The Nook Is A Great Little Bar Seated In Huntsville, Alabama. Â This little bar is filled with very friendly and very helpful staff who love to help you out, especially when you are overwhelmed by their massive menu of over 400 different kinds of beer. Â This place has it all, whatever you're looking for, i'm sure they will have it, unless you want a watered down beer (budlight, coors etc). Â They will also sell you their stock at a lower price than what it would cost to drink it in the bar, and if they don't have enough to sell the staff will send you in the right direction to a local store to find what you want.
The bar also has a few top shelf liquors, especially scotch. Â I am not sure how many or what all they have so I will not review them on this.
Also, this bar is completely nonsmoking unless you go out back on the deck, I love this and this is one of the main reasons why I come to this bar. Â It is very rare that you find a bar that is nonsmoking, and I've traveled many times over a hour and a half to drink here because of this.
Overall this is a great place and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves beer.
If you like beer, think you like beer, or want to find out what beers are out there, the Nook is the place for you. Â There are so many beers, I couldn't imagine going there enough try them all. Â I love going here and I'm most definitely not a beer fan, but it turns out there's a beer for everyone! Â They have a ton of bottle choices, but a pretty good selection on tap too. Â The servers are super attentive and I'm always impressed at their ability to figure out which beer you're trying to order (because a lot are foreign) but totally screwing up the pronunciation. Â They're also really good at asking you the right questions to figure out which beer they should recommend to you. Â When you first drive up the building looks a lot like an old church (which it may have been) but when you go inside, it's very well-lit and just a nice place to sit and chat with friends. Â The out-back area is also really nice when the weather is cooperating.
They have a small offering of food if you need something to nibble on, and I would recommend trying the jambalaya if they're serving it that night!
The Nook is a great place to meet up with friends and throw a few back. There are literally hundreds of beers to choose from, which I think is part of the experience of going to the Nook. I always ask questions about each beer I try and no matter the server, they always know the answer. My only negative about the Nook is that on Friday and Saturday nights, this place can get really crowded really fast.
I'll be completely honest - I'm not a huge beer drinker. I do enjoy sweet beers, such as Lindermans' lambics. I would have never discovered these delicious beers had it not been for the Nook!
Can't say enough about our friends at The Nook. Â Excellent service, a beer menu that makes even the most seasoned craft beer nerd salivate, and a really chill atmosphere make The Nook a place to visit each and every time you go to Huntsville!
Spend time while you are there and educate yourself on a new beer. Â You can even ask your server and they can tell you about the beer you've selected. Â And if you're a pro and have tried all of the beers The Nook has available (currently at over 400!), you need to come see me, because you, good sir/madam, deserve a hearty handshake :-)
look, the beer here is great. Â And there is a lot of it. Â But I had some pretty crummy food here, and the service is meh. Â And the food is overpriced. Â
We came on a not very busy night, sat near the bar, and ordered beer, pizza, the Chicago Dog, and the jambalaya. Â And for our DD, we ordered a Sprite.
The beer was excellent. Â The jambalaya was okay. Â The Chicago Dog was disappointing. Â Not inedible, just not a Chicago Dog in the sense that it wasn't really piled with toppings, and those toppings were not really good quality. Â The pizza was, I'm pretty sure, a Red Baron Pizza that they buy frozen and then just bake. Â It even came out on the cardboard plate you have in those frozen pizza boxes. Â It was just pretty crummy.
Also, the Sprite for our DD had little things floating in it- like little bits of mildew from the glass. Â When I called over the waitress to tell her about it, she seemed a bit put out that I was asking for a drink without floating mildew. Â She brought back a clean glass, but with sparkling water, not soda. Â I just gave up.
Two reviews of this venue, first is the beer, second is the food.... obviously with over 400 beers, it is going to be hard for even the most died hard of beer fans to try a good two handful of these in a week, let alone a lifetime! Â They keep all of their beers at a very good temp and even serve them at the recommended beer temp from the brewer, outstanding!
Absolutely no complaints about the alcohol side of this establishment! Â The owner takes pride in her beers and her food, but I will get to the food in a minute... Bar is decorated nicely, but at the same time, seems a little outdated with some of the basic upkeep of the establishment. Â Not something that will take away from this review, more of just a suggestion...
Second is the atmosphere of the place, very mellow, laid back and classy... Definitely do not come dressed in scrubs or expecting a bunch of drunks at the bar, definitely a higher class than I was expecting and was a very nice change of pace. Â So, if you are looking for a good variety of beers in a relaxed atmosphere, then this is definitely the place to come.
