Meh. Great beer selection but prices are a bit high(I know you're thinking I'm cheap but fuck you, I'll pay whatever for a good beer as long as it's fair) and the bartenders aren't all that knowledgeable about craft beers. I was there one afternoon and asked the bartender to recommend a good hoppy beer and he recommended Leinenkugels Summer Shandy(fucking Lemon Pledge tasting swill, FYI)! Anyway, the outdoor area is definitely a good spot for some day drinking when the weather's nice. UPDATE 8/2/2014 I've eaten here twice since my original review and the menu and the food are both great. Changing my score from 3 to 4 stars. read more

I was driving north along interstate 81 towards the Cortland NY Sitcom Convention, with special guest star Ron Howard's cousin, located in the ball room of the Best Western near the dairy queen, when I passed through Wilkes Barre, a town more fitting to be explored by a gang of teenagers and their anthropomorphic dog than an overweight balding man in his mid thirties alone in a rented Kia Sorrento. However, when I saw the sign for Scranton Pa I new I had to stop, as I am a huge fan of the x files. Driving into the city and seeing the sign and clock tower of the Pennsylvania Paper supply, I felt just like I was in my favorite sitcom, and could almost hear the music start to play and the words play inside my head "whatever happened to predictability?" I wondered, the "milkman, the paper boy, and the evening tv". The words of the Full House theme song, a show famously set in Scranton, have meant more and more to me as I have aged, and I have needed to turn to the tv shows of my youth just to have something solid to hold onto. As I had started my very long drive starting in Mascot Tn, where I had partied at the triple a minor league baseball mascot associations trade show the night before, I knew I needed a cup of coffee and as much as I wanted to stop at monks cafe, I realized it was too far up town, and so I decided to settle for central perk instead. After a quick cup, I turned to my favorite food review site urban-spoon to find a bite to eat (it would be yelp but somehow I'm still not considered a power user despite the fact that I can name every guest star on the simpsons between the years 1994 and 1996) and I found the Backyard Ale House. It was listed as the best restaurant in Scranton, and I can't say that I disagree, regardless of the fact that it is the only place I have eaten in Scranton other than the backseat of my car, where I shoveled potato chips and Mountain Dew in my mouth while humming the theme tune to my favorite sitcom set in a Pennsylvania city, its always sunny in Philadelphia. The patio was crowded yet still inviting and intimate, and I can imagine it really being a place where everybody knows my name. I ordered the "just-a-burger" and fries which was quite reasonably priced, and tasted exactly as I imagine a Krabby Patty would, my favorite fictitious restaurant in Scranton, the Krusty Krab. Unfortunately I incurred several parking tickets during my meal, as I suspect there is a reboot of the show Parking Wars filming in the area, but luckily I saw a billboard for plasma donations, which were overseen by doctor Doogie Howser himself, and after which I had enough funds to pay for the rest of my trip. Driving away from the city I considered that it is possible that it is more important to actually review the restaurant in question than it is to obsessively reference tv shows from the nineties and two thousand, you know which one I am talking about, but that's not important right now. In conclusion the restaurant is pretty good and I don't know how to talk to people so I just force references to outdated tv shows into every conversation so that people might think I have a personality. read more

Great food and drinks! You definitely need to make a reservation. They had a lot of food selections. Added bonus- bathroom had mouth wash dispenser. read more

My friends and I used to frequent this bar every weekend when we were in college just up the road. It's super casual and super laid back. The backyard is a cute private area to hang out in and the nice thing is it's one of those bars where people go to relax and isn't fully of crazy drunk creeps trying to hit on you every second. Since I've graduated they've added food - I've eaten there twice now and I can definitely say it's nice for a quick bite too! read more

It's a good bar with great food. I have no idea how many different bottled beers they have but they usually have around 30 on tap. They rotate their taps often so the selection is fresh and there's usually a new brew worth trying out. They have a good happy hour and specials on different days of the week. They also fill growlers at a good price. The food is consistently high quality. The kitchen puts out a daily menu with new items in addition to the regular menu. The only inconsistency is with the service. It seems they rarely have one person dedicated to the main bar in front. So it sometimes takes awhile to place food orders and get refills, even when it's not very busy. read more

We only ate here once on a whim just walking around Scranton. Met friendly people at the bar who told us all about fun things to do here. Beer was colder than your ex's heart, food was delicious and server Jeff K was very friendly and helpful with recommendations. This was exactly what we were looking for midway thru a so far perfect day. What else you got Scranton?? read more

Fun place to hang out and have some drinks.... Will definitely be going back when in town!! Just wish the kitchen stayed open later read more

