My husband and I recently dined at Ale House for a date night after a friend raved about it. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by every single employee we walked by. We went at about 6pm on a Friday night and it wasn't super crowded, which was nice. Right away, we loved the layout and decor. It as definitely our kind of place. From the outside, it looks pretty small but it's not! We were brought upstairs to our table. We unfortunately had the absolute worst table in the house. Upstairs all the way in a back, dark corner. It was nice for us because it was private, but we couldn't really check out the restaurant. The waitress offered to move us but we just stayed put.
We were impressed by the beer selection. And even more impressed by the menu. We couldn't agree on an appetizer, so we each ordered our own. My husband ordered the Calamari and I order the fried pickles. He liked the calamari and the pickles were okay. I've definitely had better! It took us quite some time to decide on our entree. We were happy to get great feed back on the menu from our very sweet waitress and she was able to help us narrow our choices down. My husband ordered the Spicy Fish Wrap. He isn't one to normally order a wrap from a restaurant, but he really enjoyed it! I ordered the Short Rib Grilled Cheese and it was TO.DIE.FOR. The fries/frites are amazing and FRESH!
The staff is very accommodating and friendly. The food is great. We are already looking forward to visiting again so we can try something new! Price wise, it wasn't bad. The two of us ordered 2 appetizers, 2 entrees and 3 beers plus over 20% tip, it was around $80. The area the restaurant is located in is really nice too. A quiet, downtown area. After dinner we walked to an ice cream shop and enjoyed a nice stroll on a hot summer night! :)
Waitress was a great help in choosing entrees and of the beer selection. Great selection of local micro and nano brews.
Onto the food... The fried pickle chips weren't cooked in hot enough oil. They were running of a little oil - Â but tasty. The Mac and Cheese was runny and not thick - not baked long enough? I would consider it OK. The burger my other half had was greasy. The bun was a wide long piece of bread and not a round or square roll so bread to burger ratio was on the bread side. The bread was soaked in grease from an attempt of browning it on the grill the grill. Skip the burger.
I would go back for the atmosphere and a beer. Possibly try a different app... however not for lunch or dinner.
We walked in and were really impressed with the beautiful space. The lighting and noise level were encouraging. We took a seat at the bar and looked through the large beer selection. We were disappointed at how little beer we were served for the money ($7.50 for 8oz). It took us a while to get the bartender's attention for food menus because he seemed too busy chatting with the other bartenders. When we got our menus, I was pretty disgusted - the pages of the menu were sticking together. They were covered with food particles and other crud. This was not a good first impression. We ordered the "oven roasted wings" which were clearly deep fried - possibly previously frozen. Our entrees were mediocre at best. The bartenders were really frustrating to watch throughout our meal. When we tried to make eye contact, they kept their heads down or continued to talk to one another. As a former restaurant employee, the phrase "If you have time to lean, you have time to clean" kept going through my head. I believe in second chances, so we will likely be back - just in case this was an "off" night.
Review Source:My sister and I are regulars here for a reason: friendly efficient waitstaff, great management, and most importantly consistently good food and best house margaritas. We are always greeted by the management and made to feel welcome no matter when we dine there. I could go on for days about the haddock sandwich which is AMAZING, and the braised short rib entree which (along with the s'mores calzone) is what my sister and I would call execution food (if we knew we were gong to be "taken out", this would be last meal worthy). I'm a bit of a house margarita whore, and whomever mixes them here makes them PERFECTLY. Needless to say, this place is a favorite.
Review Source:If you love trying unique beers , then this is place to put on your list! Â
Bartenders are helpful with beer selections , offering small tastes of beers if you are unsure.  The turkey burger, salads and other sandwiches are tasty. The frites are crispy and delicious.  There are other drink selections if you have a non beer drinker in your midst...  Ale house is a comfortable neighborhood  hangout and a fun place to watch the game!
