The burger I got was very good, was not expecting it to be that good. I ordered the golden monkey which I definitely recommend to anyone it tastes very good and is also 9.5% alcohol. I wish they still did tours but wad told they don't due them anymore because they are currently in 24/7 production. Overall it's a cool place to experience
(4)
Kathryn M.
It was pretty neat to make the pilgrimage to Victory for brews and foodstuffs. Pennsylvania has so much stake in the beer world and I was happy to take advantage of it. My friends and I went on a Monday, which is the brew pub's taco night. If you order any large beer you can get endless tacos at half price per taco (each one was $2.50 but they're pretty generous in size). We also split a large brie, asparagus, and roasted red pepper pizza which was tasty too. Everything was delicious and I was surprised by how good their tacos were for pub grub. The beer had an extra hoppy kick that I think my friend concluded was due to its freshness. I had a Prima Pils and we split a Storm King. We concluded our meal with their new ice cream. We had chocolate Storm King ice cream and a spicy Hop Devil infused ice cream with coffee beans. Both were delicious. It's not too expensive for groups and it's awesome to see and support local brewers. I also really enjoyed the smell of fresh hops in the air when we stood outside. Also buy their t-shirts, they're awesome.
(4)
Joseph W.
This place has pretty good food, great beers and is a great experience overall. They have all the new styles of Victory obviously and you can't get it fresher! It's a very educational and tasty tour. Everyone has their favorite beers and the food is decent but the warm pretzels are out of this world good!
(4)
James G.
Victory is one of the local beers that we always have in our house. they have a wide selection of beers which have a great variety and are generally very tasty. Personally I am a fan of the Hop Devil but I'd recommend doing a sampler for anyone who visits the restaurant. Here are my thoughts on the restaurant itself: Food: All of the food we have had at Victory has been good. Most of it is pretty standard pub fare but it is well done. Beer: As mentioned before the beer is all very good. For those who live in the area it can be worth picking up a growler which you can fill up each time you go in. Brewery Tour: Tours are offered Fridays at 4 pm and Saturdays at Noon. The tour is interesting but I wouldn't plan your visit around it, there are definitely better brewery tours in the Philadelphia area. Service: On our numerous visits the staff has always been really friendly. It can get a little bit busy during happy hour but we have always been able to get a table. Atmosphere: I never visited Victory before they renovated their bar area but the new restaurant area is very clean and spacious. The other benefit of visiting the brewery is that you can go to the company store which is located next to the restaurant. They have some nice Victory souvenirs (beer towels, bottle openers, shirts, etc) and you can buy cases of Victory beer.
(4)
Russ C.
I love Victor beer. Golden Monkey, with hits high alcohol content is one of my favorite beers, and at the Brewing Company I get plenty of it. The restaurant itself is pretty forgettable with not much ambiance, but you should not be eating at a brew house for dim lighting, fancy paintings or any sort of decor. Come for the beer, stay for the beer, but don't be afraid to munch on some bar fare while you're here.
(4)
Zachary B.
I love this place. The beer is awesome the food is awesome. They always have a huge selection on tap. The atmosphere is pretty cool, makes you feel like your eating in a brewery. Major complaint: they play garbage for music on what seems to be a mix cd. minor complaint: beer prices aren't terrible but not great either. I have had victory on tap for less at other bars. They have a store with cool stuff and you can make your own mixed case. If you don't like victory then I guess that makes you a loser.
(4)
Bryanne R.
This place used to be one of my favorites. They had super awesome chicken tenders about 8 years ago. Note to Victory Brewing - BRING BACK the tenders! Recently went there (in December 05) and was disappointed. The food was OK this time around...and the service was crappy. AND it was a week night. Having the pool tables is pretty excellent though. It's also really loud here. You have to shout at your dinner mate. Damn, their beer is good. The stars weigh heavily on their beer.
(4)
Crystal M.
Amazing selection of beers. Food is really good and their menu has two sections, one that they always feature and one that changes every few months. Great atmosphere since their renovation.
(4)
Patrick M.
They make the best beer and the food is good and reasonably priced. If you are local, they do growlers of beer. We take our kids and go with friends. Not to be missed!
(4)
jackie w.
Beer great....Food good....but fix the air conditioning. It was so hot we had trouble enjoying our meal. Will return in the fall when the air conditioning will not be an issue.
(2)
Seth H.
Victory is like Downingtown's little secret. Its out in the middle of nowhere and very well hidden, but all the locals know about it. I'm not a huge beer fan, so I'm kind of an oddity there. The atmosphere is so-so. Its got an extremely long bar when you walk in and the dining area is fairly large and has a very high ceiling with a view of the brewing tanks. The food is enjoyable, though a tiny bit expensive for what you get and the menu isn't overly large with about as many appetizer choices as entrees. The nachos are worth it, however, as they're enormous and quite delicious. The pizzas are also very good, but quite pricey. Like I said, I'm not a huge fan of beer, but they do make their own root beer that's a little different every time and actually has some bite compared to current commercial root beers. The service is hit or miss, but more often miss, and the food is left sitting for too long sometimes. They're doing a major renovation so that may improve the ambiance and decibel level a bit, but I still enjoy vising Victory once every few months.
(4)
Katherine D.
The star rating is based on the store and nothing else. I love Victory beers--all of them, so I'm only rating my experience as a tourist on the hunt for some Victory loot. I'd have loved to have eaten in the brewery, but was on a mission to find the "cheesesteak corner" in Philly, but I digress. The store had lots of nice Victory items for sale. I particularly loved their t-shirts (and I don't usually go for Ts). My only complaint is that the 22-year old kid working the counter was kind of a jackass. Sorry, maybe he was having a bad day or something, but I love Victory--they make some of the best beer in the country--the least he could do is show a little enthusiasm. By the looks of me in the store, they (there were actually three kids working there) could tell I was an out-of-towner who was obviously ready to drop some $$, the least they could do would have been to talk up some of their products and show a little passion for the amazing place they work!