Okay, second part, 2 stars... The food. I didn't have any of the main platters, but I did try their sample bowls that they they have here featuring 3 of 4 different small dishes. They have the Calico Beans, Gumbo, Jambalaya and the Red Beans & Rice. I tried the Calico, Gumbo and Red Beans, which only 1 of 3 were good, the Red Beans & Rice... Flavored great, because the owner seasons them herself, which really showed. The Gumbo had a tomato soup taste to them though that was hard to get past, especially for a Gumbo... It was made fresh though, which is good, but did not taste like real Gumbo. Next was the Calico Beans, which states that it has an Applewood bacon with it, so I expected it to have a slight smoked flavor and a slight sweetness to it, unfortunately the flavor of the dish was over powered by the smoke taste and was almost unbearable without the crackers they provided with the dish. I asked the owner about this and she said it shouldn't be too overpowering (maybe left on the burner too long?) and she was going to investigate this with her cook as she is the one that comes up with the dishes. hopefully she fixes these issues as it seems to be an issue with her cook.... Which is never a good sign, hopefully I will get a chance to try the other dishes to grad them, but only 33% of the sample dishes being good, it leaves little to be desired. On a side note, the customer next to me tried the Jambalaya and he didn't like the taste of it either, so all signs point to the cook unfortunately... So, try the Red Beans and Rice and enjoy the spice, avoid the others though, unless she breaks out the whip and gets the cooks in line... She seems like a good owner and takes pride in her restaurant so I have high hopes that it will get better!
Possibly the biggest and best range of real draught beer I have seen in any pub, and hundreds of different bottled beers of the world as well. I love coming here for a few pints of IPA, it is quiet in the afternoon but get busy 4ish as all the NASA engineers get off work. Fantastic gumbo and bar food, and they have food specials on most nights. Sign up to them on Facebook, and get warning when they are tapping a new keg or a special beer is coming. The Gem of the Hutsville Pub scene.
Review Source:Love love love love the beer selection :) The food option is very limited, but their gumbo & jambalaya are good. Love their rib-eye on chicago roll. Cheese & meat plate can feed at least 4, great way to share.Come with full stomach or don't expect to have full meal. Â It's a good place to mingle with beer. Top it off, it's smoke free!
Review Source:I'd rather go to the Nook than just about any bar in town. Super laid-back atmosphere, ginormous beer selection, knowledgable bar staff...you can't beat it! There are literally too many beers to choose from. My favorite is THE DUCHESS...but don't order one because I don't like it when they run out. No Budweiser, Miller, PBR, limes, oranges, or lemons here...just awesome beers. The outdoor patio is also really great bonus on warm nights. They have some pretty decent light faire if you don't have time to eat first. I recommend the red beans and rice.
Review Source:Holy Huntsville! Â We decided to take our first trip to Alabama and boy was it interesting. Â We headed through some back country on our way to Huntsville and wow, we passed an outpost selling panic rooms, bomb shelters and tornado rooms. Â The rooms/shelters were all on the road if you want to take a look. Â What does this say about Alabama? Â Nothing, but it does make for an fascinating trip. Â When we finally hit the city of Huntsville our first stop was Space Camp. Â After a few hours we decided to bust out the trusty ole Yelp app and find a place to eat and drink. Â This proved to be quite difficult considering everything was closed downtown! Â They even had brochures telling us to go there. Â Weird, very weird. Â We finally settled on The Nook. Â I was completely surprised upon entering. Â They don't really focus on the decor, but how could they when they offer 350 beers, Chi-Chi's margaritas, etc. Â The beer selection is awesome, out of this world really, pages upon pages of beer. Â I had a cream ale from South Carolina that was divine. Â How can they get all these beers and Nashville keeps serving me the same stuff over and over again. Â The beer is worth 5 stars, but the decor is worth 2 stars. Â The patio is worth 4 stars, it's a small deck built around trees, very cozy. Â The food is worth 3 stars only because they were out of three of the menu items and vegetarians are left with pizza or $7 chips and salsa. Â Granted you get a lot of chips BUT... so really I want to give it 3.5 stars but I'll round up because of the beer selection. Â Also you should know they do beer dinners, when we were there they were featuring the cream ale, another beer and offered a stew that the regulars seemed to enjoy.
