Backyard Ale House is a quintessential American/Mid-Atlantic pub serving a slew (an understatement) of beers and a relatively modest menu of classic bar eats. We ordered the soft pretzels as an appetizer which were decent and fairly average compared to the soft pretzels I've had at other pubs. The four of us devoured the two soft pretzels quickly -- having at least one more would have been nice. The cheddar-ale sauce was lacking in the flavor department, but the pub mustard was amazing, so much so that I asked for a side of it with my entree. For the entree, I ordered the "Just-a-Burger" with cheese and fries on the side. The accompanying cole slaw was incredible -- heavy on the mayo side (which is fine by me). The "medium well" burger, however, was overdone and charred, leaving the inside dry and tasteless. The thick, 8 oz. patty was difficult for me to finish, and I'm a burger fanatic. The fries were standard -- salty, greasy and crispy. I enjoyed them. The service and atmosphere were both fine. There's a very nice outdoor patio, but the unseasonably cool temps led us to eat inside. I would probably give Backyard Ale House another try if I was a local. It wasn't terrible, but nothing about the food was anything that would make me come racing back. read more

Backyard Ale House - Bars Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

Beer is a good thing and Backyard Ale House has a lot of it. We were here to celebrate a coworker's birthday and we had a designated driver so we tried hard to put a dent in the stock here at Backyard. I think I had four, all different, all cold, all tasty. Very nice. And since I was drinking so many liquid calories, I tried to have something a little lighter than a bacon cheeseburger for dinner. I went with a salad and asked that it be topped with a grilled chicken breast. Well, it sure had less fat but the portion here was massive. Lots of chicken, lots of "stuff" and not a whole lot of lettuce. Impressive. My only complaint? They don't move tables. There was a four top and a six top (that was a four and a two) and we wanted to move the loose two to the other four top. Nope. "We don't move tables." WTH? Street parking after 6 is free. read more

Backyard Ale House - Grilled chicken on top of the salad at Backyard in Scranton - Bars Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

Great spot...cold beer, excellent food and super-friendly staff! So fun we even ended up going there 2 days in a row while in town for a long weekend. read more

From Miami, FL to Scranton, PA we wanted to party! Chris and Tim took great care of us! These guys know there beers!!!! Don't go anywhere but to the Backyard Ale House and get the beers you've been looking for! Thanks Tim and Chris from Jenny and Chris (Miami, FL)! read more

Backyard Ale House - SILENT disco!!! Good beer!!!!! - Bars Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

Woah! Yes please! Ill take one of everything except the super Hot sauce. Don't do it it's hot! read more

Back Bay I believe is an old shore house made into a restaurant bar. The outside seating in the summer is great and I like their steak. I've tried a salad to go and it was fresh with generous portions. I love the old bar but it's been impossible to sit there since COVID. Hopefully that has changed. I believe there is an IPA made for the restaurant that is very nice. I also like eating and drinking on the porch. read more

Great place fresh food service is very good. Waiters and waitresses are very attendant very convenient to my location. The only thing is I wish they were open earlier for lunch. They open at 4 PM. I would like to go in for lunch but wait but worth the wait. read more

This is our quintessential kinda place. Staff is beyond awesome! Our kinda people all the way. Food is excellent and beer menu is phenomenal Just a relaxed super friendly sports tavern. If I lived close this would absolutely be my go-to joint. read more

Awesome place. Food is delicious, and great service too. Live music very nice, jazz and blues instrumental! Great atmosphere.

Came here with some coworkers for dinner and drinks. Our server Amanda was really great - very funny and social. Great beer selection and a rather extensive food menu. Also in a good location for out-of-towners such as ourselves who were staying downtown. At the table we had chicken fingers with truffle mayo (really deliciously fried, I think it's a beer batter and it was great), "American poutine" (pulled pork, cheese, etc...) - also quite good although super greasy, obviously. And then finally the Babaghanoush & smokey fried chickpeas (both very good). Overall, super impressed by the food & large portions. Unfortunately, someone in our group got really really sick afterwards - and that was pretty much the only thing he'd eaten since breakfast. I only tried a very small amount of his food but even I had stomach pains afterwards (hence the 3 stars). I know these things can happen so I'd definitely be back for the awesome service and great drink selection! read more

