My wife and I celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary with ~40 of our family and friends at the Ale House, in the private dining room on the second floor. From soup to nuts, everything was perfect and well above expectations. From initial communications, planning and set up to food, drinks and service...one of the best experiences we have ever had. We love Jenna, she helped us from start to finish...super knowledgeable, helpful, so kind and honest. Thank you so much Jenna! Additionally, the private room was an amazing space, the staff were on top of everything, our guests were so well taken care of and the food was absolutely amazing along with the great bar service. Highly recommend Ale House for lunch, dinner or a special event...you will not be disappointed. Thank you Jenna and the Ale House staff for making our 35th anniversary such a memorable day!!! read more

One of the better restaurants in the city of LANCASTER I'd put it in my top two I've never had anything bad there and their beers are very good also read more

Loved our server! Overall, it was very good! I felt the prices for the apps were a little much fo the quantity of food. But otherwise the entrees weren't too bad. I ate the Chicken Varenna without prosciutto and it was yummy! The chicken was crispy with good flavor. read more

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**CRAB CAKES** We've traveled to Lancaster dozens of times over the years, but never treated ourselves to this spot. (not a destination for dirty softball teams 8P ) Service was perfect, drinks were crafted to perfection. Appetizer of Cajun Blues was amazing. Prime Rib was on special and it was wonderful. They offered their Crab Cakes as an addon to an entree. I'm not normally one to try crab cakes when I can't see the ocean, but I decided to try one. (might have been the old fashioneds on board) I was pleasantly surprised. These crab cakes are worth a try. We'll definitely be back in the near future. read more

We probably won't be back. Two stars because at least the service was good. The food was so bland and flavorless. We had kids chicken tenders, grilled chicken, kids mac and cheese, calamari, and the seven pepper burger. The worst was the chicken tenders. I was actually a little impressed how they were able to make them taste like dust and air. Visually, everything looked really good... but it wasn't. We used to eat here a lot, and I loved the duck breast wrap they had. I'd come back for that. How can you put 7 peppers on a burger and it still not taste like anything? read more

Ale House 1890 - Seven Pepper Burger - American Near Me - Lancaster, Ohio

This restaurant probably has the best food in Lancaster! We were looking for a little nib around 9:00 pm on a Tuesday evening and the first place we tried was a no go because the kitchen was closed. We then tried the Ale House. We did not order beverages. We tried the pirogies and they were heavenly delicious. The harissa sauce and bacon was a combination like no other! We also ordered the Margherita pizza and it had a thin crust and hit the spot. Our server was Ellen and she answered all of our questions and was attentive to our dining needs. This restaurant was perfect for conversation and dining enjoyment. We will most definitely be back! read more

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This was my first time to the area and we decided to eat here based on Yelp and Google Reviews. We didn't think it would be that busy for a Thursday but were pleasantly surprised that they had a decent crowd. The ambiance was very nice and had an upscale/welcoming feel. We had to wait about 5 minutes to be sat because they were letting the kitchen catch up with orders. Service overall, was good just a little slow. It was about a 45-min wait for our food. The table shared the pretzel bites which were very good! I ordered the special (Chicken Francese) per our servers request and it was very underwhelming. The noodles had a lemon crème sauce that was good but a little cold and the chicken needed more seasoning. The best part was the garlic bread. For the price, I wish I would have ordered something else. My two friends ordered the Pecan Crusted Chicken and they really liked it. read more

Ale House 1890 - Special- Chicken Francese - American Near Me - Lancaster, Ohio

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Been wanting to check out Ale House 1890 for awhile, but I don't love near it, so after a day of hiking in the area we were excited to arrive at 5:30 on Saturday and be able to have a table. Really great choices on the menu, and good beer list. Three of us started with a smoked Manhattan, which Winter arrived, didn't have anything to set it apart from a normal Manhattan and it also didn't taste like it was smoked. It was a fine Manhattan, but we didn't understand the smoked part of it, which is why we all ordered it. We started with the spinach and artichoke dip which came and had way more dip to chip ratio, and when we asked for more chips, we were charged for them- not the biggest deal but a little bit annoying. The chips were good, but definitely oily and the dip was more creamy than spinach and artichoke, but not awful. There were several things on the menu I was tempted by, but I went with the scallops with the signature presentation, which came with risotto and green beans. The dish was really great, but the portion size was a little bit small for the price. Didn't have very many green beans on it at all and I was able to finish my whole meal. I just think the price was a little bit high for that. My boyfriend got the Lancaster favorite chicken and he said it was fine. Just not anything super special. Our friends got the swordfish special and the pierogies and everyone was pretty happy with their meal. We also shared the cobbler dessert which was good just not anything super special. Service was good. The atmosphere was nice and the place got crowded later in the evening. Definitely a nice meal and if I was in Lancaster, I would eat here again. read more