(4)
Jim H.
Excellent
(5)
Scott F.
The food is mediocre, but I would recommend this to any beer fan. They have a nice list of their usual beers and some seasonal and special brews that you don't see around as much.
(3)
David N.
My kids (teens) love this place so much, so I would say Victory is doing something right, other than making great beer. Their food is excellent, and the menu items are an awesome cure for the winter chill that is in the air. The beer is phenomenal and Victory does a nice job pairing their beers, ales, and stoudts with their food. The pretzels, eggplant fries, sandwiches, and pizzas keep us satisfied during every visit. The staff all are quite knowledgeable about the beers, so don't be shy, ask how the Golden Monkey is!
(4)
Wayne B.
Sunday night and a 30-40 minute wait. Wow! Our first visit. 25 beers on tap. Sandwiches were good. Will visit again if in area.
(4)
Brian M.
Good beer (brewed by Victory), better than average food (pub style), but can be really noisy and often crowded. Sill a good place to have a few pints and some food.
(3)
Kate D.
I've been to Victory a dozen or so times over the past couple years, and most of those times, I've been satisfied with the food. (Victory beers are always the highlight - no complaints there!) The food is, however, unpredictable - sometimes good, sometimes lacking. My favorite sandwich is the jerk chicken, but again, the quality is not constant. Service is as (un)reliable as the food at times. Stick with the apps, sandwiches and pizzas - skip the entrees and "bbq" selections. Remember it is a brewery foremost, so for the best experience, look to order bar food to go with the great beer selection.
(3)
Alix H.
The best thing about Victory is the samples of beer. You can order small glasses that are actually pretty big for 1-2 dollars. One thing that irked me was that our waitress said "oh yeah they're LIKE a dollar!" Operative word being "like"... We all ordered a bunch thinking they were actually a dollar, and some ended up being 2.. bummer. But still delicious. I would come back just to drink beer. Just a note- the hot wings are not like buffalo wings, which was disappointing to me. The rest of the appetizers were just ok. Onion Rings were flavorless, sweet potato fries were a little better, and chocolate lava cake was good because it's chocolate-duh. We should have just stuck with beer.
(4)
Kevin C.
Best Wings I Ever Had!
(5)
Kate C.
Assigning one rating to Victory's brewpub is difficult. On the one hand you have the beer. It's so good. So very very very good. Last night I enjoyed a Donnybrook Stout that was like drinking chocolate milk. Of course you can drink Victory beer all over Philly, but only the brewpub has the full selection. Beer = Ten (million) Stars. Then there's the food. It's never been particularly good. The pizzas are decent. The trice fries (sweet potato, regular & fried leeks) are sometimes good and sometimes bad. Everything else is either passable at best or downright gross. Last night we made the mistake of ordering black bean burgers (stupid me, it was the best entree among our party of four the last time I had eaten there). The server asked us if we wanted cheese on them. He went through a long list of available cheeses, including "gruyere with crimini mushrooms" and "mozzarella with chipotle." Well, that sounds interesting! Almost like a Monk's veggie burger, right? *wrong* He didn't mention that all of the "cheeses" are actually "cheese sauces." Mushy, flavorless black bean burger topped with white velveeta with two mushrooms tossed in? Yeah, no thanks. Very much double plus ungood. Food = one-and-a-half stars. Moving on to the decor/ambience. Post-remodeling, the space is pretty attractive now. At either end of the bar there are these giant copper domes that apparently used to be on the top of czechoslovakian beer vats or something. However, the buidling seems even more cavernous than it used to, and it's ear-splittingly noisy. If you go during the dinner hour there are children everywhere. If you go later, there are bros everywhere. Whatever, you're here for the beer. And since you're a fan of the beer, you should know that there's an onsite gift shop where you can pick up cold cases of beer. For some reason, they've kind of hidden it with the new renovation. It's back by the bathrooms. Overall ambience = three stars. The service. Yes, the servers are young and sometimes ditzy. They don't know much about the beer. The hostesses are even younger and ditzier. I've been told that it will be a 30-minute-wait, gone up to the bar to order beer, and been seated two minutes later. I've also been told that it will be "twenty" minutes only to have that stretch out into forty minutes. This is less of an issue in the remodeled restaurant because of the expanded seating. Service = two-and-a-half stars. Somehow this all adds up to a four star review. Must be the beer.
(4)
Geoff G.
Back at Victory the other night...they've got almost a dozen 'limited time' craft brews on the menu. A highlight was the Saphir Weis (if you're into the unfiltered wheat beer thing). They've got the Baltic Thunder which was tremendous...definitely try that one. Food is still meh. Had the Black and Blue burger, which was on the struck match level...watch those grills back in the kitchen folks!
(4)
Courtney H.
We had the black bean burger (Home made and delicious- AND didn't fall apart) and the Harvest pizza. I think that is what is was called- it's the one with the blue cheese sauce, chicken, tomatoes, cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Really, really good- great crust too...I almost forgot, we also had the stuffed tomato for an appetizer. It was a delicious tomato with the top chopped off and the insides scraped out and replaced with goat cheese, herbs and toasted pine nuts- drizzled with aged balsamic and herb oil- THEN baked! Ummmmm.....it was really good but very messy and we didn't get enough bread to eat it all. All in all it was really great experience and we are planning on going again- we also had great service. At one point there were about 5 kids running back and forth through the restaurant right by our table and after I told our server about it she took care of the problem- and she was really sweet about it. Thank you! On the kid note, it is a family place- not really a good date place unless you can sit in the bar area. One more thing- it is very hard to find- so just when you think you are lost it appears- seemingly- out of nowhere.