Just stopped in for lunch on the way down to Philadelphia. This was a pretty cool place overall in a really neat part of town. This place would be awesome during any kind of sports event or a weekend night. They've got so many different beers available they handed us a packet with like five pages! Food was pretty good overall too, I tried their Nashville style hot chicken sandwich and it was pretty good. I've been to Nashville and had an authentic hot chicken and theirs was pretty good considering. Prices were great and staff members were very friendly and welcoming and we definitely enjoyed ourselves! read more

Backyard Ale House - Nashville-Style Hot Chicken Sandwich - Bars Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

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We were in Scranton to check out the University and needed a place to grab dinner...we could not have found a better place! We hope next time we are in town we will get to eat in, but despite having take out only, due to the global pandemic, the whole experience was excellent! The ordering process was easy and pick up was right on time. The wing bites had some kick and were delish. Our chicken sandwiches & turkey burger were excellent as were the sweet potato fries! We will surely go back and highly recommend the Backyard Ale House! read more

Backyard Ale House - From the park across the street where we ate! - Bars Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

Waited over an hour and a half for a pretzel and nachos and it never came. Waitress came over and said "did you not get your food yet" then proceeded to argue with the kitchen and said she was sorry and gave us our beer for free. Pretty disappointed as we went here based off the good reviews and were told apps would "come out fast." Would give 0 stars if that was allowed. read more

I would get the totchos again because the tater tots were crispy and the sauce/meat were a great combo. We were disappointed because they advertised a smoker and the bbq platter was not good. The brisket was dry and had absolutely no flavor. We could not put sauce on it because the sauce tasted like a marinara with bbq. The chicken wings were a bit on the dry side and the ribs were meh. The corn bread was extra dry and stale.. 21 bucks later don't get it. Servers were attentive and friendly. read more

Was driving through and stopped in here after calling ahead for a reservation. The staff on the phone was very helpful in getting me a reservation and I would definitely stop in here again if I was back in town. My server Jeff was very nice and the food was really good. I really enjoyed their outside seating area and had a great time. read more

I've been here a few times with my wife and kids, and have been meaning to write these guys a review. Let me tell you, I don't think you'll find better service than these people. The staff are always extremely helpful and considerate, especially to my children. The food is 10/10 and there are endless options of local beers. There is rarely a time we're ever waiting, we were told by one of the bartenders that they share tables. Sometimes we'll be asked if we need anything 4 times in 4 minutes, but it's better to be waited on then have to wait. 9/10 experience as there is always room for improvement but easily my favorite place in Scranton! read more

I've been coming here since 2018. It's usually pretty busy but this year during the St. Patrick's day parade we came early to make sure we got a good spot. We showed up at 11 when they opened and l went out to smoke multiple times. We left to get food and came back and the bouncer stated "get in the back of the line assholes" when we showed our our wrist band and said even with wrist band? He said "yes even with wrist band assholes". We didn't mind waiting in line but we didn't know we had to because we didn't have any issues early in the day. I have no problem waiting in line when I leave but I don't like being disrespected for no reason and bouncer was unbelievably rude. Go to the Bog right around the corner for better drinks, better priced drinks, and better staff. read more

The food was pretty decent. I loved mine. The crudite salad with salmon. It was a good size and plentiful toppings. The salmon was delicious. My sister got the cowboy burger and fries. Fries were just fine, no problems, hot and not overly salty. The burger was way overcooked on a dried out bun. While we thought the service was great to start, once we mentioned this to the server, he became very defensive. He did not offer to replace it, just said that's how they cook them. She hadn't touched it after the first bite, and she said the bun was unacceptable. After some convincing, he took the burger back. It took about 30 minutes for the new one, which was considerably better. Other than that, we had a really good time. read more