We love this place.
ok I may be biased as my husband and I go here regularly so we are greeted by the managers and have favorite waitstaff. Â BUT the reason we go regularly is... we are greeted by the managers and they have GREAT waitstaff as well as a terrific beer list and fantastic food. Â Some reviewers think the prices are a bit high, and while I sometimes question the price of some of the beers, Â the quality is great and mix is always changing. Â Samples are readily and cheerfully given if you are not sure of a beer type. Â they do a terrific beet salad, Â they have sandwiches, as well as full meals, Â hry the sweetpotato haddock, Â absolutely delicious. Â recenty had the spicy fish wrap and was very happy with it. Â The owners recently opened a sister restaurant in Haverhill Ma The Barking Dog Alehouse (come sit stay) Â love the logo. Â we had to check them out, Â obviously they have a certain philosophy, Â the manager came by our table introduced herself, thanked us for coming and shook out hands. If you like a place that makes you feel warm and comfortable then check out the Alehouse. Â You won't be disappointed.
The food here is never good. Â I have been several times. Â The reason I keep coming back is the beer list. Â This is in fact an Ale House is it not? Â The last time I came here the nachos were burnt on the outside, and cold, un-melted cheese on the inside. Â MF GF's ceasar salad was inedible. Â She had two bites. Â You would have thought the waitress would have said something but just gave us our check. Â This place has potential. Â Nice atmosphere, great beer selection, but the food needs an overhaul. Â Everything comes with "Frites" Â which is their take on the french fry. Â Basically just oily skinny fires. Â The first time I went I did have an amazing filet cooked perfectly with a very surprising demi. Â That chef must have left as I havent had close since.
Review Source:This place is fantastic for its extensive list of beer, comfort foods, and cozy atmosphere! They also have a respectable mixed drink menu- lots of fun martinis and interesting combinations.
What makes this place unique: This is also one of the few places I have seen Kielbasa (2 different dishes!!) as well as pierogis on the menu. The pierogis are very non traditional- served as an app, tossed in buffalo wing sauce and a side of blue cheese- and they sure are tasty. Â They have a kielbasa dish which is smorgasbord of traditional polish food (including more traditional peirogis) . There is also kielbasa mac and cheese (which I have not yet attempted). Â
My favorite dish is the pulled  pork grilled cheese sandwich.  This is just perfect to cheer you up if you are having a bad day- warm melty cheese and very tasty pork on crisp bread. You will never be lacking fries if you they are part of your dish- you get a huge pile of smallish shoestring fries- and be sure to ask for their bourbon ketchup on the side!  YUM!
On a Saturday night, the Ale House gave us a "10-15 minute" wait quote and so we wandered off to the bar to wait. The beer list was pretty good, definitely the highlight of the evening. Craft beers, microbrews, meads and barleywine abound. (Although, note to drinkers of Southern Tier Pumpking - do NOT get the cinnamon sugar rim. The rim had some vanilla slime base that ended up all over the glass and consequently my hands, silverware, etc.) We were quickly served, the bartender noticed we were waiting for a table and, so, closed us out fast.
Approximately three nanoseconds after sitting down with full glasses of beer, our waitress comes over to hand out menus and ask if she can get us drinks. My brother-in-law and I shoot each other bemused looks which she doesn't seem to notice. After an awkward three or four seconds of her looking at us expectantly, we decline saying that our currently full drinks are sufficient. She then asks if we are ready to order. We ask for a few minutes as one of our party is closing his tab at the bar (and we had not cracked a menu during our 30 second interchange).
The menu was extensive enough but not very appealing. I wasn't particularly motivated to order a single item. I considered a plate of fries, but in the end went with pulled pork sliders. My BIL order chicken parm and my husband had a burger with a bruschetta app. The bruschetta tasted as though it could have been purchased from the frozen food section. Boring white bread, flaccid tomatoes and cold, tasteless cheese. My sliders were okay. Predominantly roll and not too much pork, onion or pickle. I got bored after eating 2 and "gifted" the rest to the table. Also, I didn't taste the chicken parm but the size of the chicken was alarming. It was almost ten inches wide. What cuts of chicken are ten inches wide? Freaky. Â The food, essentially pub grub, was also overpriced considering the quality. Sandwiches north of ten dollars seem ludicrous given the cheap ingredients.
Throughout the meal our waitress came over repeatedly to see how we were doing. So much so that it got a bit annoying. There are only so many times you can be asked if there is anything you need within a 45 minute window. I appreciate the zeal, but I started to feel like a broken record of  "we're all set, thanks!"
In the end, our mistake was coming here for dinner as opposed to drinks. Friendly service and a well-stocked bar will ensure we visit for drinks in the future.
