hell yes. I was very pleased with this place. First time my friend and I had been there, and we thought it was great. I'm so glad there are places like this in Phoenix now. We went on a Sunday afternoon and it was very quiet. Much more of a place for engaging conversation over some good beer, which is my idea of a great pub on a Sunday afternoon. Also, it was happy hour all day. I had the SunUp Amber, which was tasty and smooth. I would have liked to get the Hefeweizen for a hot, summer afternoon, but they were out. And for some reason they were serving Widmer instead. I passed on that since I wanted something from the home brewery. We had the nachos and quesadilla for appetizers and they were sufficent for happy hour prices. Then again, I'm really only judging this place on the quality of beer and atmosphere, which I really liked. I'm looking forward to going back to try something else from the beer selection.
(4)
Melissa J.
Cute little brewery on Camelback. My husband liked his beer, I'm not a beer drinker so I can't really judge. My sister got the homemade rootbeer and it was delicious. We split the bar-b-que chicken wings and I completely loved them. Perfect amount of sauce, great taste and great chicken. I got the smoked salmon rueben. It was great, but probably not surprisingly it was incredibly salty. I'm not sure it's possible for a sandwich of smoked salmon and sauerkraut not to be salty but I was only able to eat half, and it's not that big. I did enjoy that half. Contributing to all the salt intake was the giant pile of sweet potato fries that came with it, plus several of the garlic parmesan fries my husband got as a side. I'm pretty sure I consumed a week's worth of sodium in that meal. The fries were in fact great, I say the garlic parmesan ones were the best and my husband says the sweet potato. Go check them out and decide for yourself.
(4)
Cliff Z.
Been here before and it was WAY better than this last Thursday! Had veggie/hummus appetizer, burger that was ok, had one porter and one hefe and both were sub par, but the root beer float was the best thing I had even if I only got one scoop of ice cream...last time was the last time.
(2)
Jessica L.
Went here last night for a friends birthday dinner. We got a table in the side room (you can rent the entire room for $250 I think they said). The staff was very nice, but I agree it was a bit slow but we still enjoyed ourselves. Beer was tasty of course and I got the Green Chili Pork - delish! if you like a spicy dish because it was :) We will try this place again for sure... just don't be in any kind of hurry. Oh also, if you are with a group they don't seem to like splitting checks so having cash is best.
(4)
Justin H.
Average beer... Great food.
(3)
Becky W.
so glad Yelp led us here on our way home to CA. Shared the Classic Reuben and kettle chips plus bread pudding with whiskey sauce for dessert; very good! I chose Amber Ale to dink then tried pub tastes of Oatmeal Stout and Vanilla Porter. The Amber was by far the best tasting. I love dark beers, these were "okay." The Amber was very flavorful and complemented the food well. I recommend this pub; we'll be back next year when spring training rolls around again.
(3)
Brittanie M.
I'm not a huge beer drinker so this review is mostly based on their food. I did try a sample of the vanilla porter which was more chocolate and crème than vanilla but I could see it going really well with some cake or brownies after dinner. However, I was here for a late lunch/early dinner so I opted for the turkey sandwich with their mac n' ale cheese side. The sandwich was a lot smaller than I was expecting for the price ($8.50 for a small sandwich and side). The turkey and spinach leaves were really fresh and the roll was lightly toasted and not dry, but the cranberry mayo didn't have a very strong flavour. It would have been better with actual whole cranberry sauce and then mayo separate. The sandwich was good but I was very disappointed with the size. The mac n' cheese was very good and cheesy but it wasn't very noteworthy - it was basically high quality Velveeta cheese a slight beer-esque tang to it, topped with parmigiana. I tried a bit of my friend's parmigiana fries and those were decent but, again, nothing special - just fries with parmigiana on top. Service was fast (though the place was pretty empty) and friendly. They also had a few different ciders in bottles available which I wasn't expecting (I'm a HUGE cider fan), so that was a nice plus. Main point: I like going to breweries because they usually incorporate beer into a lot of their dishes. SunUp's beer-battered shrimp (again, what the friend ordered) and ale-infused cheese is an example but where are the beer-battered fries or soft beer bread or other delicacies you can find on Four Peaks' (for example) menu? What do you have on offer to draw in non-beer drinkers to your establishment? I think it's an important question when a brewery decides to also be a restaurant and one I'm not sure SunUp really thought about. I would come here again to sample more of the beer and for dessert or a Happy Hour-priced appetizer but not for lunch or dinner again.
(3)
Mike M.
Ya know..... We stumbled upon SunUp after visiting the Herd w/ friends from Philly. They know and love good food and beers like we do, and we were all pleasantly surprised by the quality beer selection, and good food at good prices. I haven't been there in a month or so, but worth the trip if you're in the area. Keep up the good work SunUp!
(4)
Erin S.
This place had a great vibe. Small, relaxed and welcoming. I really liked the set up of this place. It was comforting and cozy. We ordered the sampler and were content. The Stout really stood out. I wish they bottled. Well next time in AZ for Spring Training.
(4)
Jayelynn W.
Great place to hang out and drink good beer or be a good designated driver like me. The fries are my favorite thing on the menu! However, the Green Chile Pork is amazing and my Mom refuses to order anything other than Beer Battered Fish & Chips.
(4)
Jill D.
Been back a handful of times since I wrote this and felt I should update. Service has improved and it seems that they've updated their menu so that the spinach dip's description more accurately matches what actually is served. Not positive, because I haven't had the balls to order it. I found another gem on the menu called the parmesan fries. Holy lord! Very good. The wings were also solid. Still no hefe on tap- hopefully they'll bring back that gold goodness soon. Hint hint!
(4)
steve r.
I wanted to drop by and do my part to support our local brewing establishment. I'm glad I did. Always an interesting selection of beers with the occasional cask condition variety. Bottom line, the beer is tasty, the food is unexpectedly good. It's a no brainer.
(4)
Jack N.
Stopped in on Friday at 9:30pm 8/26/11 with a friend to pick up a growler. We both had never been here before and are both lovers of craft brew. The barmaid was a complete total rude person. She rudely asked us if we were going to sit down and order something. No, we just want to pick up a couple growlers to go. She then literally told us to back away from the bar because a waitress came up behind us to put in an order for other customers. Really? We were talking to you first, the bar is half empty and you are going to tell us to back up for another waitress? I would have walked out but my friend really wanted to try their beer. So after helping her co-worker she rudely asks us what beer we wanted. He asked for the cask porter that was on the specials board and an IPA. Her reply was very short and rude: You cant have the cask porter in a growler. Attention owner: Fire this old rude cougar with short blonde hair and get someone who can help you serve customers properly. I'm not even talking about knowing your product: What kind of beer do you like? Have you been here before? Etc etc. Just the normal service: Hi, how are you this evening? What can I get for you? Sorry the cask is only available in pints. Etc etc. I dont care what happened to her that night. I dont care if her dog was hit by a firetruck. I am a customer and am here to buy your product. Be polite and serve me. We ended up getting one growler instead of 2 because of how rude she was. If it were up to me we would have walked out. The growler was an IPA. It was decent but was no where near as good as the Four Peaks Hop Knot we had that night and it definitely wasn't worth feeling degraded by an old rude hag. I will NEVER return here and will tell all the other brew lovers that I know that the service is horrific and the beer is less than mediocre. The worst part is the craft brew scene in AZ can use all the help it can get it and people like this bartender are not helping it one bit. If the owner doesnt care about his business hopefully at least he will care about the craft and fire this lady immediately. Serving beer and customers is definitely not her calling. Theres a correction office hiring somewhere in the valley that she would fit lovely.
(1)
Kristen R.
The food was excellent and the service was good... I just don't really care for there beer. I've"ve been there a few times and tried almost everything they brew and I just don't like there beer. It's an alright place if you're not going for the beer.
(3)
Jordan G.
SunUp makes some decent brews, but the food leaves a lot to be desired. Here's what we had: Ahi Sliders: Bland coleslaw and tuna were overpowered by the oversized and mediocre bun. Shrimp tacos: Way too salty and overcooked. Fortunately, there were only two shrimp per taco, so the disappointment at how they tasted was mitigating by the sheer lack of content. Macaroni & Cheese: Not bad, but it's mac & cheese. The service was great and there's plenty of space, but there's really no reason to eat here, and, in my opinion, there are better places to get beer.
(2)
Alli L.
can't beat good beer, good food, and good people!
(5)
Adrian F.
My first experience here was... not great... The girl behind the bar was a total... well let's just say she wasn't very nice. Inattenctive to customer's needs and rude to the other employees working (one in particular was on the verge of tears and it was only her first day)! THAT BEING SAID.... I have not seen her working there since my first visit, and each subsequent visit has been extremely pleasant! Our servers and bartenders have been nothing but friendly. I'm a beer nerd, so I love the local breweries! SunUp happens to produce some really decent batches of beer! The Trooper IPA is by far my favorite so far, but I enjoy trying all the different ones they offer and their seasonals! The food here is very good, especially the bison burger! The prices are slightly steeper than most other breweries I've dined at in the area, but the food is quality, and the happy hour deals are unbeatable!
(4)
EpicSpin L.
I was excited to try this place and was extremely disappointed... My boyfriend and I went here on a quiet Monday night and sat at the bar. Off the bat the bartender, a girl with dark hair and glasses, was just not nice at all. No smiles, just attitude. The beer was meh, nothing I was impressed with, and the food was just not good at all. I ordered a burger with onion rings. Burger was blah, onion rings were soggy. I also got a side of mac 'n cheese, well, because I'm a complete sucker for mac 'n cheese. This stuff looked and tasted like it'd been sitting in a tub under a heat lamp all day. 2 bites and I was done. My bf also got a burger with the Parmesan fries... The fries were soggy, and it looked like they just shook a bunch of grated Parmesan out of the can on to them instead of using fresh parm. Not good at all. Typically I can forgive a place for having bad food if the service and drinks are good, but I'm sorry to say that this place was just all around bad.
(2)
Erin H.
We always drive by SunUp and talk about checking it out one of these times. We finally went there for dinner the other night. I love the decor inside. The brick walls and the exposed piping looks cool. When we got inside it was a lot smaller than I had expected. Apparently there are two separate buildings. We stayed in one, that had a small bar and about 12 tables. I think there were 4 or 5 tv's with sports on. The other building had a huge party. We were able to pick where to sit and we chose a booth. The server greeted us promptly, but when we asked about beer specials. She started off by telling us and pointing at the beer menu, which beers are not available and which ones are in their place. She talked so fast, that we only got half of what she was saying. We both ordered a beer and my husband ordered a burger with garlic parmesan fries. I ordered a steak wrap with a side salad. My husband LOVED his burger...The jury is still out on the garlic parmesan fries. I LOVED my steak wrap. It was pretty much a fajita. I didn't care too much for the salad. I like my salads pretty simple and including the right stuff; lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, cucumbers, croutons and dressing. This salad was a mixture of several different lettuces and I think arugula...I mean, I'm not a salad genius, but it just didn't taste good to me. If you go, pray you don't get there whilie there is a big party. We waited awhile for our food. ...All things considered, we will probably go back some time.
(3)
Nikki F.
Good pub food and tasty beer. Try the garlic Parmesan fries!
(4)
Amanda P.
I thoroughly enjoyed this place! We went here on a whim because Zipps was PACKED for Monday Night Football. I am really glad we came here! It is a quiet, clean, friendly place. We had the Oktoberfest and SunUp Ambers and both were REALLY good beers. They have a lot of beer incorporated into their food as well which I liked. We ended up getting the Beer Brat, a SunUp Salad and the Steak wrap. The brat came with saukraut, beer mustard and steak style sweet potato fries. The fries were INCREDIBLE! Best sweet potato fries in town! The brat was delicious as well. The salad was served with bleu cheese crumbles and candied pecans that were very tasty....the portion sizes were great, too. The steak wrap was pretty much a philly cheese steak in a tortilla which was fine because they did an awesome job with it. They do have TVs for sports as well so we were able to watch the game without a long wait and no crazy fans! I am looking forward to going back here and trying the Root Beer they have in the cask. I also am excited to sample more of their beers! But, because I didnt give it 5 stars here would be my points to improve upon: 1) the waitress had at least 6 changes to the beer menu so we ended up getting lost in what was available and what had changed...eventually we just went with the beers that were the beers of the month and were written on the wall. 2) the bartender obviously knew some of the regulars sitting at the bar and didnt stop the inebriated chap from throwing his phone 16 times to prove that his case protects it from being broken. He'd had 1 too many and he wasnt really being reigned in to much. Not that this is an easy job (especially when it a regular who probably tips well) but it is still necessary. All in all, it was a great first experience!
(4)
Bill B.
I checked them out for the first time on a slow night just as another haboob was rolling into the valley. A lot of conversation in other reviews seems focused on two areas: The quality of service and the temperature of the beer. I can confirm that the beer is noticeably less cold than in other places, but is probably at the appropriate temperature for ales, bocks, stouts, etc. Lager would taste wrong at this elevated temp. But don't drink much lager. The IPA I sampled was good. The service was more than acceptable, though this was a very light evening. I was one of three people at the bar. I had the hamburger and wasn't disappointed. Wasn't really remarkable either. The atmosphere is relaxed and it's a bit brighter inside than I expected.
(3)
Natalie D.
Cute little brewing company with yummy food and good beers. Not your typical brewery, but that's why I like it. Service was good, and the place was chill. They had awesome sweet potato fries, and good choices of cider and beers.
(4)
Bridget D.
Oh Porter, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways... I had a, ah, as in just one, porter and was feelin' fine. And I was extremely glad to have the sweet potato fries instead of the regular ones with my sammie. Our waitress was pleasant, prompt and next time I'm going to ask to be seated outside or at a high top table. Our booth was great for chatting with my friend, but I like a little people watching at the pub! Now, if you are avoiding SunUp because you remember that there used to be something called the Sonora Brewhouse in that same space.... You're in luck!! The brewmaster, Uva, is still there, still brewing his witches draught. But now, you won't get them confused with the Sonoran Brewing Co. in north Scottsdale. Hooray!
(3)
Melissa H.
Like it but kinda miss the old Sonoran Brew Pub that used to be here. Solid pub food. It is a good pick when Rosie's is just too crowded and you want a place that is a (little) quieter. The back patio is great when you have a mess of drunken friends that want to get together and don't want or can't censor their conersations. The staff is nice, nothing spectacular abotu the digs. Clearly, the beer is the star here and not the surroundings. Good solid neighborhood brew pub. I.E. don't take a first date here, it's a little too laid back. Its more of a let's grab a beer after running around all day at the garage sale, or hey a group of us from high school are getting together and we've already accepted how much weight we've all gained so lets get some wings kinda of place.
(3)
Carmelo W.
We had two waitresses for our table of 8, each only did a section of the table but service was very bad. From our three drinks ordered, we only got two. It was pricey. We won't be coming back.
(1)
A C.
We went to SunUp last week Saturday for lunch. We were excited to try the beers on tap, especially the cream ale. One of my favorite beers, Spotted Cow (sold only in Wisconsin), is a cream ale so I was looking forward to hopefully finding something similar. Unfortunately, they were out! Bummer. We got their sampler, which for $6.50 included six 4-ounce beers. We had the vanilla porter (VERY vanilla tasting!), nut brown (very good), pale ale (hoppy and floral), amber ale (malty, my favorite), hefeweizen (a good basic wheat beer) and a red ale (good blend of malt and hops, my husbands favorite). For lunch, my husband had the beer brat and a side of macaroni and cheese. He really enjoyed both. I had the Ruben and garlic Parmesan fries. I liked them both, but there was very little meat on the sandwich, especially for $8.50. The Parmesan cheese on top of the fries is the dry, kraft-kind of cheese, just FYI. Overall, a good brew pub, but Four Peaks steals my heart!
(3)
Robert L.
Maybe its because of my age but I was not very impressed. It seemed that this place was..well kind of awkward. I had the nachos and they were decent, nothing to really complain about. If you not seated at the bar or the benches you are stuck with the tables which have barely enough room for three ppl. This means the three plates are pretty much touching each other and your best friends with the person sitting next to you. Hope you don't have a space issue... I guess the place is for more of a couple setting. I had one beer and left. Maybe go again...maybe. R\_
(3)
Morris J.
LOVE THIS PLACE. The staff are great. The beer is INCREDIBLE. The food....ahhhh...it is pretty good (much better than typical bar food.) If you like IPAs...this is the place to go. The cask IPA is a mouthful of heaven.
(4)
Chris R.
I love Sun Up. If I had my druthers, I would eat here every week. I think they have excellent beer. All of their cask conditioned ales are awesome. The food is above average bar food and everything seems to have a little zip (spice) to it, which I like. My favorite item by far is the wings. I have always found the staff to be friendly. The environment is relaxing and quiet enough to easily carry a conversation. If you like good beer, try Sun Up - you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Nader A.
I just wanted to write a short update about SunUp since I've become a very regular patron. This place is great. The staff is usually pretty awesome unless they're swamped, but I feel that that's understandable. There is always a great special beer on tap that I become a fan of and then am saddened when the keg is emptied. And....I finally found great food here! It took me a while, but the pork verde, the chili fries and almost anything with the bleu cheese fondue is flippin' great (try it with the garlic parm fries)! Did I mention the bleu cheese fondue?!
(4)
Kirstin E.
I love going to places I've never been to that my friends tell me they love. This place was just ok. Nothing spectacular, but nothing bad either. Just middle of the road. We ordered a bunch of apps to nosh upon. There was their spin on what I think was supposed to be brucchetta, but it was dosed in some sort of balsamic vinaigrette. The toast it was on was good and held up to the toppings. A cheese crisp of some sort was involved. It was a cheese crisp people, not to hard to mess up. It was cheesy and crunchy in the right places and soft in the others. The salsa they serve with it seems to be jarred, its not fresh...or at least doesn't taste fresh. I also had a garden salad, with Caesar dressing, I had realllly bad burps that lingered for the rest of the day from that dressing. So gross. I didn't have any beer, but the iced tea was decent. The staff was friendly and on top of things. I would probably go back one more time and give them another whirl.
(3)
Robert M.
Great place for a good drink and tasty burger! I'm no expert in the rules of local brew, however, I give a good head nod to the Hefeweizen. It's crisp and hits the spot on a hot hot day. If you've got a craving for some good grub then I recommend the Brewery burger with a side of fries. If you're feeling a little adventurous add on some bacon, blue cheese crumbles and slather on some Dijon. It's a sure way to get you way past full. The Fish N Chips are just as good and if you're not a drinker grab a pint of Root-Beer. Sunday and Monday's are $3.00 pint nights with the purchase of the logo glass so I intend to put it to good use. Great way to kick-off the week!
(4)
David M.
Very happy that there is a local brewery in walking distance of my new house. Can't believe more people don't go to this place. The atmosphere and beer are amazing, with good tunes and very few people. The wings passed my wing test, which is a tough test to pass. Most of the other food is boring. But if you don't care about food and want a good neighborhood bar to chill at, Sun Up is the place to be. I am rating this 5 stars because more people need to know about it.
(5)
Joseph P.
The SunUp Brewing Co.. I have wanted to come here for a bit really friendly staff. But I come to a brewery for good beer and did not find it here.The Sampler was ok I ended up enjoying one beer there called the cherry bomb it's a 9.6% bomb of goodness I could see it not being a session beer way too easy to drink.
(2)
Tonia B.
Abridged: Total win for having the best hummus this non hummus lover has ever found. Unabridged: I ended up here on a First Friday, which is probably why the place was nearly empty. The patio was a great place to hang out, but a little hard to find. The staff was great and always around when we needed another round or wanted to order some food. They also split checks without getting pissy about it. Seems like it shouldn't be a big deal, and you're right, but it usually is. The patio has basic patio furniture, that while comfortable, wasn't anything spectacular.. but hey.. it's a bar. There also is a brewing room that has tables, but I've been told by people that have been there on several occasions, they've never been allowed to sit in there. Why??????????? I had the light rail cream ale and some hummus. The light rail ale was your basic ale. Good, but not outstanding. The hummus was the best I've ever had. And I'm not a huge hummus lover.. just able to tolerate it. However, I'd come back to order this above typical bar fare. For serious. You need to try it.
(3)
Rachel M.
Went in for the living social deal last Friday. It was busy during happy hour. Seemed like the spot to be! Although, once my boyfriend and I were seated and advised the server that we had the living social deal, the service was extremely disappointing. I understand that with coupons at restaurants servers don't always get tipped on the price before discount. I used to be a server and restaurant manager and have seen that happen a lot. The server was very robotic and not friendly at all. She set down our drinks and food like we were in her way and troubling her. The appetizers were fair for pub food. The pretzels were pretty tasty actually! We really enjoyed the beer sampler that we each got as well! My favorites were the hefeweizen and vanilla porter. Everyone else that worked there seemed very pleasant and friendly except our server. We most likely wont be going there again due to the service. Hopefully the 40% tip that my boyfriend left will help get that server's attitude turned around towards future diners!
(2)
Steve T.
My buddy and I decided to stop in and try this place on the way home from a party at Four Peaks Brewery. I'm a wheat beer fan, so i usually order something along those lines...not hoppy, not malty, just wheaty. I decided to try their Horizon hefeweizen. The relatively indifferent waitress informed me that they were out. She told me to try the Stinger Pale Ale. She said that if I normally drink wheats that I would like the Stinger, too, which I thought was kinda weird. Well, I tried it and didn't like it. No big deal. I was ready to try something else. That was before she completely ignored our table for 20 mins. She seemed like she was more interested in cleaning and talking to some guys at the bar. When she finally brought our bill we paid and didn't leave a tip, because we felt she didn't deserve one. She actually followed us out to the parking lot and yelled "thanks for the tip". Weird! I'll never be going back to that place again.
(2)
Jonathan K.
The food here was pretty good, but I wasn't overly blown away by it, either. It could be due to the fact my kids were acting like jackasses and I had to keep on them to mind their manners and not actually enjoy what I was eating. They do have a kids menu but it is not published. The beer is good. There are football games on the TV. The burgers are huge. The pulled pork sandwich is good. Also, the pork appetizer is good, too.
(3)
Kim B.
We were in town for some sunshine, and we were excited to check out the breweries around. Went to Four Peaks and Papago and were very pleased with the service, food, and beer. We hit up Sun Up the following day hoping for an equally pleasurable experience. That couldn't have been further from reality... We got a sampler of their 6 regular brews as well as a sample of their 2 seasonals. We had to choke down almost every one of them (the exception was their seasonal amber, which wasn't too bad but not worth ordering more than 4 oz of). The waitstaff was not very friendly at all and seemed miffed that we didn't want food or more beer. After chugging what beer I could and having a glass of water, I hit the restroom before leaving. Wow. Big mistake. It smelled like an outhouse in there-- the "poo fermenting in the middle of summer but you've had to pee so bad after a 4 hour hike so you'll go anyway but hold your breath" kind of outhouse. Ick :P Perhaps I am biased because we are from Fort Collins and are spoiled with the likes of New Belgium, O'Dells, and Equinox all within a couple miles of our house. However, the service and stinky bathrooms were bad enough that had their beer been phenomenal, I still would have just given this place 3 stars...maybe. If you're looking for good local beer, hit up Papago or Four Peaks instead and save your money (and beer belly) for something tastier!
(1)
Heather G.
So many better breweries than this! Attempted to use a 50$ gift cert and was told (after I ordered beers ) that they could only be used in $15 increments once a year... I was still responsible for the beers because she had poured them. She conferred w mgmt, same response. I explained I don't live anywhere near there and would never use them again. Her response was "well.. You can always... Well... Uh, just give them away." Great, I'm sure that was the intended use when a friend gave them to me for my birthday. If the "mgmt" of a local place doesn't have the sense to make it a worthwhile experience for their paying customer, then what is there to do? Very disappointed in their service. Ps I've bartended before and never seen someone grab the ticket and then dunk it on top of the drink they have going out. I witnessed this time and time again. She would grab and hold the ticket, then dunk into the top of the beer. The waitress would grab the beer and scoop out the ticket. Necessary? No. I will not be back.
(1)
Ji P.
My co worker picked up lunch for us from this place. Everybody's food looks great! I had the best club sandwhich ever with beer battered onion rings. They have chipotle mayo which is one of my favs. They also have garlic or parmesean fries. Other people ordered burgers, ceasar wrap, and reuben sandwhiches. It all looked amazing. Now i'm going to be in a food coma for the rest of the afternoon but it's ok i'm a happy camper! :)
(4)
Kelly A.
I love the ambiance in this place: cozy brick cottage with stained glass windows, usually not too crowded. Very warm and a great place to drink your Sunday away with an all-day happy hour. Although I am not a huge fan of their standard draft beers, I LOVE some of the seasonals they've brought in. The Risky Red (triple IPA), the Milk Stout, and the Barley Wine are all among my favorites. If those three would become full-timers, I would probably never go home. Some of the food is pretty good, although a lot of the stuff if just okay. Get the blue cheese burger (or, just order a side of the blue cheese sauce and put it on EVERYTHING!) or the pork chile verde. Both are winners! Despite some of its flaws, I love coming to SunUp. Always a good experience.
(4)
Xuankieu T.
I'm not much of a beer drinker so I can't rate on the beer. I did order the Hard Apple Cider (5% alcohol) which was not bad. Something for the ladies. I love their appetizers. The food came out very appealing. Their hot wings are just okay. Their jumbo bread shrimp and calamari is the best! Very crispy and crunchy. I guess because our group was more than 10 people so there was one order that was taking forever to arrive, so they end up giving it to us for free. Other than that, the service was great.
(4)
Anna Marie G.
I have to say i'm quite saddened that i had to choose 1 star; as i was so looking forward to finding a new fav along Camelback rd. my sister and i headed to Rosie Mc Caffreys (sp), but turned off at SunUp Brewing Co. by default; we had to stop in because we were both starved and the menu offered Corned Beef and cabbage, plus we still had about 6 streets to go. we stepped inside to a "please wait to be seated" sign, so we waited, and waited (as several wait staff passed and looked our way without even a nod of acknowledgement) for about 5 minutes. finally our server approached us and offered inside or patio (we chose patio of course!) she was very nice at first seating and asked for our drink order. since neither of us partake in the appreciation for micro brews, we chose raspberry ciders. we were happy. the crowd was sparse-but present. the weather was fabulous. it was a weird set-up with 3 small rooms (patio in between both) and no room to turn around. there was no reason our server should have been perturbed; other than having to maneuver around tables inside, as she hardly had tables. none the less, when she returned with our beers, she plopped them down hard on the table and stormed off. the beers were served lukewarm but we tried to drink them anyways. she returned a few minutes later for our order. since it was a toss up between the Corned beef and cabbage & the Fish n chips, i asked the servers opinion, inquiring if the corned beef was sliced thin, of to which she replied "it isn't sliced thin"-but it was sliced thinner than a nickel, plus the meal wasn't even served with bread or butter; but back to the ordering.... after she took our order, i asked her for 2 cold pint glasses; since the beers were warm (only the bottle was slightly cold). she brought back glasses with ice and straws, pounced them on the rod iron table and went on to tell me why micro brews aren't served in cold pint glasses, saying she didn't have any chilled pint glasses because this is a micro brewery. it wasn't until after her lecture on the creation of beer, that i explained that even if there is a right way to serve-some people do request chilled pints. i explained that i wasn't a beer afficionado, i just wanted to drink my beer the way it should be served "chilled" she gave me attitude, walked away and then returned with two cold pint glasses, pouncing them on the table as she uttered "here these are for our Root Beer" while she turned on her heels to run. the rest of the meal was pleasant, as she was hardly available. the only time i seen any of the female servers was when an assumingly wealthy man was spotted, that was when most of the servers would approach and hug them (much to close by restaurant standards) very tightly. however most tables around us were either taken by lesbians or hetero females so the ladies weren't hoovering around us too much. we received the credit card bill to sign, which was also plopped off mid walkaway. the tables are patio tables with holes, so most people with common sense would prepare for the signing of the bill with a hard bottom of some sort, but not here! they are all consumed with the spotting of rich men and instructions for micro brewing that they don't have time to serve or be of assistance, so be prepared to either pay them upfront to be treated like a patron, or flash your directors card because they seem to think this is suddenly Scottsdale. on to the food. i tasted my sisters fish and chips and the homemade chips were soggy from the fish. the halibut was delicious although sister had to pull off all the breading, because it was as thick as an Indian popover. they did serve it with spicy ketchup which was surprisingly delicious. my corned beef cabbage was served paper thin, without bread or butter; but it was still very tasty. the red potatoes soft and the carrots & cabbage blanched to perfection. next time i'll just try sitting at the bar.
(1)
Fanny M.
This review has been a longtime coming and really what kept me from writing this was the potential for public scrutiny from readers and the fear of burning a bridge. But really all that doesn't matter because the motivator is that I am simply an unhappy customer who tips well, is polite and goes out of her way to be friendly. I have been going to Sonora, or rather,...Sun Up, for a bit over 5 years. I used to love this place. I loved it because it was not only a great brew house but it also offered deliciously consistent food that was served by a friendly staff. The Kobe burgers and the fish and chips were to die for and the micro IPA and other brew delights were as good if not better than the micro brews in Portland, OR. I cannot express enough how disappointed I am with the old Sonora; with the red chili gone, the only vegetarian item on the old menu gone, and the kicker are the fish and chips! Now fetching $14, I would think that one could expect an attempt for goodness. But instead I got a plate of thick ass, dry, white fish that was encased in a cocoon of batter that would rival a sub sandwich. Do you remember when this place used to have fish and chips that were on par with the UK? What happened to you old Sonora? Why must you compete with Postion's and the like? You are not that! You are not a moderately price wine bar, nor are you an Irish pub! You are a micro brew with delicious beer that once boasted fantastic food. You were a place to go for the best Kobe burger or English Style fish and chips in all of Down Town Phoenix. Now you are becoming a has-been, a place that if it weren't for the good brew, you would be just another forgettable restaurant. I used to feel welcome; it was my neighborhood place to go for a few beers and a delicious burger but it seems that I must search out a new place to frequent. Shame really.
(2)
Starbellied S.
It was a nice place with okay food and not enough parking. That's the nutshell. Went with a group of friends,had to scavenge for parking. We had reserved a table and since we waited at the reception area for a bit with no one acknowledging our presence,we found the table ourselves. It took forever just to get a beverage,however our server was pleasant enough. The appetizers also took a bit to get to us after having to snag our server to order. For the lack of parking and the long wait,you'd think the place was packed to the walls. It wasn't. there were a decent amount of people there,but not enough to justify the wait for the simplist thing like a beverage. Once actual food arrive it was okay. Not the best,not the worst.Just ok. They'd also run out of some of the more popular beers they advertise. No beer at 7 pm on a Friday???? Okkkaaay. No one got their dinners with any particular caedance.Some of us were eating,some were left to covet others' meals for another wait. I don't know if this place just doesn't have adequate staffing or the system needs fixing or what.It didn't make a lot of sense. Our server didn't seem frazzled,nor was she at a turtle pace. We did pretty much end up bussing our own table as well. When the bill arrived,my portion was way too much for what I had and the meager experience. Will I go back? Doubtful.
(3)
Mark C.
Having lived in Phoenix all my life, its a horrific shame that we don't have more local microbrewers giving their own beer concoctions a whirl in this town. In fact the Phoenix area has the same number of locally owned microbreweries as the Flagstaff area. So its with great enthusiasm that I found a good local outfit in central Phoenix. While Four Peaks typically gets all the accolades as the Phoenix area's premier local microbrewery (and deservedly so), Sonora Brewhouse is more than worthy of respect. Please don't confuse this with Sonoran Brewery in Scottsdale (no relation). This place is a small non descript place in north central Phoenix with a killer Cream Ale. Anyone going here for the first time should give the beer sampler a try as you're bound to find at least a couple of brews you'll like. The food is pretty good albeit nothing outstanding as my burger was adequate but didn't wow me or anything. But thats not the real reason I came. The Cream Ale and Hefeweizen have me hooked. The place is small but a perfect fit for the neighborhood as it makes for a nice happy hour atmosphere. And surprisingly I've never had to wait for a table at this place. Its still incomprehensible to me that with nearby states like California and Colorado (both of which have HUGE microbrewery scenes), Phoenix and the state of AZ as whole still haven't made a huge splash with microbrews. Four Peaks certainly gives us a spot on the map and hopefully Sonora Brewhouse will garner some attention too, but we need more brew visionaries in this town to bring their creations to the masses!
(4)
Nunzio Z.
Great microbrew! Terrible parking and can get filled up pretty quickly. Fish and chips are very good, and the American Kobe beef burger. Also, buy a growler and get it filled with your favorite beer.
(3)
Todd S.
Sun-Up..how you always pull me in when I am on Camelback. Damn tractor beam! My favorite place in the Valley to enjoy delicious craft beer (I love the Trooper IPA), a nice meal and good service. I have noticed that some people have posted a few negative things on here about the food and I think "Everything I have ever had here has been delicious. The quesadilla is very enjoyable, the wings are underrated, the wraps are tasty and the Buffalo Burger is one of my favorites. Oh.. not to forget that the Green Chili Pork is awesome as well. If you have never been.. go now. I mean..just get in your car..or on your Vespa..or hop the light rail..or ride the bus..I don't care..just get there. If you like craft beer and good food. GO!
(4)
William T.
This is a brewery. This rating is based largely on the beer. This beer is excellent. Uwe (pronunced Ooh-Va, I believe) is a beer genius. He is likely the best (professional) brewer in AZ. All of the beers are excellent. They have a good number of taps, and two (TWO!) casks (AKA Beer Engine: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Be… ). This is the sign of a great place for beer. Selection is largely their own, which is what it should be at a brewpub! If you are looking for rice or corn beer (Bud/Miller/Coors) don't come here. They would be better known than Four Peaks but for one thing, the food (location as well, ASU helps the Peaks out quite a bit). Four Peaks has good beer, not great beer across the board though. They do however have an excellent menu. SunUp has an OK menu, that sometimes surprises, sometimes disappoints. The servers are all young women who do not seem to know beer and seem to be rather new at their job. I mentioned one of the top 100 beer bars in the country (Taste of Tops, one of the 2 on the list that is here in AZ. Papago is the other) and our server had no idea what I was talking about. She also did nor know whose Oatmeal Stout was in cask (it was their own) and answers about style were all memorized. I have a suspicion that she was not over 21, or not a beer drinker. Both are a liability when serving at a bar geared towards beer snobs like myself. Nonetheless, this is one of the best breweries in AZ, and if you don't go, you are missing out!
(3)
Patrick W.
I loathe to write a bad review for one of my favorite hobbies, drinking craft beer, however; Sun Up is a brewing company that I feel the need to never visit again, nor would I recommend beer lovers to go out of their way to stop in. The majority of the beer was just plain boring, and warm to boot! They had a lager, wheat, amber, pale, oatmeal stout and a scottish red on draft. None of the beer sampled tasted even close to what I would consider the fundamentals of that particular category, ie a very bitter amber ale and a sweet, and not-hoppy-whatsoever pale ale. Even the root beer was flat and tasteless. I initially was going to give this place two stars, mainly because they do serve beer, and the bartender was nice, but thinking about the beer, I have to knock this down to one star. Sorry Sun Up, but you need to go back to the drawing board and create some good, basic craft brew.
(1)
Marianne H.
I think I went on an off-night. My sister recommended Sonora Brewhouse. She said the food and the service are awesome. Unfortunately, they weren't for me. Service was slow and the food was mediocre. I got the pulled-pork sandwich, but there was very little pork. My sister got the chicken fingers, and they tasted like something from a fast-food restaurant. My husband got the salmon with tomato and basil, and that was actually pretty good. My favorite part was the calamari appetizer. I just wish the serving was bigger, because we finished it in a quick minute. I prefer Four Peaks to this place.
(2)
Lucas S.
First and foremost, take advantage of their happy hour all day on Sundays. After visiting two other breweries the same day, I have to admit that Sun Up was my favorite. Their beer sampler is definitely a good way to get started. It's served in a row of glasses slightly larger than shot glasses. You'll have to ignore the temptation to pound them one after the other... at least on your first go-round. All of their beers are certainly quality and quite enjoyable, though there didn't seem to be a huge "wow" factor with any of them. In no way will I hold that against them though, as none of the local AZ brews (that I've tried) seem to be doing anything very far outside of the box. Not only should you visit Sun Up to check out their craft, you should definitely go to try their eats. Their wings are probably the best I have ever had; fried perfectly and still nice and moist, plus their "hot" sauce had a finely-tuned heat factor. Their sliders were dynamite as were the accompanying sweet potato fries and garlic parmesan fries. The service was fast and very friendly, and the establishment (men's room included) was very well-kept. All I have left to add is: Way to go Sun Up! See you next Sunday.
(5)
Nick S.
Came here on saturday before a diamond backs game. My friend and I sat outside and ordered the beer sampler...we essentially tried every beer on tap. I was very impressed with the cherry wheat beer as it had a really good balance. I would definitely come back...easy to get to from downtown using the light rail...The only negative was that they seemed slightly under staffed and service at times was slow.
(4)
Jenny K.
I love this place. I haven't experienced the server issues that some other people have been posting about - maybe I'm just lucky? If you're a microbrew fan, always check the chalkboard where they post their seasonals. You can't go wrong w/ the Light Rail Cream Ale, the Hef, or the Vanilla Porter. I absolutely loved their Pilsner when they had that on tap. Their food is pretty good, but I wouldn't really classify this as a dining destination - this place is about the beer. I was disappointed in the Kobe burger, and I wouldn't order it again. The brat was just OK. Onion rings were so good but I wouldn't get them again because I'm pretty sure they are 1 million calories EACH and they gave me like 6 huge ones! The mac & cheese is so good. Salads are nice & fresh, the baja shrimp tacos really kick butt. I also like the ambiance of the place. Cool setup in the brewers' den and the funky patio in between the brewers den and the main bar area. For giggles don't forget to check out the murals on the patio wall and also on the back wall of the parking area.
(4)
Jesse T.
Delicious, finely crafted beer! Good food and friendly staff.
(5)
Pete T.
I want to like this place. I really, really want to like it. I'm always on the lookout for a local joint that is special, a place I can take out-of-towners and say, "This is one more thing I love about Phoenix." I had high expectations for SunUp since it is in my neighborhood, a short ride or healthy walk away from home But after several visits over the last couple of months and as many disappointments, SunUp Brewing is on my list of places I might go if I'm desperate, not as a destination, and certainly not a place I want representing my city to friends from elsewhere. I'm no beer aficionado, but I know what I like, and for the most part I like the brews at SunUp. I particularly enjoy the Light Rail Pale Ale as a mild-bodied thirst-quencher, and the Vanilla Porter, which is rich without being too sweet or heavy. I also like seeing what seasonal offerings they have, many of which I enjoyed. One constant on my many visits, however, is the truly bad customer service. I don't care if you make minimum wage or six figures; if your job is to take orders and serve people, then do it. Many other Yelp reviewers indicate they have suffered lackadaisical customer service at SunUp, and my experience is that this is the rule, not the exception. Take today, for example: At 1 p.m. on a Sunday, the place was virtually empty save for about three tables and a couple in the main bar area. The last problem I thought I'd have would be getting attention, but my disinterested server/bartender pulled a disappearing act after pouring my beer and plopping my burger in front of me. She was more interested in sitting in a booth in the adjacent room with a paper in front of her, watching TV. If she had bothered to follow up with her customer, she would've learned my burger was the opposite of the medium-rare burger I ordered. Even more aggravating was when she did walk quickly past me (including one time when she told the other server she as heading out back, presumably for a break), she looked directly at my barely touched meal but didn't inquire as to why I wasn't eating it. I'm not going to chase down a server, especially if it involves going room to room to find her. All she had to do was notice I hadn't touched my meal for 20 minutes and ask if everything was OK. I've had similar experiences with the staff at SunUp before although this example was the most egregious. Like other reviewers, I've waited at the bar either with a growler ready to be filled or a bill I'm trying to pay while the bartender chatted with friends even after acknowledging me. It shouldn't be this hard to find a place that wants to sell me something, but evidently the folks at SunUp have more cash than they need, so I see no reason to spend mine there again.
(1)
Allen W.
Order off the chalf-board for seasonals and freshest beers. Best craft-ale in Phoenix & gives Four Peaks a run for best in Valley. Awesome patio & tap room in the back. Very good food and well priced.
(4)
Nick S.
Cool place! The beer we tried was good my fav was the hefeweizen. The green chili pork with tortillas was really good and I have been back many times for it. The food prices are good and the burgers are good, wings are just ok. The staff is always friendly and quick to get our drinks. Happy we tried this place and its close to home.
(4)
Taric W.
The bacon and blue cheese fondue burger with parmesan garlic fries is my favorite burger/fries combo anywhere. Ever. Without rival. I find a few of the mainstay brews to be rather pedestrian (I'm looking at you, Light Rail Cream Ale), but their strong ales are great to drink with such a hearty meal. If there's a cask IPA, you NEED to go for it! Service is still awesome, and there are two separate rooms to dine in, as well as a patio. I prefer chilling at the second bar while watching some sports. Their happy hour is still legit, and IIRC still all-day Sunday. $4 pints is OK with me for local crafts, and while I still am not a fan of every appetizer they have, they've definitely improved while staying at a very low price. Definitely a great supper spot for me, and sometimes I have so much fun I catch a mighty buzz from day drinking. While I wish that Uwe guy would bust out with more imperial reds and coffee stouts more often, Sun Up definitely has what it takes to keep me coming back.
(4)
Ashley K.
Very disappointing and not worth the money. It's the only local brewer in our part of phoenix so that's a plus! It's a older crowd with most of the guest in their 40s-50s. This was the first time back for me 6 months or so and they overhauled their menu for the worse unfortunately. The beer is actually pretty good, but like the rest of the menu overpriced. We went for happy hour and ordered bruschetta ($5 on HH) and nachos ($8 no meat). The bruschetta looked and tasted like they dumped pasta sauce on bread and the $8 nachos was really small! Probably 10 tortilla chips. Hope they realize their errors before they lose the rest of their customers. Can't afford to feed my man on those prices...
(2)
Kevin A.
Went here with my wife and two adult sons for a belated Father's Day celebration on a Wednesday night about 7. It was busy, not crowded and we were seated right away. The decor is very basic - there is a bar and two rooms with table seating. I didn't ask about the brewing facilities or if there is a tour as we were more interested in catching up with our sons after being out of town for a while. After perusing the beer menu (all beer is brewed on site) I decided to have the Trooper IPA, others had the porter and pale ale. There were a nice number of special seasonal beers on the menu and they also have a full bar for non-beer drinkers. All were quite tasty and refreshing. We ordered pretzel bites and wings for appetizers. The wings were medium, with most of the flavor coming from the rub which gave them a nice crispy crunch while being juicy on the inside. The pretzel bites were soft and chewy with a creamy cheese sauce with a bit of a bite. For dinner I had pork and green chili which was a nice stew that came with soft tortilla wedges that had been roasted on the griddle. Nice blend of flavors in the stew - spice level was moderate (see my review of The Shed) but still quite nice and satisfying. For the stew I switched to their SB 1030 Session Pale Ale, the crispness of which paired nicely with the stew. If you don't know, SB 1030 was the Arizona law that allowed craft breweries and small batch wineries to compete on a more even footing with the large distributors and enabled many more craft breweries to open in the state (yea!). I would definitely go back and if you live in this area and are into craft beer you must make this a regular stop.
(4)
April R.
SunUp was a great stop on my beer hop thru Arizona. If I lived nearby this would probably be my spot. Other breweries I visited also had good beer but something about this place was really cool and enjoyable. I felt really comfortable here. The parking was plentiful, the service good, the restaurant/brewery nice and the beer great. I sat and watched some baseball while trying a flight of many of the beers they had. All were good but my most favorites were the Little Tart Cherry Hef, the White Russian Imperial Stout, and the Vanilla Porter. If I am back in Phoenix I would stop here again.
(4)
Cyn V.
My favorite lunch spot! We try to come here on Tuesdays for a quick and delicious bite. They usually have tacos and pozole on special and every bite is worth it. January at the bar is always very attentive and happy. I recommend coming here for their green chili, tacos, nachos, wings... You name it!
(4)
Cody N.
Small, friendly staff, solid food. Exceeded expectations. Apparently my review isn't long enough....My cherry hef was tasty. Girlfriend liked her beer. I'm just killing time until my stereo next door is being installed
(4)
John C.
I don't know what it was about their Amber, but I was blown away by it, and the other beers in the flight weren't bad either. I enjoyed this little place, it has a bit of character without being overwhelming. The nice bartender even let me substitute one of the specialty beers in the flight, and it's always fun to try a weird or seasonal beer. I thought I should have 2 paragraphs, but don't have more to say.
(4)
Ken D.
Great Porter selection for the beer drinker who has taste. Great food as well. Excellent for happy hours too!
(5)
Bobbie M.
I enjoy this place even tho I don't drink. The appetizer are really good, but I was disappointed that they no longer do 5.00 on ALL of them, just certain ones. At least they are good quality, but the chilli cheese fries lacked the essential component. ..chilli! There was barely any on the fries, which sucks, because their chilli is amazing. Good service, good food, but a little off point on portions of key ingredients, and pricey beers (per my boyfriend), that also added "they were worth it, tasted great"
(3)
John S.
Best cask conditioned beer in Arizona. Uwe is a great brewmaster who knows how to craft beer to soaring heights. Skip the food and head straight to the brewery side to experience 3 unique cask conditioned beers. The selection of styles are growing every year. Stop on in..
(4)
Jon A.
I think the beer is just OK, but the food is pretty good. I had the fish and chips which was huge. Nice, friendly atmosphere as well. Good choice for a relaxing, easy going dinner.
(4)
Nomes A.
The beer was good i got a lightrail cream.the food is super bomb i forgot the name but it was some stew with chease melted over it with a side of corn tortillas.bomb.will be coming back again.just need music
(4)
Stacy M.
Great service by Emily! Check in & u get $1 off a beer (nice!) ordered the Sun Up salad w/grilled chicken and it was very tasty. I just recommend they serve it in a bowl instead of a flat plate, it was kind of hard to eat. Hubby's fish & chips were great' he chose onion rings instead which were big Ol' amazingness. Will be back!
(4)
Samantha R.
Great food and a good beer selection! I love going here with a group of friends and sitting on the patio. Service is usually great, maybe a little pricey, but I think it's worth it. It's a smaller place and not quite as noisy as some of the breweries in the area can be. I would definitely recommend it!
(4)
Jon H.
Today was a Great day. Not only was it the day after the worst "holiday" on the planet... Valentines Day, but it was also the first day of Arizona Beer Week. This was particularly special because it's my first time experiencing AZ Beer Week. To start the celebration off, we went to SunUp Brewing Company. I don't know much about them, but it turns out they do sell beer and they also make some really good food. I tried two of their brews, the Amber was the first. Pretty good. I would say it's a little lighter in flavor than other ambers I've had, but I liked it and would order it again. Next up was the Light Rail Cream Ale. Their description says that this is their closest thing to a domestic and I couldn't agree more. It's light, crisp and refreshing. Now to the food. We started with the pretzel bites which were okay. The best part about them was the side of mustard. It was actual legit mustard with mustard seeds, not the yellow nasty goop people put on hot dogs at baseball games. Then I had the Trooper IPA Pulled Pork sandwich with a side of the Green Chile Mac & Cheese. The sandwich had cole slaw on it with delicious tender BBQ pulled pork. I haven't had a BBQ sandwich that good since I left the South. I also haven't sought out BBQ too much since I've been in Phoenix, but bottom line is that it was a really good sandwich. The Mac & Cheese was also a winner. Giant elbow pasta with a nice mix of creamy and stringy cheese in each bite. The green chiles added some uniqueness, but I would have liked it just the same without them. The service was super friendly. Very good food and beer. Thanks to SunUp Brewing Company, the start to my first AZ Beer Week was a success.
(4)
Aaron A.
I'm a huge fan of local breweries. Been a while since I've been to Sun Up a few times this isn't on the top of my list of favorite Az breweries. I asked myself why and decided to try it again and my answer was simple. For me there isn't a huge ambiance when going here. Basically I find it boring. Mainly because of the super tiny bar top once you enter. There are plenty of seats and a the place is actually big. Beer is just average in my book. Not bad, not great. Again I love local breweries, just Sun Up isn't on the top of my list. Just because its local, I know I'll give it another chance if I find myself in this area.
(3)
Bridget P.
I'm a huge brewery girl, and in Phoenix new ones seem to be popping up right and left. However, if you are in the downtown area, look no farther than this place - I'm shocked that their rating is lower than Phoenix Ale Brewery (next closest to downtown) because everything here is mearsureably better IMO. First thing, SunUp has a deal on Restaurant.com right now and so I took advantage of that today and a coworker and I went up there to grab lunch. I love the feel of the bar area with the exposed brick and wooden stools, its warm and welcoming but also feels like a cool joint. My coworker had never been but she too was immediatly impressed. Our waitress was nice and attentive, bringing out our drinks and taking our orders timely. She also noticed our $15 GC on the table and went ahead and took that off the bill for us witout us having to mention it. When we mentioned we were on our lunch hour, she made sure to keep our glasses full and get out food out fast, and even with the place filling up quickly she was on top of it and got us cashed out in a hurry. The food was really good - especially for brewery/bar fare. I went with the chicken ceasar wrap and my coworker went with the green chili dip. Both were great, and reasonablly priced. I had a great lunch here and will definately be back soon.
(4)
Chelsea B.
Ok so I didn't care for the beer but this gets a lot of stars because of how insanely personable the staff is. When we walked in the bartender effortlessly balanced her bar tending abilities with guiding us to a seat of our choice. Top notch. Then once seated in a booth, the service was quick and personable without being overbearing. Our server, Catherine, was fantastic. She was incredibly informed and friendly. I had the double IPA W/ citra and my fella had the SB 1030 and the Tanline. All beers had the absolute chance of being fantastic but they just didn't stick the landing. We also had the pulled pork sandwich which was simple and delicious. I asked the sweet server where I could smoke and she not only assured me the patio was fine, but she walked me out and showed me a table. So. Sweet. I really only go to a brewery for beer but this place was so unpretentious and welcoming I'll drink whatever they bring me.
(4)
Jennifer J.
We stopped in to pick up a growler for the Super Bowl. The beer was good (we had their amber) but the service was downright surly. Especially for a brewery, where the staff is usually so friendly. Maybe they weren't Seahawks fans?!
(3)
Ed C.
Finding good food and beer on tap in Phoenix is not difficult. Finding great grinds and great brew is why I'm writing this review. I'm an IPA drinker by nature and this place did not disappoint. Check out the Sweet & Spicy BBQ Pork Sandwich with melted cheddar cheese on a honey roll. Mmmmm good.
(4)
Rudy B.
great local beer destination that is standing the test of time. i will always be an advocate for more micro/craft breweries, which seem to be popping up at a rapid pace lately, and i will always return to sun up. i just had dinner there last night, and had the wings, which are always great. classic enough to satisfy a wing craving, but unique enough that you know where you are. their beer is great. i've been enjoying the tanline brown this summer, and their vanilla porter is fantastic. i would recommend the wraps (they are remarkably good), the grilled shrimp tacos, or green chili pork. i have never had the bread pudding, but i know i will finally dive in and order it at some point.
(4)
Tiffany K.
This place was so surprising! We showed up wanting to watch a game, with a group of 8. We were a little put off by how small the establishment was. Then they guided us to another building that they opened early to accommodate our large group. Chris our waiter/bartender was amazing. He gave us amazing suggestions and tasters without us asking. All the food we ordered was great. We really enjoyed the bourbon barrel aged porter. Happy hour is from 3-6 and all appetizers are $5! We will be back!
(5)
Stephen G.
This place is awesome. For what it is, a great little neighborhood beer joint that is consistently solid. Good food, GREAT BEER, and cool staff. Been coming here for almost 10 years.
(5)
Roxanne G.
Good pub food indeed. Had my first Hefeweizen here. I'm not a beer drinker so I can't compare it to anything but, my friend who was stationed at in Germany for a few years told me it was superb! So yeah... There you go! Friendly service, a bit slow but had an enjoyable visit and seeing the onsite brew side was a cool plus!
(3)
Krystle M.
My hubby & I stopped in to sample their craft beer, which by the way is awesome! Our server Chris was even more awesome. We had so much fun sipping our brews & sharing great stories & experiences. We would def recommend. Ask for Chris!
(5)
Ron B.
Great craft beer in a very cool urban vibe. The place is really small, but very comfortable with a decent patio and nice rounded bar. I had the pretzels which were tasty. Other food looked really good. Will definitely be going back again.
(4)
Alison S.
Ignore the 'wait to be seated' sign and grab a table or head to the outside patio. Love love this place. If you come in fairly often (1-2 times a month like me) they remember your meal and drink preferences. Service is always spot on and I've never had a bad meal here. Wish they'd bring back the salmon Reuben though. That was my addiction!!
(5)
Jordon H.
Been here for the fourth or fifth time and always enjoyable. Love the atmosphere (people, and building structure/decor. Beers are SOLID! A+. A must try with appetizers, meals I haven't really dabbled in so I'm not sure. Cheers! And come try if you haven't already, what are you waiting for?!
(5)
BJ B.
I am a fan and supporter of local breweries here in the valley. Last night I visited two of them in the city, SunUp was my second stop for the evening. So first impression when I walked in was that this place has got some interesting history to it. There were pictures of past figures and well known people within the community. The bar area has some limited seating so if you wanna head there with some friends, somebody needs to get there early. The rest of the place has plenty of seating for more private conversations. The brews are not too bad and I know I have seen the sunup crew at alot of beer festivals and events, so I do like that they go out there and represent who they are, gotta keep local brews alive! Llast night for me was two pints which were descently priced HOWEVER with my Yelp check-in, I only paid one dollar per pint and even got discounted appetizers! I was shocked but after talking to my bartender, I come to find out the owner is crazy for yelpers! So if you don't minda smaller size bar and a not too bad central location, go down a get a pint or two for a buck!
(4)
Tiffani G.
Pretty good spot to check out. Had the pretzel bites, a burger and a pulled pork sandwich. All of the good was really yummy especially the pulled pork. As far as the beer selection I'm big on dark beer and was really looking forward to the vanilla porter. Unfortunately they were out so I wasn't really into it much. My boyfriend really enjoyed the IPA though, said they had a great selection. I'm sure I'll go back to give it another try, everyone seems to love it.
(3)
Chris B.
The food was very good and the service was very good. I would highly recommend this restaurant. The large variety of beer that is brewed onsite was also very good!
(4)
Greg M.
Sunup is the best brewery no one knows about. It's been there forever but we all just drive by not even noticing it. I go about once every 2 weeks. The beer is good the seasonal beer is amazing. But I don't go for the beer or the food, I go for the staff. The servers and bartenders are genuinely friendly. I know that one of the bartenders, Emily, recycles all the bottles. I recommend ordering the wings and a seasonal beer. Sit at the bar and chat up January or Emily. I don't think you'll regret it... I almost forgot Mollie is awesome.
(5)
Sarah W.
The cherry hef and the vanilla porter were A-ok. Were they my favorite? No. Were they bad? Not at all. Would I consider buying this stuff in a pony keg for our place? probably not. They have a decent happy hour in which if we were close by I would rather stop here than going to a place like hazelwoods or dillys deli. But since St.Francis is across the street I would personally choose them over this. Had a manmosa yesterday for my bday which was awesome thats probably one drink I would definitely stop in for.
(4)
Noor B.
Not bad. The vanilla porter is nice if you like dark beers. Trooper IPA is good, too. Pretzel bites are pretty good, although I think the ale cheese sauce is a little thin and plain. Servers are all really friendly. There's plenty of parking and the patio is nicely shaded. Lots of indoor seating as well if you want to enjoy the AC. I wouldn't mind stopping in again.
(3)
Teel M.
Update re: overcharge: Manager Mollie from SunUp got in touch with me & credited back the difference; she also explained that, when looking through the receipts, she found another receipt with the same subtotal as mine but the doubled tip--probably the server entering all the receipts/tips from our group got the two mixed up (and charged the other person less). I applaud the responsiveness not just to a negative Yelp review but to a customer service issue; it was handled quickly and politely. Original review follows: Went to SunUp on Saturday with a group, they seemed nice & accommodating at the time & had offered us an entire room/building to ourselves (which we more than filled), ran separate checks/tabs for each person/family like any bar and the food & drink were good. 3.5 to 4 stars for the food & drink, I'd say. Just checked my bank account and noticed that *they doubled my tip*. Yes, I had filled in both the tip amount and the total amount clearly, and yes I did the same on my own copy of the receipt--and I keep all my receipts, and log them when I get home. A little neurotic, maybe, but I'm disputing the transaction with my bank right now, and at least I have the proof I need. *** See note above: This situation has been satisfactorily resolved and the dispute cancelled with my bank.
(3)
Ariana M.
The food here was decent enough to stick around for, although what really disappointed me and my guests was the service. Our server seemed to really want to be somewhere else the entire time. She was not friendly, she didn't write our orders down, therefore a few things were missed, and most of all she never smiled! Also, didn't recommend anything on the menu, just told us what not to get, weird. Next time, I'll buy a 12 pack and host my own gathering.
(2)
Troy W.
Stopped in for lunch and they have great food and good beers. The food kind of reminds me of gordon biersch and the beer selection was very unique and tasty.
(5)
Bryan S.
Rate Beer: Fair (where's the hops in the IPA) Service: Great, very nice Atmosphere: Good. I like the beer garden.
(3)
Hannah D.
Not impressed at all. Poor service, decent beer, poor food. Came here on a Sunday for happy hour the calamari I ordered was cold and it took me twenty minutes to get my beer. When I reminded our waitress she said oh I think she's changing the keg.. Okay that's fine but I would like to be told that before all my other friends have their drinks and I'm just waiting. Won't be back here.
(2)
David R.
Me and my friends checked this place out because of a Groupon which got us a flight and logo pint glass. The location is kind of obscure being not in the greatest of Camelback areas but the brewery itself is very nice. We had some nice outside seating and ordered only beer and apps. The little food we tried was great and definitely going to go back for dinner soon. The beers I enjoyed the most were the Amber and the Vanilla Porter. They also had a seasonal Stout that was also surprisingly delicious. Great for a nice dinner with craft beer.
(3)
Chris F.
I went to this place about once a week with my roommate over the course of a year living here. Always had a good experience with the exception of one girl there who has the personality of a mop. I find it amazing that someone can see you dozens of times, even after waiting on you, will not even acknowledge your presence. No head nod, no smile, just very unfriendly to the point of being rude. Last night I went there for their anniversary with my roommate, and then another friend had joined me later on. We ordered 2 chicken nachos from one girl. After 20 minutes, I made mention that we still didn't have them. Another girl said the order must have not made it to the kitchen. Another 20 minutes had passed and I then told the bartender. It took another 15 minutes on top of that. Never ONCE did anyone bother telling me what happened. No reason given. Honestly, no one even gave a Sh*t either. My buddy even commented on that after we left. No one even cared. Clearly the first person didn't put the order in. The second..who knows. No accountability what so ever! I won't be going back. I"ve worked in the restaurant business before for 4 years. Never has any restaurant I've eaten at or worked for not went out of their way to make up for an error on their part. No free beer on the house, no discount for the next time, no free nachos, no half off the nachos, not even god damn apology! I'll never recommend this place to anyone as I have in the past. And I did so fairly often.
(1)
Michelle A.
First, let me reiterate that this is one of those times that I wish there were half stars in the rating system. It is definitely better than a 3 but I am not quite ready to give it a 4. I do have to say that it really all comes down to the purpose of your visit here. Its a brewery. As a brewery it was so fun and we really enjoyed our server, Amanda. She was helpful and knowledgeable, as was most of the staff that visited our table. Ambiance, meh. I wanted to sit outside but it reeked of cigars and cigarettes so we settled for a booth in a side room. The front room was definitely where it was happening. Mostly locals/regulars, from what we gathered. An eclectic bunch of people. We only had appetizers so again, hard to know what the regular menu was about. Our green chili quesadilla was burnt on the outside but the inside was good. The melted cheese was the right consistency. Our calamari tasted like most bars. Good, crunchy. The big hit for us was the hot artichoke and green chili dip. I could have eaten the whole thing myself (I think I did). So, I will definitely go back. Found the beer that I liked the best...the Lightrail Creme Ale was my favorite. And I would probably try something of the dinner menu. I'll keep you posted.