How much of your life do you want to dedicate to waiting to be waited on and then waiting for your order? A burger was the most complicated item ordered and it took more that an hour. More than a freakin' hour ! Finally, after inquiring, we were told, "your order is next". Next? Next to what, Columbus Day ? The test of a place that's having problems with order backup is the attentiveness of the wait staff or even the manager in letting you know that they are aware of the very long delay in your order. Give people a heads up, maybe comp a drink as a "thanks for your patience" gesture. Don't look for it here though, ... you won't find it. The food, for sides and a burger was O K but an order of sides and a burger isn't complicated. read more

This place has become an absolute staple for me since moving to the area and here's why. The draft list is massive (you would hope so, it's an ale house) but it's also constantly changing out with a great variety local brews which is always awesome. The mixed drinks are also always on point as well- they will make you anything you're in the mood for. Ask for a round of grape bombs- your group will love them and want more. They taste kind of like a grape nerds rope. The foods pretty decent here as well! I had a really good, quality cheesesteak here recently (served on a National roll!). The weekly specials never disappoint either! read more

Mostly outdoor seating but fun in nice weather! Limited menu but still very good. Fun place for late night drinks

Decent food and great customer service and price are reasonable I enjoyed the atmosphere there

Excellent beer selection and super friendly staff. Food is excellent. The butternut squash soup with Nüeske bacon was amazing. Banjo pig sandwich excellent as well. A must return. read more

Not sure what I can say positive about this place. I suppose if you like beer and drinking, it makes sense. The food does not. Tried several things and all of it was ... off. Most of the staff seemed friendly and welcoming, so there's that. You should be fine as long as you're not hungry or curious about the food. read more

Backyard is such a great place to get food and drinks with friends! My only complaint is that the back area gets very crowded and there are a lot of tables close together. Although it's "outside" the tent defeats the purpose of eating outside for covid distancing. Still giving it 5 stars though! I just hope they make some changes read more

Good choice of beer, good seating for bar area. Rib, brisket and pulled pork combo was on point. I will be back

Backyard Ale House is an upbeat, hip hangout in the downtown area. Upon arriving here, I noticed all the craft beer signs in the front window and the outside tables for alfresco snacking and drinking. This place was divided into two specific areas, both of which one could dine. The front room consisted of 12+ tables and the main bar. In the back room were tables, benches and a second bar. Plus the music blasted loudly. There was an extensive craft beer list which seemed to interest me quite a bit since there were some local breweries that I have never heard of, so, therefore, I had to try some of them. Glad I did. Food-wise their fare was mainly the snacking kind. Very good, hitting the spot with a fish sandwich on a roll. Since they probably pool the tips in this establishment, three different servers came over to the table to asked me whether everything was OK and if I wanted some more libation. Parking is somewhat difficult, especially in the center of a city. But not insurmountable. read more

Backyard Ale House - Main bar - Bars Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

Been here several times since my daughter started at the University of Scranton and we've never had a bad meal. Delicious food, fun atmosphere, plenty of seating and attentive wait staff! I definitely will become a regular here over the next few years! It's a must try!! read more

The great beers continue to flow at Backyard Ale House (as does the amazing people watching, which is just a bonus). Recently, my mom and I went up together and the tradition of paying a visit continued. The draft list was killer for early summer, featuring Hell or High Watermelon, a very tasty blueberry wheat beer, and several pale ales and IPAs. My mom's night was set when she ordered her third(ish) brew of the night, Green Flash's Palate Wrecker, a 9.5% IPA that was served - yep, in a pint glass. Kid tested, mom approved. read more

Probably the best gastropub for beer selection (550 bottles) with another 30 or so on tap. Great menu and incredibly fresh food. I certainly didn't expect this in Scranton. read more

Backyard Ale House - Bars Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

BEER - Their beer list is out of control. I had actually decided to stop drinking beer to cut calories but then I saw their beer menu and couldn't possibly abstain. FOOD - I wasn't particularly impressed. The chicken bites were just OK, although I did get mild. I tried my friend's bites with Gnome Gnightmares sauce and they weren't as horribly spicy as I anticipated - they were actually better than my mild. Also had a veggie burger and that was alright - nothing special. Veggie burgers rarely stand out though so kudos for just having it on the menu. I didn't see too many vegetarian options on their menu by the way so they could improve that, I think. SERVICE - Excellent! Our server (Christian, according to my receipt) was sooooooo nice and friendly and helpful. In fact, everyone was really nice, and when we left, it seemed like the entire staff said goodbye. Awesome, thanks everyone! DECOR/VIBE - Cozy, comfortable. Diggin' the gnome influence. Would definitely recommend for a craft beer and maybe some bites. read more