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Disappointing. I hate to leave subpar reviews, but I owe it to Yelpers like myself to be accurate. I'll keep this to the point. Food- 1 star Service- 5 star Ambiance- 4 star Service was great, awesome server, great attitude and very attentive. Awesome old industrial decor that pays homage to the life of yesteryear. Food was where I lost it. Bland, bland, bland. I had to salt and pepper the spinach artichoke dip to get any flavor other than cream cheese/sour cream. Chips were dripping with oil. Main dish was flavorless as well. Chicken was overcooked, breading was so crisp that it actually caused my mouth to be sore after eating. Bread was so tough I could hardly chew it. read more

Ale House 1890 - Spinach & Artichoke Dip - American Near Me - Lancaster, Ohio

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Super surprise for us. We met up with another couple from out of town and heard good things about Ale House 1890 but had yet to make it over - not to mention this was bookmarked in my Yelp for who knows how long. :) We heard word the line can be out the door. No reservations (I REALLY like reservations) but we were savvy enough to meet up at 3 pm for a late lunch/early dinner with our friends. Lunch menu is available until 4 pm when the dinner menu comes up and at that point, you get the option to choose from which menu you like. Huge bonus. The pretzel nuggets and bacon appetizer were incredible we ordered the bacon one twice! I had the grilled cheese with fries my husband ordered the best out of all of us - his was the steak with amazing veggies. Our wait staff was awesome. She was so helpful and paced us nicely. By the time we got out close to 6 pm the restaurant was jamming. Lots of large parties one I recall was a milestone bday with the birthday girl all decked out with a sash and tiara. Parking is on the street as it's downtown so be prepared to walk a little though not bad. Casual not super fancy which works. I think next time we'll hit the bar where we normally sit just the two of us as it looked super cute and fun. Bathroom was clean. Check it out for a fun different spot and come to find out it wasn't that far from our home in Columbus. read more

Fives on everything, except the food. My wife and I were visiting Lancaster and decided to try Ale House 1890. We saw that had call ahead seating so called them about 25 min before our arrival. We were greeted by very nice hostesses and were seated within a few minutes of arrival. Both the bar and main restaurant was packed, so this is clearly a popular local restaurant. The parking was either street side or in a nearby parking lot. For a downtown restaurant this is pretty normal and we were lucky to find parking on the street. We sat in a booth tucked away behind the bar which was nice. It was a quieter secluded area and it almost felt exclusive. Our waitress was extremely nice and helpful. I wanted to order bourbon and she checked on pour sizes and prices enthisastically. They have a great bourbon, beer and mixed drink menu and a very large bar area where people were eating and drinking. The restaurant is in a fully renovated space in one of the old buildings along Main street. It was very modern and open in feel. Now for the reason I rated it a three, the food. It starts with the expectationa set by the menu. They very proudly highlight their AH Signature steaks in an all black emphasized area on the menu. This sets the expectation of "they know their steaks and your in for a treat". I ordered the Kentucky Ribeye that came with a mushroom sauce on top with mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts. The first thing my wife and I both noticed was some of the sides were cold, as if there is a plate prep person that puts the sides on while it waits for the protein. For me the protein was a steak and for my wife the scallops. The proteins were warm, but what they were placed on was cold. My steak was cooked perfectly medium rare as I ordered it, so the chef did a great job; however the meat was so chewy and tough that I couldn't eat it. This is my very first occasion ever to return a food item. I simply don't do it. But I couldn't eat it. I tried both ends and the middle and it was the same everywhere. I've been a steak chef in my past and have cooked 100's of steaks and I can say the problem was the grade of meat and it's lack of marbleing, because a medium rare Ribeye with even modest marbling is one of the tenderest steaks you can get. My waitress was very apologetic and took it to the manager. I didn't specifically ask for anything as I have never returned an item before. The manager dropped half the price. If I were the manager and a steak was returned I would probably have offered to cook a new one or delete it from the bill, but as I didn't ask for anything I was now just overserving AH's decision processes. Maybe it was because I ate the sides : ) My wife's scallops were cooked perfectly. The sides listed for Moroccan style were spinach and jasmine rice but there was very little spinach, and as I mentioned the rice was cold. In summary, the facilities and staff that we interacted with were fantastic. The Kentucky Ribeye and Moroccan scallops.had much to be desired. read more

