Figure Eight Brewing
150 Washington St, Valparaiso, IN, 46383
Figure Eight Brewing Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Valparaiso for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Valparaiso for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Valparaiso for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
150 Washington St
Valparaiso, IN, 46383 - Phone (219) 477-2000
- Website https://www.figure8brewing.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :Closed
- Mon : Closed
Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Loud
Music : Live, Background
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Happy Hour : No
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Jason A.
Turns away business. After being told by a waiter that we could return with growlers to be filled we were turned away and told they don't fill growlers from tap. Rather disappointing on several levels. I've been to plenty higher quality breweries across the country that fill from tap and will fill any growler you bring in. The other breweries are happy to have you drink their beer. Figure Eight obviously is a little on the snobby side. While the beer is good, I will go out of my way to patronize other places now.
(2)Greg M.
Best beer in the area. We were here on Saturday. Nice space (very small), interesting conversations, good beer. We tried a couple of IPAs and a barley wine, and had a taste of the wheat beer and a lager. Each beer was quite distinctive, the only one we didn't like was the lager (not my favorite style anyways). Took home a growler of one of the IPAs. They said they'd have a Tripel in a couple of weeks- I can't wait.
(4)L. R.
Fun place, limited menu and good beer.
(3)Angela M.
Frankly, I feel bad. This place has promising beer....I love the IPAs they have. Bottoms line, this restaurant is starting out as a fail. My boyfriend and I are hug beer junkies and were pretty stoked to check this place out. From the second we walked in the critique started. First, this place has a very cafeteria feel... Not a lounge brew pub like I enjoy. There are merely tables all around... In a wide open space. I'd think the design could have been a lot better with booth tables and lower lighting. Second, this place is loud. It's all about how you design your interior, the tables you use, the wall space, the shape of the inside and damnit figure eight did not utilize what they have. Bottom line... Glorified cafeteria feel. Moving on to the food... I understand starting out the initial concern is producing food fast enough and easy enough for the customers bUt in a small town with pretty decent alternatives (silver spoon/pikks) you should really concentrate on having a good quality menu. This place offers sandwiches... With a side of chips... Yes, chips. Now like I said I understand this place is very new to the food scene but i feel like you should update the menu and add something more than cold deli sandwich style food with cold sides. Make it feel more like we are getting something for our money not just something we could have grabbed on the way home at a subway. Sorry but I don't see it lasting unles some changes are made to the atmosphere and menu. ASAP! Update; definitely woke up stomach sick... And not the pretty kind. We will still be bringing our growlers in for beers though... Just no food and no sitting and hanging out. It's too bad.
(2)Brian B.
Good beers. Really good beers. We came here planning on having a couple of fine brews and grabbing some dinner. We ordered an appetizer and after digging in and looking around at the food being brought out to other diners, decided to eat dinner elsewhere. The place looks good, like you want an upscale watering hole to look. Service was ok. Food? No can do.
(2)Jeffrey V.
Nice variety of beer styles and all very well done. My burger was very good but not spectacular. Figure 8 hits the mark and I'll be back. There's so much good going for this place that a little difference of opinion on the burger is a non issue. I still ate the dang thing and left very happy. Great staff with awesome sense of humor too. And Thank goodness because a few beers in and I get a little snarky.
(4)Dale K.
Love the brews & chill atmosphere! ...my wife is singing along with the Journey tune as I write this
(5)Jerry S.
Good food, reasonable prices and excellent service made for an enjoyable lunch stop. I had the watermelon wheat beer. It was light and refreshing and would be great on a hot day. We will stop here again on our next trip through town.
(4)Jenn H.
We visited on a Saturday at opening time for lunch. Cool atmosphere, nice clean dining room and great service. We all enjoyed our beers. The menu had lots of great options. The soft pretzels with beer cheese were delicious although somewhat pricey for the size. My grilled cheese was excellent as I chose the option of adding tomatoes and avocado. My husband got the southwest chicken salad and thought it was excellent as well. While the appetizer was small our meals were larger portions for the price. Overall, we were pleased with our experience here. Would love to visit again if we get back up to Valparaiso anytime.
(5)Alex B.
Great beers at a good price! Food historically has been good, and I've heard great things from friends about the new chef! It gets full, loud, and busy at times, but that's what you should want from a brewpub!
(5)Kelly B.