(4)
Colleen P.
The beer. Oh the beer here. Hop Devil- only the best IPA on earth. Great place too for family dinners. Loud enough to mask hyper children but not too loud to be overwhelming. Good sandwiches, pizza and munchies.
(5)
Stevie S.
With breweries I always have a hard time organizing my thoughts for the review since I'm reviewing their restaurant, the beers they brew and sometimes the tour they give. Now that I've been here twice (and with almost a year in between visits) I feel like I can write a well-informed review. I will focus more on the most recent visit (two days ago) since it is fresh in my mind. Location: I really wish it was closer to Philly so I could go more often. It's pretty tough to bike all the way out there to fill up on food and brews then immediately bike back. Luckily this past visit we were camping only 9 miles away. Typical of a suburban brewery, the outside isn't much to look at and it's a little lost in a sea of parking and commercial strip. Inside, however, is nicely done. Beers: Golden Monkey, Lager, Hop Devil and Storm King are some favorites that can be found fairly easily in Philly. My new favorite, though, is a coffee beer that goes by 'Victory Village' - a tasty collaborative brew with One Village Coffee (Souderton, PA). Not a coffee porter but it's REALLY delicious if you like that sorta taste! Restaurant: Great service, pretty great food (have only had vegetarian items, though), plenty of room for large groups... A+ brewery restaurant! Doubt I'll make it out again this year but I'm looking forward to my next visit!
(5)
Trevor T.
Great beer, great food, great setting. Get the storm king on nitro and the pretzels. Yum.
(5)
Serena O.
I have been here many times for drinks, but I recently have had a birthday party there. They were great to deal with for the party (~30 people). Everything went smoothly, it was much appreciated and everyone was thrilled with the food and beer. Perfeact birthday party = nachos, soft pretzels, wings, pizza, and great BEER! Absolutely reccomend for get togethers!
(5)
lee c.
Ok, this is a biased score 'cuz this place is in my adopted hometown of downingtown, but its good nonetheless. Now first off, the beer speaks for itself. If you haven't heard of the HopDevil, well, i don't know what. I guess you've heard of it now. Anyways, the HopDevil is just one of their award winning micro brews, and while it isn't really my favorite (its a hoppy IPA), all of their beers are extremely good... beyond extremely good. DRINK VICTORY BEER. seriously, at least try it, you'll thank me. They also have a restaurant thing going on. now personally, i've got no complaints about the food there. tonight i had a very delicious cajun tuna wrap. but handfuls of people in my circles typically consider their food as "OK", or "just bar food". Personally, i don't care, i'm there for the beer.
(5)
Jennifer L.
Definitely bumping up Victory's rating. Over the last couple of years their kitchen has seen ENORMOUS improvement, which is terrific. They very wisely ditched the weird two-burger approach in favor of a nice fat single patty befitting a brewpub. So proud (and lucky!) to have these guys just a short drive away!
(4)
Michelle P.
When it came to choosing a college, i had very picky criteria. I needed a smaller school, with a good science dept, that had a good basketball team and a marching band. My parents... well they were willing to shell out the money as long as it had two things a)a good basketball team and b) a nearby brewpub. Having a very good brew pub nearby was just more incentive to visit! Looking back, maybe i should have chose somewhere that didn't..... There were many a parents weekends and Sunday afternoon lunches spent at Victory, about half an hour from Villanova. We got to know some of the bartenders and a brewer even let me go back and help him brew! Needless to say every time we've been here, the people have been amazingly friendly and helpful. We went this weekend for fathers day and I was so impressed with their new facility. Its huge! When we got there at 1130 they were still serving brunch and had a fantastic brunch menu but we weren't really in the mood for that and decided to wait for dinner. We got some fruit and potatoes to tide us over until lunch. I would say there was maybe 15 people in the whole place. Their lunch menu is smaller, but still tasty. Their double stuffed burger looked absolutely awesome. I opted for the jerk chicken sandwich which was very tasty... just slightly spicy! My mom got a pizza, which they always do a really good job with. I thought the food had definitely improved. Then their is of course the beers.... they have everything you could potentially want. My favorite is the Prima Pills, very light and refreshing. They have a huge book that describes in detail all of the styles of beer so that you know what you're getting in to before you order. I think that's very helpful. By the time we left the place was PACKED. There was a huge line and standing room only at the bar. Guess my dad wasn't the only one who just wanted beer for fathers day... I can definitely see how this place could get crowded and the wait time could be ridiculous, but i think its worth the wait :)
(5)
Dr Z.
I've been going to Victory since it opened. The recent renovations make the are an improvement however I wish there was more bar seating. The beer is great. Great selection and qualtity as well as a well trained staff. Food has always been great (great pub food). Hearty selection of sandwiches, pizzas, etc. The new addition to the menu are the BBQ items. I've had the SC Pork sandwich and it wa just OK. Pizzas are very good. Best item on menu are the wings. TIP: Wednsdays are 1/2 price wings (dine in only) - so you can scarf down 8 wings for $3.50. SWWWWEEETT.
(4)
Sally f.
GREAT BEER. great food. nice servers. the place itself has nice big open spaces for large groups. but it leaves you feeling too much like you are in a warehouse. lacking any natural light. and the strong bleach smell kinda bothered me.
(3)
Joe B.
