Eureka area, this is one of two places that I would definitely recommend, and return to. I just found out about this one. The other one is the Samoa cook house. Â I'm not even a big beer lover. Â It was recommended by hotel staff at Best Western. Walking distance. Lots of truckers here. For a trucker, biker, sports bar... it was very mannerly and not that loud. Â Our servers appeared to be happy, and to really enjoy being there, even when nobody was looking. They were nice, professional, efficient . Â Wine list was good, Â I'm not a big judge of beer. But the food was excellent. Seafood was fresh and well cooked. My husband enjoyed his dinner too. Portion sizes are ample, suitable for truckers and loggers! Bring an appetite.
Review Source:I have been here a few times before and always had a pleasant experience. I came here yesterday again for a friend's birthday party. We sat outside, (love their outdoor seating area!) and had about 25 people in our party. The waitress assigned to our table wasn't extremely friendly, but was prompt and came to check on us regularly. I ordered the Garden Gulch salad w/ tofu and balsamic dressing and asked for a few ingredients to be omitted which were not. I didn't think it was a big enough deal to send back, though and it was actually really delicious! Definitely filling! I don't drink beer, but they have a decent wine list. Overall I'd give it 3.5 stars, but since I can't ill give it 4. The staff isn't very friendly, but good food and good environment!
Review Source:This brewery's specialty beers tend to outshine their regular menu of beers, but even their standard beers are excellent. The atmosphere is standard brewery - can be loud, usually sports on TV. The menu is huge for a brewery - and the portion sizes typically allow to take half of your meal home. The smoked tri-tip sandwich is the perfect combination of flash-fried onions, pepperjack cheese and cajun mayo it's hard not to order it more than once. Some of their prices are expensive but portion-worthy and they use local sources for ingredients such as Eel River beef, Loleta cheese, etc. They used to have a crab sandwich that was to die for but I think it came off the menu when it was hard to source year-round. Their specials are all wonderful, they have a knack for blackened salmon, grilled fish and steaks. The service is excellent here as well, they have a knack for hiring great personalities, save one or two "iffies" but I won't knock them a star for that. Thursdays are happy hour all night, and Tuesdays are peanuts-on-the-floor night where each table has a basket of roasted peanuts. Loaded fries are worth the extra buck or so. Reservations, especially on weekends are suggested as this place is usually packed.
Review Source:Great place to stop for lunch. BBQ sandwich was excellent. The Greek salad didn't "appear" to be that special, but the taste was on the mark. Â Happy hour specials good too. Â The brews were good. I was lucky enough to be eating when a local artist was drawing up the Friday specials on the board. He's a good artist and it was entertaining to watch him work. Â I wanted to stay and try out that seafood linguini special that was available that night. Â
Note this place was a bit hard to find by me, behind behind a Super 8 motel. Don't give up, it's worth the search.
Ordered the organic amber ale and the climax classic brew. Delicious! A cold brew never tasted better! (Ok I say that every time!) I had the BBQ pork sandwich and even though the menu said it was sliced pork I missed that and expected pulled pork. The sandwich lacked flavor and the pork was mostly fat. So I had another beer instead! My hubs ordered the tritip sandwich which was delicious! The outdoor patio was perfect.
Review Source:Really loved our visit here. Wish we lived nearby so we could come back. Beer was great - If this is your first time order a flight of samples so you can taste the range offered. The onion rings were some of the best I've had. The rest of the meal was tasty too. Food and beer aside, five stars for atmosphere - friendly and welcoming.
Review Source:from husband: beers were excellent and reasonably priced. food was good- nothing superb but definitely good. kids meals were VERY overpriced IMO- they were big, but still $8-9 for a kids meal. it was certainly not a kids sized burger. 4 stars for the beer, because it's what they do best. i'd give the food a 3.
Review Source:Beer was great, service was okay, food was meh to okay.
Beer: Â my wife had a blonde and I had a porter. Â Both were well balanced and tasty.
Service: Â the waiter took our orders and the food came in a reasonable time, but then he disappeared. Â I would have ordered a second beer, but by the time he got back to us we were ready to leave.
Food: Â we started with the onion rings, which were good. Â I had the garden gulch salad, which was large and reasonably fresh, but the house balsamic vinaigrette served on the side was too sweet, too thick, and insufficiently sized for the amount of salad served. Â My wife had the Greek salad, which was also large but covered with a bland chicken breast which was undergrilled and accompanied by the same disappointing dressing. Â Each salad included a piece of garlic bread which was also underdone.
I would give this place more stars if it were just a bar or a tasting room, but because it is also a restaurant, I can fairly only give three.
