Great food and award-winning beer! I may be in a rut, but I never tire of the Thai Sweet Chili Chicken salad. Tonight, I asked for tofu in place of the chicken. Wow! It made my favorite dinner even better. Â Perfectly partnered with a Kolsch beer to cool off the spices. And the banana bread pudding is the perfect finish. Friendly and helpful wait staff; very able chef, Joel. We've attended every "Brewery dinner" since they opened; truly special events. Owner-brew master, Will Kemper, talks about each of the beers. The food is delicious and the pairings creative. At the last dinner, there was a spring roll that still sticks in my mind as, quite possibly, the best spring roll I've ever had. This place should be on your "must visit" list!
Review Source:We have been here countless times now! Last time was our first experience sitting outside and it was great! The perfect atmosphere to chit chat. I'm not the beer drinker, my husband is but I do know that if your looking for a good german lager type beer this is the place. My mother-in-law is more of a IPA person who likes hoppy beers so as far as that goes they haven't had a big selection. The last time we went though they did have an IPA and she enjoyed it. They have a great food menu and it's hard to decide what to get every time! The staff is friendly every time that we have came here so far. It's a great place to take a day trip to and even go up Chuckant Drive to top off the trip.
Review Source:Good beer!
Food is typical bar food. My husband and I shared nachos, which were excellent. Our waiter was nice and attentive, helpful in our decision making.
I didn't give them a full five stars because we like more hoppy beers and they didn't have a ton of those. The beer was good, just not our favorite ones :)
This place is great. They do a small number of beer styles but they do them all exceptionally well. They also specialize in several styles that are largely overlooked by many in the craft beer industry in the US. For instance, they do an excellent Kolsch, Pilsner, and several Lagers. I rarely drink these styles because they are usually done so poorly, but Chuckanut is bringing back the flavor that makes these classic styles awesome. Give them a try. As far as the food goes, we only ate dessert, and had the banana bread pudding. It was decadent!
Review Source:Amazing hidden gem! Â I wasn't expecting much until I pulled up and saw the brewing facilities, and realized these guys were very serious about their beer. Â The chowder and food was top notch, and the beer was even better.
I'm bummed this place is so far from me, but hopefully I'll find another reason to visit the area again.
I'm almost hesitant to give them 4 full stars, but since I can't give a  3 1/2 I'd rather give them 4. It was suggested that we go to a different brewery in town by our hotel, but that place was super crowded, like an hour wait, so we went to this place instead. I think we enjoyed the beer the most. Our server was great, and comp'd  our daughters meatloaf.  I would not recommend it for kids unless your child has a palette for spicy/stronger foods. It was what I would consider too spicy for a meatloaf and I use a fair bit of pepper in mine.
I was also not a big fan of the mac n cheese. I make a great mac n cheese and mine is much better than theirs. There are plenty of places I've enjoyed mac n cheese at, but I wouldn't really order it here again. I love garlic, but I think the cook like it's a little too much. My husbands salad was the best food we ordered..
Aside from the hostess being super apologetic like every time she came by (about a table not being ready yet) I liked the feel of the place, it was nice and casual and not chaotic like the place we stopped by first. I don't know if that poor girl has been snapped at one too many times, but it was a Saturday night, I would not have expected to have been seated right away, she needed too relax.
Chuckanut Brewery is a must for any beer lover to see. The tap room and kitchen can accommodate different size parties for dining. The bar can seat 6-8 and the beer is awesome. They have a wide range of beers that they produce to fit any palette and the food from the kitchen is as good as the beer is. Friendly staff will answer any questions you have about the beer to make your selection easier. Just a great place to stop in and pass the time away.
Review Source:The food was very good. A little thin on the vegetarian options. But everything was delicious.
I don't drink, so can't say anything about the beer.
The service could have been a little more attentive, considering there were not many other patrons.
Overall, still very satisifed. I will be back here next time I'm in Bellingham.