(3)
Sonya K.
I recently had my wedding rehearsal dinner here and was very satisfied with the service (Catherine), and correspondence from the GM (Mollie), regarding the reservation. We had our own private room, and chicken buffet with a private bar. My guests were very satisfied with the food. The craft beer is a plus too! ;)
(4)
Christopher G.
In order to have our cask Ale you must order both the barley wine and the cask ale. It is two 11ounce pours then you . . .pick the one you like more. Yeah, when I'm trying craft brews I want complicated rules and stupid ranking games. This is a brewery plus pizza place, and on both fronts it is decent. Not exceptional. I found the beers solid and tasty (a very unique heff for instance) I went there for happy hour ( The happy hour deal couldn't beat the yelp check-in offer (any beer for $1.00). Nor, does the happy hour work for this weird-stupid-whatever $11.00 to buy one beer deal I discussed earlier. Bottom line - a fun place, friendly enough staff. Guys just quit the stupid beer games and sell pints. ..
(3)
Kevin P.
Nice cozy neighborhood brewery. Friendly staff, bearded brewer with smiling face on website, what more do you need? Ok, honestly the beer is nothing special. Amber, ipa, pale ale, cream ale, yadda yadda, heard it all before. But in this instance I don't mind. I'm not looking for some ginger infused sour beer at Sunup. I'm looking for solid drinkable beer at great prices with a friendly staff and a simple but satisfying menu. And hey, every now and then they'll throw something interesting on cask. Come and get it.
(4)
S P.
This is a must-stop for every craft brew fan visiting Phoenix. Located near downtown in a small lot. Broad spectrum of brews including several cask brews and firkin draws. Great menu and friendly, fast service. Nice relaxing atmosphere to enjoy beer with the locals. Try the garlic fries or green chili dip-yummy!
(4)
Chad G.
Whenever I know I'm going to be in the area I always have my growler ready for a pour. I've been twice and don't remember anything about the food to blow your mind away but their beers are tasty!
(4)
David H.
Food was regular bar food, the beer was ok. Omg but the wait staff, yeah that's what we did, WAIT. Had to call them over to take our order, bring drinks and our bill. All of this with only 6 people in the restaurant and 4 wait staff. Will give them one more chance.
(2)
Susan R.
This was my first visit to Sunup Brewery I really enjoyed the red IPA. The chicken wings were pretty good as well. I was quite surprised to learn how much the owner loves Yelp members. The brewery is small and quaint compared to others I have frequent. If I was in the neighborhood I would definitely stop by for a pint or two to quench my thirst.
(4)
Rob P.
If you're into great craft beer, don't waste your time here. The cask conditioned IPA tastes like dish water. Food was average. Meh.
(2)
Valerie G.
Unbelievably HORRIBLE service. Never again!! My husband and I have been to this restaurant twice now within a few years. Our first experience was ruined by a very rude waitress. We stayed away from the place. Recently we thought we would give it another go. We were greeted warmly by the bartender and asked to seat ourselves. It was early evening, cool and breezy outside, so we chose the patio. A waitress came out and literally said 'What do you want?' My husband said 'Well, can we start with some menus?' She turned and went back into the restaurant. She brought the menus and the beer list (which have no descriptions of what the beers are like, btw) and we waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. We finally gave up. We walked through the restaurant to leave and there was our supposed waitress, standing there doing nothing. Sorry SunUp - we tried you twice - your staff need some serious customer service training. Oregano's got your business that night.
(1)
Ella M.
Beer. Burgers. Wings. How can you go wrong? Well, my burger was over cooked and lacked flavor. Their craft brews are ok, but they have a pretty good variety. I really like the fact that they bring you a chilled glass! That is rare in these parts! I'll definitely try this place again in hopes that they rotate their beer selection and include some seasonal offerings.
(3)
Anthony W.
For me, Sun Up is a strange concoction of microbrewery, pub food, hipster alternative music and silent sports bar. I filly do not understand why this place keeps the tv on, and volume off... Especially when there is a game people really want to watch. The beer is tasty and the selection is pretty good. The service can be hit and miss (I was here one day and the oven was broken, limiting the menu). But it's not bad. Overall, the get 3 stars.
(3)
Stephanie F.
A cute and fun little fine in downtown PHX. We had the beer samplers which was enjoyable. We also sampled the Apple Cider which was good, but not home brewed. As for food, we sampled quite a bit! Reuben and club sandwiches were good. Honey BBQ wings, garlic Parmesan fries, calamari and pretzel bites were also good. The cheese for the pretzels was gross. The best items were the green chile artichoke dip and the home brewed rootbeer.
(3)
Ingrid E.
This place is so good!!! Their seasonal beers are bomb and my favorite dish Is the grilled shrimp taco! Great service, great food and above all great beer! !
(5)
Brad W.
Stopped in for a 10pm drink and place was pretty empty for a Saturday night. Employees seemed more concerned with closing up and making plans for later even though the place didn't close until midnight. A bar should stay open til 2am, but the owners of this place I was told prefer an earlier closing time. Menu looked pretty lame with items crossed out with a marker and we decided to skip the food. Beer is good here since this is a brewery. Huge oatmeal stout fan, but this wasn't the best version and that is all I tried.
(3)
Julie M.
The place has a cool atmosphere, and the waitress was very friendly. They do a great burger and chips. The root beer is worth a try, too. I'm making this my lunchtime hang-out.
(5)
RillaAnn J.
The first time we came here the "seat yourself" sign was visible, so thats what we did. Fifteen minutes later, we left. No one ever came to greet us.... This time, we were set immeadiately and ordered some beers. Everything started out fine... Some of the wings that came with our order were so over cooked, there was no meat left. They were the ones conveniently located at the bottom of the stack. Once we ordered our entrees, our server started coming around a lot less.... Our food took a while, it seemed. I ordered a burger, pretty basic, but when our server offered me a temp request I said medium. It came out over cooked, but still good. I hate being asked, then end up disappointed. The onion rings were delicious and my beer was AMAZING (White Russian Imperial Stout). Now, my husband order the red pepper pasta dish.... Starting off, the pasta was over cooked. The sauce was more like a butter sauce and hardly resembled red pepper anything. The green chili mac led me to the same disappointment, i just didn't think it was good (there is another place on 7th st... that green chili mac is delicious!). My husband and i both agreed the beer was great, he had the hefeweizen. I really doubt we will return.
(2)
Jason C.
I love the local brew scene in Phoenix, it has grown so much over the last couple of years. SunUp is right in the middle of it all. With a wonderful selection of beers brewed right on property its really hard to go wrong. If you not sure which one to get you can always try a sampler and pick any 4. The food is really good as well, I have already tried the Shepherd Pie and the Kobe burger, both were really good. You can go for happy hour and get any appetizer for $5.00. Like beer and good food, I would definitely recommend this place!
(5)
Adrian B.
I love this spot. There is an awesome living social deal going on right now too. The seasonal pale ale they have right now is amazing. The wings are so good. I got the honey hot. I'm going back again this week. I am also considering having my next birthday in the adjacent brew house.
(4)
Leslie C.
Warning I may be beer bias coming from the NW so the sun up beer wasn't anything I'd take home so I'm glad I got the living social deal to sample first. On the flip side their cider is good! Nachos were ok. Their chicken strips & onion ring are horrible too much beer breading. They said their mac&cheese with green chili's was great - ugh sorry it was not. Maybe go with a sandwich or burger and have better luck.
(3)
John J.
Been coming here (almost daily) since I moved back from California in 2007. And finally decided to write a review. Great place! The food is excellent. Love their wings. And the beer is amazing. But what really sets this place apart is the fact that it truly is a place where "everybody knows your name". The servers do an excellent job of getting to know their customers (especially January - who really likes coffee, by the way). Have made some good friends here over the years. Excellent staff + Great food + Great beer + Good people + Only thing that would make this place better is cushy patio chairs and bikinis.
(5)
Jakob M.
My family and I were vacationing in Arizona, and only had 1 afternoon to kill in Phoenix, so decided to swing by the SunUp Brewery for lunch. I had the Trooper IPA, which was definitely tasty. My sister had the beer sampler, and was able to try all the beers. She wasn't a huge fan of the Stinger Pale Ale, but really liked the Vanilla Porter. Prices here were definitely on the low/average side for a pub. The Brickhouse Nachos were certainly worth the $7. The portion wasn't huge, but it was loaded with cheese, onions, tomatoes, black olives, jalapenos, and guacamole (sour cream on the side). There were only 4 of us and we were still pleased with how much it filled us up! I had the Chicken Caesar Wrap (with buffalo sauce), which was definitely good and packed to the brim. The others in my group enjoyed the chicken tenders, chicken club (was a special that day) and the Fajita Salad. Overall, very pleased with the food and service.
(4)
Chrystalle B.
Lets start w/ this: this place comes up on you quickly. If youre not actively looking for it, you may miss it. And when Camelback is busy, itll be a chore trying to get back to it. This place is not as tiny as you think, it has different rooms. Ive been by the door near the 1st bar and all the way at the back bar across the patio. The staff is great,we've never had bad service here, and its usually very busy. The food here is good, not as good as some other breweries that serve food, but also definitely not like your average bar food. The beers here, I dont so much enjoy. The Vanilla stout was good, but everything else was kind of bland. I should mention that we got samplers the 1st time we came as to try everything, They did, however, brew a special cherry beer for the AZ Girls Pint Out group that was awesome. Seriously, if you ever see that they have Cherry Buzz on tap, get it. I wont be coming here again, but I encourage those who like craft beer to check it out. You may find something you like.
(3)
Becca H.
I went to this place to chill out with some friends and found a awesome to get a beer with friends. I noticed that this place served food but I didn't try any while I was there. It was nice to find a local place that offer locally made beers instead of the typical large company beers. It was also nice to see that the servers were knowledgable about their products. During my visit I tried the local amber and was pleasantly surprised. It was smooth and delicious. The second beer I tried was a crimson red. It had the bitterness of a red without being too bitter. I had the opportunity to sample the whiskey beer wine which was flavorful but not my cup of tea but it was worth the try. It was a cool evening and we sat on the patio. The only downside was that there was not enough heaters to make it enjoyable. Overall it was a good place to hang out with some friends.
(4)
Cindy S.
Great food, beer, friendly service. Love their bread pudding :). Definitely check 'em out! We come down as often as we can ... it's our fav hang out :)
(5)
Mike M.
So much better than my last visit. Service was awesome and so was there food. I'm glad I gave this place another chance I will definitely come back to eat here again. My wife and I really enjoyed our lunch at the anniversary party and had a decent band. I would like to see some more variety with their crafted beers
(4)
Jeremy P.
I met a few of the coworkers here for lunch, never having been here before. I don't really frequent the brewhouse scene. When I asked the server what they had in the way of nonalcoholic beverages, she mentioned they have homemade root beer. Of course I had to try that out. The root beer is delicious. I still have not obtained closure on the root beer mystery: it tastes virtually identical to Sonora Root Beer, which is Arizona's finest brew, and available at numerous local restaurants. It appears as if SunUp formerly had (or still has?) some sort of partnership with Sonora Brewing Company, or if Sonora is even still a "thing"; I'm not sure if this means they now make the root beer, or what. Whatever it is, the root beer is delicious. The food? It was, well, OK. I went with the black and bleu burger, medium rare, with garlic parmesan fries. I did like the fries, and the burger had a nice flavor. The meat, however, was not the greatest (or the most plentiful), so I can't say this is a place you would go for a burger. The menu in general is nothing special, although if I go back, I would try that smoked salmon reuben. I think that is the only item on the menu that really struck me as unique. Overall, a decent restaurant, but nothing I would go out of my way for.
(3)
Kevin B.
Had the pale ale with cascade hops on the cask followed with a pint of the hefeweizen. Beers were quite good and worthy of a trip back. Wings were flavorful and plentiful. Lots of good flavor with just the right amount of heat. The turkey burger was decent but could have used a little more flavor.
(4)
Chukki S.
Eh, this place needs some help. Jon Taffer anyone? My friend ordered chicken wings and they were not cooked all the way. He had to send them back. My food also seemed to be a bit undercooked but I ate it anyways. Our bartender was very friendly and did a great job but the kitchen clearly needs help. This place would be a great candidate for Bar Rescue. There is potential here.
(2)
Katie H.
Came here for Sunday beers. Local atmosphere. We could tell there were a lot of regulars there. The waitress could have been a little more friendly. I got the 4 sampler of beers because they had too many IPAs to chose from and my boyfriend had the triple IPA. Beers were good. We also ordered the chili fries for $6. We were expecting something a little larger but they're were very tasty and worth the $6. My only issue is the bathrooms. Definitely could use a little air freshener or two.
(3)
Deb S.
First stop on our pub crawl. Great service, nice vibe, and plenty of choices. Their brewer is out of town but we still enjoyed all the great beer they had to offer. The food was good pub fare and the root beer was some of the best I've ever tasted. Inside is cozy, and the patio was quite pleasant.
(5)
Clubber Z.
Good craft beers. The seasonal brews can be excellent. Nice cozy atmosphere. I didn't try the food.
(4)
Chris B.
I knew that SunUp would be an eventual beer destination for me, but never got around to checking the place out until fate intervened. I had planned on meeting a friend at Angel's Trumpet Ale House (another fine venue for beer fans) only to find out they were closed on Mondays. SunUp however, was open and was my first suggestion so that I could still hang out with my lovely lady friend who is also a connoisseur of fine beers. SunUp turned out to be a cozy little place to enjoy beer and some righteous grubble. Knowing that my drinking companion was also a vegetarian (although she allows for bacon, which makes her an ovolactopesciporkatarian), we chose to split the nachos (sans meat) and the smoked salmon reuben. We also sampled the onion rings, which were downright tasty (especially if you sweet talk the waitress into bringing you a side of the remoulade that is normally served with their shrimp)! Although I found the smoked salmon reuben a tad on the salty side, I appreciated the fact that it was served on a nice marble rye. As for the beer, I found it fresh and quite drinkable. They offer their own house beers as well as guest taps, so I found the selection was ample enough to satisfy my beer wanderlust. The atmosphere was my favorite element of SunUp... it seems to be a great gathering place and yet it is intimate enough to serve as a decent place to take a date. Even better if your date digs beer, but you definitely won't be disappointed with the gemütlichkeit (cozy ambiance). Prost!
(4)
Kev C.
Turkey burger was legit, green chili style. The nachos were a little plain, but still good. Pretzel bites were decent, the cheese sauce made them. The wings looked good, but I didnt have any, Had half of my aunts philly steak and it was delicious. Stuck with the seasonal beer all night and it was really smooth and really good. overall, great experience, decent food, great beer, great atmosphere, accommodated a party of 10 with no problem, $5 appetizers during happy hour. we'll definitely be back again.
(4)
Art R.
Been awhile since we've been here but still top notch beer. I think the food has gone down a little though, seems to be hastily put together.
(4)
Isaac S.
It wasn't bad. But it isn't a brewery I'll visit again. The beer was ok, the seasonal brews were pretty good. They had a cask red ipa with simcoe and cascade hops that I found delicious. The bar service was good. The wings were decent, good flavor but drowned in sauce.
(3)
Stephen B.
This place is great!! Parking was easy and ample, the interior was clean, inviting, and cozy. Service was quick to seat us and make us comfortable. The appetizers were great, and servings more than ample. Wings were meaty and tasty, pretzel bites were warm and very good, the hummus plate was a meal in itself. The menu looks to have something for just about everyone. My burger was cooked to order and very tasty as was the cole slaw. We didn't have the fries or onion rings, but we noticed that other patrons ordered them and they looked great as they went past our table. My wife had the Oktoberfest brew, and said it was wonderful. We found our new favorite place to take and meet friends.
(5)
Monica J.
I have never been a big fan of SunUp's beers. I usually prefer amber or brown ales but there is something a little off about their amber. So, I did not really ever make it a point to visit their brewery before. Then I saw that last week, for AZ beer week, they were doing something kind of fun. Beer floats. That's right, they had paired four of their beers with different flavors of gelato: cream ale with strawberry gelato, pale ale with blood orange sorbet, amber with sea salt caramel gelato and vanilla porter with tahitian vanilla gelato. Some were better than others but it made for a fun experience. I just love the fact that there are so many breweries in town now and they each have their own vibe but yet they are all part of the local craft beer community. The brewery itself was very homey and comfortable. It was decorated with a lot of wood paneling that was probably left over from the seventies but it gave it sort of a cozy country lodge feel. They have a nice inner courtyard with a secluded patio even though they are on a major street in the middle of downtown. There is a larger separate room where it seems most people who are eating a meal get a table, but the main bar area is pretty small. Most of the people there seemed to be regulars and it was an eclectic mix of ages and personalities. The bartender (who was also the hostess and the server) was very friendly and that also contribuited to the warm and fuzzy feeling we got while sitting at the bar. Though I don't go that often, I will probably return to SunUp. Firstly because I have discovered that their porter is actually pretty good, and secondly because it just seems like a cool place to hang out. The main thing that kept them from another star was the awful smell in the ladies room. My hubby said it was even worse in the mens. Gross. I hope it is not a permanent thing.
(3)
Amanda N.
The food and beer is amazing. Top that off with a killer wait staff and bartender Jeannette! The husband and I love this place!!!
(5)
Kathy J.
Sweet little brew pub with friendly clientele and staff we checked out after the final DBacks game of the 2013 season. The craft beers are really good. The only food item we tried was an artichoke and green chili dip covered in melted, shredded cheese and served with tortilla chips...low cal and delicious! It goes great with a cold beer for sure. They are super close to the Camelback light rail stop so if you are on your way downtown or back from there, I'd suggest you give them a try. They are on the north side of Camelback and their sign is low profile so it's easy to miss...keep your eyes open for it.
(4)
Amanda M.
Only came in for beer sampler flight. Prompt service from friendly bartender. Really nice cream ale and vanilla porter. I hate IPAs and even sort of liked theirs.
(5)
Meredith M.
I'm not sure why I order burgers in general, because generally I don't like them very much. Not the case at SunUp. I have had the burger with the blue cheese fondue on it several times now, and it is amazing. The bun is chewy, burger is juicy, and the blue cheese is very blue-cheesy. It was cooked to perfection and served with some crispy fries that were also very good. I have yet to be disappointed. My friend had the club, and it is a giant sandwich and looked delicious. His only compliant was there isn't any "regular" white bread available to put it on. Another friend had the green chile pulled pork and said he really enjoyed it. The beer on the other hand - I really have struggled to like. As an avid drinker of the "other" brewery in Tempe's flagship beer, I am always looking for a red-type ale, which they have, but I find too hoppy. So I recently have had the Pale Ale, which has a good flavor, but once again I run into a hop issue. I just really am not a fan of hoppy beers, and as of my last sampler tasting, these are too much for me. Another bonus of SunUp is the small, partially-covered patio. There aren't many tables, but it is perfect for lunch in the nicer weather.
(4)
Rebecca R.
My husband and I have been coming here since before it was called SunUp. I think the other name may be copyrighted so I won't mention it. Whenever we come here we get something different but always order the homemade rootbeer (unless they're out!) and a side of kettle chips. Keep up the good work SunUp!
(4)
Brian B.
Today was my first experience with SunUp brewing. All in all it was pretty awesome. The food was great, the beer was fresh and awesome. My wife and I asked the waitress/bartender several questions about their craft brews, which are brewed in house and they had all the answers and knew what they were talking about. I am a craft brewer too and was testing them with some of my questions and they were spot on with the answers. I will 100% be back there in the future! Awesome beer and food!
(5)
Kat K.
Been here 3 times. I don't know how I ended here the 2nd time, let alone the 3rd. This doesn't reflect the staff, who have been very helpful and friendly. I think the beer is just OK. Actually, its forgettable. I can't give the place 2 stars because the brews are not that bad, but I am not a fan either. See, I already forgot what beers I tried out. Though I do remember they were cool, not cold. This is one of those reviews where I just don't know what to say, my experiences here were just blase. I think its because I found the ambiance kinda dull. There was a fun couple at the bar with us, trying to make it more lively, but sadly it just was not happening. Everything was an effort. I won't be back for a 4th visit (I say that now, we will see). But I do wish this venue the best.
(3)
Brian M.
This is a neighborhood bar and grill located in Windsor Square. I like to sit at the main bar here because you always get roped into some conversation with the friendly bartenders and the folks sitting next to you. Their regular beers are good or OK and I usually get the Trooper IPA. However, they usually have seasonal or special beers of the day, which almost always contain a double or triple IPA, which are great. As far as food it is definitely bar food but I do enjoy their nachos (not really the best thing on the menu, I'm just a sucker for nachos), wings and fries. I do hear their fish and chips are superb as a gentleman from Vancouver wouldn't shut up about it one night. Sun Up runs a lot of specials like Chili dog Monday (Chili dog and beer for $6), Wing Wednesday and Happy Hour all day Sunday.
(4)
Monique H.
This is a nice little pub. January is everything you would want out of a bartender - funny, quick to serve up your next beverage and easy on the eyes. I had the SunUp IPA, pretty tasty. To eat I ordered the Sonoran Chicken Salad - or something along those lines. Aside from the sliced chicken breast, the salad tasted exactly like the prepackaged southwestern salad you can get at the supermarket. I'm not all together sure that they didn't just give me the salad straight from the bag.
(3)
Leslie G.
we didn't even know this place existed until I saw a living social deal and snagged it. then the deal sat and sat until almost expiring. After spending the morning hiking we were in the area and decided to pop in. The living social deal was 2 beer flights, an appetizer and 2 pint glasses to take home. The sampler was a tasting of the entire line up, so 7 samples. Found a few favorites and a couple we didn't like, but the vanilla porter was delish! Not our typical style of beer, but will most definitely order it again. Instead of getting the 2 pint glasses to take home they honored our request to have a couple pints of beer instead! Our server was just amazing - she was friendly and informative - big props to Angela for great customer service. We loved the atmosphere and oh - the food. It was good. For our appetizer we got the green chili dip with chips. It was good - not amazing, but we were starving from our hike and cleaned the bowl. We also ordered a BLT breakfast sandwich from the brunch menu which I thought was great. It was your typical BLT, but served on a croissant with a fried egg on top and served with home fries. So very good - next time I won't share though and order it only for myself. They definitely seem to have a local following as everyone that came in after us seemed to know someone else already there. When the locals like it and keep coming back you know it is a good thing. We will be back!
(4)
Jeremiah T.
I worked down the block from this joint for years and kept forgetting to stop by the place until I briefly spoke with Uwe at another beer event and was inspired by his jolly nature to get my ass in there and try his beer. My expectations weren't high for the place overall, and BOY did I feel like a jerk when I found it to be such a nice place with good beer (and plenty varieties of it) and food that was truly delicious. I figured it would be limited to standard bar food, but they have home style meals as well. My date got wings, which were good, and I got a chicken plate with mashed potatoes that was just about a perfect portion size for being satisfying, yet leaving room for beers. The vanilla porter was delicious!
(5)
Phyllis A.
I have eaten at SunUp Brewing Co. at least 4 times (maybe 5) since moving back to Phoenix in January...it' one of my favorites! I'm not a beer drinker so I can't rate the beer. I came upon SunUp Brewing Co. through Restaurant.com . I like to try different restaurants so I use Restaurant.Com to find them so if it's not a good experience I'm not paying full price for the meal. :-} On to my experiences...the first time I went there I was disappointed in the service; my pasta dish arrived lukewarm and the pasta had started to stick together from sitting in the kitchen, BUT I left my comments on Restaurant.com and was surprised to receive an email from the owner (maybe?). I received an apology with a request that I give them another try...and I did. All my subsequent dining experiences have been superb! I'm hooked on the spicy pasta dish with salmon. I have taken friends and visiting family members there and they order different dishes and all have said they liked their dishes. I haven't tried any of their dishes because I don't want anything to "taint" my taste-buds from enjoying my favorite dish. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly.
(4)
Liz S.
I like sunUp. I like the beer, its good, I especially love the IPA. Oddly enough, I have yet to eat at SunUp. I just really like that this is a nice place to kick back and have a cold one. The services is consistently quick and friendly, and the selection is great.
(4)
Rhonda H.
First time there, I'm a big fan of craft beers, these guys nailed it! Had a burger & onion rings, awesome! We started out with the sampler, I don't usually like dark beers, but I enjoyed them all. My fav was the Lightrail Cream Amber! A must try in Phoenix!!
(5)
Jim P.
They brew a decent beer. Last time I was there I tried some crazy-high IBU IPA, or DIPA from the cask - which was quite smooth and an excellent brunch beer despite the amount of hops. The food is fairly standard brew-pub fare. You can get shrimp sliders, burgers...that kind of thing. As for their website - u can click on that link above, but it won't do you much good. They don't seem to update it ever - so its useless to see what they might have on cask, or the current seasonal. And that menu link? Circa prior-to-the-name-change from Sonoran Brewhouse, so you can't rely on that.
(3)
Ryan R.
3 steps to bliss: 1. Whatever you are doing right now, stop. 2. Go to Sun Up. 3. Get a smoked salmon Rueben. My brother drug me here during a recent visit and told me the pork verde was really good. He was right, but when I see something as strange as a salmon Reuben on the menu, I just have to give it a try. It was amazing. I haven't been that surprised by delicious food in years. I didn't do a full beer tasting, but I did have the barley wine and it was very good. It was very fresh, as it should be in a brewhouse, but you could also tell they keep their lines and tap really clean. All I tasted was beer; it was served in a slightly chilled glass. Thanks, January!
(5)
Errol N.
Beer... Yes Please!! Great Place Emily, January and Jamie are the best! Any beer on Casket is the best! Great place to meet the locals too!
(5)
Arizona T.
Great beer! Didn't try the food. Very friendly folks.
(4)
Meschelle H.
So, it has been a while (a long while) since we ate here, but there's always room for more Yelp reviews! Ok, so back when I was a meat eater, I ordered the Kobe beef burger (I was excited), I asked for it medium, cause I can't take a totally bloody burger. We both ordered their beer sampler, (6 four-ounce beers!!) and the server also brought a taster of a seasonal beer for us. Let's just say by the end of it, I was super tipsy! The Light Rail cream ale is good if you're new to beers, or just like lighter brews. I am not a hop head, so the IPA was definitely not my fave nor was the Red Ale. The hef tasted rotten, and I usually like wheat beers, so maybe something was a little off. My favorite, hands down, was the Vanilla Porter! I absolutely adore dark beers (Stouts/Milk Stouts, Porters, etc.) and this one was a perfect blend of vanilla and dark beery goodness. I still think about this beer, and I will go back for it someday. The food was a different story. Remember how I asked for my burger medium? Yeah, it came out well done, which sucked...but I ate it anyway, cause I needed something besides beer in my stomach. I don't remember my partner being over the moon with her meal, she wasn't disappointed either. It's the kind of food I will eat if it's there...but I won't go out of my way to get it. The service: I've had better and I've had worse. Cheers.
(3)
Larry G.
Food and beer have been great for years, I heard they have a new manager so I went back to try out. Service is great now.
(4)
Toryanni E.
The food here was fantastic and so was the service!
(5)
Whitney H.
My brother is a total beer snob and loves trying out local breweries, so when he came in town this weekend he picked SunUp for us to check out. My father and brother were already there when I arrived and my dad said that the waitress told him everything on the menu is good (which in my mind is the same as saying nothing on the menu is good). My brother and I picked the fish and chips with garlic/parm fries, and my dad got the shepherd's pie. My brother got the flight of seven (I think? that's usually the number served for a flight at these types of places) beers and enjoyed them. The food was a different story though. The fish was one giant piece, which wasn't bad in itself, except that the breading was super thick and not crispy at all, really. It was also a bit dry. The garlic/parm fries were WEIRD - just something about the taste was wrong. The coleslaw literally made me laugh out loud when I tried it - it tasted like nothing. No salt, no vinegar, nothing. My dad, who will virtually eat anything, salted it and said it still wasn't good. His shepherd's pie looked okay, and he ate it and said it was alright. I would personally never come back here for food. Maybe just some beers.
(2)
Beth K.
Had the grilled chicken sandwich, the Mac & cheese with green chiles - both delicious! Accompanied by the heifeweisen for a very satisfying lunch.
(5)
John A.
My fiance and I have been coming here for a little over a year. We have since moved from the surrounding area, but we stop by when we are hitting up the furniture places in the Melrose District. Meal: The fiance usually gets the edge salad, the veggie burger or the nachos. I typically whatever is on the special, such as the pot pie . . . and onion rings! I am a big fan of any of cask ales and the light rail cream ale. The fiance always goes for the wheat beers or something with a strong fruity taste. Taste: First and foremost, the onion rings are the best in the valley. They are thick and bread-y. Yes . . . that is a new word in the Yelp lexicon. The beer can be hit or miss, but if they haven't run out of the cask ale, run with it. The food is spectacular. I rarely go with something on the menu because their daily special is usually a stand out! 8 out of 10. Value: Portions are pretty reasonable. They definitely don't skimp on portions. My fiance and I always end up a to-go box. 4 out of 5. Service/Cleanliness: Service at SunUp is its Achille's heel. The servers can be rude and rarely know the menu. And its funny and kind of sad when the staff is unable to describe the beers on tap. Its a brewery . . . I would imagine they would know what the beers are like. Finally, their beers are served too warm sometimes. The temperature of some of their beers are room temperature. I respect the fact that some beers are to be served warm depending on the style, but the entire selection isn't to be served at room temperature. 4 out of 10. Atmosphere: I like the atmosphere because its low key, has a great patio, and a nice variety of music. The bars are pretty nice and when the bartenders are actually working, the conversation adds to the experience. 3 out of 5. Overall: If you are in the area, stop by for a visit. I wouldn't avoid Friday and Saturday evenings. I would drive across town to try it out and just be prepared for poor service. 19 out of 30 points, 3 out of 5 stars.
(2)
Jill D.
Cask drawn IPA.....good stuff!
(5)
Evan B.
4 Stars for beer only 2 for their food. One of the best micro brews I have ever had was here. It was a cask conditioned IPA that was just incredible. It is great that they offer a cask conditioned beer and a rotating seasonal beer along with the wide selection of standard brews. Prices are on par for a micro brew $4-5 per pint. My dinners here have been fine but nothing special just common bar and grill food. The Nachos were decent but cheese on chips can't be bad. the selection is a bit uninspired in the food department. Burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, salads and the usual fried appetizers. I will be going back again and again for their great beer.
(4)
Dawn B.
After a five and a half hour drive from San Diego, we showed up needing two things: (1) something to eat; and (2) a cold beer. We found them both at the SunUp Brewing Company. The menu is primarily pub food - burgers, nachos, and wings - although they did have a grilled salmon special that sounded good. There was a minor mix up with the kitchen, but the service was great and the beers more than made up for it.
(4)
Valerie A.
Service was great. Loved the BlackBerry Pear Cider. The seasonal double IPA was delicious too. Wait for special guest Black Pat and your time will be amazeballs.
(4)
Chris P.
We have driven past this place several times. We never really drink so breweries are never high on our list to visit. The inside is very very nice and inviting. the staff very friendly and fairly quick service. we arrived at an off time between lunch and dinner and saw how quickly the place started to fill up as we finished are dinners. we had the light rail cream ale and the vanilla porter. pretty good. the prices were really good as well. Seems like it would be a great place to hang out with friends. also very clean. we will be back again soon
(4)
David L.
High Strength Cask Ale. $5. This beer has generous amounts of floral hops without being loud. The malts are crisp and the ale is well balanced. This is a real ale and a good sipper. Served in a dimpled pint glass. I place an order for the sea bass special. $14. Perfectly baked with a beurre blanc sauce and most likely reduced with one of the ales and on the side, seasonal vegetables. Excellent meal. Sitting on the breezy patio was pretty good as the interior was solid packed. The only annoyance was the occasional smoker. What I would give to light up a rollie. But being a reasonable non-smoker, I ignore the irritant. Anyway somebody tell the landlord it was a great time.
(4)
Nicole G.
Menu isn't very appealing, however the food is delicious. Had the Cesar salad and soup, very good. Husband had the shrimp slider which were very good. Service is very chill, kinda a small place but VERY clean.
(3)
Teri B.
All you with inner fat-kids... you MUST get the onion rings. They're like the size of donuts and SO good... so I've heard ;) For a tiny local brewery this place is great. Warm, brewery vibe. I wish they'd do a little something more with the patio but overall no complaints. My husband is super picky about beers and really likes SunUp so I guess they're good. It's perfect for a bars-on-bikes stop when you're looking for something casual and good old fashioned fat kid bar food.
(4)
steve r.
I wanted to drop by and do my part to support our local brewing establishment. I'm glad I did. Always an interesting selection of beers with the occasional cask condition variety. Bottom line, the beer is tasty, the food is unexpectedly good. It's a no brainer.
(4)
Jordan G.
SunUp makes some decent brews, but the food leaves a lot to be desired. Here's what we had: Ahi Sliders: Bland coleslaw and tuna were overpowered by the oversized and mediocre bun. Shrimp tacos: Way too salty and overcooked. Fortunately, there were only two shrimp per taco, so the disappointment at how they tasted was mitigating by the sheer lack of content. Macaroni & Cheese: Not bad, but it's mac & cheese. The service was great and there's plenty of space, but there's really no reason to eat here, and, in my opinion, there are better places to get beer.
(2)
Alli L.
can't beat good beer, good food, and good people!
(5)
Brian T.
decided to take the fam out for dinner last night, was reallly craving a juicy burger and a beer. I do have to say that the beer was great, but the food was just meh. We started with the calamari and the beer bread with beer cheese for an appetizer. I wasn't a fan of the beer bread, but maybe I just don't like beer bread. Nothing was "wrong" with it, I we just weren't fans. The calamari was good, I liked it anyway. I decided to get the black and bleu burger with onion rings, wife got the crispy shrimp tacos, my son had a smaller cheeseburger with garlic parm fries and my little daughter had a grilled cheese and sweet potato fries. My burger was cooked perfectly, but was somehow bland. Not sure how, with the bacon and bleu cheese fondue, but it was. I think the meat was just underseasoned, but overall a decent burger. I have to say the onion rings were terrible, not very crispy and soooo much "breading". ick The wife's tacos were impossible to eat, super sloppy and just fell apart. My son reallly liked his burger and fries. On to the beer. I had an awesome red beer then a pilsner, both very very good. The wife had the light rail cream ale, that was also awesome. In the future, I'll go back for the awesome beer and maybe just a simple cheeseburger.
(3)
Mr D.
Best brewery I've been to in the United States! I like the fact that there was a wide variety of beer. Something for everybody. But it was also some of the best beer
(5)
Jason B.
This was stop numero uno on our group's light rail bar crawl. None of us had ever been there before so we were excited to see what this place was all about. Situated about a 10ish minute walk from the light rail station, it is a nice walk through a part of town where I wouldn't normally be. You wouldn't think this place is a brewery because of its small size but it is. The inside is very quaint and taverny. It has a very relaxed vibe going on. I ordered the sampler and all their beers are pretty decent. I decided on the Amber for my pint, but they were all good so it was a difficult decision. Not bad for a little local brewery at all. For a quick bite before we moved on we ordered the calamari and the bratwurst splitter. The calamari was pretty standard and the aioli had a nice kick to it. The bratwurst was excellent and unique. Each was perfect to split among 4 people. The rest of their menu looked good but is pretty much typical bar food. Well probably a bit better than average bar food. Anyway, it is perfect food for the place and looking back we should have probably eaten dinner there instead of only an appetizer. Pro Tip: Cross over to the north side of the street at the light as soon as you exit the light rail station. Otherwise you will be dodging traffic as you try to cross because the place is located on the other side of the street far from another crosswalk. Anyway, I would like to come back for a few beers and food. I would also like to do the brewery tour.
(4)
David S.
Hell yes. I was very pleased with this place. First time my friend and I had been there, and we thought it was great. I'm so glad there are places like this in Phoenix now. We went on a Sunday afternoon and it was very quiet. Much more of a place for engaging conversation over some good beer, which is my idea of a great pub on a Sunday afternoon. Also, it was happy hour all day. I had the SunUp Amber, which was tasty and smooth. I would have liked to get the Hefeweizen for a hot, summer afternoon, but they were out. And for some reason they were serving Widmer instead. I passed on that since I wanted something from the home brewery. We had the nachos and quesadilla for appetizers and they were sufficent for happy hour prices. Then again, I'm really only judging this place on the quality of beer and atmosphere, which I really liked. I'm looking forward to going back to try something else from the beer selection.
(4)
Melissa J.
Cute little brewery on Camelback. My husband liked his beer, I'm not a beer drinker so I can't really judge. My sister got the homemade rootbeer and it was delicious. We split the bar-b-que chicken wings and I completely loved them. Perfect amount of sauce, great taste and great chicken. I got the smoked salmon rueben. It was great, but probably not surprisingly it was incredibly salty. I'm not sure it's possible for a sandwich of smoked salmon and sauerkraut not to be salty but I was only able to eat half, and it's not that big. I did enjoy that half. Contributing to all the salt intake was the giant pile of sweet potato fries that came with it, plus several of the garlic parmesan fries my husband got as a side. I'm pretty sure I consumed a week's worth of sodium in that meal. The fries were in fact great, I say the garlic parmesan ones were the best and my husband says the sweet potato. Go check them out and decide for yourself.
(4)
Cliff Z.
Been here before and it was WAY better than this last Thursday! Had veggie/hummus appetizer, burger that was ok, had one porter and one hefe and both were sub par, but the root beer float was the best thing I had even if I only got one scoop of ice cream...last time was the last time.
(2)
Jessica L.
Went here last night for a friends birthday dinner. We got a table in the side room (you can rent the entire room for $250 I think they said). The staff was very nice, but I agree it was a bit slow but we still enjoyed ourselves. Beer was tasty of course and I got the Green Chili Pork - delish! if you like a spicy dish because it was :) We will try this place again for sure... just don't be in any kind of hurry. Oh also, if you are with a group they don't seem to like splitting checks so having cash is best.
(4)
Justin H.
Average beer... Great food.
(3)
Becky W.
so glad Yelp led us here on our way home to CA. Shared the Classic Reuben and kettle chips plus bread pudding with whiskey sauce for dessert; very good! I chose Amber Ale to dink then tried pub tastes of Oatmeal Stout and Vanilla Porter. The Amber was by far the best tasting. I love dark beers, these were "okay." The Amber was very flavorful and complemented the food well. I recommend this pub; we'll be back next year when spring training rolls around again.
(3)
Brittanie M.
I'm not a huge beer drinker so this review is mostly based on their food. I did try a sample of the vanilla porter which was more chocolate and crème than vanilla but I could see it going really well with some cake or brownies after dinner. However, I was here for a late lunch/early dinner so I opted for the turkey sandwich with their mac n' ale cheese side. The sandwich was a lot smaller than I was expecting for the price ($8.50 for a small sandwich and side). The turkey and spinach leaves were really fresh and the roll was lightly toasted and not dry, but the cranberry mayo didn't have a very strong flavour. It would have been better with actual whole cranberry sauce and then mayo separate. The sandwich was good but I was very disappointed with the size. The mac n' cheese was very good and cheesy but it wasn't very noteworthy - it was basically high quality Velveeta cheese a slight beer-esque tang to it, topped with parmigiana. I tried a bit of my friend's parmigiana fries and those were decent but, again, nothing special - just fries with parmigiana on top. Service was fast (though the place was pretty empty) and friendly. They also had a few different ciders in bottles available which I wasn't expecting (I'm a HUGE cider fan), so that was a nice plus. Main point: I like going to breweries because they usually incorporate beer into a lot of their dishes. SunUp's beer-battered shrimp (again, what the friend ordered) and ale-infused cheese is an example but where are the beer-battered fries or soft beer bread or other delicacies you can find on Four Peaks' (for example) menu? What do you have on offer to draw in non-beer drinkers to your establishment? I think it's an important question when a brewery decides to also be a restaurant and one I'm not sure SunUp really thought about. I would come here again to sample more of the beer and for dessert or a Happy Hour-priced appetizer but not for lunch or dinner again.
(3)
Mike M.
Ya know..... We stumbled upon SunUp after visiting the Herd w/ friends from Philly. They know and love good food and beers like we do, and we were all pleasantly surprised by the quality beer selection, and good food at good prices. I haven't been there in a month or so, but worth the trip if you're in the area. Keep up the good work SunUp!
(4)
Erin S.
This place had a great vibe. Small, relaxed and welcoming. I really liked the set up of this place. It was comforting and cozy. We ordered the sampler and were content. The Stout really stood out. I wish they bottled. Well next time in AZ for Spring Training.
(4)
Jayelynn W.
Great place to hang out and drink good beer or be a good designated driver like me. The fries are my favorite thing on the menu! However, the Green Chile Pork is amazing and my Mom refuses to order anything other than Beer Battered Fish & Chips.
(4)
Jill D.
Been back a handful of times since I wrote this and felt I should update. Service has improved and it seems that they've updated their menu so that the spinach dip's description more accurately matches what actually is served. Not positive, because I haven't had the balls to order it. I found another gem on the menu called the parmesan fries. Holy lord! Very good. The wings were also solid. Still no hefe on tap- hopefully they'll bring back that gold goodness soon. Hint hint!
(4)
Jack N.
Stopped in on Friday at 9:30pm 8/26/11 with a friend to pick up a growler. We both had never been here before and are both lovers of craft brew. The barmaid was a complete total rude person. She rudely asked us if we were going to sit down and order something. No, we just want to pick up a couple growlers to go. She then literally told us to back away from the bar because a waitress came up behind us to put in an order for other customers. Really? We were talking to you first, the bar is half empty and you are going to tell us to back up for another waitress? I would have walked out but my friend really wanted to try their beer. So after helping her co-worker she rudely asks us what beer we wanted. He asked for the cask porter that was on the specials board and an IPA. Her reply was very short and rude: You cant have the cask porter in a growler. Attention owner: Fire this old rude cougar with short blonde hair and get someone who can help you serve customers properly. I'm not even talking about knowing your product: What kind of beer do you like? Have you been here before? Etc etc. Just the normal service: Hi, how are you this evening? What can I get for you? Sorry the cask is only available in pints. Etc etc. I dont care what happened to her that night. I dont care if her dog was hit by a firetruck. I am a customer and am here to buy your product. Be polite and serve me. We ended up getting one growler instead of 2 because of how rude she was. If it were up to me we would have walked out. The growler was an IPA. It was decent but was no where near as good as the Four Peaks Hop Knot we had that night and it definitely wasn't worth feeling degraded by an old rude hag. I will NEVER return here and will tell all the other brew lovers that I know that the service is horrific and the beer is less than mediocre. The worst part is the craft brew scene in AZ can use all the help it can get it and people like this bartender are not helping it one bit. If the owner doesnt care about his business hopefully at least he will care about the craft and fire this lady immediately. Serving beer and customers is definitely not her calling. Theres a correction office hiring somewhere in the valley that she would fit lovely.
(1)
Kristen R.
The food was excellent and the service was good... I just don't really care for there beer. I've"ve been there a few times and tried almost everything they brew and I just don't like there beer. It's an alright place if you're not going for the beer.
(3)
Adrian F.
My first experience here was... not great... The girl behind the bar was a total... well let's just say she wasn't very nice. Inattenctive to customer's needs and rude to the other employees working (one in particular was on the verge of tears and it was only her first day)! THAT BEING SAID.... I have not seen her working there since my first visit, and each subsequent visit has been extremely pleasant! Our servers and bartenders have been nothing but friendly. I'm a beer nerd, so I love the local breweries! SunUp happens to produce some really decent batches of beer! The Trooper IPA is by far my favorite so far, but I enjoy trying all the different ones they offer and their seasonals! The food here is very good, especially the bison burger! The prices are slightly steeper than most other breweries I've dined at in the area, but the food is quality, and the happy hour deals are unbeatable!
(4)
EpicSpin L.
I was excited to try this place and was extremely disappointed... My boyfriend and I went here on a quiet Monday night and sat at the bar. Off the bat the bartender, a girl with dark hair and glasses, was just not nice at all. No smiles, just attitude. The beer was meh, nothing I was impressed with, and the food was just not good at all. I ordered a burger with onion rings. Burger was blah, onion rings were soggy. I also got a side of mac 'n cheese, well, because I'm a complete sucker for mac 'n cheese. This stuff looked and tasted like it'd been sitting in a tub under a heat lamp all day. 2 bites and I was done. My bf also got a burger with the Parmesan fries... The fries were soggy, and it looked like they just shook a bunch of grated Parmesan out of the can on to them instead of using fresh parm. Not good at all. Typically I can forgive a place for having bad food if the service and drinks are good, but I'm sorry to say that this place was just all around bad.
(2)
Erin H.
We always drive by SunUp and talk about checking it out one of these times. We finally went there for dinner the other night. I love the decor inside. The brick walls and the exposed piping looks cool. When we got inside it was a lot smaller than I had expected. Apparently there are two separate buildings. We stayed in one, that had a small bar and about 12 tables. I think there were 4 or 5 tv's with sports on. The other building had a huge party. We were able to pick where to sit and we chose a booth. The server greeted us promptly, but when we asked about beer specials. She started off by telling us and pointing at the beer menu, which beers are not available and which ones are in their place. She talked so fast, that we only got half of what she was saying. We both ordered a beer and my husband ordered a burger with garlic parmesan fries. I ordered a steak wrap with a side salad. My husband LOVED his burger...The jury is still out on the garlic parmesan fries. I LOVED my steak wrap. It was pretty much a fajita. I didn't care too much for the salad. I like my salads pretty simple and including the right stuff; lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, cucumbers, croutons and dressing. This salad was a mixture of several different lettuces and I think arugula...I mean, I'm not a salad genius, but it just didn't taste good to me. If you go, pray you don't get there whilie there is a big party. We waited awhile for our food. ...All things considered, we will probably go back some time.
(3)
Nikki F.
Good pub food and tasty beer. Try the garlic Parmesan fries!
(4)
Nader A.
I just wanted to write a short update about SunUp since I've become a very regular patron. This place is great. The staff is usually pretty awesome unless they're swamped, but I feel that that's understandable. There is always a great special beer on tap that I become a fan of and then am saddened when the keg is emptied. And....I finally found great food here! It took me a while, but the pork verde, the chili fries and almost anything with the bleu cheese fondue is flippin' great (try it with the garlic parm fries)! Did I mention the bleu cheese fondue?!
(4)
Amanda P.
I thoroughly enjoyed this place! We went here on a whim because Zipps was PACKED for Monday Night Football. I am really glad we came here! It is a quiet, clean, friendly place. We had the Oktoberfest and SunUp Ambers and both were REALLY good beers. They have a lot of beer incorporated into their food as well which I liked. We ended up getting the Beer Brat, a SunUp Salad and the Steak wrap. The brat came with saukraut, beer mustard and steak style sweet potato fries. The fries were INCREDIBLE! Best sweet potato fries in town! The brat was delicious as well. The salad was served with bleu cheese crumbles and candied pecans that were very tasty....the portion sizes were great, too. The steak wrap was pretty much a philly cheese steak in a tortilla which was fine because they did an awesome job with it. They do have TVs for sports as well so we were able to watch the game without a long wait and no crazy fans! I am looking forward to going back here and trying the Root Beer they have in the cask. I also am excited to sample more of their beers! But, because I didnt give it 5 stars here would be my points to improve upon: 1) the waitress had at least 6 changes to the beer menu so we ended up getting lost in what was available and what had changed...eventually we just went with the beers that were the beers of the month and were written on the wall. 2) the bartender obviously knew some of the regulars sitting at the bar and didnt stop the inebriated chap from throwing his phone 16 times to prove that his case protects it from being broken. He'd had 1 too many and he wasnt really being reigned in to much. Not that this is an easy job (especially when it a regular who probably tips well) but it is still necessary. All in all, it was a great first experience!
(4)
Bill B.
I checked them out for the first time on a slow night just as another haboob was rolling into the valley. A lot of conversation in other reviews seems focused on two areas: The quality of service and the temperature of the beer. I can confirm that the beer is noticeably less cold than in other places, but is probably at the appropriate temperature for ales, bocks, stouts, etc. Lager would taste wrong at this elevated temp. But don't drink much lager. The IPA I sampled was good. The service was more than acceptable, though this was a very light evening. I was one of three people at the bar. I had the hamburger and wasn't disappointed. Wasn't really remarkable either. The atmosphere is relaxed and it's a bit brighter inside than I expected.
(3)
Natalie D.
Cute little brewing company with yummy food and good beers. Not your typical brewery, but that's why I like it. Service was good, and the place was chill. They had awesome sweet potato fries, and good choices of cider and beers.
(4)
Bridget D.
Oh Porter, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways... I had a, ah, as in just one, porter and was feelin' fine. And I was extremely glad to have the sweet potato fries instead of the regular ones with my sammie. Our waitress was pleasant, prompt and next time I'm going to ask to be seated outside or at a high top table. Our booth was great for chatting with my friend, but I like a little people watching at the pub! Now, if you are avoiding SunUp because you remember that there used to be something called the Sonora Brewhouse in that same space.... You're in luck!! The brewmaster, Uva, is still there, still brewing his witches draught. But now, you won't get them confused with the Sonoran Brewing Co. in north Scottsdale. Hooray!
(3)
Melissa H.
Like it but kinda miss the old Sonoran Brew Pub that used to be here. Solid pub food. It is a good pick when Rosie's is just too crowded and you want a place that is a (little) quieter. The back patio is great when you have a mess of drunken friends that want to get together and don't want or can't censor their conersations. The staff is nice, nothing spectacular abotu the digs. Clearly, the beer is the star here and not the surroundings. Good solid neighborhood brew pub. I.E. don't take a first date here, it's a little too laid back. Its more of a let's grab a beer after running around all day at the garage sale, or hey a group of us from high school are getting together and we've already accepted how much weight we've all gained so lets get some wings kinda of place.
(3)
Carmelo W.
We had two waitresses for our table of 8, each only did a section of the table but service was very bad. From our three drinks ordered, we only got two. It was pricey. We won't be coming back.
(1)
A C.
We went to SunUp last week Saturday for lunch. We were excited to try the beers on tap, especially the cream ale. One of my favorite beers, Spotted Cow (sold only in Wisconsin), is a cream ale so I was looking forward to hopefully finding something similar. Unfortunately, they were out! Bummer. We got their sampler, which for $6.50 included six 4-ounce beers. We had the vanilla porter (VERY vanilla tasting!), nut brown (very good), pale ale (hoppy and floral), amber ale (malty, my favorite), hefeweizen (a good basic wheat beer) and a red ale (good blend of malt and hops, my husbands favorite). For lunch, my husband had the beer brat and a side of macaroni and cheese. He really enjoyed both. I had the Ruben and garlic Parmesan fries. I liked them both, but there was very little meat on the sandwich, especially for $8.50. The Parmesan cheese on top of the fries is the dry, kraft-kind of cheese, just FYI. Overall, a good brew pub, but Four Peaks steals my heart!
(3)
Robert L.
Maybe its because of my age but I was not very impressed. It seemed that this place was..well kind of awkward. I had the nachos and they were decent, nothing to really complain about. If you not seated at the bar or the benches you are stuck with the tables which have barely enough room for three ppl. This means the three plates are pretty much touching each other and your best friends with the person sitting next to you. Hope you don't have a space issue... I guess the place is for more of a couple setting. I had one beer and left. Maybe go again...maybe. R\_
(3)
Morris J.
LOVE THIS PLACE. The staff are great. The beer is INCREDIBLE. The food....ahhhh...it is pretty good (much better than typical bar food.) If you like IPAs...this is the place to go. The cask IPA is a mouthful of heaven.
(4)
Chris R.
I love Sun Up. If I had my druthers, I would eat here every week. I think they have excellent beer. All of their cask conditioned ales are awesome. The food is above average bar food and everything seems to have a little zip (spice) to it, which I like. My favorite item by far is the wings. I have always found the staff to be friendly. The environment is relaxing and quiet enough to easily carry a conversation. If you like good beer, try Sun Up - you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Kirstin E.
I love going to places I've never been to that my friends tell me they love. This place was just ok. Nothing spectacular, but nothing bad either. Just middle of the road. We ordered a bunch of apps to nosh upon. There was their spin on what I think was supposed to be brucchetta, but it was dosed in some sort of balsamic vinaigrette. The toast it was on was good and held up to the toppings. A cheese crisp of some sort was involved. It was a cheese crisp people, not to hard to mess up. It was cheesy and crunchy in the right places and soft in the others. The salsa they serve with it seems to be jarred, its not fresh...or at least doesn't taste fresh. I also had a garden salad, with Caesar dressing, I had realllly bad burps that lingered for the rest of the day from that dressing. So gross. I didn't have any beer, but the iced tea was decent. The staff was friendly and on top of things. I would probably go back one more time and give them another whirl.
(3)
Robert M.
Great place for a good drink and tasty burger! I'm no expert in the rules of local brew, however, I give a good head nod to the Hefeweizen. It's crisp and hits the spot on a hot hot day. If you've got a craving for some good grub then I recommend the Brewery burger with a side of fries. If you're feeling a little adventurous add on some bacon, blue cheese crumbles and slather on some Dijon. It's a sure way to get you way past full. The Fish N Chips are just as good and if you're not a drinker grab a pint of Root-Beer. Sunday and Monday's are $3.00 pint nights with the purchase of the logo glass so I intend to put it to good use. Great way to kick-off the week!
(4)
David M.
Very happy that there is a local brewery in walking distance of my new house. Can't believe more people don't go to this place. The atmosphere and beer are amazing, with good tunes and very few people. The wings passed my wing test, which is a tough test to pass. Most of the other food is boring. But if you don't care about food and want a good neighborhood bar to chill at, Sun Up is the place to be. I am rating this 5 stars because more people need to know about it.
(5)
Tonia B.
Abridged: Total win for having the best hummus this non hummus lover has ever found. Unabridged: I ended up here on a First Friday, which is probably why the place was nearly empty. The patio was a great place to hang out, but a little hard to find. The staff was great and always around when we needed another round or wanted to order some food. They also split checks without getting pissy about it. Seems like it shouldn't be a big deal, and you're right, but it usually is. The patio has basic patio furniture, that while comfortable, wasn't anything spectacular.. but hey.. it's a bar. There also is a brewing room that has tables, but I've been told by people that have been there on several occasions, they've never been allowed to sit in there. Why??????????? I had the light rail cream ale and some hummus. The light rail ale was your basic ale. Good, but not outstanding. The hummus was the best I've ever had. And I'm not a huge hummus lover.. just able to tolerate it. However, I'd come back to order this above typical bar fare. For serious. You need to try it.
(3)
Rachel M.
Went in for the living social deal last Friday. It was busy during happy hour. Seemed like the spot to be! Although, once my boyfriend and I were seated and advised the server that we had the living social deal, the service was extremely disappointing. I understand that with coupons at restaurants servers don't always get tipped on the price before discount. I used to be a server and restaurant manager and have seen that happen a lot. The server was very robotic and not friendly at all. She set down our drinks and food like we were in her way and troubling her. The appetizers were fair for pub food. The pretzels were pretty tasty actually! We really enjoyed the beer sampler that we each got as well! My favorites were the hefeweizen and vanilla porter. Everyone else that worked there seemed very pleasant and friendly except our server. We most likely wont be going there again due to the service. Hopefully the 40% tip that my boyfriend left will help get that server's attitude turned around towards future diners!
(2)
Steve T.
My buddy and I decided to stop in and try this place on the way home from a party at Four Peaks Brewery. I'm a wheat beer fan, so i usually order something along those lines...not hoppy, not malty, just wheaty. I decided to try their Horizon hefeweizen. The relatively indifferent waitress informed me that they were out. She told me to try the Stinger Pale Ale. She said that if I normally drink wheats that I would like the Stinger, too, which I thought was kinda weird. Well, I tried it and didn't like it. No big deal. I was ready to try something else. That was before she completely ignored our table for 20 mins. She seemed like she was more interested in cleaning and talking to some guys at the bar. When she finally brought our bill we paid and didn't leave a tip, because we felt she didn't deserve one. She actually followed us out to the parking lot and yelled "thanks for the tip". Weird! I'll never be going back to that place again.
(2)
Jonathan K.
The food here was pretty good, but I wasn't overly blown away by it, either. It could be due to the fact my kids were acting like jackasses and I had to keep on them to mind their manners and not actually enjoy what I was eating. They do have a kids menu but it is not published. The beer is good. There are football games on the TV. The burgers are huge. The pulled pork sandwich is good. Also, the pork appetizer is good, too.
(3)
Joseph P.
The SunUp Brewing Co.. I have wanted to come here for a bit really friendly staff. But I come to a brewery for good beer and did not find it here.The Sampler was ok I ended up enjoying one beer there called the cherry bomb it's a 9.6% bomb of goodness I could see it not being a session beer way too easy to drink.
(2)
Kim B.
We were in town for some sunshine, and we were excited to check out the breweries around. Went to Four Peaks and Papago and were very pleased with the service, food, and beer. We hit up Sun Up the following day hoping for an equally pleasurable experience. That couldn't have been further from reality... We got a sampler of their 6 regular brews as well as a sample of their 2 seasonals. We had to choke down almost every one of them (the exception was their seasonal amber, which wasn't too bad but not worth ordering more than 4 oz of). The waitstaff was not very friendly at all and seemed miffed that we didn't want food or more beer. After chugging what beer I could and having a glass of water, I hit the restroom before leaving. Wow. Big mistake. It smelled like an outhouse in there-- the "poo fermenting in the middle of summer but you've had to pee so bad after a 4 hour hike so you'll go anyway but hold your breath" kind of outhouse. Ick :P Perhaps I am biased because we are from Fort Collins and are spoiled with the likes of New Belgium, O'Dells, and Equinox all within a couple miles of our house. However, the service and stinky bathrooms were bad enough that had their beer been phenomenal, I still would have just given this place 3 stars...maybe. If you're looking for good local beer, hit up Papago or Four Peaks instead and save your money (and beer belly) for something tastier!
(1)
Heather G.
So many better breweries than this! Attempted to use a 50$ gift cert and was told (after I ordered beers ) that they could only be used in $15 increments once a year... I was still responsible for the beers because she had poured them. She conferred w mgmt, same response. I explained I don't live anywhere near there and would never use them again. Her response was "well.. You can always... Well... Uh, just give them away." Great, I'm sure that was the intended use when a friend gave them to me for my birthday. If the "mgmt" of a local place doesn't have the sense to make it a worthwhile experience for their paying customer, then what is there to do? Very disappointed in their service. Ps I've bartended before and never seen someone grab the ticket and then dunk it on top of the drink they have going out. I witnessed this time and time again. She would grab and hold the ticket, then dunk into the top of the beer. The waitress would grab the beer and scoop out the ticket. Necessary? No. I will not be back.
(1)
Ji P.
My co worker picked up lunch for us from this place. Everybody's food looks great! I had the best club sandwhich ever with beer battered onion rings. They have chipotle mayo which is one of my favs. They also have garlic or parmesean fries. Other people ordered burgers, ceasar wrap, and reuben sandwhiches. It all looked amazing. Now i'm going to be in a food coma for the rest of the afternoon but it's ok i'm a happy camper! :)
(4)
Kelly A.
I love the ambiance in this place: cozy brick cottage with stained glass windows, usually not too crowded. Very warm and a great place to drink your Sunday away with an all-day happy hour. Although I am not a huge fan of their standard draft beers, I LOVE some of the seasonals they've brought in. The Risky Red (triple IPA), the Milk Stout, and the Barley Wine are all among my favorites. If those three would become full-timers, I would probably never go home. Some of the food is pretty good, although a lot of the stuff if just okay. Get the blue cheese burger (or, just order a side of the blue cheese sauce and put it on EVERYTHING!) or the pork chile verde. Both are winners! Despite some of its flaws, I love coming to SunUp. Always a good experience.
