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Recommended Reviews - Balsam Falls Brewing
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Let's not talk about atmosphere here. Frankly, there isn't any. And service is also minimalist (you order at the bar, but they do bring your food to the table). Both the food and beer are why you're here anyway, and they are both excellent. We went for lunch and had beer flights. The stand out in my opinion was the Salt Rock Wit. I love wheat beers, especially on hot summer days. This one was one of the best ones I've had in a long time (and I've had A LOT of wheat beers). Their description was spot on: you get the wheat taste (although it is on the light side), a nice creaminess overall, and some orange flavor, with just enough of a tartness at the finish to give it some added complexity. The brewmaster's burger (subbing a portobello mushroom for the burger) was a solid good. Note though that their burgers and sandwiches don't come with a side (fries are sold separately). Since they are priced about the same as places that do serve sides included, the prices seem a little higher than they should be. That almost kept me from giving them a 5 rating. But I ended up at 5 because of this: the buffalo chicken flatbread. Great flatbread base, stellar buffalo sauce (some of the best I've had) and tasty chicken pieces, all covered with loads of some damn fine pickled jalapenos, Mexican cheese, chives and then a house-made hot sauce drizzled on as the finishing touch. I could eat this all day...and pretty much all evening long, too. This would be great at a party. If you go here, you have to order this. Beware, it packs some heat, but it's so good. Next time I'm in Sylva, I'd go back just for this, and another Salt Rock Wit!
Pretty much every time we make our way up to Sylva we find ourselves at Balsam Falls! In a town filled with breweries and beers on tap Balsam Falls' "Buttah Beer" stands above them all! Now I have never been to Harry Potter world so I have no idea if it is comparable to that but I can tell you it is my absolute favorite! It is a seasonal beer which might make it even more special. Even though I know it's seasonal I still find myself asking about it every single time I stop in and on instances where they are not serving their "buttah beer" I can still always count on the bartenders to recommend something delicious! Most recently when we stopped in we grabbed some lunch and it was good solid bar food. I got a chicken sandwich and onion rings both of which I enjoyed. The brewery does a wonderful job of decorating for the holidays, they have these big windows that always have very fun and creative displays in them.
Yea, this is a great spot. I got into Sylva a little early so I strolled Main street before stationing myself outside the restaurant. Shortly, I was warmly welcomed inside by one of the staff members. You order at the counter and then take a seat anywhere inside or on their small patio. The restaurant has a good amount of space and lots of different seating options. I ordered a game dog with fries and their alcoholic frozen lemonade then took a seat at the bar. The bar top seems to be decorated with family photos from events and vacations. I spotted the famous St. Maarten airport. My food came out pretty quickly (helps that I was the first person there). Y'all, this hot dog is a MONSTER. The fact that the menu even hints at getting two is kinda ridiculous. Check the photo for evidence. It's topped with chili (with beans...legitimately my only complaint) and beer cheese (I added mustard too). Really really good. Fries were deliciously seasoned as well. The service was fantastic the whole time. As I left I texted my friends in Winston-Salem, "we've gotta come here on a roadtrip!" That's the ultimate sign of respect.