I have been a fan of Eel River Acai Berry Wheat ale for a long time. So while vacationing in Humboldt recently my bf and I decided to check out the brewing company/restaurant. I must say I have mixed feelings about it in hindsight. I'll start with the cons of this place. The wait staff was standoffish, some were downright unfriendly. The waitress that served us, though efficient at her job, did not seem happy to be there. The food . . it was just not that great, unfortunately. I ordered a tuna melt and it was so greasy I couldn't finish it. My SO had a veggie burger and gave it two thumbs down for being greasy and lackluster. And  it wasn't cheap either. Now the positives - the beer was great. I had two of the California Blonde ales and they were smooth, almost 'creamy' with just the right amount of hops. The beer garden . . ah, yes. The beer garden would be the main reason I would go back to this place. It was beautiful. The nicest one I've ever seen, in fact. It was huge, plenty of shade and seating, with a horse shoe pit, and a rock fountain. Basically, the perfect place to get a buzz on. If and when I ever decide to come back to Eel River Brewing Co. I would sit in the beer garden and just order beer (maaaybe an appetizer) but would skip the full meal next time.
Review Source:We go up to the redwoods and Eureka about once every two years and have been visiting the Eel River Brewery for the last 15 years whenever we can. The beer and the food couldn't taste any better after a busy day. The menu seems to change and I can't say I was crazy about their clam chowder this time. It was way too thick and kind of blah but their fish sandwich was moist and fried just right. I am back in the Bay Area now and would love their stout as I am writing this but I don't have it. Damn...
Going to this brewery is one of my favorite memories with my kids as they grew up. Great pub food, fun atmosphere and one of the most beautiful areas in the world.
Our entire group was really happy with this place, and for a Monday night, it was busy and lively. Â It's a little tricky to find, and my GPS was fooled once, and I had to turn around to locate the place, nestled amongst 3 or 4 new motel chains. Â But once you're inside, you can forget all that and enjoy the food and large selection of brew, including an Acia beer, that the waitress was kind enough to let me sample for free.
Review Source:When you go to a specialty shop, just expect greatness from their specialty and mediocrity from the supporting cast.
That's what I experienced at the brewery. I was excited to try their sampler of twelve beers, and if you're a newcomer to craft beer, this is the way to go. In this regard they did not disappoint.
They also tout their barbecues. Now I'm no expert in BBQ, but I am pretty knowledgeable when it comes to how it should be done. The first sign was a lack of the smoke ring which usually indicates the meat was not smoked long enough to have the smoke permeate. I did however like the dry rub.
If its a nice day sit at one of the shaded tables in the beer garden. Next time ill try non barbecue items.
My wife and I had dinner here on June 8th, and were expecting alot from the reviews. Â Unfortunately for us, we got the waitress with attitude. Â Yes she was busy, but she was rude to my wife when she asked about how the hamburger was made. Â She told my wife to read the menu. Â Nice. Â BTW, the receipt says her name is Fritz... Â Oh, she also never checked back with us. Â After waiting 15 minutes for her to show back up, ask if I wanted another beer, give us our bill, or otherwise engage with us, I had to flag down another server to ask her to please get our rude server.
There were other servers in the place that all seemed to find time to check regularly on their tables. Â I know, because I had lots of time waiting to watch the operation. Â I would have given this place 5 stars except the server got me so pissed off (obviously, here a week later I'm still angry).
Food was interesting and excellent. Â I had the tuna melt made with smoked albacore, and the acai berry wheat beer. Â I would try this place again, if I come back through here, but I would refuse to have this person be my server.
I only got to have one beer while at lunch. Well, because it was lunch and I couldn't sit around drinking all day. But, the brew I had was notably delicious. I'd like to come back for a half a dozen and a cab ride home.
I also had a chicken "Philly" sandwich. It was pretty good. Great side salad.
We stopped here for lunch. The sandwiches were pretty good. Our server was nice, she let us sample a couple of the beers before deciding. She even let our 1.5 year old have a sample of the chili, (which is about as much as she really wanted to eat anyway). They have a nice outdoor area here, which seems great for when the sun is out.
Review Source:Stopped here for lunch and a pit stop on my way back to Sacramento. Â Service was good, but the three servers were really running around (they might want to add a 4th during rush hours). Â Heard that the Fish & Chips were excellent -- in fact, they were some of the best that I have EVER tasted. Â Thick filets with a true beer batter that were not greasy, perfectly cooked, and with a great taste. Â I enjoyed a glass of the Double Expultation and loved it so much that I took home a growler of their Triple Exultation.