(4)
Xuankieu T.
I'm not much of a beer drinker so I can't rate on the beer. I did order the Hard Apple Cider (5% alcohol) which was not bad. Something for the ladies. I love their appetizers. The food came out very appealing. Their hot wings are just okay. Their jumbo bread shrimp and calamari is the best! Very crispy and crunchy. I guess because our group was more than 10 people so there was one order that was taking forever to arrive, so they end up giving it to us for free. Other than that, the service was great.
(4)
Anna Marie G.
I have to say i'm quite saddened that i had to choose 1 star; as i was so looking forward to finding a new fav along Camelback rd. my sister and i headed to Rosie Mc Caffreys (sp), but turned off at SunUp Brewing Co. by default; we had to stop in because we were both starved and the menu offered Corned Beef and cabbage, plus we still had about 6 streets to go. we stepped inside to a "please wait to be seated" sign, so we waited, and waited (as several wait staff passed and looked our way without even a nod of acknowledgement) for about 5 minutes. finally our server approached us and offered inside or patio (we chose patio of course!) she was very nice at first seating and asked for our drink order. since neither of us partake in the appreciation for micro brews, we chose raspberry ciders. we were happy. the crowd was sparse-but present. the weather was fabulous. it was a weird set-up with 3 small rooms (patio in between both) and no room to turn around. there was no reason our server should have been perturbed; other than having to maneuver around tables inside, as she hardly had tables. none the less, when she returned with our beers, she plopped them down hard on the table and stormed off. the beers were served lukewarm but we tried to drink them anyways. she returned a few minutes later for our order. since it was a toss up between the Corned beef and cabbage & the Fish n chips, i asked the servers opinion, inquiring if the corned beef was sliced thin, of to which she replied "it isn't sliced thin"-but it was sliced thinner than a nickel, plus the meal wasn't even served with bread or butter; but back to the ordering.... after she took our order, i asked her for 2 cold pint glasses; since the beers were warm (only the bottle was slightly cold). she brought back glasses with ice and straws, pounced them on the rod iron table and went on to tell me why micro brews aren't served in cold pint glasses, saying she didn't have any chilled pint glasses because this is a micro brewery. it wasn't until after her lecture on the creation of beer, that i explained that even if there is a right way to serve-some people do request chilled pints. i explained that i wasn't a beer afficionado, i just wanted to drink my beer the way it should be served "chilled" she gave me attitude, walked away and then returned with two cold pint glasses, pouncing them on the table as she uttered "here these are for our Root Beer" while she turned on her heels to run. the rest of the meal was pleasant, as she was hardly available. the only time i seen any of the female servers was when an assumingly wealthy man was spotted, that was when most of the servers would approach and hug them (much to close by restaurant standards) very tightly. however most tables around us were either taken by lesbians or hetero females so the ladies weren't hoovering around us too much. we received the credit card bill to sign, which was also plopped off mid walkaway. the tables are patio tables with holes, so most people with common sense would prepare for the signing of the bill with a hard bottom of some sort, but not here! they are all consumed with the spotting of rich men and instructions for micro brewing that they don't have time to serve or be of assistance, so be prepared to either pay them upfront to be treated like a patron, or flash your directors card because they seem to think this is suddenly Scottsdale. on to the food. i tasted my sisters fish and chips and the homemade chips were soggy from the fish. the halibut was delicious although sister had to pull off all the breading, because it was as thick as an Indian popover. they did serve it with spicy ketchup which was surprisingly delicious. my corned beef cabbage was served paper thin, without bread or butter; but it was still very tasty. the red potatoes soft and the carrots & cabbage blanched to perfection. next time i'll just try sitting at the bar.
(1)
Fanny M.
This review has been a longtime coming and really what kept me from writing this was the potential for public scrutiny from readers and the fear of burning a bridge. But really all that doesn't matter because the motivator is that I am simply an unhappy customer who tips well, is polite and goes out of her way to be friendly. I have been going to Sonora, or rather,...Sun Up, for a bit over 5 years. I used to love this place. I loved it because it was not only a great brew house but it also offered deliciously consistent food that was served by a friendly staff. The Kobe burgers and the fish and chips were to die for and the micro IPA and other brew delights were as good if not better than the micro brews in Portland, OR. I cannot express enough how disappointed I am with the old Sonora; with the red chili gone, the only vegetarian item on the old menu gone, and the kicker are the fish and chips! Now fetching $14, I would think that one could expect an attempt for goodness. But instead I got a plate of thick ass, dry, white fish that was encased in a cocoon of batter that would rival a sub sandwich. Do you remember when this place used to have fish and chips that were on par with the UK? What happened to you old Sonora? Why must you compete with Postion's and the like? You are not that! You are not a moderately price wine bar, nor are you an Irish pub! You are a micro brew with delicious beer that once boasted fantastic food. You were a place to go for the best Kobe burger or English Style fish and chips in all of Down Town Phoenix. Now you are becoming a has-been, a place that if it weren't for the good brew, you would be just another forgettable restaurant. I used to feel welcome; it was my neighborhood place to go for a few beers and a delicious burger but it seems that I must search out a new place to frequent. Shame really.
(2)
Michael S.
This place has always seemed to me about as close as you can get to a "Cheers" in downtown Phoenix. Except that nobody seems to know my name there in spite of how frequently I come. But then, I'm not part of the 30-something clientle who sets up shop at the bar. I roll into a booth or a high table that has the best view of the games that are on. It's a great place to come down and see local sports or tie one on after a terrible local sports performance. Not great because of the televisions or presentation of the games in any way(which is just two smaller flat screen TVs with no sound in the main room), but because of the laid-back, true-to-its-locale atmosphere it emits. It just seems perfectly in place and makes it feel natural to hang out and throw some back more then any other bar around town that tries to force its motif into a Phoenix landscape it just doesn't jive with. And of course the food and beverage there don't hurt its cause at all. I do agree with some people's sentiments about particular beers not being up to snuff compared to other breweries. My particular complaint is with their Pale Ale, which tastes like an IPA, and their IPA, which tastes like a medicinal strength IPA. But in spite of some quibbles with the beers here, they really do have some fantastic stuff. For some reason, the beer that is my standby there is the Light Rail Cream Ale, which is in stark contrast to the Brown and Amber Ales I typically get at other breweries. Its got that perfect taste/refreshment balance that acts as a Siren's call to bring me back here at least once a week. The burgers, salads, and pizza's are also fantastic. But the real find here is the bread pudding, which has got to be one of the best bread pudding's in existence. I always try to eat slow to make room for it. Luckily, this is a place that won't care how long you cement yourself to a seat. Which again, makes this place perfect for some Suns action or whatever is going on. But I probably remember my trips here best after catastrophic defeats. Last year after the Sun's officially bowed out of the playoffs without a championship for yet another season, and with my brother after ASU (he's an alum) lost to Oregon are the first that come to mind. The classic rock and the atmosphere and the beer (don't forget the beer) seem to breath new life into me during such trying circumstances. I guess just by being a pillar of originality in the desert.
(5)
KC C.
Still loving the food! The crispy shrimp taco's are my fav. The shrimp are huge, the 2 tacos fill you up. I tried the Parm cheesr fries, awesome! This place has great food, only wish they had a full bar, a margarita would set me over the top!!!
(4)
Raegen S.
Pretty Good. Nice little dive along Camelback. The Pale ale was desent... i tried the other beers and some were better than others. As far as the food i tried the southwest soup that was Excellent and a chicken salad that was fresh. Also there was a very eclectic crowd when i went there.
(3)
Karen N.
Main reason to go to Sonora - the Kobe burger! By far the best burger in town. I usually go for lunch since its close to my office and have never been disappointed by the food. Great service, great waitstaff, great food. I've been once for dinner and the beer is exceptional. All around a great pick! Even worth the drive from the NW Valley.
(5)
Mark T.
The Sonora Brewhouse is the epitome of a good, clean, moderate, Phoenician pub/restaurant. Which means that I was really hoping for more. I was hoping that this place would be a little lived in, a little less polished, a little less new Phoenix. It's kind of odd that big box chain food spots work at trying to get that aged look by throwing junk up on the walls and hanging it from the ceilings. Not at the Sonora Brewhouse, they'll have none of that here, but that's okay. Yes, they brew their own beers and yes it's good and more than decent. The food is better than average and always cooked. Even when you ask for your Kobe burger to be cooked medium with the hope that you'll see some red, it'll come out with no pink at all. Sadly, I wasn't expecting anything different. Do I sound disappointed? Do I sound like I'm sitting in a box of self pity? Oh woe is me, they FULLY cooked my burger. Oh woe is me, the beer is good and the steak fries have the perfect crispness on the outside and mashy-goodness on the inside. The quality at Sonora Brewhouse is what I expect at any of the big box chain restaurants like Gordon Biersch, but never get. The problem here is that they can be so much more. Food + Ambiance (personality) = Greatness. Sonora Brewhouse is missing the heart. They're polite and not offensive in anyway, walking the definition of middle. This is both surprising and disappointing since they have been around for a while, but also because just a block to the east, Rosie McCaffrey's is overflowing with heart and soul, more than you can imagine. If they can find it, tourists probably love Sonora, but remember, tourists often love going to another branch of the same TGI Friday's that they have in their own suburbia, while on vacation in a different town. Okay, so Sonora Brewhouse isn't anywhere near the low level of a TGI Friday's, but it's almost as clean, boring, and devoid of personality, being almost completely unmemorable. Oh. They also probably have the thinnest Kobe burger patties I've ever seen, at least the steak fries and beer are good. My advice? Go a block east to Rosie McCaffrey's and actually have a good time worth remembering.
(3)
Emily C.
SunUp Brewing Co has the PERFECT french fries. They are the perfect blend of crispy and soft batter fried yummy goodness. For this alone they deserve 4 stars. In addition to the fries, the staff is always friendly, it's never too crowded, it draws an interesting blend of customers (all ages, families, single 20-somethings) and the beer is pretty good as well. I am a fan of the vanilla porter and red ale (and I am something of a beer snob, so not easy to please!). Wings are great, burgers are fine, onion rings...delicious...but those fries! This is a nice comfy hang out when you want bar food, but are not interested in a scene.
(4)
Jaime F.
Great beers and awesome onion rings. It's a good ambiance, and pretty good bar food. The onion rings are best. I also tried the fish and chips, and it was pretty good too. But, the reason to come here is for the beers.
(4)
Michael J.
Tucked away at Camelback & 3rd is the Sun Up Brewing Company. Armed with a need for some food & adult beverage we made our way inside this cozy pub packed with people. With all the great dishes on the menu it was very hard to choose. But when we finally did the food was great (not your regular pub fare) and all the beers were wonderful...especially the Vanilla Porter. I will definitely be back for another round of food and drinks!
(4)
Liz L.
Cool Brewery! Cruising down the street a little brewery popped out of nowhere. It was a hot afternoon and a nice cold local brewed beer sounded like it would hit the spot. Stopped in and right away I felt at home. The waitress had a huge smile and greeted us and let us know we could sit anywhere we wanted, she also came back to us numerous times checking that we had everything we needed. Seemed like the main room next to the bar was the happen spot. Husband ordered the vanilla seasonal stout, and I got the Hefeweizen. Both beers were good but we liked the vanilla seasonal so much we bought a to go 64oz Growler. We ordered the honey hot wings and they were amazing. Not so much hot but the sweetness and crust of the wings hit the spot, so good, would totally order that again. All and all the vibe is really nice, super friendly service, great food, and beer is awesome. Will be back!
(5)
Andrew P.
The beer at SunUp is good, not amazing, but better than most (even Four Peaks in my opinion). The food is amazing, I don't think there is anything even average on the menu. Try the homemade chips, they are awesome, or the Green Chile Pork. Also, the building is just cool inside, so the atmosphere is great. So pretty much a really cool bar with awesome food, good beer, and it's not a chain/corporation. So go there.
(4)
Christian P.
Just had beer, it was ok but not really great. It is the type of beer that never seems to have quite enough of something..... just a little off of good. Better than some others I have had though.
(3)
Barry L.
Barleywine! Finally! We've missed you....one growler, will have to get another...
Sonora is wonderfully average. You will never be surprised by anything here, as when they tell you the beer won't be cold because it's casket, it won't be cold. The hot wings are hot, the fresh salads are fresh, and they always cook things to order and are always accurate (mid rare is always mid rare... a rarity!). I love brewhouses so the local brews are delish. There's nothing surprisingly good at Sonora, but I'll choose it over a culinary adventure almost anyday!
(5)
Pierre Trudeau I.
Cops and lawyers. You'll see plenty of them in this neighborhood brewhouse that was my office away from the office during my days at a downtown Phoenix law firm. And as a lawyer who used to represent cops, I see someone I recognize almost every time I walk in here, aside from the friendly staff of course. Needless to say since I'm a semi-regular at this place, I like it. The food is far better than one would expect for a tiny little hole in the wall like this. The soups never fail to impress no matter what kind they are. They have a good selection of beer. And the atmosphere is inducive to just sitting down with an old friend over a drink or two to relax and catch up, as I often do.
(4)
Jimmy C.
I judge a restaurant by its burger. The burger is a perfect measuring stick for every-day dining establishments; It is sold almost everywhere and does not rely on special ingredients and is always a good barometer of a kitchen's capacity for meeting your temperature needs. That said, I have enjoyed the American Kobe burger here several times and it is consistently above-average and frequently quite excellent. My wife has enjoyed the wrap and several other sandwiches and remains pleased. We also enjoy the spinach and artichoke appetizer. The wings are average at best but the kettle chips with chipotle ketchup rules. Oh, and they have 1000 island. But what matters is the beer and the porter and cream ale are both splendid if a bit too sharp initially. The server are pleasant and the place has a small, family atmosphere. It's also reasonably priced.
(4)
John N.
Good stuff. Haven't had too much of the food. Onion rings are delicious. All beers delicious. Good joint to grab a growler for the drive home...I mean for when you get home.
(4)
Charlie G.
Their slogan says it all: The Best Little Brewhouse in the West! Terrif food! Great service! Reasonable prices. Nice combination. Beer is brewed on-site. It's on-draft, & they *even* have DRAFT RootBeer! [YUM!] BTW, if you can't get 2 meals out of their Kobe beef burger, metinks you're eatin' too much! :-) Once, when the soup-of-the-day was lentil (I love lentils) in a tomato broth, it was so good, I had to order another bowl to take home (it was great right outta the refrig!
(5)
Jeff E.
This was the place I went to with my friends when we first got into good beer. Their brews are very good and their food as well. Their fries are a little weak, just run of the mill compared to Four Peaks' beer battered fries, but other than that their menu can stand toe-to-toe with Four Peaks. What gives Four Peaks 5 stars and Sonora 4 stars is the fact that Four Peaks' beer is superior and Four Peaks has a great Sunday brunch. But do not get me wrong, this place is worth a visit... many many visits! P.S. BEST ONION RINGS IN TOWN!
(4)
Don H.
I have been going to this establishment for years and I still love it. The food is fair bar type food. Although they have changed ownership and brew masters they still make good beer. I have to say though the former brew master had a wider array of beer and was a better brew master. The new brew master is really good at IPA's which is good for him since they are what is in demand at this time. I so miss your pot belly porter and your midnight porter.
(4)
Alicia B.
2.5 stars. Borderline 3. I just wasn't impressed. Oh, but I wanted to be. I mean, a local brewhouse right down the street from where I live? I thought for sure this would become my home away from home. Instead, it was so mediocre and underwhelming, I can't help but wonder, "Will I ever be back?" Probably not. My friend and I walked into the restaurant side of Sonora. I wanted to sit in the Den, where the brews are crafted. We were told to cross over the patio to the place next door. Alright. So, we did. Hardly anyone was there. In fact, the place didn't really pick up until the time we were leaving. Must've been the football game that drew people in, for there was a flat screen plasma TV behind the bar. Speaking of bar, I was excited to try their Vanilla Porter. I was told it was so good, it would make you wanna slap yo' mama. "My mama needs a good slappin'," I thought. Well, she didn't get it. Ok, so maybe vanilla + beer isn't my thing, but I wanted to try something new, something special to this brewhouse. After all, isn't that the point? The kick and finish of this beer did not impress me. In fact, I struggled a bit to finish my pint, which, was $2.75 during happy hour. At the very least, the prices to whet my whistle were great! My friend and I opted to try the food. I felt brave and ordered the bratwurst. Maybe I'm not a bratwurst person, for it was just okay. Nothing else on the menu appealed to me, even though they do tend to have a variety (fish and chips to grilled salmon to soup and burgers). The layout of the place was somewhat unusual. I mean, two seating areas connected by an outdoor patio area (with heaters). That was cool, except that when my friend and I left the Den, we had to cross the patio to get to the exit (in the other building). Along the way, I got one giant whiff of cigarette smoke. Yep, that's just what I wanted to top off what had become a very bland and unenthusiastic experience.
(2)
Justin S.
At Sonora Brewhouse, a German guy named Uwe makes the beer. The staff, though, makes the brewhouse. Since it's a brewhouse, let's start with the beer. Sonora has a brew for nearly everybody. If you like it dark and heavy, there's usually a mix of stout, porter or barley wine. For the lighter folks, there's a very competent mix of hefeweizens and pale ales. For big beer flavors, there's usually an IPA. The best stuff, though, comes out of the cask. Cask-conditioned ales have an awesome flavor that allows the character of the hops to shine out. My main quibble with Sonora's cask selections is that they're too often of the pale variety. I'd love to see a stout or porter in the cask at least once a month. I would celebrate to see a Belgian trippel wind up on the menu, too. Sonora also serves food. The cottage pie is tasty, as are the fish 'n' chips and homemade soups, and the nachos are a nice snack. The burgers, both the pub and Kobe varieties, depend greatly on how the person at the grill defines rare, medium and done well. Unfortunately, their definitions are often differerent from mine. This brewpub also has a great atmosphere. Sit at the bar and chat with the other brew lovers. It's a friendly place, and you'll have fun conversations. They staff actually know their beers and have strong opinions. And they're just as friendly as the drinkers. And you can actually talk to them without shouting over music that's way too loud (hear that, Four Peaks?!).
(4)
Dyanna P.
Oh, how I used to love SunUp. I was a fan when it was still Sonora Brewhouse, and I was a fan after the name change/change of ownership/whatever. The waitstaff was always sort of iffy, but the patio was comfortable (when smokers weren't around), and the food was pretty consistent. I was particularly in love with a new addition to the menu - the spicy pulled pork sandwich. In search of a good place open on July 4th, I stopped in with a friend, already craving that delicious sandwich. After waiting a couple minutes to be seated (and not even being acknowledged by anyone when we entered), we were led to a table by an older woman. She took our drink orders and left us with menus to look over. It took me a minute to realize they'd changed their menu. Instead of one with appetizers, salads, sandwiches/burgers, entrees, and desserts, they instead now have a lunch and dinner menu. And, sadly, the pulled pork sandwich had been discontinued. I settled on the green chile chicken sandwich of some sort and an iced tea. The waitress wasn't very friendly and seemed to be uninterested in being pleasant. Our meals arrived but without the chipotle ketchup we requested. A few minutes later, the waitress brought it to our table. There was nothing impressive about my sandwich. It was fairly blah and unseasoned, and the sweet potato fries were crispy on the outside but tough and hard on the inside. Shame I paid $1 to upgrade from regular fries. Once it came time to pay, the waitress took an exceptionally long time to return our cards and receipts to us. My companion saw she was just standing around in the back not doing anything. The place was pretty empty, so I don't really know why service was so bad. I do know that the new menu leaves a lot to be desired, and unfortunately, I'll be hard-pressed to return in the future.
(2)
Deona S.
One word, awesome! Who doesn't enjoy a good brewery really? It is rather small so if you are looking to go somewhere quiet and intimate this isn't the place. If you want good beer and good bar food with good friends and friendly staff then you are good to go. I am a fan of their Hefeweizen and they have the best onion rings in town! I hear they are known for their Kobe beef burgers and homemade root beer. I can attest to the root beer, good stuff. This is a great place to go after work for a few beers!
(4)
Trent R.
if you haven't figured it out by now, i like beer and i like bars. sonora has both. when i moved to phoenix in early 2007, my dad took me there for lunch one day. we sat at the bar and i ordered a beer that was great (i think it was a russian porter). i've never had a bad or mediocre beer at sonora. i haven't tried their ipa because i'm not a hops fan, but everything else was always incredibly yummy. the food is pretty good and sometimes really freaking good. i went one evening with my best friend and my brother. we sat in the brew house, where the tanks are separated by a glass wall from the seating and bar. we ate well and got a nice buzz, laughing and flirting with our waitress. every time i went there, the service was spectacular. the girls that work there work their butts off and are always smiling. they're easy to joke with and that's a big plus. the place would suck without them. i always thought that something was either missing or that i wasn't quite accepted there. sometimes my appearance freaks people out. oh well. that's what i get for being a madman. in central phoenix, check out the sonora brewhouse.
(4)
Jalayne A.
OK - it all makes sense now. When I reviewed some of the reviews before going to SunUp for dinner - I was a little confused. I had been there and the food was good, service good, beer sampler - good. So why the bad reviews from other yelpers. Tonight I learned. We went with my mom, brother, and my boyfriend. We sat down and were greeted by a blond waitress. Not extremely friendly but nice enough, service was decent for the first part of dinner, she was good about filling up drinks etc. Then she brought the check, at the same time my brother ordered a second beer, so she took the check with her to update. And then disappeared. And disappeared . . . Brother's beer was half gone . . . and still she was not around. I had actually thought we had paid the check and we were just hanging with my brother while he finished the beer - but no - mom had not in fact paid the bill and we waited. So I look up - and there is our waitress flirting with a group of guys at the bar. Now I get it - when you are kinda cute and serving beer - a group of guys is likely to tip better and more fun to hang with. But that does not make it acceptable to neglect a table of four waiting to pay - tip and leave. So I will return - but I will be looking for our prior waitress - she was a sporty brunette - fun - and very good. (disclaimer in no way am I saying that because she was blond it made her bad - it is the only way for me to identify the waitress, should have gotten her name)
(3)
Jen A.
Sonora is home to three of my biggest weaknesses: cream ales, Kobe burgers, and wings. In two of these three categories, they completely excelled. And in the third? Well, I'm really very picky about wings, so take that with a grain of salt. The cream ale is delicious, and it goes very well with the kettle chips and the chipotle ketchup. Yeah. Chipotle ketchup. I've never even heard of that before, but it's pretty much my new favorite condiment. The Kobe burger is niiiice. I got mine medium rare, but I almost wish I'd asked for it extra-rare. I'm weird about ordering my beef rare in places I've never been to, but they cooked my med-rare burger perfectly, so I'd trust them to do rare really well. Wait, not well. Rare. You know what I mean. Like I said, I'm really picky about wings. I prefer mine to be drowning in sauce, so I was kind of sad to see that the wings at Sonora are pretty dry. They taste good, but they're just not as saucy as I'd like. It's a cute place, and if I lived in Phoenix, I'd probably be a regular for beers and Kobe burgers.
(4)
Barbara W.
Had a great evening at SunUp Brewing. The beer is excellent. My husband and I got the sampler and our wonderful server gave us tastes of others, including their home brewed root beer. terms of food, I had a veggie wrap and homemade kettle chips. The wrap was ok; the chips were better. Husband's hamburger was cooked as ordered and the sweet potato fries were very good. We enjoyed sitting in the separate room, east of the patio, which was quiet on a Wednesday evening. We hope to get there again before we leave Phoenix, and we'll definitely be back on a return trip to the area.
(4)
Paul D.
Vanilla porter and root beer pretty tasty. Rest of the beers below par. For the price food wasn't that great either. Wouldn't come back here again
(2)
Robert O.
Sunday afternoon my brother and our friend scott rode our bikes on a massive thrifting tour and then to the SunUp Brewing Co. for bunch. We'd all been wanting to try out the place and sample their brews for a while. We arrived, and were told to pick any seat we desired, so we grabbed a booth. The first thing I noticed was the interior, it was fairly small but in a good way, the ambience of the place has a classic southwestern feel to it; and not in the kitschy way that non natives might assume a "sw" theme should feel. Perusing the menu I noticed that the prices seemed a little higher than i'm used to for pub grub, but i'm sure the quality would be deserving. after a while of checking out their digs and studying over the menu and drink/food specials they had for weekends we opted to go for the "order any regular appetizer and get you're first beer for $1" deal. seems like a good deal right? Scott ordered the light rail cream ale, Justin ordered the IPA? i think and I got their Vanilla stout. They were all delicious. My stout was especially good as the vanilla taste was merely a mild hint which gave it a great background flavor and left a lingering sweetness that was refreshing rather than sickeningly fruity/sweet. It was a classic stout whose femme-y name belies it's body and drinkability; certainly not a lady drink imo. My compatriots order the light rail cream ale wings and i order the "beer bread" w/ queso dip. The appetizers were, decent. not bad but not great. The real reason to come here is the beer; despite the fact i didnt try any entrees, or their delicious sounding kobe beef burger- i'm gonna go ahead and stand by my sentiment. When our lackluster waitress finally returned i asked for MY bill, she returned after 15 min. or so with all of our checks on one tab, and she had overcharged us after we'd asked her if the weekend special (order any app and get 1st beer for $1) was still in effect, to which she'd said yes. To be fair i'm sure it was an honest mistake, and she was probably really busy....yada yada yada we asked her for our seperate checks and about the special one more time, she apologized and returned with our checks and cheaper tabs. So all in all i like SunUp brewery but i'd return solely for the brews and leaves the eats to some place more qualified for my refined tastebuds.
(3)
John T.
I've been eating here for years, since it was Sonora Brewery. I've always loved the food, the beer, and the service. I moved out of state a year ago, came back for business this week and HAD to have the yummy Kobe Burger. And I'm pleased to say, they didn't let me down. It was cooked perfectly, and the sweet potato fries appetizer was a great way to start the meal. Vanilla porter, delicious! And here's the kicker: after not setting foot in the place for almost a full year, my server knew not only how I wanted my burger, but also remembered what kind of dressing I liked on the side to dip my fries in! THAT'S personalized service! Five stars, SunUp...You deserve 'em!
(5)
Stephen A.
Sun Up is my favorite craft brewery in AZ. Brewmaster Uwe is German and brews creative - quality American ales with a euro twist. While there are regular beers, the cask conditioned and strong ales change regularly. Recently they had 4 different kinds of IPA. Central Phoenix highlight - must visit. Order off of the chalk board - seasonal ales are the highlight here.
(4)
Dave B.
Nice looking place ... food wasn't bad ... just something I didn't like ... not sure what ... sorry for the horrible review.
(2)
Surranna V.
I love this spot for happy hour. The beer prices are great as well as select apps. I am very fond of just about any stout or porter that sonora brews as far as the others I can't say. I have friends that like some of the other selections they have. A decent micro is hard to find in the southwest but this guy has been at it for a while and does a good job. The food has always been good. They have your typical bar menu as well as some better food choices. The patio is great as well. I have also found the service to be no worse than good!
(4)
Bethany C.
If you spend a sunday morning doing work over coffee, a good way to spend the afternoon is doing (less) work over beers. That's just what I did last Sunday and I was happy to have done it at Sonora Brewhouse. It is off my beaten path (which was the objective of the day) and it had a great mural on the wall of their outdoor patio. A patio that, I might add, was surprisingly quiet given its proximity to the road. It was just the right noise level for either eaves dropping or reading. The food all smelled really pretty good as far as bar food goes and the nacho plate we milked for an hour and a half was made with real cheese. The beers were also pretty decent and, after two, I was just happy enough.
(3)
Derrick Y.
It's really awesome to have this locally owned micro-brewery right on Central. What's even better is that they have really awesome food to go along with the beer that's brewed right on site. I've loved all the beers that they brew. My personal favorite is the Stinger IPA. Food wise, the Kobe beef burger is awesome. I did order the steak and shrimp here once and it was very good as well. This is one of my favorite places to do day drinking when I get the chance. The outdoor patio in the middle should be very nice to sit at and enjoy one of their finely crafted brews in the next couple of months. The mural on the back is awesome too.
(4)
Jae C.
Fresh and locally brewed beer and bar food. Not expensive. It is a pretty good local place to hang out! Happy hour prices are good too.
(4)
John G.
The oatmeal stout on cask was decent, but the rest of their beers had no body at all. I was very disappopinted. Atmosphere was very lame for a Thursday night.
(2)
Halley S.
My boyfriend and I come here often. I am not a beer drinker, but my boyfriend loves micro brews and the food here is always fresh and very good. I like trying their daily specials which I have never been disappointed with or I get the fish and chips or the Shepperd's pie. For an appetizer try the green chile artichoke dip it is to die for:) The service is also always very good.
(5)
Benjamin M.
Service was mediocre until a pair of regulars entered after me. Then I would have to give it a poor considering they got their beer before mine redardless of the fact that I ordered first. The food was less than good, with my Reuben looking like cafeteria food and my ceasar salad being basically lettuce, burnt croutons and bottled dressing. The beer was pretty good although the cream ale could benefit from a nitro pour and their order on the sampler is wrong, arranging them by alcohol content rather than IBU's. All and all, barely satisfactory. I will not be back. - Monday, 8/10/09 2:30pm
(2)
Max R.
I stopped in here yesterday for a drink. Enticed by a brewhouse in AZ I had to go in, I was also enticed by the fact that they were offering a Happy Hour from 3-6 even on a Sunday (it seemed that most places here in AZ don't offer Happy Hour Specials on Sunday). I was slightly disappointed when I found out that it wasn't a real happy hour, but a kind of happy hour (real happy hour is 2 for 1 drinks or fifty percent off, being honest here) while the happy hour offered here was a dollar off drinks. In fairness they offered half off appetizers, but only the one's without meat. Now I have read Michael Pollan as well and I am down with everyone consuming less meat (especially here in the Southwest) but it seemed a little rough to have rules like that at a beer drinkin' place....Anyway, I started off with the Barleywine. My mom had the root beer. The waitress returned several times to see if "us guys" were okay. When I was ready to order a second glass, the Trooper IPA caught my eye. My love affair with hoppy beers is so great, but she was kind enough to bring me a few small samples before I ordered it. In the end I went with the Amber Ale. Four stars because: The atmosphere was pretty nice, attentive staff (a little too much, especially on trying to get me ordering food), they brew their own beer, my total check wasn't too bad.
(4)
Aedan B.
Always great beer. They have good cask and seasonal options. Their food is pretty tasty too, I love the buffalo burger. Mostly though I go for the beer. There is a ton of seating inside and out and the service is usually prompt and efficient.
(4)
Becky M.
After spending so many years at Four Peaks, I was really pleased with the small size of SunUp. Maybe it gets a little too crowded during peak hours, but I was there for an early Sunday dinner and thought it was just right. My friend and I were seated immediately and had great service. I had the fish and chips and my friend had the Kobe Burger. I thought mine was good (it's hard to make a bad batch of fish'n'chips) and my friend liked his burger. I must note that we realized that the IPA is the absolute perfect drink with the Kobe burger. The PERFECT combination. It's rare that you come upon something like that, and we didn't remember seeing the recommendation in the menu. Being that it was our first time to this brewery, we tried the beer sampler. I preferred the Hefeweizen and Amber out of the bunch. The Vanilla Porter was too much of a dessert for my taste - but if that's what you're into, go for it. If I could give half stars, I probably end up rating SunUp with a 3.5, so I'd rather round up to four. This place isn't a three-star joint, and I don't want to rate them as such.
(4)
James M.
If you like craft beer this is your place. Quench the heat here, pull up to the bar, booth, table, or outdoor. In either case the beer is still good, and for the meat lover in you try the Black & blue burger.
(4)
Danica T.
I've been here twice...the first time was driven by a rumor that they made their own root beer. I'm a sucker for homemade root beer, so I had high hopes that this place would become a favorite. My husband and I were so excited when these huge glasses of RB hit the table!! And then confusion...both of us looked at each other and said "WTF???" Worst RB EVER! What the heck was in this drink that made it taste like ass? We looked all over the menu and found nothing. Then we saw the "fine print" on a small table sign...STEVIA. It's made with Stevia NOT sugar...I'm sorry, but I have to say that this is the lame-est root beer on the planet. If I'm going to treat myself to a big glass of homemade root beer, I want it to be delectable...sugar and all...no freaking high fructose corn syrup and no bloody artificial sugars (and yes, I know stevia is "natural" but who gives a crap...it tastes terrible anyway). After the root beer debacle, it didn't get better. The food was meh...service was not so great (there were moments of "is she ever coming back???"). I'd say, go here for the beer, sans root, but that's about it. Otherwise, skip this place and drive out to Four Peaks...you'll be happier all around.
(2)
Andy G.
I came here for a first date with some one and just missed happy hour.But i did like this place and enjoyed their beer!!I wish i could have tasted the vanilla porter but the were out.Will return soon!!
(4)
B H.
Its a cute atmosphere, food was alright, nothing spectacular. I'm not a beer drinker, so I can't speak for the brews. Parking leaves a bit to be desired, but for as full as the lot was, there were plenty of tables inside. A nice brewhouse in central Phoenix if you aren't in the mood for driving out to one of the Four Peaks.
(3)
T B.
Pretty good..I've been here a couple of times, small, quaint place with decent food. What I do like is their wood interior atmosphere and IF they have it, their own home brew root beer. I would definitely recommend to give this place a try.
(3)
Brian M.
I went there today for lunch if not thinking about being saint patrick's day. The place was fairly busy but Mollie made room for us for us to bar. The patrons were friendly it was a nice atmosphere. My friend had pulled pork sandwich which he always likes and I had the fish and chips. At $14.00 the fish is a little expensive but was served with a nice size piece of fish and the good serving of fries. The breading on the fish is a little thick but has a nice taste and I would happily have it again. It was a good lunch, a fun time and worth the drive from Chandler-and the beer was great too.
(4)
Annie M.
We've been coming here for over 2 years since living in the hood, not really "regulars" but pretty regularly. Having both been in the hospitality industry, we enjoy sitting at the bar and chatting up with other diners, bartenders, etc. They still don't know our names, our order, not even a perk up with a recognizable nod gets thrown our way. We're pretty friendly people and damn good tippers but apparently not much leaves an impression on the majority of the staff here. I can't say all of them deserve this review but there a few who deserve even worse. So why do we return? Damnit, the food is good. It's local, always seems fresh made and they have a magic spell over nachos that is just impossible to explain. The beers are OK, I like Four Peaks 8th St. Ale way better than anything on this menu (daily cask is typically a winner). The root beer was so much better when it wasn't made with Splenda and didn't have that aftertaste. But back to those nachos...crispy thin chips, perfectly layered with the right amount of cheese, beans, black olives, tomatoes, green onions, jalapenos, topped with dollops of sour cream and guac. Seriously, they are NEVER soggy or too much...you know how sometimes you get a pizza or nacho that the cook got too liberal with and thought more was better but it just ruined it? This place has the right ratio. The salsa kicks the ass of most Mexican restaurants in town. The wings are crispy, tasty. The house salad is a nice mix of real greens and veggies (no iceberg- whoo hoo). The flatbread sandwiches are OK, the burgers are tasty too (though the Kobe isn't that special in my opinion but my coworker loves it). The. Bread. Pudding. I will spin in the morning, do a Power Yoga set, eat veggies all day and have this bread pudding for dinner. Holy hell it's amazing. That whiskey caramel sauce drizzled over the top begs me to bathe in it. Come here for some consistently good food knowing you are supporting a local business and don't get too upset when the staff downright sucks; it's not you.
(3)
Archie F.
IPA lovers, this is your destination in the desert. I regret that I live 10 miles away, and there is no way I'll even stop in for 1 Tropper IPA (1 is impossible) and then get in my car and drive. But the balance is perfect: a hearty body with some bite, not overbearing on the malt, hops are strong but balanced with some fruity, floral bouquet that lingers on the tongue. And it's not too cold either, like some of the other breweries. I can't speak for the other beers, but I've tried every IPA in the area, this is the best! I still wish I could find 3 Floyd's on tap out here. Maybe even Crooked Tree IPA- those are still my favorites, but this will do.
(5)
Luis C.
I consider this place my hidden lunch gem in Phoenix. I work downtown and I often don't want to spend half of my lunch hour waiting for a table at the normal places. I've never ever had to wait at SunUp. The staff is always friendly and accomodating - never had one with a bad attitude. For my money, I prefer to sit in the brewery area and enjoy the quiet it provides. Lunch here is always quick, delicious and cheap for what you get. Would definitely suggest the Camelback Club, Burgers and Pretzel Bites!
(4)
Richard L.
I was excited to come across this little brew house because I love beer. I came here on a Saturday afternoon and it was definitely not busy but there were a few tables and the bar area seemed pretty full. The two beers that I had were decent but not amazing. (a hefeweisen and an IPA) Four Peaks Brew House is much better in my opinion. The service was awful. Nothing good or personable about it. Considering it was not very busy I expected more out of someone, anyone for that matter! (maybe they were angry because they had to work on Halloween) My drinks took longer than normal to receive and my Kobe burger took quite awhile too. I wasn't keeping track of the time but how hard can it be to throw a burger on the grill and fry some fries? I was expecting more from this "top seller". Not impressed and I will not be returning, if the beer and food were amazing I might come back even if the service sucked but if all three of these important factors are not up to par I will spend my money else where. Next time I'll take the extra 10 minutes to get to Four Peaks. Also I noticed the menu was really, really random. They don't specialize in any particular type of food. Fish and chips, and then some southwestern dishes....? Whatever, I appreciate small, local restaurants but this place is all wrong. Plus the staff doesn't seem to care much for their jobs so they must not care much for good tips!
(2)
Ken A.
Overall, the experience was good except for the service. The beer was excellent, several good interpretations of standard beer types. The food (steak wrap) was very tasty as well. The only problem is that the the waitress decided to take her sweet time waiting on us in the patio area which left for a very hungry, cranky person. Sure we had beer, but sometimes you need some food too. What really sealed the deal was that she ignored us, then took her own food into the restaurant and ate while we sat famished on the patio. In sum, the food and beer were excellent but this particular waitress was terrible. I guess that wouldn't keep me from going back, unless that happened again.
(3)
David A.
We eat here 2-3 times a month as the service and food is consistently excellent. It only takes a few times and they get to know you and what you like which is great. Give it a try.
(5)
Nina W.
Great beer, good food, great music! Brought our 1 1/2 year old for dinner. Loud enough so it downs him out but not too loud. Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, would come back!! (:
(5)
Sarah V.
Shepherd's pie.... Processed, pre frozen, and just plain disgusting. We then ordered a hamburger to replace the Shepherd's pie. Ordered it medium and it came out well done. I noticed this place is not known for its food nor are they known for great customer service. Not much care was given towards our crappy food. We will not be returning.
(1)
Fred M.
Something Central Phoenix sorely lacks is a top-quality microbrewery. Maybe some remember the old Tommy Knocker's, but that's as close as we have ever had. Recently when SunUp split from Sonora Brewhouse, they also added a brewery next door and have been increasing in popularity ever since. However, they come up short in terms of providing a top quality microbrewery, and SunUp only shines as a good neighborhood bar that happens to brew their own beers. On mutiple visits, I've tried multiple beers. The first visit, sampling the Red Cask Ale, I had a mostly positive feel about the beer. It was bold, reasonably priced, and packed quite a punch. I also sampled the Light Rail Cream Ale that night, which was essentially a standard ale by my count. The bartender explained while serving it that the name is "a bit misleading" because most, like myself, are expecting more of an ale with a stout-like finish. The Vanilla Porter is their best brew in my opinion, with the most distinct flavor and a perfect balance in aroma. I've become quite enamored with porters lately and SunUp's didn't disappoint, but it also didn't drive me to proclaim it one of the best porters around. Service at the restaurant has been hit and miss. One visit with an empty bar, we were waited on hand and foot, but also felt as though the staff wanted to close up and go home. They were putting chairs on the tables, sweeping the floors, and doing general closing duties, though they insisted they were not closing for a "couple more hours." Another visit I sat at the bar for quite some time with no bartender present, and the bar obvoiusly understaffed. All in all, it's a welcome addition, and compliments the other establishments popping up around Central and Camelback very nicely. Unfortunately, Central Phoenix could still use a top-notch microbrewery. SunUp, right now, has too many inconsistencies, and doesn't have great enough beer to make them not matter. One can get a good beer just about anywhere, but it would be nice to find a great beer brewed locally, so here's to hoping SunUp comes up with a great beer.
(3)
Albert H.
Parking is tight and there's limited seating, but we always seem to find a spot without waiting (on both accounts). Great selection of hand crafted beers, traditional pub fare, and overall there's a good vibe from staff and the building itself. I like that people here know what they're after and it's unlikely to fetch too many of the damn snowbird types, given that this is a small local place. If you're into craft beer then you'll like this place. If you're not, well, it's rather ordinary as far as pub food goes. Come for the beer!
(4)
Dave B.
My first review might as well be from somewhere I've been just a few times. OK, probably hundreds. In fact, I've been going there regularly since it opened in the Fall of 2001. The first day started like nearly every day there since: amazing beer and a super friendly staff. The food is excellent and for happy hour you can actually get a huge, delicious plate of nachos for half the normal price (they get the official stamp of approval from a nacho fiend that I know). The burgers are great, as well as the wings. But the star of the show is... The IPA. I've had IPA's from all over and this is as good as any of them, and better than 99% of them. In fact, this IPA is so good that we took a keg per request to our friend on a road trip to Seattle. It's a little hoppier than many IPA's and that's just the way I like it. I hear the other beers are good too but I wouldn't know. ;) Like someone else said, this place is much like Cheers: there are many friendly regulars as well as the staff. Hey, enough said: I've been going here often (perhaps too often) for years for a good reason.
(4)
Tim A.
The beer and the setting are the highlights at Sonora Brewhouse. Best thing to do here is to sit back in the old brick buildings and cool off with a pint of Light Rail Cream Ale, which is light and smooth but not at all creamy. These folks are serious about their brews, and the friendly staff will bring you a sample to help you discern the difference between a regular draught and its cask-conditioned counterpart. While the food isn't a disappointment, it's nothing to write home about either. I can barely remember the Kobe beef burger I had on my first visit. The shepherd's pie I had the second time around was good enough, but the so-called horseradish mashed potatoes on top just weren't horesradishy enough to satisfy a kid who grew up in the horseradish fields of southern Illinois. I give Sonora Brewhouse a solid recommendation as a spot to drink, but bring plenty of friends -- the place can be empty on a Saturday afternoon. It's also a worthy addition to your light-rail pub crawl, just a short walk from the Central/Camelback station.
(4)
Siobhan C.
Nice place over all. The beer is good. Other than beer, I have only had the nachos and they were average/tasty. The waitresses are always friendly and helpful. The restaurant is comfortable and they also have a nice out door patio. The beer sampler is a good way to start your beer quest!
(4)
Ken K.
I walked into Sonora Brew House - tap room of SunUp Brewing Company - at about 8:00 p.m. after a day's worth of flights and being turned away from an up-scale restaurant due to an hour-and-a-half wait. Needless to say, I wasn't in the best mood and I had thought I was settling in for an evening of fantastic food served in small portions on pristine white dishes. Instead, I pulled a 180 and went to SunUp because it was close and it was on my food list. The interior didn't put me off. Though it's not a "classy" brewpub, the interior sports soft lighting, Spanish colors and a certain amount of elegance. I'm not saying you should take a date here if you're trying to impress her, but it's certainly acceptable before or after a movie. The atmosphere is laid back. A curved bar sits behind a simple floor stacked with numerous square tables both normal and high-top. Brewing equipment stands behind a plastic wall off to one side. A small doorway leads to a narrow room lined with booths on either side. The place is not that big, but it's not small either. The menu consists of standard pub fare with a few Spanish touches. Appetizers have the normal dips and fried dishes. The homemade bruschetta caught my eye, however. It was a bit strong on the garlic and not very well done. Outside of the typical burgers, sandwiches and wraps, they do feature some interesting entrees. I ordered the special - shrimp fajitas. It came with one giant flour tortilla which confused me, but overall it wasn't bad. My friend ordered the salmon which was a much better effort. As for the beer, they featured six standard offerings along with three seasonal. Of the typical offerings, most were a little too sweet and a little low on the hop side, especially those of lighter color meant to appeal to the masses. However, the low amounts of hops did allow the floral and citrus notes to come through on the IPA. My favorite was the seasonal Red along with the Vanilla Porter, which though sweet, had a robust chocolaty character. Bonus point for the dry-hopped, cask conditioned version of the IPA as well. The service was alright. She didn't know much about the beers, but could at least distinguish one from the other via color, even among those that looked quite similar. Overall, the place is alright. I hope there are better offerings in the area. But if not, it'll do.
(4)
Koli H.
Great micro brewed beers. The Light Rail Cream Ale and the Vanilla Porter are really good. The food is hit and miss, usually hit, but I don't go there to eat. It's nice to see a small spot with loyal customers. The beers are tasty.. that's enough for me...
(4)
Peace D.
Great Burgers. Great staff.... Great ambiance.... Great beer
(4)
Kerstin M.
This was our second time at Sonora, and overall it was a decent place with warm woods, brick, and sautillo tile. The lighting was not too dark. Where we sat, in the hallway like middle section, was way too stuffy, however, and we were shocked by how much cooler it was when we stepped into the main area. Hubby had the Vanilla Porter, which he really liked. It was black as my soul, and probably a little sweeter. Not my cup of tea. My Hefe was very disappointing- the worst I've had in Arizona, frankly. It was dull and muddy tasting- something was just plain wrong. My dinner was quite tasty. I had the Haddock with a wonderfully spunky tartar sauce and their awesome freshly made kettle chips. The fish was huge, with a tasty batter, not at all greasy, but a tad overdone. Hubby had the cottage pie, which was good, but we've recently had far better at Tim Finnegan's. His dinner came with a cup of clam chowder- it was zesty and really different. We both liked it. Sonora is a place we will likely come back to. It has a good vibe.
(3)
Localz Clothing C.
I had there light rail creme ale BBQ chicken wings and to beer& what else to wash it down accept the light rail creme ale brew. That is def my fave light beer. The wings were flavorful,crispy and delicious white meat. Small factors that i didn't like:the cardinals game was not on the tube,slow service but over all I say there are more pros than cons'. GO AND CHECK IT OUT
(4)
arik b.
i haven't been here since it was called Sonora, not much has changed. the food is pretty decent. i no longer drink alcohol so i got the rootbeer. it's pretty good. i actually like Stevia, and was happier knowing there was no sugar or HFCS i actually like the fact a restaurant is trying to get away from HFCS. kudos. i tried the Buffalo, i kinda thought it was a burger...but only because i wasn't really paying attention. but it was tasty, 3 basted chicken strips on a roll with lettuce and tomato and nasty red onion...no...not saying their red onion was nasty..i just don't like red onion on sandwiches.. sorry. anyways..they added Sweet Potato fries to the menu and they were pretty good. they crinkle cut them..i think it adds more to the experience.
(3)
Matthew K.
My first impressions of this place is that they try too hard. It's almost completely void of the quirky character of a place like Casey Moore's or Four peaks. Normal selection of beers, some good and some not so good. I like hoppy beers but their IPA was waaaay too hoppy for my tastes. I didn't eat anything this time but the menu offerings looked fine. I would like to try the Kobe burger, I saw one go by us and it looked very good, maybe next time.
(3)
Marianne H.
I think I went on an off-night. My sister recommended Sonora Brewhouse. She said the food and the service are awesome. Unfortunately, they weren't for me. Service was slow and the food was mediocre. I got the pulled-pork sandwich, but there was very little pork. My sister got the chicken fingers, and they tasted like something from a fast-food restaurant. My husband got the salmon with tomato and basil, and that was actually pretty good. My favorite part was the calamari appetizer. I just wish the serving was bigger, because we finished it in a quick minute. I prefer Four Peaks to this place.
(2)
Kym S.
I thought overall, it was good. Not great, not bad, just good. I tired their amber ale which was pretty tasty, but not near my list of top dogs. We started with the homemade kettle chips with chipotle ketchup. Maybe I'm just a sucker for potato chips and spicy ketchup, but I thought they were the standout of the evening. I could have eaten them all night. I followed it up with some nachos which were good, but nothing out of the ordinary. I would order them again, but they have a pretty big menu so there's a lot to try. I was here for the happy hour which has smokin' deals. The pints are dirt cheap and the apps are at least half off (if I remember correctly). You can sample a lot for little dough. Gotta love that! There is a lot of parking (no pun intended...) and two separate rooms for dining plus a patio for smoking - not sure if they serve out there or not. I think this is the type of place that you have to give a few chances and you'll find some favorites that you'll settle into. Beer selection is a little on the weak side, but the food is pretty good. I would go back, but I won't be a regular. Sorry, kind of a blah review. Hmph.
(3)
Paul G.
First, I don't work at this place & I don't know the owner or have friends at the place. Overall, I liked the place. It's very clean & bright. The beer is great!!! The food is ok. It's not terrible..but it's not great either. The service was fantastic. I would say this is a good lunch place...but not in the same class as Four peaks in terms of hanging out and meeting people. Worth checking out.
(3)
Ethan A.
Food is good, beer is well done...service just needs to be more friendly...one guy had a dirty mouth on him, I think he was the manager
(4)
L G.
This seems like a great neighborhood bar. There was a warm and cozy feel to the restaurant and the prices are very reasonable. The beer is delicious. We ordered the brats and the nachos which were okay.
(4)
Bill V.
Atmosphere is wonderful. Outside patio dining with powerful misters. 70's / 80's music pumped in for effect. Staff is very friendly, cordial and fast. Food is good for bar food. I give it 4 stars for atmosphere.
(4)
M N.
Oh yah - an outstanding brew pup in the middle of Phoenix! Small, homey - very knowledgeable staff, warm, genuine folks Without our GPS, we would not have discovered the place. I had the seasonal Triple IPA (10.2%) - state law allows only two of the 9 oz jewel. Very hoppy with a sweet after taste. Fortunately, my buddy drove, so I was able to imbide and enjoy myself. Also had a taste of of the hand crafted, hand pumped ale, if it was not for the Triple IPA, I would have enjoyed it, but the Triple IPA spoiled my taste buds. Did not taste the restaurant's fare, we were there for the hand crafted bier! Will definitely return whenever in Phoenix.
(4)
Korina A.
My girlfriend and I were "regulars" at Oak Creek Brewery, when we lived up North. Once we moved down here, we started pining for the brewery scene. We gave Sonora brewhouse a shot. Granted, our expectations are very high. OCB is THE social hub for the locals. We knew we weren't going to find the same thing here, being that Phoenix has so many cool haunts available. What we were looking for was a good patio, good beer, and a good atmosphere. Sonora Brewhouse delivers on all counts. The good food was a bonus. It's not great food, but it'll do. We've learned to stick to a few select items. The chips and salsa are wonderful. If you're lucky, the flour tortilla chips will still be warm. They are fluffy, light, and delicately crisp. The salsa is the traditional smooth style, with just the right amount of heat. The other go-to food item is the American Kobe beef burger. It is so juicy, so flavorful and delicious. It's big enough to share, if you're more interested in sampling the beer, but want a snack to keep you going -- which is my usual strategy. I'm not really wowed by the beers. I think I have tried four or five of them, and of those, only two stood out for me. The seasonal vanilla porter is lovely and luscious, like a creme brulee in a pint glass - but without overdoing it. Typically, I am a dark beer drinker, but the Light Rail Cream Ale won me over. For a light beer, it has surprising amounts of body and flavor. One could easily wile away a warm Winter's afternoon kicking those back. As for the atmosphere, it is casual, but I wouldn't say friendly. I've been there probably six or seven times, and haven't had a single conversation with a stranger. Also, they play great music -- if you can hear it! Often, I can make out faint notes of Janis Joplin or the Doors. I'm told that the patio speakers are as loud as they can get. Too bad.
(4)
courtney c.
Awful service! Mediocre food... if it was what I ordered. The beer was OK but nothing great compared to other breweries around town. I really wanted to like this place, sadly disappointed. No one helped us when we walked in (they weren't busy) and our server kept forgetting about us to chat with dudes at the bar. When she messed up on our food she wasn't very graceful about it... and we still had to pay full price. It also took almost two hours, and we didn't make it to the plans we had afterward. It wasn't just our servers that was bad, the bartender was rude and so was another server. Won't go back... the owners really need to step in!
(1)
Joshua W.
I was finally able to check this place out last weekend, and it was totally worth the wait. The atmosphere of the place gives off a nice neighborhood brewery vibe, with quite a few people there either sitting at the bar just talking it up with friends or enjoying a family dinner. One of the big plusses of this place is the patio, where I sat. Two indoor seating areas, each with their own full-sized bar, sandwiches the patio area. They've even got great music playing in the background. Since it was my first time here, I ordered the beer sampler. For the most part, each beer they had was unbelievable. The Cream Ale and the Porter were my favorites, which was strange because I'm normally a Pale Ale/IPA kind of guy. The IPA they had was a little too funky for my liking, but all the others easily made up for it. I got the Kobe burger, which had to have been the best burger I have ever had. Others in my party that night got the onion rings, the bratwurst and the calamari, and all of those were out of this world too. I will definitely be back here often.
(5)
Starbellied S.
It was a nice place with okay food and not enough parking. That's the nutshell. Went with a group of friends,had to scavenge for parking. We had reserved a table and since we waited at the reception area for a bit with no one acknowledging our presence,we found the table ourselves. It took forever just to get a beverage,however our server was pleasant enough. The appetizers also took a bit to get to us after having to snag our server to order. For the lack of parking and the long wait,you'd think the place was packed to the walls. It wasn't. there were a decent amount of people there,but not enough to justify the wait for the simplist thing like a beverage. Once actual food arrive it was okay. Not the best,not the worst.Just ok. They'd also run out of some of the more popular beers they advertise. No beer at 7 pm on a Friday???? Okkkaaay. No one got their dinners with any particular caedance.Some of us were eating,some were left to covet others' meals for another wait. I don't know if this place just doesn't have adequate staffing or the system needs fixing or what.It didn't make a lot of sense. Our server didn't seem frazzled,nor was she at a turtle pace. We did pretty much end up bussing our own table as well. When the bill arrived,my portion was way too much for what I had and the meager experience. Will I go back? Doubtful.
(3)
Mark C.
Having lived in Phoenix all my life, its a horrific shame that we don't have more local microbrewers giving their own beer concoctions a whirl in this town. In fact the Phoenix area has the same number of locally owned microbreweries as the Flagstaff area. So its with great enthusiasm that I found a good local outfit in central Phoenix. While Four Peaks typically gets all the accolades as the Phoenix area's premier local microbrewery (and deservedly so), Sonora Brewhouse is more than worthy of respect. Please don't confuse this with Sonoran Brewery in Scottsdale (no relation). This place is a small non descript place in north central Phoenix with a killer Cream Ale. Anyone going here for the first time should give the beer sampler a try as you're bound to find at least a couple of brews you'll like. The food is pretty good albeit nothing outstanding as my burger was adequate but didn't wow me or anything. But thats not the real reason I came. The Cream Ale and Hefeweizen have me hooked. The place is small but a perfect fit for the neighborhood as it makes for a nice happy hour atmosphere. And surprisingly I've never had to wait for a table at this place. Its still incomprehensible to me that with nearby states like California and Colorado (both of which have HUGE microbrewery scenes), Phoenix and the state of AZ as whole still haven't made a huge splash with microbrews. Four Peaks certainly gives us a spot on the map and hopefully Sonora Brewhouse will garner some attention too, but we need more brew visionaries in this town to bring their creations to the masses!
(4)
Nunzio Z.
Great microbrew! Terrible parking and can get filled up pretty quickly. Fish and chips are very good, and the American Kobe beef burger. Also, buy a growler and get it filled with your favorite beer.
(3)
Todd S.
Sun-Up..how you always pull me in when I am on Camelback. Damn tractor beam! My favorite place in the Valley to enjoy delicious craft beer (I love the Trooper IPA), a nice meal and good service. I have noticed that some people have posted a few negative things on here about the food and I think "Everything I have ever had here has been delicious. The quesadilla is very enjoyable, the wings are underrated, the wraps are tasty and the Buffalo Burger is one of my favorites. Oh.. not to forget that the Green Chili Pork is awesome as well. If you have never been.. go now. I mean..just get in your car..or on your Vespa..or hop the light rail..or ride the bus..I don't care..just get there. If you like craft beer and good food. GO!
(4)
William T.
This is a brewery. This rating is based largely on the beer. This beer is excellent. Uwe (pronunced Ooh-Va, I believe) is a beer genius. He is likely the best (professional) brewer in AZ. All of the beers are excellent. They have a good number of taps, and two (TWO!) casks (AKA Beer Engine: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Be… ). This is the sign of a great place for beer. Selection is largely their own, which is what it should be at a brewpub! If you are looking for rice or corn beer (Bud/Miller/Coors) don't come here. They would be better known than Four Peaks but for one thing, the food (location as well, ASU helps the Peaks out quite a bit). Four Peaks has good beer, not great beer across the board though. They do however have an excellent menu. SunUp has an OK menu, that sometimes surprises, sometimes disappoints. The servers are all young women who do not seem to know beer and seem to be rather new at their job. I mentioned one of the top 100 beer bars in the country (Taste of Tops, one of the 2 on the list that is here in AZ. Papago is the other) and our server had no idea what I was talking about. She also did nor know whose Oatmeal Stout was in cask (it was their own) and answers about style were all memorized. I have a suspicion that she was not over 21, or not a beer drinker. Both are a liability when serving at a bar geared towards beer snobs like myself. Nonetheless, this is one of the best breweries in AZ, and if you don't go, you are missing out!
(3)
Patrick W.
I loathe to write a bad review for one of my favorite hobbies, drinking craft beer, however; Sun Up is a brewing company that I feel the need to never visit again, nor would I recommend beer lovers to go out of their way to stop in. The majority of the beer was just plain boring, and warm to boot! They had a lager, wheat, amber, pale, oatmeal stout and a scottish red on draft. None of the beer sampled tasted even close to what I would consider the fundamentals of that particular category, ie a very bitter amber ale and a sweet, and not-hoppy-whatsoever pale ale. Even the root beer was flat and tasteless. I initially was going to give this place two stars, mainly because they do serve beer, and the bartender was nice, but thinking about the beer, I have to knock this down to one star. Sorry Sun Up, but you need to go back to the drawing board and create some good, basic craft brew.
(1)
Lucas S.
First and foremost, take advantage of their happy hour all day on Sundays. After visiting two other breweries the same day, I have to admit that Sun Up was my favorite. Their beer sampler is definitely a good way to get started. It's served in a row of glasses slightly larger than shot glasses. You'll have to ignore the temptation to pound them one after the other... at least on your first go-round. All of their beers are certainly quality and quite enjoyable, though there didn't seem to be a huge "wow" factor with any of them. In no way will I hold that against them though, as none of the local AZ brews (that I've tried) seem to be doing anything very far outside of the box. Not only should you visit Sun Up to check out their craft, you should definitely go to try their eats. Their wings are probably the best I have ever had; fried perfectly and still nice and moist, plus their "hot" sauce had a finely-tuned heat factor. Their sliders were dynamite as were the accompanying sweet potato fries and garlic parmesan fries. The service was fast and very friendly, and the establishment (men's room included) was very well-kept. All I have left to add is: Way to go Sun Up! See you next Sunday.
(5)
Nick S.
Came here on saturday before a diamond backs game. My friend and I sat outside and ordered the beer sampler...we essentially tried every beer on tap. I was very impressed with the cherry wheat beer as it had a really good balance. I would definitely come back...easy to get to from downtown using the light rail...The only negative was that they seemed slightly under staffed and service at times was slow.
