Search Your Favourite Restaurants.

Name: Willoughby Brewing Co.
Address: 4057 Erie St, Willoughby, OH, 44094
Telephone: (440) 975-0202
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.30

Willoughby Brewing Co.

4057 Erie St, Willoughby, OH, 44094

(440) 975-0202
Store is closed

Willoughby Brewing Co. Menu

Burgers

Kid?s Burger 110g

Kid?s Cheeseburger 120g

Bacon Cheddar Burger 125g

Bacon Double Cheeseburger 250g

Big Buford® 230g

Bacon Buford® 255g

Bacon Swiss Buford® 250g

1/4 LB. Champ® 205g

1/4 LB. Champ® with Cheese 225g

1/4 LB. Bacon Cheese Champ® 235g

1/2 LB. Double Champ® 280g

1/2 LB. Double Champ® with Cheese 300g

Checkerburger® 170g

Checkerburger® with Cheese 179g

Cheese Double Cheese 190g

Chili Cheeseburger 135g

Double Chili Cheeseburger 180g

Double Decker 215g

Rallyburger® 170g

Rallyburger® with Cheese 179g

Smokehouse Buford® 265g

Triple Cheeseburger 250g

Healthy Meal suggestions for

Burgers

Kid?s Burger 110g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 28, Sodium (s): 570, Saturated Fat (ms) : 6, Calories: 280, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Kid?s Cheeseburger 120g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 29, Sodium (s): 730, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 320, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Bacon Cheddar Burger 125g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 29, Sodium (s): 730, Saturated Fat (ms) : 9, Calories: 370, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Bacon Double Cheeseburger 250g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 1340, Saturated Fat (ms) : 20, Calories: 650, Sugar (ms): 6 ]

Big Buford® 230g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 1090, Saturated Fat (ms) : 18, Calories: 570, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Bacon Buford® 255g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 1510, Saturated Fat (ms) : 21, Calories: 680, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Bacon Swiss Buford® 250g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 28, Sodium (s): 1310, Saturated Fat (ms) : 21, Calories: 660, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

1/4 LB. Champ® 205g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 810, Saturated Fat (ms) : 12, Calories: 490, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

1/4 LB. Champ® with Cheese 225g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 930, Saturated Fat (ms) : 18, Calories: 580, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

1/4 LB. Bacon Cheese Champ® 235g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 35, Sodium (s): 1230, Saturated Fat (ms) : 18, Calories: 630, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

1/2 LB. Double Champ® 280g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 30, Sodium (s): 1030, Saturated Fat (ms) : 25, Calories: 740, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

1/2 LB. Double Champ® with Cheese 300g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 34, Sodium (s): 1360, Saturated Fat (ms) : 28, Calories: 790, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Checkerburger® 170g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 680, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 390, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Checkerburger® with Cheese 179g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 810, Saturated Fat (ms) : 12, Calories: 420, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Cheese Double Cheese 190g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 1140, Saturated Fat (ms) : 17, Calories: 510, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

Chili Cheeseburger 135g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 30, Sodium (s): 620, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 320, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Double Chili Cheeseburger 180g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 30, Sodium (s): 760, Saturated Fat (ms) : 14, Calories: 460, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Double Decker 215g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 720, Saturated Fat (ms) : 13, Calories: 480, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

Rallyburger® 170g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 680, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 390, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Rallyburger® with Cheese 179g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 810, Saturated Fat (ms) : 12, Calories: 420, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Triple Cheeseburger 250g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 1450, Saturated Fat (ms) : 23, Calories: 690, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Healthy Meal suggestions for CheckersRally

Burgers

Smokehouse Buford® 265g [ Sodium (s): 1610, Calories: 650, Sugar (ms): 15 ]

Visit below restaurant in Willoughby for healthy meals suggestion.

Burger King ( 5021 Som Center Rd )

Write An Anonymous Review

Ashley K.

Let me preface this by saying that you are a FOOL if you order Miller Lite or Bud light at this establishment. Phew. That felt good. I came here on a Friday night and decided to get a flight of all the beers they had on tap that night. I was not disappointed! My favorites were the Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Stout and the Railway Razz. The stout had the perfect mix of chocolate and peanut butter and made me really wish they bottled the stuff. SO GOOD. The other offerings were good, but I'm not big into hops so they weren't my thing. I also ordered a pork quesadilla from the appetizer menu and it was really good! It came in three pieces, but it was big enough for dinner. I'm not sure of the cheese they used in it, but man, I want that all the time. I would highly recommend ordering it. The staff were all really friendly and knowledgeable and made my experience all the much better. I will definitely be back and you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you don't stop by!
(5)
Jerome B.

We come here often for their beer. It's good pizza tho specials r tuff. Had blacken grouper and wow under cooked and old fish. who knows so if u come here get the beer and pizza ONLY!!!!!!!
(5)
Tawnya W.

Service is pretty consistently decent. Beer is always fabulous. NOT a fan of not being able to park anywhere close due to it all reserved for valet for the local bars/eateries. Valet person was an ass when letting us know that we couldn't park in the parking lot of the place we wanted to eat. This may be a deal breaker go forward.
(4)
Amanda S.

Atmosphere was relaxing. Food came out relatively quick for a Saturday. They were gearing up to play live music but we came in a bit to early to hear them play. Waitress was very nice and patient and got us everything we needed for a party of 9. Bar drinks were tasty and priced on the average for the location of the restaurant. Apps were good, I got the pretzels but their dips were lackluster, I made a dip at home with my leftovers wick was better than their in house. Burgers are always good and cooled just the way I like. A great restaurant for a simple meal or group outing
(4)
Lisa D.

Loved the peanut butter cup coffee porter! Highly recommend trying it. Went in for St Paddys day and they had the best live band who sang such a range of music from newer songs to spice works. Great mix of people and can't wait to go back.
(5)
John M.

Good beers. Good food. First tried the beer at a brew fest in Columbus, OH. On our way to Toronto, we stopped in for lunch. The China Town hoagie with Korean BBQ meatballs was excellent. Our server suggested the chicken spring rolls which were good as well. Looking forward to the time when we can get their beer in Columbus.
(4)
Katy S.

I have gotten the pleasure to eat here on 2 of my previous Cleveland trips and had good experiences both times. The beer options are great! I really enjoyed the raspberry beer and would love to have it again. The food was good - I got a salad and some co-workers got burgers that they loved. We had pretty big meals for a good price. I'm a fan!
(4)
Matt C.

I've been coming to WBC since its early days. It's helped anchor downtown Willoughby's reboot in the last two decades. I'm not a real craft brew guy, but I like the peanut butter coffee porter. The razz is nice if you're in the mood for something a little lighter. It's a full service restaurant in addition to a brewery. I've always liked the food, though the menu seems to have evolved over the years to feature more pub grub and comfort food over standard dinner entrees (I miss the amber glazed salmon). Anyhow, I recommend a trip to Willoughby and a stop at the Brewing Co.
(4)
Brittney G.

Went to Cleveland to see college friend get married. We stopped here to kill some time for the long weekend. I really did enjoy this place. The scenery inside was rather cute and different. The beers are all brewed there and the food is nothing short of delicious. They are really known for their different pizzas. (Mash Potato Pizza) They have outdoor seating which is also great.
(4)
Brooke K.

Service was great, but the food wasn't anything to brag about. It sounded amazing on the menu, but was very disappointed with the taste. The pork on my sandwich was very dry and both meals purchased were both bland and didn't have much flavor. Overall was not happy with the price paid for such blah food.
(2)
Rachel B.

Major downgrade. First of all, the food was still great, so that's where these stars are coming from. But the service was just awful, especially for 3pm on a Thursday when there were practically no customers at all. We sat outside and were pretty much forgotten about and had to do the ol' "stretch and make a show of standing up and gathering our things" before our server would come over to give us the bill. Plus, the beer is just terrible. Maybe I'm just a snob now. No, that's not it. The beer was just gross. The only one that is worth mentioning is the PB Cup Coffee porter, but I am not a fan of that at all as it is. But man, those pretzels really hit the spot...
(2)
Corinne K.

If 3.5 stars was an option, that is where I would be. This rating is more reflective of my opinions of the beer than the food or service and I was coming here for the beer. If I was rating on food or service, I would give them 4 stars. The bartender was nice, knowledgeable, and great at his job. He made great food suggestions and he was right. Our food did take a little longer than it should have because there was a mix up in the kitchen. However, it was good and there were no issues otherwise. We went when they were in transition of beers, so there was not the biggest selection. I was not super in live with what I had. They were not bad, however, I would not necessarily make the trip out here again for the beers that I did have. I will have to try again and try some different beers.
(3)
Mike B.

I've been coming to the Brew Co. for years and the food has never really stood out among the great restaurants in the area but it is very solid bar food. The beer selection is usually very good with some great seasonals. The service has always been excellent and the restaurant itself is very clean with a nice decor. I would definitely give this place a try if you want a good brew and burger.
(3)
Michael M.

Typically love WBC...excellent beers/awesome happy hour apps... Was there for happy hour Sunday, round 5:30... Ordered couple beers(hazy days served from can instead of draft) ordered apps(spring rolls, pizza, pretzels, and quesadilla) everything was ok on time, except the quesadilla which they said they accidentally made w chicken instead of cheese. It later came, and after eating a piece or two, reached for another to realize there was a DEAD FLY baked into the top of the cheese... Immediately told one of the bar tenders who was in disbelief, and said it was just a piece of something burnt from oven, had to concur with other bar tender, then they took it away, took it off the bill, and took our 2 beers off the bill. It was a fly, it was plain as daylight, don't know how it occured, shit happens I know, but in all likelihood will never eat here again. The bar back also creeped my girlfriend out by knowing her work place, and the exact date she was in last w her father(9months prior)... This was on the way to the bathroom.. Love the beers, gonna be loooooong time before I would ever eat here again, or prob even visit... Really disappointing
(1)
Laura J.

Went here to grab a bite to eat after the rock and roll hall of fame. The Peanut Butter Cup porter beer is one of my favorites. The appetizers are huge. The spring rolls and quesadilla were delicious. The pizzas are also great and can be easily shared among 3 or more people.
(4)
Jess B.

This place was a nice gem to find!!! We split a flight of their beers and they were all very flavorful! The pretzels are to die for as well!
(5)
Brian Z.

They want to make this great high end food and it just doesn't work. The food is ok. If you take in to account the price it is not worth it.
(2)
Natalie S.

Attended The Wedding Walk this weekend that started at the Brewing Company. Obviously it wasn't its typical scene, but I have been there so many times, I can still give an overall review. I love their 2 patios, and because the weather was so nice, we were able to take great advantage of these today. It was even better because it wasn't as crowded as usual, so we could sit down and enjoy some of the great appetizers provided by the restaurant. I loved the spinach and artichoke dip and chips, as well as some of the other passed apps. Other times I have eaten here, I have ordered the French Onion soup, the hot pretzels, the chicken salad and the chocolate peanut butter dessert. The onion soup is always good (ask for the cheese well done!), the pretzels come with several sauces - they are also part of the appetizer sampler, which is a great idea if you want a bit of everything. The salads are HUGE!! And although I am not a dessert person, the fresh whipped cream stole me heart. For my visit yesterday, I got to see some rooms I didn't know existed and walk around freely. And, luckily for me, I didn't get peed on by the guy who got arrested there over the weekend (read it on Cleveland.com !)
(4)
Joe B.

Called to see the wait on a Saturday night and was actually offered a reservation which was great but that's where the good service stopped. When we arrived we were sat way in the back behind a large party. It took 15 minutes and us going up to the host stand to get a waitress to get us drinks. The host offered no apology and still 3 minutes later a waitress finally took our order. No less than 10 seconds after that another waitress asked if we had been helped. There obviously was no communication between the staff. When our food finally arrived the burger was overcooked and the fries were old. For 2 people without having to wait for the table it still took an hour to finish.
(2)
Bob L.

I've got something to get off of my chest before I get into the whole dining/beer experience thing: WTF is up with places and the "complimentary" valet parking? I've bitched about this before with Burntwood Tavern and I'm gonna bitch about it again with this place. They've got a private lot. It's right next to the restaurant. Why the hell would anyone need to have their car valet parked? And let's call it what it is, a scam. It's not complimentary if you've got any sense of decency because you'll end up tipping the guy $2 or $3. Get rid of it. It's annoying, pretentious and unnecessary. Now, on with the show. We don't exactly live close to Willoughby so I doubt we'll ever be regulars, but I've gotta admit, they're a pretty solid joint. I can't speak for the bar scene or the live music (although the guy that was playing when we were there was pretty close to bad) or the patio but when it comes to pretty damn good pub food and a strong portfolio of well-made craft beer WBC is a bit of alright. The space is airy, open and big with uber-high ceilings and big comfy booths. There's a cute little train that runs along a track up by the rafters and the natural light is all over the place. We arrived around 6pm on a Wednesday and walked right in, no wait. To make it even better, we got our own booth. Our server, clearly up to his ass in alligators, did his best tending to the half dozen or so tables under his purview but, in all honesty, things were a tad slow and felt a bit disjointed. I didn't mind so much, though, because I was enjoying the chitty chat with the wife and nursing my Hop Jam black IPA. Our entire experience was about 90 minutes from order to check. Speaking of the beer, the brewmaster at WBC definitely knows what he's up to when it comes to a mash tun and some hops. The works of art he has created would stand up against some of the larger and more experienced brewers anywhere in the country. Some of my favorites are Gutterpup robust porter, dark, murky, chocolaty and smooth, and the Spring Saison, a spicy, mild Belgian style ale perfect for sessions. My wife is a huge fan of the peanut butter cup coffee porter. The menu is a nice mix of standard bar fare (wings, burgers, nachos) and some larger entrees kicked up high-class bar style. The prices are on par with most restaurants of their ilk but some of the classier entrees will set you back a few clams - the beef filet clocks in at just shy of $30 and the lobster gnocchi comes in at $22. Here's how our meal went: Bavarian Pretzels - I love soft pretzels. Throw craft beer into the equation and I can't help myself. It's totally empty calories and I don't care. The pair of pretzels are as big as your face, cooked a perfect dark brown, salted and feature an oh-so-soft and chewy inside. They are everything a pretzel needs to be. I wasn't too impressed with the trio of dips (honey mustard, spinach con queso, & cheese) as I found them a tad bland. And when will places start serving cream cheese with their pretzels? Bibb Salad w/Chicken - Not a bad offering. The bibb lettuce was plentiful and bright green fresh and there's just something about the interplay of the bleu cheese and candied pecans that I just can't get enough of. The raspberry vinaigrette is very sweet so use sparingly. Oh, and how about an actual chicken breast next time. I would be surprised if it came with more than 4oz of it. Sweet Potato Fries - Done shoestring style, the sweet tater fries were a bit on the chewy side and not all that hot by the time they arrived at our table. Good, but I've had better. Fried Green Tomato Melt - My wife ordered this one and her assessment was that it was pretty "one note". Not that it wasn't tasty, just kinda boring. The fried green tomato, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomato were all tart, and the red onion was a bit lost in the shuffle. The onion rings, battered not breaded, were crispy and sweet. All in all, not a bad place to grab a bite and sample some hand-crafted ales. The atmosphere is nice and they do have a sizable outside patio if that's your thing.
(4)
Nick V.

I suggest pairing the bbq pulled pork pizza with a pint of the peanut butter cup porter, but that's just me.
(5)
Lynn F.

Although it was a hike, the beer and food did not disappoint. We've gone a couple times now and have been very happy with our selections. I'm not a beer drinker, but the Peanut Butter Cup Porter is something you definitely need to try. Even if you don't drink beer so dark that it's like getting an oil change, you could still enjoy this particular one. The food was great too. We started with an app of the egg rolls, followed by burgers. On our second trip I had a chop salad. Everything was pretty tasty and came out in a decent amount of time even though they were pretty busy. There are two negatives though- 1. If you go at night, expect to pay for parking. In their own lot. I get there isn't much parking in downtown Willoughby, but come on. I'm not sure, but I believe you have to start paying around 5pm, and if you don't valet the car expect to walk a fair distance. Not bad in the summer, but terrible in the cold and snow. 2. Even though the food came out in a timely fashion, the service is overall slow. I get it's a huge place and when it's busy there is a lot to tend to, but both times we were there we waited FOREVER to get our check. And both times we saw our waitress just standing behind the bar socializing. The above two aren't enough to keep us away if we're in the area, but the restaurant may want to address that second one.
(4)
Margaret R.

Today's experience is worth 2.5 stars. My friend and I walked into the restaurant on a Sunday afternoon for a late lunch. With the exception of a private party on the patio, the place was not particularly busy. The food was good, but the service was underwhelming. Coffee was not refilled, and the beer menu was out of date, with several selections unavailable (hence giving up and drinking coffee). Our waiter seemed more interested in watching golf than helping his customers. Additionally, the bathrooms were not up to snuff in the cleanliness department. I'd probably try Willoughby Brewing Co again, but this time wasn't so great.
(3)
Christine G.

I've been here for food and for drinks. I think overall a 3.5 stars, but bump it up to 4 for atmosphere etc. I went with a group from work for lunch one day and they were able to help a group of 7 of us and split our checks, which was so appreciated. The hamburger I got was ok, I couldn't taste the sauce on it though. The waffle fries- amazing!! I just wish it would have been brought a tad quicker since they really weren't that busy when we were in there. If you come on a Thurs/Fri/Sat night, good atmosphere, busy and tons of alcohol choices. If you like your beer, this is a place to come and hang out for awhile
(4)
Mike T.

Let me be honest, the 4th star in this rating is all due to Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter. Without a doubt one of the best local beers around. So tasty and complex, but also subtle and drinkable. The other beers are pretty good, too, along with the food. Definitely above average brewpub fare. I also like the layout and the new patio. Pain in the ass for me to get here, so that is a downer. Oh, I should mention it can be tough to find the first time. You have to drive down an alley off the main rd into a large parking area so keep the peepers open for a sign.
(4)
Melissa M.

One of our regular spots when I lived in OH. I went back in August and everything was just as I remembered. The choco-PB-coffee porter was perfect. And the buffalo egg rolls were awesome as always. We ordered pretzels for the kids as well and they were really good. I like that the flights were updated. Now you pick any beer you want and get a taste for $1. The only downside was that a couple beers were out (this in the middle of the week). I highly recommend as a meet-up spot for apps and drinks. They also have a back room for groups. Be forewarned, though... Depending on the band they have at night, the crowd can get a little weird.
(4)
Chas M.

Been here many times over the years. Ill keep it short and sweet. Beer was on a steady decline for last 10 years or so but this new kid knows his stuff and can brew his ass off. Sadly, he has to brew Bud Lite clones to appease the Midwestern housewife palette. The food is acutally pretty good. Those pretzels are great and I would naked wrestle Butterbean is a Turkish bath house for some of those on a steady basis. The look of the place is unique and that little train up top is fun to watch. Why three stars ya ask? The hostesses are always awful. They dont acknowledge you at all or are too busy talking to Johnny Crepo guy who's 47 and has 3 kids and a wife at home. The servers are either really good or downright dreadful as well. Recently, this place made the news....some dude was all drunk and pissing on customers on the patio. HE knows how to party and the uppity patio people need to loosten up. If your just having a beer (or seven) go to 1899..if ya want food as well, come here. Its a crap shoot though!
(3)
Trista D.

To start off, slow waitress / staff and confusion who was taking care of our table. Second, mashed potatoes were watery, Broccoli was hard, green beans mushy, pasta mushy. When staff was informed of problem w potatoes they were unable to accommodate w a replacement (baked potato) but kept pushing more mashed potatoes even though they were told we didn't want more of the same. Then the waitress asks how's the doctored up mashed potatoes....really. Lol. You would expect real potatoes at this restaurant. No free refills on soft drinks (taste like dish water an again the waitress said yah it tastes like it's out of a garden hose) or ice tea ($2.49 x5). The only good part of our meals was the meat, beer an ice tea!
(2)
Lilly S.

Fantastic beer and good (though not amazing) food - overall, a fun place to go! This is a bit of a trek for me since I live on the west side of Cleveland but I'm glad I checked it out. The beers here are so good! I love the Peanut Butter Cup Coffee porter but also tried another porter and their Ocktoberfest - both excellent! Everyone was very happy with the beers they tried. Food was good but could have been better. I got the fried green tomato sandwich. I thought it would be a little more exciting. Fries are just whatever. Everyone in my group was pleased but not blown away by the food. They could step it up a notch but it's fine. Basically, don't go here just for the food. Either go here for drinks before/after another meal or go ahead and eat but don't expec the food to be as awesome as the beer. Friendly staff, awesome looking brewery on the inside, everything else was great! Would have given it 5 stars if the food was more exciting.
(4)
Alia P.

To be fair, I'm not a huge beer fan.. so take this review with a grain of salt. Came here to meet up with friends to discuss the details an upcoming trip - Sunday afternoon for lunch. Service was decent, our waiter was very cool and casual, and pretty attentive. They were all out of the beer that one of my fellow diners wanted. But, they had plenty of water (which is what I drank) and they kept my glass full! I ordered a shrimp avocado salad, it was one of the specials. It was pretty good, however, for the $12 price-tag, I would have like to have a bit more lettuce on the plate, however the flavors were decent, but nothing super special. The shrimp was cooked pretty well. For dessert we ordered a large fried ice-cream for the table. It had a nice strawberry sauce on top and the "fry" coating was ok, but I thought it could have used some more cinnamon. Does not even compare to ChiChi's fried ice-cream but since that place is gone, and there aren't that many places that even serve fried ice-cream, they get points for even having it on the menu. It was good (really how can ice-cream be bad?), but again, nothing exciting. Overall, this is a good place to meet up with friends and chat, but don't expect anything too fancy when it comes to the food.
(3)
Frank U.

Great beer, staff was good. First time there so a little more information from the bar tender would of been good. Since it was my first time I mentioned to the bartender that I will start with the $2 5-oz samples, because I like to get the sample flights were I go. After two of them, it was mentioned to me that it was Happy Hour and for $1 more I could get a pint. So if that was mentioned first thing, I know that those two 5-oz beers would of been a 16-oz for a $1. Had all but one beer that was on tap this time, they do switch out with different beers. The IPA was a good IPA. If you like fruit beer, try the Railway Razz, it had a nice strong raspberry taste to it. Hopnotic will get you in trouble as it is 9% ABV. I am mostly an IPA guy, but there Hazy Days American Pale Wheat Ale was one of my favorites at this place. Had a pizza to eat, good food, not anything to write home about. But it was 1/2-off during Happy Hour....so in turn....it made me Happy, LOL.
(4)
Kaitlin D.

I'm pretty sure this place is fantastic! We had a large group of people together and were hungry (mostly thirsty) after a wedding ceremony and before the reception. We had a long trek across town and needed to find somewhere closer to the reception hall and on the way. Lucky us, we ended up at Willoughby Brewing Company at the suggestion of a couple of friends. The beers were definitely satisfactory; I'm often disappointed in brewery beers (MGB on W. 25th is a perfect example of the disappointment...) and find that they lack a certain specialty that should come with being served in a brewery. I wasn't disappointed here with the Rusty Rail. We all ended up with appetizer platters that were more than just some frozen jalepeno poppers and quesadillas. I'm completely in love with soft pretzels and this one tops my love list. It was warm and soft and salty and perfect! Oh how I long for another...right now! The buffalo egg rolls were definitely interesting and I liked them more than the quesadillas. Quesadillas aren't often my favorites anyways, so it wasn't a shock. I know I'll be back for some beer and a soft pretzel...or two.
(4)
William N.

#NAME?
(4)
Rob P.

Dined and drank here on a recent Saturday night. I'm glad I made a reservation and was able to sit on the dining room side (rather than the bar side). Call me a hater or an urban elite or whatever, but when I think of dining in the suburbs, my expectations are extraordinarily low. Being a decent non-chain restaurant in this part of town automatically earns a bonus star. Plus I want to cancel out the reviewers who docked this place because they can't get over their insecurities about the parking lot. Let's start with the beers. I was pretty happy with the draft list. There were some unique offerings (like the Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter and Cosmic IPA) and well as some solid other choices. 4-ounce pours are only a buck each so you can definitely try everything that have on tap and not break the bank. The food was better than average pub food. But don't come here expecting fine dining. For this reason I probably wouldn't order any of the $20ish entrees from the menu. But if you come for pub food and stick to that, you'll be OK.
(4)
Glenn B.