Outstanding beer and really good food. Â This will become a "must stop" during future road trips.
My honey and I make a great team when it comes to food, fun, traveling and adventures. We love the same things and try to have as much fun as possible when we travel. Breweries are always a fun stop on our adventures.
I've wanted to visit the Eel River Brewing Company and on our last trip up north, we stopped off for a beer sampler and some oysters before dinner on Christmas Eve. We found that many others had a similar idea and although crowded, we found two spots at the end of the bar.
We ordered a full round of everything on tap. The regulars and the seasonal specials. I think there were about 12 each of the 4 oz sample sizes. Not only is the beer unique and delicious, it's certified organic beer! The Acai Berry is unreal how good it is.
To go with our beer, we ordered the grilled oysters. I was hoping for raw, but thought we would give these a shot. These were pretty darn good, grilled in butter, garlic and chardonnay and then I tapped them with Tapatio hot sauce.
We split the sampler and the appetizer and were on our way. It was a nice little stop and we got to try a bunch of new brews which is a total score in my book.
Driving through on a late night road trip from Orange county to Seattle, I was craving a delicious stout and my wife and kids were starving for some good eats. We yelped the nearest open brewery to our location and found the Eel River Brewing Co. "Wow! its open and with 4 stars...enough said, lets Go!" Â
Once you go in you can tell that it's definitely a locals hang out. That wouldn't be a bad thing but it seemed that the locals were the only ones getting service. Our waitress was terrible. She seemed to be more involved in everything else but waitressing. The food was horrible and pricey. The beer was mediocre at best, and it didn't help that it took our waitress 10 minutes to take me a beer. The worst part is that they didn't even carry a stout. The agony!
If your driving through and plan on stopping in...don't! Keep driving. Save yourselves and your money.
This place was really good!! The food was really tasty. We ordered the spinach dip and prime rib with shrimp scampi. The spinach dip had a really good flavor to it and the shrimp was perfect! The service was pretty good too.
I almost forgot to mention they brew their own beer and it's organic!! We had a sampler and they were all pretty good. I ended up getting a 6 pack of acia berry wheat. My boyfriend took home the triple execution which has the higher alcohol content. Both very good and decently priced.
The food was decent, the prices were a touch high, and the service was awful.
I'm not from around these parts so I understand that this is the only brewery option nearby. Â The sandwiches were okay, but 12.99 for most meals seems a bit much for the standard burger-and-fries kind of fare. Â Don't order the coleslaw...the fries are passably decent and the onion rings looked good, so I'd go with one of those. Â I've had better and I've had better locally, despite not being a local myself.
The service was pretty darn awful. Â It took a long time for us to get a hostess to tend to us and since there were several empty tables and only one other group waiting...this seemed ridiculous. Â Our waitress didn't appear at the table until we were all done reading the menu. Â She finally came by to refill our drinks once we were trying to flag her down for the check since I'm pretty sure she forgot we were there at all. When she did show up at the table she practically slammed a ketchup down and ran off quickly.
The two beer drinkers enjoyed the California Blonde...I can't comment on that one specifically as I did not try. Â
I don't know that I'd go here again but if I lived locally and this was the only brewery option...I guess I might have to on occasion.
This place was a little out of the way for me, but it was definitely worth the drive! Starting with an appetizer, I had the calamari. I love good calamari and this was definitely one of the top ten for me. It was a little different from the norm, which was great. The menu says that they are "Cajun-fried" and it seems to be working for them. They were perfectly crispy and flavorful. The spices added weren't overpowering, which I was a tad worried about.
I was truly torn on my entree between the stout-smoked pork ribs and the stout-smoked tri-tip. Fortunately, they have a combo platter and I was able to try both! I will say that the ribs were a bit skimpy and overcooked, but they were still quite flavorful. On the other hand the tri-tip was amazing. It was wonderfully soft, near melt-in-your-mouth status and their "stout-smoked" process they follow made me want to throw out everything I know about bbq-ing and figure out how they do it.
On to their organic beers. They're pretty proud of the fact that they were the first fully certified organic brewery in the United States, and with over 300 awards (proudly displayed all over the walls of their brewery) why wouldn't they be? Usually when I try a sampler of a craft brewery's beers, I will pick out one or two that I like, and the rest will remain largely untouched after I taste them. This was not so at Eel River. I believe that there was only one of the samplers that I didn't enjoy.
The atmosphere is typical of most craft breweries I've been to with that warm, inviting, lodge-style feel to them. It was a little loud when it got busy, but not the bad type of noisy. It was simply the sound of a busy restaurant with its patrons thoroughly enjoying themselves.