Had the haddock sandwich. This thing was huge. And greasy (the fish that is). Can't be too mad at the beer-battered-ness, either. The french fries were this odd mini-size, which the menu did not indicate. I was more in love with the town of Amesbury than this staple. If you do go, try the funnel cake fries. A real inventive dessert, that's awesome with ice-cream.
Review Source:When we have guests from out of town, this is the place we like to show them as I think it represents a lot of great things about Amesbury and what Amesbury has to offer. Â From the food, to the polite staff to even the very clean and vibrant atmosphere we have never been disappointed. Â
Only took off one star due to the large cost of going here for a group. Â Food prices can be a little on the high side, but once in a while a treat for the whole family is great.
Went with a group and got the cool round booth in the back. Â It was late lunch, so they were slow.
We had a phenomenal waitress who remembered everything and was always close by. Â
I can't remember everything we ate, though there was definitely veggie chili, a few salads and a couple onion soups. Â We each had a couple different beers/ciders.
We'll be back in the area next week and will definitely stop by. Â It's a perfect spot for my lush of a family.
We were at Salisbury Beach on vacation and took off looking for a store two nights before we were to leave. Â We found Amesbury and the Ale House. Â Not sure how we missed this beautiful little town tucked away in the hills and the trees with creeks running through it, but I am glad we found it. Â The Ale House is in the quaint village area and is a very nice, clean, well decorated bar/restaurant. Â They had a massive selection of beers (even Firestone-Walker from our home town). Â We started with just beer, then had some appetizers, which made our experience even better. Our bartender was very friendly and welcoming. Â He even brought us some beer samples to help us make our decisions. Â Beer was great, atmosphere was very nice and the food was good. Â I would come back here anytime.
Review Source:Went to the Ale House on a Saturday nite around 7ish. Â We didn't have to wait too long for a table so we decided to sit at the bar while we waited. Â There were 6 of us and 3 open spots at the bar - so the ladies sat - and the husbands stood! Â We were ignored for probably the first 15 mins we were sitting there...and it was busy - but not 10 person deep at the bar busy. Â I don't know if the bartender just couldn't be bothered with us b/c we weren't eating at the bar or what - but I hoped that wasn't a sign of the night to come.
After a short wait (20-25 mins on a sat nite) we were taken to our table. Â The ambiance of this place is great.. Open, 2 stories, great details - and the menu is fun. Â You can tell that they like to have fun here, don't take themselves too seriously - but take their food very seriously!! Â We got a few appetizers - calamari and pork and cheddar dip. Â We finished both plates clean - so yea they were pretty good!!!
Our waitress was very attentive and very accommodating as we had lots of questions and substitutions for our meals. Â The guys all got the same thing - it was a slider sampler of sorts - 4 sliders - roast beef and mashed potatoes, beef slider, lobster slider, and pork i think....and they all raved about them.. I got the sesame crusted tuna - which was also delish..but then we get to the good part - the dessert....
We ordered 2 desserts for the table - a  chocolate lava cake and the smores calzone...which is hands down possibly the best creation ever made!!!!
All in all it was a good time...will definitely be back -even if its only for dessert!!!
The place is always super-packed. They have a very decent beer menu but they are quite overpriced. C'mon $7 for an IPA? That's not cool. The bartenders were definitely on their game and very willing to help. The bar is pretty big, but we have never actually been able to get a seat any time we go. We had to stand. The people who go there are pretty yuppie-uppity. I may or may not go back- it hurts my wallet. 2 brews each was over $30.00 with the tip. Eek!
Review Source:Love this place, great beer on tap (usually at least 30-40 beers), tons of bottled beers (shit, I hope so, their name is the Ale House). Â Food is great, anything is good, never had a bad meal. The Dinners are filling and tasty and original, the pub food is also great. Atomosphere is clean and modern with a touch of Factory Brick (well Amesbury was the Detroit for Carriages in the days before Autos, tons of old factories YAY Carriage Town). Highly recommend, Support your local brewery. Take a friend, some friends, a date or a wife, whoevers wife you can get, just go... Oh yeah, the Drinks are great too, the Dirty Martinis are fantastic.
Gutes Essen YO!