Hop Wallop! I'm all about the hoppy beers and this one did not let me down. For hop lovers Victory Brewing has a couple of gems that compete with the best of them. HopDevil is also another great beer and is actually the reason we drove an hour through the cluster of east coast roads to get to Victory. Having a good beer on tap does wonders for forgiveness. The stout was also very tasty. We had some burgers and pizza that were decent but I can't say much for the atmosphere of the restaurant, it's in a brewery. Good thing though because it seems that great beer and great food don't typically mix well in the same building. And yes, it's loud.
(4)
Christopher H.
likely the best. anywhere. i would consider living in my van in downingtown to be near this particular slice of perfection. unavailable in new orleans but look for victory beers in pensacola and at that hip little corner store in grayton beach just downy ocean.
(5)
Lis G.
Oh Victory. I never truly appreciated you until I moved away from the glorious Tri-State and was left with a you-shaped hole in my heart. Sure, I can find your tasty bottles and brews at pretty much every liquor store and self respecting pub in my new home of Boston, but it's just not the same. I knew you in the dingy, old glory days before your handsome new facade attracted a whole new crowd of Enthusiasts. Waxing lyrical aside, though, Victory is a tried and true font of delicious beer, solid pub food, and good times. Despite the face lift, both the menu and and their tap list have remained largely unchanged - a good thing, since they have better (and more delicious) things to do besides fixing what isn't broken. Beer tends to be a very subjective experience, but in my opinion you can't go wrong with a Stormking (a dark, creamy stout) or a Golden Monkey (Belgian Tripel); HopDevil and/or Hop Wallop are delightfully unique, but might be a bit too hoppy for someone more accustomed to mainstream beers. I've heard rumors that they have a good selection of other, non-Victory beers as well, but I've never personally confirmed this - going to Victory and drinking something other than Victory would be like going to Pat's and ordering a hot dog. Food wise, their Thrice Fries (potatoes, sweet potatoes, and leeks) and Wings of Victory (probably my favorite wings in Greater Philly) are both excellent appetizers, and I'm also a fan of their fresh pretzels, though they're a little incongruous as a meal starter. As to entrees, their pizzas are pretty universally favorable and sport some unique combinations of toppings/flavors, but the money is in the barbecue: the salmon with Stormking and maple glaze is always a pleaser, and in my book you can never go wrong with a BBQ beef brisket sandwich with 3 choices of beer-based sauce. And, this may sound odd, but beyond the above their best (and most unique) culinary item is their ice cream. They partnered with a local dairy/creamery to turn some of their choice brews into seriously amazing desserts. Caramel Golden Monkey (sweet, but not overly so, with a hint of a hoppy, fruity finish) and Stormking (smooth, malty and with more pronounced chocolaty/coffee flavors than the actual stout) are at the top of my ice cream all-time favorites, and that's saying something. Alas, in my experience Victory only makes this treat during the summer, and in small quantities, so be sure to ask what's available - it's rarely on the menu proper. All in all, a true Tri-State institution for a casual night out with good friends and good beer.
(4)
ed e.
I have been coming here since they opened in 1995. They just remodeled and if you haven't been in here in a while you won't recognize it. The cosmetic part of the remodel was easily into 7 digits and with the brewery, bottling, and square footage increase it has got to be into 8 digits. I miss the old place out of pure nostalgia, but they did a great job. The beer is without a doubt some of the best in the northeast and has proven to be some of the best in the country. Their brewmaster (Bill) is dialed in, and always has been. The beer menu is big and changes, but their seasonals/speicail brews become so appreciated they have continued some of them all year. The beer is a solid 5 stars at Victory. Food at the old Victory was hit or miss. The brick oven helps some of their pizzas. Since the renovation the food is a little improved, but it really isn't too much to write home about. If this place wasn't home brewing and bottling, the food would not pay the rent. 3 stars for the food, 5 for the beer, 4 average........ Horrible parking lot. You will wait for dinner on thurs-sun. Very popular early (430-530pm) dinner crowd for families with kids, in an area where many of the kids can be pretty loud, obnoxious, and annoying (just like most of their parents)
(4)
Adolfo W.
The best thing about this place was the t-shirts. The beer was OK and the food was actually not very good.
(2)
big b.
Strangely enough, I was first introduced to Victory microbrews when I still lived in San Diego. Little did I know that a few years later I would be relocating to about an hour away from the brewery itself. On second thought I should have moved closer! The good news for all of us is that Victory beers are available at most decent distributors in the area. They brew quite a wide variety of styles and all of them are solid. If you are trying to eat and drink more "locally" then you should really give victory a try. I really enjoy taking a couple german made growlers home occasionally. They are very cool looking and the beer always seems a little better when it is fresh from the tap. I agree with the others that the food is decent for pub fare. However the beer is exceptional and worth the trip. Cheers! Brian
(5)
Ray L.
My brother-in-law brought the Pursuit Pale Ale to Charlotte with him this week, and I have one question...when are you going to distribute in Charlotte? Very enjoyable!
(4)
Matt R.
Tucked away, 45 minutes from Philly, fantastic beer. Huge place. Great staff and beer. We skipped the food, but I would not expect much. It doesn't seem like a restaurant first, beer takes priority to them. Wrightly so
(5)
Ryan L.
Off the beaten path but well worth the effort. I travel to Malvern, PA every few months for business and, for me, no trip is complete without a trip to Victory for a couple of cask conditioned Hop-Devils and their cheesesteak. Their waitresses are always pleasant, even when it's packed, and the decor is nice and casual. I usually take home a pint glass or two from their retail store as well. Parking can be kind of a pain in the butt depending on when you go, but the industrial park location seems to add to Victory's charm.
(4)
Matt W.
Nice hidden well known brewery, Food gets a nothing special rating. Beer is fresh, Service is 50/50. Hit or miss and theres usually a wait at dinner or on weekends.
(4)
Matthew G.
Victory is a great place to try a variety of excellent beer and great food. A sure thing for any beer fan right at the source of it all!