Great atmosphere for conversation and always a great selection of on-site brewed beers on tap, including many seasonal selections. Great appetizers, and also a fairly good selection of liquor drinks / shots. Good bands on the weekends. They could probably use more seating and a bit more variety in the dinner menu, but overall this is my favorite local night-spot.
(5)
Jim P.

For the most part, a fun, happening place... THE UP-SIDE: Good food in a big, open atmosphere. Not your typical Applebee's type place, but not high-end either; somewhere in the middle. THE DOWN-SIDE: On certain nights they have bands, and that blows the atmosphere right out the window. It's way too loud. If you're looking for a nice dinner, go when there isn't a band playing. THE SUM-IT-UP: Definitely worth a visit if you go on the right night.
(4)
G W.

Willoughby Brewing Company has an outstanding selection of craft beers brewed in house. Situated in a former trolley line building, the place has lots of charm on a big scale. The service is first rate and friendly and knowledgeable about the brews. Sadly, it lacks in several other important areas. The menu tries to be creative but just ends up falling flat. Dishes that should be inventive or hearty, end up just plain weird or bland. The bathrooms are often in need of maintenance, and the entire place could use a good cleaning. To experience some great micro-brews in Willoughby, this place is a must stop, but if dinner is on your agenda, you might look elsewhere.
(2)
Tim W.

Pleasantly surprised. On a snowy saturday we decided to venture somewhere we had never been. Arrived about 1 pm to a nearly empty restaurant. Neat building cool bar with the train overhead. We both started with the blonde and were pleased. I agree rather limited beer list other than the 5-6 self brewed choices. Started with the appetizer platter. The egg rolls were very good with the buffalo dip being better than the sweet and sour dip. The quesadilla was nice with the large chunks of chicken breast meat. Nice addition was the sweet corn. Added great flavor and texture. The hit of the plate was the soft and delicate pretzel. Best I ever had. Dipping sauces were ok. We ended with pizza. Nice crisp char on the edge of the crust but the middle was soft and lacked character. Sauce was good but the chef was a little heavy handed with the dried herbs. Overpowered what would have been a pretty good pie. I would go again but now know to avoid evenings and the local cougars.
(4)
Matt C.

I've been coming to WBC since its early days. It's helped anchor downtown Willoughby's reboot in the last two decades. I'm not a real craft brew guy, but I like the peanut butter coffee porter. The razz is nice if you're in the mood for something a little lighter. It's a full service restaurant in addition to a brewery. I've always liked the food, though the menu seems to have evolved over the years to feature more pub grub and comfort food over standard dinner entrees (I miss the amber glazed salmon). Anyhow, I recommend a trip to Willoughby and a stop at the Brewing Co.
(4)
Brittney G.

Went to Cleveland to see college friend get married. We stopped here to kill some time for the long weekend. I really did enjoy this place. The scenery inside was rather cute and different. The beers are all brewed there and the food is nothing short of delicious. They are really known for their different pizzas. (Mash Potato Pizza) They have outdoor seating which is also great.
(4)
Steve H.

Lots of fun here and the beer options are plentiful. We tried the streak fries and weren't disappointed! My favorite beer was the Irish stout. I wasn't as fond of the coffee stout...but I'm not a coffee drinker.
(4)
Corinne K.

If 3.5 stars was an option, that is where I would be. This rating is more reflective of my opinions of the beer than the food or service and I was coming here for the beer. If I was rating on food or service, I would give them 4 stars. The bartender was nice, knowledgeable, and great at his job. He made great food suggestions and he was right. Our food did take a little longer than it should have because there was a mix up in the kitchen. However, it was good and there were no issues otherwise. We went when they were in transition of beers, so there was not the biggest selection. I was not super in live with what I had. They were not bad, however, I would not necessarily make the trip out here again for the beers that I did have. I will have to try again and try some different beers.
(3)
Mike B.

I've been coming to the Brew Co. for years and the food has never really stood out among the great restaurants in the area but it is very solid bar food. The beer selection is usually very good with some great seasonals. The service has always been excellent and the restaurant itself is very clean with a nice decor. I would definitely give this place a try if you want a good brew and burger.
(3)
Michael M.

Typically love WBC...excellent beers/awesome happy hour apps... Was there for happy hour Sunday, round 5:30... Ordered couple beers(hazy days served from can instead of draft) ordered apps(spring rolls, pizza, pretzels, and quesadilla) everything was ok on time, except the quesadilla which they said they accidentally made w chicken instead of cheese. It later came, and after eating a piece or two, reached for another to realize there was a DEAD FLY baked into the top of the cheese... Immediately told one of the bar tenders who was in disbelief, and said it was just a piece of something burnt from oven, had to concur with other bar tender, then they took it away, took it off the bill, and took our 2 beers off the bill. It was a fly, it was plain as daylight, don't know how it occured, shit happens I know, but in all likelihood will never eat here again. The bar back also creeped my girlfriend out by knowing her work place, and the exact date she was in last w her father(9months prior)... This was on the way to the bathroom.. Love the beers, gonna be loooooong time before I would ever eat here again, or prob even visit... Really disappointing
(1)
Laura J.

Went here to grab a bite to eat after the rock and roll hall of fame. The Peanut Butter Cup porter beer is one of my favorites. The appetizers are huge. The spring rolls and quesadilla were delicious. The pizzas are also great and can be easily shared among 3 or more people.
(4)
Jess B.

This place was a nice gem to find!!! We split a flight of their beers and they were all very flavorful! The pretzels are to die for as well!
(5)
Brian Z.

They want to make this great high end food and it just doesn't work. The food is ok. If you take in to account the price it is not worth it.
(2)
Jerome B.

We come here often for their beer. It's good pizza tho specials r tuff. Had blacken grouper and wow under cooked and old fish. who knows so if u come here get the beer and pizza ONLY!!!!!!!
(5)
Tawnya W.

Service is pretty consistently decent. Beer is always fabulous. NOT a fan of not being able to park anywhere close due to it all reserved for valet for the local bars/eateries. Valet person was an ass when letting us know that we couldn't park in the parking lot of the place we wanted to eat. This may be a deal breaker go forward.
(4)
Natalie S.

Attended The Wedding Walk this weekend that started at the Brewing Company. Obviously it wasn't its typical scene, but I have been there so many times, I can still give an overall review. I love their 2 patios, and because the weather was so nice, we were able to take great advantage of these today. It was even better because it wasn't as crowded as usual, so we could sit down and enjoy some of the great appetizers provided by the restaurant. I loved the spinach and artichoke dip and chips, as well as some of the other passed apps. Other times I have eaten here, I have ordered the French Onion soup, the hot pretzels, the chicken salad and the chocolate peanut butter dessert. The onion soup is always good (ask for the cheese well done!), the pretzels come with several sauces - they are also part of the appetizer sampler, which is a great idea if you want a bit of everything. The salads are HUGE!! And although I am not a dessert person, the fresh whipped cream stole me heart. For my visit yesterday, I got to see some rooms I didn't know existed and walk around freely. And, luckily for me, I didn't get peed on by the guy who got arrested there over the weekend (read it on Cleveland.com !)
(4)
Brooke K.

Service was great, but the food wasn't anything to brag about. It sounded amazing on the menu, but was very disappointed with the taste. The pork on my sandwich was very dry and both meals purchased were both bland and didn't have much flavor. Overall was not happy with the price paid for such blah food.
(2)
Rachel B.

Major downgrade. First of all, the food was still great, so that's where these stars are coming from. But the service was just awful, especially for 3pm on a Thursday when there were practically no customers at all. We sat outside and were pretty much forgotten about and had to do the ol' "stretch and make a show of standing up and gathering our things" before our server would come over to give us the bill. Plus, the beer is just terrible. Maybe I'm just a snob now. No, that's not it. The beer was just gross. The only one that is worth mentioning is the PB Cup Coffee porter, but I am not a fan of that at all as it is. But man, those pretzels really hit the spot...
(2)
Ashley K.

Let me preface this by saying that you are a FOOL if you order Miller Lite or Bud light at this establishment. Phew. That felt good. I came here on a Friday night and decided to get a flight of all the beers they had on tap that night. I was not disappointed! My favorites were the Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Stout and the Railway Razz. The stout had the perfect mix of chocolate and peanut butter and made me really wish they bottled the stuff. SO GOOD. The other offerings were good, but I'm not big into hops so they weren't my thing. I also ordered a pork quesadilla from the appetizer menu and it was really good! It came in three pieces, but it was big enough for dinner. I'm not sure of the cheese they used in it, but man, I want that all the time. I would highly recommend ordering it. The staff were all really friendly and knowledgeable and made my experience all the much better. I will definitely be back and you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you don't stop by!
(5)
Amanda S.

Atmosphere was relaxing. Food came out relatively quick for a Saturday. They were gearing up to play live music but we came in a bit to early to hear them play. Waitress was very nice and patient and got us everything we needed for a party of 9. Bar drinks were tasty and priced on the average for the location of the restaurant. Apps were good, I got the pretzels but their dips were lackluster, I made a dip at home with my leftovers wick was better than their in house. Burgers are always good and cooled just the way I like. A great restaurant for a simple meal or group outing
(4)
Lisa D.

Loved the peanut butter cup coffee porter! Highly recommend trying it. Went in for St Paddys day and they had the best live band who sang such a range of music from newer songs to spice works. Great mix of people and can't wait to go back.
(5)
John M.

Good beers. Good food. First tried the beer at a brew fest in Columbus, OH. On our way to Toronto, we stopped in for lunch. The China Town hoagie with Korean BBQ meatballs was excellent. Our server suggested the chicken spring rolls which were good as well. Looking forward to the time when we can get their beer in Columbus.
(4)
Katy S.

I have gotten the pleasure to eat here on 2 of my previous Cleveland trips and had good experiences both times. The beer options are great! I really enjoyed the raspberry beer and would love to have it again. The food was good - I got a salad and some co-workers got burgers that they loved. We had pretty big meals for a good price. I'm a fan!
(4)
Bonna M.

My daughter and I were in Cleveland and I really wanted to stop here for a peanut butter cup coffee porter! The beer was excellent, picked up a growler for $16. We found the restaurant without any problem. Downtown Willoughby is really cute and this restaurant is tucked behind all the Main Street type shops/bars/restaurants. It is way bigger than I ever expected but their parking lot leaves something to be desired. It is small, especially with half of it blocked off for valet. Valet is free (other than the tip at the end) but since I had no cash, this wasn't an option. We finally stalked a family walking to their minivan and took their spot. When we walked in the restaurant was even larger than I thought. The hostess said it would be a 45 min wait or we could sit in one of the two bars. We chose the bar. We found a high top table and waited..and waited...and waited. We finally saw a blonde streak fly by and help the table next to us but before we knew it she was gone again. She returned 5 mins later and as she was passing by she asked for our drink order. She came back about 10 mins later but didn't stop to ask what we'd like to eat. I finally flagged her down to order pork nachos and two buffalo melts. The pork nachos were delivered about 15 mins later and overall were excellent. The pork was moist and flavorful. The BBQ sauce was out of this world. Unfortunately, 1/2 the chips were really, really stale so we ended up eating the topping and leaving the chips. Our buffalo melts were delivered about 10 mins later. They were presented nicely and the chicken was really moist. Both of us scraped the mashed potatoes off our sandwiches, that was just a little to weird. Otherwise, they were really tasty. This experience would have been a lot more enjoyable with a better server. She never told us about the appetizer specials or drink specials and was just in too much of a hurry the whole time. If I'm ever back in Cleveland I would return for their beer but not much more.
(3)
Amanda L.

There was no hostess to seat us, although the sign said to wait to be seated. So we were standing around and were ignored. We finally flagged someone down who was not really interested in customers; she told us only the bar was open. Not friendly. The alcohol is good here, but we never had the food as the kitchen closed at 10:00 pm. (We arrived at 10:02.). They also had live entertainment, but it was so loud we couldn't talk to each other. We had one drink and got outta there.
(2)
Chas M.

Been here many times over the years. Ill keep it short and sweet. Beer was on a steady decline for last 10 years or so but this new kid knows his stuff and can brew his ass off. Sadly, he has to brew Bud Lite clones to appease the Midwestern housewife palette. The food is acutally pretty good. Those pretzels are great and I would naked wrestle Butterbean is a Turkish bath house for some of those on a steady basis. The look of the place is unique and that little train up top is fun to watch. Why three stars ya ask? The hostesses are always awful. They dont acknowledge you at all or are too busy talking to Johnny Crepo guy who's 47 and has 3 kids and a wife at home. The servers are either really good or downright dreadful as well. Recently, this place made the news....some dude was all drunk and pissing on customers on the patio. HE knows how to party and the uppity patio people need to loosten up. If your just having a beer (or seven) go to 1899..if ya want food as well, come here. Its a crap shoot though!
(3)
Trista D.

To start off, slow waitress / staff and confusion who was taking care of our table. Second, mashed potatoes were watery, Broccoli was hard, green beans mushy, pasta mushy. When staff was informed of problem w potatoes they were unable to accommodate w a replacement (baked potato) but kept pushing more mashed potatoes even though they were told we didn't want more of the same. Then the waitress asks how's the doctored up mashed potatoes....really. Lol. You would expect real potatoes at this restaurant. No free refills on soft drinks (taste like dish water an again the waitress said yah it tastes like it's out of a garden hose) or ice tea ($2.49 x5). The only good part of our meals was the meat, beer an ice tea!
(2)
Lilly S.

Fantastic beer and good (though not amazing) food - overall, a fun place to go! This is a bit of a trek for me since I live on the west side of Cleveland but I'm glad I checked it out. The beers here are so good! I love the Peanut Butter Cup Coffee porter but also tried another porter and their Ocktoberfest - both excellent! Everyone was very happy with the beers they tried. Food was good but could have been better. I got the fried green tomato sandwich. I thought it would be a little more exciting. Fries are just whatever. Everyone in my group was pleased but not blown away by the food. They could step it up a notch but it's fine. Basically, don't go here just for the food. Either go here for drinks before/after another meal or go ahead and eat but don't expec the food to be as awesome as the beer. Friendly staff, awesome looking brewery on the inside, everything else was great! Would have given it 5 stars if the food was more exciting.
(4)
Rob G.

Best place I've been to in a long time! Every beer they make is fantastic. Great food selection too unlike many breweries. It's a classy place with good taste and high quality food and beer. If you like sports there are big screens everywhere, if you like to dance they even have A dance floor and live bands on weekends ( their website will tell you who is playing and when). Reserve a table and Expect to have a great night out!
(5)
Alia P.

To be fair, I'm not a huge beer fan.. so take this review with a grain of salt. Came here to meet up with friends to discuss the details an upcoming trip - Sunday afternoon for lunch. Service was decent, our waiter was very cool and casual, and pretty attentive. They were all out of the beer that one of my fellow diners wanted. But, they had plenty of water (which is what I drank) and they kept my glass full! I ordered a shrimp avocado salad, it was one of the specials. It was pretty good, however, for the $12 price-tag, I would have like to have a bit more lettuce on the plate, however the flavors were decent, but nothing super special. The shrimp was cooked pretty well. For dessert we ordered a large fried ice-cream for the table. It had a nice strawberry sauce on top and the "fry" coating was ok, but I thought it could have used some more cinnamon. Does not even compare to ChiChi's fried ice-cream but since that place is gone, and there aren't that many places that even serve fried ice-cream, they get points for even having it on the menu. It was good (really how can ice-cream be bad?), but again, nothing exciting. Overall, this is a good place to meet up with friends and chat, but don't expect anything too fancy when it comes to the food.
(3)
Joe Y.

This was our first stop on our way to Cleveland. It is slightly buried behind other buildings. Very glad we made this stop! The street it's located on is very cute, with a bunch of little mom and pop stores, food places and behind it all is giant Willoughby brewing. -The beer we sampled a bunch. Their "best" beer was listed as the Peanut Butter Coffee Stout..it wasn't horrible, but tasted mostly coffee. The Moonshadow IPA was very nice, really hoppy. The porter was okay. The Pale Ale was delicious. -As for food we got the app platter which was a pretzel, buffalo egg rolls, chicken quesadilla and it came with a great beer cheese and jelly...it was all delicious and worth getting for two. The mac and cheese was A LOT of food, but also very tasty. -The bartender whose name escapes me was an awesome guy, very knowledgeable and extremely nice. I also noticed many of the staff were special needs adults and thought it was really cool that the owners give out jobs to any qualified person and don't discriminate, so bonus points there! -All in all, this place was awesome. The size is just massive inside, two separate bars both equally huge, one inside and one outside, very clean, and just an all around great place to sit back and drink.
(4)
Karyn C.

This is another place I'd love to love. I mean honestly... local brewery, cool town, neat logo... I digress. The parking lot smells like something is rotting. The interior does not smell much better. I am one of those weirdos with a super sensitive sniffer, but yikes...I couldn't even consider eating there. I frequent Willoughby spots a lot, so I will try it again, and promise to update if I find something improved/different. The beer. Well, I can tell you as a frequent beer fest attendee - their tent usually is easy to get to because no one is clammoring to have their stuff. I was so pumped to try the famous peanut butter cup beer... which I promptly dumped. Everything I've had that has been ok has been... forgettable. Sigh. I really want to like this place.
(1)
Mike T.

Let me be honest, the 4th star in this rating is all due to Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter. Without a doubt one of the best local beers around. So tasty and complex, but also subtle and drinkable. The other beers are pretty good, too, along with the food. Definitely above average brewpub fare. I also like the layout and the new patio. Pain in the ass for me to get here, so that is a downer. Oh, I should mention it can be tough to find the first time. You have to drive down an alley off the main rd into a large parking area so keep the peepers open for a sign.
(4)
Melissa M.

One of our regular spots when I lived in OH. I went back in August and everything was just as I remembered. The choco-PB-coffee porter was perfect. And the buffalo egg rolls were awesome as always. We ordered pretzels for the kids as well and they were really good. I like that the flights were updated. Now you pick any beer you want and get a taste for $1. The only downside was that a couple beers were out (this in the middle of the week). I highly recommend as a meet-up spot for apps and drinks. They also have a back room for groups. Be forewarned, though... Depending on the band they have at night, the crowd can get a little weird.
(4)
Frank U.

Great beer, staff was good. First time there so a little more information from the bar tender would of been good. Since it was my first time I mentioned to the bartender that I will start with the $2 5-oz samples, because I like to get the sample flights were I go. After two of them, it was mentioned to me that it was Happy Hour and for $1 more I could get a pint. So if that was mentioned first thing, I know that those two 5-oz beers would of been a 16-oz for a $1. Had all but one beer that was on tap this time, they do switch out with different beers. The IPA was a good IPA. If you like fruit beer, try the Railway Razz, it had a nice strong raspberry taste to it. Hopnotic will get you in trouble as it is 9% ABV. I am mostly an IPA guy, but there Hazy Days American Pale Wheat Ale was one of my favorites at this place. Had a pizza to eat, good food, not anything to write home about. But it was 1/2-off during Happy Hour....so in turn....it made me Happy, LOL.
(4)
Kaitlin D.

I'm pretty sure this place is fantastic! We had a large group of people together and were hungry (mostly thirsty) after a wedding ceremony and before the reception. We had a long trek across town and needed to find somewhere closer to the reception hall and on the way. Lucky us, we ended up at Willoughby Brewing Company at the suggestion of a couple of friends. The beers were definitely satisfactory; I'm often disappointed in brewery beers (MGB on W. 25th is a perfect example of the disappointment...) and find that they lack a certain specialty that should come with being served in a brewery. I wasn't disappointed here with the Rusty Rail. We all ended up with appetizer platters that were more than just some frozen jalepeno poppers and quesadillas. I'm completely in love with soft pretzels and this one tops my love list. It was warm and soft and salty and perfect! Oh how I long for another...right now! The buffalo egg rolls were definitely interesting and I liked them more than the quesadillas. Quesadillas aren't often my favorites anyways, so it wasn't a shock. I know I'll be back for some beer and a soft pretzel...or two.
(4)
William N.

#NAME?
(4)
Rob P.

Dined and drank here on a recent Saturday night. I'm glad I made a reservation and was able to sit on the dining room side (rather than the bar side). Call me a hater or an urban elite or whatever, but when I think of dining in the suburbs, my expectations are extraordinarily low. Being a decent non-chain restaurant in this part of town automatically earns a bonus star. Plus I want to cancel out the reviewers who docked this place because they can't get over their insecurities about the parking lot. Let's start with the beers. I was pretty happy with the draft list. There were some unique offerings (like the Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter and Cosmic IPA) and well as some solid other choices. 4-ounce pours are only a buck each so you can definitely try everything that have on tap and not break the bank. The food was better than average pub food. But don't come here expecting fine dining. For this reason I probably wouldn't order any of the $20ish entrees from the menu. But if you come for pub food and stick to that, you'll be OK.
(4)
Kevin V.

Have been there a few times and was a guest of friends of the owner and we were treated like family. Good food and love the beer sampler.
(4)
Rachel W.

I went here on a Friday night. There was a mediocre 80's band in the main bar area and techno DJ in the side bar. The band itself was ok except that there are better 80's cover bands out there. The bar was very full. The side bar with techno was so loud that you couldn't talk to someone two feet from you. The drinks were acceptable but not great. Seems like a good place to pick up a rich guy, as there were mostly older men who were slightly dressed up.
(2)
Huei C.

If there is zero star can be chose, I'll go with that one. Went there at 10/20/2013 around 6pm with group of 6. Ordered hummus as appetizer. Main entrees are potato pizza, LOBSTER GNOCCHI, ROASTED CHICKEN and burgers. 3 of us ended up having diarrhea in the middle of the night. Some came with the feeling of puking. 1 of us have acid reflex and lots of gas disturbing the whole night. Other 2 have some gas problem. Don't know what's going on with the food that evening but will definitely not going back again.
(1)
Ben S.

I had looked it up online so knew what it looked like. Therefore when my GPS announced "you have arrived" I worriedly looked around. Not to fear. It's behind the street front shops. Follow the signs for public parking and just before you get there turn left and you'll see it. They have a big private lot plus complimentary valet. The waitress was really nice. As we were finishing up a table of 12 was sitting down and with a smile she offered them all separate checks and still was attentive to us. The food was just good. I got what I thought to be the healthiest thing on the menu - the Airline Chicken with Sweet Potato succotash (which is basically sweet potatoes plus corn) and broccoli. The chicken was a good portion - 2 pieces and a lot of white meat, but perhaps cooked a bit too long. Cool area though - next time, and preferably not in the winter, I'd save some time to walk around.
(3)
Mallory K.

I've eaten here multiple times and have never been super impressed. Even so, I always hoped that it was just an "off night" and have kept it on the table as a local, quick dinner option. I'm coming to the conclusion that I may just have to stick with beer and cocktails here :/ Besides the food, it's always a good option for grabbing drinks with friends on the weekends.
(3)
Brandon S.

Went for a business meeting on a Wednesday night and there was plenty of seating, in fact it was really empty. Our server was prompt and professional and overall good. We had the pretzel for appetizer and it was very good, I would order this again. I had the pineapple salmon with asian slaw and garlic green beans. The salmon was over cooked and was just OK. If you have cooked salmon at home- yours is probably better. The asian slaw had no taste if asian flavor and was somewhat bland. The green beans advertised as garlic green beans were also very bland. Overall 3 stars. I think this place is good for drinking and some mediocre bar food and that's it. I wouldn't make a special trip to come back.
(3)
Lara Z.

Me and my roommate went here tonight for my bday dinner. For drinks: I got the blood orange margarita. I highly recommend this drink. It was so so delicious. My friend got a jack and coke and he said it packed a mean punch We got the platter as an appetizer. I loved this. It was so good; and it came with a chicken quesadilla, chicken spring rolls, and hot pretzel bites equipped with 5 dipping sauces. So so good especially since you can mix and match the dips For the entree I got the Mac and cheese with chicken. So good. Not too creamy and not too solid. It was perfect and had a breadcrumb crust. Solid dish. My friend got the fish and chips and said it was super fresh. We also kept some of the sauces from the app and he dipped his fish in some different sauces. It was really cool to experiment The service was great and super attentive. All in all it was a great experience. Their beer selection is unmatched. Seeing as though they brew their own beer in house. I love the railroad razz. To die for If you are in the area it is a must try!
(4)
Derek C.