This place is simply incredible. The food is varied and delicious, the beer selection is the best I've seen for a place not called "Sunset Grille", the service was impeccable, and the ambiance was cozy without being deafening. Any place where I can order Breakfast Stout, 3 Philosophers, and Choklat while pairing them with fried pickles, poutine fries, and a kielbasa plate with perogies and bacon-braised cabbage is a must-go every time.
I can't wait to go back!
This place just gets it right. Â From the outstanding beer selection to the food to the service, this place is just awesome. Â We went for the first time tonight on the way home from a long weekend trip to the White Mountains and were very impressed. Â
Beer: Â We really love beer and even seek out special bars to find special brews. Â This place has a huge draft list and an even bigger bottle selection. Â What's great is they even give a description of beer types and ABV for every beer on the menu. Â
Food: I was excited to see the short rib grilled cheese on the menu and our waitress mentioned it was one of her recent favorites. Â She suggested I try mushrooms on it and it was even better. Â The short ribs were well seasoned without being overly drenched in sauce. Â She had the french dip and it was just as good. Â By the way, the french fries are home made and I'm pretty sure the pickles are too since they were fresh and tasty.
Service: Â Our waitress was friendly and helpful when it came to ordering food and drinks. Â The manager even came over to say hello and check up on us. Â Always a good sign. Â It was clear this restaurant cares about their customers when they put the Oscars on one of the TVs for a couple seated near us. Â
All in all, a great comfortable atmosphere that was clean and well laid out. Â If we lived close by we'd be regulars. Â Too bad.
I love me some Ale House -- crazy good selection of beers, and they've got some pretty tasty, unique things on the menu (Sweet potato quesadilla with figs & maple syrup is unique, but was a little too sweet to eat as an entree), but I usually stick to a few favorites, like the drool-worthy Shepherd's Pie.
But.... and this is the only reason I take one star off... In recent visits, I've noticed the quality declining. When it first opened, the food was spot-on... you could tell they really cared about what they were putting on the tables. Now, I don't know if there's a new cook, or that they can't handle the volume in the new location or what, but the last few times I've ate here, the food has been bland. Most recently, I got the sliders, and the pulled pork ones had no taste, and the hamburger ones were cold. Also, there's no more Guiness Beef Stew on the menu? Booo!
Despite a few minor disappointments they do remain one of my favorite restaurants, and I highly recommend the fried pickles.
I am not quite sure how this place can be so much better than their sister restaurant (Barking Dog), but they are like night and day. We have been to the Ale House a few times, and we were back again this past weekend.
The 4 of us had nachos, onion strings, short ribs, shepards pie, steak frites and fried clams. All were really good, with the standouts being the short ribs (is there such a thing as a bad short rib? I don't think so...), shepards pie and onion strings. We always get the strings, and they are perfect every time. Not too greasy, but fried perfectly.
Dessert consisted of the smores calzone which is a staple every time we eat here. Its just damn good. The chocolate could be melted more, but not reason enough for us not to order it again. We also sampled the funnel cake fries, which were like little bundles of fried dough joy.
All in all, this place is a safe bet if you are in the area. We had a lot of beers as their selection is extensive, and the bill was still around $160. Not bad for 2 apps, 4 dinners, 2 desserts and at least 15 drinks. $160 is totally worth it when you know the meal will not disappoint.
I have been to the Ale House for lunch and dinner. The lunch menu was a more limited menu, slower service.
I would recommend going for dinner for the best selection. The service was fantastic for dinner. The lobster corn cakes were fantastic. I was watching all those "cute" little sliders go by, I chose them for my dinner. I am not one to typically order a cheeseburger out, so this was a rarity for me. The nice thing was you get (4) sliders and had your choice to mix-n-match them. The selections were pulled pork, rib-eye with mashed potato, and cheeseburger of course. The rib-eye/ mashed potato was my favorite.
I aso recommend the frites with the blue cheese & balsamic, so yummy.
I will definitely be back here, the dinner menu had so many choice that I want to try.
We parked street-side, I am not sure if they have a parking lot, but parking was not a issue.
PS I am not a beer drinker, but the selection looked amazing....
I just moved to Amesbury and decided to sample some of the local fare. We walked through the center and stumbled upon the Ale House, right next to this psychic shop with half a unicorn in the window. Ok, I'll bite.