Backyard Ale House opened in the space right next to Tinks. The scene is mostly college kids with a few older folks as well. This is definitely a place for the beer connoisseur. They have about 10 beers on tap as well as several dozen bottle beers. If you're not into beer they also a pretty wide selection of liquors and martinis as well... Even though they were packed the bartenders seemed pretty chill and attentive. One pretty cool thing about this is the layout... there is the bar area in the front with seating along the walls and a few huge LCD TV's but the have an outdoor section as well. This was essentially set up as a big tent in their backyard. The tent is heated and smoking is allowed back there. So as not to have you feeling 'let out in the cold' they actually have two beer stands serving beer back there... not only Coors Light but surprisingly Magic Hat. It looks as though this section might be unfinished and will be a completed party deck by spring time. We didn't stay long, but enjoyed while we were there... will definitely go back. The one criticism about this place would have to be the mixed drink I ordered... I expected the club soda to be from a tap and not a warm 1 liter bottle sitting behind the bar. Doesn't make for the best mixed drinks, but oh well what do expect from a full on ale house. read more

Backyard Ale House - Bars Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

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First the staff is super kind! Love the servers/bartenders but, the food is the quintessential example of sounds better than what it tastes. Go ahead and be you Backyard, have some bar food and make it good. Not try to be fancy, with a banh mi turkey burger. Just make a burger! And make it good. I grew up in rural towns you don't need to be fancy you just need to make it well. My partners spicy Mac and cheese was alright. But also Kraft does better. But I did like the beer and the atmosphere so come for that. Conclusion: Come for a drink and a chat with friends. You will be treated kindly, and the atmosphere is nice. But eat somewhere else. read more

These Folx must know that Ale Mary's is the competition. But lucky for them, Ale Mary's is closed on Tuesday. So it's wings night at the Backyard. I wish I had some friends in the area so we could try 5 sauces on 5 wings (25 wings) for $14. I had to settle for 10 of their hottest wings. Good spice and flavor, but not that spicy for my deranged palette. Also on Tues nights is their beer tasting flight. 5 selected beers (4oz pours) for $5. Great selection - but my only complaint is that they're in plastic cups (c'mon guys, invest in some fracking 4 oz glasses) and the poor wait staff has to bring them out one by one? I didn't try much other food, other than a fresh salad, but the space and the atmosphere here is great. read more

Backyard Ale House - Tuesday night wings and beer flight. - Bars Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

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Update to my review, everything in the previous review still stands with the addition of AWESOME food. BYAH just opened their kitchen just a few months ago and I can't understand why they didn't go into the food business earlier. Seriously, you can't even really consider it bar food. Huge sandwiches, tasty appetizers and crazy good hand cut fries. Try the Banjo Pig Cuban Sandwich, its killer. I have a healthy appetite to say the least but I could not finish my sandwich. Everything was hot and fresh. The kitchen does close earlier than you would expect a bar kitchen to (I think 9PM even on weekends) so don't show up expecting to get drunk food at 11:30. Tables are at a premium so you may have to wait if you have a larger group. read more

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It's decent but often very crowded and difficult to get a table. For this reason I wouldn't usually recommend going here for more than bar snacks. The drinks are good though. read more

Excellent service and a great beer selection. Staff was very quick and friendly to our group! :) read more

Solid burgers. Can't go wrong. Older bar with young new charm. Chicken sandwich also very good

Great place, prices were right but dress light as the air conditioning is far from adequate. Worse yet the ceiling fans were moving so slow that I could have run faster in a circle with them. We had a party there and with 40+ people we all lost about 5lbs due the lack of air. The place was clean and welcoming so I gave it 4 stars, the one missing is for the weak A/C read more

My husband and I were visiting from Texas and were pleasantly surprised by the BBQ we were served. The BBQ chef has his smoker out front! Give it a try! read more