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Delicious!! Love the interior look. Our server Ellen was wonderful - very kind and timely. Espresso martini is one of the best I have had and my husband enjoyed the Nut Brown Ale. I ordered the salmon AH signature style and it was a 10/10. The salmon was cooked perfectly and a generous portion, and the risotto was a delicious pairing. The green beans were cooked well also! My husband had the Mahi Mahi and said it was really good too. We are out of towners visiting shocking Hills, but this place is a gem! read more

Ale House 1890 - American Near Me - Lancaster, Ohio

Lovely patio, great service. The food is very good, we got the Pirogies for an appetizer and the Shrimp Skewers "A.H." Style and the Hot Chicken Sandwich for dinner. Plenty of drink selections. The carrot cake for dessert is huge and amazing! read more

Ale House 1890 - Carrot Cake - American Near Me - Lancaster, Ohio

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Stopped in here for dinner Saturday. Used the call ahead feature to be added to the waitlist which was nice! The waitress was attentive and service was good. We started with the spinach and artichoke dip. The chips were crispy and fresh but the dip lacked flavor. I ordered the pecan crusted chicken with mashed potatoes and green bean. The green beans were the best item on the plate. They were seasoned nicely. The chicken lacked flavor and was bland. The pecan butter did help! It did have a nice crispy crust. The red skin mashed potatoes were decent but could have had more flavor. read more

Ale House 1890 - Pecan Crusted Chicken - American Near Me - Lancaster, Ohio

The wait staff was great and the food came quick. The food was delicious and we can't wait to come back! read more

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Drinks are always spot on and the bar service is always fantastic. We wish the portion size was better but this is the best spot in Lancaster. read more

Ale House 1890 - Pretzel Bites - American Near Me - Lancaster, Ohio

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Great service and great food!! Went with our kids and the waitress was speedy to make sure they got their food out first. Little things like that matter! read more

We frequent this restaurant with 4 people several times a month. For the past 2 times the food from apps to entrees came cold. The kitchen staff should concentrate more on the food vs talking and jesting. Why does it talk the second time for the food to be correct. Really thinking about not coming again read more

as someone with a gluten allergy, this place has so many options. the food is amazing especially the pizza...I was surprised!! Usually getting GF pizza means thin crust...not here! Best doughy crust I've had in forever. Very nice staff and I love sitting in the back patio especially when there's a band playing. read more

Staying at Hocking Hills this weekend and driving in from Columbus. Our BoxHop VRBO host recommended Ale House 1890. Wow! The food was phenomenal. We loved everything we tried. The Shrimp Al Ajillo appetizer was so delicious, like a garlic bread explosion. A flavor medley. One of the best appetizers I have ever had, honestly. I got the ribeye medium rare with a Caesar salad and jalapeño cheddar grits and I ate every bite. Perfection. The short rib Gouda mac was also amazing. The Gouda flavor lingered and kept us going back for every last bite. I wasn't expecting much for a small town. But this place left a lasting impression. read more

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Located in Lancaster, the Ale House 1890 offers a wide variety of cocktails and beers-IPAs included. They have a limited wine selection with only 4-5 total red and whites by the glass. Bottles of finer wines are available. I had the Buelher cab (bottle) which was spot on. Food selection and service were excellent. We had mussels and crab cakes for apps and the dinners we chose were shrimp and grits, a classic burger, a wedge salad with onion soup and a Caesar with salmon. The patio in back was packed and the entertainment was fantastic. Get there early or you'll have quite the wait. read more

Great restaurant located in downtown Lancaster. Nice diverse menu with some items you would not find in some restaurants. Atmosphere is great with a large bar from old times. Our service was very good. Our group of six was not disappointed in their dinner selection. read more

This place has some great food that's paired with a nice atmosphere and good service.