We were sat immediately, even when it seemed the whole restaurant was crowded. The beer menu was extensive, including craft beers and mead. MEAD?! I don't care if it is expensive, it is a delicious treat I will definitely return for. I got some sort of coffeehouse porter which was great.
We got a bunch of apps, including the fried pickles, BBQ tenders, fried calamari, and the nachos. The pickles are to die for, plain and simple. The vinegar from the brine mixed with the fry oil, with a touch of sour saltiness. The tenders were like anything you could make at home, and the calamari really left something to be desired. Not a whole lot of flavor, even with the banana pepper rings. The nachos were some of the better nacho apps I've had at a restaurant. Those were the first to go.
The waitress talked us into a dessert, the s'more calzone. This is not a dessert you want to have by yourself, and even with two people, it would be a challenge. The four of us demolished it's doughy prison in the search for a gooey marshmallow and chocolate center, which would put a hummingbird into a diabetic coma. The two scoops of vanilla bean ice cream on the side perfectly complimented the oozing marbled lifeblood of this dessert.
We went back 2 days later with my mother. I had the patty melt, which was incredible. My mom had the fried haddock sandwich which she was also very happy with.
A couple visits here and I can say the food isn't ALWAYS great but some of it is.
I loved the fried and baked fish. The Salisbury steak wasn't for me and the ravioli dish I tried last year also failed to impress.
Fried pickles? Thank you very much.
The beer selection is outstanding. Knowledgeable staff too.
pass
Decor:
The bar and adjoining seating were nice and comfortable. Â They had the fans going which made it a bit breezy inside. Â It was odd as it was cool and windy outside. Â They also have a standard seating area that we did not investigate but already had patrons who looked happy so we will give them a pending thumbs up. Â Low-key but well-done look and feel.
Food:
The beer is why we considered the 40min drive but the food menu is why we actually got in the car. Â Specifically, the Monte Cristo was excellent. Â It is on their hangover menu which is served until 4pm. Â It is served with home fries that are some of the best I have experienced. Â My girlfriend had the Breakfast Enchilada, which is much more of a breakfast burrito, and it was also good. Â For a beer focused environment the food quality was well above average and a great value for the money. Â Portions were more than fair. Â No experience with lunch or dinner here but will update my post after the next visit.
Beer:
The place is called the Ale House so we had high expectations. Â Great selection of taps and a nice variety of styles, breweries, and adventure. They also have a wide array of bottled beers. Â Skis or paddles are available for those wanting to try a little of everything. Â Is it the largest beer selection? Â No, but more than enough for 99% of the craft enthusiasts who don't want to drive to Boston to visit Sunset and their 100+ taps.
Service:
Very friendly, knowledgeable, and quick. Â They really seem to know their beer and that helps when the more obscure beers make it on the list. Â Food came out quickly and as requested. Â when it was time to close out they took care of us without a wait.
Pricing:
On the whole, very reasonable. Â The food seemed like a great value and the beer seemed like it was priced on the average side. Â The only exception is noted below on the pricing of skis.
Issues:
My only complaint in general is that when you get a ski they charge 1/2 the price per beer for 1/4 the amount of beer. Â When you finish a ski you will have consumed 1 beer but paid for 2. Â They explained it upfront so it wasn't a surprise. Â With that said I am all about value and this seemed like it wasn't. Â
Other than that the only issue are the plates they use are a little small. Â We both had food falling off the plate. Â Don't confuse this with small portions as that is not the case. Â Plenty of food could use a slightly larger vessel.
Overall:
We are definitely coming back, definitely getting brunch, and definitely drinking more beer.
Cheers,
Chris
The thing about this place, is that it attracts a mixed crowd. All in the same dining room you have people wearing khakis, dress pants, jeans and sweat pants. Amesbury is a melting pot of economic status, thus it attracts all types of clientle.
Ive been there for a couple of visits and I always leave satisfied.
For starters, they offer a number of different soups. Their chili is very good and their Guinness beef stew is awesome.
Other starters are their Ale House Belgian Style Frites which is just fancy for saying that they make their own hand cut french fries. Other favorites are their oven roasted wings, nachos and blue cheese buffalo sticks.....thats right, breaded blue cheese sticks thats are coated with buffalo sauce and served with ranch dressing....AWESOME.