(4)
Jenny K.
I love this place. I haven't experienced the server issues that some other people have been posting about - maybe I'm just lucky? If you're a microbrew fan, always check the chalkboard where they post their seasonals. You can't go wrong w/ the Light Rail Cream Ale, the Hef, or the Vanilla Porter. I absolutely loved their Pilsner when they had that on tap. Their food is pretty good, but I wouldn't really classify this as a dining destination - this place is about the beer. I was disappointed in the Kobe burger, and I wouldn't order it again. The brat was just OK. Onion rings were so good but I wouldn't get them again because I'm pretty sure they are 1 million calories EACH and they gave me like 6 huge ones! The mac & cheese is so good. Salads are nice & fresh, the baja shrimp tacos really kick butt. I also like the ambiance of the place. Cool setup in the brewers' den and the funky patio in between the brewers den and the main bar area. For giggles don't forget to check out the murals on the patio wall and also on the back wall of the parking area.
(4)
Jesse T.
Delicious, finely crafted beer! Good food and friendly staff.
(5)
Amanda K.
My man loves beer, but we both hate bars. That's why this classy little beauty less than a mile away from our house was a definite must-try. Let me begin the review by letting you know, up front, that we really enjoyed everything about the place. Minimal complaints! We visited Sonora on a Friday at around 7:00...there were a few parking spots left in what is really a very ample parking lot for downtown Phoenix. I mean, damn! There must be at least 20 spaces. I'm a worrier and I stress out about things like, "WHERE WILL WE PARK?!" before I go anywhere. I know...I know. So, I was pleased to see that I needn't have gifted myself with an ulcer over where we could park without getting towed or ending up on blocks. Sonora Brewhouse is comprised of two buildings, joined by an outside dining area between them. The building you first walk into, (the older building, I perhaps incorrectly surmised), is small and was filled with many jovial patrons on our visit. We wouldn't have wanted to sit at the bar, but we couldn't have, anyway! It was completely full, as were almost all of the booths and tables. We made our way to the outside seating area, and were about to sit down when we noticed the second building...right on the other side of the outdoor seating. We ventured in, and it was much less full than the other building, but several times as noisy. Oh, well. We sat down and surveyed our new environs. I've read several reviews on here vaguely bashing the ambiance of the restaurant - I found nothing to complain about. Then again, I like faux exposed-brick walls and dark wood paneling. "Duly noted." Alright, cool. Thanks. I also liked the kind of fun, amateurish canvas paintings of the images they pair with each of their beers that are strewn about said exposed-brick walls. Plasma TVs abound, which I hate, but I know people eat that technology crap up so I guess it's worth mentioning. Our waitress was just friendly enough, avoided all bitchiness, and was on top of things without being obnoxious. In other words, perfect. My boyfriend ordered the pale ale, (I think it's called The Stinger? Something like that?), and I, not a beer drinker in the slightest, decided to throw caution and personal preference to the wind and have a Vanilla Porter. Because, you know. It would taste like vanilla. And...vanilla is for girls. Like me. That don't drink beer. My boyfriend chuckled at this logic, and told me I wouldn't like it and that I didn't know what I was ordering. ... Yep. Just about right. As far as beer goes, I did like the kind of bitter and still beer-like hint of baked goods flavor, but it was not anything like I cluelessly imagined. I still drank it! My boyfriend really enjoyed his pale ale with no criticisms. My boyfriend ordered the Tavern Steak with steamed vegetables and steak fries, and I ordered the Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich with the kettle chips/chipotle ketchup. We were both very pleased with our entrees...the jalapeno butter (?) on the steak is pretty tasty. As for the sandwich, I'll eat anything if it is slathered in guacamole. The steak fries were as good as steak fries ever are, and the kettle chips are as good as all of the other reviews have told you. I don't eat potato chips and I hate ketchup, but I loved the combination here. Fun tip: I tried putting some of the chipotle ketchup on my sandwich, and it tasted really gross. Maybe limit your use of the ketchup to its intended, menu-endorsed purpose. When we were done, we had no problem getting the bill, paying the bill, and getting out. The parking lot was completely full when we left, and there were two cars jockeying for our spot. That was probably around 8:00 - 8:30 PM, so if you're a damaged individual like me who finds cause to stress about parking, go earlier than that. There were a lot of other options on the menu that sounded like they might be on the "delicious" side. If you are like us, and not into the drama-filled 20-something bar scene downtown, this might be a nice alternative. It's so close, and we were both really down with the experience...we will definitely be back.
(5)
Steve L.
I went to a catered event here, so while I didn't get the full restaurant experience (I was in a private, separate building across the patio), the catered food was really quite good. Not much to complain about the beer, either!
(4)
Pete T.
I want to like this place. I really, really want to like it. I'm always on the lookout for a local joint that is special, a place I can take out-of-towners and say, "This is one more thing I love about Phoenix." I had high expectations for SunUp since it is in my neighborhood, a short ride or healthy walk away from home But after several visits over the last couple of months and as many disappointments, SunUp Brewing is on my list of places I might go if I'm desperate, not as a destination, and certainly not a place I want representing my city to friends from elsewhere. I'm no beer aficionado, but I know what I like, and for the most part I like the brews at SunUp. I particularly enjoy the Light Rail Pale Ale as a mild-bodied thirst-quencher, and the Vanilla Porter, which is rich without being too sweet or heavy. I also like seeing what seasonal offerings they have, many of which I enjoyed. One constant on my many visits, however, is the truly bad customer service. I don't care if you make minimum wage or six figures; if your job is to take orders and serve people, then do it. Many other Yelp reviewers indicate they have suffered lackadaisical customer service at SunUp, and my experience is that this is the rule, not the exception. Take today, for example: At 1 p.m. on a Sunday, the place was virtually empty save for about three tables and a couple in the main bar area. The last problem I thought I'd have would be getting attention, but my disinterested server/bartender pulled a disappearing act after pouring my beer and plopping my burger in front of me. She was more interested in sitting in a booth in the adjacent room with a paper in front of her, watching TV. If she had bothered to follow up with her customer, she would've learned my burger was the opposite of the medium-rare burger I ordered. Even more aggravating was when she did walk quickly past me (including one time when she told the other server she as heading out back, presumably for a break), she looked directly at my barely touched meal but didn't inquire as to why I wasn't eating it. I'm not going to chase down a server, especially if it involves going room to room to find her. All she had to do was notice I hadn't touched my meal for 20 minutes and ask if everything was OK. I've had similar experiences with the staff at SunUp before although this example was the most egregious. Like other reviewers, I've waited at the bar either with a growler ready to be filled or a bill I'm trying to pay while the bartender chatted with friends even after acknowledging me. It shouldn't be this hard to find a place that wants to sell me something, but evidently the folks at SunUp have more cash than they need, so I see no reason to spend mine there again.
(1)
Allen W.
Order off the chalf-board for seasonals and freshest beers. Best craft-ale in Phoenix & gives Four Peaks a run for best in Valley. Awesome patio & tap room in the back. Very good food and well priced.
(4)
Nick S.
Cool place! The beer we tried was good my fav was the hefeweizen. The green chili pork with tortillas was really good and I have been back many times for it. The food prices are good and the burgers are good, wings are just ok. The staff is always friendly and quick to get our drinks. Happy we tried this place and its close to home.
Aedan B.
Always great beer. They have good cask and seasonal options. Their food is pretty tasty too, I love the buffalo burger. Mostly though I go for the beer. There is a ton of seating inside and out and the service is usually prompt and efficient.
(4)Becky M.
After spending so many years at Four Peaks, I was really pleased with the small size of SunUp. Maybe it gets a little too crowded during peak hours, but I was there for an early Sunday dinner and thought it was just right. My friend and I were seated immediately and had great service. I had the fish and chips and my friend had the Kobe Burger. I thought mine was good (it's hard to make a bad batch of fish'n'chips) and my friend liked his burger. I must note that we realized that the IPA is the absolute perfect drink with the Kobe burger. The PERFECT combination. It's rare that you come upon something like that, and we didn't remember seeing the recommendation in the menu. Being that it was our first time to this brewery, we tried the beer sampler. I preferred the Hefeweizen and Amber out of the bunch. The Vanilla Porter was too much of a dessert for my taste - but if that's what you're into, go for it. If I could give half stars, I probably end up rating SunUp with a 3.5, so I'd rather round up to four. This place isn't a three-star joint, and I don't want to rate them as such.
(4)James M.
If you like craft beer this is your place. Quench the heat here, pull up to the bar, booth, table, or outdoor. In either case the beer is still good, and for the meat lover in you try the Black & blue burger.
(4)Danica T.
I've been here twice...the first time was driven by a rumor that they made their own root beer. I'm a sucker for homemade root beer, so I had high hopes that this place would become a favorite. My husband and I were so excited when these huge glasses of RB hit the table!! And then confusion...both of us looked at each other and said "WTF???" Worst RB EVER! What the heck was in this drink that made it taste like ass? We looked all over the menu and found nothing. Then we saw the "fine print" on a small table sign...STEVIA. It's made with Stevia NOT sugar...I'm sorry, but I have to say that this is the lame-est root beer on the planet. If I'm going to treat myself to a big glass of homemade root beer, I want it to be delectable...sugar and all...no freaking high fructose corn syrup and no bloody artificial sugars (and yes, I know stevia is "natural" but who gives a crap...it tastes terrible anyway). After the root beer debacle, it didn't get better. The food was meh...service was not so great (there were moments of "is she ever coming back???"). I'd say, go here for the beer, sans root, but that's about it. Otherwise, skip this place and drive out to Four Peaks...you'll be happier all around.
(2)Andy G.
I came here for a first date with some one and just missed happy hour.But i did like this place and enjoyed their beer!!I wish i could have tasted the vanilla porter but the were out.Will return soon!!
(4)B H.
Its a cute atmosphere, food was alright, nothing spectacular. I'm not a beer drinker, so I can't speak for the brews. Parking leaves a bit to be desired, but for as full as the lot was, there were plenty of tables inside. A nice brewhouse in central Phoenix if you aren't in the mood for driving out to one of the Four Peaks.
(3)T B.
Pretty good..I've been here a couple of times, small, quaint place with decent food. What I do like is their wood interior atmosphere and IF they have it, their own home brew root beer. I would definitely recommend to give this place a try.
(3)Brian M.
I went there today for lunch if not thinking about being saint patrick's day. The place was fairly busy but Mollie made room for us for us to bar. The patrons were friendly it was a nice atmosphere. My friend had pulled pork sandwich which he always likes and I had the fish and chips. At $14.00 the fish is a little expensive but was served with a nice size piece of fish and the good serving of fries. The breading on the fish is a little thick but has a nice taste and I would happily have it again. It was a good lunch, a fun time and worth the drive from Chandler-and the beer was great too.
(4)Annie M.
We've been coming here for over 2 years since living in the hood, not really "regulars" but pretty regularly. Having both been in the hospitality industry, we enjoy sitting at the bar and chatting up with other diners, bartenders, etc. They still don't know our names, our order, not even a perk up with a recognizable nod gets thrown our way. We're pretty friendly people and damn good tippers but apparently not much leaves an impression on the majority of the staff here. I can't say all of them deserve this review but there a few who deserve even worse. So why do we return? Damnit, the food is good. It's local, always seems fresh made and they have a magic spell over nachos that is just impossible to explain. The beers are OK, I like Four Peaks 8th St. Ale way better than anything on this menu (daily cask is typically a winner). The root beer was so much better when it wasn't made with Splenda and didn't have that aftertaste. But back to those nachos...crispy thin chips, perfectly layered with the right amount of cheese, beans, black olives, tomatoes, green onions, jalapenos, topped with dollops of sour cream and guac. Seriously, they are NEVER soggy or too much...you know how sometimes you get a pizza or nacho that the cook got too liberal with and thought more was better but it just ruined it? This place has the right ratio. The salsa kicks the ass of most Mexican restaurants in town. The wings are crispy, tasty. The house salad is a nice mix of real greens and veggies (no iceberg- whoo hoo). The flatbread sandwiches are OK, the burgers are tasty too (though the Kobe isn't that special in my opinion but my coworker loves it). The. Bread. Pudding. I will spin in the morning, do a Power Yoga set, eat veggies all day and have this bread pudding for dinner. Holy hell it's amazing. That whiskey caramel sauce drizzled over the top begs me to bathe in it. Come here for some consistently good food knowing you are supporting a local business and don't get too upset when the staff downright sucks; it's not you.
(3)Archie F.
IPA lovers, this is your destination in the desert. I regret that I live 10 miles away, and there is no way I'll even stop in for 1 Tropper IPA (1 is impossible) and then get in my car and drive. But the balance is perfect: a hearty body with some bite, not overbearing on the malt, hops are strong but balanced with some fruity, floral bouquet that lingers on the tongue. And it's not too cold either, like some of the other breweries. I can't speak for the other beers, but I've tried every IPA in the area, this is the best! I still wish I could find 3 Floyd's on tap out here. Maybe even Crooked Tree IPA- those are still my favorites, but this will do.
(5)Luis C.
I consider this place my hidden lunch gem in Phoenix. I work downtown and I often don't want to spend half of my lunch hour waiting for a table at the normal places. I've never ever had to wait at SunUp. The staff is always friendly and accomodating - never had one with a bad attitude. For my money, I prefer to sit in the brewery area and enjoy the quiet it provides. Lunch here is always quick, delicious and cheap for what you get. Would definitely suggest the Camelback Club, Burgers and Pretzel Bites!
(4)Richard L.
I was excited to come across this little brew house because I love beer. I came here on a Saturday afternoon and it was definitely not busy but there were a few tables and the bar area seemed pretty full. The two beers that I had were decent but not amazing. (a hefeweisen and an IPA) Four Peaks Brew House is much better in my opinion. The service was awful. Nothing good or personable about it. Considering it was not very busy I expected more out of someone, anyone for that matter! (maybe they were angry because they had to work on Halloween) My drinks took longer than normal to receive and my Kobe burger took quite awhile too. I wasn't keeping track of the time but how hard can it be to throw a burger on the grill and fry some fries? I was expecting more from this "top seller". Not impressed and I will not be returning, if the beer and food were amazing I might come back even if the service sucked but if all three of these important factors are not up to par I will spend my money else where. Next time I'll take the extra 10 minutes to get to Four Peaks. Also I noticed the menu was really, really random. They don't specialize in any particular type of food. Fish and chips, and then some southwestern dishes....? Whatever, I appreciate small, local restaurants but this place is all wrong. Plus the staff doesn't seem to care much for their jobs so they must not care much for good tips!
(2)Ken A.
Overall, the experience was good except for the service. The beer was excellent, several good interpretations of standard beer types. The food (steak wrap) was very tasty as well. The only problem is that the the waitress decided to take her sweet time waiting on us in the patio area which left for a very hungry, cranky person. Sure we had beer, but sometimes you need some food too. What really sealed the deal was that she ignored us, then took her own food into the restaurant and ate while we sat famished on the patio. In sum, the food and beer were excellent but this particular waitress was terrible. I guess that wouldn't keep me from going back, unless that happened again.
(3)David A.
We eat here 2-3 times a month as the service and food is consistently excellent. It only takes a few times and they get to know you and what you like which is great. Give it a try.
(5)Nina W.
Great beer, good food, great music! Brought our 1 1/2 year old for dinner. Loud enough so it downs him out but not too loud. Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, would come back!! (:
(5)Sarah V.
Shepherd's pie.... Processed, pre frozen, and just plain disgusting. We then ordered a hamburger to replace the Shepherd's pie. Ordered it medium and it came out well done. I noticed this place is not known for its food nor are they known for great customer service. Not much care was given towards our crappy food. We will not be returning.
(1)Fred M.
Something Central Phoenix sorely lacks is a top-quality microbrewery. Maybe some remember the old Tommy Knocker's, but that's as close as we have ever had. Recently when SunUp split from Sonora Brewhouse, they also added a brewery next door and have been increasing in popularity ever since. However, they come up short in terms of providing a top quality microbrewery, and SunUp only shines as a good neighborhood bar that happens to brew their own beers. On mutiple visits, I've tried multiple beers. The first visit, sampling the Red Cask Ale, I had a mostly positive feel about the beer. It was bold, reasonably priced, and packed quite a punch. I also sampled the Light Rail Cream Ale that night, which was essentially a standard ale by my count. The bartender explained while serving it that the name is "a bit misleading" because most, like myself, are expecting more of an ale with a stout-like finish. The Vanilla Porter is their best brew in my opinion, with the most distinct flavor and a perfect balance in aroma. I've become quite enamored with porters lately and SunUp's didn't disappoint, but it also didn't drive me to proclaim it one of the best porters around. Service at the restaurant has been hit and miss. One visit with an empty bar, we were waited on hand and foot, but also felt as though the staff wanted to close up and go home. They were putting chairs on the tables, sweeping the floors, and doing general closing duties, though they insisted they were not closing for a "couple more hours." Another visit I sat at the bar for quite some time with no bartender present, and the bar obvoiusly understaffed. All in all, it's a welcome addition, and compliments the other establishments popping up around Central and Camelback very nicely. Unfortunately, Central Phoenix could still use a top-notch microbrewery. SunUp, right now, has too many inconsistencies, and doesn't have great enough beer to make them not matter. One can get a good beer just about anywhere, but it would be nice to find a great beer brewed locally, so here's to hoping SunUp comes up with a great beer.
(3)Albert H.
Parking is tight and there's limited seating, but we always seem to find a spot without waiting (on both accounts). Great selection of hand crafted beers, traditional pub fare, and overall there's a good vibe from staff and the building itself. I like that people here know what they're after and it's unlikely to fetch too many of the damn snowbird types, given that this is a small local place. If you're into craft beer then you'll like this place. If you're not, well, it's rather ordinary as far as pub food goes. Come for the beer!
(4)Dave B.
My first review might as well be from somewhere I've been just a few times. OK, probably hundreds. In fact, I've been going there regularly since it opened in the Fall of 2001. The first day started like nearly every day there since: amazing beer and a super friendly staff. The food is excellent and for happy hour you can actually get a huge, delicious plate of nachos for half the normal price (they get the official stamp of approval from a nacho fiend that I know). The burgers are great, as well as the wings. But the star of the show is... The IPA. I've had IPA's from all over and this is as good as any of them, and better than 99% of them. In fact, this IPA is so good that we took a keg per request to our friend on a road trip to Seattle. It's a little hoppier than many IPA's and that's just the way I like it. I hear the other beers are good too but I wouldn't know. ;) Like someone else said, this place is much like Cheers: there are many friendly regulars as well as the staff. Hey, enough said: I've been going here often (perhaps too often) for years for a good reason.
(4)Tim A.
The beer and the setting are the highlights at Sonora Brewhouse. Best thing to do here is to sit back in the old brick buildings and cool off with a pint of Light Rail Cream Ale, which is light and smooth but not at all creamy. These folks are serious about their brews, and the friendly staff will bring you a sample to help you discern the difference between a regular draught and its cask-conditioned counterpart. While the food isn't a disappointment, it's nothing to write home about either. I can barely remember the Kobe beef burger I had on my first visit. The shepherd's pie I had the second time around was good enough, but the so-called horseradish mashed potatoes on top just weren't horesradishy enough to satisfy a kid who grew up in the horseradish fields of southern Illinois. I give Sonora Brewhouse a solid recommendation as a spot to drink, but bring plenty of friends -- the place can be empty on a Saturday afternoon. It's also a worthy addition to your light-rail pub crawl, just a short walk from the Central/Camelback station.
(4)Siobhan C.
Nice place over all. The beer is good. Other than beer, I have only had the nachos and they were average/tasty. The waitresses are always friendly and helpful. The restaurant is comfortable and they also have a nice out door patio. The beer sampler is a good way to start your beer quest!
(4)Don H.
I have been going to this establishment for years and I still love it. The food is fair bar type food. Although they have changed ownership and brew masters they still make good beer. I have to say though the former brew master had a wider array of beer and was a better brew master. The new brew master is really good at IPA's which is good for him since they are what is in demand at this time. I so miss your pot belly porter and your midnight porter.
(4)KC C.
Still loving the food! The crispy shrimp taco's are my fav. The shrimp are huge, the 2 tacos fill you up. I tried the Parm cheesr fries, awesome! This place has great food, only wish they had a full bar, a margarita would set me over the top!!!
(4)Ken K.
I walked into Sonora Brew House - tap room of SunUp Brewing Company - at about 8:00 p.m. after a day's worth of flights and being turned away from an up-scale restaurant due to an hour-and-a-half wait. Needless to say, I wasn't in the best mood and I had thought I was settling in for an evening of fantastic food served in small portions on pristine white dishes. Instead, I pulled a 180 and went to SunUp because it was close and it was on my food list. The interior didn't put me off. Though it's not a "classy" brewpub, the interior sports soft lighting, Spanish colors and a certain amount of elegance. I'm not saying you should take a date here if you're trying to impress her, but it's certainly acceptable before or after a movie. The atmosphere is laid back. A curved bar sits behind a simple floor stacked with numerous square tables both normal and high-top. Brewing equipment stands behind a plastic wall off to one side. A small doorway leads to a narrow room lined with booths on either side. The place is not that big, but it's not small either. The menu consists of standard pub fare with a few Spanish touches. Appetizers have the normal dips and fried dishes. The homemade bruschetta caught my eye, however. It was a bit strong on the garlic and not very well done. Outside of the typical burgers, sandwiches and wraps, they do feature some interesting entrees. I ordered the special - shrimp fajitas. It came with one giant flour tortilla which confused me, but overall it wasn't bad. My friend ordered the salmon which was a much better effort. As for the beer, they featured six standard offerings along with three seasonal. Of the typical offerings, most were a little too sweet and a little low on the hop side, especially those of lighter color meant to appeal to the masses. However, the low amounts of hops did allow the floral and citrus notes to come through on the IPA. My favorite was the seasonal Red along with the Vanilla Porter, which though sweet, had a robust chocolaty character. Bonus point for the dry-hopped, cask conditioned version of the IPA as well. The service was alright. She didn't know much about the beers, but could at least distinguish one from the other via color, even among those that looked quite similar. Overall, the place is alright. I hope there are better offerings in the area. But if not, it'll do.
(4)Koli H.
Great micro brewed beers. The Light Rail Cream Ale and the Vanilla Porter are really good. The food is hit and miss, usually hit, but I don't go there to eat. It's nice to see a small spot with loyal customers. The beers are tasty.. that's enough for me...
(4)Peace D.
Great Burgers. Great staff.... Great ambiance.... Great beer
(4)Karen N.
Main reason to go to Sonora - the Kobe burger! By far the best burger in town. I usually go for lunch since its close to my office and have never been disappointed by the food. Great service, great waitstaff, great food. I've been once for dinner and the beer is exceptional. All around a great pick! Even worth the drive from the NW Valley.
(5)Dave B.
Nice looking place ... food wasn't bad ... just something I didn't like ... not sure what ... sorry for the horrible review.
(2)Kerstin M.
This was our second time at Sonora, and overall it was a decent place with warm woods, brick, and sautillo tile. The lighting was not too dark. Where we sat, in the hallway like middle section, was way too stuffy, however, and we were shocked by how much cooler it was when we stepped into the main area. Hubby had the Vanilla Porter, which he really liked. It was black as my soul, and probably a little sweeter. Not my cup of tea. My Hefe was very disappointing- the worst I've had in Arizona, frankly. It was dull and muddy tasting- something was just plain wrong. My dinner was quite tasty. I had the Haddock with a wonderfully spunky tartar sauce and their awesome freshly made kettle chips. The fish was huge, with a tasty batter, not at all greasy, but a tad overdone. Hubby had the cottage pie, which was good, but we've recently had far better at Tim Finnegan's. His dinner came with a cup of clam chowder- it was zesty and really different. We both liked it. Sonora is a place we will likely come back to. It has a good vibe.
(3)Localz Clothing C.
I had there light rail creme ale BBQ chicken wings and to beer& what else to wash it down accept the light rail creme ale brew. That is def my fave light beer. The wings were flavorful,crispy and delicious white meat. Small factors that i didn't like:the cardinals game was not on the tube,slow service but over all I say there are more pros than cons'. GO AND CHECK IT OUT
(4)arik b.
i haven't been here since it was called Sonora, not much has changed. the food is pretty decent. i no longer drink alcohol so i got the rootbeer. it's pretty good. i actually like Stevia, and was happier knowing there was no sugar or HFCS i actually like the fact a restaurant is trying to get away from HFCS. kudos. i tried the Buffalo, i kinda thought it was a burger...but only because i wasn't really paying attention. but it was tasty, 3 basted chicken strips on a roll with lettuce and tomato and nasty red onion...no...not saying their red onion was nasty..i just don't like red onion on sandwiches.. sorry. anyways..they added Sweet Potato fries to the menu and they were pretty good. they crinkle cut them..i think it adds more to the experience.
(3)Matthew K.
My first impressions of this place is that they try too hard. It's almost completely void of the quirky character of a place like Casey Moore's or Four peaks. Normal selection of beers, some good and some not so good. I like hoppy beers but their IPA was waaaay too hoppy for my tastes. I didn't eat anything this time but the menu offerings looked fine. I would like to try the Kobe burger, I saw one go by us and it looked very good, maybe next time.
(3)Raegen S.
Pretty Good. Nice little dive along Camelback. The Pale ale was desent... i tried the other beers and some were better than others. As far as the food i tried the southwest soup that was Excellent and a chicken salad that was fresh. Also there was a very eclectic crowd when i went there.
(3)Kym S.
I thought overall, it was good. Not great, not bad, just good. I tired their amber ale which was pretty tasty, but not near my list of top dogs. We started with the homemade kettle chips with chipotle ketchup. Maybe I'm just a sucker for potato chips and spicy ketchup, but I thought they were the standout of the evening. I could have eaten them all night. I followed it up with some nachos which were good, but nothing out of the ordinary. I would order them again, but they have a pretty big menu so there's a lot to try. I was here for the happy hour which has smokin' deals. The pints are dirt cheap and the apps are at least half off (if I remember correctly). You can sample a lot for little dough. Gotta love that! There is a lot of parking (no pun intended...) and two separate rooms for dining plus a patio for smoking - not sure if they serve out there or not. I think this is the type of place that you have to give a few chances and you'll find some favorites that you'll settle into. Beer selection is a little on the weak side, but the food is pretty good. I would go back, but I won't be a regular. Sorry, kind of a blah review. Hmph.
(3)Paul G.
First, I don't work at this place & I don't know the owner or have friends at the place. Overall, I liked the place. It's very clean & bright. The beer is great!!! The food is ok. It's not terrible..but it's not great either. The service was fantastic. I would say this is a good lunch place...but not in the same class as Four peaks in terms of hanging out and meeting people. Worth checking out.
(3)Ethan A.
Food is good, beer is well done...service just needs to be more friendly...one guy had a dirty mouth on him, I think he was the manager
(4)L G.
This seems like a great neighborhood bar. There was a warm and cozy feel to the restaurant and the prices are very reasonable. The beer is delicious. We ordered the brats and the nachos which were okay.
(4)Bill V.
Atmosphere is wonderful. Outside patio dining with powerful misters. 70's / 80's music pumped in for effect. Staff is very friendly, cordial and fast. Food is good for bar food. I give it 4 stars for atmosphere.
(4)M N.
Oh yah - an outstanding brew pup in the middle of Phoenix! Small, homey - very knowledgeable staff, warm, genuine folks Without our GPS, we would not have discovered the place. I had the seasonal Triple IPA (10.2%) - state law allows only two of the 9 oz jewel. Very hoppy with a sweet after taste. Fortunately, my buddy drove, so I was able to imbide and enjoy myself. Also had a taste of of the hand crafted, hand pumped ale, if it was not for the Triple IPA, I would have enjoyed it, but the Triple IPA spoiled my taste buds. Did not taste the restaurant's fare, we were there for the hand crafted bier! Will definitely return whenever in Phoenix.
(4)Korina A.
My girlfriend and I were "regulars" at Oak Creek Brewery, when we lived up North. Once we moved down here, we started pining for the brewery scene. We gave Sonora brewhouse a shot. Granted, our expectations are very high. OCB is THE social hub for the locals. We knew we weren't going to find the same thing here, being that Phoenix has so many cool haunts available. What we were looking for was a good patio, good beer, and a good atmosphere. Sonora Brewhouse delivers on all counts. The good food was a bonus. It's not great food, but it'll do. We've learned to stick to a few select items. The chips and salsa are wonderful. If you're lucky, the flour tortilla chips will still be warm. They are fluffy, light, and delicately crisp. The salsa is the traditional smooth style, with just the right amount of heat. The other go-to food item is the American Kobe beef burger. It is so juicy, so flavorful and delicious. It's big enough to share, if you're more interested in sampling the beer, but want a snack to keep you going -- which is my usual strategy. I'm not really wowed by the beers. I think I have tried four or five of them, and of those, only two stood out for me. The seasonal vanilla porter is lovely and luscious, like a creme brulee in a pint glass - but without overdoing it. Typically, I am a dark beer drinker, but the Light Rail Cream Ale won me over. For a light beer, it has surprising amounts of body and flavor. One could easily wile away a warm Winter's afternoon kicking those back. As for the atmosphere, it is casual, but I wouldn't say friendly. I've been there probably six or seven times, and haven't had a single conversation with a stranger. Also, they play great music -- if you can hear it! Often, I can make out faint notes of Janis Joplin or the Doors. I'm told that the patio speakers are as loud as they can get. Too bad.
(4)courtney c.
Awful service! Mediocre food... if it was what I ordered. The beer was OK but nothing great compared to other breweries around town. I really wanted to like this place, sadly disappointed. No one helped us when we walked in (they weren't busy) and our server kept forgetting about us to chat with dudes at the bar. When she messed up on our food she wasn't very graceful about it... and we still had to pay full price. It also took almost two hours, and we didn't make it to the plans we had afterward. It wasn't just our servers that was bad, the bartender was rude and so was another server. Won't go back... the owners really need to step in!
(1)Joshua W.
I was finally able to check this place out last weekend, and it was totally worth the wait. The atmosphere of the place gives off a nice neighborhood brewery vibe, with quite a few people there either sitting at the bar just talking it up with friends or enjoying a family dinner. One of the big plusses of this place is the patio, where I sat. Two indoor seating areas, each with their own full-sized bar, sandwiches the patio area. They've even got great music playing in the background. Since it was my first time here, I ordered the beer sampler. For the most part, each beer they had was unbelievable. The Cream Ale and the Porter were my favorites, which was strange because I'm normally a Pale Ale/IPA kind of guy. The IPA they had was a little too funky for my liking, but all the others easily made up for it. I got the Kobe burger, which had to have been the best burger I have ever had. Others in my party that night got the onion rings, the bratwurst and the calamari, and all of those were out of this world too. I will definitely be back here often.
(5)Michael S.
This place has always seemed to me about as close as you can get to a "Cheers" in downtown Phoenix. Except that nobody seems to know my name there in spite of how frequently I come. But then, I'm not part of the 30-something clientle who sets up shop at the bar. I roll into a booth or a high table that has the best view of the games that are on. It's a great place to come down and see local sports or tie one on after a terrible local sports performance. Not great because of the televisions or presentation of the games in any way(which is just two smaller flat screen TVs with no sound in the main room), but because of the laid-back, true-to-its-locale atmosphere it emits. It just seems perfectly in place and makes it feel natural to hang out and throw some back more then any other bar around town that tries to force its motif into a Phoenix landscape it just doesn't jive with. And of course the food and beverage there don't hurt its cause at all. I do agree with some people's sentiments about particular beers not being up to snuff compared to other breweries. My particular complaint is with their Pale Ale, which tastes like an IPA, and their IPA, which tastes like a medicinal strength IPA. But in spite of some quibbles with the beers here, they really do have some fantastic stuff. For some reason, the beer that is my standby there is the Light Rail Cream Ale, which is in stark contrast to the Brown and Amber Ales I typically get at other breweries. Its got that perfect taste/refreshment balance that acts as a Siren's call to bring me back here at least once a week. The burgers, salads, and pizza's are also fantastic. But the real find here is the bread pudding, which has got to be one of the best bread pudding's in existence. I always try to eat slow to make room for it. Luckily, this is a place that won't care how long you cement yourself to a seat. Which again, makes this place perfect for some Suns action or whatever is going on. But I probably remember my trips here best after catastrophic defeats. Last year after the Sun's officially bowed out of the playoffs without a championship for yet another season, and with my brother after ASU (he's an alum) lost to Oregon are the first that come to mind. The classic rock and the atmosphere and the beer (don't forget the beer) seem to breath new life into me during such trying circumstances. I guess just by being a pillar of originality in the desert.
(5)Charlie G.
Their slogan says it all: The Best Little Brewhouse in the West! Terrif food! Great service! Reasonable prices. Nice combination. Beer is brewed on-site. It's on-draft, & they *even* have DRAFT RootBeer! [YUM!] BTW, if you can't get 2 meals out of their Kobe beef burger, metinks you're eatin' too much! :-) Once, when the soup-of-the-day was lentil (I love lentils) in a tomato broth, it was so good, I had to order another bowl to take home (it was great right outta the refrig!
(5)Jeff E.
This was the place I went to with my friends when we first got into good beer. Their brews are very good and their food as well. Their fries are a little weak, just run of the mill compared to Four Peaks' beer battered fries, but other than that their menu can stand toe-to-toe with Four Peaks. What gives Four Peaks 5 stars and Sonora 4 stars is the fact that Four Peaks' beer is superior and Four Peaks has a great Sunday brunch. But do not get me wrong, this place is worth a visit... many many visits! P.S. BEST ONION RINGS IN TOWN!
(4)Mark T.
The Sonora Brewhouse is the epitome of a good, clean, moderate, Phoenician pub/restaurant. Which means that I was really hoping for more. I was hoping that this place would be a little lived in, a little less polished, a little less new Phoenix. It's kind of odd that big box chain food spots work at trying to get that aged look by throwing junk up on the walls and hanging it from the ceilings. Not at the Sonora Brewhouse, they'll have none of that here, but that's okay. Yes, they brew their own beers and yes it's good and more than decent. The food is better than average and always cooked. Even when you ask for your Kobe burger to be cooked medium with the hope that you'll see some red, it'll come out with no pink at all. Sadly, I wasn't expecting anything different. Do I sound disappointed? Do I sound like I'm sitting in a box of self pity? Oh woe is me, they FULLY cooked my burger. Oh woe is me, the beer is good and the steak fries have the perfect crispness on the outside and mashy-goodness on the inside. The quality at Sonora Brewhouse is what I expect at any of the big box chain restaurants like Gordon Biersch, but never get. The problem here is that they can be so much more. Food + Ambiance (personality) = Greatness. Sonora Brewhouse is missing the heart. They're polite and not offensive in anyway, walking the definition of middle. This is both surprising and disappointing since they have been around for a while, but also because just a block to the east, Rosie McCaffrey's is overflowing with heart and soul, more than you can imagine. If they can find it, tourists probably love Sonora, but remember, tourists often love going to another branch of the same TGI Friday's that they have in their own suburbia, while on vacation in a different town. Okay, so Sonora Brewhouse isn't anywhere near the low level of a TGI Friday's, but it's almost as clean, boring, and devoid of personality, being almost completely unmemorable. Oh. They also probably have the thinnest Kobe burger patties I've ever seen, at least the steak fries and beer are good. My advice? Go a block east to Rosie McCaffrey's and actually have a good time worth remembering.
(3)Emily C.
SunUp Brewing Co has the PERFECT french fries. They are the perfect blend of crispy and soft batter fried yummy goodness. For this alone they deserve 4 stars. In addition to the fries, the staff is always friendly, it's never too crowded, it draws an interesting blend of customers (all ages, families, single 20-somethings) and the beer is pretty good as well. I am a fan of the vanilla porter and red ale (and I am something of a beer snob, so not easy to please!). Wings are great, burgers are fine, onion rings...delicious...but those fries! This is a nice comfy hang out when you want bar food, but are not interested in a scene.
(4)Jaime F.
Great beers and awesome onion rings. It's a good ambiance, and pretty good bar food. The onion rings are best. I also tried the fish and chips, and it was pretty good too. But, the reason to come here is for the beers.
(4)Michael J.
Tucked away at Camelback & 3rd is the Sun Up Brewing Company. Armed with a need for some food & adult beverage we made our way inside this cozy pub packed with people. With all the great dishes on the menu it was very hard to choose. But when we finally did the food was great (not your regular pub fare) and all the beers were wonderful...especially the Vanilla Porter. I will definitely be back for another round of food and drinks!
(4)Liz L.
Cool Brewery! Cruising down the street a little brewery popped out of nowhere. It was a hot afternoon and a nice cold local brewed beer sounded like it would hit the spot. Stopped in and right away I felt at home. The waitress had a huge smile and greeted us and let us know we could sit anywhere we wanted, she also came back to us numerous times checking that we had everything we needed. Seemed like the main room next to the bar was the happen spot. Husband ordered the vanilla seasonal stout, and I got the Hefeweizen. Both beers were good but we liked the vanilla seasonal so much we bought a to go 64oz Growler. We ordered the honey hot wings and they were amazing. Not so much hot but the sweetness and crust of the wings hit the spot, so good, would totally order that again. All and all the vibe is really nice, super friendly service, great food, and beer is awesome. Will be back!
(5)Andrew P.
The beer at SunUp is good, not amazing, but better than most (even Four Peaks in my opinion). The food is amazing, I don't think there is anything even average on the menu. Try the homemade chips, they are awesome, or the Green Chile Pork. Also, the building is just cool inside, so the atmosphere is great. So pretty much a really cool bar with awesome food, good beer, and it's not a chain/corporation. So go there.
(4)Christian P.
Just had beer, it was ok but not really great. It is the type of beer that never seems to have quite enough of something..... just a little off of good. Better than some others I have had though.
(3)Barry L.
Barleywine! Finally! We've missed you....one growler, will have to get another...
(5)Corey W.
Formerly known as Sonoran Brewery (I still miss the name), "Sunup" still has the same great food, beer and service. Beer battered onion rings win for the appetizer, the Philly wrap or beer battered fish and chips are my choice for the entrée, and desert is their bread pudding (takes 2 to eat it). I compliment my meal with what ever is in the cask for the evening and finish with their IPA (it's a good balanced IPA for IPA fans). For more of a desert finish, go for the Vanilla Porter.
(4)Norma R.
Sonora is wonderfully average. You will never be surprised by anything here, as when they tell you the beer won't be cold because it's casket, it won't be cold. The hot wings are hot, the fresh salads are fresh, and they always cook things to order and are always accurate (mid rare is always mid rare... a rarity!). I love brewhouses so the local brews are delish. There's nothing surprisingly good at Sonora, but I'll choose it over a culinary adventure almost anyday!
(5)Pierre Trudeau I.
Cops and lawyers. You'll see plenty of them in this neighborhood brewhouse that was my office away from the office during my days at a downtown Phoenix law firm. And as a lawyer who used to represent cops, I see someone I recognize almost every time I walk in here, aside from the friendly staff of course. Needless to say since I'm a semi-regular at this place, I like it. The food is far better than one would expect for a tiny little hole in the wall like this. The soups never fail to impress no matter what kind they are. They have a good selection of beer. And the atmosphere is inducive to just sitting down with an old friend over a drink or two to relax and catch up, as I often do.
(4)Jimmy C.
I judge a restaurant by its burger. The burger is a perfect measuring stick for every-day dining establishments; It is sold almost everywhere and does not rely on special ingredients and is always a good barometer of a kitchen's capacity for meeting your temperature needs. That said, I have enjoyed the American Kobe burger here several times and it is consistently above-average and frequently quite excellent. My wife has enjoyed the wrap and several other sandwiches and remains pleased. We also enjoy the spinach and artichoke appetizer. The wings are average at best but the kettle chips with chipotle ketchup rules. Oh, and they have 1000 island. But what matters is the beer and the porter and cream ale are both splendid if a bit too sharp initially. The server are pleasant and the place has a small, family atmosphere. It's also reasonably priced.
(4)John N.
Good stuff. Haven't had too much of the food. Onion rings are delicious. All beers delicious. Good joint to grab a growler for the drive home...I mean for when you get home.
(4)Surranna V.
I love this spot for happy hour. The beer prices are great as well as select apps. I am very fond of just about any stout or porter that sonora brews as far as the others I can't say. I have friends that like some of the other selections they have. A decent micro is hard to find in the southwest but this guy has been at it for a while and does a good job. The food has always been good. They have your typical bar menu as well as some better food choices. The patio is great as well. I have also found the service to be no worse than good!
(4)Bethany C.
If you spend a sunday morning doing work over coffee, a good way to spend the afternoon is doing (less) work over beers. That's just what I did last Sunday and I was happy to have done it at Sonora Brewhouse. It is off my beaten path (which was the objective of the day) and it had a great mural on the wall of their outdoor patio. A patio that, I might add, was surprisingly quiet given its proximity to the road. It was just the right noise level for either eaves dropping or reading. The food all smelled really pretty good as far as bar food goes and the nacho plate we milked for an hour and a half was made with real cheese. The beers were also pretty decent and, after two, I was just happy enough.
(3)Alicia B.
2.5 stars. Borderline 3. I just wasn't impressed. Oh, but I wanted to be. I mean, a local brewhouse right down the street from where I live? I thought for sure this would become my home away from home. Instead, it was so mediocre and underwhelming, I can't help but wonder, "Will I ever be back?" Probably not. My friend and I walked into the restaurant side of Sonora. I wanted to sit in the Den, where the brews are crafted. We were told to cross over the patio to the place next door. Alright. So, we did. Hardly anyone was there. In fact, the place didn't really pick up until the time we were leaving. Must've been the football game that drew people in, for there was a flat screen plasma TV behind the bar. Speaking of bar, I was excited to try their Vanilla Porter. I was told it was so good, it would make you wanna slap yo' mama. "My mama needs a good slappin'," I thought. Well, she didn't get it. Ok, so maybe vanilla + beer isn't my thing, but I wanted to try something new, something special to this brewhouse. After all, isn't that the point? The kick and finish of this beer did not impress me. In fact, I struggled a bit to finish my pint, which, was $2.75 during happy hour. At the very least, the prices to whet my whistle were great! My friend and I opted to try the food. I felt brave and ordered the bratwurst. Maybe I'm not a bratwurst person, for it was just okay. Nothing else on the menu appealed to me, even though they do tend to have a variety (fish and chips to grilled salmon to soup and burgers). The layout of the place was somewhat unusual. I mean, two seating areas connected by an outdoor patio area (with heaters). That was cool, except that when my friend and I left the Den, we had to cross the patio to get to the exit (in the other building). Along the way, I got one giant whiff of cigarette smoke. Yep, that's just what I wanted to top off what had become a very bland and unenthusiastic experience.
(2)Justin S.
At Sonora Brewhouse, a German guy named Uwe makes the beer. The staff, though, makes the brewhouse. Since it's a brewhouse, let's start with the beer. Sonora has a brew for nearly everybody. If you like it dark and heavy, there's usually a mix of stout, porter or barley wine. For the lighter folks, there's a very competent mix of hefeweizens and pale ales. For big beer flavors, there's usually an IPA. The best stuff, though, comes out of the cask. Cask-conditioned ales have an awesome flavor that allows the character of the hops to shine out. My main quibble with Sonora's cask selections is that they're too often of the pale variety. I'd love to see a stout or porter in the cask at least once a month. I would celebrate to see a Belgian trippel wind up on the menu, too. Sonora also serves food. The cottage pie is tasty, as are the fish 'n' chips and homemade soups, and the nachos are a nice snack. The burgers, both the pub and Kobe varieties, depend greatly on how the person at the grill defines rare, medium and done well. Unfortunately, their definitions are often differerent from mine. This brewpub also has a great atmosphere. Sit at the bar and chat with the other brew lovers. It's a friendly place, and you'll have fun conversations. They staff actually know their beers and have strong opinions. And they're just as friendly as the drinkers. And you can actually talk to them without shouting over music that's way too loud (hear that, Four Peaks?!).
(4)Dyanna P.
Oh, how I used to love SunUp. I was a fan when it was still Sonora Brewhouse, and I was a fan after the name change/change of ownership/whatever. The waitstaff was always sort of iffy, but the patio was comfortable (when smokers weren't around), and the food was pretty consistent. I was particularly in love with a new addition to the menu - the spicy pulled pork sandwich. In search of a good place open on July 4th, I stopped in with a friend, already craving that delicious sandwich. After waiting a couple minutes to be seated (and not even being acknowledged by anyone when we entered), we were led to a table by an older woman. She took our drink orders and left us with menus to look over. It took me a minute to realize they'd changed their menu. Instead of one with appetizers, salads, sandwiches/burgers, entrees, and desserts, they instead now have a lunch and dinner menu. And, sadly, the pulled pork sandwich had been discontinued. I settled on the green chile chicken sandwich of some sort and an iced tea. The waitress wasn't very friendly and seemed to be uninterested in being pleasant. Our meals arrived but without the chipotle ketchup we requested. A few minutes later, the waitress brought it to our table. There was nothing impressive about my sandwich. It was fairly blah and unseasoned, and the sweet potato fries were crispy on the outside but tough and hard on the inside. Shame I paid $1 to upgrade from regular fries. Once it came time to pay, the waitress took an exceptionally long time to return our cards and receipts to us. My companion saw she was just standing around in the back not doing anything. The place was pretty empty, so I don't really know why service was so bad. I do know that the new menu leaves a lot to be desired, and unfortunately, I'll be hard-pressed to return in the future.
(2)Deona S.
One word, awesome! Who doesn't enjoy a good brewery really? It is rather small so if you are looking to go somewhere quiet and intimate this isn't the place. If you want good beer and good bar food with good friends and friendly staff then you are good to go. I am a fan of their Hefeweizen and they have the best onion rings in town! I hear they are known for their Kobe beef burgers and homemade root beer. I can attest to the root beer, good stuff. This is a great place to go after work for a few beers!
(4)Trent R.
if you haven't figured it out by now, i like beer and i like bars. sonora has both. when i moved to phoenix in early 2007, my dad took me there for lunch one day. we sat at the bar and i ordered a beer that was great (i think it was a russian porter). i've never had a bad or mediocre beer at sonora. i haven't tried their ipa because i'm not a hops fan, but everything else was always incredibly yummy. the food is pretty good and sometimes really freaking good. i went one evening with my best friend and my brother. we sat in the brew house, where the tanks are separated by a glass wall from the seating and bar. we ate well and got a nice buzz, laughing and flirting with our waitress. every time i went there, the service was spectacular. the girls that work there work their butts off and are always smiling. they're easy to joke with and that's a big plus. the place would suck without them. i always thought that something was either missing or that i wasn't quite accepted there. sometimes my appearance freaks people out. oh well. that's what i get for being a madman. in central phoenix, check out the sonora brewhouse.
(4)Jalayne A.
OK - it all makes sense now. When I reviewed some of the reviews before going to SunUp for dinner - I was a little confused. I had been there and the food was good, service good, beer sampler - good. So why the bad reviews from other yelpers. Tonight I learned. We went with my mom, brother, and my boyfriend. We sat down and were greeted by a blond waitress. Not extremely friendly but nice enough, service was decent for the first part of dinner, she was good about filling up drinks etc. Then she brought the check, at the same time my brother ordered a second beer, so she took the check with her to update. And then disappeared. And disappeared . . . Brother's beer was half gone . . . and still she was not around. I had actually thought we had paid the check and we were just hanging with my brother while he finished the beer - but no - mom had not in fact paid the bill and we waited. So I look up - and there is our waitress flirting with a group of guys at the bar. Now I get it - when you are kinda cute and serving beer - a group of guys is likely to tip better and more fun to hang with. But that does not make it acceptable to neglect a table of four waiting to pay - tip and leave. So I will return - but I will be looking for our prior waitress - she was a sporty brunette - fun - and very good. (disclaimer in no way am I saying that because she was blond it made her bad - it is the only way for me to identify the waitress, should have gotten her name)
(3)Jen A.
Sonora is home to three of my biggest weaknesses: cream ales, Kobe burgers, and wings. In two of these three categories, they completely excelled. And in the third? Well, I'm really very picky about wings, so take that with a grain of salt. The cream ale is delicious, and it goes very well with the kettle chips and the chipotle ketchup. Yeah. Chipotle ketchup. I've never even heard of that before, but it's pretty much my new favorite condiment. The Kobe burger is niiiice. I got mine medium rare, but I almost wish I'd asked for it extra-rare. I'm weird about ordering my beef rare in places I've never been to, but they cooked my med-rare burger perfectly, so I'd trust them to do rare really well. Wait, not well. Rare. You know what I mean. Like I said, I'm really picky about wings. I prefer mine to be drowning in sauce, so I was kind of sad to see that the wings at Sonora are pretty dry. They taste good, but they're just not as saucy as I'd like. It's a cute place, and if I lived in Phoenix, I'd probably be a regular for beers and Kobe burgers.
(4)Barbara W.
Had a great evening at SunUp Brewing. The beer is excellent. My husband and I got the sampler and our wonderful server gave us tastes of others, including their home brewed root beer. terms of food, I had a veggie wrap and homemade kettle chips. The wrap was ok; the chips were better. Husband's hamburger was cooked as ordered and the sweet potato fries were very good. We enjoyed sitting in the separate room, east of the patio, which was quiet on a Wednesday evening. We hope to get there again before we leave Phoenix, and we'll definitely be back on a return trip to the area.
(4)Paul D.
Vanilla porter and root beer pretty tasty. Rest of the beers below par. For the price food wasn't that great either. Wouldn't come back here again
(2)Robert O.
Sunday afternoon my brother and our friend scott rode our bikes on a massive thrifting tour and then to the SunUp Brewing Co. for bunch. We'd all been wanting to try out the place and sample their brews for a while. We arrived, and were told to pick any seat we desired, so we grabbed a booth. The first thing I noticed was the interior, it was fairly small but in a good way, the ambience of the place has a classic southwestern feel to it; and not in the kitschy way that non natives might assume a "sw" theme should feel. Perusing the menu I noticed that the prices seemed a little higher than i'm used to for pub grub, but i'm sure the quality would be deserving. after a while of checking out their digs and studying over the menu and drink/food specials they had for weekends we opted to go for the "order any regular appetizer and get you're first beer for $1" deal. seems like a good deal right? Scott ordered the light rail cream ale, Justin ordered the IPA? i think and I got their Vanilla stout. They were all delicious. My stout was especially good as the vanilla taste was merely a mild hint which gave it a great background flavor and left a lingering sweetness that was refreshing rather than sickeningly fruity/sweet. It was a classic stout whose femme-y name belies it's body and drinkability; certainly not a lady drink imo. My compatriots order the light rail cream ale wings and i order the "beer bread" w/ queso dip. The appetizers were, decent. not bad but not great. The real reason to come here is the beer; despite the fact i didnt try any entrees, or their delicious sounding kobe beef burger- i'm gonna go ahead and stand by my sentiment. When our lackluster waitress finally returned i asked for MY bill, she returned after 15 min. or so with all of our checks on one tab, and she had overcharged us after we'd asked her if the weekend special (order any app and get 1st beer for $1) was still in effect, to which she'd said yes. To be fair i'm sure it was an honest mistake, and she was probably really busy....yada yada yada we asked her for our seperate checks and about the special one more time, she apologized and returned with our checks and cheaper tabs. So all in all i like SunUp brewery but i'd return solely for the brews and leaves the eats to some place more qualified for my refined tastebuds.
(3)John T.
I've been eating here for years, since it was Sonora Brewery. I've always loved the food, the beer, and the service. I moved out of state a year ago, came back for business this week and HAD to have the yummy Kobe Burger. And I'm pleased to say, they didn't let me down. It was cooked perfectly, and the sweet potato fries appetizer was a great way to start the meal. Vanilla porter, delicious! And here's the kicker: after not setting foot in the place for almost a full year, my server knew not only how I wanted my burger, but also remembered what kind of dressing I liked on the side to dip my fries in! THAT'S personalized service! Five stars, SunUp...You deserve 'em!
(5)Stephen A.
Sun Up is my favorite craft brewery in AZ. Brewmaster Uwe is German and brews creative - quality American ales with a euro twist. While there are regular beers, the cask conditioned and strong ales change regularly. Recently they had 4 different kinds of IPA. Central Phoenix highlight - must visit. Order off of the chalk board - seasonal ales are the highlight here.
(4)Derrick Y.
It's really awesome to have this locally owned micro-brewery right on Central. What's even better is that they have really awesome food to go along with the beer that's brewed right on site. I've loved all the beers that they brew. My personal favorite is the Stinger IPA. Food wise, the Kobe beef burger is awesome. I did order the steak and shrimp here once and it was very good as well. This is one of my favorite places to do day drinking when I get the chance. The outdoor patio in the middle should be very nice to sit at and enjoy one of their finely crafted brews in the next couple of months. The mural on the back is awesome too.
(4)Jae C.
Fresh and locally brewed beer and bar food. Not expensive. It is a pretty good local place to hang out! Happy hour prices are good too.
(4)John G.
The oatmeal stout on cask was decent, but the rest of their beers had no body at all. I was very disappopinted. Atmosphere was very lame for a Thursday night.
(2)Halley S.
My boyfriend and I come here often. I am not a beer drinker, but my boyfriend loves micro brews and the food here is always fresh and very good. I like trying their daily specials which I have never been disappointed with or I get the fish and chips or the Shepperd's pie. For an appetizer try the green chile artichoke dip it is to die for:) The service is also always very good.
(5)Benjamin M.
Service was mediocre until a pair of regulars entered after me. Then I would have to give it a poor considering they got their beer before mine redardless of the fact that I ordered first. The food was less than good, with my Reuben looking like cafeteria food and my ceasar salad being basically lettuce, burnt croutons and bottled dressing. The beer was pretty good although the cream ale could benefit from a nitro pour and their order on the sampler is wrong, arranging them by alcohol content rather than IBU's. All and all, barely satisfactory. I will not be back. - Monday, 8/10/09 2:30pm
(2)Ken D.
Great Porter selection for the beer drinker who has taste. Great food as well. Excellent for happy hours too!
(5)Bobbie M.
I enjoy this place even tho I don't drink. The appetizer are really good, but I was disappointed that they no longer do 5.00 on ALL of them, just certain ones. At least they are good quality, but the chilli cheese fries lacked the essential component. ..chilli! There was barely any on the fries, which sucks, because their chilli is amazing. Good service, good food, but a little off point on portions of key ingredients, and pricey beers (per my boyfriend), that also added "they were worth it, tasted great"
(3)John S.
Best cask conditioned beer in Arizona. Uwe is a great brewmaster who knows how to craft beer to soaring heights. Skip the food and head straight to the brewery side to experience 3 unique cask conditioned beers. The selection of styles are growing every year. Stop on in..
(4)Max R.
I stopped in here yesterday for a drink. Enticed by a brewhouse in AZ I had to go in, I was also enticed by the fact that they were offering a Happy Hour from 3-6 even on a Sunday (it seemed that most places here in AZ don't offer Happy Hour Specials on Sunday). I was slightly disappointed when I found out that it wasn't a real happy hour, but a kind of happy hour (real happy hour is 2 for 1 drinks or fifty percent off, being honest here) while the happy hour offered here was a dollar off drinks. In fairness they offered half off appetizers, but only the one's without meat. Now I have read Michael Pollan as well and I am down with everyone consuming less meat (especially here in the Southwest) but it seemed a little rough to have rules like that at a beer drinkin' place....Anyway, I started off with the Barleywine. My mom had the root beer. The waitress returned several times to see if "us guys" were okay. When I was ready to order a second glass, the Trooper IPA caught my eye. My love affair with hoppy beers is so great, but she was kind enough to bring me a few small samples before I ordered it. In the end I went with the Amber Ale. Four stars because: The atmosphere was pretty nice, attentive staff (a little too much, especially on trying to get me ordering food), they brew their own beer, my total check wasn't too bad.
(4)Taric W.
The bacon and blue cheese fondue burger with parmesan garlic fries is my favorite burger/fries combo anywhere. Ever. Without rival. I find a few of the mainstay brews to be rather pedestrian (I'm looking at you, Light Rail Cream Ale), but their strong ales are great to drink with such a hearty meal. If there's a cask IPA, you NEED to go for it! Service is still awesome, and there are two separate rooms to dine in, as well as a patio. I prefer chilling at the second bar while watching some sports. Their happy hour is still legit, and IIRC still all-day Sunday. $4 pints is OK with me for local crafts, and while I still am not a fan of every appetizer they have, they've definitely improved while staying at a very low price. Definitely a great supper spot for me, and sometimes I have so much fun I catch a mighty buzz from day drinking. While I wish that Uwe guy would bust out with more imperial reds and coffee stouts more often, Sun Up definitely has what it takes to keep me coming back.
(4)Ashley K.
Very disappointing and not worth the money. It's the only local brewer in our part of phoenix so that's a plus! It's a older crowd with most of the guest in their 40s-50s. This was the first time back for me 6 months or so and they overhauled their menu for the worse unfortunately. The beer is actually pretty good, but like the rest of the menu overpriced. We went for happy hour and ordered bruschetta ($5 on HH) and nachos ($8 no meat). The bruschetta looked and tasted like they dumped pasta sauce on bread and the $8 nachos was really small! Probably 10 tortilla chips. Hope they realize their errors before they lose the rest of their customers. Can't afford to feed my man on those prices...
(2)Kevin A.
Went here with my wife and two adult sons for a belated Father's Day celebration on a Wednesday night about 7. It was busy, not crowded and we were seated right away. The decor is very basic - there is a bar and two rooms with table seating. I didn't ask about the brewing facilities or if there is a tour as we were more interested in catching up with our sons after being out of town for a while. After perusing the beer menu (all beer is brewed on site) I decided to have the Trooper IPA, others had the porter and pale ale. There were a nice number of special seasonal beers on the menu and they also have a full bar for non-beer drinkers. All were quite tasty and refreshing. We ordered pretzel bites and wings for appetizers. The wings were medium, with most of the flavor coming from the rub which gave them a nice crispy crunch while being juicy on the inside. The pretzel bites were soft and chewy with a creamy cheese sauce with a bit of a bite. For dinner I had pork and green chili which was a nice stew that came with soft tortilla wedges that had been roasted on the griddle. Nice blend of flavors in the stew - spice level was moderate (see my review of The Shed) but still quite nice and satisfying. For the stew I switched to their SB 1030 Session Pale Ale, the crispness of which paired nicely with the stew. If you don't know, SB 1030 was the Arizona law that allowed craft breweries and small batch wineries to compete on a more even footing with the large distributors and enabled many more craft breweries to open in the state (yea!). I would definitely go back and if you live in this area and are into craft beer you must make this a regular stop.
(4)April R.
SunUp was a great stop on my beer hop thru Arizona. If I lived nearby this would probably be my spot. Other breweries I visited also had good beer but something about this place was really cool and enjoyable. I felt really comfortable here. The parking was plentiful, the service good, the restaurant/brewery nice and the beer great. I sat and watched some baseball while trying a flight of many of the beers they had. All were good but my most favorites were the Little Tart Cherry Hef, the White Russian Imperial Stout, and the Vanilla Porter. If I am back in Phoenix I would stop here again.
(4)Cyn V.
My favorite lunch spot! We try to come here on Tuesdays for a quick and delicious bite. They usually have tacos and pozole on special and every bite is worth it. January at the bar is always very attentive and happy. I recommend coming here for their green chili, tacos, nachos, wings... You name it!
(4)Cody N.
Small, friendly staff, solid food. Exceeded expectations. Apparently my review isn't long enough....My cherry hef was tasty. Girlfriend liked her beer. I'm just killing time until my stereo next door is being installed
(4)John C.
I don't know what it was about their Amber, but I was blown away by it, and the other beers in the flight weren't bad either. I enjoyed this little place, it has a bit of character without being overwhelming. The nice bartender even let me substitute one of the specialty beers in the flight, and it's always fun to try a weird or seasonal beer. I thought I should have 2 paragraphs, but don't have more to say.