When we arrived, we were quickly seated at a small table, amid a very crowded, noisy room.  Menu selection and prices were good  and had an emphasis on local ingredients. Service was quick after we'd ordered 2 pints and our meals. Food was quite good but the beer was a disapointment. We both enjoy a good, hoppy IPA but this version seemed weak and didn't make the cut. We'd go back for the food but not the beer.
Review Source:After being disappointed at Boundary Bay, we came straight to Chuckanut and life was better. Their beer was great - I loved the kolsch and the pilsner. I wanted to try the golden, but they'd kicked the keg the night before - boo! Did not eat there, but I will if I ever make it back up.
Review Source:I have been here many times...10 or more? Â The beer is good, very good. Â The staff are friendly. Â
But there is just something missing here, and it's hard to put a finger on it.
I think it is the space. Â I know. Â "Really, the space?"
Yes. Â Brew pubs are often about the space, how comfortable and inviting they are. Â This place is just not comfortable or inviting.
The spaces are disjointed, there is no continuity. This place is on the waterfront. Â But you wouldn't know it, none of the views take advantage or exploit the view of Whatcom Creek (directly adjacent).
The back open area is kinda like sitting in my garage. Â Yeah, not really someplace I want to hang out in.
Oh well, the beer here is award winning (I am going to trust the experts on this one).
But for me, there are two other very popular and much more fun beer pubs I'd rather visit in town, so I think I will pass on Chuckanut in the future.
Came here for dessert and beer after dinner. Â The place is spacious and much more quiet than Boundary Bay. Â The dessert here was very good. Â Ordered the Creme Brulee with a different take...it was a blueberry and raspberry mix. Â The Creme part was a purplish color and had a tasty fruit bottom to it. Â The burnt sugar was sublime...I got a nice serving size of ice cream with strawberries for an extra dollar. Â Tried a four taster of their beer. Â I am not a beer drinker so my friends review was that the beer was fine. Â I did discover that the owners made the recipe for Thomas Kemper root beer. Â I remember delivering to TK back in Poulsbo when I worked for UPS. Â I did not realize the connection until now...sad they sold that part
Review Source:Go here for the great beer, knowledgeable staff and be sure to check out the Locavore menu! It has seasonal items that are divine! Blueberry creme brulee made with the sweetest blueberries I've ever had - amazing.
This is not the place for ambiance or impressing others; locals flock here and for good reason.
Beer: Fantastic. A place where lighter beers are done exceptionally. Their Pilsner shines with the best of them.
Food: Having tried a few items off of their menu I have been impressed, but not blown away. Except the meatloaf sandwich; it will definitely blow you away. Best I've ever had.
Ambiance/Experience: Not great. Bar seating is vastly superior to the restaurant area, which has a view of the kitchen.
Chuckanut Brewery is a cute little place!
This was our 2nd stop on our Bellingham Brew Tour yesterday. Â Since the BF and I had just eaten, we were only here to drink beer!
We are lovers of dark beer, so we enjoyed the Dunkel Lager and the Stout Ale. Â
I was surprised to see such a wide variety of people here - families with little toddlers, an elderly couple, college kids, cyclists looking for shelter from the outdoor elements, etc. Â
The service was just as good as their beer! Â If you are in Bellingham and looking for beer, Chuckanut Brewery is worth a stop in!
It's poetry in fermentation
Will churned his tender hops for me
As deep as any ocean
As sweet as any harmony
Mmm - but he blinded me with science
"He blinded me with science!"
And failed me in sobriety
--Thomas Dolby
Will Kemper brews really good beer. You might think you don't like "light" beer. Check out Chuckanut and you'll find you were wrong. Beer, like the under arms of my white tees, shouldn't be judged by its color. You'll find that Chuckanut's alt is your new favorite beer and you'll realize suddenly that a German Pilsner is a fantastic beer to drink year round.
If you are in Bellingham for any reason whatsoever, go here. They win gold medals at GABF, the least you could do is check out America's best small brewery as you pass through.