Ryan U.
The burger I got was very good, was not expecting it to be that good. I ordered the golden monkey which I definitely recommend to anyone it tastes very good and is also 9.5% alcohol. I wish they still did tours but wad told they don't due them anymore because they are currently in 24/7 production. Overall it's a cool place to experience
(4)Kathryn M.
It was pretty neat to make the pilgrimage to Victory for brews and foodstuffs. Pennsylvania has so much stake in the beer world and I was happy to take advantage of it. My friends and I went on a Monday, which is the brew pub's taco night. If you order any large beer you can get endless tacos at half price per taco (each one was $2.50 but they're pretty generous in size). We also split a large brie, asparagus, and roasted red pepper pizza which was tasty too. Everything was delicious and I was surprised by how good their tacos were for pub grub. The beer had an extra hoppy kick that I think my friend concluded was due to its freshness. I had a Prima Pils and we split a Storm King. We concluded our meal with their new ice cream. We had chocolate Storm King ice cream and a spicy Hop Devil infused ice cream with coffee beans. Both were delicious. It's not too expensive for groups and it's awesome to see and support local brewers. I also really enjoyed the smell of fresh hops in the air when we stood outside. Also buy their t-shirts, they're awesome.
(4)Joseph W.
This place has pretty good food, great beers and is a great experience overall. They have all the new styles of Victory obviously and you can't get it fresher! It's a very educational and tasty tour. Everyone has their favorite beers and the food is decent but the warm pretzels are out of this world good!
(4)James G.
Victory is one of the local beers that we always have in our house. they have a wide selection of beers which have a great variety and are generally very tasty. Personally I am a fan of the Hop Devil but I'd recommend doing a sampler for anyone who visits the restaurant. Here are my thoughts on the restaurant itself: Food: All of the food we have had at Victory has been good. Most of it is pretty standard pub fare but it is well done. Beer: As mentioned before the beer is all very good. For those who live in the area it can be worth picking up a growler which you can fill up each time you go in. Brewery Tour: Tours are offered Fridays at 4 pm and Saturdays at Noon. The tour is interesting but I wouldn't plan your visit around it, there are definitely better brewery tours in the Philadelphia area. Service: On our numerous visits the staff has always been really friendly. It can get a little bit busy during happy hour but we have always been able to get a table. Atmosphere: I never visited Victory before they renovated their bar area but the new restaurant area is very clean and spacious. The other benefit of visiting the brewery is that you can go to the company store which is located next to the restaurant. They have some nice Victory souvenirs (beer towels, bottle openers, shirts, etc) and you can buy cases of Victory beer.
(4)Russ C.
I love Victor beer. Golden Monkey, with hits high alcohol content is one of my favorite beers, and at the Brewing Company I get plenty of it. The restaurant itself is pretty forgettable with not much ambiance, but you should not be eating at a brew house for dim lighting, fancy paintings or any sort of decor. Come for the beer, stay for the beer, but don't be afraid to munch on some bar fare while you're here.
(4)Zachary B.
I love this place. The beer is awesome the food is awesome. They always have a huge selection on tap. The atmosphere is pretty cool, makes you feel like your eating in a brewery. Major complaint: they play garbage for music on what seems to be a mix cd. minor complaint: beer prices aren't terrible but not great either. I have had victory on tap for less at other bars. They have a store with cool stuff and you can make your own mixed case. If you don't like victory then I guess that makes you a loser.
(4)Bryanne R.
This place used to be one of my favorites. They had super awesome chicken tenders about 8 years ago. Note to Victory Brewing - BRING BACK the tenders! Recently went there (in December 05) and was disappointed. The food was OK this time around...and the service was crappy. AND it was a week night. Having the pool tables is pretty excellent though. It's also really loud here. You have to shout at your dinner mate. Damn, their beer is good. The stars weigh heavily on their beer.
(4)Crystal M.
Amazing selection of beers. Food is really good and their menu has two sections, one that they always feature and one that changes every few months. Great atmosphere since their renovation.
(4)Patrick M.
They make the best beer and the food is good and reasonably priced. If you are local, they do growlers of beer. We take our kids and go with friends. Not to be missed!
(4)jackie w.
Beer great....Food good....but fix the air conditioning. It was so hot we had trouble enjoying our meal. Will return in the fall when the air conditioning will not be an issue.
(2)Seth H.
Victory is like Downingtown's little secret. Its out in the middle of nowhere and very well hidden, but all the locals know about it. I'm not a huge beer fan, so I'm kind of an oddity there. The atmosphere is so-so. Its got an extremely long bar when you walk in and the dining area is fairly large and has a very high ceiling with a view of the brewing tanks. The food is enjoyable, though a tiny bit expensive for what you get and the menu isn't overly large with about as many appetizer choices as entrees. The nachos are worth it, however, as they're enormous and quite delicious. The pizzas are also very good, but quite pricey. Like I said, I'm not a huge fan of beer, but they do make their own root beer that's a little different every time and actually has some bite compared to current commercial root beers. The service is hit or miss, but more often miss, and the food is left sitting for too long sometimes. They're doing a major renovation so that may improve the ambiance and decibel level a bit, but I still enjoy vising Victory once every few months.
(4)Katherine D.
The star rating is based on the store and nothing else. I love Victory beers--all of them, so I'm only rating my experience as a tourist on the hunt for some Victory loot. I'd have loved to have eaten in the brewery, but was on a mission to find the "cheesesteak corner" in Philly, but I digress. The store had lots of nice Victory items for sale. I particularly loved their t-shirts (and I don't usually go for Ts). My only complaint is that the 22-year old kid working the counter was kind of a jackass. Sorry, maybe he was having a bad day or something, but I love Victory--they make some of the best beer in the country--the least he could do is show a little enthusiasm. By the looks of me in the store, they (there were actually three kids working there) could tell I was an out-of-towner who was obviously ready to drop some $$, the least they could do would have been to talk up some of their products and show a little passion for the amazing place they work!