(4)Jon A.
I think the beer is just OK, but the food is pretty good. I had the fish and chips which was huge. Nice, friendly atmosphere as well. Good choice for a relaxing, easy going dinner.
(4)Nomes A.
The beer was good i got a lightrail cream.the food is super bomb i forgot the name but it was some stew with chease melted over it with a side of corn tortillas.bomb.will be coming back again.just need music
(4)Stacy M.
Great service by Emily! Check in & u get $1 off a beer (nice!) ordered the Sun Up salad w/grilled chicken and it was very tasty. I just recommend they serve it in a bowl instead of a flat plate, it was kind of hard to eat. Hubby's fish & chips were great' he chose onion rings instead which were big Ol' amazingness. Will be back!
(4)Samantha R.
Great food and a good beer selection! I love going here with a group of friends and sitting on the patio. Service is usually great, maybe a little pricey, but I think it's worth it. It's a smaller place and not quite as noisy as some of the breweries in the area can be. I would definitely recommend it!
(4)Jon H.
Today was a Great day. Not only was it the day after the worst "holiday" on the planet... Valentines Day, but it was also the first day of Arizona Beer Week. This was particularly special because it's my first time experiencing AZ Beer Week. To start the celebration off, we went to SunUp Brewing Company. I don't know much about them, but it turns out they do sell beer and they also make some really good food. I tried two of their brews, the Amber was the first. Pretty good. I would say it's a little lighter in flavor than other ambers I've had, but I liked it and would order it again. Next up was the Light Rail Cream Ale. Their description says that this is their closest thing to a domestic and I couldn't agree more. It's light, crisp and refreshing. Now to the food. We started with the pretzel bites which were okay. The best part about them was the side of mustard. It was actual legit mustard with mustard seeds, not the yellow nasty goop people put on hot dogs at baseball games. Then I had the Trooper IPA Pulled Pork sandwich with a side of the Green Chile Mac & Cheese. The sandwich had cole slaw on it with delicious tender BBQ pulled pork. I haven't had a BBQ sandwich that good since I left the South. I also haven't sought out BBQ too much since I've been in Phoenix, but bottom line is that it was a really good sandwich. The Mac & Cheese was also a winner. Giant elbow pasta with a nice mix of creamy and stringy cheese in each bite. The green chiles added some uniqueness, but I would have liked it just the same without them. The service was super friendly. Very good food and beer. Thanks to SunUp Brewing Company, the start to my first AZ Beer Week was a success.
(4)Bridget P.
I'm a huge brewery girl, and in Phoenix new ones seem to be popping up right and left. However, if you are in the downtown area, look no farther than this place - I'm shocked that their rating is lower than Phoenix Ale Brewery (next closest to downtown) because everything here is mearsureably better IMO. First thing, SunUp has a deal on Restaurant.com right now and so I took advantage of that today and a coworker and I went up there to grab lunch. I love the feel of the bar area with the exposed brick and wooden stools, its warm and welcoming but also feels like a cool joint. My coworker had never been but she too was immediatly impressed. Our waitress was nice and attentive, bringing out our drinks and taking our orders timely. She also noticed our $15 GC on the table and went ahead and took that off the bill for us witout us having to mention it. When we mentioned we were on our lunch hour, she made sure to keep our glasses full and get out food out fast, and even with the place filling up quickly she was on top of it and got us cashed out in a hurry. The food was really good - especially for brewery/bar fare. I went with the chicken ceasar wrap and my coworker went with the green chili dip. Both were great, and reasonablly priced. I had a great lunch here and will definately be back soon.
(4)Chelsea B.
Ok so I didn't care for the beer but this gets a lot of stars because of how insanely personable the staff is. When we walked in the bartender effortlessly balanced her bar tending abilities with guiding us to a seat of our choice. Top notch. Then once seated in a booth, the service was quick and personable without being overbearing. Our server, Catherine, was fantastic. She was incredibly informed and friendly. I had the double IPA W/ citra and my fella had the SB 1030 and the Tanline. All beers had the absolute chance of being fantastic but they just didn't stick the landing. We also had the pulled pork sandwich which was simple and delicious. I asked the sweet server where I could smoke and she not only assured me the patio was fine, but she walked me out and showed me a table. So. Sweet. I really only go to a brewery for beer but this place was so unpretentious and welcoming I'll drink whatever they bring me.
(4)Jennifer J.
We stopped in to pick up a growler for the Super Bowl. The beer was good (we had their amber) but the service was downright surly. Especially for a brewery, where the staff is usually so friendly. Maybe they weren't Seahawks fans?!
(3)Ed C.
Finding good food and beer on tap in Phoenix is not difficult. Finding great grinds and great brew is why I'm writing this review. I'm an IPA drinker by nature and this place did not disappoint. Check out the Sweet & Spicy BBQ Pork Sandwich with melted cheddar cheese on a honey roll. Mmmmm good.
(4)Rudy B.
great local beer destination that is standing the test of time. i will always be an advocate for more micro/craft breweries, which seem to be popping up at a rapid pace lately, and i will always return to sun up. i just had dinner there last night, and had the wings, which are always great. classic enough to satisfy a wing craving, but unique enough that you know where you are. their beer is great. i've been enjoying the tanline brown this summer, and their vanilla porter is fantastic. i would recommend the wraps (they are remarkably good), the grilled shrimp tacos, or green chili pork. i have never had the bread pudding, but i know i will finally dive in and order it at some point.
(4)Tiffany K.
This place was so surprising! We showed up wanting to watch a game, with a group of 8. We were a little put off by how small the establishment was. Then they guided us to another building that they opened early to accommodate our large group. Chris our waiter/bartender was amazing. He gave us amazing suggestions and tasters without us asking. All the food we ordered was great. We really enjoyed the bourbon barrel aged porter. Happy hour is from 3-6 and all appetizers are $5! We will be back!
(5)Stephen G.
This place is awesome. For what it is, a great little neighborhood beer joint that is consistently solid. Good food, GREAT BEER, and cool staff. Been coming here for almost 10 years.
(5)Roxanne G.
Good pub food indeed. Had my first Hefeweizen here. I'm not a beer drinker so I can't compare it to anything but, my friend who was stationed at in Germany for a few years told me it was superb! So yeah... There you go! Friendly service, a bit slow but had an enjoyable visit and seeing the onsite brew side was a cool plus!
(3)Krystle M.
My hubby & I stopped in to sample their craft beer, which by the way is awesome! Our server Chris was even more awesome. We had so much fun sipping our brews & sharing great stories & experiences. We would def recommend. Ask for Chris!
(5)Ron B.
Great craft beer in a very cool urban vibe. The place is really small, but very comfortable with a decent patio and nice rounded bar. I had the pretzels which were tasty. Other food looked really good. Will definitely be going back again.
(4)Alison S.
Ignore the 'wait to be seated' sign and grab a table or head to the outside patio. Love love this place. If you come in fairly often (1-2 times a month like me) they remember your meal and drink preferences. Service is always spot on and I've never had a bad meal here. Wish they'd bring back the salmon Reuben though. That was my addiction!!
(5)Jordon H.
Been here for the fourth or fifth time and always enjoyable. Love the atmosphere (people, and building structure/decor. Beers are SOLID! A+. A must try with appetizers, meals I haven't really dabbled in so I'm not sure. Cheers! And come try if you haven't already, what are you waiting for?!
(5)BJ B.
I am a fan and supporter of local breweries here in the valley. Last night I visited two of them in the city, SunUp was my second stop for the evening. So first impression when I walked in was that this place has got some interesting history to it. There were pictures of past figures and well known people within the community. The bar area has some limited seating so if you wanna head there with some friends, somebody needs to get there early. The rest of the place has plenty of seating for more private conversations. The brews are not too bad and I know I have seen the sunup crew at alot of beer festivals and events, so I do like that they go out there and represent who they are, gotta keep local brews alive! Llast night for me was two pints which were descently priced HOWEVER with my Yelp check-in, I only paid one dollar per pint and even got discounted appetizers! I was shocked but after talking to my bartender, I come to find out the owner is crazy for yelpers! So if you don't minda smaller size bar and a not too bad central location, go down a get a pint or two for a buck!
(4)Tiffani G.
Pretty good spot to check out. Had the pretzel bites, a burger and a pulled pork sandwich. All of the good was really yummy especially the pulled pork. As far as the beer selection I'm big on dark beer and was really looking forward to the vanilla porter. Unfortunately they were out so I wasn't really into it much. My boyfriend really enjoyed the IPA though, said they had a great selection. I'm sure I'll go back to give it another try, everyone seems to love it.
(3)Chris B.
The food was very good and the service was very good. I would highly recommend this restaurant. The large variety of beer that is brewed onsite was also very good!
(4)Greg M.
Sunup is the best brewery no one knows about. It's been there forever but we all just drive by not even noticing it. I go about once every 2 weeks. The beer is good the seasonal beer is amazing. But I don't go for the beer or the food, I go for the staff. The servers and bartenders are genuinely friendly. I know that one of the bartenders, Emily, recycles all the bottles. I recommend ordering the wings and a seasonal beer. Sit at the bar and chat up January or Emily. I don't think you'll regret it... I almost forgot Mollie is awesome.
(5)Sarah W.
The cherry hef and the vanilla porter were A-ok. Were they my favorite? No. Were they bad? Not at all. Would I consider buying this stuff in a pony keg for our place? probably not. They have a decent happy hour in which if we were close by I would rather stop here than going to a place like hazelwoods or dillys deli. But since St.Francis is across the street I would personally choose them over this. Had a manmosa yesterday for my bday which was awesome thats probably one drink I would definitely stop in for.
(4)Noor B.
Not bad. The vanilla porter is nice if you like dark beers. Trooper IPA is good, too. Pretzel bites are pretty good, although I think the ale cheese sauce is a little thin and plain. Servers are all really friendly. There's plenty of parking and the patio is nicely shaded. Lots of indoor seating as well if you want to enjoy the AC. I wouldn't mind stopping in again.
(3)Teel M.
Update re: overcharge: Manager Mollie from SunUp got in touch with me & credited back the difference; she also explained that, when looking through the receipts, she found another receipt with the same subtotal as mine but the doubled tip--probably the server entering all the receipts/tips from our group got the two mixed up (and charged the other person less). I applaud the responsiveness not just to a negative Yelp review but to a customer service issue; it was handled quickly and politely. Original review follows: Went to SunUp on Saturday with a group, they seemed nice & accommodating at the time & had offered us an entire room/building to ourselves (which we more than filled), ran separate checks/tabs for each person/family like any bar and the food & drink were good. 3.5 to 4 stars for the food & drink, I'd say. Just checked my bank account and noticed that *they doubled my tip*. Yes, I had filled in both the tip amount and the total amount clearly, and yes I did the same on my own copy of the receipt--and I keep all my receipts, and log them when I get home. A little neurotic, maybe, but I'm disputing the transaction with my bank right now, and at least I have the proof I need. *** See note above: This situation has been satisfactorily resolved and the dispute cancelled with my bank.
(3)Ariana M.
The food here was decent enough to stick around for, although what really disappointed me and my guests was the service. Our server seemed to really want to be somewhere else the entire time. She was not friendly, she didn't write our orders down, therefore a few things were missed, and most of all she never smiled! Also, didn't recommend anything on the menu, just told us what not to get, weird. Next time, I'll buy a 12 pack and host my own gathering.
(2)Troy W.
Stopped in for lunch and they have great food and good beers. The food kind of reminds me of gordon biersch and the beer selection was very unique and tasty.
(5)Bryan S.
Rate Beer: Fair (where's the hops in the IPA) Service: Great, very nice Atmosphere: Good. I like the beer garden.
(3)Hannah D.
Not impressed at all. Poor service, decent beer, poor food. Came here on a Sunday for happy hour the calamari I ordered was cold and it took me twenty minutes to get my beer. When I reminded our waitress she said oh I think she's changing the keg.. Okay that's fine but I would like to be told that before all my other friends have their drinks and I'm just waiting. Won't be back here.
(2)Aaron A.
I'm a huge fan of local breweries. Been a while since I've been to Sun Up a few times this isn't on the top of my list of favorite Az breweries. I asked myself why and decided to try it again and my answer was simple. For me there isn't a huge ambiance when going here. Basically I find it boring. Mainly because of the super tiny bar top once you enter. There are plenty of seats and a the place is actually big. Beer is just average in my book. Not bad, not great. Again I love local breweries, just Sun Up isn't on the top of my list. Just because its local, I know I'll give it another chance if I find myself in this area.
(3)Chris F.
I went to this place about once a week with my roommate over the course of a year living here. Always had a good experience with the exception of one girl there who has the personality of a mop. I find it amazing that someone can see you dozens of times, even after waiting on you, will not even acknowledge your presence. No head nod, no smile, just very unfriendly to the point of being rude. Last night I went there for their anniversary with my roommate, and then another friend had joined me later on. We ordered 2 chicken nachos from one girl. After 20 minutes, I made mention that we still didn't have them. Another girl said the order must have not made it to the kitchen. Another 20 minutes had passed and I then told the bartender. It took another 15 minutes on top of that. Never ONCE did anyone bother telling me what happened. No reason given. Honestly, no one even gave a Sh*t either. My buddy even commented on that after we left. No one even cared. Clearly the first person didn't put the order in. The second..who knows. No accountability what so ever! I won't be going back. I"ve worked in the restaurant business before for 4 years. Never has any restaurant I've eaten at or worked for not went out of their way to make up for an error on their part. No free beer on the house, no discount for the next time, no free nachos, no half off the nachos, not even god damn apology! I'll never recommend this place to anyone as I have in the past. And I did so fairly often.
(1)Michelle A.
First, let me reiterate that this is one of those times that I wish there were half stars in the rating system. It is definitely better than a 3 but I am not quite ready to give it a 4. I do have to say that it really all comes down to the purpose of your visit here. Its a brewery. As a brewery it was so fun and we really enjoyed our server, Amanda. She was helpful and knowledgeable, as was most of the staff that visited our table. Ambiance, meh. I wanted to sit outside but it reeked of cigars and cigarettes so we settled for a booth in a side room. The front room was definitely where it was happening. Mostly locals/regulars, from what we gathered. An eclectic bunch of people. We only had appetizers so again, hard to know what the regular menu was about. Our green chili quesadilla was burnt on the outside but the inside was good. The melted cheese was the right consistency. Our calamari tasted like most bars. Good, crunchy. The big hit for us was the hot artichoke and green chili dip. I could have eaten the whole thing myself (I think I did). So, I will definitely go back. Found the beer that I liked the best...the Lightrail Creme Ale was my favorite. And I would probably try something of the dinner menu. I'll keep you posted.
(3)Sonya K.
I recently had my wedding rehearsal dinner here and was very satisfied with the service (Catherine), and correspondence from the GM (Mollie), regarding the reservation. We had our own private room, and chicken buffet with a private bar. My guests were very satisfied with the food. The craft beer is a plus too! ;)
(4)Christopher G.
In order to have our cask Ale you must order both the barley wine and the cask ale. It is two 11ounce pours then you . . .pick the one you like more. Yeah, when I'm trying craft brews I want complicated rules and stupid ranking games. This is a brewery plus pizza place, and on both fronts it is decent. Not exceptional. I found the beers solid and tasty (a very unique heff for instance) I went there for happy hour ( The happy hour deal couldn't beat the yelp check-in offer (any beer for $1.00). Nor, does the happy hour work for this weird-stupid-whatever $11.00 to buy one beer deal I discussed earlier. Bottom line - a fun place, friendly enough staff. Guys just quit the stupid beer games and sell pints. ..
(3)Kevin P.
Nice cozy neighborhood brewery. Friendly staff, bearded brewer with smiling face on website, what more do you need? Ok, honestly the beer is nothing special. Amber, ipa, pale ale, cream ale, yadda yadda, heard it all before. But in this instance I don't mind. I'm not looking for some ginger infused sour beer at Sunup. I'm looking for solid drinkable beer at great prices with a friendly staff and a simple but satisfying menu. And hey, every now and then they'll throw something interesting on cask. Come and get it.
(4)S P.
This is a must-stop for every craft brew fan visiting Phoenix. Located near downtown in a small lot. Broad spectrum of brews including several cask brews and firkin draws. Great menu and friendly, fast service. Nice relaxing atmosphere to enjoy beer with the locals. Try the garlic fries or green chili dip-yummy!
(4)Chad G.
Whenever I know I'm going to be in the area I always have my growler ready for a pour. I've been twice and don't remember anything about the food to blow your mind away but their beers are tasty!
(4)David H.
Food was regular bar food, the beer was ok. Omg but the wait staff, yeah that's what we did, WAIT. Had to call them over to take our order, bring drinks and our bill. All of this with only 6 people in the restaurant and 4 wait staff. Will give them one more chance.
(2)Susan R.
This was my first visit to Sunup Brewery I really enjoyed the red IPA. The chicken wings were pretty good as well. I was quite surprised to learn how much the owner loves Yelp members. The brewery is small and quaint compared to others I have frequent. If I was in the neighborhood I would definitely stop by for a pint or two to quench my thirst.
(4)Rob P.
If you're into great craft beer, don't waste your time here. The cask conditioned IPA tastes like dish water. Food was average. Meh.
(2)Valerie G.
Unbelievably HORRIBLE service. Never again!! My husband and I have been to this restaurant twice now within a few years. Our first experience was ruined by a very rude waitress. We stayed away from the place. Recently we thought we would give it another go. We were greeted warmly by the bartender and asked to seat ourselves. It was early evening, cool and breezy outside, so we chose the patio. A waitress came out and literally said 'What do you want?' My husband said 'Well, can we start with some menus?' She turned and went back into the restaurant. She brought the menus and the beer list (which have no descriptions of what the beers are like, btw) and we waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. We finally gave up. We walked through the restaurant to leave and there was our supposed waitress, standing there doing nothing. Sorry SunUp - we tried you twice - your staff need some serious customer service training. Oregano's got your business that night.
(1)Ella M.
Beer. Burgers. Wings. How can you go wrong? Well, my burger was over cooked and lacked flavor. Their craft brews are ok, but they have a pretty good variety. I really like the fact that they bring you a chilled glass! That is rare in these parts! I'll definitely try this place again in hopes that they rotate their beer selection and include some seasonal offerings.
(3)Anthony W.
For me, Sun Up is a strange concoction of microbrewery, pub food, hipster alternative music and silent sports bar. I filly do not understand why this place keeps the tv on, and volume off... Especially when there is a game people really want to watch. The beer is tasty and the selection is pretty good. The service can be hit and miss (I was here one day and the oven was broken, limiting the menu). But it's not bad. Overall, the get 3 stars.
(3)Stephanie F.
A cute and fun little fine in downtown PHX. We had the beer samplers which was enjoyable. We also sampled the Apple Cider which was good, but not home brewed. As for food, we sampled quite a bit! Reuben and club sandwiches were good. Honey BBQ wings, garlic Parmesan fries, calamari and pretzel bites were also good. The cheese for the pretzels was gross. The best items were the green chile artichoke dip and the home brewed rootbeer.
(3)Errol N.
Beer... Yes Please!! Great Place Emily, January and Jamie are the best! Any beer on Casket is the best! Great place to meet the locals too!
(5)Arizona T.
Great beer! Didn't try the food. Very friendly folks.
(4)John J.
Been coming here (almost daily) since I moved back from California in 2007. And finally decided to write a review. Great place! The food is excellent. Love their wings. And the beer is amazing. But what really sets this place apart is the fact that it truly is a place where "everybody knows your name". The servers do an excellent job of getting to know their customers (especially January - who really likes coffee, by the way). Have made some good friends here over the years. Excellent staff + Great food + Great beer + Good people + Only thing that would make this place better is cushy patio chairs and bikinis.
(5)RillaAnn J.
The first time we came here the "seat yourself" sign was visible, so thats what we did. Fifteen minutes later, we left. No one ever came to greet us.... This time, we were set immeadiately and ordered some beers. Everything started out fine... Some of the wings that came with our order were so over cooked, there was no meat left. They were the ones conveniently located at the bottom of the stack. Once we ordered our entrees, our server started coming around a lot less.... Our food took a while, it seemed. I ordered a burger, pretty basic, but when our server offered me a temp request I said medium. It came out over cooked, but still good. I hate being asked, then end up disappointed. The onion rings were delicious and my beer was AMAZING (White Russian Imperial Stout). Now, my husband order the red pepper pasta dish.... Starting off, the pasta was over cooked. The sauce was more like a butter sauce and hardly resembled red pepper anything. The green chili mac led me to the same disappointment, i just didn't think it was good (there is another place on 7th st... that green chili mac is delicious!). My husband and i both agreed the beer was great, he had the hefeweizen. I really doubt we will return.
(2)Jason C.
I love the local brew scene in Phoenix, it has grown so much over the last couple of years. SunUp is right in the middle of it all. With a wonderful selection of beers brewed right on property its really hard to go wrong. If you not sure which one to get you can always try a sampler and pick any 4. The food is really good as well, I have already tried the Shepherd Pie and the Kobe burger, both were really good. You can go for happy hour and get any appetizer for $5.00. Like beer and good food, I would definitely recommend this place!
(5)Adrian B.
I love this spot. There is an awesome living social deal going on right now too. The seasonal pale ale they have right now is amazing. The wings are so good. I got the honey hot. I'm going back again this week. I am also considering having my next birthday in the adjacent brew house.
(4)Leslie C.
Warning I may be beer bias coming from the NW so the sun up beer wasn't anything I'd take home so I'm glad I got the living social deal to sample first. On the flip side their cider is good! Nachos were ok. Their chicken strips & onion ring are horrible too much beer breading. They said their mac&cheese with green chili's was great - ugh sorry it was not. Maybe go with a sandwich or burger and have better luck.
(3)Cindy S.
Great food, beer, friendly service. Love their bread pudding :). Definitely check 'em out! We come down as often as we can ... it's our fav hang out :)
(5)Mike M.
So much better than my last visit. Service was awesome and so was there food. I'm glad I gave this place another chance I will definitely come back to eat here again. My wife and I really enjoyed our lunch at the anniversary party and had a decent band. I would like to see some more variety with their crafted beers
(4)Ingrid E.
This place is so good!!! Their seasonal beers are bomb and my favorite dish Is the grilled shrimp taco! Great service, great food and above all great beer! !
(5)Jakob M.
My family and I were vacationing in Arizona, and only had 1 afternoon to kill in Phoenix, so decided to swing by the SunUp Brewery for lunch. I had the Trooper IPA, which was definitely tasty. My sister had the beer sampler, and was able to try all the beers. She wasn't a huge fan of the Stinger Pale Ale, but really liked the Vanilla Porter. Prices here were definitely on the low/average side for a pub. The Brickhouse Nachos were certainly worth the $7. The portion wasn't huge, but it was loaded with cheese, onions, tomatoes, black olives, jalapenos, and guacamole (sour cream on the side). There were only 4 of us and we were still pleased with how much it filled us up! I had the Chicken Caesar Wrap (with buffalo sauce), which was definitely good and packed to the brim. The others in my group enjoyed the chicken tenders, chicken club (was a special that day) and the Fajita Salad. Overall, very pleased with the food and service.
(4)Chrystalle B.
Lets start w/ this: this place comes up on you quickly. If youre not actively looking for it, you may miss it. And when Camelback is busy, itll be a chore trying to get back to it. This place is not as tiny as you think, it has different rooms. Ive been by the door near the 1st bar and all the way at the back bar across the patio. The staff is great,we've never had bad service here, and its usually very busy. The food here is good, not as good as some other breweries that serve food, but also definitely not like your average bar food. The beers here, I dont so much enjoy. The Vanilla stout was good, but everything else was kind of bland. I should mention that we got samplers the 1st time we came as to try everything, They did, however, brew a special cherry beer for the AZ Girls Pint Out group that was awesome. Seriously, if you ever see that they have Cherry Buzz on tap, get it. I wont be coming here again, but I encourage those who like craft beer to check it out. You may find something you like.
(3)Becca H.
I went to this place to chill out with some friends and found a awesome to get a beer with friends. I noticed that this place served food but I didn't try any while I was there. It was nice to find a local place that offer locally made beers instead of the typical large company beers. It was also nice to see that the servers were knowledgable about their products. During my visit I tried the local amber and was pleasantly surprised. It was smooth and delicious. The second beer I tried was a crimson red. It had the bitterness of a red without being too bitter. I had the opportunity to sample the whiskey beer wine which was flavorful but not my cup of tea but it was worth the try. It was a cool evening and we sat on the patio. The only downside was that there was not enough heaters to make it enjoyable. Overall it was a good place to hang out with some friends.
(4)Ryan R.
3 steps to bliss: 1. Whatever you are doing right now, stop. 2. Go to Sun Up. 3. Get a smoked salmon Rueben. My brother drug me here during a recent visit and told me the pork verde was really good. He was right, but when I see something as strange as a salmon Reuben on the menu, I just have to give it a try. It was amazing. I haven't been that surprised by delicious food in years. I didn't do a full beer tasting, but I did have the barley wine and it was very good. It was very fresh, as it should be in a brewhouse, but you could also tell they keep their lines and tap really clean. All I tasted was beer; it was served in a slightly chilled glass. Thanks, January!
(5)Jeremy P.
I met a few of the coworkers here for lunch, never having been here before. I don't really frequent the brewhouse scene. When I asked the server what they had in the way of nonalcoholic beverages, she mentioned they have homemade root beer. Of course I had to try that out. The root beer is delicious. I still have not obtained closure on the root beer mystery: it tastes virtually identical to Sonora Root Beer, which is Arizona's finest brew, and available at numerous local restaurants. It appears as if SunUp formerly had (or still has?) some sort of partnership with Sonora Brewing Company, or if Sonora is even still a "thing"; I'm not sure if this means they now make the root beer, or what. Whatever it is, the root beer is delicious. The food? It was, well, OK. I went with the black and bleu burger, medium rare, with garlic parmesan fries. I did like the fries, and the burger had a nice flavor. The meat, however, was not the greatest (or the most plentiful), so I can't say this is a place you would go for a burger. The menu in general is nothing special, although if I go back, I would try that smoked salmon reuben. I think that is the only item on the menu that really struck me as unique. Overall, a decent restaurant, but nothing I would go out of my way for.
(3)Kevin B.
Had the pale ale with cascade hops on the cask followed with a pint of the hefeweizen. Beers were quite good and worthy of a trip back. Wings were flavorful and plentiful. Lots of good flavor with just the right amount of heat. The turkey burger was decent but could have used a little more flavor.
(4)Chukki S.
Eh, this place needs some help. Jon Taffer anyone? My friend ordered chicken wings and they were not cooked all the way. He had to send them back. My food also seemed to be a bit undercooked but I ate it anyways. Our bartender was very friendly and did a great job but the kitchen clearly needs help. This place would be a great candidate for Bar Rescue. There is potential here.
(2)Katie H.
Came here for Sunday beers. Local atmosphere. We could tell there were a lot of regulars there. The waitress could have been a little more friendly. I got the 4 sampler of beers because they had too many IPAs to chose from and my boyfriend had the triple IPA. Beers were good. We also ordered the chili fries for $6. We were expecting something a little larger but they're were very tasty and worth the $6. My only issue is the bathrooms. Definitely could use a little air freshener or two.
(3)Deb S.
First stop on our pub crawl. Great service, nice vibe, and plenty of choices. Their brewer is out of town but we still enjoyed all the great beer they had to offer. The food was good pub fare and the root beer was some of the best I've ever tasted. Inside is cozy, and the patio was quite pleasant.
(5)Clubber Z.
Good craft beers. The seasonal brews can be excellent. Nice cozy atmosphere. I didn't try the food.
(4)Chris B.
I knew that SunUp would be an eventual beer destination for me, but never got around to checking the place out until fate intervened. I had planned on meeting a friend at Angel's Trumpet Ale House (another fine venue for beer fans) only to find out they were closed on Mondays. SunUp however, was open and was my first suggestion so that I could still hang out with my lovely lady friend who is also a connoisseur of fine beers. SunUp turned out to be a cozy little place to enjoy beer and some righteous grubble. Knowing that my drinking companion was also a vegetarian (although she allows for bacon, which makes her an ovolactopesciporkatarian), we chose to split the nachos (sans meat) and the smoked salmon reuben. We also sampled the onion rings, which were downright tasty (especially if you sweet talk the waitress into bringing you a side of the remoulade that is normally served with their shrimp)! Although I found the smoked salmon reuben a tad on the salty side, I appreciated the fact that it was served on a nice marble rye. As for the beer, I found it fresh and quite drinkable. They offer their own house beers as well as guest taps, so I found the selection was ample enough to satisfy my beer wanderlust. The atmosphere was my favorite element of SunUp... it seems to be a great gathering place and yet it is intimate enough to serve as a decent place to take a date. Even better if your date digs beer, but you definitely won't be disappointed with the gemütlichkeit (cozy ambiance). Prost!
(4)Kev C.
Turkey burger was legit, green chili style. The nachos were a little plain, but still good. Pretzel bites were decent, the cheese sauce made them. The wings looked good, but I didnt have any, Had half of my aunts philly steak and it was delicious. Stuck with the seasonal beer all night and it was really smooth and really good. overall, great experience, decent food, great beer, great atmosphere, accommodated a party of 10 with no problem, $5 appetizers during happy hour. we'll definitely be back again.
(4)Art R.
Been awhile since we've been here but still top notch beer. I think the food has gone down a little though, seems to be hastily put together.
(4)Isaac S.
It wasn't bad. But it isn't a brewery I'll visit again. The beer was ok, the seasonal brews were pretty good. They had a cask red ipa with simcoe and cascade hops that I found delicious. The bar service was good. The wings were decent, good flavor but drowned in sauce.
(3)Stephen B.
This place is great!! Parking was easy and ample, the interior was clean, inviting, and cozy. Service was quick to seat us and make us comfortable. The appetizers were great, and servings more than ample. Wings were meaty and tasty, pretzel bites were warm and very good, the hummus plate was a meal in itself. The menu looks to have something for just about everyone. My burger was cooked to order and very tasty as was the cole slaw. We didn't have the fries or onion rings, but we noticed that other patrons ordered them and they looked great as they went past our table. My wife had the Oktoberfest brew, and said it was wonderful. We found our new favorite place to take and meet friends.
(5)Monica J.
I have never been a big fan of SunUp's beers. I usually prefer amber or brown ales but there is something a little off about their amber. So, I did not really ever make it a point to visit their brewery before. Then I saw that last week, for AZ beer week, they were doing something kind of fun. Beer floats. That's right, they had paired four of their beers with different flavors of gelato: cream ale with strawberry gelato, pale ale with blood orange sorbet, amber with sea salt caramel gelato and vanilla porter with tahitian vanilla gelato. Some were better than others but it made for a fun experience. I just love the fact that there are so many breweries in town now and they each have their own vibe but yet they are all part of the local craft beer community. The brewery itself was very homey and comfortable. It was decorated with a lot of wood paneling that was probably left over from the seventies but it gave it sort of a cozy country lodge feel. They have a nice inner courtyard with a secluded patio even though they are on a major street in the middle of downtown. There is a larger separate room where it seems most people who are eating a meal get a table, but the main bar area is pretty small. Most of the people there seemed to be regulars and it was an eclectic mix of ages and personalities. The bartender (who was also the hostess and the server) was very friendly and that also contribuited to the warm and fuzzy feeling we got while sitting at the bar. Though I don't go that often, I will probably return to SunUp. Firstly because I have discovered that their porter is actually pretty good, and secondly because it just seems like a cool place to hang out. The main thing that kept them from another star was the awful smell in the ladies room. My hubby said it was even worse in the mens. Gross. I hope it is not a permanent thing.
(3)Amanda N.
The food and beer is amazing. Top that off with a killer wait staff and bartender Jeannette! The husband and I love this place!!!
(5)Kathy J.
Sweet little brew pub with friendly clientele and staff we checked out after the final DBacks game of the 2013 season. The craft beers are really good. The only food item we tried was an artichoke and green chili dip covered in melted, shredded cheese and served with tortilla chips...low cal and delicious! It goes great with a cold beer for sure. They are super close to the Camelback light rail stop so if you are on your way downtown or back from there, I'd suggest you give them a try. They are on the north side of Camelback and their sign is low profile so it's easy to miss...keep your eyes open for it.
(4)Amanda M.
Only came in for beer sampler flight. Prompt service from friendly bartender. Really nice cream ale and vanilla porter. I hate IPAs and even sort of liked theirs.
(5)Meredith M.
I'm not sure why I order burgers in general, because generally I don't like them very much. Not the case at SunUp. I have had the burger with the blue cheese fondue on it several times now, and it is amazing. The bun is chewy, burger is juicy, and the blue cheese is very blue-cheesy. It was cooked to perfection and served with some crispy fries that were also very good. I have yet to be disappointed. My friend had the club, and it is a giant sandwich and looked delicious. His only compliant was there isn't any "regular" white bread available to put it on. Another friend had the green chile pulled pork and said he really enjoyed it. The beer on the other hand - I really have struggled to like. As an avid drinker of the "other" brewery in Tempe's flagship beer, I am always looking for a red-type ale, which they have, but I find too hoppy. So I recently have had the Pale Ale, which has a good flavor, but once again I run into a hop issue. I just really am not a fan of hoppy beers, and as of my last sampler tasting, these are too much for me. Another bonus of SunUp is the small, partially-covered patio. There aren't many tables, but it is perfect for lunch in the nicer weather.
(4)Rebecca R.
My husband and I have been coming here since before it was called SunUp. I think the other name may be copyrighted so I won't mention it. Whenever we come here we get something different but always order the homemade rootbeer (unless they're out!) and a side of kettle chips. Keep up the good work SunUp!
(4)Brian B.
Today was my first experience with SunUp brewing. All in all it was pretty awesome. The food was great, the beer was fresh and awesome. My wife and I asked the waitress/bartender several questions about their craft brews, which are brewed in house and they had all the answers and knew what they were talking about. I am a craft brewer too and was testing them with some of my questions and they were spot on with the answers. I will 100% be back there in the future! Awesome beer and food!
(5)Kat K.
Been here 3 times. I don't know how I ended here the 2nd time, let alone the 3rd. This doesn't reflect the staff, who have been very helpful and friendly. I think the beer is just OK. Actually, its forgettable. I can't give the place 2 stars because the brews are not that bad, but I am not a fan either. See, I already forgot what beers I tried out. Though I do remember they were cool, not cold. This is one of those reviews where I just don't know what to say, my experiences here were just blase. I think its because I found the ambiance kinda dull. There was a fun couple at the bar with us, trying to make it more lively, but sadly it just was not happening. Everything was an effort. I won't be back for a 4th visit (I say that now, we will see). But I do wish this venue the best.
(3)Brian M.
This is a neighborhood bar and grill located in Windsor Square. I like to sit at the main bar here because you always get roped into some conversation with the friendly bartenders and the folks sitting next to you. Their regular beers are good or OK and I usually get the Trooper IPA. However, they usually have seasonal or special beers of the day, which almost always contain a double or triple IPA, which are great. As far as food it is definitely bar food but I do enjoy their nachos (not really the best thing on the menu, I'm just a sucker for nachos), wings and fries. I do hear their fish and chips are superb as a gentleman from Vancouver wouldn't shut up about it one night. Sun Up runs a lot of specials like Chili dog Monday (Chili dog and beer for $6), Wing Wednesday and Happy Hour all day Sunday.
(4)Monique H.
This is a nice little pub. January is everything you would want out of a bartender - funny, quick to serve up your next beverage and easy on the eyes. I had the SunUp IPA, pretty tasty. To eat I ordered the Sonoran Chicken Salad - or something along those lines. Aside from the sliced chicken breast, the salad tasted exactly like the prepackaged southwestern salad you can get at the supermarket. I'm not all together sure that they didn't just give me the salad straight from the bag.
(3)Leslie G.
we didn't even know this place existed until I saw a living social deal and snagged it. then the deal sat and sat until almost expiring. After spending the morning hiking we were in the area and decided to pop in. The living social deal was 2 beer flights, an appetizer and 2 pint glasses to take home. The sampler was a tasting of the entire line up, so 7 samples. Found a few favorites and a couple we didn't like, but the vanilla porter was delish! Not our typical style of beer, but will most definitely order it again. Instead of getting the 2 pint glasses to take home they honored our request to have a couple pints of beer instead! Our server was just amazing - she was friendly and informative - big props to Angela for great customer service. We loved the atmosphere and oh - the food. It was good. For our appetizer we got the green chili dip with chips. It was good - not amazing, but we were starving from our hike and cleaned the bowl. We also ordered a BLT breakfast sandwich from the brunch menu which I thought was great. It was your typical BLT, but served on a croissant with a fried egg on top and served with home fries. So very good - next time I won't share though and order it only for myself. They definitely seem to have a local following as everyone that came in after us seemed to know someone else already there. When the locals like it and keep coming back you know it is a good thing. We will be back!
(4)Jeremiah T.
I worked down the block from this joint for years and kept forgetting to stop by the place until I briefly spoke with Uwe at another beer event and was inspired by his jolly nature to get my ass in there and try his beer. My expectations weren't high for the place overall, and BOY did I feel like a jerk when I found it to be such a nice place with good beer (and plenty varieties of it) and food that was truly delicious. I figured it would be limited to standard bar food, but they have home style meals as well. My date got wings, which were good, and I got a chicken plate with mashed potatoes that was just about a perfect portion size for being satisfying, yet leaving room for beers. The vanilla porter was delicious!
(5)Phyllis A.
I have eaten at SunUp Brewing Co. at least 4 times (maybe 5) since moving back to Phoenix in January...it' one of my favorites! I'm not a beer drinker so I can't rate the beer. I came upon SunUp Brewing Co. through Restaurant.com . I like to try different restaurants so I use Restaurant.Com to find them so if it's not a good experience I'm not paying full price for the meal. :-} On to my experiences...the first time I went there I was disappointed in the service; my pasta dish arrived lukewarm and the pasta had started to stick together from sitting in the kitchen, BUT I left my comments on Restaurant.com and was surprised to receive an email from the owner (maybe?). I received an apology with a request that I give them another try...and I did. All my subsequent dining experiences have been superb! I'm hooked on the spicy pasta dish with salmon. I have taken friends and visiting family members there and they order different dishes and all have said they liked their dishes. I haven't tried any of their dishes because I don't want anything to "taint" my taste-buds from enjoying my favorite dish. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly.
(4)Liz S.
I like sunUp. I like the beer, its good, I especially love the IPA. Oddly enough, I have yet to eat at SunUp. I just really like that this is a nice place to kick back and have a cold one. The services is consistently quick and friendly, and the selection is great.
(4)Rhonda H.
First time there, I'm a big fan of craft beers, these guys nailed it! Had a burger & onion rings, awesome! We started out with the sampler, I don't usually like dark beers, but I enjoyed them all. My fav was the Lightrail Cream Amber! A must try in Phoenix!!
(5)Jim P.
They brew a decent beer. Last time I was there I tried some crazy-high IBU IPA, or DIPA from the cask - which was quite smooth and an excellent brunch beer despite the amount of hops. The food is fairly standard brew-pub fare. You can get shrimp sliders, burgers...that kind of thing. As for their website - u can click on that link above, but it won't do you much good. They don't seem to update it ever - so its useless to see what they might have on cask, or the current seasonal. And that menu link? Circa prior-to-the-name-change from Sonoran Brewhouse, so you can't rely on that.
(3)Brad W.
Stopped in for a 10pm drink and place was pretty empty for a Saturday night. Employees seemed more concerned with closing up and making plans for later even though the place didn't close until midnight. A bar should stay open til 2am, but the owners of this place I was told prefer an earlier closing time. Menu looked pretty lame with items crossed out with a marker and we decided to skip the food. Beer is good here since this is a brewery. Huge oatmeal stout fan, but this wasn't the best version and that is all I tried.
(3)Julie M.
The place has a cool atmosphere, and the waitress was very friendly. They do a great burger and chips. The root beer is worth a try, too. I'm making this my lunchtime hang-out.
(5)Meschelle H.
So, it has been a while (a long while) since we ate here, but there's always room for more Yelp reviews! Ok, so back when I was a meat eater, I ordered the Kobe beef burger (I was excited), I asked for it medium, cause I can't take a totally bloody burger. We both ordered their beer sampler, (6 four-ounce beers!!) and the server also brought a taster of a seasonal beer for us. Let's just say by the end of it, I was super tipsy! The Light Rail cream ale is good if you're new to beers, or just like lighter brews. I am not a hop head, so the IPA was definitely not my fave nor was the Red Ale. The hef tasted rotten, and I usually like wheat beers, so maybe something was a little off. My favorite, hands down, was the Vanilla Porter! I absolutely adore dark beers (Stouts/Milk Stouts, Porters, etc.) and this one was a perfect blend of vanilla and dark beery goodness. I still think about this beer, and I will go back for it someday. The food was a different story. Remember how I asked for my burger medium? Yeah, it came out well done, which sucked...but I ate it anyway, cause I needed something besides beer in my stomach. I don't remember my partner being over the moon with her meal, she wasn't disappointed either. It's the kind of food I will eat if it's there...but I won't go out of my way to get it. The service: I've had better and I've had worse. Cheers.
(3)Larry G.
Food and beer have been great for years, I heard they have a new manager so I went back to try out. Service is great now.
(4)Toryanni E.
The food here was fantastic and so was the service!
(5)Whitney H.
My brother is a total beer snob and loves trying out local breweries, so when he came in town this weekend he picked SunUp for us to check out. My father and brother were already there when I arrived and my dad said that the waitress told him everything on the menu is good (which in my mind is the same as saying nothing on the menu is good). My brother and I picked the fish and chips with garlic/parm fries, and my dad got the shepherd's pie. My brother got the flight of seven (I think? that's usually the number served for a flight at these types of places) beers and enjoyed them. The food was a different story though. The fish was one giant piece, which wasn't bad in itself, except that the breading was super thick and not crispy at all, really. It was also a bit dry. The garlic/parm fries were WEIRD - just something about the taste was wrong. The coleslaw literally made me laugh out loud when I tried it - it tasted like nothing. No salt, no vinegar, nothing. My dad, who will virtually eat anything, salted it and said it still wasn't good. His shepherd's pie looked okay, and he ate it and said it was alright. I would personally never come back here for food. Maybe just some beers.
(2)Beth K.
Had the grilled chicken sandwich, the Mac & cheese with green chiles - both delicious! Accompanied by the heifeweisen for a very satisfying lunch.
(5)John A.
My fiance and I have been coming here for a little over a year. We have since moved from the surrounding area, but we stop by when we are hitting up the furniture places in the Melrose District. Meal: The fiance usually gets the edge salad, the veggie burger or the nachos. I typically whatever is on the special, such as the pot pie . . . and onion rings! I am a big fan of any of cask ales and the light rail cream ale. The fiance always goes for the wheat beers or something with a strong fruity taste. Taste: First and foremost, the onion rings are the best in the valley. They are thick and bread-y. Yes . . . that is a new word in the Yelp lexicon. The beer can be hit or miss, but if they haven't run out of the cask ale, run with it. The food is spectacular. I rarely go with something on the menu because their daily special is usually a stand out! 8 out of 10. Value: Portions are pretty reasonable. They definitely don't skimp on portions. My fiance and I always end up a to-go box. 4 out of 5. Service/Cleanliness: Service at SunUp is its Achille's heel. The servers can be rude and rarely know the menu. And its funny and kind of sad when the staff is unable to describe the beers on tap. Its a brewery . . . I would imagine they would know what the beers are like. Finally, their beers are served too warm sometimes. The temperature of some of their beers are room temperature. I respect the fact that some beers are to be served warm depending on the style, but the entire selection isn't to be served at room temperature. 4 out of 10. Atmosphere: I like the atmosphere because its low key, has a great patio, and a nice variety of music. The bars are pretty nice and when the bartenders are actually working, the conversation adds to the experience. 3 out of 5. Overall: If you are in the area, stop by for a visit. I wouldn't avoid Friday and Saturday evenings. I would drive across town to try it out and just be prepared for poor service. 19 out of 30 points, 3 out of 5 stars.
(2)Jill D.
Cask drawn IPA.....good stuff!
(5)Evan B.
4 Stars for beer only 2 for their food. One of the best micro brews I have ever had was here. It was a cask conditioned IPA that was just incredible. It is great that they offer a cask conditioned beer and a rotating seasonal beer along with the wide selection of standard brews. Prices are on par for a micro brew $4-5 per pint. My dinners here have been fine but nothing special just common bar and grill food. The Nachos were decent but cheese on chips can't be bad. the selection is a bit uninspired in the food department. Burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, salads and the usual fried appetizers. I will be going back again and again for their great beer.
(4)Dawn B.
After a five and a half hour drive from San Diego, we showed up needing two things: (1) something to eat; and (2) a cold beer. We found them both at the SunUp Brewing Company. The menu is primarily pub food - burgers, nachos, and wings - although they did have a grilled salmon special that sounded good. There was a minor mix up with the kitchen, but the service was great and the beers more than made up for it.
(4)David R.
Me and my friends checked this place out because of a Groupon which got us a flight and logo pint glass. The location is kind of obscure being not in the greatest of Camelback areas but the brewery itself is very nice. We had some nice outside seating and ordered only beer and apps. The little food we tried was great and definitely going to go back for dinner soon. The beers I enjoyed the most were the Amber and the Vanilla Porter. They also had a seasonal Stout that was also surprisingly delicious. Great for a nice dinner with craft beer.
(3)Valerie A.
Service was great. Loved the BlackBerry Pear Cider. The seasonal double IPA was delicious too. Wait for special guest Black Pat and your time will be amazeballs.
(4)Chris P.
We have driven past this place several times. We never really drink so breweries are never high on our list to visit. The inside is very very nice and inviting. the staff very friendly and fairly quick service. we arrived at an off time between lunch and dinner and saw how quickly the place started to fill up as we finished are dinners. we had the light rail cream ale and the vanilla porter. pretty good. the prices were really good as well. Seems like it would be a great place to hang out with friends. also very clean. we will be back again soon
(4)David L.
High Strength Cask Ale. $5. This beer has generous amounts of floral hops without being loud. The malts are crisp and the ale is well balanced. This is a real ale and a good sipper. Served in a dimpled pint glass. I place an order for the sea bass special. $14. Perfectly baked with a beurre blanc sauce and most likely reduced with one of the ales and on the side, seasonal vegetables. Excellent meal. Sitting on the breezy patio was pretty good as the interior was solid packed. The only annoyance was the occasional smoker. What I would give to light up a rollie. But being a reasonable non-smoker, I ignore the irritant. Anyway somebody tell the landlord it was a great time.
(4)Nicole G.
Menu isn't very appealing, however the food is delicious. Had the Cesar salad and soup, very good. Husband had the shrimp slider which were very good. Service is very chill, kinda a small place but VERY clean.
(3)Teri B.
All you with inner fat-kids... you MUST get the onion rings. They're like the size of donuts and SO good... so I've heard ;) For a tiny local brewery this place is great. Warm, brewery vibe. I wish they'd do a little something more with the patio but overall no complaints. My husband is super picky about beers and really likes SunUp so I guess they're good. It's perfect for a bars-on-bikes stop when you're looking for something casual and good old fashioned fat kid bar food.
(4)Brian T.
decided to take the fam out for dinner last night, was reallly craving a juicy burger and a beer. I do have to say that the beer was great, but the food was just meh. We started with the calamari and the beer bread with beer cheese for an appetizer. I wasn't a fan of the beer bread, but maybe I just don't like beer bread. Nothing was "wrong" with it, I we just weren't fans. The calamari was good, I liked it anyway. I decided to get the black and bleu burger with onion rings, wife got the crispy shrimp tacos, my son had a smaller cheeseburger with garlic parm fries and my little daughter had a grilled cheese and sweet potato fries. My burger was cooked perfectly, but was somehow bland. Not sure how, with the bacon and bleu cheese fondue, but it was. I think the meat was just underseasoned, but overall a decent burger. I have to say the onion rings were terrible, not very crispy and soooo much "breading". ick The wife's tacos were impossible to eat, super sloppy and just fell apart. My son reallly liked his burger and fries. On to the beer. I had an awesome red beer then a pilsner, both very very good. The wife had the light rail cream ale, that was also awesome. In the future, I'll go back for the awesome beer and maybe just a simple cheeseburger.
(3)Mr D.
Best brewery I've been to in the United States! I like the fact that there was a wide variety of beer. Something for everybody. But it was also some of the best beer
(5)Jason B.
This was stop numero uno on our group's light rail bar crawl. None of us had ever been there before so we were excited to see what this place was all about. Situated about a 10ish minute walk from the light rail station, it is a nice walk through a part of town where I wouldn't normally be. You wouldn't think this place is a brewery because of its small size but it is. The inside is very quaint and taverny. It has a very relaxed vibe going on. I ordered the sampler and all their beers are pretty decent. I decided on the Amber for my pint, but they were all good so it was a difficult decision. Not bad for a little local brewery at all. For a quick bite before we moved on we ordered the calamari and the bratwurst splitter. The calamari was pretty standard and the aioli had a nice kick to it. The bratwurst was excellent and unique. Each was perfect to split among 4 people. The rest of their menu looked good but is pretty much typical bar food. Well probably a bit better than average bar food. Anyway, it is perfect food for the place and looking back we should have probably eaten dinner there instead of only an appetizer. Pro Tip: Cross over to the north side of the street at the light as soon as you exit the light rail station. Otherwise you will be dodging traffic as you try to cross because the place is located on the other side of the street far from another crosswalk. Anyway, I would like to come back for a few beers and food. I would also like to do the brewery tour.
(4)Amanda K.
My man loves beer, but we both hate bars. That's why this classy little beauty less than a mile away from our house was a definite must-try. Let me begin the review by letting you know, up front, that we really enjoyed everything about the place. Minimal complaints! We visited Sonora on a Friday at around 7:00...there were a few parking spots left in what is really a very ample parking lot for downtown Phoenix. I mean, damn! There must be at least 20 spaces. I'm a worrier and I stress out about things like, "WHERE WILL WE PARK?!" before I go anywhere. I know...I know. So, I was pleased to see that I needn't have gifted myself with an ulcer over where we could park without getting towed or ending up on blocks. Sonora Brewhouse is comprised of two buildings, joined by an outside dining area between them. The building you first walk into, (the older building, I perhaps incorrectly surmised), is small and was filled with many jovial patrons on our visit. We wouldn't have wanted to sit at the bar, but we couldn't have, anyway! It was completely full, as were almost all of the booths and tables. We made our way to the outside seating area, and were about to sit down when we noticed the second building...right on the other side of the outdoor seating. We ventured in, and it was much less full than the other building, but several times as noisy. Oh, well. We sat down and surveyed our new environs. I've read several reviews on here vaguely bashing the ambiance of the restaurant - I found nothing to complain about. Then again, I like faux exposed-brick walls and dark wood paneling. "Duly noted." Alright, cool. Thanks. I also liked the kind of fun, amateurish canvas paintings of the images they pair with each of their beers that are strewn about said exposed-brick walls. Plasma TVs abound, which I hate, but I know people eat that technology crap up so I guess it's worth mentioning. Our waitress was just friendly enough, avoided all bitchiness, and was on top of things without being obnoxious. In other words, perfect. My boyfriend ordered the pale ale, (I think it's called The Stinger? Something like that?), and I, not a beer drinker in the slightest, decided to throw caution and personal preference to the wind and have a Vanilla Porter. Because, you know. It would taste like vanilla. And...vanilla is for girls. Like me. That don't drink beer. My boyfriend chuckled at this logic, and told me I wouldn't like it and that I didn't know what I was ordering. ... Yep. Just about right. As far as beer goes, I did like the kind of bitter and still beer-like hint of baked goods flavor, but it was not anything like I cluelessly imagined. I still drank it! My boyfriend really enjoyed his pale ale with no criticisms. My boyfriend ordered the Tavern Steak with steamed vegetables and steak fries, and I ordered the Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich with the kettle chips/chipotle ketchup. We were both very pleased with our entrees...the jalapeno butter (?) on the steak is pretty tasty. As for the sandwich, I'll eat anything if it is slathered in guacamole. The steak fries were as good as steak fries ever are, and the kettle chips are as good as all of the other reviews have told you. I don't eat potato chips and I hate ketchup, but I loved the combination here. Fun tip: I tried putting some of the chipotle ketchup on my sandwich, and it tasted really gross. Maybe limit your use of the ketchup to its intended, menu-endorsed purpose. When we were done, we had no problem getting the bill, paying the bill, and getting out. The parking lot was completely full when we left, and there were two cars jockeying for our spot. That was probably around 8:00 - 8:30 PM, so if you're a damaged individual like me who finds cause to stress about parking, go earlier than that. There were a lot of other options on the menu that sounded like they might be on the "delicious" side. If you are like us, and not into the drama-filled 20-something bar scene downtown, this might be a nice alternative. It's so close, and we were both really down with the experience...we will definitely be back.
(5)Steve L.
I went to a catered event here, so while I didn't get the full restaurant experience (I was in a private, separate building across the patio), the catered food was really quite good. Not much to complain about the beer, either!
(4)David S.
Hell yes. I was very pleased with this place. First time my friend and I had been there, and we thought it was great. I'm so glad there are places like this in Phoenix now. We went on a Sunday afternoon and it was very quiet. Much more of a place for engaging conversation over some good beer, which is my idea of a great pub on a Sunday afternoon. Also, it was happy hour all day. I had the SunUp Amber, which was tasty and smooth. I would have liked to get the Hefeweizen for a hot, summer afternoon, but they were out. And for some reason they were serving Widmer instead. I passed on that since I wanted something from the home brewery. We had the nachos and quesadilla for appetizers and they were sufficent for happy hour prices. Then again, I'm really only judging this place on the quality of beer and atmosphere, which I really liked. I'm looking forward to going back to try something else from the beer selection.
(4)Melissa J.
Cute little brewery on Camelback. My husband liked his beer, I'm not a beer drinker so I can't really judge. My sister got the homemade rootbeer and it was delicious. We split the bar-b-que chicken wings and I completely loved them. Perfect amount of sauce, great taste and great chicken. I got the smoked salmon rueben. It was great, but probably not surprisingly it was incredibly salty. I'm not sure it's possible for a sandwich of smoked salmon and sauerkraut not to be salty but I was only able to eat half, and it's not that big. I did enjoy that half. Contributing to all the salt intake was the giant pile of sweet potato fries that came with it, plus several of the garlic parmesan fries my husband got as a side. I'm pretty sure I consumed a week's worth of sodium in that meal. The fries were in fact great, I say the garlic parmesan ones were the best and my husband says the sweet potato. Go check them out and decide for yourself.
(4)Cliff Z.
Been here before and it was WAY better than this last Thursday! Had veggie/hummus appetizer, burger that was ok, had one porter and one hefe and both were sub par, but the root beer float was the best thing I had even if I only got one scoop of ice cream...last time was the last time.
(2)Jessica L.
Went here last night for a friends birthday dinner. We got a table in the side room (you can rent the entire room for $250 I think they said). The staff was very nice, but I agree it was a bit slow but we still enjoyed ourselves. Beer was tasty of course and I got the Green Chili Pork - delish! if you like a spicy dish because it was :) We will try this place again for sure... just don't be in any kind of hurry. Oh also, if you are with a group they don't seem to like splitting checks so having cash is best.
(4)Justin H.
Average beer... Great food.
(3)Becky W.
so glad Yelp led us here on our way home to CA. Shared the Classic Reuben and kettle chips plus bread pudding with whiskey sauce for dessert; very good! I chose Amber Ale to dink then tried pub tastes of Oatmeal Stout and Vanilla Porter. The Amber was by far the best tasting. I love dark beers, these were "okay." The Amber was very flavorful and complemented the food well. I recommend this pub; we'll be back next year when spring training rolls around again.
(3)Brittanie M.
I'm not a huge beer drinker so this review is mostly based on their food. I did try a sample of the vanilla porter which was more chocolate and crème than vanilla but I could see it going really well with some cake or brownies after dinner. However, I was here for a late lunch/early dinner so I opted for the turkey sandwich with their mac n' ale cheese side. The sandwich was a lot smaller than I was expecting for the price ($8.50 for a small sandwich and side). The turkey and spinach leaves were really fresh and the roll was lightly toasted and not dry, but the cranberry mayo didn't have a very strong flavour. It would have been better with actual whole cranberry sauce and then mayo separate. The sandwich was good but I was very disappointed with the size. The mac n' cheese was very good and cheesy but it wasn't very noteworthy - it was basically high quality Velveeta cheese a slight beer-esque tang to it, topped with parmigiana. I tried a bit of my friend's parmigiana fries and those were decent but, again, nothing special - just fries with parmigiana on top. Service was fast (though the place was pretty empty) and friendly. They also had a few different ciders in bottles available which I wasn't expecting (I'm a HUGE cider fan), so that was a nice plus. Main point: I like going to breweries because they usually incorporate beer into a lot of their dishes. SunUp's beer-battered shrimp (again, what the friend ordered) and ale-infused cheese is an example but where are the beer-battered fries or soft beer bread or other delicacies you can find on Four Peaks' (for example) menu? What do you have on offer to draw in non-beer drinkers to your establishment? I think it's an important question when a brewery decides to also be a restaurant and one I'm not sure SunUp really thought about. I would come here again to sample more of the beer and for dessert or a Happy Hour-priced appetizer but not for lunch or dinner again.
(3)Mike M.
Ya know..... We stumbled upon SunUp after visiting the Herd w/ friends from Philly. They know and love good food and beers like we do, and we were all pleasantly surprised by the quality beer selection, and good food at good prices. I haven't been there in a month or so, but worth the trip if you're in the area. Keep up the good work SunUp!
(4)Erin S.
This place had a great vibe. Small, relaxed and welcoming. I really liked the set up of this place. It was comforting and cozy. We ordered the sampler and were content. The Stout really stood out. I wish they bottled. Well next time in AZ for Spring Training.
(4)Jayelynn W.
Great place to hang out and drink good beer or be a good designated driver like me. The fries are my favorite thing on the menu! However, the Green Chile Pork is amazing and my Mom refuses to order anything other than Beer Battered Fish & Chips.
(4)Jill D.
Been back a handful of times since I wrote this and felt I should update. Service has improved and it seems that they've updated their menu so that the spinach dip's description more accurately matches what actually is served. Not positive, because I haven't had the balls to order it. I found another gem on the menu called the parmesan fries. Holy lord! Very good. The wings were also solid. Still no hefe on tap- hopefully they'll bring back that gold goodness soon. Hint hint!
(4)steve r.
I wanted to drop by and do my part to support our local brewing establishment. I'm glad I did. Always an interesting selection of beers with the occasional cask condition variety. Bottom line, the beer is tasty, the food is unexpectedly good. It's a no brainer.
(4)Jack N.
Stopped in on Friday at 9:30pm 8/26/11 with a friend to pick up a growler. We both had never been here before and are both lovers of craft brew. The barmaid was a complete total rude person. She rudely asked us if we were going to sit down and order something. No, we just want to pick up a couple growlers to go. She then literally told us to back away from the bar because a waitress came up behind us to put in an order for other customers. Really? We were talking to you first, the bar is half empty and you are going to tell us to back up for another waitress? I would have walked out but my friend really wanted to try their beer. So after helping her co-worker she rudely asks us what beer we wanted. He asked for the cask porter that was on the specials board and an IPA. Her reply was very short and rude: You cant have the cask porter in a growler. Attention owner: Fire this old rude cougar with short blonde hair and get someone who can help you serve customers properly. I'm not even talking about knowing your product: What kind of beer do you like? Have you been here before? Etc etc. Just the normal service: Hi, how are you this evening? What can I get for you? Sorry the cask is only available in pints. Etc etc. I dont care what happened to her that night. I dont care if her dog was hit by a firetruck. I am a customer and am here to buy your product. Be polite and serve me. We ended up getting one growler instead of 2 because of how rude she was. If it were up to me we would have walked out. The growler was an IPA. It was decent but was no where near as good as the Four Peaks Hop Knot we had that night and it definitely wasn't worth feeling degraded by an old rude hag. I will NEVER return here and will tell all the other brew lovers that I know that the service is horrific and the beer is less than mediocre. The worst part is the craft brew scene in AZ can use all the help it can get it and people like this bartender are not helping it one bit. If the owner doesnt care about his business hopefully at least he will care about the craft and fire this lady immediately. Serving beer and customers is definitely not her calling. Theres a correction office hiring somewhere in the valley that she would fit lovely.