I went for lunch so my experiences might not be the same as the core dinner/drinks crowd. This place would be a great business lunch location if they had WiFi. The tables are huge and it's not busy at all. In fact, we were the only people there from 11-noon and then one other table was there from noon-1. The portions of food are enormous. I probably would have just ordered the appetizers if I had known just how big the burger was going to be. As others have mentioned, the location is a little tricky to find. There is an alley by Olivor Twist. Just drive into the alley and you'll see it. There's a huge parking lot back there. They really should try to get a sign out there on Erie Street since this appears to be a common issue. Overall, a good showing. I won't be rushing back but I would go again if I was in the area.
(4)
Patrick L.

Ah, Lake County. If Cleveland is Manhattan, then surely you are its New Jersey. I guess that's what I like about you. I'm not a Manhattan-type of person. Grew up in the 'burbs, I currently live in the 'burbs, and my favorite movie is The Burbs. (Man, that Tom Hanks. Is there anything he can't do?) This underappreciated gem of the NEO brewing scene is a pretty solid go-to spot when you find yourself stalking the streets of historic downtown Willoughby hungry for a fix. The beers are nothing short of terrific. Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter? Didn't even know her! And so on and so forth.
(4)
Rick W.

Mediocre, overpriced food. The $10 "Devils on Horseback" appetizer was a decent starter, but you can't go wrong with wrapping dates in bacon. The $15 "Crispy Shrimp Taco Trio" was a huge disappointment. Institutional grade, tasteless, fried shrimp tossed into flour tortillas from the supermarket and swimming in what they called lime crema. The walleye in the "Fish N' Chips" was nicely battered and moist, but the chips consisted of a pile of the same waffles fries you get at Chik-fil-A (not an exaggeration). I guess calling them "Waffle Frites" is supposed to make them upscale and justify charging $17 for a few pieces of fried fish and fast food waffle fries. In fact, overall, it appears more effort was put into the menu layout and creative labeling of dishes than food quality and preparation. You get the feeling that WBC desperately wants to be part of the food scene, but is unwilling to hire the necessary talent in the kitchen. Oh, yeah, also got charged $5 to park in the restaurant's parking lot. Nice touch.
(2)
Alicia B.

Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls. If you go there for no other reason, this alone will make it worth it! I've found their food to always be satisfying and they offer a martini and wine list along with their microbrews. We've never had the pleasure (?) of hearing any of their bands or sitting in the bar area, but they always seem to be hosting some sort of event. What I can't wrap my head around is their valet parking offering - it's a relatively small parking lot! Why would I pay you to park my car!?
(4)
Cara L.

I agree with yelper Jen M--for lunch, WBC is a solid 3.5 stars, but I'll bump them up for their great service! We didn't imbibe, but I hear their brews are quite tasty. Instead we opted for iced teas, the brewers pretzels and I ordered the chopped cobb salad. My Mom got herself the lunch combo with the turkey avocado sandwich with the house salad for only $6.99. First, the pretzels were really delicious, fresh and perfectly seasoned with salt and a light, garlicy touch. The beer cheese dip was good, but a little too hoppy/bitter for my taste. I'd tone that down just a tad so you can enjoy the married taste of both the cheese and the beer. The mustard was spicy and tasty. My Mom's turkey avocado sammie looked divine on it's hearty whole grain bread, stacked high with aged cheddar and a basil aioli. She seemed like she was a fan. The house salad was rather plain looking, mostly green leaf lettuce, but it was HUGE. So much so I couldn't believe she got all that for only $6.99--I mean, what a deal! My chopped cobb was pretty good, nothing spectacular, but tasty. I appreciated that it was packed with toppings like egg, bacon, avocado, olives, tomatoes and grilled chicken. Speaking of, the chicken wasn't very seasoned at all and it was a little over-done, but not horrible. Besides my the lunch deal my Mom got, I thought my salad was a little overpriced at $12 dollars. I always say this, but I wish restaurants would be more realistic about how much green leaf lettuce really costs them. How is it that you can almost always get a sandwich for cheaper than an entree salad? But, again--holy lunch combo deal. I'd come back just for that! Lastly, our server was super-helpful without being overbearing. He flowed with us as we added another diner on to our table last minute and threw an order in really quickly for her. The food was out just in time for her to arrive. I mean, in the resto-industry that's really important! Well, this gent (I didn't catch his name but he was serving out on the covered patio) had it down pat, with a smile. He even separated our checks without the blink of an eye. I'm definitely planning on coming back to try out dinner and beers here. It's really a gem in the Downtown Willoughby 'hood and the rest of the menu looks pretty damn good. I hear their burgers are popular and who could pass on the buffalo chicken eggrolls?
(4)
Danial B.

Two stars because I'm in a good mood..... Went here for a rehearsal dinner weeks back. First off, the required valet parking is annoying. Maybe nice for some but not for me. The room we were in was okay at first. The chairs were CHEAP and I felt like I might break them at any given moment should I move the wrong way. The roof leaked (it was raining) less than 30 minutes into being there. Their answer? No sorry....just moved te table it was affecting clockwise as to avoid the drips and went along with the evening as if it wasn't an issue... Ok, the options for food were steak or chicken or fish. The steak I tasted from my dates plate was bland and not seared. Whatever. he chicken I ordered with some kind of weird rice/walnut crusty coating was GROSS! Dry, bland, and WEIRD!!No one liked the food and, no, I wasn't being a food snob or dick about it. The bottom line to me was....someone was paying good money for this gathering and WBC could care less. I wouldn't even give them another chance based on this.
(2)
Fay P.

Out of a table of 6, I got my meal well after the others finished. Everyone at my table had a story of poor service here, and it is a shame because the food is good. This was my 3rd bad experience so I won't be back.
(1)
Jade K.

Had a very fun lunch here!!!! My boyfriend and I were able to spend a great Saturday afternoon on the patio. Sun was shining, the beer sampler was flowing, and food was delicious. However, there were a few decent hiccups. We started off with the appetizer sampler which came with the pretzel (which was great!), the quesadilla, and buffalo chicken something with assorted dipping sauces. The pretzel was by far the best of the three and I wish we would have just went with that. Regardless, we enjoyed the sampler and the beautiful day. We then ordered the Turkey Avocado sandwich to split. We didn't even get to it -- eyes were WAY bigger than our stomachs!!! I did enjoy a few fries and they were excellent. Very crunchy and yet pillowey in the middle. They were great for "french fries". He enjoyed the sandwich later and said it was delicious. Now onto why I only gave this place three stars: 1. The bee's - we were swarmed by three bee's for our entire lunch. To the point where we had to get up because they were on the beer and the food. The server's never asked us if we wanted to move or better yet -- told us to move. They didn't even acknowledge that we were jumping away from the table to avoid getting stung. 2. The service in general. Slow. Inattentive. It didn't start that way. I guess the bartender was our server. He got our drinks and took the appetizer order. Then basically never came back. The server was switched in the middle of our meal -- which is fine -- but she didn't come over till we were long finished with the sampler to ask if we wanted anything else. Overall, it was a fun afternoon. I would go back if I was in the area, I would just sit inside.
(3)
Jessica M.

You can almost taste the Sysco brand blandness to the food here. Not terrible, just...bland. The service is okay, but nothing wonderful or terrible. The whole place is just....... so-so. No hurry to go back.
(2)
Adam B.

Awesome beer, food and atmosphere. Never had a bad experience there except when I went there craving Moondance and it wasn't on tap :)
(5)
Lisa M.

I recently visited this restaurant/brewing company for a friend's bachelorette party dinner and was extremely impressed! I am not a beer fan by any means but I tried the peanut butter cup coffee stout and the raspberry beer and was a fan of both! The food was way better then your average pub food, the pretzel appetizer is awesome! We had a great view of the sports games going on and although they had a mediocre band playing it wasn't so loud that we couldn't have a conversation. If I am ever in the area again I will be back, although seeing as it's in the Cleveland area and I live in Detroit - it's not a town I visit frequently. Great place however!
(4)
Chelsy C.

I come here whenever I make a trip to Cleveland. Easy to find and plenty of parking in "DTW". While I've been here probably 10 times, I've only eaten once. I come to sample the delicious beers, especially the venerable Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter, which is of course just a variation of the flagship Gutterpup Porter. The Cosmic IPA reminds me of a taste of home in Seattle where most local breweries have a similar hop profile beer. Highly recommend trying one of their samplers, each is a 3oz pour and only $1 each!
(4)
F M.

Went there in the late afternoon for lunch & had a GREAT waiter, Nick. At the table was a Walleye Po Boy sandwich & a chicken salad. Both pretty good. Nick was the best: bottomless coffee & very attentive. The dessert was not so great, new vendor, Costco has better stuff. The green beans were marvelous, a certain surprise. Went back the next night & others had ordered the green beans, based on my recommendation: I could tell at a glance that they wouldn't be as good as the previous afternoon, and they weren't. Shared pretzels & had the Mac & Cheese with Shrimp. The Mac & Cheese needs work, still better than most, yet not as good as Martha Stewart's: marthastewart.com/271998â€¦ To sum it up: the first day they weren't busy & we got lots of attention, good food and a great waiter., The second time was at night, they were v. busy & the food wasn't as good as the first lunch, but still, much better than many of the local places. Willoughby Brewing, we'll come back, but please work on your evening game!
(4)
Richard G.

I have eaten here many times with my family and friends the service is always top quality and the good is great and the beer is created on site and the bar tenders are very easy to talk to and take the time to explain each beer and what would be a good food pairing with it the brew co is a must go
(4)
Nicole M.

This area of Willoughby is great. The atmosphere of both the neighborhood n restaurant are very trendy. The restaurant was crowded but not packed. I recommend reservations or getting there past 7. It seems that the restaurant has more tables than the staff can handle. I'm not sure they'd be able to handle full capacity. They have their own beers, but our server wasn't very knowledgeable on the beers. She didn't even offer a sampling. She told us the specials, but didn't give details of the items. ie, my mom ordered the shrimp basket, only to find out after getting it ,that it was spicy. Overall the food was good and reasonably priced.
(3)
Allan T.

My review... Let's see. I had the BBQ beer burger. Not a fan. I ordered it medium but it had a burnt taste to it. It had a hint of bitterness to it that I was able to hide with ketchup. My wife had the cheddar beer soup. She found it to be bitter with the consistency of curdled cheese. The risotto crab cake would be really good however it was burnt. Our server Megan was fabulous though and very attentive and nice.
(2)
Murray R.

Last stop( no pun dude) on our Willoughby Yelp outing. We met up with yelper D and my father in law for a quick one at the brewery. Usual story- crowd was old losers, beer was really good, band was laughable. But the star count goes up, because we were on the patio taking in the freshly rained Lake County evening air, and having conversations about pot and food poisoning. I really had a ball all night. I could not have asked for better company. I'm thinking of reviewing individual yelpers. The bier was a Rapier Wit which i think is sort of clever.
(3)
Sarah Z.

So sad this place used to be so good. My husband and I made the trek across town for this establishment's peanut butter coffee porter. I wish I could say it was worth the trip. We ordered our first round of beers.and it was a little disappointing. Kolsch was pretty standard fare. Their raspberry beer lacks the flavor it formerly had which was a sad surprise. The food was nothing special. Their pulled pork is from an external source and was served to my husband cold. When we notified our server her response was they mix it up after they nuke it. . . yes microwaving at it's best people. The fries were way to salty. They also were not fresh they were GFS fake tato fries. The sandwich I ordered was nothing special either. Multigrain bread toasted sometime earlier in the millenia, fake smoke flavored turkey, smoked cheddar american cheese and what they called applewood bacon that was in all honesty too burnt to tell what it was other than formerly food. The coleslaw was beyond bland and looked more like vommit than food. The staff acts too cool to bother with customer service which is disappointing at a local brew pub where if anything you should feel welcomed. We gave up on a second round after sitting 15 minutes with empty glasses and not even a glance from the server. Such a shame this place used to be so much better. Not worth the drive to Willoughby Go to fathead's instead the food, sevice, atmosphere, beer, and price are all better.
(1)
R H.

The food is good. The beer is OK. Depends what's on tap. We have been there 3 times over the course of a year and the service is always bad. The first time we were ignored for at least 20 minutes before even getting water. The second time was slightly better. The third time we were done with our beers and the waitress didn't ask us if we wanted anything else. We were good customers, had an appetizer and a full board of beers, plus 2 entrees. We finally had to ask for another beer, which took forever to come out. A table behind us got similar treatment to our first experience; waiting at least 10 minutes for a server to come greet them. If the service would improve this would definitely deserve a 4 for the menu and beer.
(3)
Funglin W.

This place is good if you're just looking for your typical bar scene & clubbing scene, and you want to be able to not deal with street parking. The place is huge, it has your typical drinks, and they have live bands performing. Other than that, there's really not much unique about the Willoughby Brewing Company. Been here three times and all because of needing a large group seating or just in the mood to get some drinks down me and dance the night away. :)
(2)
Karyn S.

Atmosphere was good. Had the appetizer platter which was yummy but the Spinach con queso has no flavor- but the chips and pita chips were delicious. French onion soup was packed with cheese and had a good flavor. Steak was good and potatoes had a nice flavor. I got the lobster mac and cheese. I am not sure the mac and cheese had any cheese in it. It was not tasty at all.
(3)
SunnyAndLeonard E.

The sangria is worth your time, in our opinion. We also enjoyed the onion rings, cheeseburgers, and spinach dip. The beers are rock-solid, and you have to love the classic Cleveland beer logos on the walls. The model train? A cute touch.
(3)
Casey C.

Hello, I am writing to express how I upset and angry I am about our experience at the Ugly Sweater Party tonight 12/23/13. My brother has been looking forward to this event since last year. He put a lot of effort and time into creating his ugly sweater. He was your greatest promoter telling people about the event, posting reminders on Facebook and getting people excited. We arrived at the event at 9:00 p.m. as was the stated start time of the event. We waited and waited for the contest to begin. We were told this would begin at 11:00 p.m. 11:00 p.m. came and went and still no contest. During this time, we were having drinks and mingling with the crowd. Many people were very very drunk. We were not. Once midnight came around we asked about the contest and the bartender told us it would be at least another 30 minutes? Why would you wait to hold this contest until half if not more of your patrons are good and drunk? We waited some more. At just about 12:30 a.m. a guy and his girlfriend began to fight and plowed into our group. The boyfriend fall back into my brother and his friend. My brother regained his balanced and once again joined out table. The guy and the girl resumed their fight on the dance floor. The next thing we know, Rob, the head of security is escorting my brother away from the table. We thought they were preparing him for the contest. Much to our disbelief they were escorting him out? We couldn't believe it?? What was happening?? We find out that he was being accused of grabbing some guy's behind? We are all confused? That is not what happened at all. If he would have grabbed this guy's behind wouldn't their have been some sort of confrontation? Where was this guy that my brother supposedly grabbed? My brother did not do this. He did not grabbed anyone's behind. It really feels like he was targeted because his sweater was so elaborate and he stood out in the crowd. My brother is an upstanding citizen that has never been in trouble a day in his life. He was wrongly accused. The head of security wouldn't listen to anything. He even go really disrespectful to me when I was trying to explain what happened. Now, my brother did get really upset when he found out what was happening and rightfully so. He was completely innocent and treated very badly. He worked so hard for this event and was so excited. It seems a little suspicious to me that we were kicked out 5 minutes before the contest? This was so upsetting, embarrassing for all of us. If this is the way you treat your customers that is really too bad. I would never feel safe returning to your establishment. Rob was unprofessional and really seemed like he was trying to escalate my brother. For example, my brother said I would like the name of your store manager and Rob replied this isn't a store? Was that really necessary. It is safe to say we will never return to your restaurant and will be sure to tell others of our experience. This is so upsetting I cant even put it into words. I feel bad for people who attend your establishment and fear that this same thing may happen to them. Thanks for putting a dapper on our holiday. This is an email i sent to the GM. I have heard nothing back. What a lousy company. If i could give negative stars i would
(1)
Jessica I.

A strong three stars. The beer was nice and the full sampler was a bargain. Most were bit hop-obsessed for my liking (yes, I know most cool kids like that nowadays), but the peanut stout was really good and innovative. Nice food with ample portions and very quick and attentive service. The space is huge and about what you'd expect from a brewpub. If it wasn't halfway to Pennsylvania, this Westsider would be a more frequent flyer here.
(3)
Matthew M.

Burgers were damn good. Who knew jean shorts were in style? Loud 80's music! Welp, that about sums up my review. I don't think I've ever been as brief with a Yelp review, but the Haiku says everything you need to know about WBC. Oh, they also brew their own beer..... To the max! (80's slang).
(3)
Chris M.

My company recently held their annual kick-off party at the WBC. I'd been here before a few years ago, so I was pretty anxious to see how it changed. My company had the place from 6 until 10 (or so I thought). The staff was great. I got to go on a mini brewery tour and loved hearing about WBC's brew process. Unfortunately, I wasn't really impressed with the beer I tried. The Peanut Butter, in my opinion, was really overpowered by the coffee flavor. I couldn't find any hints of oatmeal in the Oatmeal Stout. However, the Gutterpup was the clear favorite amongst myself and others I spoke to. I would love to have that one again. I didn't try any of the appetizers they had prepared, so I can't comment on those. For dinner, we had the choice of Steak, Scallops, or Butternut Squash Ravioli (sit-down dinner, not buffet). I had the scallops and I felt mine were a little underdone and a little too salty. The cheesy rice/risotto/something that came with it was, in my mind, inedible (lukewarm, very bland). But the carrots were great. For dessert, there were lady fingers with a chocolate mousse dipping sauce, as well as a small tart filled with the mousse. The desserts just had no discernible taste. I likened eating the lady fingers to eating compressed air. Not a fan. Apparently the open bar ended at 9:30, but the bar didn't make an announcement for my company. Would have been nice to have at least gotten a verbal announcement about it (but hey, this could be on my company too, so I'm not taking this into account when calculating my Yelp score). When the band started playing and the public was let in at 9:30, I remembered why I don't go to Willoughby. The clientele of the place was this weird mix of really old and really young. Definitely not my type of crowd. I could have been brutal and gave his place 2 stars, but the staff and the actual venue were really nice, along with the Gutterpup beer I loved. I hope the food from the real menu isn't as bad as the food we were served as part of the event. Might come back and see how the menu dinner is, but I definitely won't go back for nightlife.
(3)
Samantha F.

I was super pumped to be on the East side & so close to the Willoughby Brewing Co. The man & I popped in here for a quick beer before we visited the Holden Arboretum. We did a flight of all the beers on tap to help us make our final beer selection. These are big pours for $1 each! I tried the Peanut Butter Cup beer on a recommendation from a friend; that friend & I obviously have VERY different tastes. I wasn't really impressed with anything on tap & ended up with a beer, that I didn't need to finish. We ordered the pretzel appetizer and while the pretzels were nice, warm, & soft, the side dips were crap. I know, I'm a pretzel snob, and nothing really compares to the pretzels and beer cheese side at the Haufbrauhaus. Even the amazing Guinness mustard at The Angle bar in Cleveland topped this stuff. Overall, Willoughby Brewing, you're a disappointment. I don't need to visit again.
(2)
Kevin C.

The best. A brewpub with terrific food as well as first class beer. And I don't know what the history of this old brick building it's in, but it makes for a great setting. I had the pike sandwich - lightly breaded and not greasy at all. The spinach cheese appetizer, a staple of pubs, was the best I've ever had. And I don't have time to talk about how great the beers are. It's hard to find a good porter anywhere and they usually have at least two killer porters on tap. I can't get enough of this place. Treat yourself to this place.
(5)
G V.

The bf and I went here for drinks and dinner last week and loved it! First off, the complimentary valet did come in handy as it was snowing and we didn't have the patience to look for a spot in their full lot in bad weather. We walked in and sat at the bar. The only thing that didn't warrant 5 stars was the service. It took a little bit to get a bartender over to us for our first round of drinks and for them to take our food order. We sampled some of their beers and chose the pale ale and the peanut butter coffee stout. Both were amazing. As for food, I had the build-your-own mac N cheese with bacon and spinach which was yum -O. The bf ordered a sammich with chorizo and something else. I forgot what else was in it but it tasted damn good. Their fries were nice and crispy and light too. All in all, great experience despite the slow bar service. I would definitely go back.
(4)
Jessica M.

Their build your own macaroni and cheese is fantastic, and it's big enough to share. Also, the buffalo chicken egg rolls are great. Their beers are good, not great. I love the raspberry one. I have yet to experience this place on a busy weekend night; we usually go there for dinner on off nights. The servers are always attentive and nice.
(4)
Dustin S.

Food 5 of 5, service 3, beer 3. veggie pizza was amazing, poured pork was great, beer choices were weak and ipa was only ok. Server bright the wrong food and was a bit slow including empty glasses multiple times, but seemed nice. Would go back, but eat dinner at the bar.
(4)
Alyssa A.

I like this place if it's a weekday before 10pm. The atmosphere is great and the fermenters behind the bar always make a great conversation piece. It has the same Ballantine/1899 style since owners are close to the same. The beers that are brewed in house are excellent, Toehead is my favorite. The peanut butter coffee is also worth trying. Food is pricey but a bit above average quality but not by much. Nightlife Is a different story, ladies night (Thursday) on into the weekend leaves much to be desired. The crowd is not the establishment's fault but it seems they do promote the cougars/divorcees' of lake county. But If you are looking for quality beers with good food or even a place to watch the game... Brew Co. Could be your spot
(4)
Alexis H.

We stopped in here for a relatively late lunch a few weeks ago and started off with several beer samplers and the appetizer sampler. It came with chicken quesadillas (really good), buffalo chicken egg rolls (surprisingly good) and a pretzel (just good). The dipping sauces were great. Even for as hungry as we were, we should have stopped with the appetizer. Out of all of the beer, the stand out to me was the PB Cup Porter. I'm not typically a porter fan, and I wouldn't want to down a whole one myself, but the flavor was smooth and really quite outstanding. The Southern Cali pizza was quite tasty, unfortunately, I think we were already feeling some ill effects from the ap. (Couldn't possibly have been all the beer, right?) I never got sick, but my stomach was upset for several hours after and we were only able to eat half the pizza. The leftovers ended up being thrown out, based on the suspicion that it may cause more stomachy grossness. Bummer.
(2)
Angela L.

This spot is tucked away behind the main shops/bars in downtown Willoughby. The buffalo chicken pizza is probably my favorite thing on this menu, and overall I'd say the food is a lot better than at Great Lakes Brewery. The beer is pretty good, but the few times I've been there they've been out of a few that I've wanted to try. Great atmosphere for kids, especially with the train that runs the length of the restaurant overhead.
(3)
Dustin S.

Food 5 of 5, service 3, beer 3. veggie pizza was amazing, poured pork was great, beer choices were weak and ipa was only ok. Server bright the wrong food and was a bit slow including empty glasses multiple times, but seemed nice. Would go back, but eat dinner at the bar.
(4)
Robyn T.

I love coming to Willoughby Brewing whether it's to hang out with friends for a beer or for lunch with the family. On my most recent visit I tried the beer flight (I usually just order a pint) and it was definitely worth the $7. I had a sampling of 6 or 7 beers that were filled to the brim. A bit tipsy after all the good brew. Great appetizers - the spinach dip or pretzel appetizer is always a treat. I had the chicken with pretzel coating and even though the portion was pretty big I managed to eat almost all of it.
(4)
Stefanie F.

You still get 3 stars, WBC. Your cover bands are still hilarious (a dude singing Lady Gaga? Really?) Your clientele is just as douchey as ever (moms jeans and chachy guys everywhere). Your patio is still a refuge from what takes place inside. I like your beer!
(3)
Jeff T.

I was convinced that WBC was a solid 4 star rating until I stopped in over the weekend for a late lunch. I knew ahead of time that the restaurant / brewery was under new ownership / management and that they decided to change everything around a little including the beer recipes and did a little menu revamping, but keeping the local favorites such as their pizza's, soups, and a few apps. Here's my experience in a nut shell. Upon arriving around 3pm on a Saturday we decided to bypass the hostess and sit at the bar. The place was obviously in between lunch and dinner services because there was only 10 or so tables full. Surprisingly, the parking lot was still relatively full, that has always been a problem for WBC and Gavi's. I ordered the Toehead Blonde Ale and it was comparable to any light beer that you would get out of a bottle but with a little more bite / flavor. We also wanted to try the Railway Razz to see if the brewers over tweaked the recipe since this has been a favorite of many, including the wife. All I can say is that they should have left it the way it was, the razz fell short in flavor and was a little overwhelmingly bitter. My second beer was the Peanut Butter Coffee draft which I really did enjoy but would comment by saying that the Peanut Butter flavor was a little lacking. I will get again though in replacement of the razz. Food: I went with the new chicken chorizo melt with a side of veggies. The veggies were nicely grilled which was a nice surprise but the highlight was the sandwich itself. I absolutely loved it! Messy, but good, only gripe would be the $10.99 price tag. Wife went with potato cheddar soup which she said was just OK, she wished she would have went with the French Onion because we know we like that soup. Her other choice was a side Bibb salad and that was good, generous with the Gorgonzola, which is ALWAYS a good thing. Service: Not a whole lot of excitement behind the bar, seems like everyone was just bracing for the night to come. We were well taken care of though even through the shift change at 4pm. Overall: Mad about the Razz situation. Happy with my food, so so with hers. We were freezing cold the whole time we were in there but we just chalked that up as being our fault for sitting by the smoking entrance to the patio. Given the parking situation and all the other food options in Willoughby, we really left WBC with a B- rating and will probably choose otherwise unless we are really craving one of their beers. But their decor gets an A so stop in if its a first for you and the family.
(3)
Jen M.