Headed to Chuckanut in the middle of the afternoon, the brewery located in a funky building on the bay, almost as if a truck had punched a hole through a pole barn. Brewpub to the left, brewing facility to the right, parking straight on through.
During Happy Hour, I had the IPA (balanced, hoppy enough, sessionable)
and Vienna (malty, bronzed, funky lager). I'd say the Vienna was the better of the 2, but that's not a slight to the solid IPA. Also had a basket of yam fries for $5, which were just salty enough to hang with the sweet, and came with some surprisingly addictive chipolte mayo. It wasn't a ridiculous serving, but plenty for two. Happy hour = cheap pints = win...and it was a plus that they were offering some brew styles that are somewhat uncommon. Hey, I come from the Midwest...it ain't exactly beer country.
I had the Dunkel at another locale later on in the week, which was also more than serviceable. 3 out of 3...I'll be back when I'm in the area, which is hopefully as much as possible.
Part of me thinks I like Chuckanut Brewery only because I like saying Chuckanut. You gotta admit, it makes you giggle in your head every time you say it, right? Oh, well maybe that's just me.
Chuckanut is a 5 star beer establishment. Seriously, some of the best beer I have ever had. I have tried the Kolsch, the Pilsner and the Alt. I loved all of them. If you know me, and my finicky beer taste buds then you know that is quite the feat. I usually only like 1 maybe 2 beers at any given brewery, if I like any at all. Chuckanut is 3 for 3. I had the Kolsch and Pilsner at Malt and Vine, so when we were camping outside of Bellingham, we knew we had to stop in here for some more delicious beer. My boyfriend and I both went with the Alt, and were not disappointed. I am a huge fan of Red-Ales, and I gotta say, this may be the best I have ever had.
So if I am in love with the beer so much that I want to marry it, why only 4 stars? Sadly, the food. The menu was extremely limited, and uninspiring. The focus of the menu is locavore, which is fine, but I personally think that flavor is more important than the fact that everything is made locally. But that may just be me. Everything is local and the food is delicious, well that would be fantastic. Unfortunately, the food was not great. It was edible, and got the job done, but I would never want to eat it again.
Everyone mentions that the yam fries are delicious. Maybe people in Bellingham have never had yam fries, cuz those were disgusting. My boyfriend went with the meatloaf sandwich, and I had the BBQ beef sandwich. Which was covered in pepper-jack cheese and a spicy BBQ sauce. My sandwich was spicy, which is about all I can say. Sometimes a spicy flavor really adds to a dish, while sometimes spice seems to be used to mask any other unpleasant flavors. Which is what  I think they did here. The local bread my boyfriends sandwich came on was delicious, and he said the meatloaf itself was good, but the BBQ sauce and the mixed greens gave it an odd and uninviting flavor.
I would absolutely come here again for a beer or two or three if I was in Bellingham, but I would eat somewhere else.
I've never eaten here but have enjoyed many great pints of beer. They have an awesome selection or Lagers, Ales, Porters etc. to please anyone from Pilsner fans to Stout supporters. You can go in and Sample before buying.They have live music quite often which is always a good accompaniment to drinking.
My favorite is purchasing a selection of Growlers and enjoying their tasty beer at a beach bon fire.
An amazing array of lagers and ales from one of the most technically advanced breweries in the state. It's no wonder they were the American small brewpub of the year for 2009. They're cranking out so many different tricky styles with such consistently amazing results that they don't really have competition.
Quick review of the basics--lagers and ales are the two kingdoms of beer, like red and white wine, with at least as much internal variety as reds and whites. Lagers tend to produce cleaner, lighter-bodied results, which often makes them a bit more approachable than an ale-yeast fermentation. The downside to that? They don't hide flaws well.