(1)Kristen R.
The food was excellent and the service was good... I just don't really care for there beer. I've"ve been there a few times and tried almost everything they brew and I just don't like there beer. It's an alright place if you're not going for the beer.
(3)Jordan G.
SunUp makes some decent brews, but the food leaves a lot to be desired. Here's what we had: Ahi Sliders: Bland coleslaw and tuna were overpowered by the oversized and mediocre bun. Shrimp tacos: Way too salty and overcooked. Fortunately, there were only two shrimp per taco, so the disappointment at how they tasted was mitigating by the sheer lack of content. Macaroni & Cheese: Not bad, but it's mac & cheese. The service was great and there's plenty of space, but there's really no reason to eat here, and, in my opinion, there are better places to get beer.
(2)Alli L.
can't beat good beer, good food, and good people!
(5)Adrian F.
My first experience here was... not great... The girl behind the bar was a total... well let's just say she wasn't very nice. Inattenctive to customer's needs and rude to the other employees working (one in particular was on the verge of tears and it was only her first day)! THAT BEING SAID.... I have not seen her working there since my first visit, and each subsequent visit has been extremely pleasant! Our servers and bartenders have been nothing but friendly. I'm a beer nerd, so I love the local breweries! SunUp happens to produce some really decent batches of beer! The Trooper IPA is by far my favorite so far, but I enjoy trying all the different ones they offer and their seasonals! The food here is very good, especially the bison burger! The prices are slightly steeper than most other breweries I've dined at in the area, but the food is quality, and the happy hour deals are unbeatable!
(4)EpicSpin L.
I was excited to try this place and was extremely disappointed... My boyfriend and I went here on a quiet Monday night and sat at the bar. Off the bat the bartender, a girl with dark hair and glasses, was just not nice at all. No smiles, just attitude. The beer was meh, nothing I was impressed with, and the food was just not good at all. I ordered a burger with onion rings. Burger was blah, onion rings were soggy. I also got a side of mac 'n cheese, well, because I'm a complete sucker for mac 'n cheese. This stuff looked and tasted like it'd been sitting in a tub under a heat lamp all day. 2 bites and I was done. My bf also got a burger with the Parmesan fries... The fries were soggy, and it looked like they just shook a bunch of grated Parmesan out of the can on to them instead of using fresh parm. Not good at all. Typically I can forgive a place for having bad food if the service and drinks are good, but I'm sorry to say that this place was just all around bad.
(2)Erin H.
We always drive by SunUp and talk about checking it out one of these times. We finally went there for dinner the other night. I love the decor inside. The brick walls and the exposed piping looks cool. When we got inside it was a lot smaller than I had expected. Apparently there are two separate buildings. We stayed in one, that had a small bar and about 12 tables. I think there were 4 or 5 tv's with sports on. The other building had a huge party. We were able to pick where to sit and we chose a booth. The server greeted us promptly, but when we asked about beer specials. She started off by telling us and pointing at the beer menu, which beers are not available and which ones are in their place. She talked so fast, that we only got half of what she was saying. We both ordered a beer and my husband ordered a burger with garlic parmesan fries. I ordered a steak wrap with a side salad. My husband LOVED his burger...The jury is still out on the garlic parmesan fries. I LOVED my steak wrap. It was pretty much a fajita. I didn't care too much for the salad. I like my salads pretty simple and including the right stuff; lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, cucumbers, croutons and dressing. This salad was a mixture of several different lettuces and I think arugula...I mean, I'm not a salad genius, but it just didn't taste good to me. If you go, pray you don't get there whilie there is a big party. We waited awhile for our food. ...All things considered, we will probably go back some time.
(3)Nikki F.
Good pub food and tasty beer. Try the garlic Parmesan fries!
(4)Amanda P.
I thoroughly enjoyed this place! We went here on a whim because Zipps was PACKED for Monday Night Football. I am really glad we came here! It is a quiet, clean, friendly place. We had the Oktoberfest and SunUp Ambers and both were REALLY good beers. They have a lot of beer incorporated into their food as well which I liked. We ended up getting the Beer Brat, a SunUp Salad and the Steak wrap. The brat came with saukraut, beer mustard and steak style sweet potato fries. The fries were INCREDIBLE! Best sweet potato fries in town! The brat was delicious as well. The salad was served with bleu cheese crumbles and candied pecans that were very tasty....the portion sizes were great, too. The steak wrap was pretty much a philly cheese steak in a tortilla which was fine because they did an awesome job with it. They do have TVs for sports as well so we were able to watch the game without a long wait and no crazy fans! I am looking forward to going back here and trying the Root Beer they have in the cask. I also am excited to sample more of their beers! But, because I didnt give it 5 stars here would be my points to improve upon: 1) the waitress had at least 6 changes to the beer menu so we ended up getting lost in what was available and what had changed...eventually we just went with the beers that were the beers of the month and were written on the wall. 2) the bartender obviously knew some of the regulars sitting at the bar and didnt stop the inebriated chap from throwing his phone 16 times to prove that his case protects it from being broken. He'd had 1 too many and he wasnt really being reigned in to much. Not that this is an easy job (especially when it a regular who probably tips well) but it is still necessary. All in all, it was a great first experience!
(4)Bill B.
I checked them out for the first time on a slow night just as another haboob was rolling into the valley. A lot of conversation in other reviews seems focused on two areas: The quality of service and the temperature of the beer. I can confirm that the beer is noticeably less cold than in other places, but is probably at the appropriate temperature for ales, bocks, stouts, etc. Lager would taste wrong at this elevated temp. But don't drink much lager. The IPA I sampled was good. The service was more than acceptable, though this was a very light evening. I was one of three people at the bar. I had the hamburger and wasn't disappointed. Wasn't really remarkable either. The atmosphere is relaxed and it's a bit brighter inside than I expected.
(3)Natalie D.
Cute little brewing company with yummy food and good beers. Not your typical brewery, but that's why I like it. Service was good, and the place was chill. They had awesome sweet potato fries, and good choices of cider and beers.
(4)Bridget D.
Oh Porter, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways... I had a, ah, as in just one, porter and was feelin' fine. And I was extremely glad to have the sweet potato fries instead of the regular ones with my sammie. Our waitress was pleasant, prompt and next time I'm going to ask to be seated outside or at a high top table. Our booth was great for chatting with my friend, but I like a little people watching at the pub! Now, if you are avoiding SunUp because you remember that there used to be something called the Sonora Brewhouse in that same space.... You're in luck!! The brewmaster, Uva, is still there, still brewing his witches draught. But now, you won't get them confused with the Sonoran Brewing Co. in north Scottsdale. Hooray!
(3)Melissa H.
Like it but kinda miss the old Sonoran Brew Pub that used to be here. Solid pub food. It is a good pick when Rosie's is just too crowded and you want a place that is a (little) quieter. The back patio is great when you have a mess of drunken friends that want to get together and don't want or can't censor their conersations. The staff is nice, nothing spectacular abotu the digs. Clearly, the beer is the star here and not the surroundings. Good solid neighborhood brew pub. I.E. don't take a first date here, it's a little too laid back. Its more of a let's grab a beer after running around all day at the garage sale, or hey a group of us from high school are getting together and we've already accepted how much weight we've all gained so lets get some wings kinda of place.
(3)Carmelo W.
We had two waitresses for our table of 8, each only did a section of the table but service was very bad. From our three drinks ordered, we only got two. It was pricey. We won't be coming back.
(1)A C.
We went to SunUp last week Saturday for lunch. We were excited to try the beers on tap, especially the cream ale. One of my favorite beers, Spotted Cow (sold only in Wisconsin), is a cream ale so I was looking forward to hopefully finding something similar. Unfortunately, they were out! Bummer. We got their sampler, which for $6.50 included six 4-ounce beers. We had the vanilla porter (VERY vanilla tasting!), nut brown (very good), pale ale (hoppy and floral), amber ale (malty, my favorite), hefeweizen (a good basic wheat beer) and a red ale (good blend of malt and hops, my husbands favorite). For lunch, my husband had the beer brat and a side of macaroni and cheese. He really enjoyed both. I had the Ruben and garlic Parmesan fries. I liked them both, but there was very little meat on the sandwich, especially for $8.50. The Parmesan cheese on top of the fries is the dry, kraft-kind of cheese, just FYI. Overall, a good brew pub, but Four Peaks steals my heart!
(3)Robert L.
Maybe its because of my age but I was not very impressed. It seemed that this place was..well kind of awkward. I had the nachos and they were decent, nothing to really complain about. If you not seated at the bar or the benches you are stuck with the tables which have barely enough room for three ppl. This means the three plates are pretty much touching each other and your best friends with the person sitting next to you. Hope you don't have a space issue... I guess the place is for more of a couple setting. I had one beer and left. Maybe go again...maybe. R\_
(3)Morris J.
LOVE THIS PLACE. The staff are great. The beer is INCREDIBLE. The food....ahhhh...it is pretty good (much better than typical bar food.) If you like IPAs...this is the place to go. The cask IPA is a mouthful of heaven.
(4)Chris R.
I love Sun Up. If I had my druthers, I would eat here every week. I think they have excellent beer. All of their cask conditioned ales are awesome. The food is above average bar food and everything seems to have a little zip (spice) to it, which I like. My favorite item by far is the wings. I have always found the staff to be friendly. The environment is relaxing and quiet enough to easily carry a conversation. If you like good beer, try Sun Up - you won't be disappointed.
(5)Nader A.
I just wanted to write a short update about SunUp since I've become a very regular patron. This place is great. The staff is usually pretty awesome unless they're swamped, but I feel that that's understandable. There is always a great special beer on tap that I become a fan of and then am saddened when the keg is emptied. And....I finally found great food here! It took me a while, but the pork verde, the chili fries and almost anything with the bleu cheese fondue is flippin' great (try it with the garlic parm fries)! Did I mention the bleu cheese fondue?!
(4)Kirstin E.
I love going to places I've never been to that my friends tell me they love. This place was just ok. Nothing spectacular, but nothing bad either. Just middle of the road. We ordered a bunch of apps to nosh upon. There was their spin on what I think was supposed to be brucchetta, but it was dosed in some sort of balsamic vinaigrette. The toast it was on was good and held up to the toppings. A cheese crisp of some sort was involved. It was a cheese crisp people, not to hard to mess up. It was cheesy and crunchy in the right places and soft in the others. The salsa they serve with it seems to be jarred, its not fresh...or at least doesn't taste fresh. I also had a garden salad, with Caesar dressing, I had realllly bad burps that lingered for the rest of the day from that dressing. So gross. I didn't have any beer, but the iced tea was decent. The staff was friendly and on top of things. I would probably go back one more time and give them another whirl.
(3)Robert M.
Great place for a good drink and tasty burger! I'm no expert in the rules of local brew, however, I give a good head nod to the Hefeweizen. It's crisp and hits the spot on a hot hot day. If you've got a craving for some good grub then I recommend the Brewery burger with a side of fries. If you're feeling a little adventurous add on some bacon, blue cheese crumbles and slather on some Dijon. It's a sure way to get you way past full. The Fish N Chips are just as good and if you're not a drinker grab a pint of Root-Beer. Sunday and Monday's are $3.00 pint nights with the purchase of the logo glass so I intend to put it to good use. Great way to kick-off the week!
(4)David M.
Very happy that there is a local brewery in walking distance of my new house. Can't believe more people don't go to this place. The atmosphere and beer are amazing, with good tunes and very few people. The wings passed my wing test, which is a tough test to pass. Most of the other food is boring. But if you don't care about food and want a good neighborhood bar to chill at, Sun Up is the place to be. I am rating this 5 stars because more people need to know about it.
(5)Joseph P.
The SunUp Brewing Co.. I have wanted to come here for a bit really friendly staff. But I come to a brewery for good beer and did not find it here.The Sampler was ok I ended up enjoying one beer there called the cherry bomb it's a 9.6% bomb of goodness I could see it not being a session beer way too easy to drink.
(2)Tonia B.
Abridged: Total win for having the best hummus this non hummus lover has ever found. Unabridged: I ended up here on a First Friday, which is probably why the place was nearly empty. The patio was a great place to hang out, but a little hard to find. The staff was great and always around when we needed another round or wanted to order some food. They also split checks without getting pissy about it. Seems like it shouldn't be a big deal, and you're right, but it usually is. The patio has basic patio furniture, that while comfortable, wasn't anything spectacular.. but hey.. it's a bar. There also is a brewing room that has tables, but I've been told by people that have been there on several occasions, they've never been allowed to sit in there. Why??????????? I had the light rail cream ale and some hummus. The light rail ale was your basic ale. Good, but not outstanding. The hummus was the best I've ever had. And I'm not a huge hummus lover.. just able to tolerate it. However, I'd come back to order this above typical bar fare. For serious. You need to try it.
(3)Rachel M.
Went in for the living social deal last Friday. It was busy during happy hour. Seemed like the spot to be! Although, once my boyfriend and I were seated and advised the server that we had the living social deal, the service was extremely disappointing. I understand that with coupons at restaurants servers don't always get tipped on the price before discount. I used to be a server and restaurant manager and have seen that happen a lot. The server was very robotic and not friendly at all. She set down our drinks and food like we were in her way and troubling her. The appetizers were fair for pub food. The pretzels were pretty tasty actually! We really enjoyed the beer sampler that we each got as well! My favorites were the hefeweizen and vanilla porter. Everyone else that worked there seemed very pleasant and friendly except our server. We most likely wont be going there again due to the service. Hopefully the 40% tip that my boyfriend left will help get that server's attitude turned around towards future diners!
(2)Steve T.
My buddy and I decided to stop in and try this place on the way home from a party at Four Peaks Brewery. I'm a wheat beer fan, so i usually order something along those lines...not hoppy, not malty, just wheaty. I decided to try their Horizon hefeweizen. The relatively indifferent waitress informed me that they were out. She told me to try the Stinger Pale Ale. She said that if I normally drink wheats that I would like the Stinger, too, which I thought was kinda weird. Well, I tried it and didn't like it. No big deal. I was ready to try something else. That was before she completely ignored our table for 20 mins. She seemed like she was more interested in cleaning and talking to some guys at the bar. When she finally brought our bill we paid and didn't leave a tip, because we felt she didn't deserve one. She actually followed us out to the parking lot and yelled "thanks for the tip". Weird! I'll never be going back to that place again.
(2)Jonathan K.
The food here was pretty good, but I wasn't overly blown away by it, either. It could be due to the fact my kids were acting like jackasses and I had to keep on them to mind their manners and not actually enjoy what I was eating. They do have a kids menu but it is not published. The beer is good. There are football games on the TV. The burgers are huge. The pulled pork sandwich is good. Also, the pork appetizer is good, too.
(3)Kim B.
We were in town for some sunshine, and we were excited to check out the breweries around. Went to Four Peaks and Papago and were very pleased with the service, food, and beer. We hit up Sun Up the following day hoping for an equally pleasurable experience. That couldn't have been further from reality... We got a sampler of their 6 regular brews as well as a sample of their 2 seasonals. We had to choke down almost every one of them (the exception was their seasonal amber, which wasn't too bad but not worth ordering more than 4 oz of). The waitstaff was not very friendly at all and seemed miffed that we didn't want food or more beer. After chugging what beer I could and having a glass of water, I hit the restroom before leaving. Wow. Big mistake. It smelled like an outhouse in there-- the "poo fermenting in the middle of summer but you've had to pee so bad after a 4 hour hike so you'll go anyway but hold your breath" kind of outhouse. Ick :P Perhaps I am biased because we are from Fort Collins and are spoiled with the likes of New Belgium, O'Dells, and Equinox all within a couple miles of our house. However, the service and stinky bathrooms were bad enough that had their beer been phenomenal, I still would have just given this place 3 stars...maybe. If you're looking for good local beer, hit up Papago or Four Peaks instead and save your money (and beer belly) for something tastier!
(1)Heather G.
So many better breweries than this! Attempted to use a 50$ gift cert and was told (after I ordered beers ) that they could only be used in $15 increments once a year... I was still responsible for the beers because she had poured them. She conferred w mgmt, same response. I explained I don't live anywhere near there and would never use them again. Her response was "well.. You can always... Well... Uh, just give them away." Great, I'm sure that was the intended use when a friend gave them to me for my birthday. If the "mgmt" of a local place doesn't have the sense to make it a worthwhile experience for their paying customer, then what is there to do? Very disappointed in their service. Ps I've bartended before and never seen someone grab the ticket and then dunk it on top of the drink they have going out. I witnessed this time and time again. She would grab and hold the ticket, then dunk into the top of the beer. The waitress would grab the beer and scoop out the ticket. Necessary? No. I will not be back.
(1)Ji P.
My co worker picked up lunch for us from this place. Everybody's food looks great! I had the best club sandwhich ever with beer battered onion rings. They have chipotle mayo which is one of my favs. They also have garlic or parmesean fries. Other people ordered burgers, ceasar wrap, and reuben sandwhiches. It all looked amazing. Now i'm going to be in a food coma for the rest of the afternoon but it's ok i'm a happy camper! :)
(4)Kelly A.
I love the ambiance in this place: cozy brick cottage with stained glass windows, usually not too crowded. Very warm and a great place to drink your Sunday away with an all-day happy hour. Although I am not a huge fan of their standard draft beers, I LOVE some of the seasonals they've brought in. The Risky Red (triple IPA), the Milk Stout, and the Barley Wine are all among my favorites. If those three would become full-timers, I would probably never go home. Some of the food is pretty good, although a lot of the stuff if just okay. Get the blue cheese burger (or, just order a side of the blue cheese sauce and put it on EVERYTHING!) or the pork chile verde. Both are winners! Despite some of its flaws, I love coming to SunUp. Always a good experience.
(4)Xuankieu T.
I'm not much of a beer drinker so I can't rate on the beer. I did order the Hard Apple Cider (5% alcohol) which was not bad. Something for the ladies. I love their appetizers. The food came out very appealing. Their hot wings are just okay. Their jumbo bread shrimp and calamari is the best! Very crispy and crunchy. I guess because our group was more than 10 people so there was one order that was taking forever to arrive, so they end up giving it to us for free. Other than that, the service was great.
(4)Anna Marie G.
I have to say i'm quite saddened that i had to choose 1 star; as i was so looking forward to finding a new fav along Camelback rd. my sister and i headed to Rosie Mc Caffreys (sp), but turned off at SunUp Brewing Co. by default; we had to stop in because we were both starved and the menu offered Corned Beef and cabbage, plus we still had about 6 streets to go. we stepped inside to a "please wait to be seated" sign, so we waited, and waited (as several wait staff passed and looked our way without even a nod of acknowledgement) for about 5 minutes. finally our server approached us and offered inside or patio (we chose patio of course!) she was very nice at first seating and asked for our drink order. since neither of us partake in the appreciation for micro brews, we chose raspberry ciders. we were happy. the crowd was sparse-but present. the weather was fabulous. it was a weird set-up with 3 small rooms (patio in between both) and no room to turn around. there was no reason our server should have been perturbed; other than having to maneuver around tables inside, as she hardly had tables. none the less, when she returned with our beers, she plopped them down hard on the table and stormed off. the beers were served lukewarm but we tried to drink them anyways. she returned a few minutes later for our order. since it was a toss up between the Corned beef and cabbage & the Fish n chips, i asked the servers opinion, inquiring if the corned beef was sliced thin, of to which she replied "it isn't sliced thin"-but it was sliced thinner than a nickel, plus the meal wasn't even served with bread or butter; but back to the ordering.... after she took our order, i asked her for 2 cold pint glasses; since the beers were warm (only the bottle was slightly cold). she brought back glasses with ice and straws, pounced them on the rod iron table and went on to tell me why micro brews aren't served in cold pint glasses, saying she didn't have any chilled pint glasses because this is a micro brewery. it wasn't until after her lecture on the creation of beer, that i explained that even if there is a right way to serve-some people do request chilled pints. i explained that i wasn't a beer afficionado, i just wanted to drink my beer the way it should be served "chilled" she gave me attitude, walked away and then returned with two cold pint glasses, pouncing them on the table as she uttered "here these are for our Root Beer" while she turned on her heels to run. the rest of the meal was pleasant, as she was hardly available. the only time i seen any of the female servers was when an assumingly wealthy man was spotted, that was when most of the servers would approach and hug them (much to close by restaurant standards) very tightly. however most tables around us were either taken by lesbians or hetero females so the ladies weren't hoovering around us too much. we received the credit card bill to sign, which was also plopped off mid walkaway. the tables are patio tables with holes, so most people with common sense would prepare for the signing of the bill with a hard bottom of some sort, but not here! they are all consumed with the spotting of rich men and instructions for micro brewing that they don't have time to serve or be of assistance, so be prepared to either pay them upfront to be treated like a patron, or flash your directors card because they seem to think this is suddenly Scottsdale. on to the food. i tasted my sisters fish and chips and the homemade chips were soggy from the fish. the halibut was delicious although sister had to pull off all the breading, because it was as thick as an Indian popover. they did serve it with spicy ketchup which was surprisingly delicious. my corned beef cabbage was served paper thin, without bread or butter; but it was still very tasty. the red potatoes soft and the carrots & cabbage blanched to perfection. next time i'll just try sitting at the bar.
(1)Fanny M.
This review has been a longtime coming and really what kept me from writing this was the potential for public scrutiny from readers and the fear of burning a bridge. But really all that doesn't matter because the motivator is that I am simply an unhappy customer who tips well, is polite and goes out of her way to be friendly. I have been going to Sonora, or rather,...Sun Up, for a bit over 5 years. I used to love this place. I loved it because it was not only a great brew house but it also offered deliciously consistent food that was served by a friendly staff. The Kobe burgers and the fish and chips were to die for and the micro IPA and other brew delights were as good if not better than the micro brews in Portland, OR. I cannot express enough how disappointed I am with the old Sonora; with the red chili gone, the only vegetarian item on the old menu gone, and the kicker are the fish and chips! Now fetching $14, I would think that one could expect an attempt for goodness. But instead I got a plate of thick ass, dry, white fish that was encased in a cocoon of batter that would rival a sub sandwich. Do you remember when this place used to have fish and chips that were on par with the UK? What happened to you old Sonora? Why must you compete with Postion's and the like? You are not that! You are not a moderately price wine bar, nor are you an Irish pub! You are a micro brew with delicious beer that once boasted fantastic food. You were a place to go for the best Kobe burger or English Style fish and chips in all of Down Town Phoenix. Now you are becoming a has-been, a place that if it weren't for the good brew, you would be just another forgettable restaurant. I used to feel welcome; it was my neighborhood place to go for a few beers and a delicious burger but it seems that I must search out a new place to frequent. Shame really.
(2)Starbellied S.
It was a nice place with okay food and not enough parking. That's the nutshell. Went with a group of friends,had to scavenge for parking. We had reserved a table and since we waited at the reception area for a bit with no one acknowledging our presence,we found the table ourselves. It took forever just to get a beverage,however our server was pleasant enough. The appetizers also took a bit to get to us after having to snag our server to order. For the lack of parking and the long wait,you'd think the place was packed to the walls. It wasn't. there were a decent amount of people there,but not enough to justify the wait for the simplist thing like a beverage. Once actual food arrive it was okay. Not the best,not the worst.Just ok. They'd also run out of some of the more popular beers they advertise. No beer at 7 pm on a Friday???? Okkkaaay. No one got their dinners with any particular caedance.Some of us were eating,some were left to covet others' meals for another wait. I don't know if this place just doesn't have adequate staffing or the system needs fixing or what.It didn't make a lot of sense. Our server didn't seem frazzled,nor was she at a turtle pace. We did pretty much end up bussing our own table as well. When the bill arrived,my portion was way too much for what I had and the meager experience. Will I go back? Doubtful.
(3)Mark C.
Having lived in Phoenix all my life, its a horrific shame that we don't have more local microbrewers giving their own beer concoctions a whirl in this town. In fact the Phoenix area has the same number of locally owned microbreweries as the Flagstaff area. So its with great enthusiasm that I found a good local outfit in central Phoenix. While Four Peaks typically gets all the accolades as the Phoenix area's premier local microbrewery (and deservedly so), Sonora Brewhouse is more than worthy of respect. Please don't confuse this with Sonoran Brewery in Scottsdale (no relation). This place is a small non descript place in north central Phoenix with a killer Cream Ale. Anyone going here for the first time should give the beer sampler a try as you're bound to find at least a couple of brews you'll like. The food is pretty good albeit nothing outstanding as my burger was adequate but didn't wow me or anything. But thats not the real reason I came. The Cream Ale and Hefeweizen have me hooked. The place is small but a perfect fit for the neighborhood as it makes for a nice happy hour atmosphere. And surprisingly I've never had to wait for a table at this place. Its still incomprehensible to me that with nearby states like California and Colorado (both of which have HUGE microbrewery scenes), Phoenix and the state of AZ as whole still haven't made a huge splash with microbrews. Four Peaks certainly gives us a spot on the map and hopefully Sonora Brewhouse will garner some attention too, but we need more brew visionaries in this town to bring their creations to the masses!
(4)Nunzio Z.
Great microbrew! Terrible parking and can get filled up pretty quickly. Fish and chips are very good, and the American Kobe beef burger. Also, buy a growler and get it filled with your favorite beer.
(3)Todd S.
Sun-Up..how you always pull me in when I am on Camelback. Damn tractor beam! My favorite place in the Valley to enjoy delicious craft beer (I love the Trooper IPA), a nice meal and good service. I have noticed that some people have posted a few negative things on here about the food and I think "Everything I have ever had here has been delicious. The quesadilla is very enjoyable, the wings are underrated, the wraps are tasty and the Buffalo Burger is one of my favorites. Oh.. not to forget that the Green Chili Pork is awesome as well. If you have never been.. go now. I mean..just get in your car..or on your Vespa..or hop the light rail..or ride the bus..I don't care..just get there. If you like craft beer and good food. GO!
(4)William T.
This is a brewery. This rating is based largely on the beer. This beer is excellent. Uwe (pronunced Ooh-Va, I believe) is a beer genius. He is likely the best (professional) brewer in AZ. All of the beers are excellent. They have a good number of taps, and two (TWO!) casks (AKA Beer Engine: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Be… ). This is the sign of a great place for beer. Selection is largely their own, which is what it should be at a brewpub! If you are looking for rice or corn beer (Bud/Miller/Coors) don't come here. They would be better known than Four Peaks but for one thing, the food (location as well, ASU helps the Peaks out quite a bit). Four Peaks has good beer, not great beer across the board though. They do however have an excellent menu. SunUp has an OK menu, that sometimes surprises, sometimes disappoints. The servers are all young women who do not seem to know beer and seem to be rather new at their job. I mentioned one of the top 100 beer bars in the country (Taste of Tops, one of the 2 on the list that is here in AZ. Papago is the other) and our server had no idea what I was talking about. She also did nor know whose Oatmeal Stout was in cask (it was their own) and answers about style were all memorized. I have a suspicion that she was not over 21, or not a beer drinker. Both are a liability when serving at a bar geared towards beer snobs like myself. Nonetheless, this is one of the best breweries in AZ, and if you don't go, you are missing out!
(3)Patrick W.
I loathe to write a bad review for one of my favorite hobbies, drinking craft beer, however; Sun Up is a brewing company that I feel the need to never visit again, nor would I recommend beer lovers to go out of their way to stop in. The majority of the beer was just plain boring, and warm to boot! They had a lager, wheat, amber, pale, oatmeal stout and a scottish red on draft. None of the beer sampled tasted even close to what I would consider the fundamentals of that particular category, ie a very bitter amber ale and a sweet, and not-hoppy-whatsoever pale ale. Even the root beer was flat and tasteless. I initially was going to give this place two stars, mainly because they do serve beer, and the bartender was nice, but thinking about the beer, I have to knock this down to one star. Sorry Sun Up, but you need to go back to the drawing board and create some good, basic craft brew.
(1)Marianne H.
I think I went on an off-night. My sister recommended Sonora Brewhouse. She said the food and the service are awesome. Unfortunately, they weren't for me. Service was slow and the food was mediocre. I got the pulled-pork sandwich, but there was very little pork. My sister got the chicken fingers, and they tasted like something from a fast-food restaurant. My husband got the salmon with tomato and basil, and that was actually pretty good. My favorite part was the calamari appetizer. I just wish the serving was bigger, because we finished it in a quick minute. I prefer Four Peaks to this place.
(2)Lucas S.
First and foremost, take advantage of their happy hour all day on Sundays. After visiting two other breweries the same day, I have to admit that Sun Up was my favorite. Their beer sampler is definitely a good way to get started. It's served in a row of glasses slightly larger than shot glasses. You'll have to ignore the temptation to pound them one after the other... at least on your first go-round. All of their beers are certainly quality and quite enjoyable, though there didn't seem to be a huge "wow" factor with any of them. In no way will I hold that against them though, as none of the local AZ brews (that I've tried) seem to be doing anything very far outside of the box. Not only should you visit Sun Up to check out their craft, you should definitely go to try their eats. Their wings are probably the best I have ever had; fried perfectly and still nice and moist, plus their "hot" sauce had a finely-tuned heat factor. Their sliders were dynamite as were the accompanying sweet potato fries and garlic parmesan fries. The service was fast and very friendly, and the establishment (men's room included) was very well-kept. All I have left to add is: Way to go Sun Up! See you next Sunday.
(5)Nick S.
Came here on saturday before a diamond backs game. My friend and I sat outside and ordered the beer sampler...we essentially tried every beer on tap. I was very impressed with the cherry wheat beer as it had a really good balance. I would definitely come back...easy to get to from downtown using the light rail...The only negative was that they seemed slightly under staffed and service at times was slow.
(4)Jenny K.
I love this place. I haven't experienced the server issues that some other people have been posting about - maybe I'm just lucky? If you're a microbrew fan, always check the chalkboard where they post their seasonals. You can't go wrong w/ the Light Rail Cream Ale, the Hef, or the Vanilla Porter. I absolutely loved their Pilsner when they had that on tap. Their food is pretty good, but I wouldn't really classify this as a dining destination - this place is about the beer. I was disappointed in the Kobe burger, and I wouldn't order it again. The brat was just OK. Onion rings were so good but I wouldn't get them again because I'm pretty sure they are 1 million calories EACH and they gave me like 6 huge ones! The mac & cheese is so good. Salads are nice & fresh, the baja shrimp tacos really kick butt. I also like the ambiance of the place. Cool setup in the brewers' den and the funky patio in between the brewers den and the main bar area. For giggles don't forget to check out the murals on the patio wall and also on the back wall of the parking area.
(4)Jesse T.
Delicious, finely crafted beer! Good food and friendly staff.
(5)Pete T.
I want to like this place. I really, really want to like it. I'm always on the lookout for a local joint that is special, a place I can take out-of-towners and say, "This is one more thing I love about Phoenix." I had high expectations for SunUp since it is in my neighborhood, a short ride or healthy walk away from home But after several visits over the last couple of months and as many disappointments, SunUp Brewing is on my list of places I might go if I'm desperate, not as a destination, and certainly not a place I want representing my city to friends from elsewhere. I'm no beer aficionado, but I know what I like, and for the most part I like the brews at SunUp. I particularly enjoy the Light Rail Pale Ale as a mild-bodied thirst-quencher, and the Vanilla Porter, which is rich without being too sweet or heavy. I also like seeing what seasonal offerings they have, many of which I enjoyed. One constant on my many visits, however, is the truly bad customer service. I don't care if you make minimum wage or six figures; if your job is to take orders and serve people, then do it. Many other Yelp reviewers indicate they have suffered lackadaisical customer service at SunUp, and my experience is that this is the rule, not the exception. Take today, for example: At 1 p.m. on a Sunday, the place was virtually empty save for about three tables and a couple in the main bar area. The last problem I thought I'd have would be getting attention, but my disinterested server/bartender pulled a disappearing act after pouring my beer and plopping my burger in front of me. She was more interested in sitting in a booth in the adjacent room with a paper in front of her, watching TV. If she had bothered to follow up with her customer, she would've learned my burger was the opposite of the medium-rare burger I ordered. Even more aggravating was when she did walk quickly past me (including one time when she told the other server she as heading out back, presumably for a break), she looked directly at my barely touched meal but didn't inquire as to why I wasn't eating it. I'm not going to chase down a server, especially if it involves going room to room to find her. All she had to do was notice I hadn't touched my meal for 20 minutes and ask if everything was OK. I've had similar experiences with the staff at SunUp before although this example was the most egregious. Like other reviewers, I've waited at the bar either with a growler ready to be filled or a bill I'm trying to pay while the bartender chatted with friends even after acknowledging me. It shouldn't be this hard to find a place that wants to sell me something, but evidently the folks at SunUp have more cash than they need, so I see no reason to spend mine there again.
(1)Allen W.
Order off the chalf-board for seasonals and freshest beers. Best craft-ale in Phoenix & gives Four Peaks a run for best in Valley. Awesome patio & tap room in the back. Very good food and well priced.
(4)Nick S.
Cool place! The beer we tried was good my fav was the hefeweizen. The green chili pork with tortillas was really good and I have been back many times for it. The food prices are good and the burgers are good, wings are just ok. The staff is always friendly and quick to get our drinks. Happy we tried this place and its close to home.
(4)Taric W.
The bacon and blue cheese fondue burger with parmesan garlic fries is my favorite burger/fries combo anywhere. Ever. Without rival. I find a few of the mainstay brews to be rather pedestrian (I'm looking at you, Light Rail Cream Ale), but their strong ales are great to drink with such a hearty meal. If there's a cask IPA, you NEED to go for it! Service is still awesome, and there are two separate rooms to dine in, as well as a patio. I prefer chilling at the second bar while watching some sports. Their happy hour is still legit, and IIRC still all-day Sunday. $4 pints is OK with me for local crafts, and while I still am not a fan of every appetizer they have, they've definitely improved while staying at a very low price. Definitely a great supper spot for me, and sometimes I have so much fun I catch a mighty buzz from day drinking. While I wish that Uwe guy would bust out with more imperial reds and coffee stouts more often, Sun Up definitely has what it takes to keep me coming back.
(4)Ashley K.
Very disappointing and not worth the money. It's the only local brewer in our part of phoenix so that's a plus! It's a older crowd with most of the guest in their 40s-50s. This was the first time back for me 6 months or so and they overhauled their menu for the worse unfortunately. The beer is actually pretty good, but like the rest of the menu overpriced. We went for happy hour and ordered bruschetta ($5 on HH) and nachos ($8 no meat). The bruschetta looked and tasted like they dumped pasta sauce on bread and the $8 nachos was really small! Probably 10 tortilla chips. Hope they realize their errors before they lose the rest of their customers. Can't afford to feed my man on those prices...
(2)Kevin A.
Went here with my wife and two adult sons for a belated Father's Day celebration on a Wednesday night about 7. It was busy, not crowded and we were seated right away. The decor is very basic - there is a bar and two rooms with table seating. I didn't ask about the brewing facilities or if there is a tour as we were more interested in catching up with our sons after being out of town for a while. After perusing the beer menu (all beer is brewed on site) I decided to have the Trooper IPA, others had the porter and pale ale. There were a nice number of special seasonal beers on the menu and they also have a full bar for non-beer drinkers. All were quite tasty and refreshing. We ordered pretzel bites and wings for appetizers. The wings were medium, with most of the flavor coming from the rub which gave them a nice crispy crunch while being juicy on the inside. The pretzel bites were soft and chewy with a creamy cheese sauce with a bit of a bite. For dinner I had pork and green chili which was a nice stew that came with soft tortilla wedges that had been roasted on the griddle. Nice blend of flavors in the stew - spice level was moderate (see my review of The Shed) but still quite nice and satisfying. For the stew I switched to their SB 1030 Session Pale Ale, the crispness of which paired nicely with the stew. If you don't know, SB 1030 was the Arizona law that allowed craft breweries and small batch wineries to compete on a more even footing with the large distributors and enabled many more craft breweries to open in the state (yea!). I would definitely go back and if you live in this area and are into craft beer you must make this a regular stop.
(4)April R.
SunUp was a great stop on my beer hop thru Arizona. If I lived nearby this would probably be my spot. Other breweries I visited also had good beer but something about this place was really cool and enjoyable. I felt really comfortable here. The parking was plentiful, the service good, the restaurant/brewery nice and the beer great. I sat and watched some baseball while trying a flight of many of the beers they had. All were good but my most favorites were the Little Tart Cherry Hef, the White Russian Imperial Stout, and the Vanilla Porter. If I am back in Phoenix I would stop here again.
(4)Cyn V.
My favorite lunch spot! We try to come here on Tuesdays for a quick and delicious bite. They usually have tacos and pozole on special and every bite is worth it. January at the bar is always very attentive and happy. I recommend coming here for their green chili, tacos, nachos, wings... You name it!
(4)Cody N.
Small, friendly staff, solid food. Exceeded expectations. Apparently my review isn't long enough....My cherry hef was tasty. Girlfriend liked her beer. I'm just killing time until my stereo next door is being installed
(4)John C.
I don't know what it was about their Amber, but I was blown away by it, and the other beers in the flight weren't bad either. I enjoyed this little place, it has a bit of character without being overwhelming. The nice bartender even let me substitute one of the specialty beers in the flight, and it's always fun to try a weird or seasonal beer. I thought I should have 2 paragraphs, but don't have more to say.
(4)Ken D.
Great Porter selection for the beer drinker who has taste. Great food as well. Excellent for happy hours too!
(5)Bobbie M.
I enjoy this place even tho I don't drink. The appetizer are really good, but I was disappointed that they no longer do 5.00 on ALL of them, just certain ones. At least they are good quality, but the chilli cheese fries lacked the essential component. ..chilli! There was barely any on the fries, which sucks, because their chilli is amazing. Good service, good food, but a little off point on portions of key ingredients, and pricey beers (per my boyfriend), that also added "they were worth it, tasted great"
(3)John S.
Best cask conditioned beer in Arizona. Uwe is a great brewmaster who knows how to craft beer to soaring heights. Skip the food and head straight to the brewery side to experience 3 unique cask conditioned beers. The selection of styles are growing every year. Stop on in..
(4)Jon A.
I think the beer is just OK, but the food is pretty good. I had the fish and chips which was huge. Nice, friendly atmosphere as well. Good choice for a relaxing, easy going dinner.
(4)Nomes A.
The beer was good i got a lightrail cream.the food is super bomb i forgot the name but it was some stew with chease melted over it with a side of corn tortillas.bomb.will be coming back again.just need music
(4)Stacy M.
Great service by Emily! Check in & u get $1 off a beer (nice!) ordered the Sun Up salad w/grilled chicken and it was very tasty. I just recommend they serve it in a bowl instead of a flat plate, it was kind of hard to eat. Hubby's fish & chips were great' he chose onion rings instead which were big Ol' amazingness. Will be back!
(4)Samantha R.
Great food and a good beer selection! I love going here with a group of friends and sitting on the patio. Service is usually great, maybe a little pricey, but I think it's worth it. It's a smaller place and not quite as noisy as some of the breweries in the area can be. I would definitely recommend it!
(4)Jon H.
Today was a Great day. Not only was it the day after the worst "holiday" on the planet... Valentines Day, but it was also the first day of Arizona Beer Week. This was particularly special because it's my first time experiencing AZ Beer Week. To start the celebration off, we went to SunUp Brewing Company. I don't know much about them, but it turns out they do sell beer and they also make some really good food. I tried two of their brews, the Amber was the first. Pretty good. I would say it's a little lighter in flavor than other ambers I've had, but I liked it and would order it again. Next up was the Light Rail Cream Ale. Their description says that this is their closest thing to a domestic and I couldn't agree more. It's light, crisp and refreshing. Now to the food. We started with the pretzel bites which were okay. The best part about them was the side of mustard. It was actual legit mustard with mustard seeds, not the yellow nasty goop people put on hot dogs at baseball games. Then I had the Trooper IPA Pulled Pork sandwich with a side of the Green Chile Mac & Cheese. The sandwich had cole slaw on it with delicious tender BBQ pulled pork. I haven't had a BBQ sandwich that good since I left the South. I also haven't sought out BBQ too much since I've been in Phoenix, but bottom line is that it was a really good sandwich. The Mac & Cheese was also a winner. Giant elbow pasta with a nice mix of creamy and stringy cheese in each bite. The green chiles added some uniqueness, but I would have liked it just the same without them. The service was super friendly. Very good food and beer. Thanks to SunUp Brewing Company, the start to my first AZ Beer Week was a success.
(4)Aaron A.
I'm a huge fan of local breweries. Been a while since I've been to Sun Up a few times this isn't on the top of my list of favorite Az breweries. I asked myself why and decided to try it again and my answer was simple. For me there isn't a huge ambiance when going here. Basically I find it boring. Mainly because of the super tiny bar top once you enter. There are plenty of seats and a the place is actually big. Beer is just average in my book. Not bad, not great. Again I love local breweries, just Sun Up isn't on the top of my list. Just because its local, I know I'll give it another chance if I find myself in this area.
(3)Bridget P.
I'm a huge brewery girl, and in Phoenix new ones seem to be popping up right and left. However, if you are in the downtown area, look no farther than this place - I'm shocked that their rating is lower than Phoenix Ale Brewery (next closest to downtown) because everything here is mearsureably better IMO. First thing, SunUp has a deal on Restaurant.com right now and so I took advantage of that today and a coworker and I went up there to grab lunch. I love the feel of the bar area with the exposed brick and wooden stools, its warm and welcoming but also feels like a cool joint. My coworker had never been but she too was immediatly impressed. Our waitress was nice and attentive, bringing out our drinks and taking our orders timely. She also noticed our $15 GC on the table and went ahead and took that off the bill for us witout us having to mention it. When we mentioned we were on our lunch hour, she made sure to keep our glasses full and get out food out fast, and even with the place filling up quickly she was on top of it and got us cashed out in a hurry. The food was really good - especially for brewery/bar fare. I went with the chicken ceasar wrap and my coworker went with the green chili dip. Both were great, and reasonablly priced. I had a great lunch here and will definately be back soon.
(4)Chelsea B.
Ok so I didn't care for the beer but this gets a lot of stars because of how insanely personable the staff is. When we walked in the bartender effortlessly balanced her bar tending abilities with guiding us to a seat of our choice. Top notch. Then once seated in a booth, the service was quick and personable without being overbearing. Our server, Catherine, was fantastic. She was incredibly informed and friendly. I had the double IPA W/ citra and my fella had the SB 1030 and the Tanline. All beers had the absolute chance of being fantastic but they just didn't stick the landing. We also had the pulled pork sandwich which was simple and delicious. I asked the sweet server where I could smoke and she not only assured me the patio was fine, but she walked me out and showed me a table. So. Sweet. I really only go to a brewery for beer but this place was so unpretentious and welcoming I'll drink whatever they bring me.
(4)Jennifer J.
We stopped in to pick up a growler for the Super Bowl. The beer was good (we had their amber) but the service was downright surly. Especially for a brewery, where the staff is usually so friendly. Maybe they weren't Seahawks fans?!
(3)Ed C.
Finding good food and beer on tap in Phoenix is not difficult. Finding great grinds and great brew is why I'm writing this review. I'm an IPA drinker by nature and this place did not disappoint. Check out the Sweet & Spicy BBQ Pork Sandwich with melted cheddar cheese on a honey roll. Mmmmm good.
(4)Rudy B.
great local beer destination that is standing the test of time. i will always be an advocate for more micro/craft breweries, which seem to be popping up at a rapid pace lately, and i will always return to sun up. i just had dinner there last night, and had the wings, which are always great. classic enough to satisfy a wing craving, but unique enough that you know where you are. their beer is great. i've been enjoying the tanline brown this summer, and their vanilla porter is fantastic. i would recommend the wraps (they are remarkably good), the grilled shrimp tacos, or green chili pork. i have never had the bread pudding, but i know i will finally dive in and order it at some point.
(4)Tiffany K.
This place was so surprising! We showed up wanting to watch a game, with a group of 8. We were a little put off by how small the establishment was. Then they guided us to another building that they opened early to accommodate our large group. Chris our waiter/bartender was amazing. He gave us amazing suggestions and tasters without us asking. All the food we ordered was great. We really enjoyed the bourbon barrel aged porter. Happy hour is from 3-6 and all appetizers are $5! We will be back!
(5)Stephen G.
This place is awesome. For what it is, a great little neighborhood beer joint that is consistently solid. Good food, GREAT BEER, and cool staff. Been coming here for almost 10 years.
(5)Roxanne G.
Good pub food indeed. Had my first Hefeweizen here. I'm not a beer drinker so I can't compare it to anything but, my friend who was stationed at in Germany for a few years told me it was superb! So yeah... There you go! Friendly service, a bit slow but had an enjoyable visit and seeing the onsite brew side was a cool plus!
(3)Krystle M.
My hubby & I stopped in to sample their craft beer, which by the way is awesome! Our server Chris was even more awesome. We had so much fun sipping our brews & sharing great stories & experiences. We would def recommend. Ask for Chris!
(5)Ron B.
Great craft beer in a very cool urban vibe. The place is really small, but very comfortable with a decent patio and nice rounded bar. I had the pretzels which were tasty. Other food looked really good. Will definitely be going back again.
(4)Alison S.
Ignore the 'wait to be seated' sign and grab a table or head to the outside patio. Love love this place. If you come in fairly often (1-2 times a month like me) they remember your meal and drink preferences. Service is always spot on and I've never had a bad meal here. Wish they'd bring back the salmon Reuben though. That was my addiction!!
(5)Jordon H.
Been here for the fourth or fifth time and always enjoyable. Love the atmosphere (people, and building structure/decor. Beers are SOLID! A+. A must try with appetizers, meals I haven't really dabbled in so I'm not sure. Cheers! And come try if you haven't already, what are you waiting for?!
(5)BJ B.
I am a fan and supporter of local breweries here in the valley. Last night I visited two of them in the city, SunUp was my second stop for the evening. So first impression when I walked in was that this place has got some interesting history to it. There were pictures of past figures and well known people within the community. The bar area has some limited seating so if you wanna head there with some friends, somebody needs to get there early. The rest of the place has plenty of seating for more private conversations. The brews are not too bad and I know I have seen the sunup crew at alot of beer festivals and events, so I do like that they go out there and represent who they are, gotta keep local brews alive! Llast night for me was two pints which were descently priced HOWEVER with my Yelp check-in, I only paid one dollar per pint and even got discounted appetizers! I was shocked but after talking to my bartender, I come to find out the owner is crazy for yelpers! So if you don't minda smaller size bar and a not too bad central location, go down a get a pint or two for a buck!
(4)Tiffani G.
Pretty good spot to check out. Had the pretzel bites, a burger and a pulled pork sandwich. All of the good was really yummy especially the pulled pork. As far as the beer selection I'm big on dark beer and was really looking forward to the vanilla porter. Unfortunately they were out so I wasn't really into it much. My boyfriend really enjoyed the IPA though, said they had a great selection. I'm sure I'll go back to give it another try, everyone seems to love it.
(3)Chris B.
The food was very good and the service was very good. I would highly recommend this restaurant. The large variety of beer that is brewed onsite was also very good!
(4)Greg M.
Sunup is the best brewery no one knows about. It's been there forever but we all just drive by not even noticing it. I go about once every 2 weeks. The beer is good the seasonal beer is amazing. But I don't go for the beer or the food, I go for the staff. The servers and bartenders are genuinely friendly. I know that one of the bartenders, Emily, recycles all the bottles. I recommend ordering the wings and a seasonal beer. Sit at the bar and chat up January or Emily. I don't think you'll regret it... I almost forgot Mollie is awesome.
(5)Sarah W.
The cherry hef and the vanilla porter were A-ok. Were they my favorite? No. Were they bad? Not at all. Would I consider buying this stuff in a pony keg for our place? probably not. They have a decent happy hour in which if we were close by I would rather stop here than going to a place like hazelwoods or dillys deli. But since St.Francis is across the street I would personally choose them over this. Had a manmosa yesterday for my bday which was awesome thats probably one drink I would definitely stop in for.
(4)Noor B.
Not bad. The vanilla porter is nice if you like dark beers. Trooper IPA is good, too. Pretzel bites are pretty good, although I think the ale cheese sauce is a little thin and plain. Servers are all really friendly. There's plenty of parking and the patio is nicely shaded. Lots of indoor seating as well if you want to enjoy the AC. I wouldn't mind stopping in again.
(3)Teel M.
Update re: overcharge: Manager Mollie from SunUp got in touch with me & credited back the difference; she also explained that, when looking through the receipts, she found another receipt with the same subtotal as mine but the doubled tip--probably the server entering all the receipts/tips from our group got the two mixed up (and charged the other person less). I applaud the responsiveness not just to a negative Yelp review but to a customer service issue; it was handled quickly and politely. Original review follows: Went to SunUp on Saturday with a group, they seemed nice & accommodating at the time & had offered us an entire room/building to ourselves (which we more than filled), ran separate checks/tabs for each person/family like any bar and the food & drink were good. 3.5 to 4 stars for the food & drink, I'd say. Just checked my bank account and noticed that *they doubled my tip*. Yes, I had filled in both the tip amount and the total amount clearly, and yes I did the same on my own copy of the receipt--and I keep all my receipts, and log them when I get home. A little neurotic, maybe, but I'm disputing the transaction with my bank right now, and at least I have the proof I need. *** See note above: This situation has been satisfactorily resolved and the dispute cancelled with my bank.
(3)Ariana M.
The food here was decent enough to stick around for, although what really disappointed me and my guests was the service. Our server seemed to really want to be somewhere else the entire time. She was not friendly, she didn't write our orders down, therefore a few things were missed, and most of all she never smiled! Also, didn't recommend anything on the menu, just told us what not to get, weird. Next time, I'll buy a 12 pack and host my own gathering.
(2)Troy W.
Stopped in for lunch and they have great food and good beers. The food kind of reminds me of gordon biersch and the beer selection was very unique and tasty.
(5)Bryan S.
Rate Beer: Fair (where's the hops in the IPA) Service: Great, very nice Atmosphere: Good. I like the beer garden.
(3)Hannah D.
Not impressed at all. Poor service, decent beer, poor food. Came here on a Sunday for happy hour the calamari I ordered was cold and it took me twenty minutes to get my beer. When I reminded our waitress she said oh I think she's changing the keg.. Okay that's fine but I would like to be told that before all my other friends have their drinks and I'm just waiting. Won't be back here.
(2)David R.
Me and my friends checked this place out because of a Groupon which got us a flight and logo pint glass. The location is kind of obscure being not in the greatest of Camelback areas but the brewery itself is very nice. We had some nice outside seating and ordered only beer and apps. The little food we tried was great and definitely going to go back for dinner soon. The beers I enjoyed the most were the Amber and the Vanilla Porter. They also had a seasonal Stout that was also surprisingly delicious. Great for a nice dinner with craft beer.
(3)Chris F.
I went to this place about once a week with my roommate over the course of a year living here. Always had a good experience with the exception of one girl there who has the personality of a mop. I find it amazing that someone can see you dozens of times, even after waiting on you, will not even acknowledge your presence. No head nod, no smile, just very unfriendly to the point of being rude. Last night I went there for their anniversary with my roommate, and then another friend had joined me later on. We ordered 2 chicken nachos from one girl. After 20 minutes, I made mention that we still didn't have them. Another girl said the order must have not made it to the kitchen. Another 20 minutes had passed and I then told the bartender. It took another 15 minutes on top of that. Never ONCE did anyone bother telling me what happened. No reason given. Honestly, no one even gave a Sh*t either. My buddy even commented on that after we left. No one even cared. Clearly the first person didn't put the order in. The second..who knows. No accountability what so ever! I won't be going back. I"ve worked in the restaurant business before for 4 years. Never has any restaurant I've eaten at or worked for not went out of their way to make up for an error on their part. No free beer on the house, no discount for the next time, no free nachos, no half off the nachos, not even god damn apology! I'll never recommend this place to anyone as I have in the past. And I did so fairly often.
(1)Michelle A.
First, let me reiterate that this is one of those times that I wish there were half stars in the rating system. It is definitely better than a 3 but I am not quite ready to give it a 4. I do have to say that it really all comes down to the purpose of your visit here. Its a brewery. As a brewery it was so fun and we really enjoyed our server, Amanda. She was helpful and knowledgeable, as was most of the staff that visited our table. Ambiance, meh. I wanted to sit outside but it reeked of cigars and cigarettes so we settled for a booth in a side room. The front room was definitely where it was happening. Mostly locals/regulars, from what we gathered. An eclectic bunch of people. We only had appetizers so again, hard to know what the regular menu was about. Our green chili quesadilla was burnt on the outside but the inside was good. The melted cheese was the right consistency. Our calamari tasted like most bars. Good, crunchy. The big hit for us was the hot artichoke and green chili dip. I could have eaten the whole thing myself (I think I did). So, I will definitely go back. Found the beer that I liked the best...the Lightrail Creme Ale was my favorite. And I would probably try something of the dinner menu. I'll keep you posted.
(3)Sonya K.
I recently had my wedding rehearsal dinner here and was very satisfied with the service (Catherine), and correspondence from the GM (Mollie), regarding the reservation. We had our own private room, and chicken buffet with a private bar. My guests were very satisfied with the food. The craft beer is a plus too! ;)
(4)Christopher G.
In order to have our cask Ale you must order both the barley wine and the cask ale. It is two 11ounce pours then you . . .pick the one you like more. Yeah, when I'm trying craft brews I want complicated rules and stupid ranking games. This is a brewery plus pizza place, and on both fronts it is decent. Not exceptional. I found the beers solid and tasty (a very unique heff for instance) I went there for happy hour ( The happy hour deal couldn't beat the yelp check-in offer (any beer for $1.00). Nor, does the happy hour work for this weird-stupid-whatever $11.00 to buy one beer deal I discussed earlier. Bottom line - a fun place, friendly enough staff. Guys just quit the stupid beer games and sell pints. ..
(3)Kevin P.
Nice cozy neighborhood brewery. Friendly staff, bearded brewer with smiling face on website, what more do you need? Ok, honestly the beer is nothing special. Amber, ipa, pale ale, cream ale, yadda yadda, heard it all before. But in this instance I don't mind. I'm not looking for some ginger infused sour beer at Sunup. I'm looking for solid drinkable beer at great prices with a friendly staff and a simple but satisfying menu. And hey, every now and then they'll throw something interesting on cask. Come and get it.
(4)S P.
This is a must-stop for every craft brew fan visiting Phoenix. Located near downtown in a small lot. Broad spectrum of brews including several cask brews and firkin draws. Great menu and friendly, fast service. Nice relaxing atmosphere to enjoy beer with the locals. Try the garlic fries or green chili dip-yummy!
(4)Chad G.
Whenever I know I'm going to be in the area I always have my growler ready for a pour. I've been twice and don't remember anything about the food to blow your mind away but their beers are tasty!
(4)David H.
Food was regular bar food, the beer was ok. Omg but the wait staff, yeah that's what we did, WAIT. Had to call them over to take our order, bring drinks and our bill. All of this with only 6 people in the restaurant and 4 wait staff. Will give them one more chance.
(2)Susan R.
This was my first visit to Sunup Brewery I really enjoyed the red IPA. The chicken wings were pretty good as well. I was quite surprised to learn how much the owner loves Yelp members. The brewery is small and quaint compared to others I have frequent. If I was in the neighborhood I would definitely stop by for a pint or two to quench my thirst.
(4)Rob P.
If you're into great craft beer, don't waste your time here. The cask conditioned IPA tastes like dish water. Food was average. Meh.
(2)Valerie G.
Unbelievably HORRIBLE service. Never again!! My husband and I have been to this restaurant twice now within a few years. Our first experience was ruined by a very rude waitress. We stayed away from the place. Recently we thought we would give it another go. We were greeted warmly by the bartender and asked to seat ourselves. It was early evening, cool and breezy outside, so we chose the patio. A waitress came out and literally said 'What do you want?' My husband said 'Well, can we start with some menus?' She turned and went back into the restaurant. She brought the menus and the beer list (which have no descriptions of what the beers are like, btw) and we waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. We finally gave up. We walked through the restaurant to leave and there was our supposed waitress, standing there doing nothing. Sorry SunUp - we tried you twice - your staff need some serious customer service training. Oregano's got your business that night.
(1)Ella M.
Beer. Burgers. Wings. How can you go wrong? Well, my burger was over cooked and lacked flavor. Their craft brews are ok, but they have a pretty good variety. I really like the fact that they bring you a chilled glass! That is rare in these parts! I'll definitely try this place again in hopes that they rotate their beer selection and include some seasonal offerings.
(3)Anthony W.
For me, Sun Up is a strange concoction of microbrewery, pub food, hipster alternative music and silent sports bar. I filly do not understand why this place keeps the tv on, and volume off... Especially when there is a game people really want to watch. The beer is tasty and the selection is pretty good. The service can be hit and miss (I was here one day and the oven was broken, limiting the menu). But it's not bad. Overall, the get 3 stars.
(3)Stephanie F.
A cute and fun little fine in downtown PHX. We had the beer samplers which was enjoyable. We also sampled the Apple Cider which was good, but not home brewed. As for food, we sampled quite a bit! Reuben and club sandwiches were good. Honey BBQ wings, garlic Parmesan fries, calamari and pretzel bites were also good. The cheese for the pretzels was gross. The best items were the green chile artichoke dip and the home brewed rootbeer.
(3)Ingrid E.
This place is so good!!! Their seasonal beers are bomb and my favorite dish Is the grilled shrimp taco! Great service, great food and above all great beer! !
(5)Brad W.
Stopped in for a 10pm drink and place was pretty empty for a Saturday night. Employees seemed more concerned with closing up and making plans for later even though the place didn't close until midnight. A bar should stay open til 2am, but the owners of this place I was told prefer an earlier closing time. Menu looked pretty lame with items crossed out with a marker and we decided to skip the food. Beer is good here since this is a brewery. Huge oatmeal stout fan, but this wasn't the best version and that is all I tried.
(3)Julie M.
The place has a cool atmosphere, and the waitress was very friendly. They do a great burger and chips. The root beer is worth a try, too. I'm making this my lunchtime hang-out.
(5)RillaAnn J.
The first time we came here the "seat yourself" sign was visible, so thats what we did. Fifteen minutes later, we left. No one ever came to greet us.... This time, we were set immeadiately and ordered some beers. Everything started out fine... Some of the wings that came with our order were so over cooked, there was no meat left. They were the ones conveniently located at the bottom of the stack. Once we ordered our entrees, our server started coming around a lot less.... Our food took a while, it seemed. I ordered a burger, pretty basic, but when our server offered me a temp request I said medium. It came out over cooked, but still good. I hate being asked, then end up disappointed. The onion rings were delicious and my beer was AMAZING (White Russian Imperial Stout). Now, my husband order the red pepper pasta dish.... Starting off, the pasta was over cooked. The sauce was more like a butter sauce and hardly resembled red pepper anything. The green chili mac led me to the same disappointment, i just didn't think it was good (there is another place on 7th st... that green chili mac is delicious!). My husband and i both agreed the beer was great, he had the hefeweizen. I really doubt we will return.
(2)Jason C.
I love the local brew scene in Phoenix, it has grown so much over the last couple of years. SunUp is right in the middle of it all. With a wonderful selection of beers brewed right on property its really hard to go wrong. If you not sure which one to get you can always try a sampler and pick any 4. The food is really good as well, I have already tried the Shepherd Pie and the Kobe burger, both were really good. You can go for happy hour and get any appetizer for $5.00. Like beer and good food, I would definitely recommend this place!
(5)Adrian B.