This place didn't wow me, but I suppose it serves its purpose. The building is massive, so it is very spacious. You have many options: sit at the bar or at high tables (both of which over look the brewing equipment) or sit in the restaurant style tables at the opposite end of the building. Atmosphere is very urban, with exposed metal and dark wood. Beers were meh. I ordered the fruit beer because I was looking for low alcohol content, as it was 1pm Easter weekend and I was with my in-laws. It was way too sweet. My only other low alcohol option was a blonde ale, which I generally dislike. My husband ordered the IPA, which was decent. All in all, the beers were just average, but they were cheap. We didn't order much food, just the appetizer sampler. For $14 I was expecting much more. It seemed like greasy, typical beer food, but I suppose that is to be expected at a brewery. Don't get me wrong, I love beer, breweries, brewpubs, gastropubs, etc. My husband is a home-brewer, studying to be a professional brewer. I also have two Goose Island brewers in my family. Therefore, I've been to many a beer-joint and this place lacked pizazz.
(3)
Chris G.

Willloughby Brewing was a pleasant surprise after the other mediocre meals I've had in the Cleveland suburbs. Our business dinner started out with a couple of appetizer platters hat had some very tasty egg rolls and quesadillas (from a brew pub, who knew?). Many of the people in my group enjoyed the walleye. I'm not a big seafood eater, so I went with the pork chop, which was flavorful and well-cooked. One of my co-workers ordered the prime rib sandwich and very much enjoyed it. I only had a bite of the chocolate cake that was ordered for dessert, but it was quite decadent. A nice way to polish off the meal. The building definitely had some charm, with a brick exterior, some big windows, and a model train running on overhead suspended tracks. Our service was attentive and pleasant. I was the DD for the evening, but the beer list looked fairly extensive. If I'm ever back in the area, I would definitely keep this place in mind.
(4)
Josh M.

I'd lean more towards a 3 1/2 stars, but the general friendliness of the staff (our server was great) and atmosphere of the place makes me choose 4 stars since I don't have that option. I'm from Chicago and visit my bro in Cleveland on occasion, and love checking out local breweries and brewpubs, so this place was a natural choice. Built in an old brick building, the WBC is nice and spacious, with seperate dining areas as well as a bar area that faces the brewing equipment; I always dig seeing what the brewers are working with. We had just recently eaten lunch, so we kept it to pints, and a little later the appetizer sampler just to see what kind of food they were working with. The beers were pretty solid, and reasonably priced. I think the Bitter they had on special may have been a bit off, but the IPA was great, and the Pale Ale was tasty. The Blonde was expectedly tasteless (gotta have an option for the Macro crowd, so I don't hold it against 'em). All in all, our group was satisfied. The food was pretty good too, I dug the Buffalo Chicken Egg rolls, they were a lot like Hopcat's in Grand Rapids, MI. Again, we didn't get much of a taste of that though. Plan on hitting this place up again when I'm in Cleveland area again just to see if they can make a decent entree, and enjoy that IPA and some newbies as well.
(4)
David M.

My friend and I were driving back to Boston from Chicago. After a few long hours on the road, we stopped here for a late dinner. The place was fun. Everything from the model train chugging around tracks suspended from the ceiling to the 70's soul band playing to a very enthusiastic (and inebriated) crowd made this one hell of a stop. Our steaks were great for the price. And for 7 bucks, I got a sampler of the house beers. As a warning, their "samplers" are filled to the top, and one tray does not count as a beer. (Needless to say, I didn't drive the rest of that night). If you're in the area, and don't want to stop in the city, this is a nice relaxing place to stop (based on my one time here). I'd say I'd go back... but its not worth the 7 hour drive. Though, I may just have been overly amused by the band and the trains...
(4)
Allyson S.

3.5-4 stars. 3.5 for the food. I got the Cajun Salmon Salad and for the price I was disappointed. I was hoping for more of the "free" stuff- lettuce and peppers. The salmon was tasty but the vinagrette was more oil than citrus. My boyfriend had the Chicken Chrozio melt which was very good from the few bites I stole. Next time I will have to go for a melt- his mom had the turkey avacado sandwich which looked good. The 4 stars come in for the beer. I enjoyed the beer- better than some breweries out there. I had the Peanut Butter Coffee Porter- YUM! It was like iced coffee and I am a HUGE coffee drinker. I could have easily drank a few more of these... instead we got a growler to go with it! My second beer was the Railway Razz which was just tapped on Friday and I wasn't disappointed. I liked that I was able to taste the raspberry but still feel like I was drinking a beer. I don't remember which beers the boy got but I know they were a hoppy goodness in my mouth.
(4)
Vanessa F.

I live in downtown willoughby, and this is a great place for dinner. The prices are normal for the area. The last time my boyfriend, and I went we had the mac n cheese with chorizo and the pulled pork sandwich. Both were really fantastic, and I was a little surprised. We shared the entrees and ate every last bite. With four drinks, the food, and tip our bill was about $65. I think that is very reasonable for the quality of food, and the server we had was very good. I bought a gift certificate from Restaurants.com , and we will be going again very soon.
(4)
Bobby J.

This place has gone down hill. The crowd that this place drags in is very weird, super young or super old. On a crowded night it takes wayyy to long to get served and food is over priced. If it wasnt for their live bands, I think they would barely get business. Oh and by the way, stay away from there on Thur nights.
(1)
Shannon H.

What better way to celebrate some good family news than over some great grub and beers?! We settled on one of our favorite laid-back spots... the Willoughby Brewing Co. "Nestled in the heart of Historic Downtown Willoughby, Ohio lies Willoughby Brewing Co. Established in February of 1998, we are a full-service restaurant, bar and award-winning brewery in a 100-year-old building that was originally a rail-car repair depot for the Cleveland to Ashtabula Interurban Rail Line." ( willoughbybrewing.com ) At first glance, the restaurant doesn't look too impressive with its vast, flat exterior. But once you set foot inside you are welcomed with a wave of nostalgia. With it's warm wood finishings, train station decor (complete with a toy train set running around the resturant!), it's the kind of place that immediately welcomes you and makes you feel at home. I want to point out that the 'train station' decor is understated, classy and NOT cheesy but rather pretty authentic feeling. I love the menu at the Willoughby Brewing Co. It isn't your typical bar fare. Ranging from fresh salads and sandwhiches to pizzas and grilled fish, there is something for everyone. And for those beer connoisseurs out there, the Willoughby Brewing Co. does not disappoint! Many offerings are brewed on-site and the selection is pretty comprehensive. For those who can't make up their minds, the restaurant offers a sampler, which touts the six beers they have on tap that month. The Mister and I started out with some of the BEST soft pretzels I've have the privilege to taste -- my recommendation? Order at least TWO of these. The goodness did not go very far! For dinner, I ordered the Turkey Cranberry Salad, which includes: Mixed greens Dried cranberries Walnuts GOAT CHEESE Roasted turkey Raspberry vinaigrette I killed it. The combination of goat cheese, walnuts and cranberries worked really well with the turkey. Love the combination of textures with the soft cheese and added crunch from the walnuts. It was light and refreshing -- just what I wanted. Overall, a great place to spend an evening with family and friends!
(4)
Dax M.

This place serves its purpose. Lots of beer, open, warehouse-y feel. Good happy hour food deals. Par for the course.
(3)
Jen M.

3.5 stars is spot on for this place but I decided to kick in an extra. 5 stars for the band the resultant crowd it generated on the dance floor. What great people watching! The Hefeweizen and Peanut Butter Porter beers are delicious. Eggrolls are tasty. The chili...hmm, not so good. Bland and needed salt. Potato Cheddar soup was mediocre. Very cool interior with exposed brick. Definitely a great place to hang out at the bar and toss back a few cold ones but the food? Eh, not so much.
(4)
Darren S.

Whenever I come back to Cleveland, this is always a place that I return to. The mashed potato pizza WAS fantastic back in the day. We had a table of 10 this past time and every one of our meals was awful, just pathetic. Probably will not go back.
(1)
Michelle S.

Great buffalo chicken pizza and Railway Razz!! The Hubby loves Hopnotic!!
(3)
Ly Ann P.

Born of a rail line repair depot, this spot is a must-try for the common eastsider. It's in downtown Willoughby and has ample parking out front. Try to pick a night that either doesn't have a band (too, too loud) or allows for imbibing on the outdoor patio (very, very refreshing). Try a flight of beers before you pick your poison. The brews don't taste very robust, but they're flavorful nonetheless. My favorite -- and I'm one of many here -- is the Railway Razz, a raspberry ale that's more fruity than it is beery. It's won several awards -- rightfully so. The food is good but I tend to think it's subpar when directly compared with the prices. Almost every dish I've ordered is overly salty. Sometimes, salt is good, but definitely not every time. Especially not on a $20 New York Strip Steak. Worth ordering every time: - Railway Razz (yes, I'll push it at every opportunity) - Bibb Salad (mmmmmm, so buttery and nutty and fruity) - Mashed Potato Pizza (I haven't seen it elsewhere, and it's foodgasm-inducing, considering it's made of garlic mashed potatoes, bacon, green onions, and cheese, with sour cream to dip each slice in. MMMM!)
(3)
Michael B.

I work at a "beer bar" in Chicago, so it's expected that I'd go here. The brewpub calls an old rail-car repair depot home. I am a sucker for the "Warehouse Loft" feel. The building has a cozy feel despite ts large, open floorplan and super-high ceilings. The brewing equipment is well-kept and polished behind a glass partition that doubles as the back-bar. A model train track is hung suspended from the rafters and huge skylights let in a good amount of natural light that is needed in the rather dark building. Here's what I had. My first beer was the d.I.P.A they tapped just the day before . It poured as you would expect a double IPA to pour, a nice dark brown with a full thick, syrupy body. It was hopped nicely and although it lacked the malt character I like in a well-balanced dIPA (see Surly 16 Grit), it was still a very well done dIPA. While sipping on my snifter of "Doubting Thomas", we ordered a sampler of the three dips they offered as an appetizer. The best dip by far being the buffalo chicken dip. The bruschetta dip was very enjoyable as well. The spinach con queso dip was tasty, not bad at all, but compared to the winner and runner-up, this second-loser had no chance. After my rear-tongue was ready for another beer (yeah, probably should save the d.I.P.A for the end of the meal), I ordered the nut-brown ("Northern Trail"). Very easy to drink, lots of coffee and roasted malt, and wasn't as heavy as I expected, nothing crazy exciting here, a solid brown. I enjoyed their Lost Nation Pale Ale with my meal (Pretzel Chix). The beer was an OK Pale Ale, no unique characteristics, well-hopped nonetheless. The chicken was a tad overcooked, but I enjoy slightly pink chicken breast, so it's subjective. I ordered it with risotto instead of mashed potatoes,a solid risotto it was. I wanted to finish my meal with the Bourbon Vanilla POW Porter, however they were out...I was a little upset as I was really looking forward to trying it. If the food and beer was great, what kept the place from earning five stars? A few things. Parking. Parking is near impossible to find. They do offer $3 valet if you get frustrated. The prior week my parents raved about the live music, however a band called "More than Me" performed this visit. It's too bad the volume was so loud and unbalanced, I couldn't hear their voices. I don't know who to blame, the brewery or the band, as I don't know whose payroll the soundboard operator was on. The band wasn't bad from what we heard though. How was service you may ask? It was good, not great, but good. It has nothing to do with our actual server though. She was very attentive and handled my outspoken father with grace (she was also very attractive in the sense that she carried herself professionally and obviously had respect for herself and her image, which I couldn't say about most of her we'll say "rather lascivious-looking" co-workers) So, if this single twentysomething [me] had a beautiful server who was attentive and professional, why the knock on service? Basically, there are steps that a restaurant should take in training their staff. We took a seat in the "seat yourself" area by the bar in front of the stage before the table was cleaned, no biggie, happens all the time, this isn't where my complaints start. An older lady greeted us promptly when we sat, as our actual server was busy, that's good teamwork. The problem was, as she wiped the table off, I noted that she could probably refill the hollowicks [candles] in the middle of the table to which she responded "oh no, we won't be doing that now, not while we're so busy, we'll get to them before dark". It was dusk, and was already a strain to read the menus. They weren't busy by any means. Perhaps it really isn't a big deal, but one of my biggest pet peeves when managing my servers is when they let their candles burn out, in fact, I instruct the host(ess) to not seat a table if its candle is burnt out. I digress. Another faux-pas on behalf of management at this brewpub was twofold. The bar was poorly stocked. Not everyone who goes to this place will drink beer, management should realize this. Stock your bar! My mother doesn't drink beer, she loves her margaritas though and after getting sick the week before off a cogener-stocked well tequilla mixed margarita, I told her to get something a little better, they had Cuervo and Patron. When I asked for bourbon, their top-shelf brand was Jim Beam...nuff said. They should take the initiative to expand their liquor selection, even the beer lover like myself desires his woodford reserve when it comes to post-meal drink time. Fold two? They never taught the servers what liquors they had, thus forcing our server to retreat to take an instant inventory whenever I asked for a specific brand of adult-beverage. P.S. I'm taking the liberty of revoking Murray's man-card, raspberry beer sir? Stick to your appletinis.
(4)
Matt M.

Good food and better beer.
(4)
Christine G.

I've been here for food and for drinks. I think overall a 3.5 stars, but bump it up to 4 for atmosphere etc. I went with a group from work for lunch one day and they were able to help a group of 7 of us and split our checks, which was so appreciated. The hamburger I got was ok, I couldn't taste the sauce on it though. The waffle fries- amazing!! I just wish it would have been brought a tad quicker since they really weren't that busy when we were in there. If you come on a Thurs/Fri/Sat night, good atmosphere, busy and tons of alcohol choices. If you like your beer, this is a place to come and hang out for awhile
(4)
Joe B.

Called to see the wait on a Saturday night and was actually offered a reservation which was great but that's where the good service stopped. When we arrived we were sat way in the back behind a large party. It took 15 minutes and us going up to the host stand to get a waitress to get us drinks. The host offered no apology and still 3 minutes later a waitress finally took our order. No less than 10 seconds after that another waitress asked if we had been helped. There obviously was no communication between the staff. When our food finally arrived the burger was overcooked and the fries were old. For 2 people without having to wait for the table it still took an hour to finish.
(2)
Bob L.

I've got something to get off of my chest before I get into the whole dining/beer experience thing: WTF is up with places and the "complimentary" valet parking? I've bitched about this before with Burntwood Tavern and I'm gonna bitch about it again with this place. They've got a private lot. It's right next to the restaurant. Why the hell would anyone need to have their car valet parked? And let's call it what it is, a scam. It's not complimentary if you've got any sense of decency because you'll end up tipping the guy $2 or $3. Get rid of it. It's annoying, pretentious and unnecessary. Now, on with the show. We don't exactly live close to Willoughby so I doubt we'll ever be regulars, but I've gotta admit, they're a pretty solid joint. I can't speak for the bar scene or the live music (although the guy that was playing when we were there was pretty close to bad) or the patio but when it comes to pretty damn good pub food and a strong portfolio of well-made craft beer WBC is a bit of alright. The space is airy, open and big with uber-high ceilings and big comfy booths. There's a cute little train that runs along a track up by the rafters and the natural light is all over the place. We arrived around 6pm on a Wednesday and walked right in, no wait. To make it even better, we got our own booth. Our server, clearly up to his ass in alligators, did his best tending to the half dozen or so tables under his purview but, in all honesty, things were a tad slow and felt a bit disjointed. I didn't mind so much, though, because I was enjoying the chitty chat with the wife and nursing my Hop Jam black IPA. Our entire experience was about 90 minutes from order to check. Speaking of the beer, the brewmaster at WBC definitely knows what he's up to when it comes to a mash tun and some hops. The works of art he has created would stand up against some of the larger and more experienced brewers anywhere in the country. Some of my favorites are Gutterpup robust porter, dark, murky, chocolaty and smooth, and the Spring Saison, a spicy, mild Belgian style ale perfect for sessions. My wife is a huge fan of the peanut butter cup coffee porter. The menu is a nice mix of standard bar fare (wings, burgers, nachos) and some larger entrees kicked up high-class bar style. The prices are on par with most restaurants of their ilk but some of the classier entrees will set you back a few clams - the beef filet clocks in at just shy of $30 and the lobster gnocchi comes in at $22. Here's how our meal went: Bavarian Pretzels - I love soft pretzels. Throw craft beer into the equation and I can't help myself. It's totally empty calories and I don't care. The pair of pretzels are as big as your face, cooked a perfect dark brown, salted and feature an oh-so-soft and chewy inside. They are everything a pretzel needs to be. I wasn't too impressed with the trio of dips (honey mustard, spinach con queso, & cheese) as I found them a tad bland. And when will places start serving cream cheese with their pretzels? Bibb Salad w/Chicken - Not a bad offering. The bibb lettuce was plentiful and bright green fresh and there's just something about the interplay of the bleu cheese and candied pecans that I just can't get enough of. The raspberry vinaigrette is very sweet so use sparingly. Oh, and how about an actual chicken breast next time. I would be surprised if it came with more than 4oz of it. Sweet Potato Fries - Done shoestring style, the sweet tater fries were a bit on the chewy side and not all that hot by the time they arrived at our table. Good, but I've had better. Fried Green Tomato Melt - My wife ordered this one and her assessment was that it was pretty "one note". Not that it wasn't tasty, just kinda boring. The fried green tomato, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomato were all tart, and the red onion was a bit lost in the shuffle. The onion rings, battered not breaded, were crispy and sweet. All in all, not a bad place to grab a bite and sample some hand-crafted ales. The atmosphere is nice and they do have a sizable outside patio if that's your thing.
(4)
Nick V.

I suggest pairing the bbq pulled pork pizza with a pint of the peanut butter cup porter, but that's just me.
(5)
Lynn F.

Although it was a hike, the beer and food did not disappoint. We've gone a couple times now and have been very happy with our selections. I'm not a beer drinker, but the Peanut Butter Cup Porter is something you definitely need to try. Even if you don't drink beer so dark that it's like getting an oil change, you could still enjoy this particular one. The food was great too. We started with an app of the egg rolls, followed by burgers. On our second trip I had a chop salad. Everything was pretty tasty and came out in a decent amount of time even though they were pretty busy. There are two negatives though- 1. If you go at night, expect to pay for parking. In their own lot. I get there isn't much parking in downtown Willoughby, but come on. I'm not sure, but I believe you have to start paying around 5pm, and if you don't valet the car expect to walk a fair distance. Not bad in the summer, but terrible in the cold and snow. 2. Even though the food came out in a timely fashion, the service is overall slow. I get it's a huge place and when it's busy there is a lot to tend to, but both times we were there we waited FOREVER to get our check. And both times we saw our waitress just standing behind the bar socializing. The above two aren't enough to keep us away if we're in the area, but the restaurant may want to address that second one.
(4)
Bonna M.

My daughter and I were in Cleveland and I really wanted to stop here for a peanut butter cup coffee porter! The beer was excellent, picked up a growler for $16. We found the restaurant without any problem. Downtown Willoughby is really cute and this restaurant is tucked behind all the Main Street type shops/bars/restaurants. It is way bigger than I ever expected but their parking lot leaves something to be desired. It is small, especially with half of it blocked off for valet. Valet is free (other than the tip at the end) but since I had no cash, this wasn't an option. We finally stalked a family walking to their minivan and took their spot. When we walked in the restaurant was even larger than I thought. The hostess said it would be a 45 min wait or we could sit in one of the two bars. We chose the bar. We found a high top table and waited..and waited...and waited. We finally saw a blonde streak fly by and help the table next to us but before we knew it she was gone again. She returned 5 mins later and as she was passing by she asked for our drink order. She came back about 10 mins later but didn't stop to ask what we'd like to eat. I finally flagged her down to order pork nachos and two buffalo melts. The pork nachos were delivered about 15 mins later and overall were excellent. The pork was moist and flavorful. The BBQ sauce was out of this world. Unfortunately, 1/2 the chips were really, really stale so we ended up eating the topping and leaving the chips. Our buffalo melts were delivered about 10 mins later. They were presented nicely and the chicken was really moist. Both of us scraped the mashed potatoes off our sandwiches, that was just a little to weird. Otherwise, they were really tasty. This experience would have been a lot more enjoyable with a better server. She never told us about the appetizer specials or drink specials and was just in too much of a hurry the whole time. If I'm ever back in Cleveland I would return for their beer but not much more.
(3)
Amanda L.

There was no hostess to seat us, although the sign said to wait to be seated. So we were standing around and were ignored. We finally flagged someone down who was not really interested in customers; she told us only the bar was open. Not friendly. The alcohol is good here, but we never had the food as the kitchen closed at 10:00 pm. (We arrived at 10:02.). They also had live entertainment, but it was so loud we couldn't talk to each other. We had one drink and got outta there.
(2)
Chas M.

Been here many times over the years. Ill keep it short and sweet. Beer was on a steady decline for last 10 years or so but this new kid knows his stuff and can brew his ass off. Sadly, he has to brew Bud Lite clones to appease the Midwestern housewife palette. The food is acutally pretty good. Those pretzels are great and I would naked wrestle Butterbean is a Turkish bath house for some of those on a steady basis. The look of the place is unique and that little train up top is fun to watch. Why three stars ya ask? The hostesses are always awful. They dont acknowledge you at all or are too busy talking to Johnny Crepo guy who's 47 and has 3 kids and a wife at home. The servers are either really good or downright dreadful as well. Recently, this place made the news....some dude was all drunk and pissing on customers on the patio. HE knows how to party and the uppity patio people need to loosten up. If your just having a beer (or seven) go to 1899..if ya want food as well, come here. Its a crap shoot though!
(3)
Trista D.

To start off, slow waitress / staff and confusion who was taking care of our table. Second, mashed potatoes were watery, Broccoli was hard, green beans mushy, pasta mushy. When staff was informed of problem w potatoes they were unable to accommodate w a replacement (baked potato) but kept pushing more mashed potatoes even though they were told we didn't want more of the same. Then the waitress asks how's the doctored up mashed potatoes....really. Lol. You would expect real potatoes at this restaurant. No free refills on soft drinks (taste like dish water an again the waitress said yah it tastes like it's out of a garden hose) or ice tea ($2.49 x5). The only good part of our meals was the meat, beer an ice tea!
(2)
Lilly S.

Fantastic beer and good (though not amazing) food - overall, a fun place to go! This is a bit of a trek for me since I live on the west side of Cleveland but I'm glad I checked it out. The beers here are so good! I love the Peanut Butter Cup Coffee porter but also tried another porter and their Ocktoberfest - both excellent! Everyone was very happy with the beers they tried. Food was good but could have been better. I got the fried green tomato sandwich. I thought it would be a little more exciting. Fries are just whatever. Everyone in my group was pleased but not blown away by the food. They could step it up a notch but it's fine. Basically, don't go here just for the food. Either go here for drinks before/after another meal or go ahead and eat but don't expec the food to be as awesome as the beer. Friendly staff, awesome looking brewery on the inside, everything else was great! Would have given it 5 stars if the food was more exciting.
(4)
Rob G.

Best place I've been to in a long time! Every beer they make is fantastic. Great food selection too unlike many breweries. It's a classy place with good taste and high quality food and beer. If you like sports there are big screens everywhere, if you like to dance they even have A dance floor and live bands on weekends ( their website will tell you who is playing and when). Reserve a table and Expect to have a great night out!
(5)
Alia P.