Zach gave us the absolute best service. The restaurant was completely mobbed because of a marathon and convention, yet we waited for nothing. The food is excellent but the service is always on point. The beer is amazing too. All of their service staff is friendly and helpful. Best place in Scranton, by far. read more

Awesome experience!! Not only is the staff friendly (literally every single one of them) but they've got great food!! We tried the featured specials and so glad we did. The food was so fresh and just delicious all around. The setting is very casual and seems like it would be a great party atmosphere - but was also very comfortable for our family. We were made to feel so welcome. Bravo to the staff at this great establishment!! read more

I have been living in Brooklyn for some time and recently moved back several months ago. My friends and I went back 2 weeks ago and had a blast! It's great to see the Ale House open for business and doing so with care and really putting the wellbeing of their staff and clients first ( masks,social distancing, hand washing/sanitizing, etc). I love the selection of tasty cold IPA's and the food is more than just simple pub grub. The chicken fingers are delicious and if you like burgers, you'll love their take. They really up the anty of traditional bar food! I and my friends are excited to get out of the house again, relax in the back yard, drink some ice cold brews, and at least for a bit forget about the troubles of the world. See you Thursday Backyard Ale House crew. read more

Service was terrible and the chicken and waffles had such a foul smell you couldn't even eat it. We should have said something to someone instead of just being disappointed. read more

Super vibrant atmosphere, great staff that's happy to help great food and a ridiculously awesome beer list

We were passing through Scranton, and stopped in for some food and beer at the recommendation of a local. She promised really good food and nice outdoor seating. The outdoor section was comfortable, festive, and private (not on the street), but the food was a major disappointment. The chicken fingers were super dry, and the spicy chicken wrap (a special) was underwhelming and had clearly been assembled hours in advance. The beer selection was decent, with great happy hour prices, but not enough of a draw to justify a return visit. read more

The food was average for a bar. Ordered chicken wings. The bartenders were very attentive. The major downside to this place is smoking is allowed and the smell of smoke was very prevalent. read more

Was not impressed by our experience. We are not from the area so trusted the yelp reviews to point us in the right direction. We were seated around 2:20 pm, and the rest of the restaurant was pretty slow. It took about 10 minutes just to get water. After we ordered our food (a simple salad with chicken and the Banjo Pig Sandwich), it took about 25 minutes to receive... a little too long IMO, especially because the restaurant was not busy. We did not receive the fries we ordered with the sandwich, so we had to ask one of the other wait staff if we could get the side because our waitress was MIA. I received a salad and the entire bottom of the salad mix was totally slimy and wilted. I asked to send it back and received a different salad, which I was appreciative of. It was unfortunate to wait another 15 minutes however, as my husband had finished his meal by the time I had sent the salad back. I will say the salad was good once I had received a fresh salad. My husband enjoyed the sandwich but noted the fries were pretty greasy. The waitress was nice, but had visited our table a total of 3 times in the 1.5 hours we had to sit there. After I finished my salad she actually just never returned and we had to chase another wait staff down for us to get our check. My husband paid and I noticed it was a pretty considerable charge for a salad, sandwich, and a beer. We discovered we had been charged for two salads... surely the intention was not malicious to make someone pay for a salad that was rotten, but it was a hassle to correct. I will say that the staff was apologetic about the mishap, but it just seemed like no one knew what was going on; our waitress was still no where to be seen and there were like 3 other staff helping us. I will say, if you're planning on drinking at the bar you do receive a lot of attention, so if that's your prerogative then maybe this place will work for you. Overall it was a disappointing experience and we would not choose to come back. We did like the atmosphere pretty well outside, and my husband enjoyed the beer. Given the waitress experience, the wait times, and the mishaps mentioned, this was just not a pleasant experience. Credit to the other wait staff that did work to correct the mistakes that had been made. read more

2.5 stars tops. The long and short of it: good beer selections are no longer that hard to find. Quality of food needs to match, and this place has promise but did not deliver this time. Had special app. Of Italian stuffed mushrooms. It was well done, if a little under cooked. For dinner we had a regular burger and the Banjo pig sandwich. There may be no more disappointing sensation than taking the first bite of your meal and realizing your chef didn't season the food as he cooked it. Not even the burger. What we ended up having was a really tasteless 45 minutes of our life, and didn't have the desire to finish but half of our food. The menu looks great, so we would try it again, but not before trying out other places in the neighborhood. read more

Great food and lovely staff. Had a delicious lunch outside on the patio. Ordered the pulled pork quesadilla which was fantastic and also the big pig burger my husband had was fantastic. read more