I love this spot. There is an awesome living social deal going on right now too. The seasonal pale ale they have right now is amazing. The wings are so good. I got the honey hot. I'm going back again this week. I am also considering having my next birthday in the adjacent brew house.
(4)Leslie C.
Warning I may be beer bias coming from the NW so the sun up beer wasn't anything I'd take home so I'm glad I got the living social deal to sample first. On the flip side their cider is good! Nachos were ok. Their chicken strips & onion ring are horrible too much beer breading. They said their mac&cheese with green chili's was great - ugh sorry it was not. Maybe go with a sandwich or burger and have better luck.
(3)John J.
Been coming here (almost daily) since I moved back from California in 2007. And finally decided to write a review. Great place! The food is excellent. Love their wings. And the beer is amazing. But what really sets this place apart is the fact that it truly is a place where "everybody knows your name". The servers do an excellent job of getting to know their customers (especially January - who really likes coffee, by the way). Have made some good friends here over the years. Excellent staff + Great food + Great beer + Good people + Only thing that would make this place better is cushy patio chairs and bikinis.
(5)Jakob M.
My family and I were vacationing in Arizona, and only had 1 afternoon to kill in Phoenix, so decided to swing by the SunUp Brewery for lunch. I had the Trooper IPA, which was definitely tasty. My sister had the beer sampler, and was able to try all the beers. She wasn't a huge fan of the Stinger Pale Ale, but really liked the Vanilla Porter. Prices here were definitely on the low/average side for a pub. The Brickhouse Nachos were certainly worth the $7. The portion wasn't huge, but it was loaded with cheese, onions, tomatoes, black olives, jalapenos, and guacamole (sour cream on the side). There were only 4 of us and we were still pleased with how much it filled us up! I had the Chicken Caesar Wrap (with buffalo sauce), which was definitely good and packed to the brim. The others in my group enjoyed the chicken tenders, chicken club (was a special that day) and the Fajita Salad. Overall, very pleased with the food and service.
(4)Chrystalle B.
Lets start w/ this: this place comes up on you quickly. If youre not actively looking for it, you may miss it. And when Camelback is busy, itll be a chore trying to get back to it. This place is not as tiny as you think, it has different rooms. Ive been by the door near the 1st bar and all the way at the back bar across the patio. The staff is great,we've never had bad service here, and its usually very busy. The food here is good, not as good as some other breweries that serve food, but also definitely not like your average bar food. The beers here, I dont so much enjoy. The Vanilla stout was good, but everything else was kind of bland. I should mention that we got samplers the 1st time we came as to try everything, They did, however, brew a special cherry beer for the AZ Girls Pint Out group that was awesome. Seriously, if you ever see that they have Cherry Buzz on tap, get it. I wont be coming here again, but I encourage those who like craft beer to check it out. You may find something you like.
(3)Becca H.
I went to this place to chill out with some friends and found a awesome to get a beer with friends. I noticed that this place served food but I didn't try any while I was there. It was nice to find a local place that offer locally made beers instead of the typical large company beers. It was also nice to see that the servers were knowledgable about their products. During my visit I tried the local amber and was pleasantly surprised. It was smooth and delicious. The second beer I tried was a crimson red. It had the bitterness of a red without being too bitter. I had the opportunity to sample the whiskey beer wine which was flavorful but not my cup of tea but it was worth the try. It was a cool evening and we sat on the patio. The only downside was that there was not enough heaters to make it enjoyable. Overall it was a good place to hang out with some friends.
(4)Cindy S.
Great food, beer, friendly service. Love their bread pudding :). Definitely check 'em out! We come down as often as we can ... it's our fav hang out :)
(5)Mike M.
So much better than my last visit. Service was awesome and so was there food. I'm glad I gave this place another chance I will definitely come back to eat here again. My wife and I really enjoyed our lunch at the anniversary party and had a decent band. I would like to see some more variety with their crafted beers
(4)Jeremy P.
I met a few of the coworkers here for lunch, never having been here before. I don't really frequent the brewhouse scene. When I asked the server what they had in the way of nonalcoholic beverages, she mentioned they have homemade root beer. Of course I had to try that out. The root beer is delicious. I still have not obtained closure on the root beer mystery: it tastes virtually identical to Sonora Root Beer, which is Arizona's finest brew, and available at numerous local restaurants. It appears as if SunUp formerly had (or still has?) some sort of partnership with Sonora Brewing Company, or if Sonora is even still a "thing"; I'm not sure if this means they now make the root beer, or what. Whatever it is, the root beer is delicious. The food? It was, well, OK. I went with the black and bleu burger, medium rare, with garlic parmesan fries. I did like the fries, and the burger had a nice flavor. The meat, however, was not the greatest (or the most plentiful), so I can't say this is a place you would go for a burger. The menu in general is nothing special, although if I go back, I would try that smoked salmon reuben. I think that is the only item on the menu that really struck me as unique. Overall, a decent restaurant, but nothing I would go out of my way for.
(3)Kevin B.
Had the pale ale with cascade hops on the cask followed with a pint of the hefeweizen. Beers were quite good and worthy of a trip back. Wings were flavorful and plentiful. Lots of good flavor with just the right amount of heat. The turkey burger was decent but could have used a little more flavor.
(4)Chukki S.
Eh, this place needs some help. Jon Taffer anyone? My friend ordered chicken wings and they were not cooked all the way. He had to send them back. My food also seemed to be a bit undercooked but I ate it anyways. Our bartender was very friendly and did a great job but the kitchen clearly needs help. This place would be a great candidate for Bar Rescue. There is potential here.
(2)Katie H.
Came here for Sunday beers. Local atmosphere. We could tell there were a lot of regulars there. The waitress could have been a little more friendly. I got the 4 sampler of beers because they had too many IPAs to chose from and my boyfriend had the triple IPA. Beers were good. We also ordered the chili fries for $6. We were expecting something a little larger but they're were very tasty and worth the $6. My only issue is the bathrooms. Definitely could use a little air freshener or two.
(3)Deb S.
First stop on our pub crawl. Great service, nice vibe, and plenty of choices. Their brewer is out of town but we still enjoyed all the great beer they had to offer. The food was good pub fare and the root beer was some of the best I've ever tasted. Inside is cozy, and the patio was quite pleasant.
(5)Clubber Z.
Good craft beers. The seasonal brews can be excellent. Nice cozy atmosphere. I didn't try the food.
(4)Chris B.
I knew that SunUp would be an eventual beer destination for me, but never got around to checking the place out until fate intervened. I had planned on meeting a friend at Angel's Trumpet Ale House (another fine venue for beer fans) only to find out they were closed on Mondays. SunUp however, was open and was my first suggestion so that I could still hang out with my lovely lady friend who is also a connoisseur of fine beers. SunUp turned out to be a cozy little place to enjoy beer and some righteous grubble. Knowing that my drinking companion was also a vegetarian (although she allows for bacon, which makes her an ovolactopesciporkatarian), we chose to split the nachos (sans meat) and the smoked salmon reuben. We also sampled the onion rings, which were downright tasty (especially if you sweet talk the waitress into bringing you a side of the remoulade that is normally served with their shrimp)! Although I found the smoked salmon reuben a tad on the salty side, I appreciated the fact that it was served on a nice marble rye. As for the beer, I found it fresh and quite drinkable. They offer their own house beers as well as guest taps, so I found the selection was ample enough to satisfy my beer wanderlust. The atmosphere was my favorite element of SunUp... it seems to be a great gathering place and yet it is intimate enough to serve as a decent place to take a date. Even better if your date digs beer, but you definitely won't be disappointed with the gemütlichkeit (cozy ambiance). Prost!
(4)Kev C.
Turkey burger was legit, green chili style. The nachos were a little plain, but still good. Pretzel bites were decent, the cheese sauce made them. The wings looked good, but I didnt have any, Had half of my aunts philly steak and it was delicious. Stuck with the seasonal beer all night and it was really smooth and really good. overall, great experience, decent food, great beer, great atmosphere, accommodated a party of 10 with no problem, $5 appetizers during happy hour. we'll definitely be back again.
(4)Art R.
Been awhile since we've been here but still top notch beer. I think the food has gone down a little though, seems to be hastily put together.
(4)Isaac S.
It wasn't bad. But it isn't a brewery I'll visit again. The beer was ok, the seasonal brews were pretty good. They had a cask red ipa with simcoe and cascade hops that I found delicious. The bar service was good. The wings were decent, good flavor but drowned in sauce.
(3)Stephen B.
This place is great!! Parking was easy and ample, the interior was clean, inviting, and cozy. Service was quick to seat us and make us comfortable. The appetizers were great, and servings more than ample. Wings were meaty and tasty, pretzel bites were warm and very good, the hummus plate was a meal in itself. The menu looks to have something for just about everyone. My burger was cooked to order and very tasty as was the cole slaw. We didn't have the fries or onion rings, but we noticed that other patrons ordered them and they looked great as they went past our table. My wife had the Oktoberfest brew, and said it was wonderful. We found our new favorite place to take and meet friends.
(5)Monica J.
I have never been a big fan of SunUp's beers. I usually prefer amber or brown ales but there is something a little off about their amber. So, I did not really ever make it a point to visit their brewery before. Then I saw that last week, for AZ beer week, they were doing something kind of fun. Beer floats. That's right, they had paired four of their beers with different flavors of gelato: cream ale with strawberry gelato, pale ale with blood orange sorbet, amber with sea salt caramel gelato and vanilla porter with tahitian vanilla gelato. Some were better than others but it made for a fun experience. I just love the fact that there are so many breweries in town now and they each have their own vibe but yet they are all part of the local craft beer community. The brewery itself was very homey and comfortable. It was decorated with a lot of wood paneling that was probably left over from the seventies but it gave it sort of a cozy country lodge feel. They have a nice inner courtyard with a secluded patio even though they are on a major street in the middle of downtown. There is a larger separate room where it seems most people who are eating a meal get a table, but the main bar area is pretty small. Most of the people there seemed to be regulars and it was an eclectic mix of ages and personalities. The bartender (who was also the hostess and the server) was very friendly and that also contribuited to the warm and fuzzy feeling we got while sitting at the bar. Though I don't go that often, I will probably return to SunUp. Firstly because I have discovered that their porter is actually pretty good, and secondly because it just seems like a cool place to hang out. The main thing that kept them from another star was the awful smell in the ladies room. My hubby said it was even worse in the mens. Gross. I hope it is not a permanent thing.
(3)Amanda N.
The food and beer is amazing. Top that off with a killer wait staff and bartender Jeannette! The husband and I love this place!!!
(5)Kathy J.
Sweet little brew pub with friendly clientele and staff we checked out after the final DBacks game of the 2013 season. The craft beers are really good. The only food item we tried was an artichoke and green chili dip covered in melted, shredded cheese and served with tortilla chips...low cal and delicious! It goes great with a cold beer for sure. They are super close to the Camelback light rail stop so if you are on your way downtown or back from there, I'd suggest you give them a try. They are on the north side of Camelback and their sign is low profile so it's easy to miss...keep your eyes open for it.
(4)Amanda M.
Only came in for beer sampler flight. Prompt service from friendly bartender. Really nice cream ale and vanilla porter. I hate IPAs and even sort of liked theirs.
(5)Meredith M.
I'm not sure why I order burgers in general, because generally I don't like them very much. Not the case at SunUp. I have had the burger with the blue cheese fondue on it several times now, and it is amazing. The bun is chewy, burger is juicy, and the blue cheese is very blue-cheesy. It was cooked to perfection and served with some crispy fries that were also very good. I have yet to be disappointed. My friend had the club, and it is a giant sandwich and looked delicious. His only compliant was there isn't any "regular" white bread available to put it on. Another friend had the green chile pulled pork and said he really enjoyed it. The beer on the other hand - I really have struggled to like. As an avid drinker of the "other" brewery in Tempe's flagship beer, I am always looking for a red-type ale, which they have, but I find too hoppy. So I recently have had the Pale Ale, which has a good flavor, but once again I run into a hop issue. I just really am not a fan of hoppy beers, and as of my last sampler tasting, these are too much for me. Another bonus of SunUp is the small, partially-covered patio. There aren't many tables, but it is perfect for lunch in the nicer weather.
(4)Rebecca R.
My husband and I have been coming here since before it was called SunUp. I think the other name may be copyrighted so I won't mention it. Whenever we come here we get something different but always order the homemade rootbeer (unless they're out!) and a side of kettle chips. Keep up the good work SunUp!
(4)Brian B.
Today was my first experience with SunUp brewing. All in all it was pretty awesome. The food was great, the beer was fresh and awesome. My wife and I asked the waitress/bartender several questions about their craft brews, which are brewed in house and they had all the answers and knew what they were talking about. I am a craft brewer too and was testing them with some of my questions and they were spot on with the answers. I will 100% be back there in the future! Awesome beer and food!
(5)Kat K.
Been here 3 times. I don't know how I ended here the 2nd time, let alone the 3rd. This doesn't reflect the staff, who have been very helpful and friendly. I think the beer is just OK. Actually, its forgettable. I can't give the place 2 stars because the brews are not that bad, but I am not a fan either. See, I already forgot what beers I tried out. Though I do remember they were cool, not cold. This is one of those reviews where I just don't know what to say, my experiences here were just blase. I think its because I found the ambiance kinda dull. There was a fun couple at the bar with us, trying to make it more lively, but sadly it just was not happening. Everything was an effort. I won't be back for a 4th visit (I say that now, we will see). But I do wish this venue the best.
(3)Brian M.
This is a neighborhood bar and grill located in Windsor Square. I like to sit at the main bar here because you always get roped into some conversation with the friendly bartenders and the folks sitting next to you. Their regular beers are good or OK and I usually get the Trooper IPA. However, they usually have seasonal or special beers of the day, which almost always contain a double or triple IPA, which are great. As far as food it is definitely bar food but I do enjoy their nachos (not really the best thing on the menu, I'm just a sucker for nachos), wings and fries. I do hear their fish and chips are superb as a gentleman from Vancouver wouldn't shut up about it one night. Sun Up runs a lot of specials like Chili dog Monday (Chili dog and beer for $6), Wing Wednesday and Happy Hour all day Sunday.
(4)Monique H.
This is a nice little pub. January is everything you would want out of a bartender - funny, quick to serve up your next beverage and easy on the eyes. I had the SunUp IPA, pretty tasty. To eat I ordered the Sonoran Chicken Salad - or something along those lines. Aside from the sliced chicken breast, the salad tasted exactly like the prepackaged southwestern salad you can get at the supermarket. I'm not all together sure that they didn't just give me the salad straight from the bag.
(3)Leslie G.
we didn't even know this place existed until I saw a living social deal and snagged it. then the deal sat and sat until almost expiring. After spending the morning hiking we were in the area and decided to pop in. The living social deal was 2 beer flights, an appetizer and 2 pint glasses to take home. The sampler was a tasting of the entire line up, so 7 samples. Found a few favorites and a couple we didn't like, but the vanilla porter was delish! Not our typical style of beer, but will most definitely order it again. Instead of getting the 2 pint glasses to take home they honored our request to have a couple pints of beer instead! Our server was just amazing - she was friendly and informative - big props to Angela for great customer service. We loved the atmosphere and oh - the food. It was good. For our appetizer we got the green chili dip with chips. It was good - not amazing, but we were starving from our hike and cleaned the bowl. We also ordered a BLT breakfast sandwich from the brunch menu which I thought was great. It was your typical BLT, but served on a croissant with a fried egg on top and served with home fries. So very good - next time I won't share though and order it only for myself. They definitely seem to have a local following as everyone that came in after us seemed to know someone else already there. When the locals like it and keep coming back you know it is a good thing. We will be back!
(4)Jeremiah T.
I worked down the block from this joint for years and kept forgetting to stop by the place until I briefly spoke with Uwe at another beer event and was inspired by his jolly nature to get my ass in there and try his beer. My expectations weren't high for the place overall, and BOY did I feel like a jerk when I found it to be such a nice place with good beer (and plenty varieties of it) and food that was truly delicious. I figured it would be limited to standard bar food, but they have home style meals as well. My date got wings, which were good, and I got a chicken plate with mashed potatoes that was just about a perfect portion size for being satisfying, yet leaving room for beers. The vanilla porter was delicious!
(5)Phyllis A.
I have eaten at SunUp Brewing Co. at least 4 times (maybe 5) since moving back to Phoenix in January...it' one of my favorites! I'm not a beer drinker so I can't rate the beer. I came upon SunUp Brewing Co. through Restaurant.com . I like to try different restaurants so I use Restaurant.Com to find them so if it's not a good experience I'm not paying full price for the meal. :-} On to my experiences...the first time I went there I was disappointed in the service; my pasta dish arrived lukewarm and the pasta had started to stick together from sitting in the kitchen, BUT I left my comments on Restaurant.com and was surprised to receive an email from the owner (maybe?). I received an apology with a request that I give them another try...and I did. All my subsequent dining experiences have been superb! I'm hooked on the spicy pasta dish with salmon. I have taken friends and visiting family members there and they order different dishes and all have said they liked their dishes. I haven't tried any of their dishes because I don't want anything to "taint" my taste-buds from enjoying my favorite dish. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly.
(4)Liz S.
I like sunUp. I like the beer, its good, I especially love the IPA. Oddly enough, I have yet to eat at SunUp. I just really like that this is a nice place to kick back and have a cold one. The services is consistently quick and friendly, and the selection is great.
(4)Rhonda H.
First time there, I'm a big fan of craft beers, these guys nailed it! Had a burger & onion rings, awesome! We started out with the sampler, I don't usually like dark beers, but I enjoyed them all. My fav was the Lightrail Cream Amber! A must try in Phoenix!!
(5)Jim P.
They brew a decent beer. Last time I was there I tried some crazy-high IBU IPA, or DIPA from the cask - which was quite smooth and an excellent brunch beer despite the amount of hops. The food is fairly standard brew-pub fare. You can get shrimp sliders, burgers...that kind of thing. As for their website - u can click on that link above, but it won't do you much good. They don't seem to update it ever - so its useless to see what they might have on cask, or the current seasonal. And that menu link? Circa prior-to-the-name-change from Sonoran Brewhouse, so you can't rely on that.
(3)Ryan R.
3 steps to bliss: 1. Whatever you are doing right now, stop. 2. Go to Sun Up. 3. Get a smoked salmon Rueben. My brother drug me here during a recent visit and told me the pork verde was really good. He was right, but when I see something as strange as a salmon Reuben on the menu, I just have to give it a try. It was amazing. I haven't been that surprised by delicious food in years. I didn't do a full beer tasting, but I did have the barley wine and it was very good. It was very fresh, as it should be in a brewhouse, but you could also tell they keep their lines and tap really clean. All I tasted was beer; it was served in a slightly chilled glass. Thanks, January!
(5)Errol N.
Beer... Yes Please!! Great Place Emily, January and Jamie are the best! Any beer on Casket is the best! Great place to meet the locals too!
(5)Arizona T.
Great beer! Didn't try the food. Very friendly folks.
(4)Meschelle H.
So, it has been a while (a long while) since we ate here, but there's always room for more Yelp reviews! Ok, so back when I was a meat eater, I ordered the Kobe beef burger (I was excited), I asked for it medium, cause I can't take a totally bloody burger. We both ordered their beer sampler, (6 four-ounce beers!!) and the server also brought a taster of a seasonal beer for us. Let's just say by the end of it, I was super tipsy! The Light Rail cream ale is good if you're new to beers, or just like lighter brews. I am not a hop head, so the IPA was definitely not my fave nor was the Red Ale. The hef tasted rotten, and I usually like wheat beers, so maybe something was a little off. My favorite, hands down, was the Vanilla Porter! I absolutely adore dark beers (Stouts/Milk Stouts, Porters, etc.) and this one was a perfect blend of vanilla and dark beery goodness. I still think about this beer, and I will go back for it someday. The food was a different story. Remember how I asked for my burger medium? Yeah, it came out well done, which sucked...but I ate it anyway, cause I needed something besides beer in my stomach. I don't remember my partner being over the moon with her meal, she wasn't disappointed either. It's the kind of food I will eat if it's there...but I won't go out of my way to get it. The service: I've had better and I've had worse. Cheers.
(3)Larry G.
Food and beer have been great for years, I heard they have a new manager so I went back to try out. Service is great now.
(4)Toryanni E.
The food here was fantastic and so was the service!
(5)Whitney H.
My brother is a total beer snob and loves trying out local breweries, so when he came in town this weekend he picked SunUp for us to check out. My father and brother were already there when I arrived and my dad said that the waitress told him everything on the menu is good (which in my mind is the same as saying nothing on the menu is good). My brother and I picked the fish and chips with garlic/parm fries, and my dad got the shepherd's pie. My brother got the flight of seven (I think? that's usually the number served for a flight at these types of places) beers and enjoyed them. The food was a different story though. The fish was one giant piece, which wasn't bad in itself, except that the breading was super thick and not crispy at all, really. It was also a bit dry. The garlic/parm fries were WEIRD - just something about the taste was wrong. The coleslaw literally made me laugh out loud when I tried it - it tasted like nothing. No salt, no vinegar, nothing. My dad, who will virtually eat anything, salted it and said it still wasn't good. His shepherd's pie looked okay, and he ate it and said it was alright. I would personally never come back here for food. Maybe just some beers.
(2)Beth K.
Had the grilled chicken sandwich, the Mac & cheese with green chiles - both delicious! Accompanied by the heifeweisen for a very satisfying lunch.
(5)John A.
My fiance and I have been coming here for a little over a year. We have since moved from the surrounding area, but we stop by when we are hitting up the furniture places in the Melrose District. Meal: The fiance usually gets the edge salad, the veggie burger or the nachos. I typically whatever is on the special, such as the pot pie . . . and onion rings! I am a big fan of any of cask ales and the light rail cream ale. The fiance always goes for the wheat beers or something with a strong fruity taste. Taste: First and foremost, the onion rings are the best in the valley. They are thick and bread-y. Yes . . . that is a new word in the Yelp lexicon. The beer can be hit or miss, but if they haven't run out of the cask ale, run with it. The food is spectacular. I rarely go with something on the menu because their daily special is usually a stand out! 8 out of 10. Value: Portions are pretty reasonable. They definitely don't skimp on portions. My fiance and I always end up a to-go box. 4 out of 5. Service/Cleanliness: Service at SunUp is its Achille's heel. The servers can be rude and rarely know the menu. And its funny and kind of sad when the staff is unable to describe the beers on tap. Its a brewery . . . I would imagine they would know what the beers are like. Finally, their beers are served too warm sometimes. The temperature of some of their beers are room temperature. I respect the fact that some beers are to be served warm depending on the style, but the entire selection isn't to be served at room temperature. 4 out of 10. Atmosphere: I like the atmosphere because its low key, has a great patio, and a nice variety of music. The bars are pretty nice and when the bartenders are actually working, the conversation adds to the experience. 3 out of 5. Overall: If you are in the area, stop by for a visit. I wouldn't avoid Friday and Saturday evenings. I would drive across town to try it out and just be prepared for poor service. 19 out of 30 points, 3 out of 5 stars.
(2)Jill D.
Cask drawn IPA.....good stuff!
(5)Evan B.
4 Stars for beer only 2 for their food. One of the best micro brews I have ever had was here. It was a cask conditioned IPA that was just incredible. It is great that they offer a cask conditioned beer and a rotating seasonal beer along with the wide selection of standard brews. Prices are on par for a micro brew $4-5 per pint. My dinners here have been fine but nothing special just common bar and grill food. The Nachos were decent but cheese on chips can't be bad. the selection is a bit uninspired in the food department. Burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, salads and the usual fried appetizers. I will be going back again and again for their great beer.
(4)Dawn B.
After a five and a half hour drive from San Diego, we showed up needing two things: (1) something to eat; and (2) a cold beer. We found them both at the SunUp Brewing Company. The menu is primarily pub food - burgers, nachos, and wings - although they did have a grilled salmon special that sounded good. There was a minor mix up with the kitchen, but the service was great and the beers more than made up for it.
(4)Valerie A.
Service was great. Loved the BlackBerry Pear Cider. The seasonal double IPA was delicious too. Wait for special guest Black Pat and your time will be amazeballs.
(4)Chris P.
We have driven past this place several times. We never really drink so breweries are never high on our list to visit. The inside is very very nice and inviting. the staff very friendly and fairly quick service. we arrived at an off time between lunch and dinner and saw how quickly the place started to fill up as we finished are dinners. we had the light rail cream ale and the vanilla porter. pretty good. the prices were really good as well. Seems like it would be a great place to hang out with friends. also very clean. we will be back again soon
(4)David L.
High Strength Cask Ale. $5. This beer has generous amounts of floral hops without being loud. The malts are crisp and the ale is well balanced. This is a real ale and a good sipper. Served in a dimpled pint glass. I place an order for the sea bass special. $14. Perfectly baked with a beurre blanc sauce and most likely reduced with one of the ales and on the side, seasonal vegetables. Excellent meal. Sitting on the breezy patio was pretty good as the interior was solid packed. The only annoyance was the occasional smoker. What I would give to light up a rollie. But being a reasonable non-smoker, I ignore the irritant. Anyway somebody tell the landlord it was a great time.
(4)Nicole G.
Menu isn't very appealing, however the food is delicious. Had the Cesar salad and soup, very good. Husband had the shrimp slider which were very good. Service is very chill, kinda a small place but VERY clean.
(3)Teri B.
All you with inner fat-kids... you MUST get the onion rings. They're like the size of donuts and SO good... so I've heard ;) For a tiny local brewery this place is great. Warm, brewery vibe. I wish they'd do a little something more with the patio but overall no complaints. My husband is super picky about beers and really likes SunUp so I guess they're good. It's perfect for a bars-on-bikes stop when you're looking for something casual and good old fashioned fat kid bar food.
(4)steve r.
I wanted to drop by and do my part to support our local brewing establishment. I'm glad I did. Always an interesting selection of beers with the occasional cask condition variety. Bottom line, the beer is tasty, the food is unexpectedly good. It's a no brainer.
(4)Jordan G.
SunUp makes some decent brews, but the food leaves a lot to be desired. Here's what we had: Ahi Sliders: Bland coleslaw and tuna were overpowered by the oversized and mediocre bun. Shrimp tacos: Way too salty and overcooked. Fortunately, there were only two shrimp per taco, so the disappointment at how they tasted was mitigating by the sheer lack of content. Macaroni & Cheese: Not bad, but it's mac & cheese. The service was great and there's plenty of space, but there's really no reason to eat here, and, in my opinion, there are better places to get beer.
(2)Alli L.
can't beat good beer, good food, and good people!
(5)Brian T.
decided to take the fam out for dinner last night, was reallly craving a juicy burger and a beer. I do have to say that the beer was great, but the food was just meh. We started with the calamari and the beer bread with beer cheese for an appetizer. I wasn't a fan of the beer bread, but maybe I just don't like beer bread. Nothing was "wrong" with it, I we just weren't fans. The calamari was good, I liked it anyway. I decided to get the black and bleu burger with onion rings, wife got the crispy shrimp tacos, my son had a smaller cheeseburger with garlic parm fries and my little daughter had a grilled cheese and sweet potato fries. My burger was cooked perfectly, but was somehow bland. Not sure how, with the bacon and bleu cheese fondue, but it was. I think the meat was just underseasoned, but overall a decent burger. I have to say the onion rings were terrible, not very crispy and soooo much "breading". ick The wife's tacos were impossible to eat, super sloppy and just fell apart. My son reallly liked his burger and fries. On to the beer. I had an awesome red beer then a pilsner, both very very good. The wife had the light rail cream ale, that was also awesome. In the future, I'll go back for the awesome beer and maybe just a simple cheeseburger.
(3)Mr D.
Best brewery I've been to in the United States! I like the fact that there was a wide variety of beer. Something for everybody. But it was also some of the best beer
(5)Jason B.
This was stop numero uno on our group's light rail bar crawl. None of us had ever been there before so we were excited to see what this place was all about. Situated about a 10ish minute walk from the light rail station, it is a nice walk through a part of town where I wouldn't normally be. You wouldn't think this place is a brewery because of its small size but it is. The inside is very quaint and taverny. It has a very relaxed vibe going on. I ordered the sampler and all their beers are pretty decent. I decided on the Amber for my pint, but they were all good so it was a difficult decision. Not bad for a little local brewery at all. For a quick bite before we moved on we ordered the calamari and the bratwurst splitter. The calamari was pretty standard and the aioli had a nice kick to it. The bratwurst was excellent and unique. Each was perfect to split among 4 people. The rest of their menu looked good but is pretty much typical bar food. Well probably a bit better than average bar food. Anyway, it is perfect food for the place and looking back we should have probably eaten dinner there instead of only an appetizer. Pro Tip: Cross over to the north side of the street at the light as soon as you exit the light rail station. Otherwise you will be dodging traffic as you try to cross because the place is located on the other side of the street far from another crosswalk. Anyway, I would like to come back for a few beers and food. I would also like to do the brewery tour.
(4)David S.
Hell yes. I was very pleased with this place. First time my friend and I had been there, and we thought it was great. I'm so glad there are places like this in Phoenix now. We went on a Sunday afternoon and it was very quiet. Much more of a place for engaging conversation over some good beer, which is my idea of a great pub on a Sunday afternoon. Also, it was happy hour all day. I had the SunUp Amber, which was tasty and smooth. I would have liked to get the Hefeweizen for a hot, summer afternoon, but they were out. And for some reason they were serving Widmer instead. I passed on that since I wanted something from the home brewery. We had the nachos and quesadilla for appetizers and they were sufficent for happy hour prices. Then again, I'm really only judging this place on the quality of beer and atmosphere, which I really liked. I'm looking forward to going back to try something else from the beer selection.
(4)Melissa J.
Cute little brewery on Camelback. My husband liked his beer, I'm not a beer drinker so I can't really judge. My sister got the homemade rootbeer and it was delicious. We split the bar-b-que chicken wings and I completely loved them. Perfect amount of sauce, great taste and great chicken. I got the smoked salmon rueben. It was great, but probably not surprisingly it was incredibly salty. I'm not sure it's possible for a sandwich of smoked salmon and sauerkraut not to be salty but I was only able to eat half, and it's not that big. I did enjoy that half. Contributing to all the salt intake was the giant pile of sweet potato fries that came with it, plus several of the garlic parmesan fries my husband got as a side. I'm pretty sure I consumed a week's worth of sodium in that meal. The fries were in fact great, I say the garlic parmesan ones were the best and my husband says the sweet potato. Go check them out and decide for yourself.
(4)Cliff Z.
Been here before and it was WAY better than this last Thursday! Had veggie/hummus appetizer, burger that was ok, had one porter and one hefe and both were sub par, but the root beer float was the best thing I had even if I only got one scoop of ice cream...last time was the last time.
(2)Jessica L.
Went here last night for a friends birthday dinner. We got a table in the side room (you can rent the entire room for $250 I think they said). The staff was very nice, but I agree it was a bit slow but we still enjoyed ourselves. Beer was tasty of course and I got the Green Chili Pork - delish! if you like a spicy dish because it was :) We will try this place again for sure... just don't be in any kind of hurry. Oh also, if you are with a group they don't seem to like splitting checks so having cash is best.
(4)Justin H.
Average beer... Great food.
(3)Becky W.
so glad Yelp led us here on our way home to CA. Shared the Classic Reuben and kettle chips plus bread pudding with whiskey sauce for dessert; very good! I chose Amber Ale to dink then tried pub tastes of Oatmeal Stout and Vanilla Porter. The Amber was by far the best tasting. I love dark beers, these were "okay." The Amber was very flavorful and complemented the food well. I recommend this pub; we'll be back next year when spring training rolls around again.
(3)Brittanie M.
I'm not a huge beer drinker so this review is mostly based on their food. I did try a sample of the vanilla porter which was more chocolate and crème than vanilla but I could see it going really well with some cake or brownies after dinner. However, I was here for a late lunch/early dinner so I opted for the turkey sandwich with their mac n' ale cheese side. The sandwich was a lot smaller than I was expecting for the price ($8.50 for a small sandwich and side). The turkey and spinach leaves were really fresh and the roll was lightly toasted and not dry, but the cranberry mayo didn't have a very strong flavour. It would have been better with actual whole cranberry sauce and then mayo separate. The sandwich was good but I was very disappointed with the size. The mac n' cheese was very good and cheesy but it wasn't very noteworthy - it was basically high quality Velveeta cheese a slight beer-esque tang to it, topped with parmigiana. I tried a bit of my friend's parmigiana fries and those were decent but, again, nothing special - just fries with parmigiana on top. Service was fast (though the place was pretty empty) and friendly. They also had a few different ciders in bottles available which I wasn't expecting (I'm a HUGE cider fan), so that was a nice plus. Main point: I like going to breweries because they usually incorporate beer into a lot of their dishes. SunUp's beer-battered shrimp (again, what the friend ordered) and ale-infused cheese is an example but where are the beer-battered fries or soft beer bread or other delicacies you can find on Four Peaks' (for example) menu? What do you have on offer to draw in non-beer drinkers to your establishment? I think it's an important question when a brewery decides to also be a restaurant and one I'm not sure SunUp really thought about. I would come here again to sample more of the beer and for dessert or a Happy Hour-priced appetizer but not for lunch or dinner again.
(3)Mike M.
Ya know..... We stumbled upon SunUp after visiting the Herd w/ friends from Philly. They know and love good food and beers like we do, and we were all pleasantly surprised by the quality beer selection, and good food at good prices. I haven't been there in a month or so, but worth the trip if you're in the area. Keep up the good work SunUp!
(4)Erin S.
This place had a great vibe. Small, relaxed and welcoming. I really liked the set up of this place. It was comforting and cozy. We ordered the sampler and were content. The Stout really stood out. I wish they bottled. Well next time in AZ for Spring Training.
(4)Jayelynn W.
Great place to hang out and drink good beer or be a good designated driver like me. The fries are my favorite thing on the menu! However, the Green Chile Pork is amazing and my Mom refuses to order anything other than Beer Battered Fish & Chips.
(4)Jill D.
Been back a handful of times since I wrote this and felt I should update. Service has improved and it seems that they've updated their menu so that the spinach dip's description more accurately matches what actually is served. Not positive, because I haven't had the balls to order it. I found another gem on the menu called the parmesan fries. Holy lord! Very good. The wings were also solid. Still no hefe on tap- hopefully they'll bring back that gold goodness soon. Hint hint!
(4)Jack N.
Stopped in on Friday at 9:30pm 8/26/11 with a friend to pick up a growler. We both had never been here before and are both lovers of craft brew. The barmaid was a complete total rude person. She rudely asked us if we were going to sit down and order something. No, we just want to pick up a couple growlers to go. She then literally told us to back away from the bar because a waitress came up behind us to put in an order for other customers. Really? We were talking to you first, the bar is half empty and you are going to tell us to back up for another waitress? I would have walked out but my friend really wanted to try their beer. So after helping her co-worker she rudely asks us what beer we wanted. He asked for the cask porter that was on the specials board and an IPA. Her reply was very short and rude: You cant have the cask porter in a growler. Attention owner: Fire this old rude cougar with short blonde hair and get someone who can help you serve customers properly. I'm not even talking about knowing your product: What kind of beer do you like? Have you been here before? Etc etc. Just the normal service: Hi, how are you this evening? What can I get for you? Sorry the cask is only available in pints. Etc etc. I dont care what happened to her that night. I dont care if her dog was hit by a firetruck. I am a customer and am here to buy your product. Be polite and serve me. We ended up getting one growler instead of 2 because of how rude she was. If it were up to me we would have walked out. The growler was an IPA. It was decent but was no where near as good as the Four Peaks Hop Knot we had that night and it definitely wasn't worth feeling degraded by an old rude hag. I will NEVER return here and will tell all the other brew lovers that I know that the service is horrific and the beer is less than mediocre. The worst part is the craft brew scene in AZ can use all the help it can get it and people like this bartender are not helping it one bit. If the owner doesnt care about his business hopefully at least he will care about the craft and fire this lady immediately. Serving beer and customers is definitely not her calling. Theres a correction office hiring somewhere in the valley that she would fit lovely.
(1)Kristen R.
The food was excellent and the service was good... I just don't really care for there beer. I've"ve been there a few times and tried almost everything they brew and I just don't like there beer. It's an alright place if you're not going for the beer.
(3)Adrian F.
My first experience here was... not great... The girl behind the bar was a total... well let's just say she wasn't very nice. Inattenctive to customer's needs and rude to the other employees working (one in particular was on the verge of tears and it was only her first day)! THAT BEING SAID.... I have not seen her working there since my first visit, and each subsequent visit has been extremely pleasant! Our servers and bartenders have been nothing but friendly. I'm a beer nerd, so I love the local breweries! SunUp happens to produce some really decent batches of beer! The Trooper IPA is by far my favorite so far, but I enjoy trying all the different ones they offer and their seasonals! The food here is very good, especially the bison burger! The prices are slightly steeper than most other breweries I've dined at in the area, but the food is quality, and the happy hour deals are unbeatable!
(4)EpicSpin L.
I was excited to try this place and was extremely disappointed... My boyfriend and I went here on a quiet Monday night and sat at the bar. Off the bat the bartender, a girl with dark hair and glasses, was just not nice at all. No smiles, just attitude. The beer was meh, nothing I was impressed with, and the food was just not good at all. I ordered a burger with onion rings. Burger was blah, onion rings were soggy. I also got a side of mac 'n cheese, well, because I'm a complete sucker for mac 'n cheese. This stuff looked and tasted like it'd been sitting in a tub under a heat lamp all day. 2 bites and I was done. My bf also got a burger with the Parmesan fries... The fries were soggy, and it looked like they just shook a bunch of grated Parmesan out of the can on to them instead of using fresh parm. Not good at all. Typically I can forgive a place for having bad food if the service and drinks are good, but I'm sorry to say that this place was just all around bad.
(2)Erin H.
We always drive by SunUp and talk about checking it out one of these times. We finally went there for dinner the other night. I love the decor inside. The brick walls and the exposed piping looks cool. When we got inside it was a lot smaller than I had expected. Apparently there are two separate buildings. We stayed in one, that had a small bar and about 12 tables. I think there were 4 or 5 tv's with sports on. The other building had a huge party. We were able to pick where to sit and we chose a booth. The server greeted us promptly, but when we asked about beer specials. She started off by telling us and pointing at the beer menu, which beers are not available and which ones are in their place. She talked so fast, that we only got half of what she was saying. We both ordered a beer and my husband ordered a burger with garlic parmesan fries. I ordered a steak wrap with a side salad. My husband LOVED his burger...The jury is still out on the garlic parmesan fries. I LOVED my steak wrap. It was pretty much a fajita. I didn't care too much for the salad. I like my salads pretty simple and including the right stuff; lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, cucumbers, croutons and dressing. This salad was a mixture of several different lettuces and I think arugula...I mean, I'm not a salad genius, but it just didn't taste good to me. If you go, pray you don't get there whilie there is a big party. We waited awhile for our food. ...All things considered, we will probably go back some time.
(3)Nikki F.
Good pub food and tasty beer. Try the garlic Parmesan fries!
(4)Nader A.
I just wanted to write a short update about SunUp since I've become a very regular patron. This place is great. The staff is usually pretty awesome unless they're swamped, but I feel that that's understandable. There is always a great special beer on tap that I become a fan of and then am saddened when the keg is emptied. And....I finally found great food here! It took me a while, but the pork verde, the chili fries and almost anything with the bleu cheese fondue is flippin' great (try it with the garlic parm fries)! Did I mention the bleu cheese fondue?!
(4)Amanda P.
I thoroughly enjoyed this place! We went here on a whim because Zipps was PACKED for Monday Night Football. I am really glad we came here! It is a quiet, clean, friendly place. We had the Oktoberfest and SunUp Ambers and both were REALLY good beers. They have a lot of beer incorporated into their food as well which I liked. We ended up getting the Beer Brat, a SunUp Salad and the Steak wrap. The brat came with saukraut, beer mustard and steak style sweet potato fries. The fries were INCREDIBLE! Best sweet potato fries in town! The brat was delicious as well. The salad was served with bleu cheese crumbles and candied pecans that were very tasty....the portion sizes were great, too. The steak wrap was pretty much a philly cheese steak in a tortilla which was fine because they did an awesome job with it. They do have TVs for sports as well so we were able to watch the game without a long wait and no crazy fans! I am looking forward to going back here and trying the Root Beer they have in the cask. I also am excited to sample more of their beers! But, because I didnt give it 5 stars here would be my points to improve upon: 1) the waitress had at least 6 changes to the beer menu so we ended up getting lost in what was available and what had changed...eventually we just went with the beers that were the beers of the month and were written on the wall. 2) the bartender obviously knew some of the regulars sitting at the bar and didnt stop the inebriated chap from throwing his phone 16 times to prove that his case protects it from being broken. He'd had 1 too many and he wasnt really being reigned in to much. Not that this is an easy job (especially when it a regular who probably tips well) but it is still necessary. All in all, it was a great first experience!
(4)Bill B.
I checked them out for the first time on a slow night just as another haboob was rolling into the valley. A lot of conversation in other reviews seems focused on two areas: The quality of service and the temperature of the beer. I can confirm that the beer is noticeably less cold than in other places, but is probably at the appropriate temperature for ales, bocks, stouts, etc. Lager would taste wrong at this elevated temp. But don't drink much lager. The IPA I sampled was good. The service was more than acceptable, though this was a very light evening. I was one of three people at the bar. I had the hamburger and wasn't disappointed. Wasn't really remarkable either. The atmosphere is relaxed and it's a bit brighter inside than I expected.
(3)Natalie D.
Cute little brewing company with yummy food and good beers. Not your typical brewery, but that's why I like it. Service was good, and the place was chill. They had awesome sweet potato fries, and good choices of cider and beers.
(4)Bridget D.
Oh Porter, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways... I had a, ah, as in just one, porter and was feelin' fine. And I was extremely glad to have the sweet potato fries instead of the regular ones with my sammie. Our waitress was pleasant, prompt and next time I'm going to ask to be seated outside or at a high top table. Our booth was great for chatting with my friend, but I like a little people watching at the pub! Now, if you are avoiding SunUp because you remember that there used to be something called the Sonora Brewhouse in that same space.... You're in luck!! The brewmaster, Uva, is still there, still brewing his witches draught. But now, you won't get them confused with the Sonoran Brewing Co. in north Scottsdale. Hooray!
(3)Melissa H.
Like it but kinda miss the old Sonoran Brew Pub that used to be here. Solid pub food. It is a good pick when Rosie's is just too crowded and you want a place that is a (little) quieter. The back patio is great when you have a mess of drunken friends that want to get together and don't want or can't censor their conersations. The staff is nice, nothing spectacular abotu the digs. Clearly, the beer is the star here and not the surroundings. Good solid neighborhood brew pub. I.E. don't take a first date here, it's a little too laid back. Its more of a let's grab a beer after running around all day at the garage sale, or hey a group of us from high school are getting together and we've already accepted how much weight we've all gained so lets get some wings kinda of place.
(3)Carmelo W.
We had two waitresses for our table of 8, each only did a section of the table but service was very bad. From our three drinks ordered, we only got two. It was pricey. We won't be coming back.
(1)A C.
We went to SunUp last week Saturday for lunch. We were excited to try the beers on tap, especially the cream ale. One of my favorite beers, Spotted Cow (sold only in Wisconsin), is a cream ale so I was looking forward to hopefully finding something similar. Unfortunately, they were out! Bummer. We got their sampler, which for $6.50 included six 4-ounce beers. We had the vanilla porter (VERY vanilla tasting!), nut brown (very good), pale ale (hoppy and floral), amber ale (malty, my favorite), hefeweizen (a good basic wheat beer) and a red ale (good blend of malt and hops, my husbands favorite). For lunch, my husband had the beer brat and a side of macaroni and cheese. He really enjoyed both. I had the Ruben and garlic Parmesan fries. I liked them both, but there was very little meat on the sandwich, especially for $8.50. The Parmesan cheese on top of the fries is the dry, kraft-kind of cheese, just FYI. Overall, a good brew pub, but Four Peaks steals my heart!
(3)Robert L.
Maybe its because of my age but I was not very impressed. It seemed that this place was..well kind of awkward. I had the nachos and they were decent, nothing to really complain about. If you not seated at the bar or the benches you are stuck with the tables which have barely enough room for three ppl. This means the three plates are pretty much touching each other and your best friends with the person sitting next to you. Hope you don't have a space issue... I guess the place is for more of a couple setting. I had one beer and left. Maybe go again...maybe. R\_
(3)Morris J.
LOVE THIS PLACE. The staff are great. The beer is INCREDIBLE. The food....ahhhh...it is pretty good (much better than typical bar food.) If you like IPAs...this is the place to go. The cask IPA is a mouthful of heaven.
(4)Chris R.
I love Sun Up. If I had my druthers, I would eat here every week. I think they have excellent beer. All of their cask conditioned ales are awesome. The food is above average bar food and everything seems to have a little zip (spice) to it, which I like. My favorite item by far is the wings. I have always found the staff to be friendly. The environment is relaxing and quiet enough to easily carry a conversation. If you like good beer, try Sun Up - you won't be disappointed.
(5)Kirstin E.
I love going to places I've never been to that my friends tell me they love. This place was just ok. Nothing spectacular, but nothing bad either. Just middle of the road. We ordered a bunch of apps to nosh upon. There was their spin on what I think was supposed to be brucchetta, but it was dosed in some sort of balsamic vinaigrette. The toast it was on was good and held up to the toppings. A cheese crisp of some sort was involved. It was a cheese crisp people, not to hard to mess up. It was cheesy and crunchy in the right places and soft in the others. The salsa they serve with it seems to be jarred, its not fresh...or at least doesn't taste fresh. I also had a garden salad, with Caesar dressing, I had realllly bad burps that lingered for the rest of the day from that dressing. So gross. I didn't have any beer, but the iced tea was decent. The staff was friendly and on top of things. I would probably go back one more time and give them another whirl.
(3)Robert M.
Great place for a good drink and tasty burger! I'm no expert in the rules of local brew, however, I give a good head nod to the Hefeweizen. It's crisp and hits the spot on a hot hot day. If you've got a craving for some good grub then I recommend the Brewery burger with a side of fries. If you're feeling a little adventurous add on some bacon, blue cheese crumbles and slather on some Dijon. It's a sure way to get you way past full. The Fish N Chips are just as good and if you're not a drinker grab a pint of Root-Beer. Sunday and Monday's are $3.00 pint nights with the purchase of the logo glass so I intend to put it to good use. Great way to kick-off the week!
(4)David M.
Very happy that there is a local brewery in walking distance of my new house. Can't believe more people don't go to this place. The atmosphere and beer are amazing, with good tunes and very few people. The wings passed my wing test, which is a tough test to pass. Most of the other food is boring. But if you don't care about food and want a good neighborhood bar to chill at, Sun Up is the place to be. I am rating this 5 stars because more people need to know about it.
(5)Tonia B.
Abridged: Total win for having the best hummus this non hummus lover has ever found. Unabridged: I ended up here on a First Friday, which is probably why the place was nearly empty. The patio was a great place to hang out, but a little hard to find. The staff was great and always around when we needed another round or wanted to order some food. They also split checks without getting pissy about it. Seems like it shouldn't be a big deal, and you're right, but it usually is. The patio has basic patio furniture, that while comfortable, wasn't anything spectacular.. but hey.. it's a bar. There also is a brewing room that has tables, but I've been told by people that have been there on several occasions, they've never been allowed to sit in there. Why??????????? I had the light rail cream ale and some hummus. The light rail ale was your basic ale. Good, but not outstanding. The hummus was the best I've ever had. And I'm not a huge hummus lover.. just able to tolerate it. However, I'd come back to order this above typical bar fare. For serious. You need to try it.
(3)Rachel M.
Went in for the living social deal last Friday. It was busy during happy hour. Seemed like the spot to be! Although, once my boyfriend and I were seated and advised the server that we had the living social deal, the service was extremely disappointing. I understand that with coupons at restaurants servers don't always get tipped on the price before discount. I used to be a server and restaurant manager and have seen that happen a lot. The server was very robotic and not friendly at all. She set down our drinks and food like we were in her way and troubling her. The appetizers were fair for pub food. The pretzels were pretty tasty actually! We really enjoyed the beer sampler that we each got as well! My favorites were the hefeweizen and vanilla porter. Everyone else that worked there seemed very pleasant and friendly except our server. We most likely wont be going there again due to the service. Hopefully the 40% tip that my boyfriend left will help get that server's attitude turned around towards future diners!
(2)Steve T.
My buddy and I decided to stop in and try this place on the way home from a party at Four Peaks Brewery. I'm a wheat beer fan, so i usually order something along those lines...not hoppy, not malty, just wheaty. I decided to try their Horizon hefeweizen. The relatively indifferent waitress informed me that they were out. She told me to try the Stinger Pale Ale. She said that if I normally drink wheats that I would like the Stinger, too, which I thought was kinda weird. Well, I tried it and didn't like it. No big deal. I was ready to try something else. That was before she completely ignored our table for 20 mins. She seemed like she was more interested in cleaning and talking to some guys at the bar. When she finally brought our bill we paid and didn't leave a tip, because we felt she didn't deserve one. She actually followed us out to the parking lot and yelled "thanks for the tip". Weird! I'll never be going back to that place again.
(2)Jonathan K.
The food here was pretty good, but I wasn't overly blown away by it, either. It could be due to the fact my kids were acting like jackasses and I had to keep on them to mind their manners and not actually enjoy what I was eating. They do have a kids menu but it is not published. The beer is good. There are football games on the TV. The burgers are huge. The pulled pork sandwich is good. Also, the pork appetizer is good, too.
(3)Joseph P.
The SunUp Brewing Co.. I have wanted to come here for a bit really friendly staff. But I come to a brewery for good beer and did not find it here.The Sampler was ok I ended up enjoying one beer there called the cherry bomb it's a 9.6% bomb of goodness I could see it not being a session beer way too easy to drink.
(2)Kim B.
We were in town for some sunshine, and we were excited to check out the breweries around. Went to Four Peaks and Papago and were very pleased with the service, food, and beer. We hit up Sun Up the following day hoping for an equally pleasurable experience. That couldn't have been further from reality... We got a sampler of their 6 regular brews as well as a sample of their 2 seasonals. We had to choke down almost every one of them (the exception was their seasonal amber, which wasn't too bad but not worth ordering more than 4 oz of). The waitstaff was not very friendly at all and seemed miffed that we didn't want food or more beer. After chugging what beer I could and having a glass of water, I hit the restroom before leaving. Wow. Big mistake. It smelled like an outhouse in there-- the "poo fermenting in the middle of summer but you've had to pee so bad after a 4 hour hike so you'll go anyway but hold your breath" kind of outhouse. Ick :P Perhaps I am biased because we are from Fort Collins and are spoiled with the likes of New Belgium, O'Dells, and Equinox all within a couple miles of our house. However, the service and stinky bathrooms were bad enough that had their beer been phenomenal, I still would have just given this place 3 stars...maybe. If you're looking for good local beer, hit up Papago or Four Peaks instead and save your money (and beer belly) for something tastier!
(1)Heather G.
So many better breweries than this! Attempted to use a 50$ gift cert and was told (after I ordered beers ) that they could only be used in $15 increments once a year... I was still responsible for the beers because she had poured them. She conferred w mgmt, same response. I explained I don't live anywhere near there and would never use them again. Her response was "well.. You can always... Well... Uh, just give them away." Great, I'm sure that was the intended use when a friend gave them to me for my birthday. If the "mgmt" of a local place doesn't have the sense to make it a worthwhile experience for their paying customer, then what is there to do? Very disappointed in their service. Ps I've bartended before and never seen someone grab the ticket and then dunk it on top of the drink they have going out. I witnessed this time and time again. She would grab and hold the ticket, then dunk into the top of the beer. The waitress would grab the beer and scoop out the ticket. Necessary? No. I will not be back.
(1)Ji P.
My co worker picked up lunch for us from this place. Everybody's food looks great! I had the best club sandwhich ever with beer battered onion rings. They have chipotle mayo which is one of my favs. They also have garlic or parmesean fries. Other people ordered burgers, ceasar wrap, and reuben sandwhiches. It all looked amazing. Now i'm going to be in a food coma for the rest of the afternoon but it's ok i'm a happy camper! :)
(4)Kelly A.
I love the ambiance in this place: cozy brick cottage with stained glass windows, usually not too crowded. Very warm and a great place to drink your Sunday away with an all-day happy hour. Although I am not a huge fan of their standard draft beers, I LOVE some of the seasonals they've brought in. The Risky Red (triple IPA), the Milk Stout, and the Barley Wine are all among my favorites. If those three would become full-timers, I would probably never go home. Some of the food is pretty good, although a lot of the stuff if just okay. Get the blue cheese burger (or, just order a side of the blue cheese sauce and put it on EVERYTHING!) or the pork chile verde. Both are winners! Despite some of its flaws, I love coming to SunUp. Always a good experience.
(4)Xuankieu T.
I'm not much of a beer drinker so I can't rate on the beer. I did order the Hard Apple Cider (5% alcohol) which was not bad. Something for the ladies. I love their appetizers. The food came out very appealing. Their hot wings are just okay. Their jumbo bread shrimp and calamari is the best! Very crispy and crunchy. I guess because our group was more than 10 people so there was one order that was taking forever to arrive, so they end up giving it to us for free. Other than that, the service was great.
(4)Anna Marie G.
I have to say i'm quite saddened that i had to choose 1 star; as i was so looking forward to finding a new fav along Camelback rd. my sister and i headed to Rosie Mc Caffreys (sp), but turned off at SunUp Brewing Co. by default; we had to stop in because we were both starved and the menu offered Corned Beef and cabbage, plus we still had about 6 streets to go. we stepped inside to a "please wait to be seated" sign, so we waited, and waited (as several wait staff passed and looked our way without even a nod of acknowledgement) for about 5 minutes. finally our server approached us and offered inside or patio (we chose patio of course!) she was very nice at first seating and asked for our drink order. since neither of us partake in the appreciation for micro brews, we chose raspberry ciders. we were happy. the crowd was sparse-but present. the weather was fabulous. it was a weird set-up with 3 small rooms (patio in between both) and no room to turn around. there was no reason our server should have been perturbed; other than having to maneuver around tables inside, as she hardly had tables. none the less, when she returned with our beers, she plopped them down hard on the table and stormed off. the beers were served lukewarm but we tried to drink them anyways. she returned a few minutes later for our order. since it was a toss up between the Corned beef and cabbage & the Fish n chips, i asked the servers opinion, inquiring if the corned beef was sliced thin, of to which she replied "it isn't sliced thin"-but it was sliced thinner than a nickel, plus the meal wasn't even served with bread or butter; but back to the ordering.... after she took our order, i asked her for 2 cold pint glasses; since the beers were warm (only the bottle was slightly cold). she brought back glasses with ice and straws, pounced them on the rod iron table and went on to tell me why micro brews aren't served in cold pint glasses, saying she didn't have any chilled pint glasses because this is a micro brewery. it wasn't until after her lecture on the creation of beer, that i explained that even if there is a right way to serve-some people do request chilled pints. i explained that i wasn't a beer afficionado, i just wanted to drink my beer the way it should be served "chilled" she gave me attitude, walked away and then returned with two cold pint glasses, pouncing them on the table as she uttered "here these are for our Root Beer" while she turned on her heels to run. the rest of the meal was pleasant, as she was hardly available. the only time i seen any of the female servers was when an assumingly wealthy man was spotted, that was when most of the servers would approach and hug them (much to close by restaurant standards) very tightly. however most tables around us were either taken by lesbians or hetero females so the ladies weren't hoovering around us too much. we received the credit card bill to sign, which was also plopped off mid walkaway. the tables are patio tables with holes, so most people with common sense would prepare for the signing of the bill with a hard bottom of some sort, but not here! they are all consumed with the spotting of rich men and instructions for micro brewing that they don't have time to serve or be of assistance, so be prepared to either pay them upfront to be treated like a patron, or flash your directors card because they seem to think this is suddenly Scottsdale. on to the food. i tasted my sisters fish and chips and the homemade chips were soggy from the fish. the halibut was delicious although sister had to pull off all the breading, because it was as thick as an Indian popover. they did serve it with spicy ketchup which was surprisingly delicious. my corned beef cabbage was served paper thin, without bread or butter; but it was still very tasty. the red potatoes soft and the carrots & cabbage blanched to perfection. next time i'll just try sitting at the bar.
(1)Fanny M.
This review has been a longtime coming and really what kept me from writing this was the potential for public scrutiny from readers and the fear of burning a bridge. But really all that doesn't matter because the motivator is that I am simply an unhappy customer who tips well, is polite and goes out of her way to be friendly. I have been going to Sonora, or rather,...Sun Up, for a bit over 5 years. I used to love this place. I loved it because it was not only a great brew house but it also offered deliciously consistent food that was served by a friendly staff. The Kobe burgers and the fish and chips were to die for and the micro IPA and other brew delights were as good if not better than the micro brews in Portland, OR. I cannot express enough how disappointed I am with the old Sonora; with the red chili gone, the only vegetarian item on the old menu gone, and the kicker are the fish and chips! Now fetching $14, I would think that one could expect an attempt for goodness. But instead I got a plate of thick ass, dry, white fish that was encased in a cocoon of batter that would rival a sub sandwich. Do you remember when this place used to have fish and chips that were on par with the UK? What happened to you old Sonora? Why must you compete with Postion's and the like? You are not that! You are not a moderately price wine bar, nor are you an Irish pub! You are a micro brew with delicious beer that once boasted fantastic food. You were a place to go for the best Kobe burger or English Style fish and chips in all of Down Town Phoenix. Now you are becoming a has-been, a place that if it weren't for the good brew, you would be just another forgettable restaurant. I used to feel welcome; it was my neighborhood place to go for a few beers and a delicious burger but it seems that I must search out a new place to frequent. Shame really.
(2)Michael S.
This place has always seemed to me about as close as you can get to a "Cheers" in downtown Phoenix. Except that nobody seems to know my name there in spite of how frequently I come. But then, I'm not part of the 30-something clientle who sets up shop at the bar. I roll into a booth or a high table that has the best view of the games that are on. It's a great place to come down and see local sports or tie one on after a terrible local sports performance. Not great because of the televisions or presentation of the games in any way(which is just two smaller flat screen TVs with no sound in the main room), but because of the laid-back, true-to-its-locale atmosphere it emits. It just seems perfectly in place and makes it feel natural to hang out and throw some back more then any other bar around town that tries to force its motif into a Phoenix landscape it just doesn't jive with. And of course the food and beverage there don't hurt its cause at all. I do agree with some people's sentiments about particular beers not being up to snuff compared to other breweries. My particular complaint is with their Pale Ale, which tastes like an IPA, and their IPA, which tastes like a medicinal strength IPA. But in spite of some quibbles with the beers here, they really do have some fantastic stuff. For some reason, the beer that is my standby there is the Light Rail Cream Ale, which is in stark contrast to the Brown and Amber Ales I typically get at other breweries. Its got that perfect taste/refreshment balance that acts as a Siren's call to bring me back here at least once a week. The burgers, salads, and pizza's are also fantastic. But the real find here is the bread pudding, which has got to be one of the best bread pudding's in existence. I always try to eat slow to make room for it. Luckily, this is a place that won't care how long you cement yourself to a seat. Which again, makes this place perfect for some Suns action or whatever is going on. But I probably remember my trips here best after catastrophic defeats. Last year after the Sun's officially bowed out of the playoffs without a championship for yet another season, and with my brother after ASU (he's an alum) lost to Oregon are the first that come to mind. The classic rock and the atmosphere and the beer (don't forget the beer) seem to breath new life into me during such trying circumstances. I guess just by being a pillar of originality in the desert.
(5)KC C.
Still loving the food! The crispy shrimp taco's are my fav. The shrimp are huge, the 2 tacos fill you up. I tried the Parm cheesr fries, awesome! This place has great food, only wish they had a full bar, a margarita would set me over the top!!!