Review Source:The Nook was my second and last stop on my mini beer tour of Huntsville, Al. This place was definitely low-key and I could see myself wasting years of my life here just trying to get through the six or so menu pages (front and back!) that are filled to the brim with micro and international brews. Great casual vibe, good people and better beer - perfect combo.
Review Source:After hearing for years about my dad's favorite hang out, I finally got a chance to go, the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving.
My dad is a retired government engineer and knew of the owner through that career. Â Mr. Adams made plenty of money as contractor on government defense contracts. Â He's chosen to use that money to bring to life the concept of a tavern - a place for people to gather, have a few drinks, but mainly to discuss big ideas. Â You won't find crazy drink specials, loud music, TVs showing the game, or scantily clad waitresses here. Â This place is about talking with others and enjoying a few pints in the mean time. Â Mr. Adams proudly explained that anyone and everyone is welcome including a local book club, a local church club, and even the public library, who commissioned a beer to be brewed for the release of a certain book and had the unveiling of that beer on the patio.
That said, they have an extensive collection of brews: 320 bottles and 48 draft on the day that I was there. Â The draft list includes 8 or so Huntsville-brewed beers. Â Our server was friendly and knowledgeable, making a recommendation when they were out of the first one that I'd chosen. Â If you're not into beer, there are a few other selections on the menu including wine and margaritas. Â That's how my dad has convinced my mom to come for the holidays (St. Patrick's, Cinco De Mayo).
The space itself is not that great. Â The owner explained that he has ideas for improvements, but most changes would require him to come up to building codes which he finds cumbersome and unnecessary, such as putting islands with trees in the parking lot. Â So it's a little old, but they're doing their best to make it homey. Â My father warned me that the restrooms weren't the best (apparently the door to the men's room doesn't properly close, and consequently doesn't properly lock. Â The womens restroom is one of the tidiest spaces I've ever seen in any tavern or bar.
I look forward to another few pints at the Nook during my next visit to Huntsville.
#Yelp365 - 334/365
Your enjoyment of your time at the nook will almost definitely be directly correlated to how you feel about beer. They have an absolutely fantastic selection of beers, although they seem to make some odd seasonal selections that don't make a lot of sense. The staff is knowledgeable, and reasonably patient if you don't know what you are doing.
The food is OK at best...but let's be real...that's not what you are here for.
The environment is unfortunately kind of disappointing as well. It seems to be mostly filled with folks playing games on their cell phones. Bring your own friends when you show up, problem solved. Outdoor seating is cool and the ambiance outside is much nicer.
It has been a while since I reviewed the Nook. Let me give some updates and perhaps insights to make this place actually enjoyable for non-beer-drinkers like me.
Food-- If you are hungry, try their seafood jambalaya. It is fairly good, also generous in portion. Definitely better than their pizzas (which are Tostones $1 pizza)
Drinks-- If you don't like the bitterness of the beers (like me), try their selection of lambics. Lambics are fruity, sweet, and sour, it's almost like drinking juice, but with a little more depth from the malt bitterness. Very tasty.
The Nook carries mostly Lindermans' lambics, including kriek (cherry), framboise (raspberry), pêcheresse (peach), and pomme (apple). They have framboise on tap, but others come in bottles.
My favorite is the kriek lambics. Lindermans kriek lambic is good, and I also like  Cherish kriek lambic which is thicker and sweeter.
Armed with the newly found good eats and my new favorite drink, I no longer frown when my friends wants to hang out at the Nook. :) Upgrading to 4 stars!
I don't want to change my rating, but I DO want to add that you can't get any type of citrus fruit here to add to your beer. Â Classically if I order a hefe weisse most places will serve it with a lemon or orange slice. Â Here, they will actually MAKE FUN OF YOU if you ask for one. Â Ok, that's fine that you don't serve any of your beers that way, but be a little nicer about it. Â Geez.
Review Source:This place has character. If you like the microbeers, this is the place to go. We went to celebrate here after our race and had the place to ourselves. The wooden deck patio in the back is awesome. Hearing birds in the trees above us, enjoying good company and some local brews. Large selection of microbrews, should be easy to find something you like, from fruity to stouts to even the 'good old buds' etc.  The place gets lively in the evening, I'm told and I believe it. The manager has  a heart and passion for her business and the enjoyment of good beers/friends. She makes the place welcoming.
I don't know anything about the food since I ate beforehand.