I created a yelp account specifically for the mean lady you will soon read about. Upon arriving we were greeted by a rude lady that was quick to let us know the kitchen was closed and that the brewery closed in an hour. We did have a larger party, 10 total, and the first star is for the prompt seating. While being seated, the same rude lady tossed the menus on the table. A couple guys in our party had just concluded a 15 hr road trip and were hungry. We asked if we could order pizza from next door since the kitchen was closed and the mean lady said "no we serve food here, and ordering food from another restaurant would just be tasteless" and she walked away. The next star goes to our server. She was sweet and attentive to our needs and was very patient with our larger group. Thanks nice lady! The beer consensus was sub par. Unfortunately, even given the understanding of our late arrival, the rude lady was more than enough to keep all 10 of us away forever. And the friends and family of said 10 people and so on and so on and so on.
(2)Spero P.
First timers at figure eight brewery thank you Basil family for the gift certificate I enjoy downtown Vaplo food was great and service too , closed the place.
(5)Adrienne W.
We have stopped in here a few times, sometimes just for beer and snacks, other times for a meal. The food is great although the soft pretzel appetizer was small. Our favorite is the Ro Shampo. We will continue to come back when the mood strikes us.
(4)Jack K.
Started with pretzel bites and beer cheese. It tasted good but the pretzels were over cooked and tough to chew. Turkey Alvarado sandwich was ample but the bread was blackened and shouldn't have been served. Kids enjoyed the flat bread and all thought the Mac and cheese had great flavor. Seems there are some execution issues in the kitchen but food had promise. Pirate Plis was a nice refreshing beer.
(3)Nichole C.
On our way to Ft. Wayne, IN (yes, FORT WAYNE...the most boring road trip ever) we figured we'd stop at Figure Eight to break up the 3.5 hour drive a bit and try some of the bombers we've previously had straight from the source. I can't say that it was magnificent or anything, but it certainly helped. Food, beer, service, etc. were all good it's just that we are picky and are always looking for the beer that blows our freaking minds. Unfair for Figure Eight, really, but this just didn't happen here. The location is pretty accessible being right in the middle of downtown (is this downtown here? I think so). I'm so used to having to find a warehouse in the middle of nowhere when I look for new breweries, or have to deal with ridiculous crowds and nowhere to park in Chicago when it's easy to find, so that was a nice change. There's parking everywhere and on a lazy Saturday afternoon, there wasn't a wait either. Maybe this isn't impressive when you are from here. Who knows. My man and I each got quite a few samples which we both found pretty tiny. They weren't too expensive though and allowed us to try a lot more than we could've if they were huge samples so there's that. All of the beers we tried were decent, but none demanded to be taken home (see also: unfair mind blowing standards). We both thought the Ro Shampo Double Red Ale and the Snake Pro Double IPA were the best of their offerings. I guess we have a type (read: HIGH ABVs). Food wise, we shared a buffalo pretzel appetizer, a burger, and some mac and cheese. All were good but none were so amazing I would take a trip out here to get them again. Being from out of town though I don't really know what else is around. This may be the best of the best.
(4)Mary B.
They have a decent selection of craft beer, I liked the crusader. We didn't care for the entrées, but the apps were alright. Cute atmosphere and a good location.
(3)Steve R.
Decent beer. Seems to be popular in valpo because of the overbearing amount of handle bar mustache hipster wannabes. The food is awful... they have a lot of nerve to charge people money for that crap. One bite of the Buffalo pretzels ruined my appetite for anything... just awful. Sadly, I'll eat about anything, and I wouldn't eat that again. This was the third go around for me there, and my honest opinion is the beer is mediocre, and the kitchen should just order from domino's and serve that... yes it's that bad.
(2)Jeff W.
My girlfriend and I had an amazing first-time experience here on Valentine's Day. The staff was very, very friendly, the atmosphere was perfect for the two of us, but the real surprise was the food and drink. We loved the "Date Night" brew, and thoroughly enjoyed the "Bacon on a Stick," which literally melts in your mouth. We both ordered the Valentine's Day special, which included a flank steak and crab-filled Mac and Cheese for $14 that was worth every penny. Overall, we loved the food and drink, enjoyed the atmosphere, and felt that the price was very good for all that we consumed like monsters that night. I definitely recommend this place for the young and old alike!
(5)Chris D.
Come for the beer, stay for the beer. I've enjoyed every the beer I've tried at Figure 8, the brewers know what they're doing. Raven Tor and Yin are personal favorites of mine. They're as good as most of the similar offerings from Chicago's top microbreweries. The food is skippable. It will do if you're really hungry, but you're better off eating beforehand and then stopping into Figure 8 for the great beer. Those new to craft beer only need to ask a bartender for suggestions and recommendations. They're helpful and friendly. Even if Figure 8's beer was just mediocre, they should be supported by the Valpo community. It's great to see a brewery like Figure 8 open up in a town that desperately needed something different than the standard restaurants/bars.
(4)Sam S.