As I wrap up this review, I will say that I wished there was a bit more room between the tables. I understand that they had limited floor space and seeing how busy they got, I know why they pack as many tables in as possible. Unfortunately, I did get elbowed multiple times as people would try to squeeze between tables, but since I was appeased with great food and fantastic drinks, I really wasn't all that bothered by it.
I came here with a group of 8 and we got a table inside. The server was very nice despite the fact that they were understaffed for the night. I poked around the back area while we waited for our table, and it seemed like it would be a great lunch-time spot. It is a large space with a covered patio, horseshoes, and rows of tables.
Excellent beer selection here, all USDA organic. Their specialty beers were all well crafted, especially the brown ale which was very complex and smooth. I tried probably 5 of the brews and liked them all for different reasons. I was compelled to buy a growler of the blonde ale to enjoy later (and I wanted a new growler).
The food was pretty bland, and the options were pretty basic. Sandwiches, burgers, salads, and fried stuff. All very heavy.
Definitely come for the beer, you will not be disappointed. I would like to stop in during the day the next time I am up that way and spend a couple hours out back and maybe snack on something. Too bad I live 275 miles away.
I have only been here once but it made an impact.
FOOD: Â I did not eat here but I definately whitnessed some masterful food craftsmanship roll out to the surrounding tables...
BEER: Â Very complex and well executed beers, good variety - it seemed that stouts and porters were the specialty here. Â Hazelnut stout was divine.
SERVICE: Â I found the service prompt and pleasant- A-ok
AMBIENCE: Â Honestly, I breezed through the restaraunt to the outdoor seating, the outdoor seating was really nice however.
OVERALL: Â If you happen to be traveling through the redwoods - stop and have a pint, its worth a visit.
Way to turn it around!
My wife and I had made this place a destination on a recent road trip. We love visiting  new brewpubs, breweries and taphouses. When we arrived at the Eel River taphouse in Fortuna, they were busy. Even so, we were quickly seated and our order for beer was taken promptly.. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. Before too long though, a table of regulars who knew the owner noticed that we were getting anxious and alerted the owner to the problem and BAM! The owner personally delivered our drinks and it was smooth sailing from then on out.
This place started out with a hiccup, but turned our experience around very quickly and left us highly satisfied. I know that I look forward to visiting again!
There are so few places around without driving the rest of the way to Eureka that the 3rd star at least partly comes from the fact that we were so happy to find this place. Â Probably it's only a 2. Â Part of the problem--dare I say it?--is that the beer really isn't that good. Â There are some interesting and unusual brews that like if I had at a friend's house and he'd home-brewed them I'd probably really enjoy...if you look at it that way, maybe it's not a bad thing...but Mendocino and Humboldt have no shortage of great, great brewing companies and so if you're coming for the beer, you might as well drive the extra 20 miles North.
The food as others have mentioned was so-so. Â Wings were pretty good and big. Â My tri-tip sandwich was fine, and big enough that I had lunch the next day out of it. Â The onion rings were awful. Â A french dip was purely school cafeteria.
Our waitress was so incredibly friendly and worked really hard. Â She's also contributing to the 3rd star in a big way!
Humboldt Brewery Tour Stop #5
Located in Fortuna around 3-4 motels, strange location, but good for walking not driving. They are the first organic brewery in the country so "be natural, drink naked" and drink craft beer. There beer is solid and they have lots of options for everyone. We enjoyed a sampler with:
Acai Berry
Blonde
Amber
IPA
Porter
Raven's Eye Imperial Stout
Saison
Amber and the Saison stood out. The food also stood out. They had so many options and we enjoyed the appetizers that complemented the beer. Our server was attentive and friendly and added to our experince.
Acai Beer?? Â Yes Please.
What's not to love with organic beer made in Humboldt County? Â Once again, after years of college, I never made it down here to ERBC, until a post-collegiate visit to the area. Â
This brewery is right off the 101 in Fortuna. Â The dining area is huge and there is a long bar. Â We ate inside, but I saw a nice patio out back. Â My sis and I tackled the sampler and had lunch here during our Outstanding Humboldt County Brewery Tour 2011. Â This brewery definitely made it to the top of our list. Â The brews were amazing and the food was just as good. Â Our server was super nice, and hooked us up when there was a slight error in the plating of my sister's food. Â
Their beers are super cool and unique. Â Like I said, with a beer like Acai Berry Wheat, you know there is some creativity in the works here. Â In the sampler there wasn't a dud in the bunch.
So, if you're on the way for a hike down on the Lost Coast, touring Humboldt State, finding your inner-hippie in Arcata, or counting Redwoods, definitely give this place a try for sustenance & recharging.