Definitely  the place to go in Huntsville.
This is a place for the true beer enthusiast. The first thing that i noticed about the place was they had well over 250 beers from all over the world here it is a great place to enjoy the best selection of beer within a couple hundred miles. they have a short food menu its good food but not any thing to get exited about but it is really just a place to sit down and enjoy the company of fellow beer enthusiasts.
Review Source:Oh goodness, This place needs some serious rethinking. I got the feeling from my first time visit that the regulars sit in the exceedingly illuminated front section while the college kids and/or professionals ensconce themselves in the engulfing blue neon abyss while checking emails in the back bar.
Wifi in a bar? Questionable. Service? Ok at best. Beer selection? Best in town due to the new beer law (according to the hubby) and food? BLEH. Please Nook, step it up and turn this place into a REAL beer bar by offering a space to enjoy the beer and get a better food menu. ..
The Nook is the place to be. Â If you are a beer lover, then the Nook is the place for you. Â Very laid back, friendly atmosphere. Â Free WiFi....you can't beat that. Â Very limited food menu but hey I go there for the beer. Â It is located away from all the major traffic so you do not have to worry about getting caught up in it.
Review Source:Best non-smoking bar in town. Cozy, recently a lot of remodeling. Friendly staff, great prices considering the gourmet beer selection. Beers served in appropriate glassware and some at traditional temperatures.
Staff is VERY knowledgeable on the beers.
Food is overpriced and not really worth it, but this is a bar, you are here for the amazing beer selection.
if you're looking for wide variety of good beer, The Nook is the only place in Huntsville. Â Freaking love the Nook. Â Weird atmosphere in there. Â Kinda feels like you're in a community senior center... except there's so much good beer! Â And no smoking is always a plus. Â Huntsville's most extensive collection of imports and craft brews.
Review Source:High rating is for the awesome assortment of global beers and the lack of pretentiousness. Â This place is for serious beer drinkers. Â Where else would cheapo engineers, who brown bag their lunch and drive 20-year-old beaters, pay up to 8 bucks a glass for a beer? Â Low key, casual, decent bar food, off the beaten track.
Review Source:The Nook is my regular Thursday night hang; although, I'm moving to Tuesday night which is German food night. Â Most of my office knows why I'm out the door early on Thursdays and late getting in Fridays. It's good to have a supportive work environment. Upside- great beer selection, atmosphere of people who like great beer (you can go there w/out the wife worrying), friendly staff, price, seating has improved, music, and non-smoking. Downside- beer selection (they're hesitant to bring in several beers that are highly rated), food selection (standard menu is limited to pretty good Cajun fair, frozen pizzas, and an expensive cheese/cracker plate). Overall a great place that has a close as you can get pub feel.
Review Source:After spending a year overseas in Europe, one of the first places my friends took me to when I returned was The Nook. Â I'm not much for stouts, but the selection at The Nook has something for everyone.
I had grown fond of a fruit beer which I could get on tap in Stockholm. Â "Kriek Boon," a Belgium Lambic, is a terrific cherry flavored fruit beer. Â I had resigned myself that I wouldn't be able to find this stuff back home, but low and behold, The Nook serves another Kriek Lambic that's just as good as what I had overseas.
The huge selection of bottled beers (and Lambics!) combined with several beers on-tap makes The Nook unique among Huntsville bars. Â Another bonus is that you can't even buy a Bud Light, Miller Light, or other similar type beer there. Â This further distinguishes The Nook as the right destination for beer snobs.
Luckily, beer snobs are really nice people, and so you'll find the atmosphere friendly and unpretentious. Â The decor is simple, and the place is clean and smoke free.
The service is exactly what I experienced living overseas. Â If you expect to be waited on within two minutes of arriving, you might be disappointed. Â Don't be in a hurry, relax, and you'll get good service here. Â Part of the atmosphere here is to not be in a hurry, which is really a great way to be once you get used to the concept.
You can see the giant sign almost two blocks away, but the building is set back from the road a bit. Its' parking lot isn't as well lit as I would like and the building looks kinda sketchy from the outside, but be brave and go in anyway.
Inside, The Nook is a well lit, cozy, non-smoking neighborhood bar with the cleanest bar bathrooms you'll ever see. They also play host to over 120 beers and near nightly live music.
The food isn't your standard bar fare either. Choose homemade Red Beans & Rice, Gumbo or if you prefer, they do have chips and cheese dip or pizza.