Make no mistake, you're there for the beer, not the food. My wife and I tried a healthy sampling of 2oz flights and respected all of them. Their Lost Saint Saison was my favorite, but I tend to lean farmhouse/Belgian. We decide to just nosh on small plates. The guacamole was fine, but the chips with it were stale. The buffalo wing pretzels seemed mass produced and white label. The bacon on a stick was delicious, but at $2 for a 1 inch cube, not something I'd prioritize. The service was ok, though not terribly attentive or enthusiastic. I'll buy their beer when I see it but won't likely return to the eatery.
(3)Mindy M.
The low rating goes for the poor service. Beer and food is good. It's just a challenge to get it. Same experience over a two year period. We've decided today was our last visit. Way too many establishments out there to put up with poor service. In a college town and no competition, they can get away with it. If the majority of their patrons were income earning and they had some competition, the staff just might have to step it up a bit. Good luck if you decide to stop in. Take a pillow. You will need it for your nap as you wait for your next drink!
(2)Mark M.
Stopped in right after they opened at this location. My wife and another couple met on a Friday night and the place was full. We sat near a door and although it was a bit distracting, it also showed there is a lot of interest in the place. Very good beers, and knowledgeable wait staff. Very cool setting and just as we were getting ready to leave there was a band setting up. There was a small cover charge, and the band was kind of around the corner which was good and bad. Check them out, you won't be disappointed.
(4)Ken C.
we stopped at figure 8 after dinner. the four of us shared a flight of all 12 beers in the 6 ounce glasses, we had a DD so no problems with the law. I have to say I wasn't impressed. The food court style decorations and the bright whitish blue lights that lit the beer cooler were very bright and uncomfortable to look at. The seating was uncomfortable and the glare of the headlights from the neighborhood traffic and Emergency vehicles was a put off, a few less windows or perhaps some shades perhaps would be a good idea. As for the beer, I can say it was fresh. The brew master must love the IPA style of beer because every one had a very dry aftertaste and became the exact same beer with different fruit flavors. sorry to say I wont be back. I prefer the Bulldog in Whiting or Crown in Crown point.
(2)Tre S.
Favorite brew hands down is the Lost Saint. I travel all over the country and sample the local brews wherever I'm at. I've spent three years in the Denver Colorado area which is considered the Napa Valley of craft beers. When I buy my go-to beer I always buy something else that I've never tried. Lost Saint is hands down the best beer I've currently ever tried. I've had it off the tap, in growlers and bomber bottles, and it has a very consistent pallet. This is a beer that is both perfect for after work or that special occasion. Customer service at the brewery is top notch and the prices are reasonable. The food menu is also spot on. Don't expect guest chefs at this place but what you get is definitely above average for a brewery. Their hand crafted root beer is also one of the best I've tried. Get some to go and mix it with spiced rum.
(5)Paula S.
We walked in at approximately 11:50 AM today. Sat at a table and for the next 10 to 15 minutes were totally IGNORED by the staff. I can't begin to tell you how the beer was or if the food was good or not. This was our first visit to this establishment. Another couple walked in and were warmly and promptly greeted by a server. Obviously we had our invisibility cloaks on! We left. We will not return!
(1)Billy R.
The beer is outstanding brewed In house! Trust me I lived I. Germany for years. What a refreshing change from Americas terrible commercial mass production beers. $5 pint.
(4)Lora M.
Tip: Raven Tor, probably the best tasting. If you don't like Guinness well, you'll prolly not gonna like it but for those who don't mind, I highly recommend it. It's oatmeal stout, a blend of six grains. Rich, robust body and slightly sweet note. I didn't like the taste of most beers but this place has quite an entertainment! Pinball game in the other side and live band in the other! The place is nice itself.
(3)Diane R.
Loved the beer! My friend and I tried several different varieties. We were visiting for the Memorial Day weekend and actually stopped in two nights in a row. Both nights however, the staff had one foot out the door the whole time. We were not made to feel as though this was a place where they enjoyed working, enjoyed serving, and were looking to show their customers a good time. The first night which was Saturday, they were wishy washy about telling us they close at 11:00 as though they were hoping to empty the place so they could go home early. The second night was Sunday (again--Memorial Day weekend) and they were closing at 9:00. The bartender actually started putting chairs on the tables at 8:30! NEVER have I worked in a restaurant/bar or been in a restaurant bar where they've done this with customers in the restaurant--let alone while the place was still open for business. And there were several parties there--not just us. My friend and I enjoy some light conversation with our bartender--you don't have to entertain us--just make us feel welcome and we will enjoy our experience. We felt so secondary on the staff agenda that my friend decided he didn't want to buy a souvenir pint glass or growler. The bartender was industry enough to give me two fives back on a $10 check when I paid with a $20 though. I knew exactly why he did that and called him out on it, but gave him the $5 tip anyway. I was on vacation--I just wanted to enjoy myself--not deal with his dickishness.