(4)Jim H.
Excellent
(5)Scott F.
The food is mediocre, but I would recommend this to any beer fan. They have a nice list of their usual beers and some seasonal and special brews that you don't see around as much.
(3)David N.
My kids (teens) love this place so much, so I would say Victory is doing something right, other than making great beer. Their food is excellent, and the menu items are an awesome cure for the winter chill that is in the air. The beer is phenomenal and Victory does a nice job pairing their beers, ales, and stoudts with their food. The pretzels, eggplant fries, sandwiches, and pizzas keep us satisfied during every visit. The staff all are quite knowledgeable about the beers, so don't be shy, ask how the Golden Monkey is!
(4)Wayne B.
Sunday night and a 30-40 minute wait. Wow! Our first visit. 25 beers on tap. Sandwiches were good. Will visit again if in area.
(4)Brian M.
Good beer (brewed by Victory), better than average food (pub style), but can be really noisy and often crowded. Sill a good place to have a few pints and some food.
(3)Kate D.
I've been to Victory a dozen or so times over the past couple years, and most of those times, I've been satisfied with the food. (Victory beers are always the highlight - no complaints there!) The food is, however, unpredictable - sometimes good, sometimes lacking. My favorite sandwich is the jerk chicken, but again, the quality is not constant. Service is as (un)reliable as the food at times. Stick with the apps, sandwiches and pizzas - skip the entrees and "bbq" selections. Remember it is a brewery foremost, so for the best experience, look to order bar food to go with the great beer selection.
(3)Alix H.
The best thing about Victory is the samples of beer. You can order small glasses that are actually pretty big for 1-2 dollars. One thing that irked me was that our waitress said "oh yeah they're LIKE a dollar!" Operative word being "like"... We all ordered a bunch thinking they were actually a dollar, and some ended up being 2.. bummer. But still delicious. I would come back just to drink beer. Just a note- the hot wings are not like buffalo wings, which was disappointing to me. The rest of the appetizers were just ok. Onion Rings were flavorless, sweet potato fries were a little better, and chocolate lava cake was good because it's chocolate-duh. We should have just stuck with beer.
(4)Kevin C.
Best Wings I Ever Had!
(5)Kate C.
Assigning one rating to Victory's brewpub is difficult. On the one hand you have the beer. It's so good. So very very very good. Last night I enjoyed a Donnybrook Stout that was like drinking chocolate milk. Of course you can drink Victory beer all over Philly, but only the brewpub has the full selection. Beer = Ten (million) Stars. Then there's the food. It's never been particularly good. The pizzas are decent. The trice fries (sweet potato, regular & fried leeks) are sometimes good and sometimes bad. Everything else is either passable at best or downright gross. Last night we made the mistake of ordering black bean burgers (stupid me, it was the best entree among our party of four the last time I had eaten there). The server asked us if we wanted cheese on them. He went through a long list of available cheeses, including "gruyere with crimini mushrooms" and "mozzarella with chipotle." Well, that sounds interesting! Almost like a Monk's veggie burger, right? *wrong* He didn't mention that all of the "cheeses" are actually "cheese sauces." Mushy, flavorless black bean burger topped with white velveeta with two mushrooms tossed in? Yeah, no thanks. Very much double plus ungood. Food = one-and-a-half stars. Moving on to the decor/ambience. Post-remodeling, the space is pretty attractive now. At either end of the bar there are these giant copper domes that apparently used to be on the top of czechoslovakian beer vats or something. However, the buidling seems even more cavernous than it used to, and it's ear-splittingly noisy. If you go during the dinner hour there are children everywhere. If you go later, there are bros everywhere. Whatever, you're here for the beer. And since you're a fan of the beer, you should know that there's an onsite gift shop where you can pick up cold cases of beer. For some reason, they've kind of hidden it with the new renovation. It's back by the bathrooms. Overall ambience = three stars. The service. Yes, the servers are young and sometimes ditzy. They don't know much about the beer. The hostesses are even younger and ditzier. I've been told that it will be a 30-minute-wait, gone up to the bar to order beer, and been seated two minutes later. I've also been told that it will be "twenty" minutes only to have that stretch out into forty minutes. This is less of an issue in the remodeled restaurant because of the expanded seating. Service = two-and-a-half stars. Somehow this all adds up to a four star review. Must be the beer.
(4)Geoff G.
Back at Victory the other night...they've got almost a dozen 'limited time' craft brews on the menu. A highlight was the Saphir Weis (if you're into the unfiltered wheat beer thing). They've got the Baltic Thunder which was tremendous...definitely try that one. Food is still meh. Had the Black and Blue burger, which was on the struck match level...watch those grills back in the kitchen folks!
(4)Courtney H.
We had the black bean burger (Home made and delicious- AND didn't fall apart) and the Harvest pizza. I think that is what is was called- it's the one with the blue cheese sauce, chicken, tomatoes, cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Really, really good- great crust too...I almost forgot, we also had the stuffed tomato for an appetizer. It was a delicious tomato with the top chopped off and the insides scraped out and replaced with goat cheese, herbs and toasted pine nuts- drizzled with aged balsamic and herb oil- THEN baked! Ummmmm.....it was really good but very messy and we didn't get enough bread to eat it all. All in all it was really great experience and we are planning on going again- we also had great service. At one point there were about 5 kids running back and forth through the restaurant right by our table and after I told our server about it she took care of the problem- and she was really sweet about it. Thank you! On the kid note, it is a family place- not really a good date place unless you can sit in the bar area. One more thing- it is very hard to find- so just when you think you are lost it appears- seemingly- out of nowhere.