To be fair, I'm not a huge beer fan.. so take this review with a grain of salt. Came here to meet up with friends to discuss the details an upcoming trip - Sunday afternoon for lunch. Service was decent, our waiter was very cool and casual, and pretty attentive. They were all out of the beer that one of my fellow diners wanted. But, they had plenty of water (which is what I drank) and they kept my glass full! I ordered a shrimp avocado salad, it was one of the specials. It was pretty good, however, for the $12 price-tag, I would have like to have a bit more lettuce on the plate, however the flavors were decent, but nothing super special. The shrimp was cooked pretty well. For dessert we ordered a large fried ice-cream for the table. It had a nice strawberry sauce on top and the "fry" coating was ok, but I thought it could have used some more cinnamon. Does not even compare to ChiChi's fried ice-cream but since that place is gone, and there aren't that many places that even serve fried ice-cream, they get points for even having it on the menu. It was good (really how can ice-cream be bad?), but again, nothing exciting. Overall, this is a good place to meet up with friends and chat, but don't expect anything too fancy when it comes to the food.
(3)
Joe Y.

This was our first stop on our way to Cleveland. It is slightly buried behind other buildings. Very glad we made this stop! The street it's located on is very cute, with a bunch of little mom and pop stores, food places and behind it all is giant Willoughby brewing. -The beer we sampled a bunch. Their "best" beer was listed as the Peanut Butter Coffee Stout..it wasn't horrible, but tasted mostly coffee. The Moonshadow IPA was very nice, really hoppy. The porter was okay. The Pale Ale was delicious. -As for food we got the app platter which was a pretzel, buffalo egg rolls, chicken quesadilla and it came with a great beer cheese and jelly...it was all delicious and worth getting for two. The mac and cheese was A LOT of food, but also very tasty. -The bartender whose name escapes me was an awesome guy, very knowledgeable and extremely nice. I also noticed many of the staff were special needs adults and thought it was really cool that the owners give out jobs to any qualified person and don't discriminate, so bonus points there! -All in all, this place was awesome. The size is just massive inside, two separate bars both equally huge, one inside and one outside, very clean, and just an all around great place to sit back and drink.
(4)
Karyn C.

This is another place I'd love to love. I mean honestly... local brewery, cool town, neat logo... I digress. The parking lot smells like something is rotting. The interior does not smell much better. I am one of those weirdos with a super sensitive sniffer, but yikes...I couldn't even consider eating there. I frequent Willoughby spots a lot, so I will try it again, and promise to update if I find something improved/different. The beer. Well, I can tell you as a frequent beer fest attendee - their tent usually is easy to get to because no one is clammoring to have their stuff. I was so pumped to try the famous peanut butter cup beer... which I promptly dumped. Everything I've had that has been ok has been... forgettable. Sigh. I really want to like this place.
(1)
Mike T.

Let me be honest, the 4th star in this rating is all due to Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter. Without a doubt one of the best local beers around. So tasty and complex, but also subtle and drinkable. The other beers are pretty good, too, along with the food. Definitely above average brewpub fare. I also like the layout and the new patio. Pain in the ass for me to get here, so that is a downer. Oh, I should mention it can be tough to find the first time. You have to drive down an alley off the main rd into a large parking area so keep the peepers open for a sign.
(4)
Melissa M.

One of our regular spots when I lived in OH. I went back in August and everything was just as I remembered. The choco-PB-coffee porter was perfect. And the buffalo egg rolls were awesome as always. We ordered pretzels for the kids as well and they were really good. I like that the flights were updated. Now you pick any beer you want and get a taste for $1. The only downside was that a couple beers were out (this in the middle of the week). I highly recommend as a meet-up spot for apps and drinks. They also have a back room for groups. Be forewarned, though... Depending on the band they have at night, the crowd can get a little weird.
(4)
Margaret R.

Today's experience is worth 2.5 stars. My friend and I walked into the restaurant on a Sunday afternoon for a late lunch. With the exception of a private party on the patio, the place was not particularly busy. The food was good, but the service was underwhelming. Coffee was not refilled, and the beer menu was out of date, with several selections unavailable (hence giving up and drinking coffee). Our waiter seemed more interested in watching golf than helping his customers. Additionally, the bathrooms were not up to snuff in the cleanliness department. I'd probably try Willoughby Brewing Co again, but this time wasn't so great.
(3)
Frank U.

Great beer, staff was good. First time there so a little more information from the bar tender would of been good. Since it was my first time I mentioned to the bartender that I will start with the $2 5-oz samples, because I like to get the sample flights were I go. After two of them, it was mentioned to me that it was Happy Hour and for $1 more I could get a pint. So if that was mentioned first thing, I know that those two 5-oz beers would of been a 16-oz for a $1. Had all but one beer that was on tap this time, they do switch out with different beers. The IPA was a good IPA. If you like fruit beer, try the Railway Razz, it had a nice strong raspberry taste to it. Hopnotic will get you in trouble as it is 9% ABV. I am mostly an IPA guy, but there Hazy Days American Pale Wheat Ale was one of my favorites at this place. Had a pizza to eat, good food, not anything to write home about. But it was 1/2-off during Happy Hour....so in turn....it made me Happy, LOL.
(4)
Kaitlin D.

I'm pretty sure this place is fantastic! We had a large group of people together and were hungry (mostly thirsty) after a wedding ceremony and before the reception. We had a long trek across town and needed to find somewhere closer to the reception hall and on the way. Lucky us, we ended up at Willoughby Brewing Company at the suggestion of a couple of friends. The beers were definitely satisfactory; I'm often disappointed in brewery beers (MGB on W. 25th is a perfect example of the disappointment...) and find that they lack a certain specialty that should come with being served in a brewery. I wasn't disappointed here with the Rusty Rail. We all ended up with appetizer platters that were more than just some frozen jalepeno poppers and quesadillas. I'm completely in love with soft pretzels and this one tops my love list. It was warm and soft and salty and perfect! Oh how I long for another...right now! The buffalo egg rolls were definitely interesting and I liked them more than the quesadillas. Quesadillas aren't often my favorites anyways, so it wasn't a shock. I know I'll be back for some beer and a soft pretzel...or two.
(4)
William N.

#NAME?
(4)
Rob P.

Dined and drank here on a recent Saturday night. I'm glad I made a reservation and was able to sit on the dining room side (rather than the bar side). Call me a hater or an urban elite or whatever, but when I think of dining in the suburbs, my expectations are extraordinarily low. Being a decent non-chain restaurant in this part of town automatically earns a bonus star. Plus I want to cancel out the reviewers who docked this place because they can't get over their insecurities about the parking lot. Let's start with the beers. I was pretty happy with the draft list. There were some unique offerings (like the Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter and Cosmic IPA) and well as some solid other choices. 4-ounce pours are only a buck each so you can definitely try everything that have on tap and not break the bank. The food was better than average pub food. But don't come here expecting fine dining. For this reason I probably wouldn't order any of the $20ish entrees from the menu. But if you come for pub food and stick to that, you'll be OK.
(4)
Rachel W.

I went here on a Friday night. There was a mediocre 80's band in the main bar area and techno DJ in the side bar. The band itself was ok except that there are better 80's cover bands out there. The bar was very full. The side bar with techno was so loud that you couldn't talk to someone two feet from you. The drinks were acceptable but not great. Seems like a good place to pick up a rich guy, as there were mostly older men who were slightly dressed up.
(2)
Mallory K.

I've eaten here multiple times and have never been super impressed. Even so, I always hoped that it was just an "off night" and have kept it on the table as a local, quick dinner option. I'm coming to the conclusion that I may just have to stick with beer and cocktails here :/ Besides the food, it's always a good option for grabbing drinks with friends on the weekends.
(3)
Brandon S.

Went for a business meeting on a Wednesday night and there was plenty of seating, in fact it was really empty. Our server was prompt and professional and overall good. We had the pretzel for appetizer and it was very good, I would order this again. I had the pineapple salmon with asian slaw and garlic green beans. The salmon was over cooked and was just OK. If you have cooked salmon at home- yours is probably better. The asian slaw had no taste if asian flavor and was somewhat bland. The green beans advertised as garlic green beans were also very bland. Overall 3 stars. I think this place is good for drinking and some mediocre bar food and that's it. I wouldn't make a special trip to come back.
(3)
Lara Z.

Me and my roommate went here tonight for my bday dinner. For drinks: I got the blood orange margarita. I highly recommend this drink. It was so so delicious. My friend got a jack and coke and he said it packed a mean punch We got the platter as an appetizer. I loved this. It was so good; and it came with a chicken quesadilla, chicken spring rolls, and hot pretzel bites equipped with 5 dipping sauces. So so good especially since you can mix and match the dips For the entree I got the Mac and cheese with chicken. So good. Not too creamy and not too solid. It was perfect and had a breadcrumb crust. Solid dish. My friend got the fish and chips and said it was super fresh. We also kept some of the sauces from the app and he dipped his fish in some different sauces. It was really cool to experiment The service was great and super attentive. All in all it was a great experience. Their beer selection is unmatched. Seeing as though they brew their own beer in house. I love the railroad razz. To die for If you are in the area it is a must try!
(4)
Huei C.

If there is zero star can be chose, I'll go with that one. Went there at 10/20/2013 around 6pm with group of 6. Ordered hummus as appetizer. Main entrees are potato pizza, LOBSTER GNOCCHI, ROASTED CHICKEN and burgers. 3 of us ended up having diarrhea in the middle of the night. Some came with the feeling of puking. 1 of us have acid reflex and lots of gas disturbing the whole night. Other 2 have some gas problem. Don't know what's going on with the food that evening but will definitely not going back again.
(1)
Ben S.

I had looked it up online so knew what it looked like. Therefore when my GPS announced "you have arrived" I worriedly looked around. Not to fear. It's behind the street front shops. Follow the signs for public parking and just before you get there turn left and you'll see it. They have a big private lot plus complimentary valet. The waitress was really nice. As we were finishing up a table of 12 was sitting down and with a smile she offered them all separate checks and still was attentive to us. The food was just good. I got what I thought to be the healthiest thing on the menu - the Airline Chicken with Sweet Potato succotash (which is basically sweet potatoes plus corn) and broccoli. The chicken was a good portion - 2 pieces and a lot of white meat, but perhaps cooked a bit too long. Cool area though - next time, and preferably not in the winter, I'd save some time to walk around.
(3)
Kevin V.

Have been there a few times and was a guest of friends of the owner and we were treated like family. Good food and love the beer sampler.
(4)
Derek C.

I went for lunch so my experiences might not be the same as the core dinner/drinks crowd. This place would be a great business lunch location if they had WiFi. The tables are huge and it's not busy at all. In fact, we were the only people there from 11-noon and then one other table was there from noon-1. The portions of food are enormous. I probably would have just ordered the appetizers if I had known just how big the burger was going to be. As others have mentioned, the location is a little tricky to find. There is an alley by Olivor Twist. Just drive into the alley and you'll see it. There's a huge parking lot back there. They really should try to get a sign out there on Erie Street since this appears to be a common issue. Overall, a good showing. I won't be rushing back but I would go again if I was in the area.
(4)
Patrick L.

Ah, Lake County. If Cleveland is Manhattan, then surely you are its New Jersey. I guess that's what I like about you. I'm not a Manhattan-type of person. Grew up in the 'burbs, I currently live in the 'burbs, and my favorite movie is The Burbs. (Man, that Tom Hanks. Is there anything he can't do?) This underappreciated gem of the NEO brewing scene is a pretty solid go-to spot when you find yourself stalking the streets of historic downtown Willoughby hungry for a fix. The beers are nothing short of terrific. Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter? Didn't even know her! And so on and so forth.
(4)
Rick W.

Mediocre, overpriced food. The $10 "Devils on Horseback" appetizer was a decent starter, but you can't go wrong with wrapping dates in bacon. The $15 "Crispy Shrimp Taco Trio" was a huge disappointment. Institutional grade, tasteless, fried shrimp tossed into flour tortillas from the supermarket and swimming in what they called lime crema. The walleye in the "Fish N' Chips" was nicely battered and moist, but the chips consisted of a pile of the same waffles fries you get at Chik-fil-A (not an exaggeration). I guess calling them "Waffle Frites" is supposed to make them upscale and justify charging $17 for a few pieces of fried fish and fast food waffle fries. In fact, overall, it appears more effort was put into the menu layout and creative labeling of dishes than food quality and preparation. You get the feeling that WBC desperately wants to be part of the food scene, but is unwilling to hire the necessary talent in the kitchen. Oh, yeah, also got charged $5 to park in the restaurant's parking lot. Nice touch.
(2)
Alicia B.

Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls. If you go there for no other reason, this alone will make it worth it! I've found their food to always be satisfying and they offer a martini and wine list along with their microbrews. We've never had the pleasure (?) of hearing any of their bands or sitting in the bar area, but they always seem to be hosting some sort of event. What I can't wrap my head around is their valet parking offering - it's a relatively small parking lot! Why would I pay you to park my car!?
(4)
Cara L.

I agree with yelper Jen M--for lunch, WBC is a solid 3.5 stars, but I'll bump them up for their great service! We didn't imbibe, but I hear their brews are quite tasty. Instead we opted for iced teas, the brewers pretzels and I ordered the chopped cobb salad. My Mom got herself the lunch combo with the turkey avocado sandwich with the house salad for only $6.99. First, the pretzels were really delicious, fresh and perfectly seasoned with salt and a light, garlicy touch. The beer cheese dip was good, but a little too hoppy/bitter for my taste. I'd tone that down just a tad so you can enjoy the married taste of both the cheese and the beer. The mustard was spicy and tasty. My Mom's turkey avocado sammie looked divine on it's hearty whole grain bread, stacked high with aged cheddar and a basil aioli. She seemed like she was a fan. The house salad was rather plain looking, mostly green leaf lettuce, but it was HUGE. So much so I couldn't believe she got all that for only $6.99--I mean, what a deal! My chopped cobb was pretty good, nothing spectacular, but tasty. I appreciated that it was packed with toppings like egg, bacon, avocado, olives, tomatoes and grilled chicken. Speaking of, the chicken wasn't very seasoned at all and it was a little over-done, but not horrible. Besides my the lunch deal my Mom got, I thought my salad was a little overpriced at $12 dollars. I always say this, but I wish restaurants would be more realistic about how much green leaf lettuce really costs them. How is it that you can almost always get a sandwich for cheaper than an entree salad? But, again--holy lunch combo deal. I'd come back just for that! Lastly, our server was super-helpful without being overbearing. He flowed with us as we added another diner on to our table last minute and threw an order in really quickly for her. The food was out just in time for her to arrive. I mean, in the resto-industry that's really important! Well, this gent (I didn't catch his name but he was serving out on the covered patio) had it down pat, with a smile. He even separated our checks without the blink of an eye. I'm definitely planning on coming back to try out dinner and beers here. It's really a gem in the Downtown Willoughby 'hood and the rest of the menu looks pretty damn good. I hear their burgers are popular and who could pass on the buffalo chicken eggrolls?
(4)
Danial B.

Two stars because I'm in a good mood..... Went here for a rehearsal dinner weeks back. First off, the required valet parking is annoying. Maybe nice for some but not for me. The room we were in was okay at first. The chairs were CHEAP and I felt like I might break them at any given moment should I move the wrong way. The roof leaked (it was raining) less than 30 minutes into being there. Their answer? No sorry....just moved te table it was affecting clockwise as to avoid the drips and went along with the evening as if it wasn't an issue... Ok, the options for food were steak or chicken or fish. The steak I tasted from my dates plate was bland and not seared. Whatever. he chicken I ordered with some kind of weird rice/walnut crusty coating was GROSS! Dry, bland, and WEIRD!!No one liked the food and, no, I wasn't being a food snob or dick about it. The bottom line to me was....someone was paying good money for this gathering and WBC could care less. I wouldn't even give them another chance based on this.
(2)
Fay P.

Out of a table of 6, I got my meal well after the others finished. Everyone at my table had a story of poor service here, and it is a shame because the food is good. This was my 3rd bad experience so I won't be back.
(1)
Jade K.

Had a very fun lunch here!!!! My boyfriend and I were able to spend a great Saturday afternoon on the patio. Sun was shining, the beer sampler was flowing, and food was delicious. However, there were a few decent hiccups. We started off with the appetizer sampler which came with the pretzel (which was great!), the quesadilla, and buffalo chicken something with assorted dipping sauces. The pretzel was by far the best of the three and I wish we would have just went with that. Regardless, we enjoyed the sampler and the beautiful day. We then ordered the Turkey Avocado sandwich to split. We didn't even get to it -- eyes were WAY bigger than our stomachs!!! I did enjoy a few fries and they were excellent. Very crunchy and yet pillowey in the middle. They were great for "french fries". He enjoyed the sandwich later and said it was delicious. Now onto why I only gave this place three stars: 1. The bee's - we were swarmed by three bee's for our entire lunch. To the point where we had to get up because they were on the beer and the food. The server's never asked us if we wanted to move or better yet -- told us to move. They didn't even acknowledge that we were jumping away from the table to avoid getting stung. 2. The service in general. Slow. Inattentive. It didn't start that way. I guess the bartender was our server. He got our drinks and took the appetizer order. Then basically never came back. The server was switched in the middle of our meal -- which is fine -- but she didn't come over till we were long finished with the sampler to ask if we wanted anything else. Overall, it was a fun afternoon. I would go back if I was in the area, I would just sit inside.
(3)
Jessica M.

You can almost taste the Sysco brand blandness to the food here. Not terrible, just...bland. The service is okay, but nothing wonderful or terrible. The whole place is just....... so-so. No hurry to go back.
(2)
Adam B.

Awesome beer, food and atmosphere. Never had a bad experience there except when I went there craving Moondance and it wasn't on tap :)
(5)
Lisa M.

I recently visited this restaurant/brewing company for a friend's bachelorette party dinner and was extremely impressed! I am not a beer fan by any means but I tried the peanut butter cup coffee stout and the raspberry beer and was a fan of both! The food was way better then your average pub food, the pretzel appetizer is awesome! We had a great view of the sports games going on and although they had a mediocre band playing it wasn't so loud that we couldn't have a conversation. If I am ever in the area again I will be back, although seeing as it's in the Cleveland area and I live in Detroit - it's not a town I visit frequently. Great place however!
(4)
Murray R.

Last stop( no pun dude) on our Willoughby Yelp outing. We met up with yelper D and my father in law for a quick one at the brewery. Usual story- crowd was old losers, beer was really good, band was laughable. But the star count goes up, because we were on the patio taking in the freshly rained Lake County evening air, and having conversations about pot and food poisoning. I really had a ball all night. I could not have asked for better company. I'm thinking of reviewing individual yelpers. The bier was a Rapier Wit which i think is sort of clever.
(3)
F M.

Went there in the late afternoon for lunch & had a GREAT waiter, Nick. At the table was a Walleye Po Boy sandwich & a chicken salad. Both pretty good. Nick was the best: bottomless coffee & very attentive. The dessert was not so great, new vendor, Costco has better stuff. The green beans were marvelous, a certain surprise. Went back the next night & others had ordered the green beans, based on my recommendation: I could tell at a glance that they wouldn't be as good as the previous afternoon, and they weren't. Shared pretzels & had the Mac & Cheese with Shrimp. The Mac & Cheese needs work, still better than most, yet not as good as Martha Stewart's: marthastewart.com/271998â€¦ To sum it up: the first day they weren't busy & we got lots of attention, good food and a great waiter., The second time was at night, they were v. busy & the food wasn't as good as the first lunch, but still, much better than many of the local places. Willoughby Brewing, we'll come back, but please work on your evening game!
(4)
Richard G.

I have eaten here many times with my family and friends the service is always top quality and the good is great and the beer is created on site and the bar tenders are very easy to talk to and take the time to explain each beer and what would be a good food pairing with it the brew co is a must go
(4)
Nicole M.

This area of Willoughby is great. The atmosphere of both the neighborhood n restaurant are very trendy. The restaurant was crowded but not packed. I recommend reservations or getting there past 7. It seems that the restaurant has more tables than the staff can handle. I'm not sure they'd be able to handle full capacity. They have their own beers, but our server wasn't very knowledgeable on the beers. She didn't even offer a sampling. She told us the specials, but didn't give details of the items. ie, my mom ordered the shrimp basket, only to find out after getting it ,that it was spicy. Overall the food was good and reasonably priced.
(3)
Allan T.

My review... Let's see. I had the BBQ beer burger. Not a fan. I ordered it medium but it had a burnt taste to it. It had a hint of bitterness to it that I was able to hide with ketchup. My wife had the cheddar beer soup. She found it to be bitter with the consistency of curdled cheese. The risotto crab cake would be really good however it was burnt. Our server Megan was fabulous though and very attentive and nice.
(2)
Karyn S.

Atmosphere was good. Had the appetizer platter which was yummy but the Spinach con queso has no flavor- but the chips and pita chips were delicious. French onion soup was packed with cheese and had a good flavor. Steak was good and potatoes had a nice flavor. I got the lobster mac and cheese. I am not sure the mac and cheese had any cheese in it. It was not tasty at all.
(3)
SunnyAndLeonard E.

The sangria is worth your time, in our opinion. We also enjoyed the onion rings, cheeseburgers, and spinach dip. The beers are rock-solid, and you have to love the classic Cleveland beer logos on the walls. The model train? A cute touch.
(3)
Sarah Z.

So sad this place used to be so good. My husband and I made the trek across town for this establishment's peanut butter coffee porter. I wish I could say it was worth the trip. We ordered our first round of beers.and it was a little disappointing. Kolsch was pretty standard fare. Their raspberry beer lacks the flavor it formerly had which was a sad surprise. The food was nothing special. Their pulled pork is from an external source and was served to my husband cold. When we notified our server her response was they mix it up after they nuke it. . . yes microwaving at it's best people. The fries were way to salty. They also were not fresh they were GFS fake tato fries. The sandwich I ordered was nothing special either. Multigrain bread toasted sometime earlier in the millenia, fake smoke flavored turkey, smoked cheddar american cheese and what they called applewood bacon that was in all honesty too burnt to tell what it was other than formerly food. The coleslaw was beyond bland and looked more like vommit than food. The staff acts too cool to bother with customer service which is disappointing at a local brew pub where if anything you should feel welcomed. We gave up on a second round after sitting 15 minutes with empty glasses and not even a glance from the server. Such a shame this place used to be so much better. Not worth the drive to Willoughby Go to fathead's instead the food, sevice, atmosphere, beer, and price are all better.
(1)
Chelsy C.

I come here whenever I make a trip to Cleveland. Easy to find and plenty of parking in "DTW". While I've been here probably 10 times, I've only eaten once. I come to sample the delicious beers, especially the venerable Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter, which is of course just a variation of the flagship Gutterpup Porter. The Cosmic IPA reminds me of a taste of home in Seattle where most local breweries have a similar hop profile beer. Highly recommend trying one of their samplers, each is a 3oz pour and only $1 each!
(4)
R H.

The food is good. The beer is OK. Depends what's on tap. We have been there 3 times over the course of a year and the service is always bad. The first time we were ignored for at least 20 minutes before even getting water. The second time was slightly better. The third time we were done with our beers and the waitress didn't ask us if we wanted anything else. We were good customers, had an appetizer and a full board of beers, plus 2 entrees. We finally had to ask for another beer, which took forever to come out. A table behind us got similar treatment to our first experience; waiting at least 10 minutes for a server to come greet them. If the service would improve this would definitely deserve a 4 for the menu and beer.
(3)
Funglin W.

This place is good if you're just looking for your typical bar scene & clubbing scene, and you want to be able to not deal with street parking. The place is huge, it has your typical drinks, and they have live bands performing. Other than that, there's really not much unique about the Willoughby Brewing Company. Been here three times and all because of needing a large group seating or just in the mood to get some drinks down me and dance the night away. :)
(2)
Casey C.