(2)Katy H.
Another gem in Valpo. The beer selection is great and the food is just right. No fuss, just good food. Get the bacon. It's amazing.
(4)Chloe A.
Not bad for this town, nice and clean inside, roomy. Bought a snake pro growler and a burger. My only complaint is that I ordered the curmudgeon burger medium rare and it was cooked through. I would definitely visit again though.
(3)Brad M.
Enjoyed the beer. Food was decent. Got to try a few different things. Chicken and Risotto was very good but portion was a little small. Pork tacos were fantastic. The trout was very good as well The burger was over cooked and very dry. The pig and the Pickle sandwich was just ok. The soft pretzel appetizer was good just very small. We have been back a few times and will continue to go back. The menu just needs a little bit of work to push this place over the top.
(4)Nic R.
Went there last night for a business meeting. Friendly waiter, food wasn't too bad and reasonably priced. I enjoyed the fish tacos. Wife said the Mac and cheese was just okay. We both tried several of the beers and liked them. Would definitely go back.
(4)Roseann M.
Pretty darn good, but some service gaffes and poor organization keep Figure 8 Brewing from a higher rating. The Sibling and I visited on a Thursday evening in July. Upon arrival, we quickly received water, silverware, and two menus. We got a beer menu and a food menu. Both were printed on 8 1/2" x 11" paper, and both were dated June 20, 2012. (I still have them and am referring to them as I write this.) This led to some minor initial confusion. Is that the revision date? Or is it just an old menu that was laying around and got picked up accidentally? Turns out we're ordering from these. OK, fine. The beer menu lists 11 beers produced by Figure 8 Brewery along with a short description. Neither price nor size is listed. Someone helpfully indicated x's and D's and a couple D+'s on this list, so the list is kinda ratty looking. The waiter asked if I wanted a pint or a half pint. The sibling, who is a little bitty thing, chose a half pint. I asked, what do you mean by pint? Is it an imperial pint? Waiter said, it's 16 ounces. We tried the Ro Shampo, a red ale, and Camp 4, a nut brown ale. Both were good. When the waiter delivered the beers, I noticed another table receiving a tray with several small glasses of different looking beers, so I asked, oh, do you guys sell flights of beer? The waiter said yes, put down our glasses, and walked away. Well, gee! Maybe I would have liked a flight of beer! But waiter didn't tell us about it, and the beer list doesn't mention that choice. I had the Scree Field salad. Sibling had the Tube Chock sandwich, which is vegetarian, and she chose their homemade potato salad as a side. All the food was really, really good. Once we got the food, the waiter disappeared. We had to go looking for him to get the check. Bad again. Figure 8 is in Valpo, so there is plenty of street parking, and it's all free. It's located just off the square. This was Sibling's 2nd visit, and she recommended the place. I'd be willing to go again, but would probably choose one of the many other restaurants around the square first. Figure 8 needs to get the details of service right, and that includes accurate, clean menus and better service.
(3)Karolina N.
Great brewery - on par with many others I have visited, including Three Floyds and Goose Island. The nice thing is it's very well lit and not too loud (unlike some other brew pubs tend to be). The beers are very good. There is something for everybody. My personal faves included Ro Shampo (red ale, regular menu) and Bivy Surfer (pale ale, seasonal meu). I got a flight of many different ones just to try them out. The food? Awesome! Fish tacos tasted great, definitely recommend them. Salt cured salmon and roasted roots are great apps as well. Good service. All in all, I will be making more drives from Chicago to this wonderful gem.
(4)Belinda E.
Always freezing in here! Hard to stay a while and enjoy the beer when it's so cold. Turn up the heat figure 8!
(3)Ben W.
Great beers at great prices. The food menu is specific and somewhat limited for me, however the burger is delicious. Make sure to take a bottle or two home with you of the local Valpo brew or choose a favorite with $1 flight glasses. The only con is that for a drinking establishment or music venue this business closes early. Many businesses catering to young adults will remain open until 1, but F8 usually closes before midnight. Admittedly, this likely cuts down on drunk, rowdy crowds.
(4)Eric E.
This place drew me in on appearance alone. FEB looks like a small retro-diner. It's smaller in size but has an open feel. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and friendly. They rotate their beer menu so quarterly visitations are necessary to get a feel for what they have to offer. I've only had the pleasure of visiting once but want to get back for more. Last spring I tried the Raven Tor oatmeal stout which was tasty. As I recall, they always have about 8 (wouldn't that make sense) crafts on tap. Their food menu is pretty small so know that going in. Despite that, the chicken sandwich that I had was pretty damn good. I'm looking forward to visiting again and trying some of their other crafts.