(4)Raegen S.
Pretty Good. Nice little dive along Camelback. The Pale ale was desent... i tried the other beers and some were better than others. As far as the food i tried the southwest soup that was Excellent and a chicken salad that was fresh. Also there was a very eclectic crowd when i went there.
(3)Karen N.
Main reason to go to Sonora - the Kobe burger! By far the best burger in town. I usually go for lunch since its close to my office and have never been disappointed by the food. Great service, great waitstaff, great food. I've been once for dinner and the beer is exceptional. All around a great pick! Even worth the drive from the NW Valley.
(5)Mark T.
The Sonora Brewhouse is the epitome of a good, clean, moderate, Phoenician pub/restaurant. Which means that I was really hoping for more. I was hoping that this place would be a little lived in, a little less polished, a little less new Phoenix. It's kind of odd that big box chain food spots work at trying to get that aged look by throwing junk up on the walls and hanging it from the ceilings. Not at the Sonora Brewhouse, they'll have none of that here, but that's okay. Yes, they brew their own beers and yes it's good and more than decent. The food is better than average and always cooked. Even when you ask for your Kobe burger to be cooked medium with the hope that you'll see some red, it'll come out with no pink at all. Sadly, I wasn't expecting anything different. Do I sound disappointed? Do I sound like I'm sitting in a box of self pity? Oh woe is me, they FULLY cooked my burger. Oh woe is me, the beer is good and the steak fries have the perfect crispness on the outside and mashy-goodness on the inside. The quality at Sonora Brewhouse is what I expect at any of the big box chain restaurants like Gordon Biersch, but never get. The problem here is that they can be so much more. Food + Ambiance (personality) = Greatness. Sonora Brewhouse is missing the heart. They're polite and not offensive in anyway, walking the definition of middle. This is both surprising and disappointing since they have been around for a while, but also because just a block to the east, Rosie McCaffrey's is overflowing with heart and soul, more than you can imagine. If they can find it, tourists probably love Sonora, but remember, tourists often love going to another branch of the same TGI Friday's that they have in their own suburbia, while on vacation in a different town. Okay, so Sonora Brewhouse isn't anywhere near the low level of a TGI Friday's, but it's almost as clean, boring, and devoid of personality, being almost completely unmemorable. Oh. They also probably have the thinnest Kobe burger patties I've ever seen, at least the steak fries and beer are good. My advice? Go a block east to Rosie McCaffrey's and actually have a good time worth remembering.
(3)Emily C.
SunUp Brewing Co has the PERFECT french fries. They are the perfect blend of crispy and soft batter fried yummy goodness. For this alone they deserve 4 stars. In addition to the fries, the staff is always friendly, it's never too crowded, it draws an interesting blend of customers (all ages, families, single 20-somethings) and the beer is pretty good as well. I am a fan of the vanilla porter and red ale (and I am something of a beer snob, so not easy to please!). Wings are great, burgers are fine, onion rings...delicious...but those fries! This is a nice comfy hang out when you want bar food, but are not interested in a scene.
(4)Jaime F.
Great beers and awesome onion rings. It's a good ambiance, and pretty good bar food. The onion rings are best. I also tried the fish and chips, and it was pretty good too. But, the reason to come here is for the beers.
(4)Michael J.
Tucked away at Camelback & 3rd is the Sun Up Brewing Company. Armed with a need for some food & adult beverage we made our way inside this cozy pub packed with people. With all the great dishes on the menu it was very hard to choose. But when we finally did the food was great (not your regular pub fare) and all the beers were wonderful...especially the Vanilla Porter. I will definitely be back for another round of food and drinks!
(4)Liz L.
Cool Brewery! Cruising down the street a little brewery popped out of nowhere. It was a hot afternoon and a nice cold local brewed beer sounded like it would hit the spot. Stopped in and right away I felt at home. The waitress had a huge smile and greeted us and let us know we could sit anywhere we wanted, she also came back to us numerous times checking that we had everything we needed. Seemed like the main room next to the bar was the happen spot. Husband ordered the vanilla seasonal stout, and I got the Hefeweizen. Both beers were good but we liked the vanilla seasonal so much we bought a to go 64oz Growler. We ordered the honey hot wings and they were amazing. Not so much hot but the sweetness and crust of the wings hit the spot, so good, would totally order that again. All and all the vibe is really nice, super friendly service, great food, and beer is awesome. Will be back!
(5)Andrew P.
The beer at SunUp is good, not amazing, but better than most (even Four Peaks in my opinion). The food is amazing, I don't think there is anything even average on the menu. Try the homemade chips, they are awesome, or the Green Chile Pork. Also, the building is just cool inside, so the atmosphere is great. So pretty much a really cool bar with awesome food, good beer, and it's not a chain/corporation. So go there.
(4)Christian P.
Just had beer, it was ok but not really great. It is the type of beer that never seems to have quite enough of something..... just a little off of good. Better than some others I have had though.
(3)Barry L.
Barleywine! Finally! We've missed you....one growler, will have to get another...
(5)Corey W.
Formerly known as Sonoran Brewery (I still miss the name), "Sunup" still has the same great food, beer and service. Beer battered onion rings win for the appetizer, the Philly wrap or beer battered fish and chips are my choice for the entrée, and desert is their bread pudding (takes 2 to eat it). I compliment my meal with what ever is in the cask for the evening and finish with their IPA (it's a good balanced IPA for IPA fans). For more of a desert finish, go for the Vanilla Porter.
(4)Norma R.
Sonora is wonderfully average. You will never be surprised by anything here, as when they tell you the beer won't be cold because it's casket, it won't be cold. The hot wings are hot, the fresh salads are fresh, and they always cook things to order and are always accurate (mid rare is always mid rare... a rarity!). I love brewhouses so the local brews are delish. There's nothing surprisingly good at Sonora, but I'll choose it over a culinary adventure almost anyday!
(5)Pierre Trudeau I.
Cops and lawyers. You'll see plenty of them in this neighborhood brewhouse that was my office away from the office during my days at a downtown Phoenix law firm. And as a lawyer who used to represent cops, I see someone I recognize almost every time I walk in here, aside from the friendly staff of course. Needless to say since I'm a semi-regular at this place, I like it. The food is far better than one would expect for a tiny little hole in the wall like this. The soups never fail to impress no matter what kind they are. They have a good selection of beer. And the atmosphere is inducive to just sitting down with an old friend over a drink or two to relax and catch up, as I often do.
(4)Jimmy C.
I judge a restaurant by its burger. The burger is a perfect measuring stick for every-day dining establishments; It is sold almost everywhere and does not rely on special ingredients and is always a good barometer of a kitchen's capacity for meeting your temperature needs. That said, I have enjoyed the American Kobe burger here several times and it is consistently above-average and frequently quite excellent. My wife has enjoyed the wrap and several other sandwiches and remains pleased. We also enjoy the spinach and artichoke appetizer. The wings are average at best but the kettle chips with chipotle ketchup rules. Oh, and they have 1000 island. But what matters is the beer and the porter and cream ale are both splendid if a bit too sharp initially. The server are pleasant and the place has a small, family atmosphere. It's also reasonably priced.
(4)John N.
Good stuff. Haven't had too much of the food. Onion rings are delicious. All beers delicious. Good joint to grab a growler for the drive home...I mean for when you get home.
(4)Charlie G.
Their slogan says it all: The Best Little Brewhouse in the West! Terrif food! Great service! Reasonable prices. Nice combination. Beer is brewed on-site. It's on-draft, & they *even* have DRAFT RootBeer! [YUM!] BTW, if you can't get 2 meals out of their Kobe beef burger, metinks you're eatin' too much! :-) Once, when the soup-of-the-day was lentil (I love lentils) in a tomato broth, it was so good, I had to order another bowl to take home (it was great right outta the refrig!
(5)Jeff E.
This was the place I went to with my friends when we first got into good beer. Their brews are very good and their food as well. Their fries are a little weak, just run of the mill compared to Four Peaks' beer battered fries, but other than that their menu can stand toe-to-toe with Four Peaks. What gives Four Peaks 5 stars and Sonora 4 stars is the fact that Four Peaks' beer is superior and Four Peaks has a great Sunday brunch. But do not get me wrong, this place is worth a visit... many many visits! P.S. BEST ONION RINGS IN TOWN!
(4)Don H.
I have been going to this establishment for years and I still love it. The food is fair bar type food. Although they have changed ownership and brew masters they still make good beer. I have to say though the former brew master had a wider array of beer and was a better brew master. The new brew master is really good at IPA's which is good for him since they are what is in demand at this time. I so miss your pot belly porter and your midnight porter.
(4)Alicia B.
2.5 stars. Borderline 3. I just wasn't impressed. Oh, but I wanted to be. I mean, a local brewhouse right down the street from where I live? I thought for sure this would become my home away from home. Instead, it was so mediocre and underwhelming, I can't help but wonder, "Will I ever be back?" Probably not. My friend and I walked into the restaurant side of Sonora. I wanted to sit in the Den, where the brews are crafted. We were told to cross over the patio to the place next door. Alright. So, we did. Hardly anyone was there. In fact, the place didn't really pick up until the time we were leaving. Must've been the football game that drew people in, for there was a flat screen plasma TV behind the bar. Speaking of bar, I was excited to try their Vanilla Porter. I was told it was so good, it would make you wanna slap yo' mama. "My mama needs a good slappin'," I thought. Well, she didn't get it. Ok, so maybe vanilla + beer isn't my thing, but I wanted to try something new, something special to this brewhouse. After all, isn't that the point? The kick and finish of this beer did not impress me. In fact, I struggled a bit to finish my pint, which, was $2.75 during happy hour. At the very least, the prices to whet my whistle were great! My friend and I opted to try the food. I felt brave and ordered the bratwurst. Maybe I'm not a bratwurst person, for it was just okay. Nothing else on the menu appealed to me, even though they do tend to have a variety (fish and chips to grilled salmon to soup and burgers). The layout of the place was somewhat unusual. I mean, two seating areas connected by an outdoor patio area (with heaters). That was cool, except that when my friend and I left the Den, we had to cross the patio to get to the exit (in the other building). Along the way, I got one giant whiff of cigarette smoke. Yep, that's just what I wanted to top off what had become a very bland and unenthusiastic experience.
(2)Justin S.
At Sonora Brewhouse, a German guy named Uwe makes the beer. The staff, though, makes the brewhouse. Since it's a brewhouse, let's start with the beer. Sonora has a brew for nearly everybody. If you like it dark and heavy, there's usually a mix of stout, porter or barley wine. For the lighter folks, there's a very competent mix of hefeweizens and pale ales. For big beer flavors, there's usually an IPA. The best stuff, though, comes out of the cask. Cask-conditioned ales have an awesome flavor that allows the character of the hops to shine out. My main quibble with Sonora's cask selections is that they're too often of the pale variety. I'd love to see a stout or porter in the cask at least once a month. I would celebrate to see a Belgian trippel wind up on the menu, too. Sonora also serves food. The cottage pie is tasty, as are the fish 'n' chips and homemade soups, and the nachos are a nice snack. The burgers, both the pub and Kobe varieties, depend greatly on how the person at the grill defines rare, medium and done well. Unfortunately, their definitions are often differerent from mine. This brewpub also has a great atmosphere. Sit at the bar and chat with the other brew lovers. It's a friendly place, and you'll have fun conversations. They staff actually know their beers and have strong opinions. And they're just as friendly as the drinkers. And you can actually talk to them without shouting over music that's way too loud (hear that, Four Peaks?!).
(4)Dyanna P.
Oh, how I used to love SunUp. I was a fan when it was still Sonora Brewhouse, and I was a fan after the name change/change of ownership/whatever. The waitstaff was always sort of iffy, but the patio was comfortable (when smokers weren't around), and the food was pretty consistent. I was particularly in love with a new addition to the menu - the spicy pulled pork sandwich. In search of a good place open on July 4th, I stopped in with a friend, already craving that delicious sandwich. After waiting a couple minutes to be seated (and not even being acknowledged by anyone when we entered), we were led to a table by an older woman. She took our drink orders and left us with menus to look over. It took me a minute to realize they'd changed their menu. Instead of one with appetizers, salads, sandwiches/burgers, entrees, and desserts, they instead now have a lunch and dinner menu. And, sadly, the pulled pork sandwich had been discontinued. I settled on the green chile chicken sandwich of some sort and an iced tea. The waitress wasn't very friendly and seemed to be uninterested in being pleasant. Our meals arrived but without the chipotle ketchup we requested. A few minutes later, the waitress brought it to our table. There was nothing impressive about my sandwich. It was fairly blah and unseasoned, and the sweet potato fries were crispy on the outside but tough and hard on the inside. Shame I paid $1 to upgrade from regular fries. Once it came time to pay, the waitress took an exceptionally long time to return our cards and receipts to us. My companion saw she was just standing around in the back not doing anything. The place was pretty empty, so I don't really know why service was so bad. I do know that the new menu leaves a lot to be desired, and unfortunately, I'll be hard-pressed to return in the future.
(2)Deona S.
One word, awesome! Who doesn't enjoy a good brewery really? It is rather small so if you are looking to go somewhere quiet and intimate this isn't the place. If you want good beer and good bar food with good friends and friendly staff then you are good to go. I am a fan of their Hefeweizen and they have the best onion rings in town! I hear they are known for their Kobe beef burgers and homemade root beer. I can attest to the root beer, good stuff. This is a great place to go after work for a few beers!
(4)Trent R.
if you haven't figured it out by now, i like beer and i like bars. sonora has both. when i moved to phoenix in early 2007, my dad took me there for lunch one day. we sat at the bar and i ordered a beer that was great (i think it was a russian porter). i've never had a bad or mediocre beer at sonora. i haven't tried their ipa because i'm not a hops fan, but everything else was always incredibly yummy. the food is pretty good and sometimes really freaking good. i went one evening with my best friend and my brother. we sat in the brew house, where the tanks are separated by a glass wall from the seating and bar. we ate well and got a nice buzz, laughing and flirting with our waitress. every time i went there, the service was spectacular. the girls that work there work their butts off and are always smiling. they're easy to joke with and that's a big plus. the place would suck without them. i always thought that something was either missing or that i wasn't quite accepted there. sometimes my appearance freaks people out. oh well. that's what i get for being a madman. in central phoenix, check out the sonora brewhouse.
(4)Jalayne A.
OK - it all makes sense now. When I reviewed some of the reviews before going to SunUp for dinner - I was a little confused. I had been there and the food was good, service good, beer sampler - good. So why the bad reviews from other yelpers. Tonight I learned. We went with my mom, brother, and my boyfriend. We sat down and were greeted by a blond waitress. Not extremely friendly but nice enough, service was decent for the first part of dinner, she was good about filling up drinks etc. Then she brought the check, at the same time my brother ordered a second beer, so she took the check with her to update. And then disappeared. And disappeared . . . Brother's beer was half gone . . . and still she was not around. I had actually thought we had paid the check and we were just hanging with my brother while he finished the beer - but no - mom had not in fact paid the bill and we waited. So I look up - and there is our waitress flirting with a group of guys at the bar. Now I get it - when you are kinda cute and serving beer - a group of guys is likely to tip better and more fun to hang with. But that does not make it acceptable to neglect a table of four waiting to pay - tip and leave. So I will return - but I will be looking for our prior waitress - she was a sporty brunette - fun - and very good. (disclaimer in no way am I saying that because she was blond it made her bad - it is the only way for me to identify the waitress, should have gotten her name)
(3)Jen A.
Sonora is home to three of my biggest weaknesses: cream ales, Kobe burgers, and wings. In two of these three categories, they completely excelled. And in the third? Well, I'm really very picky about wings, so take that with a grain of salt. The cream ale is delicious, and it goes very well with the kettle chips and the chipotle ketchup. Yeah. Chipotle ketchup. I've never even heard of that before, but it's pretty much my new favorite condiment. The Kobe burger is niiiice. I got mine medium rare, but I almost wish I'd asked for it extra-rare. I'm weird about ordering my beef rare in places I've never been to, but they cooked my med-rare burger perfectly, so I'd trust them to do rare really well. Wait, not well. Rare. You know what I mean. Like I said, I'm really picky about wings. I prefer mine to be drowning in sauce, so I was kind of sad to see that the wings at Sonora are pretty dry. They taste good, but they're just not as saucy as I'd like. It's a cute place, and if I lived in Phoenix, I'd probably be a regular for beers and Kobe burgers.
(4)Barbara W.
Had a great evening at SunUp Brewing. The beer is excellent. My husband and I got the sampler and our wonderful server gave us tastes of others, including their home brewed root beer. terms of food, I had a veggie wrap and homemade kettle chips. The wrap was ok; the chips were better. Husband's hamburger was cooked as ordered and the sweet potato fries were very good. We enjoyed sitting in the separate room, east of the patio, which was quiet on a Wednesday evening. We hope to get there again before we leave Phoenix, and we'll definitely be back on a return trip to the area.
(4)Paul D.
Vanilla porter and root beer pretty tasty. Rest of the beers below par. For the price food wasn't that great either. Wouldn't come back here again
(2)Robert O.
Sunday afternoon my brother and our friend scott rode our bikes on a massive thrifting tour and then to the SunUp Brewing Co. for bunch. We'd all been wanting to try out the place and sample their brews for a while. We arrived, and were told to pick any seat we desired, so we grabbed a booth. The first thing I noticed was the interior, it was fairly small but in a good way, the ambience of the place has a classic southwestern feel to it; and not in the kitschy way that non natives might assume a "sw" theme should feel. Perusing the menu I noticed that the prices seemed a little higher than i'm used to for pub grub, but i'm sure the quality would be deserving. after a while of checking out their digs and studying over the menu and drink/food specials they had for weekends we opted to go for the "order any regular appetizer and get you're first beer for $1" deal. seems like a good deal right? Scott ordered the light rail cream ale, Justin ordered the IPA? i think and I got their Vanilla stout. They were all delicious. My stout was especially good as the vanilla taste was merely a mild hint which gave it a great background flavor and left a lingering sweetness that was refreshing rather than sickeningly fruity/sweet. It was a classic stout whose femme-y name belies it's body and drinkability; certainly not a lady drink imo. My compatriots order the light rail cream ale wings and i order the "beer bread" w/ queso dip. The appetizers were, decent. not bad but not great. The real reason to come here is the beer; despite the fact i didnt try any entrees, or their delicious sounding kobe beef burger- i'm gonna go ahead and stand by my sentiment. When our lackluster waitress finally returned i asked for MY bill, she returned after 15 min. or so with all of our checks on one tab, and she had overcharged us after we'd asked her if the weekend special (order any app and get 1st beer for $1) was still in effect, to which she'd said yes. To be fair i'm sure it was an honest mistake, and she was probably really busy....yada yada yada we asked her for our seperate checks and about the special one more time, she apologized and returned with our checks and cheaper tabs. So all in all i like SunUp brewery but i'd return solely for the brews and leaves the eats to some place more qualified for my refined tastebuds.
(3)John T.
I've been eating here for years, since it was Sonora Brewery. I've always loved the food, the beer, and the service. I moved out of state a year ago, came back for business this week and HAD to have the yummy Kobe Burger. And I'm pleased to say, they didn't let me down. It was cooked perfectly, and the sweet potato fries appetizer was a great way to start the meal. Vanilla porter, delicious! And here's the kicker: after not setting foot in the place for almost a full year, my server knew not only how I wanted my burger, but also remembered what kind of dressing I liked on the side to dip my fries in! THAT'S personalized service! Five stars, SunUp...You deserve 'em!
(5)Stephen A.
Sun Up is my favorite craft brewery in AZ. Brewmaster Uwe is German and brews creative - quality American ales with a euro twist. While there are regular beers, the cask conditioned and strong ales change regularly. Recently they had 4 different kinds of IPA. Central Phoenix highlight - must visit. Order off of the chalk board - seasonal ales are the highlight here.
(4)Dave B.
Nice looking place ... food wasn't bad ... just something I didn't like ... not sure what ... sorry for the horrible review.
(2)Surranna V.
I love this spot for happy hour. The beer prices are great as well as select apps. I am very fond of just about any stout or porter that sonora brews as far as the others I can't say. I have friends that like some of the other selections they have. A decent micro is hard to find in the southwest but this guy has been at it for a while and does a good job. The food has always been good. They have your typical bar menu as well as some better food choices. The patio is great as well. I have also found the service to be no worse than good!
(4)Bethany C.
If you spend a sunday morning doing work over coffee, a good way to spend the afternoon is doing (less) work over beers. That's just what I did last Sunday and I was happy to have done it at Sonora Brewhouse. It is off my beaten path (which was the objective of the day) and it had a great mural on the wall of their outdoor patio. A patio that, I might add, was surprisingly quiet given its proximity to the road. It was just the right noise level for either eaves dropping or reading. The food all smelled really pretty good as far as bar food goes and the nacho plate we milked for an hour and a half was made with real cheese. The beers were also pretty decent and, after two, I was just happy enough.
(3)Derrick Y.
It's really awesome to have this locally owned micro-brewery right on Central. What's even better is that they have really awesome food to go along with the beer that's brewed right on site. I've loved all the beers that they brew. My personal favorite is the Stinger IPA. Food wise, the Kobe beef burger is awesome. I did order the steak and shrimp here once and it was very good as well. This is one of my favorite places to do day drinking when I get the chance. The outdoor patio in the middle should be very nice to sit at and enjoy one of their finely crafted brews in the next couple of months. The mural on the back is awesome too.
(4)Jae C.
Fresh and locally brewed beer and bar food. Not expensive. It is a pretty good local place to hang out! Happy hour prices are good too.
(4)John G.
The oatmeal stout on cask was decent, but the rest of their beers had no body at all. I was very disappopinted. Atmosphere was very lame for a Thursday night.
(2)Halley S.
My boyfriend and I come here often. I am not a beer drinker, but my boyfriend loves micro brews and the food here is always fresh and very good. I like trying their daily specials which I have never been disappointed with or I get the fish and chips or the Shepperd's pie. For an appetizer try the green chile artichoke dip it is to die for:) The service is also always very good.
(5)Benjamin M.
Service was mediocre until a pair of regulars entered after me. Then I would have to give it a poor considering they got their beer before mine redardless of the fact that I ordered first. The food was less than good, with my Reuben looking like cafeteria food and my ceasar salad being basically lettuce, burnt croutons and bottled dressing. The beer was pretty good although the cream ale could benefit from a nitro pour and their order on the sampler is wrong, arranging them by alcohol content rather than IBU's. All and all, barely satisfactory. I will not be back. - Monday, 8/10/09 2:30pm
(2)Max R.
I stopped in here yesterday for a drink. Enticed by a brewhouse in AZ I had to go in, I was also enticed by the fact that they were offering a Happy Hour from 3-6 even on a Sunday (it seemed that most places here in AZ don't offer Happy Hour Specials on Sunday). I was slightly disappointed when I found out that it wasn't a real happy hour, but a kind of happy hour (real happy hour is 2 for 1 drinks or fifty percent off, being honest here) while the happy hour offered here was a dollar off drinks. In fairness they offered half off appetizers, but only the one's without meat. Now I have read Michael Pollan as well and I am down with everyone consuming less meat (especially here in the Southwest) but it seemed a little rough to have rules like that at a beer drinkin' place....Anyway, I started off with the Barleywine. My mom had the root beer. The waitress returned several times to see if "us guys" were okay. When I was ready to order a second glass, the Trooper IPA caught my eye. My love affair with hoppy beers is so great, but she was kind enough to bring me a few small samples before I ordered it. In the end I went with the Amber Ale. Four stars because: The atmosphere was pretty nice, attentive staff (a little too much, especially on trying to get me ordering food), they brew their own beer, my total check wasn't too bad.
(4)Aedan B.
Always great beer. They have good cask and seasonal options. Their food is pretty tasty too, I love the buffalo burger. Mostly though I go for the beer. There is a ton of seating inside and out and the service is usually prompt and efficient.
(4)Becky M.
After spending so many years at Four Peaks, I was really pleased with the small size of SunUp. Maybe it gets a little too crowded during peak hours, but I was there for an early Sunday dinner and thought it was just right. My friend and I were seated immediately and had great service. I had the fish and chips and my friend had the Kobe Burger. I thought mine was good (it's hard to make a bad batch of fish'n'chips) and my friend liked his burger. I must note that we realized that the IPA is the absolute perfect drink with the Kobe burger. The PERFECT combination. It's rare that you come upon something like that, and we didn't remember seeing the recommendation in the menu. Being that it was our first time to this brewery, we tried the beer sampler. I preferred the Hefeweizen and Amber out of the bunch. The Vanilla Porter was too much of a dessert for my taste - but if that's what you're into, go for it. If I could give half stars, I probably end up rating SunUp with a 3.5, so I'd rather round up to four. This place isn't a three-star joint, and I don't want to rate them as such.
(4)James M.
If you like craft beer this is your place. Quench the heat here, pull up to the bar, booth, table, or outdoor. In either case the beer is still good, and for the meat lover in you try the Black & blue burger.
(4)Danica T.
I've been here twice...the first time was driven by a rumor that they made their own root beer. I'm a sucker for homemade root beer, so I had high hopes that this place would become a favorite. My husband and I were so excited when these huge glasses of RB hit the table!! And then confusion...both of us looked at each other and said "WTF???" Worst RB EVER! What the heck was in this drink that made it taste like ass? We looked all over the menu and found nothing. Then we saw the "fine print" on a small table sign...STEVIA. It's made with Stevia NOT sugar...I'm sorry, but I have to say that this is the lame-est root beer on the planet. If I'm going to treat myself to a big glass of homemade root beer, I want it to be delectable...sugar and all...no freaking high fructose corn syrup and no bloody artificial sugars (and yes, I know stevia is "natural" but who gives a crap...it tastes terrible anyway). After the root beer debacle, it didn't get better. The food was meh...service was not so great (there were moments of "is she ever coming back???"). I'd say, go here for the beer, sans root, but that's about it. Otherwise, skip this place and drive out to Four Peaks...you'll be happier all around.
(2)Andy G.
I came here for a first date with some one and just missed happy hour.But i did like this place and enjoyed their beer!!I wish i could have tasted the vanilla porter but the were out.Will return soon!!
(4)B H.
Its a cute atmosphere, food was alright, nothing spectacular. I'm not a beer drinker, so I can't speak for the brews. Parking leaves a bit to be desired, but for as full as the lot was, there were plenty of tables inside. A nice brewhouse in central Phoenix if you aren't in the mood for driving out to one of the Four Peaks.
(3)T B.
Pretty good..I've been here a couple of times, small, quaint place with decent food. What I do like is their wood interior atmosphere and IF they have it, their own home brew root beer. I would definitely recommend to give this place a try.
(3)Brian M.
I went there today for lunch if not thinking about being saint patrick's day. The place was fairly busy but Mollie made room for us for us to bar. The patrons were friendly it was a nice atmosphere. My friend had pulled pork sandwich which he always likes and I had the fish and chips. At $14.00 the fish is a little expensive but was served with a nice size piece of fish and the good serving of fries. The breading on the fish is a little thick but has a nice taste and I would happily have it again. It was a good lunch, a fun time and worth the drive from Chandler-and the beer was great too.
(4)Annie M.
We've been coming here for over 2 years since living in the hood, not really "regulars" but pretty regularly. Having both been in the hospitality industry, we enjoy sitting at the bar and chatting up with other diners, bartenders, etc. They still don't know our names, our order, not even a perk up with a recognizable nod gets thrown our way. We're pretty friendly people and damn good tippers but apparently not much leaves an impression on the majority of the staff here. I can't say all of them deserve this review but there a few who deserve even worse. So why do we return? Damnit, the food is good. It's local, always seems fresh made and they have a magic spell over nachos that is just impossible to explain. The beers are OK, I like Four Peaks 8th St. Ale way better than anything on this menu (daily cask is typically a winner). The root beer was so much better when it wasn't made with Splenda and didn't have that aftertaste. But back to those nachos...crispy thin chips, perfectly layered with the right amount of cheese, beans, black olives, tomatoes, green onions, jalapenos, topped with dollops of sour cream and guac. Seriously, they are NEVER soggy or too much...you know how sometimes you get a pizza or nacho that the cook got too liberal with and thought more was better but it just ruined it? This place has the right ratio. The salsa kicks the ass of most Mexican restaurants in town. The wings are crispy, tasty. The house salad is a nice mix of real greens and veggies (no iceberg- whoo hoo). The flatbread sandwiches are OK, the burgers are tasty too (though the Kobe isn't that special in my opinion but my coworker loves it). The. Bread. Pudding. I will spin in the morning, do a Power Yoga set, eat veggies all day and have this bread pudding for dinner. Holy hell it's amazing. That whiskey caramel sauce drizzled over the top begs me to bathe in it. Come here for some consistently good food knowing you are supporting a local business and don't get too upset when the staff downright sucks; it's not you.
(3)Archie F.
IPA lovers, this is your destination in the desert. I regret that I live 10 miles away, and there is no way I'll even stop in for 1 Tropper IPA (1 is impossible) and then get in my car and drive. But the balance is perfect: a hearty body with some bite, not overbearing on the malt, hops are strong but balanced with some fruity, floral bouquet that lingers on the tongue. And it's not too cold either, like some of the other breweries. I can't speak for the other beers, but I've tried every IPA in the area, this is the best! I still wish I could find 3 Floyd's on tap out here. Maybe even Crooked Tree IPA- those are still my favorites, but this will do.
(5)Luis C.
I consider this place my hidden lunch gem in Phoenix. I work downtown and I often don't want to spend half of my lunch hour waiting for a table at the normal places. I've never ever had to wait at SunUp. The staff is always friendly and accomodating - never had one with a bad attitude. For my money, I prefer to sit in the brewery area and enjoy the quiet it provides. Lunch here is always quick, delicious and cheap for what you get. Would definitely suggest the Camelback Club, Burgers and Pretzel Bites!
(4)Richard L.
I was excited to come across this little brew house because I love beer. I came here on a Saturday afternoon and it was definitely not busy but there were a few tables and the bar area seemed pretty full. The two beers that I had were decent but not amazing. (a hefeweisen and an IPA) Four Peaks Brew House is much better in my opinion. The service was awful. Nothing good or personable about it. Considering it was not very busy I expected more out of someone, anyone for that matter! (maybe they were angry because they had to work on Halloween) My drinks took longer than normal to receive and my Kobe burger took quite awhile too. I wasn't keeping track of the time but how hard can it be to throw a burger on the grill and fry some fries? I was expecting more from this "top seller". Not impressed and I will not be returning, if the beer and food were amazing I might come back even if the service sucked but if all three of these important factors are not up to par I will spend my money else where. Next time I'll take the extra 10 minutes to get to Four Peaks. Also I noticed the menu was really, really random. They don't specialize in any particular type of food. Fish and chips, and then some southwestern dishes....? Whatever, I appreciate small, local restaurants but this place is all wrong. Plus the staff doesn't seem to care much for their jobs so they must not care much for good tips!
(2)Ken A.
Overall, the experience was good except for the service. The beer was excellent, several good interpretations of standard beer types. The food (steak wrap) was very tasty as well. The only problem is that the the waitress decided to take her sweet time waiting on us in the patio area which left for a very hungry, cranky person. Sure we had beer, but sometimes you need some food too. What really sealed the deal was that she ignored us, then took her own food into the restaurant and ate while we sat famished on the patio. In sum, the food and beer were excellent but this particular waitress was terrible. I guess that wouldn't keep me from going back, unless that happened again.
(3)David A.
We eat here 2-3 times a month as the service and food is consistently excellent. It only takes a few times and they get to know you and what you like which is great. Give it a try.
(5)Nina W.
Great beer, good food, great music! Brought our 1 1/2 year old for dinner. Loud enough so it downs him out but not too loud. Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, would come back!! (:
(5)Sarah V.
Shepherd's pie.... Processed, pre frozen, and just plain disgusting. We then ordered a hamburger to replace the Shepherd's pie. Ordered it medium and it came out well done. I noticed this place is not known for its food nor are they known for great customer service. Not much care was given towards our crappy food. We will not be returning.
(1)Fred M.
Something Central Phoenix sorely lacks is a top-quality microbrewery. Maybe some remember the old Tommy Knocker's, but that's as close as we have ever had. Recently when SunUp split from Sonora Brewhouse, they also added a brewery next door and have been increasing in popularity ever since. However, they come up short in terms of providing a top quality microbrewery, and SunUp only shines as a good neighborhood bar that happens to brew their own beers. On mutiple visits, I've tried multiple beers. The first visit, sampling the Red Cask Ale, I had a mostly positive feel about the beer. It was bold, reasonably priced, and packed quite a punch. I also sampled the Light Rail Cream Ale that night, which was essentially a standard ale by my count. The bartender explained while serving it that the name is "a bit misleading" because most, like myself, are expecting more of an ale with a stout-like finish. The Vanilla Porter is their best brew in my opinion, with the most distinct flavor and a perfect balance in aroma. I've become quite enamored with porters lately and SunUp's didn't disappoint, but it also didn't drive me to proclaim it one of the best porters around. Service at the restaurant has been hit and miss. One visit with an empty bar, we were waited on hand and foot, but also felt as though the staff wanted to close up and go home. They were putting chairs on the tables, sweeping the floors, and doing general closing duties, though they insisted they were not closing for a "couple more hours." Another visit I sat at the bar for quite some time with no bartender present, and the bar obvoiusly understaffed. All in all, it's a welcome addition, and compliments the other establishments popping up around Central and Camelback very nicely. Unfortunately, Central Phoenix could still use a top-notch microbrewery. SunUp, right now, has too many inconsistencies, and doesn't have great enough beer to make them not matter. One can get a good beer just about anywhere, but it would be nice to find a great beer brewed locally, so here's to hoping SunUp comes up with a great beer.
(3)Albert H.
Parking is tight and there's limited seating, but we always seem to find a spot without waiting (on both accounts). Great selection of hand crafted beers, traditional pub fare, and overall there's a good vibe from staff and the building itself. I like that people here know what they're after and it's unlikely to fetch too many of the damn snowbird types, given that this is a small local place. If you're into craft beer then you'll like this place. If you're not, well, it's rather ordinary as far as pub food goes. Come for the beer!
(4)Dave B.
My first review might as well be from somewhere I've been just a few times. OK, probably hundreds. In fact, I've been going there regularly since it opened in the Fall of 2001. The first day started like nearly every day there since: amazing beer and a super friendly staff. The food is excellent and for happy hour you can actually get a huge, delicious plate of nachos for half the normal price (they get the official stamp of approval from a nacho fiend that I know). The burgers are great, as well as the wings. But the star of the show is... The IPA. I've had IPA's from all over and this is as good as any of them, and better than 99% of them. In fact, this IPA is so good that we took a keg per request to our friend on a road trip to Seattle. It's a little hoppier than many IPA's and that's just the way I like it. I hear the other beers are good too but I wouldn't know. ;) Like someone else said, this place is much like Cheers: there are many friendly regulars as well as the staff. Hey, enough said: I've been going here often (perhaps too often) for years for a good reason.
(4)Tim A.
The beer and the setting are the highlights at Sonora Brewhouse. Best thing to do here is to sit back in the old brick buildings and cool off with a pint of Light Rail Cream Ale, which is light and smooth but not at all creamy. These folks are serious about their brews, and the friendly staff will bring you a sample to help you discern the difference between a regular draught and its cask-conditioned counterpart. While the food isn't a disappointment, it's nothing to write home about either. I can barely remember the Kobe beef burger I had on my first visit. The shepherd's pie I had the second time around was good enough, but the so-called horseradish mashed potatoes on top just weren't horesradishy enough to satisfy a kid who grew up in the horseradish fields of southern Illinois. I give Sonora Brewhouse a solid recommendation as a spot to drink, but bring plenty of friends -- the place can be empty on a Saturday afternoon. It's also a worthy addition to your light-rail pub crawl, just a short walk from the Central/Camelback station.
(4)Siobhan C.
Nice place over all. The beer is good. Other than beer, I have only had the nachos and they were average/tasty. The waitresses are always friendly and helpful. The restaurant is comfortable and they also have a nice out door patio. The beer sampler is a good way to start your beer quest!
(4)Ken K.
I walked into Sonora Brew House - tap room of SunUp Brewing Company - at about 8:00 p.m. after a day's worth of flights and being turned away from an up-scale restaurant due to an hour-and-a-half wait. Needless to say, I wasn't in the best mood and I had thought I was settling in for an evening of fantastic food served in small portions on pristine white dishes. Instead, I pulled a 180 and went to SunUp because it was close and it was on my food list. The interior didn't put me off. Though it's not a "classy" brewpub, the interior sports soft lighting, Spanish colors and a certain amount of elegance. I'm not saying you should take a date here if you're trying to impress her, but it's certainly acceptable before or after a movie. The atmosphere is laid back. A curved bar sits behind a simple floor stacked with numerous square tables both normal and high-top. Brewing equipment stands behind a plastic wall off to one side. A small doorway leads to a narrow room lined with booths on either side. The place is not that big, but it's not small either. The menu consists of standard pub fare with a few Spanish touches. Appetizers have the normal dips and fried dishes. The homemade bruschetta caught my eye, however. It was a bit strong on the garlic and not very well done. Outside of the typical burgers, sandwiches and wraps, they do feature some interesting entrees. I ordered the special - shrimp fajitas. It came with one giant flour tortilla which confused me, but overall it wasn't bad. My friend ordered the salmon which was a much better effort. As for the beer, they featured six standard offerings along with three seasonal. Of the typical offerings, most were a little too sweet and a little low on the hop side, especially those of lighter color meant to appeal to the masses. However, the low amounts of hops did allow the floral and citrus notes to come through on the IPA. My favorite was the seasonal Red along with the Vanilla Porter, which though sweet, had a robust chocolaty character. Bonus point for the dry-hopped, cask conditioned version of the IPA as well. The service was alright. She didn't know much about the beers, but could at least distinguish one from the other via color, even among those that looked quite similar. Overall, the place is alright. I hope there are better offerings in the area. But if not, it'll do.
(4)Koli H.
Great micro brewed beers. The Light Rail Cream Ale and the Vanilla Porter are really good. The food is hit and miss, usually hit, but I don't go there to eat. It's nice to see a small spot with loyal customers. The beers are tasty.. that's enough for me...
(4)Peace D.
Great Burgers. Great staff.... Great ambiance.... Great beer
(4)Kerstin M.
This was our second time at Sonora, and overall it was a decent place with warm woods, brick, and sautillo tile. The lighting was not too dark. Where we sat, in the hallway like middle section, was way too stuffy, however, and we were shocked by how much cooler it was when we stepped into the main area. Hubby had the Vanilla Porter, which he really liked. It was black as my soul, and probably a little sweeter. Not my cup of tea. My Hefe was very disappointing- the worst I've had in Arizona, frankly. It was dull and muddy tasting- something was just plain wrong. My dinner was quite tasty. I had the Haddock with a wonderfully spunky tartar sauce and their awesome freshly made kettle chips. The fish was huge, with a tasty batter, not at all greasy, but a tad overdone. Hubby had the cottage pie, which was good, but we've recently had far better at Tim Finnegan's. His dinner came with a cup of clam chowder- it was zesty and really different. We both liked it. Sonora is a place we will likely come back to. It has a good vibe.
(3)Localz Clothing C.
I had there light rail creme ale BBQ chicken wings and to beer& what else to wash it down accept the light rail creme ale brew. That is def my fave light beer. The wings were flavorful,crispy and delicious white meat. Small factors that i didn't like:the cardinals game was not on the tube,slow service but over all I say there are more pros than cons'. GO AND CHECK IT OUT
(4)arik b.
i haven't been here since it was called Sonora, not much has changed. the food is pretty decent. i no longer drink alcohol so i got the rootbeer. it's pretty good. i actually like Stevia, and was happier knowing there was no sugar or HFCS i actually like the fact a restaurant is trying to get away from HFCS. kudos. i tried the Buffalo, i kinda thought it was a burger...but only because i wasn't really paying attention. but it was tasty, 3 basted chicken strips on a roll with lettuce and tomato and nasty red onion...no...not saying their red onion was nasty..i just don't like red onion on sandwiches.. sorry. anyways..they added Sweet Potato fries to the menu and they were pretty good. they crinkle cut them..i think it adds more to the experience.
(3)Matthew K.
My first impressions of this place is that they try too hard. It's almost completely void of the quirky character of a place like Casey Moore's or Four peaks. Normal selection of beers, some good and some not so good. I like hoppy beers but their IPA was waaaay too hoppy for my tastes. I didn't eat anything this time but the menu offerings looked fine. I would like to try the Kobe burger, I saw one go by us and it looked very good, maybe next time.
(3)Marianne H.
I think I went on an off-night. My sister recommended Sonora Brewhouse. She said the food and the service are awesome. Unfortunately, they weren't for me. Service was slow and the food was mediocre. I got the pulled-pork sandwich, but there was very little pork. My sister got the chicken fingers, and they tasted like something from a fast-food restaurant. My husband got the salmon with tomato and basil, and that was actually pretty good. My favorite part was the calamari appetizer. I just wish the serving was bigger, because we finished it in a quick minute. I prefer Four Peaks to this place.
(2)Kym S.
I thought overall, it was good. Not great, not bad, just good. I tired their amber ale which was pretty tasty, but not near my list of top dogs. We started with the homemade kettle chips with chipotle ketchup. Maybe I'm just a sucker for potato chips and spicy ketchup, but I thought they were the standout of the evening. I could have eaten them all night. I followed it up with some nachos which were good, but nothing out of the ordinary. I would order them again, but they have a pretty big menu so there's a lot to try. I was here for the happy hour which has smokin' deals. The pints are dirt cheap and the apps are at least half off (if I remember correctly). You can sample a lot for little dough. Gotta love that! There is a lot of parking (no pun intended...) and two separate rooms for dining plus a patio for smoking - not sure if they serve out there or not. I think this is the type of place that you have to give a few chances and you'll find some favorites that you'll settle into. Beer selection is a little on the weak side, but the food is pretty good. I would go back, but I won't be a regular. Sorry, kind of a blah review. Hmph.
(3)Paul G.
First, I don't work at this place & I don't know the owner or have friends at the place. Overall, I liked the place. It's very clean & bright. The beer is great!!! The food is ok. It's not terrible..but it's not great either. The service was fantastic. I would say this is a good lunch place...but not in the same class as Four peaks in terms of hanging out and meeting people. Worth checking out.
(3)Ethan A.
Food is good, beer is well done...service just needs to be more friendly...one guy had a dirty mouth on him, I think he was the manager
(4)L G.
This seems like a great neighborhood bar. There was a warm and cozy feel to the restaurant and the prices are very reasonable. The beer is delicious. We ordered the brats and the nachos which were okay.
(4)Bill V.
Atmosphere is wonderful. Outside patio dining with powerful misters. 70's / 80's music pumped in for effect. Staff is very friendly, cordial and fast. Food is good for bar food. I give it 4 stars for atmosphere.
(4)M N.
Oh yah - an outstanding brew pup in the middle of Phoenix! Small, homey - very knowledgeable staff, warm, genuine folks Without our GPS, we would not have discovered the place. I had the seasonal Triple IPA (10.2%) - state law allows only two of the 9 oz jewel. Very hoppy with a sweet after taste. Fortunately, my buddy drove, so I was able to imbide and enjoy myself. Also had a taste of of the hand crafted, hand pumped ale, if it was not for the Triple IPA, I would have enjoyed it, but the Triple IPA spoiled my taste buds. Did not taste the restaurant's fare, we were there for the hand crafted bier! Will definitely return whenever in Phoenix.
(4)Korina A.
My girlfriend and I were "regulars" at Oak Creek Brewery, when we lived up North. Once we moved down here, we started pining for the brewery scene. We gave Sonora brewhouse a shot. Granted, our expectations are very high. OCB is THE social hub for the locals. We knew we weren't going to find the same thing here, being that Phoenix has so many cool haunts available. What we were looking for was a good patio, good beer, and a good atmosphere. Sonora Brewhouse delivers on all counts. The good food was a bonus. It's not great food, but it'll do. We've learned to stick to a few select items. The chips and salsa are wonderful. If you're lucky, the flour tortilla chips will still be warm. They are fluffy, light, and delicately crisp. The salsa is the traditional smooth style, with just the right amount of heat. The other go-to food item is the American Kobe beef burger. It is so juicy, so flavorful and delicious. It's big enough to share, if you're more interested in sampling the beer, but want a snack to keep you going -- which is my usual strategy. I'm not really wowed by the beers. I think I have tried four or five of them, and of those, only two stood out for me. The seasonal vanilla porter is lovely and luscious, like a creme brulee in a pint glass - but without overdoing it. Typically, I am a dark beer drinker, but the Light Rail Cream Ale won me over. For a light beer, it has surprising amounts of body and flavor. One could easily wile away a warm Winter's afternoon kicking those back. As for the atmosphere, it is casual, but I wouldn't say friendly. I've been there probably six or seven times, and haven't had a single conversation with a stranger. Also, they play great music -- if you can hear it! Often, I can make out faint notes of Janis Joplin or the Doors. I'm told that the patio speakers are as loud as they can get. Too bad.
(4)courtney c.
Awful service! Mediocre food... if it was what I ordered. The beer was OK but nothing great compared to other breweries around town. I really wanted to like this place, sadly disappointed. No one helped us when we walked in (they weren't busy) and our server kept forgetting about us to chat with dudes at the bar. When she messed up on our food she wasn't very graceful about it... and we still had to pay full price. It also took almost two hours, and we didn't make it to the plans we had afterward. It wasn't just our servers that was bad, the bartender was rude and so was another server. Won't go back... the owners really need to step in!
(1)Joshua W.
I was finally able to check this place out last weekend, and it was totally worth the wait. The atmosphere of the place gives off a nice neighborhood brewery vibe, with quite a few people there either sitting at the bar just talking it up with friends or enjoying a family dinner. One of the big plusses of this place is the patio, where I sat. Two indoor seating areas, each with their own full-sized bar, sandwiches the patio area. They've even got great music playing in the background. Since it was my first time here, I ordered the beer sampler. For the most part, each beer they had was unbelievable. The Cream Ale and the Porter were my favorites, which was strange because I'm normally a Pale Ale/IPA kind of guy. The IPA they had was a little too funky for my liking, but all the others easily made up for it. I got the Kobe burger, which had to have been the best burger I have ever had. Others in my party that night got the onion rings, the bratwurst and the calamari, and all of those were out of this world too. I will definitely be back here often.
(5)Starbellied S.
It was a nice place with okay food and not enough parking. That's the nutshell. Went with a group of friends,had to scavenge for parking. We had reserved a table and since we waited at the reception area for a bit with no one acknowledging our presence,we found the table ourselves. It took forever just to get a beverage,however our server was pleasant enough. The appetizers also took a bit to get to us after having to snag our server to order. For the lack of parking and the long wait,you'd think the place was packed to the walls. It wasn't. there were a decent amount of people there,but not enough to justify the wait for the simplist thing like a beverage. Once actual food arrive it was okay. Not the best,not the worst.Just ok. They'd also run out of some of the more popular beers they advertise. No beer at 7 pm on a Friday???? Okkkaaay. No one got their dinners with any particular caedance.Some of us were eating,some were left to covet others' meals for another wait. I don't know if this place just doesn't have adequate staffing or the system needs fixing or what.It didn't make a lot of sense. Our server didn't seem frazzled,nor was she at a turtle pace. We did pretty much end up bussing our own table as well. When the bill arrived,my portion was way too much for what I had and the meager experience. Will I go back? Doubtful.
(3)Mark C.
Having lived in Phoenix all my life, its a horrific shame that we don't have more local microbrewers giving their own beer concoctions a whirl in this town. In fact the Phoenix area has the same number of locally owned microbreweries as the Flagstaff area. So its with great enthusiasm that I found a good local outfit in central Phoenix. While Four Peaks typically gets all the accolades as the Phoenix area's premier local microbrewery (and deservedly so), Sonora Brewhouse is more than worthy of respect. Please don't confuse this with Sonoran Brewery in Scottsdale (no relation). This place is a small non descript place in north central Phoenix with a killer Cream Ale. Anyone going here for the first time should give the beer sampler a try as you're bound to find at least a couple of brews you'll like. The food is pretty good albeit nothing outstanding as my burger was adequate but didn't wow me or anything. But thats not the real reason I came. The Cream Ale and Hefeweizen have me hooked. The place is small but a perfect fit for the neighborhood as it makes for a nice happy hour atmosphere. And surprisingly I've never had to wait for a table at this place. Its still incomprehensible to me that with nearby states like California and Colorado (both of which have HUGE microbrewery scenes), Phoenix and the state of AZ as whole still haven't made a huge splash with microbrews. Four Peaks certainly gives us a spot on the map and hopefully Sonora Brewhouse will garner some attention too, but we need more brew visionaries in this town to bring their creations to the masses!
(4)Nunzio Z.
Great microbrew! Terrible parking and can get filled up pretty quickly. Fish and chips are very good, and the American Kobe beef burger. Also, buy a growler and get it filled with your favorite beer.
(3)Todd S.
Sun-Up..how you always pull me in when I am on Camelback. Damn tractor beam! My favorite place in the Valley to enjoy delicious craft beer (I love the Trooper IPA), a nice meal and good service. I have noticed that some people have posted a few negative things on here about the food and I think "Everything I have ever had here has been delicious. The quesadilla is very enjoyable, the wings are underrated, the wraps are tasty and the Buffalo Burger is one of my favorites. Oh.. not to forget that the Green Chili Pork is awesome as well. If you have never been.. go now. I mean..just get in your car..or on your Vespa..or hop the light rail..or ride the bus..I don't care..just get there. If you like craft beer and good food. GO!
(4)William T.
This is a brewery. This rating is based largely on the beer. This beer is excellent. Uwe (pronunced Ooh-Va, I believe) is a beer genius. He is likely the best (professional) brewer in AZ. All of the beers are excellent. They have a good number of taps, and two (TWO!) casks (AKA Beer Engine: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Be… ). This is the sign of a great place for beer. Selection is largely their own, which is what it should be at a brewpub! If you are looking for rice or corn beer (Bud/Miller/Coors) don't come here. They would be better known than Four Peaks but for one thing, the food (location as well, ASU helps the Peaks out quite a bit). Four Peaks has good beer, not great beer across the board though. They do however have an excellent menu. SunUp has an OK menu, that sometimes surprises, sometimes disappoints. The servers are all young women who do not seem to know beer and seem to be rather new at their job. I mentioned one of the top 100 beer bars in the country (Taste of Tops, one of the 2 on the list that is here in AZ. Papago is the other) and our server had no idea what I was talking about. She also did nor know whose Oatmeal Stout was in cask (it was their own) and answers about style were all memorized. I have a suspicion that she was not over 21, or not a beer drinker. Both are a liability when serving at a bar geared towards beer snobs like myself. Nonetheless, this is one of the best breweries in AZ, and if you don't go, you are missing out!
(3)Patrick W.
I loathe to write a bad review for one of my favorite hobbies, drinking craft beer, however; Sun Up is a brewing company that I feel the need to never visit again, nor would I recommend beer lovers to go out of their way to stop in. The majority of the beer was just plain boring, and warm to boot! They had a lager, wheat, amber, pale, oatmeal stout and a scottish red on draft. None of the beer sampled tasted even close to what I would consider the fundamentals of that particular category, ie a very bitter amber ale and a sweet, and not-hoppy-whatsoever pale ale. Even the root beer was flat and tasteless. I initially was going to give this place two stars, mainly because they do serve beer, and the bartender was nice, but thinking about the beer, I have to knock this down to one star. Sorry Sun Up, but you need to go back to the drawing board and create some good, basic craft brew.
(1)Lucas S.
First and foremost, take advantage of their happy hour all day on Sundays. After visiting two other breweries the same day, I have to admit that Sun Up was my favorite. Their beer sampler is definitely a good way to get started. It's served in a row of glasses slightly larger than shot glasses. You'll have to ignore the temptation to pound them one after the other... at least on your first go-round. All of their beers are certainly quality and quite enjoyable, though there didn't seem to be a huge "wow" factor with any of them. In no way will I hold that against them though, as none of the local AZ brews (that I've tried) seem to be doing anything very far outside of the box. Not only should you visit Sun Up to check out their craft, you should definitely go to try their eats. Their wings are probably the best I have ever had; fried perfectly and still nice and moist, plus their "hot" sauce had a finely-tuned heat factor. Their sliders were dynamite as were the accompanying sweet potato fries and garlic parmesan fries. The service was fast and very friendly, and the establishment (men's room included) was very well-kept. All I have left to add is: Way to go Sun Up! See you next Sunday.
(5)Nick S.
Came here on saturday before a diamond backs game. My friend and I sat outside and ordered the beer sampler...we essentially tried every beer on tap. I was very impressed with the cherry wheat beer as it had a really good balance. I would definitely come back...easy to get to from downtown using the light rail...The only negative was that they seemed slightly under staffed and service at times was slow.
(4)Jenny K.
I love this place. I haven't experienced the server issues that some other people have been posting about - maybe I'm just lucky? If you're a microbrew fan, always check the chalkboard where they post their seasonals. You can't go wrong w/ the Light Rail Cream Ale, the Hef, or the Vanilla Porter. I absolutely loved their Pilsner when they had that on tap. Their food is pretty good, but I wouldn't really classify this as a dining destination - this place is about the beer. I was disappointed in the Kobe burger, and I wouldn't order it again. The brat was just OK. Onion rings were so good but I wouldn't get them again because I'm pretty sure they are 1 million calories EACH and they gave me like 6 huge ones! The mac & cheese is so good. Salads are nice & fresh, the baja shrimp tacos really kick butt. I also like the ambiance of the place. Cool setup in the brewers' den and the funky patio in between the brewers den and the main bar area. For giggles don't forget to check out the murals on the patio wall and also on the back wall of the parking area.
(4)Jesse T.
Delicious, finely crafted beer! Good food and friendly staff.
(5)Amanda K.
My man loves beer, but we both hate bars. That's why this classy little beauty less than a mile away from our house was a definite must-try. Let me begin the review by letting you know, up front, that we really enjoyed everything about the place. Minimal complaints! We visited Sonora on a Friday at around 7:00...there were a few parking spots left in what is really a very ample parking lot for downtown Phoenix. I mean, damn! There must be at least 20 spaces. I'm a worrier and I stress out about things like, "WHERE WILL WE PARK?!" before I go anywhere. I know...I know. So, I was pleased to see that I needn't have gifted myself with an ulcer over where we could park without getting towed or ending up on blocks. Sonora Brewhouse is comprised of two buildings, joined by an outside dining area between them. The building you first walk into, (the older building, I perhaps incorrectly surmised), is small and was filled with many jovial patrons on our visit. We wouldn't have wanted to sit at the bar, but we couldn't have, anyway! It was completely full, as were almost all of the booths and tables. We made our way to the outside seating area, and were about to sit down when we noticed the second building...right on the other side of the outdoor seating. We ventured in, and it was much less full than the other building, but several times as noisy. Oh, well. We sat down and surveyed our new environs. I've read several reviews on here vaguely bashing the ambiance of the restaurant - I found nothing to complain about. Then again, I like faux exposed-brick walls and dark wood paneling. "Duly noted." Alright, cool. Thanks. I also liked the kind of fun, amateurish canvas paintings of the images they pair with each of their beers that are strewn about said exposed-brick walls. Plasma TVs abound, which I hate, but I know people eat that technology crap up so I guess it's worth mentioning. Our waitress was just friendly enough, avoided all bitchiness, and was on top of things without being obnoxious. In other words, perfect. My boyfriend ordered the pale ale, (I think it's called The Stinger? Something like that?), and I, not a beer drinker in the slightest, decided to throw caution and personal preference to the wind and have a Vanilla Porter. Because, you know. It would taste like vanilla. And...vanilla is for girls. Like me. That don't drink beer. My boyfriend chuckled at this logic, and told me I wouldn't like it and that I didn't know what I was ordering. ... Yep. Just about right. As far as beer goes, I did like the kind of bitter and still beer-like hint of baked goods flavor, but it was not anything like I cluelessly imagined. I still drank it! My boyfriend really enjoyed his pale ale with no criticisms. My boyfriend ordered the Tavern Steak with steamed vegetables and steak fries, and I ordered the Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich with the kettle chips/chipotle ketchup. We were both very pleased with our entrees...the jalapeno butter (?) on the steak is pretty tasty. As for the sandwich, I'll eat anything if it is slathered in guacamole. The steak fries were as good as steak fries ever are, and the kettle chips are as good as all of the other reviews have told you. I don't eat potato chips and I hate ketchup, but I loved the combination here. Fun tip: I tried putting some of the chipotle ketchup on my sandwich, and it tasted really gross. Maybe limit your use of the ketchup to its intended, menu-endorsed purpose. When we were done, we had no problem getting the bill, paying the bill, and getting out. The parking lot was completely full when we left, and there were two cars jockeying for our spot. That was probably around 8:00 - 8:30 PM, so if you're a damaged individual like me who finds cause to stress about parking, go earlier than that. There were a lot of other options on the menu that sounded like they might be on the "delicious" side. If you are like us, and not into the drama-filled 20-something bar scene downtown, this might be a nice alternative. It's so close, and we were both really down with the experience...we will definitely be back.
(5)Steve L.
I went to a catered event here, so while I didn't get the full restaurant experience (I was in a private, separate building across the patio), the catered food was really quite good. Not much to complain about the beer, either!
(4)Pete T.
I want to like this place. I really, really want to like it. I'm always on the lookout for a local joint that is special, a place I can take out-of-towners and say, "This is one more thing I love about Phoenix." I had high expectations for SunUp since it is in my neighborhood, a short ride or healthy walk away from home But after several visits over the last couple of months and as many disappointments, SunUp Brewing is on my list of places I might go if I'm desperate, not as a destination, and certainly not a place I want representing my city to friends from elsewhere. I'm no beer aficionado, but I know what I like, and for the most part I like the brews at SunUp. I particularly enjoy the Light Rail Pale Ale as a mild-bodied thirst-quencher, and the Vanilla Porter, which is rich without being too sweet or heavy. I also like seeing what seasonal offerings they have, many of which I enjoyed. One constant on my many visits, however, is the truly bad customer service. I don't care if you make minimum wage or six figures; if your job is to take orders and serve people, then do it. Many other Yelp reviewers indicate they have suffered lackadaisical customer service at SunUp, and my experience is that this is the rule, not the exception. Take today, for example: At 1 p.m. on a Sunday, the place was virtually empty save for about three tables and a couple in the main bar area. The last problem I thought I'd have would be getting attention, but my disinterested server/bartender pulled a disappearing act after pouring my beer and plopping my burger in front of me. She was more interested in sitting in a booth in the adjacent room with a paper in front of her, watching TV. If she had bothered to follow up with her customer, she would've learned my burger was the opposite of the medium-rare burger I ordered. Even more aggravating was when she did walk quickly past me (including one time when she told the other server she as heading out back, presumably for a break), she looked directly at my barely touched meal but didn't inquire as to why I wasn't eating it. I'm not going to chase down a server, especially if it involves going room to room to find her. All she had to do was notice I hadn't touched my meal for 20 minutes and ask if everything was OK. I've had similar experiences with the staff at SunUp before although this example was the most egregious. Like other reviewers, I've waited at the bar either with a growler ready to be filled or a bill I'm trying to pay while the bartender chatted with friends even after acknowledging me. It shouldn't be this hard to find a place that wants to sell me something, but evidently the folks at SunUp have more cash than they need, so I see no reason to spend mine there again.
(1)Allen W.
Order off the chalf-board for seasonals and freshest beers. Best craft-ale in Phoenix & gives Four Peaks a run for best in Valley. Awesome patio & tap room in the back. Very good food and well priced.
(4)Nick S.
Cool place! The beer we tried was good my fav was the hefeweizen. The green chili pork with tortillas was really good and I have been back many times for it. The food prices are good and the burgers are good, wings are just ok. The staff is always friendly and quick to get our drinks. Happy we tried this place and its close to home.
(4)