Hello, I am writing to express how I upset and angry I am about our experience at the Ugly Sweater Party tonight 12/23/13. My brother has been looking forward to this event since last year. He put a lot of effort and time into creating his ugly sweater. He was your greatest promoter telling people about the event, posting reminders on Facebook and getting people excited. We arrived at the event at 9:00 p.m. as was the stated start time of the event. We waited and waited for the contest to begin. We were told this would begin at 11:00 p.m. 11:00 p.m. came and went and still no contest. During this time, we were having drinks and mingling with the crowd. Many people were very very drunk. We were not. Once midnight came around we asked about the contest and the bartender told us it would be at least another 30 minutes? Why would you wait to hold this contest until half if not more of your patrons are good and drunk? We waited some more. At just about 12:30 a.m. a guy and his girlfriend began to fight and plowed into our group. The boyfriend fall back into my brother and his friend. My brother regained his balanced and once again joined out table. The guy and the girl resumed their fight on the dance floor. The next thing we know, Rob, the head of security is escorting my brother away from the table. We thought they were preparing him for the contest. Much to our disbelief they were escorting him out? We couldn't believe it?? What was happening?? We find out that he was being accused of grabbing some guy's behind? We are all confused? That is not what happened at all. If he would have grabbed this guy's behind wouldn't their have been some sort of confrontation? Where was this guy that my brother supposedly grabbed? My brother did not do this. He did not grabbed anyone's behind. It really feels like he was targeted because his sweater was so elaborate and he stood out in the crowd. My brother is an upstanding citizen that has never been in trouble a day in his life. He was wrongly accused. The head of security wouldn't listen to anything. He even go really disrespectful to me when I was trying to explain what happened. Now, my brother did get really upset when he found out what was happening and rightfully so. He was completely innocent and treated very badly. He worked so hard for this event and was so excited. It seems a little suspicious to me that we were kicked out 5 minutes before the contest? This was so upsetting, embarrassing for all of us. If this is the way you treat your customers that is really too bad. I would never feel safe returning to your establishment. Rob was unprofessional and really seemed like he was trying to escalate my brother. For example, my brother said I would like the name of your store manager and Rob replied this isn't a store? Was that really necessary. It is safe to say we will never return to your restaurant and will be sure to tell others of our experience. This is so upsetting I cant even put it into words. I feel bad for people who attend your establishment and fear that this same thing may happen to them. Thanks for putting a dapper on our holiday. This is an email i sent to the GM. I have heard nothing back. What a lousy company. If i could give negative stars i would
(1)
Jessica I.

A strong three stars. The beer was nice and the full sampler was a bargain. Most were bit hop-obsessed for my liking (yes, I know most cool kids like that nowadays), but the peanut stout was really good and innovative. Nice food with ample portions and very quick and attentive service. The space is huge and about what you'd expect from a brewpub. If it wasn't halfway to Pennsylvania, this Westsider would be a more frequent flyer here.
(3)
Matthew M.

Burgers were damn good. Who knew jean shorts were in style? Loud 80's music! Welp, that about sums up my review. I don't think I've ever been as brief with a Yelp review, but the Haiku says everything you need to know about WBC. Oh, they also brew their own beer..... To the max! (80's slang).
(3)
Chris M.

My company recently held their annual kick-off party at the WBC. I'd been here before a few years ago, so I was pretty anxious to see how it changed. My company had the place from 6 until 10 (or so I thought). The staff was great. I got to go on a mini brewery tour and loved hearing about WBC's brew process. Unfortunately, I wasn't really impressed with the beer I tried. The Peanut Butter, in my opinion, was really overpowered by the coffee flavor. I couldn't find any hints of oatmeal in the Oatmeal Stout. However, the Gutterpup was the clear favorite amongst myself and others I spoke to. I would love to have that one again. I didn't try any of the appetizers they had prepared, so I can't comment on those. For dinner, we had the choice of Steak, Scallops, or Butternut Squash Ravioli (sit-down dinner, not buffet). I had the scallops and I felt mine were a little underdone and a little too salty. The cheesy rice/risotto/something that came with it was, in my mind, inedible (lukewarm, very bland). But the carrots were great. For dessert, there were lady fingers with a chocolate mousse dipping sauce, as well as a small tart filled with the mousse. The desserts just had no discernible taste. I likened eating the lady fingers to eating compressed air. Not a fan. Apparently the open bar ended at 9:30, but the bar didn't make an announcement for my company. Would have been nice to have at least gotten a verbal announcement about it (but hey, this could be on my company too, so I'm not taking this into account when calculating my Yelp score). When the band started playing and the public was let in at 9:30, I remembered why I don't go to Willoughby. The clientele of the place was this weird mix of really old and really young. Definitely not my type of crowd. I could have been brutal and gave his place 2 stars, but the staff and the actual venue were really nice, along with the Gutterpup beer I loved. I hope the food from the real menu isn't as bad as the food we were served as part of the event. Might come back and see how the menu dinner is, but I definitely won't go back for nightlife.
(3)
Samantha F.

I was super pumped to be on the East side & so close to the Willoughby Brewing Co. The man & I popped in here for a quick beer before we visited the Holden Arboretum. We did a flight of all the beers on tap to help us make our final beer selection. These are big pours for $1 each! I tried the Peanut Butter Cup beer on a recommendation from a friend; that friend & I obviously have VERY different tastes. I wasn't really impressed with anything on tap & ended up with a beer, that I didn't need to finish. We ordered the pretzel appetizer and while the pretzels were nice, warm, & soft, the side dips were crap. I know, I'm a pretzel snob, and nothing really compares to the pretzels and beer cheese side at the Haufbrauhaus. Even the amazing Guinness mustard at The Angle bar in Cleveland topped this stuff. Overall, Willoughby Brewing, you're a disappointment. I don't need to visit again.
(2)
Kevin C.

The best. A brewpub with terrific food as well as first class beer. And I don't know what the history of this old brick building it's in, but it makes for a great setting. I had the pike sandwich - lightly breaded and not greasy at all. The spinach cheese appetizer, a staple of pubs, was the best I've ever had. And I don't have time to talk about how great the beers are. It's hard to find a good porter anywhere and they usually have at least two killer porters on tap. I can't get enough of this place. Treat yourself to this place.
(5)
G V.

The bf and I went here for drinks and dinner last week and loved it! First off, the complimentary valet did come in handy as it was snowing and we didn't have the patience to look for a spot in their full lot in bad weather. We walked in and sat at the bar. The only thing that didn't warrant 5 stars was the service. It took a little bit to get a bartender over to us for our first round of drinks and for them to take our food order. We sampled some of their beers and chose the pale ale and the peanut butter coffee stout. Both were amazing. As for food, I had the build-your-own mac N cheese with bacon and spinach which was yum -O. The bf ordered a sammich with chorizo and something else. I forgot what else was in it but it tasted damn good. Their fries were nice and crispy and light too. All in all, great experience despite the slow bar service. I would definitely go back.
(4)
Jessica M.

Their build your own macaroni and cheese is fantastic, and it's big enough to share. Also, the buffalo chicken egg rolls are great. Their beers are good, not great. I love the raspberry one. I have yet to experience this place on a busy weekend night; we usually go there for dinner on off nights. The servers are always attentive and nice.
(4)
Alyssa A.

I like this place if it's a weekday before 10pm. The atmosphere is great and the fermenters behind the bar always make a great conversation piece. It has the same Ballantine/1899 style since owners are close to the same. The beers that are brewed in house are excellent, Toehead is my favorite. The peanut butter coffee is also worth trying. Food is pricey but a bit above average quality but not by much. Nightlife Is a different story, ladies night (Thursday) on into the weekend leaves much to be desired. The crowd is not the establishment's fault but it seems they do promote the cougars/divorcees' of lake county. But If you are looking for quality beers with good food or even a place to watch the game... Brew Co. Could be your spot
(4)
Alexis H.

We stopped in here for a relatively late lunch a few weeks ago and started off with several beer samplers and the appetizer sampler. It came with chicken quesadillas (really good), buffalo chicken egg rolls (surprisingly good) and a pretzel (just good). The dipping sauces were great. Even for as hungry as we were, we should have stopped with the appetizer. Out of all of the beer, the stand out to me was the PB Cup Porter. I'm not typically a porter fan, and I wouldn't want to down a whole one myself, but the flavor was smooth and really quite outstanding. The Southern Cali pizza was quite tasty, unfortunately, I think we were already feeling some ill effects from the ap. (Couldn't possibly have been all the beer, right?) I never got sick, but my stomach was upset for several hours after and we were only able to eat half the pizza. The leftovers ended up being thrown out, based on the suspicion that it may cause more stomachy grossness. Bummer.
(2)
Meredith A.

I have had many bad experiences but today was the worst. Once again inlaws choice. The only good thing I can say about willoughby brewing company is their soft pretzel was very good. We got the appetizer platter and it was the only thing good on it. We did not have napkins or silverware and waited with our appetizer platter for about 10 minutes before getting utensils. Our meal came much much later. Everyone at the table did not like their meal. Two people got the steak and said it was tough. I got the sante fe salad which sucked! My husband got a sandwich and the fries were ice cold. The service sucked as did the food. It is a shame.
(1)
Janet H.

Enjoyable lunch with a very attentive server to all five of us. I ordered the Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos with a side of Broccoli. The tacos were delicious and the broccoli was cooked perfectly....not overcooked. Would definitely return the next time we are in Downtown Willoughby.
(4)
Steve H.

Lots of fun here and the beer options are plentiful. We tried the streak fries and weren't disappointed! My favorite beer was the Irish stout. I wasn't as fond of the coffee stout...but I'm not a coffee drinker.
(4)
Matt C.

I've been coming to WBC since its early days. It's helped anchor downtown Willoughby's reboot in the last two decades. I'm not a real craft brew guy, but I like the peanut butter coffee porter. The razz is nice if you're in the mood for something a little lighter. It's a full service restaurant in addition to a brewery. I've always liked the food, though the menu seems to have evolved over the years to feature more pub grub and comfort food over standard dinner entrees (I miss the amber glazed salmon). Anyhow, I recommend a trip to Willoughby and a stop at the Brewing Co.
(4)
Brittney G.

Went to Cleveland to see college friend get married. We stopped here to kill some time for the long weekend. I really did enjoy this place. The scenery inside was rather cute and different. The beers are all brewed there and the food is nothing short of delicious. They are really known for their different pizzas. (Mash Potato Pizza) They have outdoor seating which is also great.
(4)
Corinne K.

If 3.5 stars was an option, that is where I would be. This rating is more reflective of my opinions of the beer than the food or service and I was coming here for the beer. If I was rating on food or service, I would give them 4 stars. The bartender was nice, knowledgeable, and great at his job. He made great food suggestions and he was right. Our food did take a little longer than it should have because there was a mix up in the kitchen. However, it was good and there were no issues otherwise. We went when they were in transition of beers, so there was not the biggest selection. I was not super in live with what I had. They were not bad, however, I would not necessarily make the trip out here again for the beers that I did have. I will have to try again and try some different beers.
(3)
Mike B.

I've been coming to the Brew Co. for years and the food has never really stood out among the great restaurants in the area but it is very solid bar food. The beer selection is usually very good with some great seasonals. The service has always been excellent and the restaurant itself is very clean with a nice decor. I would definitely give this place a try if you want a good brew and burger.
(3)
Michael M.

Typically love WBC...excellent beers/awesome happy hour apps... Was there for happy hour Sunday, round 5:30... Ordered couple beers(hazy days served from can instead of draft) ordered apps(spring rolls, pizza, pretzels, and quesadilla) everything was ok on time, except the quesadilla which they said they accidentally made w chicken instead of cheese. It later came, and after eating a piece or two, reached for another to realize there was a DEAD FLY baked into the top of the cheese... Immediately told one of the bar tenders who was in disbelief, and said it was just a piece of something burnt from oven, had to concur with other bar tender, then they took it away, took it off the bill, and took our 2 beers off the bill. It was a fly, it was plain as daylight, don't know how it occured, shit happens I know, but in all likelihood will never eat here again. The bar back also creeped my girlfriend out by knowing her work place, and the exact date she was in last w her father(9months prior)... This was on the way to the bathroom.. Love the beers, gonna be loooooong time before I would ever eat here again, or prob even visit... Really disappointing
(1)
Laura J.

Went here to grab a bite to eat after the rock and roll hall of fame. The Peanut Butter Cup porter beer is one of my favorites. The appetizers are huge. The spring rolls and quesadilla were delicious. The pizzas are also great and can be easily shared among 3 or more people.
(4)
Jess B.

This place was a nice gem to find!!! We split a flight of their beers and they were all very flavorful! The pretzels are to die for as well!
(5)
Brian Z.

They want to make this great high end food and it just doesn't work. The food is ok. If you take in to account the price it is not worth it.
(2)
Natalie S.

Attended The Wedding Walk this weekend that started at the Brewing Company. Obviously it wasn't its typical scene, but I have been there so many times, I can still give an overall review. I love their 2 patios, and because the weather was so nice, we were able to take great advantage of these today. It was even better because it wasn't as crowded as usual, so we could sit down and enjoy some of the great appetizers provided by the restaurant. I loved the spinach and artichoke dip and chips, as well as some of the other passed apps. Other times I have eaten here, I have ordered the French Onion soup, the hot pretzels, the chicken salad and the chocolate peanut butter dessert. The onion soup is always good (ask for the cheese well done!), the pretzels come with several sauces - they are also part of the appetizer sampler, which is a great idea if you want a bit of everything. The salads are HUGE!! And although I am not a dessert person, the fresh whipped cream stole me heart. For my visit yesterday, I got to see some rooms I didn't know existed and walk around freely. And, luckily for me, I didn't get peed on by the guy who got arrested there over the weekend (read it on Cleveland.com !)
(4)
Brooke K.

Service was great, but the food wasn't anything to brag about. It sounded amazing on the menu, but was very disappointed with the taste. The pork on my sandwich was very dry and both meals purchased were both bland and didn't have much flavor. Overall was not happy with the price paid for such blah food.
(2)
Rachel B.

Major downgrade. First of all, the food was still great, so that's where these stars are coming from. But the service was just awful, especially for 3pm on a Thursday when there were practically no customers at all. We sat outside and were pretty much forgotten about and had to do the ol' "stretch and make a show of standing up and gathering our things" before our server would come over to give us the bill. Plus, the beer is just terrible. Maybe I'm just a snob now. No, that's not it. The beer was just gross. The only one that is worth mentioning is the PB Cup Coffee porter, but I am not a fan of that at all as it is. But man, those pretzels really hit the spot...
(2)
Ashley K.

Let me preface this by saying that you are a FOOL if you order Miller Lite or Bud light at this establishment. Phew. That felt good. I came here on a Friday night and decided to get a flight of all the beers they had on tap that night. I was not disappointed! My favorites were the Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Stout and the Railway Razz. The stout had the perfect mix of chocolate and peanut butter and made me really wish they bottled the stuff. SO GOOD. The other offerings were good, but I'm not big into hops so they weren't my thing. I also ordered a pork quesadilla from the appetizer menu and it was really good! It came in three pieces, but it was big enough for dinner. I'm not sure of the cheese they used in it, but man, I want that all the time. I would highly recommend ordering it. The staff were all really friendly and knowledgeable and made my experience all the much better. I will definitely be back and you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you don't stop by!
(5)
Jerome B.

We come here often for their beer. It's good pizza tho specials r tuff. Had blacken grouper and wow under cooked and old fish. who knows so if u come here get the beer and pizza ONLY!!!!!!!
(5)
Tawnya W.

Service is pretty consistently decent. Beer is always fabulous. NOT a fan of not being able to park anywhere close due to it all reserved for valet for the local bars/eateries. Valet person was an ass when letting us know that we couldn't park in the parking lot of the place we wanted to eat. This may be a deal breaker go forward.
(4)
Amanda S.

Atmosphere was relaxing. Food came out relatively quick for a Saturday. They were gearing up to play live music but we came in a bit to early to hear them play. Waitress was very nice and patient and got us everything we needed for a party of 9. Bar drinks were tasty and priced on the average for the location of the restaurant. Apps were good, I got the pretzels but their dips were lackluster, I made a dip at home with my leftovers wick was better than their in house. Burgers are always good and cooled just the way I like. A great restaurant for a simple meal or group outing
(4)
Lisa D.

Loved the peanut butter cup coffee porter! Highly recommend trying it. Went in for St Paddys day and they had the best live band who sang such a range of music from newer songs to spice works. Great mix of people and can't wait to go back.
(5)
John M.

Good beers. Good food. First tried the beer at a brew fest in Columbus, OH. On our way to Toronto, we stopped in for lunch. The China Town hoagie with Korean BBQ meatballs was excellent. Our server suggested the chicken spring rolls which were good as well. Looking forward to the time when we can get their beer in Columbus.
(4)
Katy S.

I have gotten the pleasure to eat here on 2 of my previous Cleveland trips and had good experiences both times. The beer options are great! I really enjoyed the raspberry beer and would love to have it again. The food was good - I got a salad and some co-workers got burgers that they loved. We had pretty big meals for a good price. I'm a fan!
(4)
Christine G.

I've been here for food and for drinks. I think overall a 3.5 stars, but bump it up to 4 for atmosphere etc. I went with a group from work for lunch one day and they were able to help a group of 7 of us and split our checks, which was so appreciated. The hamburger I got was ok, I couldn't taste the sauce on it though. The waffle fries- amazing!! I just wish it would have been brought a tad quicker since they really weren't that busy when we were in there. If you come on a Thurs/Fri/Sat night, good atmosphere, busy and tons of alcohol choices. If you like your beer, this is a place to come and hang out for awhile
(4)
Joe B.

Called to see the wait on a Saturday night and was actually offered a reservation which was great but that's where the good service stopped. When we arrived we were sat way in the back behind a large party. It took 15 minutes and us going up to the host stand to get a waitress to get us drinks. The host offered no apology and still 3 minutes later a waitress finally took our order. No less than 10 seconds after that another waitress asked if we had been helped. There obviously was no communication between the staff. When our food finally arrived the burger was overcooked and the fries were old. For 2 people without having to wait for the table it still took an hour to finish.
(2)
Bob L.

I've got something to get off of my chest before I get into the whole dining/beer experience thing: WTF is up with places and the "complimentary" valet parking? I've bitched about this before with Burntwood Tavern and I'm gonna bitch about it again with this place. They've got a private lot. It's right next to the restaurant. Why the hell would anyone need to have their car valet parked? And let's call it what it is, a scam. It's not complimentary if you've got any sense of decency because you'll end up tipping the guy $2 or $3. Get rid of it. It's annoying, pretentious and unnecessary. Now, on with the show. We don't exactly live close to Willoughby so I doubt we'll ever be regulars, but I've gotta admit, they're a pretty solid joint. I can't speak for the bar scene or the live music (although the guy that was playing when we were there was pretty close to bad) or the patio but when it comes to pretty damn good pub food and a strong portfolio of well-made craft beer WBC is a bit of alright. The space is airy, open and big with uber-high ceilings and big comfy booths. There's a cute little train that runs along a track up by the rafters and the natural light is all over the place. We arrived around 6pm on a Wednesday and walked right in, no wait. To make it even better, we got our own booth. Our server, clearly up to his ass in alligators, did his best tending to the half dozen or so tables under his purview but, in all honesty, things were a tad slow and felt a bit disjointed. I didn't mind so much, though, because I was enjoying the chitty chat with the wife and nursing my Hop Jam black IPA. Our entire experience was about 90 minutes from order to check. Speaking of the beer, the brewmaster at WBC definitely knows what he's up to when it comes to a mash tun and some hops. The works of art he has created would stand up against some of the larger and more experienced brewers anywhere in the country. Some of my favorites are Gutterpup robust porter, dark, murky, chocolaty and smooth, and the Spring Saison, a spicy, mild Belgian style ale perfect for sessions. My wife is a huge fan of the peanut butter cup coffee porter. The menu is a nice mix of standard bar fare (wings, burgers, nachos) and some larger entrees kicked up high-class bar style. The prices are on par with most restaurants of their ilk but some of the classier entrees will set you back a few clams - the beef filet clocks in at just shy of $30 and the lobster gnocchi comes in at $22. Here's how our meal went: Bavarian Pretzels - I love soft pretzels. Throw craft beer into the equation and I can't help myself. It's totally empty calories and I don't care. The pair of pretzels are as big as your face, cooked a perfect dark brown, salted and feature an oh-so-soft and chewy inside. They are everything a pretzel needs to be. I wasn't too impressed with the trio of dips (honey mustard, spinach con queso, & cheese) as I found them a tad bland. And when will places start serving cream cheese with their pretzels? Bibb Salad w/Chicken - Not a bad offering. The bibb lettuce was plentiful and bright green fresh and there's just something about the interplay of the bleu cheese and candied pecans that I just can't get enough of. The raspberry vinaigrette is very sweet so use sparingly. Oh, and how about an actual chicken breast next time. I would be surprised if it came with more than 4oz of it. Sweet Potato Fries - Done shoestring style, the sweet tater fries were a bit on the chewy side and not all that hot by the time they arrived at our table. Good, but I've had better. Fried Green Tomato Melt - My wife ordered this one and her assessment was that it was pretty "one note". Not that it wasn't tasty, just kinda boring. The fried green tomato, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomato were all tart, and the red onion was a bit lost in the shuffle. The onion rings, battered not breaded, were crispy and sweet. All in all, not a bad place to grab a bite and sample some hand-crafted ales. The atmosphere is nice and they do have a sizable outside patio if that's your thing.
(4)
Nick V.

I suggest pairing the bbq pulled pork pizza with a pint of the peanut butter cup porter, but that's just me.
(5)
Lynn F.

Although it was a hike, the beer and food did not disappoint. We've gone a couple times now and have been very happy with our selections. I'm not a beer drinker, but the Peanut Butter Cup Porter is something you definitely need to try. Even if you don't drink beer so dark that it's like getting an oil change, you could still enjoy this particular one. The food was great too. We started with an app of the egg rolls, followed by burgers. On our second trip I had a chop salad. Everything was pretty tasty and came out in a decent amount of time even though they were pretty busy. There are two negatives though- 1. If you go at night, expect to pay for parking. In their own lot. I get there isn't much parking in downtown Willoughby, but come on. I'm not sure, but I believe you have to start paying around 5pm, and if you don't valet the car expect to walk a fair distance. Not bad in the summer, but terrible in the cold and snow. 2. Even though the food came out in a timely fashion, the service is overall slow. I get it's a huge place and when it's busy there is a lot to tend to, but both times we were there we waited FOREVER to get our check. And both times we saw our waitress just standing behind the bar socializing. The above two aren't enough to keep us away if we're in the area, but the restaurant may want to address that second one.
(4)
Margaret R.

Today's experience is worth 2.5 stars. My friend and I walked into the restaurant on a Sunday afternoon for a late lunch. With the exception of a private party on the patio, the place was not particularly busy. The food was good, but the service was underwhelming. Coffee was not refilled, and the beer menu was out of date, with several selections unavailable (hence giving up and drinking coffee). Our waiter seemed more interested in watching golf than helping his customers. Additionally, the bathrooms were not up to snuff in the cleanliness department. I'd probably try Willoughby Brewing Co again, but this time wasn't so great.
(3)
Meredith A.

I have had many bad experiences but today was the worst. Once again inlaws choice. The only good thing I can say about willoughby brewing company is their soft pretzel was very good. We got the appetizer platter and it was the only thing good on it. We did not have napkins or silverware and waited with our appetizer platter for about 10 minutes before getting utensils. Our meal came much much later. Everyone at the table did not like their meal. Two people got the steak and said it was tough. I got the sante fe salad which sucked! My husband got a sandwich and the fries were ice cold. The service sucked as did the food. It is a shame.
(1)
Janet H.

Enjoyable lunch with a very attentive server to all five of us. I ordered the Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos with a side of Broccoli. The tacos were delicious and the broccoli was cooked perfectly....not overcooked. Would definitely return the next time we are in Downtown Willoughby.
(4)
Angela L.

This spot is tucked away behind the main shops/bars in downtown Willoughby. The buffalo chicken pizza is probably my favorite thing on this menu, and overall I'd say the food is a lot better than at Great Lakes Brewery. The beer is pretty good, but the few times I've been there they've been out of a few that I've wanted to try. Great atmosphere for kids, especially with the train that runs the length of the restaurant overhead.
(3)
Robyn T.

I love coming to Willoughby Brewing whether it's to hang out with friends for a beer or for lunch with the family. On my most recent visit I tried the beer flight (I usually just order a pint) and it was definitely worth the $7. I had a sampling of 6 or 7 beers that were filled to the brim. A bit tipsy after all the good brew. Great appetizers - the spinach dip or pretzel appetizer is always a treat. I had the chicken with pretzel coating and even though the portion was pretty big I managed to eat almost all of it.
(4)
Stefanie F.

You still get 3 stars, WBC. Your cover bands are still hilarious (a dude singing Lady Gaga? Really?) Your clientele is just as douchey as ever (moms jeans and chachy guys everywhere). Your patio is still a refuge from what takes place inside. I like your beer!
(3)
Jeff T.