Craft beer selection is amazing. They have some basic food choices but some unique dishes at times. Never had a bad meal here. Burgers are outstanding! Service is excellent, staff are knowledgeable. Love the outside patio in the spring and summer. Update: Three years later and it is still an excellent place and deserves the same rating. Food and service are still great but the beer selection seems to have dropped. If you're looking for great craft beer they have a decent selection but would highly suggest checking out Loading Dock, Jack's Drafthouse or Sabatini's for a much better quality selection read more

Pretty good place for stopping for a beer. They have really awesome draft beer and good service. There are some exotic beer choices and they taste good! They also give you samples if you wanna know how it tastes. read more

Backyard Ale House is hands down one of my favorite places to dine when I'm in downtown Scranton. From the Salmon Gyros to Fresh Cut Fries to more than 99 bottles of beer on the wall The Backyard Ale House never fails. A great place for a first date, a place to grab a bite to eat, a place to relax or to do business, you can't go wrong while hanging out in this establishment, The Backyard Ale House has a diverse menu, beer samplers, a backyard to hang out in, and an awesome staff to accommodate you while you visit. If you're in downtown Scranton run in quick and check it out you won't be disappointed. read more

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Ok food, horrible service, I got my food almost an hour after I ordered it chicken with fries and when it came there was no fries and the chicken sucks not worth the price read more

Welcoming--- great service--- perfect outdoor seating area for a few drinks and some good food on a sunny day!

Great location and excellent food. Great bartender that knew his beer and a great selection of them on bottle and on tap. Recommend this place read more

Good beer selection. Great food. Solid specials and happy hour. There happy hour was insanely cheap. Attached is there latest specials.

Very few vegetarian or vegan options or even if you just don't want a burger. The new menu disappoints. Other than that there is great service and friendly staff. read more

What a great spot so close to the University. Sunday brunch has plenty to offer. Make a reservation.

Food was great and the outdoor space was gorgeous. Highly recommend this spot if you are in the area.

Try the Nashville hot chicken sandwich! So good. They also have an awesome draft selection and bottle selection. The staff is very careful with all the Covid precautions as well. read more

A little pricy, the food and atmosphere was great! Service was a little slow, but they were very friendly.

Great selection of beers. Not too pricey. I appreciate that they have a vegan option on their menus too

Wildly unprofessional staff from the owner all the way down to the employees. I'll be patiently waiting on the sarcastic response on here from the ignorant management like I've received instead of an apology on my reviews of them elsewhere. A few weekends ago my group was put on a waiting list and after 45 minutes they told us they were closing early and we wouldn't be seated. I bit my tongue and didn't leave a negative review like I wanted to. Then a few days ago, I had to an encounter with a rude staff member when I was trying to pick up an order. Two strikes in my book, you're out. I usually feel bad for restaurants that are always empty, but it's clear this one deserves it. read more

I have been coming here forever and this place continues to be one of my favorites for food/drink in the area. They've gotten a new menu recently which is even better than before and also always have good local beer on draft. Would highly recommend!!!! read more

Large selection of bottles and draft beers (hundreds). Delirium Tremens is exceptional. Food is a gastronomic feast- has everything from steak to vegetarian. The outdoor patio is best in Scranton. Prices are low for the quality and quantity of food. Best pub food in Scranton- you won't be disappointed. read more

Our waitress wasn't wearing a mask. Most staff wore masks here. But our waitress wore her bandanna around her neck. When we left, one of the hostesses pulled down her mask to speak with customers entering the restaurant. The food is great here. Love the ambiance. But I gave it two stars for not following safety guidelines read more

Food is really good and beer selection is very impressive. Will def be back next time I'm in Scranton

Came for the weekend brunch. The omlette was awesome, staff friendly and atmosphere chill. So glad we stopped here. My friends had the waffle and pancakes and loved those too. I'll be stopping here again whenever I get to Scranton. read more

It's a great addition to the Scranton area I really appreciate the bartender Thaz W. and I love their summertime outdoor area! ---Scranton good addition and I hope you keep the hits rolling like this won! read more

Visited the Ale House before a show at the Cultural Center. I ordered a burger with a side of fries. My wife ordered a salmon sandwich which she enjoyed. My burger was cooked to order. The down side was the side order of fries. Usually fries are included with a burger. However, this side was $3.50 and must have been the dregs from the fryer. Small and overcooked. read more

Work too hard for my money to spend it where they have bad service...Work too hard for my money to spend it where they have bad serviceWork too hard for my money to spend it where they have bad serviceWork too hard for my money to spend it where they have bad service read more

Backyard Ale House - U pay for what u get... - Bars Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

Took my son there for lunch, good food and comfortable environment, great staff, we had fun