For entrees, their signature balsamic braised beef short ribs are good choice. Ive also had the steak frites which was very good, the herb roasted 1/2 chicken and the shepherds pie (not a real shepherds pie, made with short rib rather than lamb).
Despite the fact that the shepherds pie was not a true Irish dish, it was absolutely delicious.
They also offer a great pub menu, speaking of pubs......lets not forget the beer selection. Incredible......from irish beers, to dubels, to tripels....this place has it all. Draft, bottle, pilsner, lager, draught....anything you can think of. That alone is a reason to come back.
4.5 Stars!
I loved this place! It was spacious and calm. The upstairs balcony gave The Ale House a totally different appeal. Clean floors, bar and bathrooms make it very appealing to visit. I thought the bar could use a bit better lighting due to the perfect restaurant ambiance, the bar was a bit dark.
Their draft and craft beers were amazing. Plenty of tasty different brews with lots of flavor.
I only went in for drinks however is the rest of the place is this good, I'm sure the food is great.
There was a bit of a funky wet wood smell that I could not get over.
Other than that, I recommend this Bar to anyone.
Checked this place out based on the great reviews.
PROs: KILLER beer list. If I was just going for beers, this would have 5 stars. Lots to choose from. Not the most I have seen, but the most around. Great atmosphere, cool decor. Loved the fried pickles and frites.
CONs: Sandwiches are overcooked and soggy with grease (I had the pastrami). My wife's grilled cheese was boring, but she did enjoy the tomato soup.
The Ale House is fine. I don't mean that as a criticism. In fact, the place offers just the sort of experience you would expect. It just doesn't wow.
The run-down:
The service was decent. My wife waited a bit too long for extra salad dressing, but our waitress was generally helpful.
The menu was NOT as helpful. It's downright confusing. Their burger is listed as a sub-item under 'Club Sandwich.' Huh? There's very little design work here--kind of surprising for a place with such an intentional decor.
Yeah, the decor. It's pubbish--brick, exposed timber... very much standard for the genre, but cozy nevertheless. The new location is nice, too; Amesbury is a pretty town, and the Ale House would make a perfect dinner stop after a day of shopping and exploring. Its large, street-facing windows look out on a quaint, almost European-feeling village.
And the food? Like I said, it's fine. Sandwiches in the $10 range, appetizers a few dollars less than that. I'd say it's SLIGHTLY overpriced, but only by a dollar or two on each item. Still, it's no gastropub--you'll find no specials here, nor many quirky, "foodie"-targeted dishes.
We would come again if we were in town, but I don't think we'd go out of our way.
My husband had raved about this place so many times that I'd sort of concocted my own idea of what exactly it looked like--a bit of the Wildhorse Cafe mixed up with Alchemy and the Peddler's Daughter's atmosphere.
Not so. Not so at all.
It has an almost ex-Bickford's like layout, but with a bar and a mini-lounge section (couches & all). Plenty of wood paneling, but not in the worst way; large windows face the parking lot & downtown. There's some decor, but it definitely didn't have the pub vibe I was expecting--really, I have to admit, I was disappointed. And if the atmosphere isn't up to scratch, can the food really be all that good?
Turns out it can.
Their beer selection was absolutely superb (24 beers on tap, I think?), and their food is outstanding. Â Really outstanding. I had their Coconut Curry Chicken Soup, and I very seriously thought about ordering a bowl to take home and have for lunch the next day. Hard core love for this soup--just the right amount of curry, vegetables, chicken, and plenty of coconut, and obviously homemade. Cannot count how many times I've ordered soups in restaurants only to have some manufactured syrup shoved at me...this was perfect even later at night.
The Goat Cheese Salad was also amazing, with a beautiful chunk of obviously-fresh cheese; a good amount of apricots sprinkled around the perimeter of the plate; bright, springy greens; and a satisfactory amount of cashews that I had to chase around my plate for a while. You cannot spear those things!
I got a few bites of my husband's prime rib sandwich, and more than my fair share of his frites--and these are the type that you need some great malt vinegar to sprinkle on them. Deserving.
Our waitress was fun and super-friendly, and the service was quite fast; the band wasn't bad, and thankfully kept the volume to a reasonable level. By the time I'd left, any thought of disappointment had fled my mind, and I could only look forward to the next time I'll be back.
The Ale house is another one of my go-to spots.