I was convinced that WBC was a solid 4 star rating until I stopped in over the weekend for a late lunch. I knew ahead of time that the restaurant / brewery was under new ownership / management and that they decided to change everything around a little including the beer recipes and did a little menu revamping, but keeping the local favorites such as their pizza's, soups, and a few apps. Here's my experience in a nut shell. Upon arriving around 3pm on a Saturday we decided to bypass the hostess and sit at the bar. The place was obviously in between lunch and dinner services because there was only 10 or so tables full. Surprisingly, the parking lot was still relatively full, that has always been a problem for WBC and Gavi's. I ordered the Toehead Blonde Ale and it was comparable to any light beer that you would get out of a bottle but with a little more bite / flavor. We also wanted to try the Railway Razz to see if the brewers over tweaked the recipe since this has been a favorite of many, including the wife. All I can say is that they should have left it the way it was, the razz fell short in flavor and was a little overwhelmingly bitter. My second beer was the Peanut Butter Coffee draft which I really did enjoy but would comment by saying that the Peanut Butter flavor was a little lacking. I will get again though in replacement of the razz. Food: I went with the new chicken chorizo melt with a side of veggies. The veggies were nicely grilled which was a nice surprise but the highlight was the sandwich itself. I absolutely loved it! Messy, but good, only gripe would be the $10.99 price tag. Wife went with potato cheddar soup which she said was just OK, she wished she would have went with the French Onion because we know we like that soup. Her other choice was a side Bibb salad and that was good, generous with the Gorgonzola, which is ALWAYS a good thing. Service: Not a whole lot of excitement behind the bar, seems like everyone was just bracing for the night to come. We were well taken care of though even through the shift change at 4pm. Overall: Mad about the Razz situation. Happy with my food, so so with hers. We were freezing cold the whole time we were in there but we just chalked that up as being our fault for sitting by the smoking entrance to the patio. Given the parking situation and all the other food options in Willoughby, we really left WBC with a B- rating and will probably choose otherwise unless we are really craving one of their beers. But their decor gets an A so stop in if its a first for you and the family.
(3)
Jen M.

This place didn't wow me, but I suppose it serves its purpose. The building is massive, so it is very spacious. You have many options: sit at the bar or at high tables (both of which over look the brewing equipment) or sit in the restaurant style tables at the opposite end of the building. Atmosphere is very urban, with exposed metal and dark wood. Beers were meh. I ordered the fruit beer because I was looking for low alcohol content, as it was 1pm Easter weekend and I was with my in-laws. It was way too sweet. My only other low alcohol option was a blonde ale, which I generally dislike. My husband ordered the IPA, which was decent. All in all, the beers were just average, but they were cheap. We didn't order much food, just the appetizer sampler. For $14 I was expecting much more. It seemed like greasy, typical beer food, but I suppose that is to be expected at a brewery. Don't get me wrong, I love beer, breweries, brewpubs, gastropubs, etc. My husband is a home-brewer, studying to be a professional brewer. I also have two Goose Island brewers in my family. Therefore, I've been to many a beer-joint and this place lacked pizazz.
(3)
Chris G.

Willloughby Brewing was a pleasant surprise after the other mediocre meals I've had in the Cleveland suburbs. Our business dinner started out with a couple of appetizer platters hat had some very tasty egg rolls and quesadillas (from a brew pub, who knew?). Many of the people in my group enjoyed the walleye. I'm not a big seafood eater, so I went with the pork chop, which was flavorful and well-cooked. One of my co-workers ordered the prime rib sandwich and very much enjoyed it. I only had a bite of the chocolate cake that was ordered for dessert, but it was quite decadent. A nice way to polish off the meal. The building definitely had some charm, with a brick exterior, some big windows, and a model train running on overhead suspended tracks. Our service was attentive and pleasant. I was the DD for the evening, but the beer list looked fairly extensive. If I'm ever back in the area, I would definitely keep this place in mind.
(4)
Josh M.

I'd lean more towards a 3 1/2 stars, but the general friendliness of the staff (our server was great) and atmosphere of the place makes me choose 4 stars since I don't have that option. I'm from Chicago and visit my bro in Cleveland on occasion, and love checking out local breweries and brewpubs, so this place was a natural choice. Built in an old brick building, the WBC is nice and spacious, with seperate dining areas as well as a bar area that faces the brewing equipment; I always dig seeing what the brewers are working with. We had just recently eaten lunch, so we kept it to pints, and a little later the appetizer sampler just to see what kind of food they were working with. The beers were pretty solid, and reasonably priced. I think the Bitter they had on special may have been a bit off, but the IPA was great, and the Pale Ale was tasty. The Blonde was expectedly tasteless (gotta have an option for the Macro crowd, so I don't hold it against 'em). All in all, our group was satisfied. The food was pretty good too, I dug the Buffalo Chicken Egg rolls, they were a lot like Hopcat's in Grand Rapids, MI. Again, we didn't get much of a taste of that though. Plan on hitting this place up again when I'm in Cleveland area again just to see if they can make a decent entree, and enjoy that IPA and some newbies as well.
(4)
David M.

My friend and I were driving back to Boston from Chicago. After a few long hours on the road, we stopped here for a late dinner. The place was fun. Everything from the model train chugging around tracks suspended from the ceiling to the 70's soul band playing to a very enthusiastic (and inebriated) crowd made this one hell of a stop. Our steaks were great for the price. And for 7 bucks, I got a sampler of the house beers. As a warning, their "samplers" are filled to the top, and one tray does not count as a beer. (Needless to say, I didn't drive the rest of that night). If you're in the area, and don't want to stop in the city, this is a nice relaxing place to stop (based on my one time here). I'd say I'd go back... but its not worth the 7 hour drive. Though, I may just have been overly amused by the band and the trains...
(4)
Allyson S.

3.5-4 stars. 3.5 for the food. I got the Cajun Salmon Salad and for the price I was disappointed. I was hoping for more of the "free" stuff- lettuce and peppers. The salmon was tasty but the vinagrette was more oil than citrus. My boyfriend had the Chicken Chrozio melt which was very good from the few bites I stole. Next time I will have to go for a melt- his mom had the turkey avacado sandwich which looked good. The 4 stars come in for the beer. I enjoyed the beer- better than some breweries out there. I had the Peanut Butter Coffee Porter- YUM! It was like iced coffee and I am a HUGE coffee drinker. I could have easily drank a few more of these... instead we got a growler to go with it! My second beer was the Railway Razz which was just tapped on Friday and I wasn't disappointed. I liked that I was able to taste the raspberry but still feel like I was drinking a beer. I don't remember which beers the boy got but I know they were a hoppy goodness in my mouth.
(4)
Vanessa F.

I live in downtown willoughby, and this is a great place for dinner. The prices are normal for the area. The last time my boyfriend, and I went we had the mac n cheese with chorizo and the pulled pork sandwich. Both were really fantastic, and I was a little surprised. We shared the entrees and ate every last bite. With four drinks, the food, and tip our bill was about $65. I think that is very reasonable for the quality of food, and the server we had was very good. I bought a gift certificate from Restaurants.com , and we will be going again very soon.
(4)
Bobby J.

This place has gone down hill. The crowd that this place drags in is very weird, super young or super old. On a crowded night it takes wayyy to long to get served and food is over priced. If it wasnt for their live bands, I think they would barely get business. Oh and by the way, stay away from there on Thur nights.
(1)
Shannon H.

What better way to celebrate some good family news than over some great grub and beers?! We settled on one of our favorite laid-back spots... the Willoughby Brewing Co. "Nestled in the heart of Historic Downtown Willoughby, Ohio lies Willoughby Brewing Co. Established in February of 1998, we are a full-service restaurant, bar and award-winning brewery in a 100-year-old building that was originally a rail-car repair depot for the Cleveland to Ashtabula Interurban Rail Line." ( willoughbybrewing.com ) At first glance, the restaurant doesn't look too impressive with its vast, flat exterior. But once you set foot inside you are welcomed with a wave of nostalgia. With it's warm wood finishings, train station decor (complete with a toy train set running around the resturant!), it's the kind of place that immediately welcomes you and makes you feel at home. I want to point out that the 'train station' decor is understated, classy and NOT cheesy but rather pretty authentic feeling. I love the menu at the Willoughby Brewing Co. It isn't your typical bar fare. Ranging from fresh salads and sandwhiches to pizzas and grilled fish, there is something for everyone. And for those beer connoisseurs out there, the Willoughby Brewing Co. does not disappoint! Many offerings are brewed on-site and the selection is pretty comprehensive. For those who can't make up their minds, the restaurant offers a sampler, which touts the six beers they have on tap that month. The Mister and I started out with some of the BEST soft pretzels I've have the privilege to taste -- my recommendation? Order at least TWO of these. The goodness did not go very far! For dinner, I ordered the Turkey Cranberry Salad, which includes: Mixed greens Dried cranberries Walnuts GOAT CHEESE Roasted turkey Raspberry vinaigrette I killed it. The combination of goat cheese, walnuts and cranberries worked really well with the turkey. Love the combination of textures with the soft cheese and added crunch from the walnuts. It was light and refreshing -- just what I wanted. Overall, a great place to spend an evening with family and friends!
(4)
Dax M.

This place serves its purpose. Lots of beer, open, warehouse-y feel. Good happy hour food deals. Par for the course.
(3)
Jen M.

3.5 stars is spot on for this place but I decided to kick in an extra. 5 stars for the band the resultant crowd it generated on the dance floor. What great people watching! The Hefeweizen and Peanut Butter Porter beers are delicious. Eggrolls are tasty. The chili...hmm, not so good. Bland and needed salt. Potato Cheddar soup was mediocre. Very cool interior with exposed brick. Definitely a great place to hang out at the bar and toss back a few cold ones but the food? Eh, not so much.
(4)
Darren S.

Whenever I come back to Cleveland, this is always a place that I return to. The mashed potato pizza WAS fantastic back in the day. We had a table of 10 this past time and every one of our meals was awful, just pathetic. Probably will not go back.
(1)
Michelle S.

Great buffalo chicken pizza and Railway Razz!! The Hubby loves Hopnotic!!
(3)
Ly Ann P.

Born of a rail line repair depot, this spot is a must-try for the common eastsider. It's in downtown Willoughby and has ample parking out front. Try to pick a night that either doesn't have a band (too, too loud) or allows for imbibing on the outdoor patio (very, very refreshing). Try a flight of beers before you pick your poison. The brews don't taste very robust, but they're flavorful nonetheless. My favorite -- and I'm one of many here -- is the Railway Razz, a raspberry ale that's more fruity than it is beery. It's won several awards -- rightfully so. The food is good but I tend to think it's subpar when directly compared with the prices. Almost every dish I've ordered is overly salty. Sometimes, salt is good, but definitely not every time. Especially not on a $20 New York Strip Steak. Worth ordering every time: - Railway Razz (yes, I'll push it at every opportunity) - Bibb Salad (mmmmmm, so buttery and nutty and fruity) - Mashed Potato Pizza (I haven't seen it elsewhere, and it's foodgasm-inducing, considering it's made of garlic mashed potatoes, bacon, green onions, and cheese, with sour cream to dip each slice in. MMMM!)
(3)
Michael B.

I work at a "beer bar" in Chicago, so it's expected that I'd go here. The brewpub calls an old rail-car repair depot home. I am a sucker for the "Warehouse Loft" feel. The building has a cozy feel despite ts large, open floorplan and super-high ceilings. The brewing equipment is well-kept and polished behind a glass partition that doubles as the back-bar. A model train track is hung suspended from the rafters and huge skylights let in a good amount of natural light that is needed in the rather dark building. Here's what I had. My first beer was the d.I.P.A they tapped just the day before . It poured as you would expect a double IPA to pour, a nice dark brown with a full thick, syrupy body. It was hopped nicely and although it lacked the malt character I like in a well-balanced dIPA (see Surly 16 Grit), it was still a very well done dIPA. While sipping on my snifter of "Doubting Thomas", we ordered a sampler of the three dips they offered as an appetizer. The best dip by far being the buffalo chicken dip. The bruschetta dip was very enjoyable as well. The spinach con queso dip was tasty, not bad at all, but compared to the winner and runner-up, this second-loser had no chance. After my rear-tongue was ready for another beer (yeah, probably should save the d.I.P.A for the end of the meal), I ordered the nut-brown ("Northern Trail"). Very easy to drink, lots of coffee and roasted malt, and wasn't as heavy as I expected, nothing crazy exciting here, a solid brown. I enjoyed their Lost Nation Pale Ale with my meal (Pretzel Chix). The beer was an OK Pale Ale, no unique characteristics, well-hopped nonetheless. The chicken was a tad overcooked, but I enjoy slightly pink chicken breast, so it's subjective. I ordered it with risotto instead of mashed potatoes,a solid risotto it was. I wanted to finish my meal with the Bourbon Vanilla POW Porter, however they were out...I was a little upset as I was really looking forward to trying it. If the food and beer was great, what kept the place from earning five stars? A few things. Parking. Parking is near impossible to find. They do offer $3 valet if you get frustrated. The prior week my parents raved about the live music, however a band called "More than Me" performed this visit. It's too bad the volume was so loud and unbalanced, I couldn't hear their voices. I don't know who to blame, the brewery or the band, as I don't know whose payroll the soundboard operator was on. The band wasn't bad from what we heard though. How was service you may ask? It was good, not great, but good. It has nothing to do with our actual server though. She was very attentive and handled my outspoken father with grace (she was also very attractive in the sense that she carried herself professionally and obviously had respect for herself and her image, which I couldn't say about most of her we'll say "rather lascivious-looking" co-workers) So, if this single twentysomething [me] had a beautiful server who was attentive and professional, why the knock on service? Basically, there are steps that a restaurant should take in training their staff. We took a seat in the "seat yourself" area by the bar in front of the stage before the table was cleaned, no biggie, happens all the time, this isn't where my complaints start. An older lady greeted us promptly when we sat, as our actual server was busy, that's good teamwork. The problem was, as she wiped the table off, I noted that she could probably refill the hollowicks [candles] in the middle of the table to which she responded "oh no, we won't be doing that now, not while we're so busy, we'll get to them before dark". It was dusk, and was already a strain to read the menus. They weren't busy by any means. Perhaps it really isn't a big deal, but one of my biggest pet peeves when managing my servers is when they let their candles burn out, in fact, I instruct the host(ess) to not seat a table if its candle is burnt out. I digress. Another faux-pas on behalf of management at this brewpub was twofold. The bar was poorly stocked. Not everyone who goes to this place will drink beer, management should realize this. Stock your bar! My mother doesn't drink beer, she loves her margaritas though and after getting sick the week before off a cogener-stocked well tequilla mixed margarita, I told her to get something a little better, they had Cuervo and Patron. When I asked for bourbon, their top-shelf brand was Jim Beam...nuff said. They should take the initiative to expand their liquor selection, even the beer lover like myself desires his woodford reserve when it comes to post-meal drink time. Fold two? They never taught the servers what liquors they had, thus forcing our server to retreat to take an instant inventory whenever I asked for a specific brand of adult-beverage. P.S. I'm taking the liberty of revoking Murray's man-card, raspberry beer sir? Stick to your appletinis.
(4)
Matt M.

Good food and better beer.
(4)
Glenn B.

Great atmosphere for conversation and always a great selection of on-site brewed beers on tap, including many seasonal selections. Great appetizers, and also a fairly good selection of liquor drinks / shots. Good bands on the weekends. They could probably use more seating and a bit more variety in the dinner menu, but overall this is my favorite local night-spot.
(5)
Jim P.

For the most part, a fun, happening place... THE UP-SIDE: Good food in a big, open atmosphere. Not your typical Applebee's type place, but not high-end either; somewhere in the middle. THE DOWN-SIDE: On certain nights they have bands, and that blows the atmosphere right out the window. It's way too loud. If you're looking for a nice dinner, go when there isn't a band playing. THE SUM-IT-UP: Definitely worth a visit if you go on the right night.
(4)
G W.

Willoughby Brewing Company has an outstanding selection of craft beers brewed in house. Situated in a former trolley line building, the place has lots of charm on a big scale. The service is first rate and friendly and knowledgeable about the brews. Sadly, it lacks in several other important areas. The menu tries to be creative but just ends up falling flat. Dishes that should be inventive or hearty, end up just plain weird or bland. The bathrooms are often in need of maintenance, and the entire place could use a good cleaning. To experience some great micro-brews in Willoughby, this place is a must stop, but if dinner is on your agenda, you might look elsewhere.
(2)
Tim W.

Pleasantly surprised. On a snowy saturday we decided to venture somewhere we had never been. Arrived about 1 pm to a nearly empty restaurant. Neat building cool bar with the train overhead. We both started with the blonde and were pleased. I agree rather limited beer list other than the 5-6 self brewed choices. Started with the appetizer platter. The egg rolls were very good with the buffalo dip being better than the sweet and sour dip. The quesadilla was nice with the large chunks of chicken breast meat. Nice addition was the sweet corn. Added great flavor and texture. The hit of the plate was the soft and delicate pretzel. Best I ever had. Dipping sauces were ok. We ended with pizza. Nice crisp char on the edge of the crust but the middle was soft and lacked character. Sauce was good but the chef was a little heavy handed with the dried herbs. Overpowered what would have been a pretty good pie. I would go again but now know to avoid evenings and the local cougars.
(4)
Cara L.

I agree with yelper Jen M--for lunch, WBC is a solid 3.5 stars, but I'll bump them up for their great service! We didn't imbibe, but I hear their brews are quite tasty. Instead we opted for iced teas, the brewers pretzels and I ordered the chopped cobb salad. My Mom got herself the lunch combo with the turkey avocado sandwich with the house salad for only $6.99. First, the pretzels were really delicious, fresh and perfectly seasoned with salt and a light, garlicy touch. The beer cheese dip was good, but a little too hoppy/bitter for my taste. I'd tone that down just a tad so you can enjoy the married taste of both the cheese and the beer. The mustard was spicy and tasty. My Mom's turkey avocado sammie looked divine on it's hearty whole grain bread, stacked high with aged cheddar and a basil aioli. She seemed like she was a fan. The house salad was rather plain looking, mostly green leaf lettuce, but it was HUGE. So much so I couldn't believe she got all that for only $6.99--I mean, what a deal! My chopped cobb was pretty good, nothing spectacular, but tasty. I appreciated that it was packed with toppings like egg, bacon, avocado, olives, tomatoes and grilled chicken. Speaking of, the chicken wasn't very seasoned at all and it was a little over-done, but not horrible. Besides my the lunch deal my Mom got, I thought my salad was a little overpriced at $12 dollars. I always say this, but I wish restaurants would be more realistic about how much green leaf lettuce really costs them. How is it that you can almost always get a sandwich for cheaper than an entree salad? But, again--holy lunch combo deal. I'd come back just for that! Lastly, our server was super-helpful without being overbearing. He flowed with us as we added another diner on to our table last minute and threw an order in really quickly for her. The food was out just in time for her to arrive. I mean, in the resto-industry that's really important! Well, this gent (I didn't catch his name but he was serving out on the covered patio) had it down pat, with a smile. He even separated our checks without the blink of an eye. I'm definitely planning on coming back to try out dinner and beers here. It's really a gem in the Downtown Willoughby 'hood and the rest of the menu looks pretty damn good. I hear their burgers are popular and who could pass on the buffalo chicken eggrolls?
(4)
Derek C.

I went for lunch so my experiences might not be the same as the core dinner/drinks crowd. This place would be a great business lunch location if they had WiFi. The tables are huge and it's not busy at all. In fact, we were the only people there from 11-noon and then one other table was there from noon-1. The portions of food are enormous. I probably would have just ordered the appetizers if I had known just how big the burger was going to be. As others have mentioned, the location is a little tricky to find. There is an alley by Olivor Twist. Just drive into the alley and you'll see it. There's a huge parking lot back there. They really should try to get a sign out there on Erie Street since this appears to be a common issue. Overall, a good showing. I won't be rushing back but I would go again if I was in the area.
(4)
Patrick L.

Ah, Lake County. If Cleveland is Manhattan, then surely you are its New Jersey. I guess that's what I like about you. I'm not a Manhattan-type of person. Grew up in the 'burbs, I currently live in the 'burbs, and my favorite movie is The Burbs. (Man, that Tom Hanks. Is there anything he can't do?) This underappreciated gem of the NEO brewing scene is a pretty solid go-to spot when you find yourself stalking the streets of historic downtown Willoughby hungry for a fix. The beers are nothing short of terrific. Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter? Didn't even know her! And so on and so forth.
(4)
Rick W.

Mediocre, overpriced food. The $10 "Devils on Horseback" appetizer was a decent starter, but you can't go wrong with wrapping dates in bacon. The $15 "Crispy Shrimp Taco Trio" was a huge disappointment. Institutional grade, tasteless, fried shrimp tossed into flour tortillas from the supermarket and swimming in what they called lime crema. The walleye in the "Fish N' Chips" was nicely battered and moist, but the chips consisted of a pile of the same waffles fries you get at Chik-fil-A (not an exaggeration). I guess calling them "Waffle Frites" is supposed to make them upscale and justify charging $17 for a few pieces of fried fish and fast food waffle fries. In fact, overall, it appears more effort was put into the menu layout and creative labeling of dishes than food quality and preparation. You get the feeling that WBC desperately wants to be part of the food scene, but is unwilling to hire the necessary talent in the kitchen. Oh, yeah, also got charged $5 to park in the restaurant's parking lot. Nice touch.
(2)
Chelsy C.

I come here whenever I make a trip to Cleveland. Easy to find and plenty of parking in "DTW". While I've been here probably 10 times, I've only eaten once. I come to sample the delicious beers, especially the venerable Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter, which is of course just a variation of the flagship Gutterpup Porter. The Cosmic IPA reminds me of a taste of home in Seattle where most local breweries have a similar hop profile beer. Highly recommend trying one of their samplers, each is a 3oz pour and only $1 each!
(4)
Rob G.

Best place I've been to in a long time! Every beer they make is fantastic. Great food selection too unlike many breweries. It's a classy place with good taste and high quality food and beer. If you like sports there are big screens everywhere, if you like to dance they even have A dance floor and live bands on weekends ( their website will tell you who is playing and when). Reserve a table and Expect to have a great night out!
(5)
Danial B.

Two stars because I'm in a good mood..... Went here for a rehearsal dinner weeks back. First off, the required valet parking is annoying. Maybe nice for some but not for me. The room we were in was okay at first. The chairs were CHEAP and I felt like I might break them at any given moment should I move the wrong way. The roof leaked (it was raining) less than 30 minutes into being there. Their answer? No sorry....just moved te table it was affecting clockwise as to avoid the drips and went along with the evening as if it wasn't an issue... Ok, the options for food were steak or chicken or fish. The steak I tasted from my dates plate was bland and not seared. Whatever. he chicken I ordered with some kind of weird rice/walnut crusty coating was GROSS! Dry, bland, and WEIRD!!No one liked the food and, no, I wasn't being a food snob or dick about it. The bottom line to me was....someone was paying good money for this gathering and WBC could care less. I wouldn't even give them another chance based on this.
(2)
Fay P.

Out of a table of 6, I got my meal well after the others finished. Everyone at my table had a story of poor service here, and it is a shame because the food is good. This was my 3rd bad experience so I won't be back.
(1)
Jade K.

Had a very fun lunch here!!!! My boyfriend and I were able to spend a great Saturday afternoon on the patio. Sun was shining, the beer sampler was flowing, and food was delicious. However, there were a few decent hiccups. We started off with the appetizer sampler which came with the pretzel (which was great!), the quesadilla, and buffalo chicken something with assorted dipping sauces. The pretzel was by far the best of the three and I wish we would have just went with that. Regardless, we enjoyed the sampler and the beautiful day. We then ordered the Turkey Avocado sandwich to split. We didn't even get to it -- eyes were WAY bigger than our stomachs!!! I did enjoy a few fries and they were excellent. Very crunchy and yet pillowey in the middle. They were great for "french fries". He enjoyed the sandwich later and said it was delicious. Now onto why I only gave this place three stars: 1. The bee's - we were swarmed by three bee's for our entire lunch. To the point where we had to get up because they were on the beer and the food. The server's never asked us if we wanted to move or better yet -- told us to move. They didn't even acknowledge that we were jumping away from the table to avoid getting stung. 2. The service in general. Slow. Inattentive. It didn't start that way. I guess the bartender was our server. He got our drinks and took the appetizer order. Then basically never came back. The server was switched in the middle of our meal -- which is fine -- but she didn't come over till we were long finished with the sampler to ask if we wanted anything else. Overall, it was a fun afternoon. I would go back if I was in the area, I would just sit inside.
(3)
Jessica M.