(4)Tricia W.
Went for a quick lunch. Definitely NOT impressed. The food was absolutely horrible and the service less than mediocre. I will not return. If you go, go for the beer and eat elsewhere.
(1)Jim W.
Hip establishment in a cool location... The beers are good. The only knock on the place is that all the beers seem to have coffee, caramel, banana, molasses, ground monkey feet, etc. in them. Interesting, but they need a few session beers. The majority of their selections are good, but too rich or heavy or alcoholy to drink more than one. Nice date location... goes beyond the simple tasting rooms of the other Region breweries.
(3)Heather H.
I had a really excellent experience here on Sunday. I came for a late lunch/early dinner with my parents and sister, and everything we had was really good. I'd had some of the beer before at various beer bars and festivals in Indy, but still opted to create my own sample board at $1 for each 2oz sample. Some were exceptional, and there weren't any that I didn't like - though I don't know how much of the watermelon lager I could have had. I ended up taking home a growler of the saison. The food was also excellent. My sister and I are vegetarian, and my parents are vegan, so we are a hard table to feed, but they were able to modify a veggie wrap for my parents, and I had some cheese bread made with their spent grains from the brew process that was an awesome companion to the beer I was drinking. My parents LOVED their wraps, and have done nothing but talk about how they want to come back here again soon. Our waiter was on the ball with everything and super friendly. Summary - big thumbs up!
(5)Earlie C.
You know... When Figure 8 came about I had already invested a lot of confidence in Three Floyd's and Back Road. I thought, puh a Valparaiso brewery is going to be mediocre and cater to... that's right... the yuppies. "I already have two local breweries and I don't need this snake in the grass". What a snob I was... And then, after being indifferent to your guy's beer (after Ro Shampo and Snake Pro)... I tasted Wit Kicker. This is a beer like Zombie Dust (but not at all) or LaPorte Saison. A beer that I cannot get enough of. I don't see it anywhere online and it's magnificent. I got it from a Growler at Pat's Liquors in Chesterton and will be coming in to see if it's on tap. Regardless, without getting into the complexity... I can say it's something I'm proud of to come out of Valparaiso.
(4)Kori K.
Another Slam Dunk for eateries in Valpo! Great staff & friendly service. Classy but not pretentious. Order an Elvis's Legs~ comfort food at its finest~ & I always love a place with Square plates!
(5)Michelle L.
My sister and I had been trying to get to FIgure 8 when I was in town visiting (I no longer live in Northwest Indiana) for no kidding a couple years now but each time we'd try it would end up being a day that they were closed (Note they are closed on Mondays and Tuesday I believe) so we were thrilled when we finally made it there to check the place out. We ordered the sampler (as is my standard at a brewery I haven't been to) and were told that while there isn't a standard sampler we could get a sample of any of the beers that were on tap for $1. We decided that since there were 2 of us we wanted a sample of absolutely everything on tap (12 total beers) because we wanted to see what all the options were. One benefit of this way of doing a sampler is that obviously it offers a lot of flexibility for the customer which is helpful. One suggestion I have on this however is to have a mat or something where you can put the beer sampler glasses on a description (or at a minimum the name) of the beer it is. The info is on the menu but having to count over and figure out which beer corresponds with which description (especially when some of the beers listed on the menu are not available for tasting) can be confusing at times. I was very pleasantly surprised that I was pleased with ALL the beers. (Generally in a sampler of that number there is at least 1 that is not good.) Now some of them were not necessarily style I like but they were still well crafted beers. If you can't find a beer you like at FIgure 8 then I might have to argue that you don't really like real beer. There are plenty of diverse delicious options. We ordered some food to share as well. The Cesar Salad was delicious. We ordered the beer cheese fondue (because I simply can't resist anything that combines beer and cheese) and while it was tasty I would say calling it fondue is a stretch (at least to me) - it's more like a cheese dip. I consider fondue to be warm cheese (that is kept warm) and this was served in standard dip serving dish. It came with pita bread, cucumber slices and pepper slices. I would also suggest that while it's perhaps pedestrian carrots are a must with beer cheese dip. Our server was incredibly friendly and attentive. He checked in on us just the right amount of times and had great knowledge of the beers and menu options. The artwork for many of the labels is fantastic and I wish they offered stickers or patches of their beer labels. I was able to take home a sticker of the Figure 8 logo for $1 to add to my collection. All in all a great stop. I highly recommend this place for good beer, tasty food and great service. I will certainly be back!!
(4)Kathy R.