The Short Story:
Delicious, well-made, organic beer. Â
Great Pub-meets-Bar-at-the-Diner-Crossroads ambiance.
Any place with semi-feral bar felines gets a bonus star from me.
The Long Story:
Eel River Brewing Co in Fortuna has been on my radar since their Organic Amber Ale first revealed itself to me at a favorite dining spot here in San Francisco (and later, a second). "If it's this good in the bottle," I said to myself, "why not try it at the source?"
Glad I did - sat and enjoyed a sampler tray to make sure I was getting the full drinking experience. While I'm in huge favor of belgian ales, complexity in beer, and organic ingredients, I'm not in strong support of beer that tastes like it was aged in a whisky keg. The darker beers fall into this category. Prominent notes of chocolate in one... coffee in another.. in line with the tasting notes (for a change). Whisky flavor in all three.
The lighter-hued brews were steller: Of course, the Eel River Amber remains my favorite with the IPA a close second.
I could have paid more attention to the reclaimed items in the bar (including the bar - a crossbeam from another building), but the comfortable setting allowed me to focus on my companion and the great beer; and that's why it's my strong recommendation you pay this place a visit if you happen to be in Fortuna.
The food was good and the beer was good! They even have organic beer... well it sounded special to me :) We had the sampler first, then filled our growler with our fave pic (sorry can't remember what it was).
I prefer dark beers and I think theirs were delicious. Too bad this microbrew is so far away... I would become a regular. We did bring home a growler though.
I will truly never forget this place. Â I stumbled across it on a 3 day reggae festival up in Humboldt. Â The food and drinks were off the hook! Â They're beer was so--- good. I was there in August of 2008 and had their darkest brew The Triple Exultaion or was it the Raven's eye?. Anyways, great experience all the way! Â The food was excellent as well. Â I had their porterhouse steak sandwich with onion rings.
But the highlight are the faces of the local people -All of whom were some of the most friendly people I've ever come across in my entire life! Â It was like being transported to another world. Â Must be the air. Â The scenery is entirely green and fresh while the tables outside are very well spaced out while sitting on a huge beautiful lot. You'd be surprised as being outside was pretty spectacular on a sunny day! Â This was the highlight of my eating experience while visiting Humboldt.
After doing the Kings Peak/Rattlesnake/Buck Creek loop on the Lost Coast, D and I were ready to replace lost calories and support the local economy by hitting up some breweries. We hadn't had a real meal for for days so I was definitely up for some greasy pub fare and plenty of barley and hops to wash it down.
I immediately gravitated towards the fish and chips while D ordered the Bacon Cheeseburger, but before our entrees came we primed our guts with an order of freshly made stuffed potato skins filled with cheese, bacon and sour cream.
To wash down our feast I started with the Stout, coming in at a whopping 9.6% alcohol but smooth and black as Billie Dee himself. D ordered the IPA which lacked a nose but had a wonderful bittering.
My fish arrived heaping over the plate, crisp and not greasy while D's burger was mounded with cheese, onions and bacon.
In addition to the great food, the service was exemplary, even though the joint was packed with diners and a wedding rehearsal dinner outside.
For dessert D and I ordered an Acai wheat, which was crisp and refreshing like a good cider.
So I know it's a weird combination, but whenever I'm up in the area I have to have a tall frosty beer and a nice healthy salad. Â Been awhile since I've been up there, but they've got a salad with rock/bay shrimp (think its the California salad) on top. Â First off, everything is soooo fresh, its unbelievable. Â Second, the salad was huge...it's like the Hungry Man's version of healthy eating. Â So I LOVE the food and brews up there.
The only downside is that once when they were really busy, trying to either place a to-go order on the phone or even in person was insane. Â I had called twice and was put on hold for nearly 10 minutes the first time before hanging up and then the second time waited about 5 minutes before I hung up. Â I ended up walking over there and waiting about another 5-10 minutes to place the order and got that feeling that I was intentionally being ignored because they were just too busy. Â Just some advice might be to tell the customers that you're swamped and give a timeline for how long it'll take them to get around to you.
But, aside from that one bad experience, I highly recommend it!
I stopped by here a few times while working at a previous job that required some trips to the Eureka area. Â We usually stayed at the Comfort Inn right behind the restaurant so after a long work day this place was rather convenient.
The beer was rather tasty, although after a long day almost any beer tastes good. Â The floor was covered in peanut shells. Â I think Tuesday was free peanut night? Â The food is your normal pub fair, completely unhealthy but good comfort food.
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