You can almost taste the Sysco brand blandness to the food here. Not terrible, just...bland. The service is okay, but nothing wonderful or terrible. The whole place is just....... so-so. No hurry to go back.
(2)
Adam B.

Awesome beer, food and atmosphere. Never had a bad experience there except when I went there craving Moondance and it wasn't on tap :)
(5)
Sarah Z.

So sad this place used to be so good. My husband and I made the trek across town for this establishment's peanut butter coffee porter. I wish I could say it was worth the trip. We ordered our first round of beers.and it was a little disappointing. Kolsch was pretty standard fare. Their raspberry beer lacks the flavor it formerly had which was a sad surprise. The food was nothing special. Their pulled pork is from an external source and was served to my husband cold. When we notified our server her response was they mix it up after they nuke it. . . yes microwaving at it's best people. The fries were way to salty. They also were not fresh they were GFS fake tato fries. The sandwich I ordered was nothing special either. Multigrain bread toasted sometime earlier in the millenia, fake smoke flavored turkey, smoked cheddar american cheese and what they called applewood bacon that was in all honesty too burnt to tell what it was other than formerly food. The coleslaw was beyond bland and looked more like vommit than food. The staff acts too cool to bother with customer service which is disappointing at a local brew pub where if anything you should feel welcomed. We gave up on a second round after sitting 15 minutes with empty glasses and not even a glance from the server. Such a shame this place used to be so much better. Not worth the drive to Willoughby Go to fathead's instead the food, sevice, atmosphere, beer, and price are all better.
(1)
R H.

The food is good. The beer is OK. Depends what's on tap. We have been there 3 times over the course of a year and the service is always bad. The first time we were ignored for at least 20 minutes before even getting water. The second time was slightly better. The third time we were done with our beers and the waitress didn't ask us if we wanted anything else. We were good customers, had an appetizer and a full board of beers, plus 2 entrees. We finally had to ask for another beer, which took forever to come out. A table behind us got similar treatment to our first experience; waiting at least 10 minutes for a server to come greet them. If the service would improve this would definitely deserve a 4 for the menu and beer.
(3)
Funglin W.

This place is good if you're just looking for your typical bar scene & clubbing scene, and you want to be able to not deal with street parking. The place is huge, it has your typical drinks, and they have live bands performing. Other than that, there's really not much unique about the Willoughby Brewing Company. Been here three times and all because of needing a large group seating or just in the mood to get some drinks down me and dance the night away. :)
(2)
Karyn S.

Atmosphere was good. Had the appetizer platter which was yummy but the Spinach con queso has no flavor- but the chips and pita chips were delicious. French onion soup was packed with cheese and had a good flavor. Steak was good and potatoes had a nice flavor. I got the lobster mac and cheese. I am not sure the mac and cheese had any cheese in it. It was not tasty at all.
(3)
SunnyAndLeonard E.

The sangria is worth your time, in our opinion. We also enjoyed the onion rings, cheeseburgers, and spinach dip. The beers are rock-solid, and you have to love the classic Cleveland beer logos on the walls. The model train? A cute touch.
(3)
Mallory K.

I've eaten here multiple times and have never been super impressed. Even so, I always hoped that it was just an "off night" and have kept it on the table as a local, quick dinner option. I'm coming to the conclusion that I may just have to stick with beer and cocktails here :/ Besides the food, it's always a good option for grabbing drinks with friends on the weekends.
(3)
Brandon S.

Went for a business meeting on a Wednesday night and there was plenty of seating, in fact it was really empty. Our server was prompt and professional and overall good. We had the pretzel for appetizer and it was very good, I would order this again. I had the pineapple salmon with asian slaw and garlic green beans. The salmon was over cooked and was just OK. If you have cooked salmon at home- yours is probably better. The asian slaw had no taste if asian flavor and was somewhat bland. The green beans advertised as garlic green beans were also very bland. Overall 3 stars. I think this place is good for drinking and some mediocre bar food and that's it. I wouldn't make a special trip to come back.
(3)
Lara Z.

Me and my roommate went here tonight for my bday dinner. For drinks: I got the blood orange margarita. I highly recommend this drink. It was so so delicious. My friend got a jack and coke and he said it packed a mean punch We got the platter as an appetizer. I loved this. It was so good; and it came with a chicken quesadilla, chicken spring rolls, and hot pretzel bites equipped with 5 dipping sauces. So so good especially since you can mix and match the dips For the entree I got the Mac and cheese with chicken. So good. Not too creamy and not too solid. It was perfect and had a breadcrumb crust. Solid dish. My friend got the fish and chips and said it was super fresh. We also kept some of the sauces from the app and he dipped his fish in some different sauces. It was really cool to experiment The service was great and super attentive. All in all it was a great experience. Their beer selection is unmatched. Seeing as though they brew their own beer in house. I love the railroad razz. To die for If you are in the area it is a must try!
(4)
Casey C.

Hello, I am writing to express how I upset and angry I am about our experience at the Ugly Sweater Party tonight 12/23/13. My brother has been looking forward to this event since last year. He put a lot of effort and time into creating his ugly sweater. He was your greatest promoter telling people about the event, posting reminders on Facebook and getting people excited. We arrived at the event at 9:00 p.m. as was the stated start time of the event. We waited and waited for the contest to begin. We were told this would begin at 11:00 p.m. 11:00 p.m. came and went and still no contest. During this time, we were having drinks and mingling with the crowd. Many people were very very drunk. We were not. Once midnight came around we asked about the contest and the bartender told us it would be at least another 30 minutes? Why would you wait to hold this contest until half if not more of your patrons are good and drunk? We waited some more. At just about 12:30 a.m. a guy and his girlfriend began to fight and plowed into our group. The boyfriend fall back into my brother and his friend. My brother regained his balanced and once again joined out table. The guy and the girl resumed their fight on the dance floor. The next thing we know, Rob, the head of security is escorting my brother away from the table. We thought they were preparing him for the contest. Much to our disbelief they were escorting him out? We couldn't believe it?? What was happening?? We find out that he was being accused of grabbing some guy's behind? We are all confused? That is not what happened at all. If he would have grabbed this guy's behind wouldn't their have been some sort of confrontation? Where was this guy that my brother supposedly grabbed? My brother did not do this. He did not grabbed anyone's behind. It really feels like he was targeted because his sweater was so elaborate and he stood out in the crowd. My brother is an upstanding citizen that has never been in trouble a day in his life. He was wrongly accused. The head of security wouldn't listen to anything. He even go really disrespectful to me when I was trying to explain what happened. Now, my brother did get really upset when he found out what was happening and rightfully so. He was completely innocent and treated very badly. He worked so hard for this event and was so excited. It seems a little suspicious to me that we were kicked out 5 minutes before the contest? This was so upsetting, embarrassing for all of us. If this is the way you treat your customers that is really too bad. I would never feel safe returning to your establishment. Rob was unprofessional and really seemed like he was trying to escalate my brother. For example, my brother said I would like the name of your store manager and Rob replied this isn't a store? Was that really necessary. It is safe to say we will never return to your restaurant and will be sure to tell others of our experience. This is so upsetting I cant even put it into words. I feel bad for people who attend your establishment and fear that this same thing may happen to them. Thanks for putting a dapper on our holiday. This is an email i sent to the GM. I have heard nothing back. What a lousy company. If i could give negative stars i would
(1)
Alicia B.

Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls. If you go there for no other reason, this alone will make it worth it! I've found their food to always be satisfying and they offer a martini and wine list along with their microbrews. We've never had the pleasure (?) of hearing any of their bands or sitting in the bar area, but they always seem to be hosting some sort of event. What I can't wrap my head around is their valet parking offering - it's a relatively small parking lot! Why would I pay you to park my car!?
(4)
Jessica I.

A strong three stars. The beer was nice and the full sampler was a bargain. Most were bit hop-obsessed for my liking (yes, I know most cool kids like that nowadays), but the peanut stout was really good and innovative. Nice food with ample portions and very quick and attentive service. The space is huge and about what you'd expect from a brewpub. If it wasn't halfway to Pennsylvania, this Westsider would be a more frequent flyer here.
(3)
Matthew M.

Burgers were damn good. Who knew jean shorts were in style? Loud 80's music! Welp, that about sums up my review. I don't think I've ever been as brief with a Yelp review, but the Haiku says everything you need to know about WBC. Oh, they also brew their own beer..... To the max! (80's slang).
(3)
Lisa M.

I recently visited this restaurant/brewing company for a friend's bachelorette party dinner and was extremely impressed! I am not a beer fan by any means but I tried the peanut butter cup coffee stout and the raspberry beer and was a fan of both! The food was way better then your average pub food, the pretzel appetizer is awesome! We had a great view of the sports games going on and although they had a mediocre band playing it wasn't so loud that we couldn't have a conversation. If I am ever in the area again I will be back, although seeing as it's in the Cleveland area and I live in Detroit - it's not a town I visit frequently. Great place however!
(4)
F M.

Went there in the late afternoon for lunch & had a GREAT waiter, Nick. At the table was a Walleye Po Boy sandwich & a chicken salad. Both pretty good. Nick was the best: bottomless coffee & very attentive. The dessert was not so great, new vendor, Costco has better stuff. The green beans were marvelous, a certain surprise. Went back the next night & others had ordered the green beans, based on my recommendation: I could tell at a glance that they wouldn't be as good as the previous afternoon, and they weren't. Shared pretzels & had the Mac & Cheese with Shrimp. The Mac & Cheese needs work, still better than most, yet not as good as Martha Stewart's: marthastewart.com/271998â€¦ To sum it up: the first day they weren't busy & we got lots of attention, good food and a great waiter., The second time was at night, they were v. busy & the food wasn't as good as the first lunch, but still, much better than many of the local places. Willoughby Brewing, we'll come back, but please work on your evening game!
(4)
Richard G.

I have eaten here many times with my family and friends the service is always top quality and the good is great and the beer is created on site and the bar tenders are very easy to talk to and take the time to explain each beer and what would be a good food pairing with it the brew co is a must go
(4)
Nicole M.

This area of Willoughby is great. The atmosphere of both the neighborhood n restaurant are very trendy. The restaurant was crowded but not packed. I recommend reservations or getting there past 7. It seems that the restaurant has more tables than the staff can handle. I'm not sure they'd be able to handle full capacity. They have their own beers, but our server wasn't very knowledgeable on the beers. She didn't even offer a sampling. She told us the specials, but didn't give details of the items. ie, my mom ordered the shrimp basket, only to find out after getting it ,that it was spicy. Overall the food was good and reasonably priced.
(3)
Allan T.

My review... Let's see. I had the BBQ beer burger. Not a fan. I ordered it medium but it had a burnt taste to it. It had a hint of bitterness to it that I was able to hide with ketchup. My wife had the cheddar beer soup. She found it to be bitter with the consistency of curdled cheese. The risotto crab cake would be really good however it was burnt. Our server Megan was fabulous though and very attentive and nice.
(2)
Murray R.

Last stop( no pun dude) on our Willoughby Yelp outing. We met up with yelper D and my father in law for a quick one at the brewery. Usual story- crowd was old losers, beer was really good, band was laughable. But the star count goes up, because we were on the patio taking in the freshly rained Lake County evening air, and having conversations about pot and food poisoning. I really had a ball all night. I could not have asked for better company. I'm thinking of reviewing individual yelpers. The bier was a Rapier Wit which i think is sort of clever.
(3)
Chris M.

My company recently held their annual kick-off party at the WBC. I'd been here before a few years ago, so I was pretty anxious to see how it changed. My company had the place from 6 until 10 (or so I thought). The staff was great. I got to go on a mini brewery tour and loved hearing about WBC's brew process. Unfortunately, I wasn't really impressed with the beer I tried. The Peanut Butter, in my opinion, was really overpowered by the coffee flavor. I couldn't find any hints of oatmeal in the Oatmeal Stout. However, the Gutterpup was the clear favorite amongst myself and others I spoke to. I would love to have that one again. I didn't try any of the appetizers they had prepared, so I can't comment on those. For dinner, we had the choice of Steak, Scallops, or Butternut Squash Ravioli (sit-down dinner, not buffet). I had the scallops and I felt mine were a little underdone and a little too salty. The cheesy rice/risotto/something that came with it was, in my mind, inedible (lukewarm, very bland). But the carrots were great. For dessert, there were lady fingers with a chocolate mousse dipping sauce, as well as a small tart filled with the mousse. The desserts just had no discernible taste. I likened eating the lady fingers to eating compressed air. Not a fan. Apparently the open bar ended at 9:30, but the bar didn't make an announcement for my company. Would have been nice to have at least gotten a verbal announcement about it (but hey, this could be on my company too, so I'm not taking this into account when calculating my Yelp score). When the band started playing and the public was let in at 9:30, I remembered why I don't go to Willoughby. The clientele of the place was this weird mix of really old and really young. Definitely not my type of crowd. I could have been brutal and gave his place 2 stars, but the staff and the actual venue were really nice, along with the Gutterpup beer I loved. I hope the food from the real menu isn't as bad as the food we were served as part of the event. Might come back and see how the menu dinner is, but I definitely won't go back for nightlife.
(3)
Samantha F.

I was super pumped to be on the East side & so close to the Willoughby Brewing Co. The man & I popped in here for a quick beer before we visited the Holden Arboretum. We did a flight of all the beers on tap to help us make our final beer selection. These are big pours for $1 each! I tried the Peanut Butter Cup beer on a recommendation from a friend; that friend & I obviously have VERY different tastes. I wasn't really impressed with anything on tap & ended up with a beer, that I didn't need to finish. We ordered the pretzel appetizer and while the pretzels were nice, warm, & soft, the side dips were crap. I know, I'm a pretzel snob, and nothing really compares to the pretzels and beer cheese side at the Haufbrauhaus. Even the amazing Guinness mustard at The Angle bar in Cleveland topped this stuff. Overall, Willoughby Brewing, you're a disappointment. I don't need to visit again.
(2)
Kevin V.

Have been there a few times and was a guest of friends of the owner and we were treated like family. Good food and love the beer sampler.
(4)
Rachel W.

I went here on a Friday night. There was a mediocre 80's band in the main bar area and techno DJ in the side bar. The band itself was ok except that there are better 80's cover bands out there. The bar was very full. The side bar with techno was so loud that you couldn't talk to someone two feet from you. The drinks were acceptable but not great. Seems like a good place to pick up a rich guy, as there were mostly older men who were slightly dressed up.
(2)
Huei C.

If there is zero star can be chose, I'll go with that one. Went there at 10/20/2013 around 6pm with group of 6. Ordered hummus as appetizer. Main entrees are potato pizza, LOBSTER GNOCCHI, ROASTED CHICKEN and burgers. 3 of us ended up having diarrhea in the middle of the night. Some came with the feeling of puking. 1 of us have acid reflex and lots of gas disturbing the whole night. Other 2 have some gas problem. Don't know what's going on with the food that evening but will definitely not going back again.
(1)
Ben S.

I had looked it up online so knew what it looked like. Therefore when my GPS announced "you have arrived" I worriedly looked around. Not to fear. It's behind the street front shops. Follow the signs for public parking and just before you get there turn left and you'll see it. They have a big private lot plus complimentary valet. The waitress was really nice. As we were finishing up a table of 12 was sitting down and with a smile she offered them all separate checks and still was attentive to us. The food was just good. I got what I thought to be the healthiest thing on the menu - the Airline Chicken with Sweet Potato succotash (which is basically sweet potatoes plus corn) and broccoli. The chicken was a good portion - 2 pieces and a lot of white meat, but perhaps cooked a bit too long. Cool area though - next time, and preferably not in the winter, I'd save some time to walk around.
(3)
Steve H.

Lots of fun here and the beer options are plentiful. We tried the streak fries and weren't disappointed! My favorite beer was the Irish stout. I wasn't as fond of the coffee stout...but I'm not a coffee drinker.
(4)
Bonna M.

My daughter and I were in Cleveland and I really wanted to stop here for a peanut butter cup coffee porter! The beer was excellent, picked up a growler for $16. We found the restaurant without any problem. Downtown Willoughby is really cute and this restaurant is tucked behind all the Main Street type shops/bars/restaurants. It is way bigger than I ever expected but their parking lot leaves something to be desired. It is small, especially with half of it blocked off for valet. Valet is free (other than the tip at the end) but since I had no cash, this wasn't an option. We finally stalked a family walking to their minivan and took their spot. When we walked in the restaurant was even larger than I thought. The hostess said it would be a 45 min wait or we could sit in one of the two bars. We chose the bar. We found a high top table and waited..and waited...and waited. We finally saw a blonde streak fly by and help the table next to us but before we knew it she was gone again. She returned 5 mins later and as she was passing by she asked for our drink order. She came back about 10 mins later but didn't stop to ask what we'd like to eat. I finally flagged her down to order pork nachos and two buffalo melts. The pork nachos were delivered about 15 mins later and overall were excellent. The pork was moist and flavorful. The BBQ sauce was out of this world. Unfortunately, 1/2 the chips were really, really stale so we ended up eating the topping and leaving the chips. Our buffalo melts were delivered about 10 mins later. They were presented nicely and the chicken was really moist. Both of us scraped the mashed potatoes off our sandwiches, that was just a little to weird. Otherwise, they were really tasty. This experience would have been a lot more enjoyable with a better server. She never told us about the appetizer specials or drink specials and was just in too much of a hurry the whole time. If I'm ever back in Cleveland I would return for their beer but not much more.
(3)
Amanda L.

There was no hostess to seat us, although the sign said to wait to be seated. So we were standing around and were ignored. We finally flagged someone down who was not really interested in customers; she told us only the bar was open. Not friendly. The alcohol is good here, but we never had the food as the kitchen closed at 10:00 pm. (We arrived at 10:02.). They also had live entertainment, but it was so loud we couldn't talk to each other. We had one drink and got outta there.
(2)
Kevin C.

The best. A brewpub with terrific food as well as first class beer. And I don't know what the history of this old brick building it's in, but it makes for a great setting. I had the pike sandwich - lightly breaded and not greasy at all. The spinach cheese appetizer, a staple of pubs, was the best I've ever had. And I don't have time to talk about how great the beers are. It's hard to find a good porter anywhere and they usually have at least two killer porters on tap. I can't get enough of this place. Treat yourself to this place.
(5)
G V.

The bf and I went here for drinks and dinner last week and loved it! First off, the complimentary valet did come in handy as it was snowing and we didn't have the patience to look for a spot in their full lot in bad weather. We walked in and sat at the bar. The only thing that didn't warrant 5 stars was the service. It took a little bit to get a bartender over to us for our first round of drinks and for them to take our food order. We sampled some of their beers and chose the pale ale and the peanut butter coffee stout. Both were amazing. As for food, I had the build-your-own mac N cheese with bacon and spinach which was yum -O. The bf ordered a sammich with chorizo and something else. I forgot what else was in it but it tasted damn good. Their fries were nice and crispy and light too. All in all, great experience despite the slow bar service. I would definitely go back.
(4)
Jessica M.

Their build your own macaroni and cheese is fantastic, and it's big enough to share. Also, the buffalo chicken egg rolls are great. Their beers are good, not great. I love the raspberry one. I have yet to experience this place on a busy weekend night; we usually go there for dinner on off nights. The servers are always attentive and nice.
(4)
Alyssa A.

I like this place if it's a weekday before 10pm. The atmosphere is great and the fermenters behind the bar always make a great conversation piece. It has the same Ballantine/1899 style since owners are close to the same. The beers that are brewed in house are excellent, Toehead is my favorite. The peanut butter coffee is also worth trying. Food is pricey but a bit above average quality but not by much. Nightlife Is a different story, ladies night (Thursday) on into the weekend leaves much to be desired. The crowd is not the establishment's fault but it seems they do promote the cougars/divorcees' of lake county. But If you are looking for quality beers with good food or even a place to watch the game... Brew Co. Could be your spot
(4)
Alexis H.

We stopped in here for a relatively late lunch a few weeks ago and started off with several beer samplers and the appetizer sampler. It came with chicken quesadillas (really good), buffalo chicken egg rolls (surprisingly good) and a pretzel (just good). The dipping sauces were great. Even for as hungry as we were, we should have stopped with the appetizer. Out of all of the beer, the stand out to me was the PB Cup Porter. I'm not typically a porter fan, and I wouldn't want to down a whole one myself, but the flavor was smooth and really quite outstanding. The Southern Cali pizza was quite tasty, unfortunately, I think we were already feeling some ill effects from the ap. (Couldn't possibly have been all the beer, right?) I never got sick, but my stomach was upset for several hours after and we were only able to eat half the pizza. The leftovers ended up being thrown out, based on the suspicion that it may cause more stomachy grossness. Bummer.
(2)
Meredith A.

I have had many bad experiences but today was the worst. Once again inlaws choice. The only good thing I can say about willoughby brewing company is their soft pretzel was very good. We got the appetizer platter and it was the only thing good on it. We did not have napkins or silverware and waited with our appetizer platter for about 10 minutes before getting utensils. Our meal came much much later. Everyone at the table did not like their meal. Two people got the steak and said it was tough. I got the sante fe salad which sucked! My husband got a sandwich and the fries were ice cold. The service sucked as did the food. It is a shame.
(1)
Joe Y.

This was our first stop on our way to Cleveland. It is slightly buried behind other buildings. Very glad we made this stop! The street it's located on is very cute, with a bunch of little mom and pop stores, food places and behind it all is giant Willoughby brewing. -The beer we sampled a bunch. Their "best" beer was listed as the Peanut Butter Coffee Stout..it wasn't horrible, but tasted mostly coffee. The Moonshadow IPA was very nice, really hoppy. The porter was okay. The Pale Ale was delicious. -As for food we got the app platter which was a pretzel, buffalo egg rolls, chicken quesadilla and it came with a great beer cheese and jelly...it was all delicious and worth getting for two. The mac and cheese was A LOT of food, but also very tasty. -The bartender whose name escapes me was an awesome guy, very knowledgeable and extremely nice. I also noticed many of the staff were special needs adults and thought it was really cool that the owners give out jobs to any qualified person and don't discriminate, so bonus points there! -All in all, this place was awesome. The size is just massive inside, two separate bars both equally huge, one inside and one outside, very clean, and just an all around great place to sit back and drink.
(4)
Karyn C.

This is another place I'd love to love. I mean honestly... local brewery, cool town, neat logo... I digress. The parking lot smells like something is rotting. The interior does not smell much better. I am one of those weirdos with a super sensitive sniffer, but yikes...I couldn't even consider eating there. I frequent Willoughby spots a lot, so I will try it again, and promise to update if I find something improved/different. The beer. Well, I can tell you as a frequent beer fest attendee - their tent usually is easy to get to because no one is clammoring to have their stuff. I was so pumped to try the famous peanut butter cup beer... which I promptly dumped. Everything I've had that has been ok has been... forgettable. Sigh. I really want to like this place.
(1)

Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.

Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.

Address : 4057 Erie St
Willoughby, OH, 44094
Phone (440) 975-0202
Website https://willoughbybrewing.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:00 am - 10

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Valet, Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes

Claim Restaurant

WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES

Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online

Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.

Search Your Favourite Restaurants.

Willoughby Brewing Co.

4057 Erie St, Willoughby, OH, 44094

Willoughby Brewing Co. Menu

Burgers

Healthy Meal suggestions for

Burgers

Healthy Meal suggestions for CheckersRally

Burgers

Ashley K.

Jerome B.

Tawnya W.

Amanda S.

Lisa D.

John M.

Katy S.

Matt C.

Brittney G.

Brooke K.

Rachel B.

Corinne K.

Mike B.

Michael M.

Laura J.

Jess B.

Brian Z.

Natalie S.

Joe B.

Bob L.

Nick V.

Lynn F.

Margaret R.

Christine G.

Mike T.

Melissa M.

Chas M.

Trista D.

Lilly S.

Alia P.

Frank U.

Kaitlin D.

William N.

Rob P.

Glenn B.

Jim P.

G W.

Tim W.

Matt C.

Brittney G.

Steve H.

Corinne K.

Mike B.

Michael M.

Laura J.

Jess B.

Brian Z.

Jerome B.

Tawnya W.

Natalie S.

Brooke K.

Rachel B.

Ashley K.

Amanda S.

Lisa D.

John M.

Katy S.

Bonna M.

Amanda L.

Chas M.

Trista D.

Lilly S.

Rob G.

Alia P.

Joe Y.

Karyn C.

Mike T.

Melissa M.

Frank U.

Kaitlin D.

William N.