Now, color and bitterness have _nothing_ to do with a beer being a lager or an ale. You can make a hoppy, jet-black lager, and an almost transparent, bland ale if you want. Lagers do take longer for the brewer to finish, and he can't afford to make even little mistakes if he wants a lighter lager to taste right--there's no extra heft or tanginess to the body to hide the flaws.
But when lagers are done right and drunk fresh, preferably at the source, they're amazing. For the most part, they are: easier to drink. Less filling. More refreshing. Appealing to more different drinkers, people with gentler palates.
We have a great lager brewery in WA, and it is Chuckanut. You can go hundreds of miles in the U.S. and not find even one or two great lagers from a brewery, let alone a whole lineup (with an ale lineup to complement it, as Chuckanut has). We can drink an _awesome_ fresh kolsch, pils, helles, schwarz, or other clean, delicious lagers right from the source. Really, outside of Germany, this is an incredibly rare treat.
Add to this the fact that CBK has a great kitchen, great dining room and bar, and cool staff with the owners brewing and hosting, and you pretty much have to visit this place. You'd have to drive twice as far (i.e., to Portland) to find a brewery that is its equal. I'd give it ten stars if I could. It makes for an amazing addition to a great northern day or overnight trip for Seattleites.
We go here once a month or so and really enjoy it each time. My husband and a few friends went for my birthday and simply loved it... as always. We had the Ahi steak , shellfish bowl and goat cheese pie appetizers. Â YUMMY! Service is always prompt and courteous, prices are reasonable and beer is delicious.
If you are in Bellingham and would like to sample some fine brew and food, give this a go. Â You'll be glad you did.
Bellingham, the small town with a big stomach!
The more than accommodating server allowed our late entry after closing time, and saving us from near starvation. She gets 'darling points' from all of us.
What a sweet location, right next to the railroad tracks and with a patio on the river's edge.
I peeked into the kitchen as I passed. My eyes widened when I saw the open fire pizza oven. This place must rock when it's busy!
Our meals were pretty tasty. Seared Ahi Tuna with greens, whole wheat Spaghetti with Bison meat balls, and the soup of the day Posole, an authentic Mexican specialty.
I'm sure we'll be back sometime for another meal here and maybe sit outside by the water too.
Only one thing disturbing, just between us ladies:
When you're in the bathroom doing your thing, it's kind of freeeakky to hear a train running so close by. -eek!
My dad and I were invited down to Bellingham this past winter by family friends for one of Chuckanut Brewery's seasonal Beer Dinners. The meal consisted of a beer apéritif followed by three courses with accompanying beers, all served in the brewery, next to the very vats which hold the beer that you are enjoying!
Before each course, Brewmaster Will Kemper explained how each distinct beer is made and why it was being paired with each course. He also asked the two chefs at the brewery to come out several times and explain how they designed the dishes around the beer made at Chuckanut. In a pleasant and unexpected twist to the evening, Will informed us that we could help ourselves to as much beer as we would like, since "It's a brewery, afterall!"
The first dish was a delicate, crisp and invigorating Wild Greens Salad with Artichoke Cakes. This was paired with a Bavarian-style pilsner, the hoppiness of which acted as a counterpoint to the tang of the artichokes.
The entree was Beef Tenderloin and Wild Mushrooms, accompanied by Parmesan Potato Gratin Wedges and Garlic Haricot Vert. This was partnered with an Altbier (a German "old"-style beer). Altbiers are made with warm, top-fermenting yeast, and the beer is then aged and allowed to mellow for a short period after fermentation. This old-style process originating in Westphalia - involving fermentation at unusually low temperatures and the aging of the beer in cool conditions - results in a rich yet light and clean ale. This ale was a perfect choice because it complimented the beef, rather than overwhelming the dish, which could have happened with an English-style dark ale.