We had a nice lunch here recently. Our waiter was cool and enthusiastic. We had mussels, salads and cheesecake. It was all good and tasted pretty fresh. I don't drink, but hubby's favorite thing is beer and that's why we came. He liked it, but said that they went a bit overboard with the flavor profiles. (His one remark was,"Beer shouldn't taste like bananas.") Most of them were quite hoppy, too, but overall, good. 3 stars means A-OK and it was. We will most likely go back.
(3)Walter L.
I've done my best not to become a regular at Figure 8 and so far have been a little on the unsuccessful side. It's hard though when most of your friends and colleagues enjoy going there, the staff is friendly, the beer is delicious and it's within walking distance of your office. The Snake Pro IPA and Raven Tor Stout are standards for me on the weekend now but this isn't a beer review... Mac and cheese has been a long time favorite here but now they are going through a period where they are letting patrons vote for the new or old version. The appetizers are usually fair...except for the spent grain bread with melted cheese...muchos good. My new fave are the pizzas. The margherita was awesome. All in all a great place that is made better by the staff, patrons and location. If they could find a way to not worry about the food being so high class and focused more on traditional bar food this review would be five stars.
(4)Mr. P.
Great beers. Plenty of hoppy and non-hoppy choices. The watermelon beer, the imperial red, and the pirate's pilsner were among my favorites. Nice well lit area, not like the usual dark and dank brewpub feel. It was a nice different scene. The food was delicious, I was lucky enough to nab a Highball beef sandwich (hot peppers, horseradish) before 4:28PM. The beef sandwich was above average for a brewpub - I kind of felt like I had found a new great brewpub on the northside of Chicago. Service was great, beer was awesome and refreshing, the food was a bonus. Looking forward to going back, glad another brewpub is doing it right and in a nice town like Valpo!
(4)Jon G.
Good food, ambiance, and terrific beer. The Raven Tor is my favorite. It is a light, pleasant tasting stout. If you're lucky you'll see the brewmeister there and he'll expand your knowledge about beer in any conversation with him. I love the floor to ceiling windows which make the interior well lit and a pleasant place to enjoy one's friends. There is also a convenient, private room that works well for meetings of 8-12 people.
(5)Kris R.
i arrived at 7:30 on a Saturday night, and they were out of the only two sandwiches on the menu that looked even remotely appetizing. The waiter was nice. The beer was ok. Not going to be a regular here.
(2)Joe V.
It's all right. The food is pretty decent, and the beer's okay, but unfortunately neither one is much to write home about. Out of the several beers my friends and I tried, none really stood out, and the best/most I could think to say about any of them was how much it tasted like some other beer that I could buy at the grocery store. There was nothing especially unique. Food wasn't bad, for food you can get at a microbrewery, but then again, a good handful of microbreweries I've been to (my Michigan hometown has several) tend to pride themselves on the quality and uniqueness of their food as well as their beer. Since neither seemed outstanding, my final impression of this place that it was an okay restaurant with a different beer list from everything else downtown.
(3)Dee W.
After two hours of doing bridal stuff, we stopped in here for some of their home brewed root beer and delicious sandwiches. We started off with nachos since we were starving and it was kinda bizarre because the chips were there and then, all the toppings were in a container and you really had to dig down to get to the meat. The cheese wasn't even melted so we ended up just dumping out the toppings onto our chips. We tried the following sandwiches: Big Wall (turkey with bacon with a garlic ailoi and a cranberry puree), Highball (Italian beef with horseradish cream), and Redpoint (corned beef with sauerkraut). Big Wall was delicious from start to finish. The Highball only had cream on top so after the first few bites, the meat was a little dry so my husband took some of the stone ground mustard and slathered that on his Highball. Overall, a filling meal with random quirks.
(4)Shawn K.
Eat here. This place is awesome, If you live in Northwest Indiana you need to eat here. They are constantly changing their menu, adding whimsical and creative dishes. However, while progressing they still do traditional food very well (burgers, pizza). Even if you disagree with me and do not end up liking the food (implausible!) the beer is awesome, that is not debatable. The one bad thing about this place is that there is almost always a huge line. It usually isn't as bad as it looks as far as wait time. Eat here, if you haven't then you wouldn't understand it; if you have then you agree with me. Check out more reviews at ShawnKemp.yelp.com
(4)Anthony G.
Great beer,location, atmosphere ..... highly recommend!!!!
(5)Matthew G.