Visiting from out of town and was told this is the cool place to go to and they weren't wrong! Let me break it a down. Pretzel bites: amazing appetizer! Perfectly soft and the sauce that came with it was cheesy but also spicy and I LOVED that about it. Cranberry club: the perfect lunch you never know you needed. The chicken was super delicious and obviously the star here. Thanksgiving on a warm plate? Yes please! Pecan crusted chicken with potatoes: this comes with an in house honey butter sauce that you could BURY me in! I'd like that sauce on everything please! Again the chicken was cooked perfectly. Chicken Varenna: this is when you want a big dinner. Graciously large portions. The pasta was perfectly pesto-y without being greasy as some pestos are. The chicken? Again they just cook their chicken perfectly here! Honesty it's really hard to choose which food item was our favorite. It's a restaurant but also a bar. You can come here for either drinks with friends or a nice family dinner or date. Special shout out to our waitress Skye who was AMAZING! Super friendly, super fast and very attentive! Would go back for the service alone. Parking: there was plenty of street parking but also there is a parking lot in the back and you can walk through the alley. read more

Ale House 1890 - Outside - American Near Me - Lancaster, Ohio

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This is such a beautiful restaurant! I'm from out of town and didn't completely understand the call ahead function but we were seated after about 20 minutes, which wasn't too bad for a busy Friday night. I was excited to see a few gluten-free options and I settled on the Mahi Mahi cooked in the ale house style with a bourbon glaze. The flavor of the glaze was good but couldn't carry the fish the whole way. Also there was a delicious risotto under the fish but the two flavors didn't really go together. My Beau ordered a steak with an optional butter to enhance the flavor but he said it offered no additional flavor. Service was great, my elderflower Gin and tonic was lovely but the food just wasn't where I wanted it to be for the price. read more

Ale House 1890 - Elderflower Gin and Tonic - American Near Me - Lancaster, Ohio

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Surprising to find a restaurant of this caliber I a smaller community. The food was really good. Service was OK. It was a Friday night so I'm glad we got a seat early. The pizza I had was excellent. It was a margarita pizza. read more

We love Ale House 1890!! They have DELICIOUS food and the atmosphere is quaint and cozy!! I got the barnyard burger, highly recommend!!

Nice little place downtown. Good food and good service. Really good specialty drinks.

The food, service and atmosphere were all great. We were in town from Columbus and decided to check it out. We're glad we did!

Alright so this place is constantly packed. The "call ahead" or "reservation" option is...truly not reserving a spot or anything? We arrived at the specified time given after we called ahead and then had to wait an additional 40 minutes to be seated. This was after trying to get a table the day before and being told there was a 1.5 hour wait. We ended up getting a beer at the bar next door while we waited, which I highly suggest if you're in the same situation! I ordered a Georgian cocktail to start, which was my only for the evening because of how sweet it was. One thing I can't fault them for are their cocktail prices -- you'd pay a few dollars more at a lot of other places. We enjoyed our spinach artichoke dip appetizer which was pretty good, but I question their housemade chips. Kind of greasy and not salted. The lack of seasoning was a theme for the rest of the meal, as well. My friend ordered the duck pierogi and really enjoyed them. My Chicken Varenna was fine, though extremely underseasoned so I had to keep applying salt and pepper (I'll note this is very rare for me when I dine out! I'm not just a salt fiend! :P ) Both meals were generously portioned, which we appreciated given the price point. We both had leftovers for the next day. We came here for my friend's birthday and found out they don't have any sort of birthday promotion (dessert or discount) which is totally fine. After this is where the biggest disappointment came in, however -- we ordered the creme brulee. It was ... not creme brulee. When we went to break the expected sugary crust top layer, the spoon just sank through. A flame had been applied to get a slight mark but nothing more. What was beneath was just... drippy, sugary sauce? Not a baked custard at all. We ate most of it but it was extremely disappointing. Maybe this was a one-off but I would not suggest ordering it! Service during our meal was fine given how busy it was, but we felt pretty constantly rushed like they were trying to turn over the table. I understand this because they constantly have a line out the door, but sometimes you like to relax and have another drink or coffee after your meal. Not the best feeling to be shooed out. read more

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Fantastic. We ate here while in town for one night based on the recommendation of another hotel guest. The atmosphere was great, with the location combining some modern additions to a beautiful old brick and wood structure. We ordered an appetizer that combined bacon with crispy deep fried onions, sweet potato, and a maple sauce... wonderful! For dinner I chose the Mahi Mahi prepared Asian style over rice and veggies. Even though it was cooked more than the medium rare I ordered, it was SO good I can't dock any points. For dessert I had a brownie covered in ice cream, and my friend had crème brule. Our waitress Taylor was a fantastic conversationalist too. Not a cheap dinner, but well worth the price read more