This place is a traditional pub, in the "public house" sort of way: They love it when you pack into a booth and order beers all night. No complaints ever from the friendly waitstaff when you're not ordering food(although I overtip when I'm not running up with tab from the kitchen). They even have a lounge-style area with big cushy couches to accommodate and lazy session with you and your friends.
Food: um, deep fried pickles on the menu. That's all you need to get me in the door. Their menu has both standard pub food, and some really classy entrees, done right. Their molten chocolate cake is amazing, too, with raspberry sauce drizzled over it.
Beer: here's the best part. They have a huge beer menu. They have almost all of my go-to beers here: Alagash White, Wachusett Blueberry, Guinness, Sam and Sam seasonals. But, they offer lots of non-standard beers here on tap and by the bottle. Some of my favorites here include:
*Spaten Franzikaner  Hefewiezen - I'm a sucker for Hefs.
*BBC Coffeehouse Porter - A great malty mocha-flavored nitro. Creamy and delicious.
*Meantime Chocolate Porter - I love me a beer that tastes like chocolate cake.
*Dieu Du Ciel Rossee D'Hibiscus - a great winey taste, with a flowery nose
Their selection is huge and ever-changing, so come back often and give their different options a try. Fair warning though: great beer sometimes comes with a hefty price. Some of the beers are upwards of $30.00 for real rare specialties that require a lot of craftsmanship, shipping, or special ingredients or conditions. So be sure you're watching the menu prices when you order.
Otherwise, cheers and enjoy.
I've visited twice so far, and both times were great dining experiences.
On the first visit, I ordered the Braised Shortrib. Â This was a huge portion of fall-apart-tender beef in a delicious wine-infused sauce. Â So big, it looked more like a pot roast than a short rib. Â It was served over a creamy, tasty risotto. Â For an appetizer, we had the deep-fried pickles. Â As bizarre as that sounds to us New Englanders, they were fantastic. Â Slices of salty, tangy pickles dipped in a light batter and fried to perfection, with a spicy remoulade dipping sauce. Â You have to try it. Â Trust me.
On my second visit, on a snowy Sunday night, we brought the whole family (3 kids, ages 9 to 14). Â We enjoyed listening to live Irish music while noshing on food from the pub side of the menu. Â My wife and I shared the "sliders" and fries - 4 mini sandwiches, which we got to choose among hamburger, pulled pork, or rib roast with mashed potato. Â The hamburger slider was a little overcooked, but the pulled pork and rib roast were great. Â A bargain at $9. Â A tomato basil soup was a bit too sweet and thick, but satisfying. Â My daughter had a tasty, if simple, cheese quesidilla. Â For desert, we all shared a slice of dense chocolate cake. Â A bit on the small side for $6, but so yummy - it was gone in seconds.
But the big draw, for me, is the beer (this is the "Ale House" after all!) Â They have at least a dozen interesting and varied beers on tap - everything from Dogfish Head IPA to Leffe Belgian Abbey Ale to local favorites like Ipswich Ale. Â And a "kick -the-keg" special for $3. Â Plus dozens of bottled beers. Â Their beer list is published as a multi-page pamphlet. Â My understanding is that the owners, who also own the Barking Dog down the street, make sure there is no overlap between the beer selections of the two restaurants, both of which are extensive and phenomenally varied. Â Very impressive!
The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because they DON'T HAVE A WEBSITE! Â What's up with that? Â I like to check out restaurant menus on-line, to see what their seasonal specials are, etc. Â It would also be nice to see the latest beer list on-line. Â The Barking Dog has a website - why not the Ale House? C'mon folks, get into the 21st century!
Update: August 26,2009:
THEY FINALLY HAVE A WEBSITE!
5 stars!
This new spot in Amesbury recently opened up. Â
It is owned by the same people who own the Barking Dog in the spot where Tanya's used to be. Â
The decor is minimal. Â Lots of windows. Â A little chilly inside. Â Booths, tables and a separate bar area. Â
The food is upscale pub food. Â The nachos were made with already melted cheese (velveta or cheeze whiz) and soggy. Â The mini "burgers" were AWESOME. Â They come in four types: hamburger, cheeseburger, prime rib & mashed potatoes and pulled pork. Â ALL of them were very tasty. Â
We will go back and definitely get those again. Â Worth checking out if you are looking for someplace new.
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