I went with a couple of my friends on Friday, August 3 to give this place a try. I really wanted to like this brewpub, but my experience was truly awful. It took over an hour to get a cold beef sandwich (and the aegean vinaigrette was surprisingly vomit-tasting). The beer was delicious, but each round took at least 10 minutes to be delivered to our table. And during all this idle time at the table, failing miserably to beckon our waitress, my compatriots and I grew increasingly DEAF. It was incredibly loud -- and that was before a local band showed up, to much screeching and feedback of their PA system. Altogether, I feel bad for this place. Figure 8 recognized that to grow, they needed a restaurant location. It's too bad for them that they've got it all wrong -- from poor menu (crappy sandwiches, with nothing that seems to be homemade!!) and food quality, to languid service, to a devastatingly deafening environment. No one in our group will be back, and we do not recommend giving this new place a try. In 2 years, this place will be out of business. Truly sad. And it's management's fault.
(1)Shaun H.
Clean, Good service, Food was OK, Beer was semi gross ( had a unpleasant smell ). Loved the house bread made from spent brewing grains, sandwiches we had were OK at best ( nothing you couldn't do from home ). The cupcake on the dessert menu was to die for!!! Beer: I tried four types, one was worth keeping ( all had a very nasty aroma ) As a whole it was a OK lunch, worth a 45min drive...NO
(3)Jesse T.
Here's the basic rundown: If you like good quality food in quality amounts, you should come here and eat. Their beer is good as well. The design on the place is nice as well, and the views are nice in the day time as well as night time because of the windows on all sides. The kids had these great sandwiches (one was a club, one was a chicken-breast with pesto) and the wife and I had fish tacos. There were 3 tacos and they were served with a side of multi-colored corn chips. The menu changes, I'm not sure how often, as the last time I was here there was a period of about 4 months. It's not that I was avoiding the place - I just haven't been in town much the past 3-4 months. I think their beers are quality beers, but I think they over-hop their beers; I LOVE IPAs, but the IPAs I make at home have a smaller bittering charge than a lot of other people use, so that bite just kills me when I have one here. There were a lot of stronger beers on the menu as well this time; I'd like to have a variety of 3 different styles of beer around 5.0-5.5% ABV. This is a suggestion, and one of personal taste; I'm not gonna ding them on that, because they DID have over 10 beers there. Just too big for what I was wanting. Someone else might be thankful for that. Glad there's another option for brewpubs in the area. You should go here.
(4)Danny C.
Who doesn't like craft beers, friendly staff, live music and pinball. A very HOPPY place, Cheers!
(4)Roland S.
I've been here four or five times now, and everything I've had, food and beer, has been great. They have about ten beers in a variety of styles at any given time, and some of beers rotate in and out seasonally. The beers have all been good, solid, and interesting examples of their various styles. They've avoided the overhopping common to many craft brewers, and they've used a variety of hops to good effect. I have my favorites style-wise, but I'm a fan of any beer that's well-made. I particularly liked the Twist of F8 (watermelon wheat), Lost Saint (saison), and Off-Width (double pale ale). They offer each beer in a variety of sizes from 2 oz samples to snifters to half-pints and pints. The prices seem about right to me, and I really like having all the options. Also, they sell bottles, growlers, and bombers for carryout. I think they also make their own rootbeer. The menu offers sandwiches on homemade bread (made with spent grains) and salads. The southwest-style salad (Tahquitz) was very good, and the side salad is sizeable. Portion sizes are pretty typical, not giant pub portions but not small either. I particularly like the Ascender (pulled pork sandwich) and the Highball (a beef sandwich). With floor to ceiling windows and a nice open seating arrangement, this is a comfortable place for lunch. I haven't been there in the evenings when a band is playing, but I noticed they've added some features to improve the acoustics. My only complaints are that the service could be a bit more attentive (and they'd probably sell more beer), and that they could expand the menu (especially side dishes) so that it doesn't become repetitive for regulars like me. Nitpicking aside, this is a great place. I'm looking forward to my next visit.
(5)Thomas C.
Great spot. Wide range of beer choices from mild, to hoppy to barley wine; and they were all good to excellent. Really nice people - no smug beer experts. Lunch was very good - spent grain bread on sandwiches is terrific. Right on courthouse square, so nice views and lots to do after eating/drinking.
(4)Ann E.
Had a great meal tonight with excellent service! Our waiter was very informative and friendly. We'll return!
(4)Mike H.
The beer is great! The food, however, needs a lot of work. The beer cheese "fondue" only comes with a few sticks of raw veggies. Definitely not what we were expecting. We requested some pretzel sticks, so we could actually eat the excellent beer cheese. My girlfriend had a sandwich that was mostly bread with some cheese and one very thin slice of prosciutto. I had the mussels with pasta, but couldn't even finish it. The red sauce was tasteless and the mussels tasted a little off. As far as prices go, once again the beer is priced very reasonably, but the food is overpriced. The service was great and friendly. We will be back, but maybe only for beer next time.
(2)E. O.