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Most recommended restaurant passes the test! Since arriving in Lancaster & asking around, Ale House 1890 has been the most recommended. Upon entering the hostess was very welcoming & nice. She promptly sat us and wished us a great evening. I found it extremely endearing & not what I'm use to. A welcomed change! The menu isn't large, but they have some good choices. We opted for the 7 pepper burger and the A.H. Chopped salad. oh... my... the chopped salad is large and SO so SO good. All incredibly fresh ingredients. The chicken was cooked to perfection. It knocked my expectations out of the park. I wish I had snapped a photo, but to be honest I scarfed that down without talking until I was far too full. The 7 Pepper burger was also delicious; cooked perfectly, seasoned perfectly & all the ingredients meshed together bringing out bold flavors to complement the juicy burger. I will 100% eat here again (and again). Thank you Ale House! read more

I went to Ale House 1890 last evening for the first time with my sister and brother in law. I'm here visiting so I won't have the opportunity to go to 1890 often, but if I lived here I would be b m once a week. We called ahead to be placed on the wait list and only had to wait about 10 minutes to be shown to our table. Our server appeared right away and was friendly and personable while keeping a professional manner. I wish I could remember her name but I don't. If it helps to identify her we were against the wall about midway into the restaurant. We ordered drinks and then the Spinach Artichoke dip. The dip Was creamy and delicious and the chips with it were perfect. For entrees my sister and brother in law had the pecan crusted chicken served with red mashed potatoes and green beans. I had the chicken Verrena. Chicken in a light crispy coating topped with prosciutto and arugula atop a bed of garlic Alfredo linguine. All of our entrees were amazing. The chicken was juicy and tender, and the accompanying items just as good. The decor was like a glam industrial vibe. Quiet enough for conversation and enjoyment. Overall I would rate them 5+ stars and would definitely recommend you give them a try. Jan Schwingshakl Oconomowoc, Wisconsin read more

Came here for some appetizers and drinks. It had a nice vibe, a little bit of a nicer place than I was expecting. Service was pretty good overall. I ordered a margarita which was tasty, so I had two! For my appetizer I got the spinach dip with tortilla chips. I've got to be honest this was not my favorite. The spinach dip was very creamy and mayo flavored, and lacking in the cheese and spinach. The tortilla chips were also a bit greasy and thick. I still ate most of it but I wouldn't say I enjoyed it or would order it again. Without much more to go on, I'll still give it 4 stars since my friend liked her salad and I would come here again to try something else. read more

Ale House 1890 - Spinach & Artichoke Dip - American Near Me - Lancaster, Ohio

Great steaks and food. Great selection of craft beers. Best burger in the world here - Cheech & Chong burger

Really pleased with this restaurant. We're from out of town and weren't sure due to the rating but we're pleasantly surprised. Great service, attractive decor, comfortable seating, and a farm to fork menu. As a vegan, options were limited but I filled up on the mezze trio (minus the cheese offering), the beet salad (minus the cheese) and the Portobella mushroom sandwich, and excellent cocktails. My dining partner had the shrimp and grits and marked it in the top five they've ever had. read more

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Fun place to meet up with friends. Good food and a nice variety on the menu, comfortable seating and good temperatures in the place. Easy to hear the folks you are catching up with. read more

Long wait times even with call ahead. We called ahead on a Saturday night and still spent well over an hour waiting to be seated. Tables sit empty while they "rotate servers" (their explanation). The food was good all around - pork and Gouda Mac, mahi special and pecan crusted chicken Sever was very good. Not sure if it's a staffing shortage or ‍ Save the hassle and come early or during the week. read more

Quick service but our entrée (spinach, and artichoke dip) was cold Also chip had a ton of oil on them and really salty . Very nice atmosphere!!! read more

We came here for a date night and Ellen was our waitress. We started with the spinach dip (it was ok), and then I had the mahi mahi "AH style" and it was so good! The chipotle sauce was a little spicy and Smokey and was really good. The risotto and vegetables were also amazing. I would order it again. My husband loved his fish and chips. We were going to order their famous chocolate cake, but they were sold out, so we decided to skip dessert. We will come back again next time we visit the area! Great service and great food and the restaurant was clean and I loved the style! read more