The dessert was a Hot Fudge Brownie, which was served (and made!) with Chuckanut's Foreign Stout. Â
Brewmaster Will Kemper told us something at the end of the night that was intuitive and logical, yet poignant: "Drink local beer!" Beer does go bad. Hops do react to sunlight and become bitter during transport. Changes in atmospheric pressure, temperature, light and storage facilities definitely affect carbonation, flavour, bouquet and bitterness. Drinking locally provides you with better beer, and it supports your community. For you Vancouverites: try Granville Island over Grolsch, imbibe some Phillips Blue Buck instead of some Pacifico, and buy a pint of Okanagan Spring next time you hit the pub rather than a pint of imported Oettinger Hefeweissen.
Since my friends and I were up in Bellingham we thought we should check out the place named best small brewpub of 2009. Â We had eaten lunch at Boundary Bay and walked over to get a few more pints at Chuckanut.
It seems Chuckanut focuses mainly on German-style beers. Â I enjoyed a pint of their Marzen lager and their strong ale (ok, so that one was British...). Â My friends enjoyed the Dunkel, and the brown ale was good but not as popular (it's a pretty mellow beer).
We didn't try any of the food (though what we saw looked delicious). Â The atmosphere was nice and we enjoyed sitting in a cozy nook near the bar. Â The brewery was pretty empty on a Saturday afternoon, but it was a nice change of pace after the zoo at Boundary Bay. Â I'd definitely return if I find myself in Bellingham again.
Better late than never! We dined at the Chuckanut Brewery September 29,2008.
This stop was after another one of our amazing hikes in the North Cascades. Â We also skinny dipped in the NookSack river. Â
On to the review!
We were famished after all of the physical activity, so we beelined it to the brewery. We sat outside since the weather was still nice. The brewery was clean, the service was prompt and friendly.
We ordered the Marzen and the Helles. Â They were both excellent.
The food was great too! I ordered the Oy Vey Reuben ( lean corned beed, sauerkraut, swiss, fresh BREADFARM rye bread and , of course, Russian dressing. Â Choice of sides included field of greens, roasted yam fries, or Tim's potato chips. I got yam fries and they were quite good. The Reuben was yummy. Â J got the beer and brat combo. He was very happy with that selection and even ordered and additional brat! The stout mustard was awesome!!!
What I really liked about this place is that it  supports local growers and businesses. From the bread (BREADFARM located at Bow/Edison just off Chuckanut Drive), to the produce ( Devine Gardens located in Custer,WA.)-- which supplies organic produce that makes up the bulk of the produce the kitchen uses. The employees of Chuckanut even help the farm out each week with planting and harvesting. How cool is that???
We will come back!
Our trip here was a totally random lunch stop. We were looking for a  destination after a scenic motor on Chuckanut drive and we just got lucky.
Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen is nice modern brew pub. With plenty of windows, the place has a bright and inviting atmosphere conducive to beer drinking and live music appreciation.
First the food;
 I ordered a bowl of the clam and salmon chowder, (which is like crack for me).  Each clam juicy and perfect, the salmon adding color and generously portioned, the creamy broth had a little jalapeno zing . C ordered the California club sandwich on the lunch special which was heavenly on oven warmed bread, a house sauce and crunchy bacon. This gem of a sandwich came with sweet yam fries. They were so much better than I expected.
Beer;
 The Marzen. Very well made, perfect coloring, faint aroma and a full finish. Helles- a little darker in color than the usual pilsner, balanced well, nice head. Overall very drinkable.
This place does many things right.
I've had Chuckanut beers on multiple occasions on tap throughout the Seattle area and have been very, very impressed each and every time. Â So it only made sense that my better half and I make the road trip to B-ham to get it right from the source. Â
Simply put, the food and service was excellent. Â I got the BLT, my friend a pizza, and the Mrs. with a goat cheese veggie wrap. Â I got to try them all, and would gladly order any of them again. Â
Now the weird part for me was that the beer didn't taste anywhere near as good at the brewery vs when I had their beers at other locations. Â I'm going to make a prediction that there are issues with their serving lines. Â Each of the 6 beers we sampled had a very distinct funky character to them that I had never tasted in a Chuckanut beer. Â I was saddened by this, because there were beers that I hadn't had before, and almost all I could taste was that strange off flavor. Â But before that experience, I had their Helles and Vienna Lager a few times, and love them both dearly.