Figure Eight is still a great place to eat in Valpo. We went on Valentine's Day (after leaving Bon Femme, a fancier restaurant with disappointing service that night,). The menu, while much smaller than before, had some wonderful offerings and the service was awesome. Our server, Rachel, was great. I would go back to Figure Eight again and again.
(5)Joel C.
We went to Figure Eight after a day at the Dunes. When we came in they didn't seem to be very busy but were packed by the time we left. They had a very limited menu and you can't order most of the sandwiches after 4:30(weird). We ordered the mini bacon burgers, the portabella mushroom with eggplant and humas, and the beer cheese fondue. Small portions but the food was as good as any 5 star restaurant. Service was about a 2 star. The server was in a hurry the entire evening. He even left before we finished our order, but I think it was just him. He was doing the same with all his tables. I tried a Belgium Ale and then the oatmeal stout. The Belgium was great. one of the best I have had, The Stout was disappointing (and I love stouts). Didn't have alot of flavor. GO FOR THE FOOD AND THE BEER. It is worth it!
(4)J H.
Great tasting room, just beer and a couple of snacks for sale. I highly recommend the Black Barleywine and the Snake Pro Double IPA in addition to the old standby of Ro Shampo (an Imperial Red Ale). They are doing some great things here with high gravity beers and the prices are really reasonable for growler fills and 22 ounce bombers. We enjoyed the complimentary pretzels along with a pint glass of peanuts when trying our sampler.
(4)Jon C.
It's 100.8 miles, one way, from a gas station nearish to F8 to my home in Lafayette. My wife and I have made that drive, on a Sunday, JUST to go to Figure 8. I'm convinced the the World ov Beer has 2 gods: Chris Johnson and Tom Uban. Tom's the owner and brewer of Figure 8. F8's style coverage is excellent - from several IPAs, to a stout, to a barleywine, to a KICK F'ING ASS ESB, to a wheat. And they're all fantastic - see BeerAdvocate for reviews of specific beers. They're definitely going places in the beer world; plans are underway to move to a much larger and more centrally located building in downtown Valpo. They've gotten their beer into pretty much every single business that sells beer - tap or carry-out - nearby. Even a COFFEE SHOP! Their location is a tap room only. No food service (other than the legally required food - frozen, which very few ever order. It's a silly law that you have to offer food at tap rooms)... just pints of kickass beer and growler fills and bombers for carry-out. And an Addams Family pinball machine. If you're in Valpo and love beer, you've probably already been here. If not, you're either blind or don't actually love beer. :D Just go. The beer is good. Very good. And the staff is great, too.
(5)Jacob S.
They have beer...that is for sure. I am not convinced that it is the best in the area, try Crown Brewery or 3 Floyds or Shore Line brewing for others. I feel like F8 is brewing to make money but lacks the passion for real craft beers. The beer tasted watered down and lack robust flavors (across all categories). They are also not very attentive in their tasting room. One guy was serving and chatting to one of the 8 or 9 people who were there. And he smelled kind of funky, which was a turn-off. If you need to go out and try something new, give it a try. If you don't mind a 15 mile drive, there are certainly other choices.
(2)Lizz C.
This brewery is definitely going places. You will not see anyone that has craft taps within any sort of driving distance in Indiana that doesn't consistently or occasionally feature Figure 8 beers. There's a reason for that. They brew very good beers. When you enter the taproom, on the left is a painting of the owner rock climbing. That's where the name of the brewery is from - it's a very basic and handy knot used in many things, but especially rock climbing. The taproom has 6 or 7 tables, a counter, and an Addams Family pinball machine in the corner. It's a modest facility right now, but we hear they're going to be moving to larger digs in the future. The same tenacity and spirit of rock climbing is channeled into his beers. A wide range (11+?) is available at the tap room. There's a little bit of food available here, but we've seen folks carry in food without any worries too. If you're trying one of the higher ABV beers, you may want a little cushion. We've tried over 15+ beers from there, either on premises or at various bars around Indiana. From hoppy to malty to everything inbetween, they brew complex and high quality beers. I'm excited about their beers - and excited to see what they offer in the future.
(5)Rowdy S.
The beer was awful this place is for the beermiester not a schmo like me food was so so at best
(1)Adrien B.
My husband and I love this place! They have about 10 or so beers on tap at a given time, most of which are always on the menu, but some of which are seasonal, so every now and then there is something new to try which is fun. The tasting room is small and bright (although I heard that they are moving to a new and bigger space soon) and is often packed with standing room only. They have free pretzels and I think you can bring in outside food (like if you want to order a pizza). Everyone on staff is very friendly which adds to the laid-back and comfortable atmosphere. Another thing I also like about this place is the diverse crowd that it seems to get.
(5)