(4)Colleen P.
The beer. Oh the beer here. Hop Devil- only the best IPA on earth. Great place too for family dinners. Loud enough to mask hyper children but not too loud to be overwhelming. Good sandwiches, pizza and munchies.
(5)Stevie S.
With breweries I always have a hard time organizing my thoughts for the review since I'm reviewing their restaurant, the beers they brew and sometimes the tour they give. Now that I've been here twice (and with almost a year in between visits) I feel like I can write a well-informed review. I will focus more on the most recent visit (two days ago) since it is fresh in my mind. Location: I really wish it was closer to Philly so I could go more often. It's pretty tough to bike all the way out there to fill up on food and brews then immediately bike back. Luckily this past visit we were camping only 9 miles away. Typical of a suburban brewery, the outside isn't much to look at and it's a little lost in a sea of parking and commercial strip. Inside, however, is nicely done. Beers: Golden Monkey, Lager, Hop Devil and Storm King are some favorites that can be found fairly easily in Philly. My new favorite, though, is a coffee beer that goes by 'Victory Village' - a tasty collaborative brew with One Village Coffee (Souderton, PA). Not a coffee porter but it's REALLY delicious if you like that sorta taste! Restaurant: Great service, pretty great food (have only had vegetarian items, though), plenty of room for large groups... A+ brewery restaurant! Doubt I'll make it out again this year but I'm looking forward to my next visit!
(5)Trevor T.
Great beer, great food, great setting. Get the storm king on nitro and the pretzels. Yum.
(5)Serena O.
I have been here many times for drinks, but I recently have had a birthday party there. They were great to deal with for the party (~30 people). Everything went smoothly, it was much appreciated and everyone was thrilled with the food and beer. Perfeact birthday party = nachos, soft pretzels, wings, pizza, and great BEER! Absolutely reccomend for get togethers!
(5)lee c.
Ok, this is a biased score 'cuz this place is in my adopted hometown of downingtown, but its good nonetheless. Now first off, the beer speaks for itself. If you haven't heard of the HopDevil, well, i don't know what. I guess you've heard of it now. Anyways, the HopDevil is just one of their award winning micro brews, and while it isn't really my favorite (its a hoppy IPA), all of their beers are extremely good... beyond extremely good. DRINK VICTORY BEER. seriously, at least try it, you'll thank me. They also have a restaurant thing going on. now personally, i've got no complaints about the food there. tonight i had a very delicious cajun tuna wrap. but handfuls of people in my circles typically consider their food as "OK", or "just bar food". Personally, i don't care, i'm there for the beer.
(5)Jennifer L.
Definitely bumping up Victory's rating. Over the last couple of years their kitchen has seen ENORMOUS improvement, which is terrific. They very wisely ditched the weird two-burger approach in favor of a nice fat single patty befitting a brewpub. So proud (and lucky!) to have these guys just a short drive away!
(4)Michelle P.
When it came to choosing a college, i had very picky criteria. I needed a smaller school, with a good science dept, that had a good basketball team and a marching band. My parents... well they were willing to shell out the money as long as it had two things a)a good basketball team and b) a nearby brewpub. Having a very good brew pub nearby was just more incentive to visit! Looking back, maybe i should have chose somewhere that didn't..... There were many a parents weekends and Sunday afternoon lunches spent at Victory, about half an hour from Villanova. We got to know some of the bartenders and a brewer even let me go back and help him brew! Needless to say every time we've been here, the people have been amazingly friendly and helpful. We went this weekend for fathers day and I was so impressed with their new facility. Its huge! When we got there at 1130 they were still serving brunch and had a fantastic brunch menu but we weren't really in the mood for that and decided to wait for dinner. We got some fruit and potatoes to tide us over until lunch. I would say there was maybe 15 people in the whole place. Their lunch menu is smaller, but still tasty. Their double stuffed burger looked absolutely awesome. I opted for the jerk chicken sandwich which was very tasty... just slightly spicy! My mom got a pizza, which they always do a really good job with. I thought the food had definitely improved. Then their is of course the beers.... they have everything you could potentially want. My favorite is the Prima Pills, very light and refreshing. They have a huge book that describes in detail all of the styles of beer so that you know what you're getting in to before you order. I think that's very helpful. By the time we left the place was PACKED. There was a huge line and standing room only at the bar. Guess my dad wasn't the only one who just wanted beer for fathers day... I can definitely see how this place could get crowded and the wait time could be ridiculous, but i think its worth the wait :)
(5)Dr Z.
I've been going to Victory since it opened. The recent renovations make the are an improvement however I wish there was more bar seating. The beer is great. Great selection and qualtity as well as a well trained staff. Food has always been great (great pub food). Hearty selection of sandwiches, pizzas, etc. The new addition to the menu are the BBQ items. I've had the SC Pork sandwich and it wa just OK. Pizzas are very good. Best item on menu are the wings. TIP: Wednsdays are 1/2 price wings (dine in only) - so you can scarf down 8 wings for $3.50. SWWWWEEETT.
(4)Sally f.
GREAT BEER. great food. nice servers. the place itself has nice big open spaces for large groups. but it leaves you feeling too much like you are in a warehouse. lacking any natural light. and the strong bleach smell kinda bothered me.
(3)Joe B.
Hop Wallop! I'm all about the hoppy beers and this one did not let me down. For hop lovers Victory Brewing has a couple of gems that compete with the best of them. HopDevil is also another great beer and is actually the reason we drove an hour through the cluster of east coast roads to get to Victory. Having a good beer on tap does wonders for forgiveness. The stout was also very tasty. We had some burgers and pizza that were decent but I can't say much for the atmosphere of the restaurant, it's in a brewery. Good thing though because it seems that great beer and great food don't typically mix well in the same building. And yes, it's loud.