I'll continue to order Chuckanut beer when it's available, and I'm in the mood for a good, locally made German style lager. Â I crave me some good lagers quite often these days, and they're hard to come by. Â So I'm glad someone is stepping up to the plate and kicking some out for us. Â I just hope that whatever funk they have tainting the beers they're serving at the brewery gets figured out and fixed.
I had lunch here and I definitely won't be going back. Â Maybe it's just me, but sometimes food can be too healthy. Â For instance, Taco Time's veggie burrito has sunflower seeds in it and a wheat tortilla...I don't want that. Â
The sandwich was too panini style, with faux buttery taste grilled in. Â The shot glass sized water glass was obnoxious and impractical. Â The prices were somewhat high. Â The tastes really bothered me, I don't think it was a good menu.
This place is often compared to Boundary Bay, and it is similar in formula. A brewpub with crafted beers and a kitchen with good food offerings.
I like Chuckanut's beer much better than Boundary's. Â All the BB choices are Ales, but here at the Chuckanut brewery, there are more choices, such as pilsners and lagers also to try. Â I love the "Helles" and will come here specifically just to have it. Â I'm not even really a big beer connoisseur, but I sure love that stuff.
The menu isn't very extensive, but there are occasional specials that help to round it out. Â They have some pretty good wraps (usually also a nightly special wrap), the sweet potato fries are good, and I've had some good dinner-sized salads (field greens with grilled tempeh is great). Â My husband ordered a plate of nachos once and he was served something big enough for about 4 people.
We wanted to try something other than Boundary Bay for once.  The service was great, a little slow to get the food but when we got it, it was wonderful. I had the meatloaf - I know  Meatloaf?  But it was sensational. The perfect consistency and an addictive sauce.
My partner (the beer person) said the beer wasn't nearly as good as Boundary but I don't like Boundary's service or food. So we will definitely go back for a lunch or dinner.
I had my first visit just this week, and can't wait to go back!
I'm not really a beer person, but my friends all enjoyed the beers they had. They were a little disapointed that not all the beers are available as of yet though.
As for the ambience, I loved it! They have wine bottles (cleaned) and filled with water, which is nice so they can bring you your first glass of water but you can pour yourself more if you need it. Our server was attentive enough that it wouldn't have been an issue, but I drink a lot of water and liked being able to serve myself.
I didn't have any of the food yet, but looked over the menu and found many things I am anxious to try, both as appetizers and for dinner! Oh! Important to remember is that their kitchen closes at a certain time. They were very polite to tell us far in advance, but I can't remember what time it was...
I also can't help comparing it to my experiences with Boundary Bay Brewery - and so far this place is far superior.
As I understand it, the founders first started Thomas Kemper's root beer, then traveled around the world studying different ways of cooking and brewing before coming to Bellingham and starting the Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen. They're just getting started so they don't yet have all the beer that will eventually be available.
The first time I heard of Chuckanut, I went here for dinner the next THREE nights in a row, I kid you not.
Night 1: They have cheese pie ($8.5). CHEESE PIE! Goat cheese pie with a pistachio crust to be specific. Soooo amazingly good and creamy, and served on top of a big yummy salad. I also got great carmelized onions on top of flatbread ($4) and a spicy yamburrito ($10)!
Night 2: Halibut special was amazing. ($18)
Night 3: Prawns, mussel special, and salmon. It wasn't the best seafood I've ever had, but the salmon had a great fruity sauce and was served with yams and vegetables. You also get a very generous portion of mussels.
The food is not fantastic, but it's pretty damn good, and very cheap for what you get. I love the atmosphere of this place most of all. It's cheery and decorated with Ben Mann paintings, my favorite painter - so bright for Bellingham! It's also a rare restaurant with outdoor seating and a view of the bay.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