(4)Christopher H.
likely the best. anywhere. i would consider living in my van in downingtown to be near this particular slice of perfection. unavailable in new orleans but look for victory beers in pensacola and at that hip little corner store in grayton beach just downy ocean.
(5)Lis G.
Oh Victory. I never truly appreciated you until I moved away from the glorious Tri-State and was left with a you-shaped hole in my heart. Sure, I can find your tasty bottles and brews at pretty much every liquor store and self respecting pub in my new home of Boston, but it's just not the same. I knew you in the dingy, old glory days before your handsome new facade attracted a whole new crowd of Enthusiasts. Waxing lyrical aside, though, Victory is a tried and true font of delicious beer, solid pub food, and good times. Despite the face lift, both the menu and and their tap list have remained largely unchanged - a good thing, since they have better (and more delicious) things to do besides fixing what isn't broken. Beer tends to be a very subjective experience, but in my opinion you can't go wrong with a Stormking (a dark, creamy stout) or a Golden Monkey (Belgian Tripel); HopDevil and/or Hop Wallop are delightfully unique, but might be a bit too hoppy for someone more accustomed to mainstream beers. I've heard rumors that they have a good selection of other, non-Victory beers as well, but I've never personally confirmed this - going to Victory and drinking something other than Victory would be like going to Pat's and ordering a hot dog. Food wise, their Thrice Fries (potatoes, sweet potatoes, and leeks) and Wings of Victory (probably my favorite wings in Greater Philly) are both excellent appetizers, and I'm also a fan of their fresh pretzels, though they're a little incongruous as a meal starter. As to entrees, their pizzas are pretty universally favorable and sport some unique combinations of toppings/flavors, but the money is in the barbecue: the salmon with Stormking and maple glaze is always a pleaser, and in my book you can never go wrong with a BBQ beef brisket sandwich with 3 choices of beer-based sauce. And, this may sound odd, but beyond the above their best (and most unique) culinary item is their ice cream. They partnered with a local dairy/creamery to turn some of their choice brews into seriously amazing desserts. Caramel Golden Monkey (sweet, but not overly so, with a hint of a hoppy, fruity finish) and Stormking (smooth, malty and with more pronounced chocolaty/coffee flavors than the actual stout) are at the top of my ice cream all-time favorites, and that's saying something. Alas, in my experience Victory only makes this treat during the summer, and in small quantities, so be sure to ask what's available - it's rarely on the menu proper. All in all, a true Tri-State institution for a casual night out with good friends and good beer.
(4)ed e.
I have been coming here since they opened in 1995. They just remodeled and if you haven't been in here in a while you won't recognize it. The cosmetic part of the remodel was easily into 7 digits and with the brewery, bottling, and square footage increase it has got to be into 8 digits. I miss the old place out of pure nostalgia, but they did a great job. The beer is without a doubt some of the best in the northeast and has proven to be some of the best in the country. Their brewmaster (Bill) is dialed in, and always has been. The beer menu is big and changes, but their seasonals/speicail brews become so appreciated they have continued some of them all year. The beer is a solid 5 stars at Victory. Food at the old Victory was hit or miss. The brick oven helps some of their pizzas. Since the renovation the food is a little improved, but it really isn't too much to write home about. If this place wasn't home brewing and bottling, the food would not pay the rent. 3 stars for the food, 5 for the beer, 4 average........ Horrible parking lot. You will wait for dinner on thurs-sun. Very popular early (430-530pm) dinner crowd for families with kids, in an area where many of the kids can be pretty loud, obnoxious, and annoying (just like most of their parents)
(4)Adolfo W.
The best thing about this place was the t-shirts. The beer was OK and the food was actually not very good.
(2)big b.
Strangely enough, I was first introduced to Victory microbrews when I still lived in San Diego. Little did I know that a few years later I would be relocating to about an hour away from the brewery itself. On second thought I should have moved closer! The good news for all of us is that Victory beers are available at most decent distributors in the area. They brew quite a wide variety of styles and all of them are solid. If you are trying to eat and drink more "locally" then you should really give victory a try. I really enjoy taking a couple german made growlers home occasionally. They are very cool looking and the beer always seems a little better when it is fresh from the tap. I agree with the others that the food is decent for pub fare. However the beer is exceptional and worth the trip. Cheers! Brian
(5)Ray L.
My brother-in-law brought the Pursuit Pale Ale to Charlotte with him this week, and I have one question...when are you going to distribute in Charlotte? Very enjoyable!
(4)Matt R.
Tucked away, 45 minutes from Philly, fantastic beer. Huge place. Great staff and beer. We skipped the food, but I would not expect much. It doesn't seem like a restaurant first, beer takes priority to them. Wrightly so
(5)Ryan L.
Off the beaten path but well worth the effort. I travel to Malvern, PA every few months for business and, for me, no trip is complete without a trip to Victory for a couple of cask conditioned Hop-Devils and their cheesesteak. Their waitresses are always pleasant, even when it's packed, and the decor is nice and casual. I usually take home a pint glass or two from their retail store as well. Parking can be kind of a pain in the butt depending on when you go, but the industrial park location seems to add to Victory's charm.
(4)Matt W.
Nice hidden well known brewery, Food gets a nothing special rating. Beer is fresh, Service is 50/50. Hit or miss and theres usually a wait at dinner or on weekends.
(4)Matthew G.
Victory is a great place to try a variety of excellent beer and great food. A sure thing for any beer fan right at the source of it all!
(5)