Just rolled into Sylva on a mountain town hop. Spied Balsam on the little main drag and thought I'd wet my whistle. I love the signage, and the interior space. The bar is large, there's plenty of seating at tables and booths. There is also outdoor seating on the "upper entrance" side of the building. That's facing Main Street for the map oriented among ya. I entered from the Mill St side of the building. I love the decor. The permanent stuff makes the place welcoming, the Halloween touches make it festive. Service was polite, and efficient. I opted for a 6 beer flight. A four beer flight is an option too. Music was good, at the right volume. The menu is expansive with plenty of beer styles to choose from and 11 ciders available on my visit. They offer a couple seltzers, a beer and chocolate pairing in a collab with Dillsboro Chocolate Factory, Meads, an intriguing Mimosa menu, cocktails, mocktails, wines and food. The food menu has burgers, wraps, salads, flatbread, a kids section, and a few desserts. The weekend brunch menu looks downright delectable. Now, as you know if you've read any of my other brewery reviews, I don't put much stock in beer reviews because tastes vary...but I had a nice 6 beer flight plus a single taste, so I'll run down my thoughts, but take it as one man's taste... First impression, this place does slightly better with the darks. The only stand out otherwise was the Into the Mist Southern IPA (a style I didn't know existed). The flight shook out like this for me: Elevensies Livener - great, malty, slightly dark, mild, brown. Lovely finish. Pint-worthy Fergus the Rat - a Chocolate Milk Stout that is barely any of those things. It has a touch of bitterness, a faint chocolate finish and a body that is more brown than stout. Color was darker than a brown, along the lines of a porter Downtown Oatmeal Brown - the second best beer in the flight. Definitely a brown ale, done pretty well. It would be worth a pint Bonas Defeat - a dark, potent porter (7%) with a noticeable oatmeal finish, oddly. I like it but probably wouldn't get a pint. It's malt-forward, and has a roasted taste to it, as advertised. The bitter finish was a turnoff for me. But again, that's me. It lacks the body that was expected given the "robust" in the name Into the Mist - a light but very tasty IPA. Very smooth drinking. I'd think poolside, kind of a slightly heavy session IPA at 6.5%. Definitely the pint to get if you're not drinking the darks. Laurachi - a pale ale (true to the style), my second favorite non-dark. I've had better pale ales, but I suspect the unique hop, Sorachi Ace, just isn't my taste. Otherwise, I think it's a well brewed beer. Go West - a west coast IPA. Honestly, I can't finish the small pour. Musty finish, with little bitterness, and an off-putting nose. Again, this is likely my lack of appreciation of the hop being used. Just not very good to me. Overall, the place has something that will almost certainly appeal to everyone in your party, so for that reason, it gets a 4-star recommendation. Cheers!
We just got beer and a Greek salad. You order at the counter then sit down. The beer was good and the salad was great. It was an open type of atmosphere and it was nice. The two ladies at the counter were nice but the older lady (not that old) was really on top of her game.
Very solid beer with an awesome chef in the kitchen. This place is great after a day of sightseeing or hiking. The food is way above average, and the staff are very accommodating. Give it a try and don't forget to ask about the bar's backstory and it's famous mascot FERGUS....
Definitely more of a restaurant style brewery offering a wide variety of different options in addition to the usual menu of beer. Wide open spaces and lots of room for big tables. The staff were so friendly and much better than some of the other breweries we went to in this area.
Great as always! I always love their hard seltzer drinks. Today I ordered the portobello mushroom burger and onion rings. The mushroom was so good. I also had a couple of different seltzer drinks that were amazing! Still highly recommend.
On a recent weekend we took a family trip to Sylva and rented a cabin just outside of downtown. (Awesome area btw!) On Friday we decided the whole group would go into town in the late morning just to walk through downtown and maybe do a little shopping. Convenient lot we parked in great public parking directly across from Balsam Falls and part of the group decided to grab a quick beer here before continuing our walk of downtown! Well, 4 hours later, the only place we had been was Balsam Falls and we did not see any other shops downtown! So that should tell you we enjoyed it! Really good location. And seating outside so you can hangout in the sunlight and enjoy a little piece of Sylva. The staff was great, tell them some things you enjoy and at least give their recommendations a try! I think the overwhelming hit for our group was this "crushing COVID" beer, but I really enjoyed a couple of the IPAs as well. For the non beer drinkers they also have some ciders that some in the group enjoyed. To me the biggest surprise was actually the food! We also grabbed lunch while there and everything we had was phenomenal. A personal favorite were the Spicy Asian wings! Crispy and spicy! But I had bites of Buffalo chicken dip, flatbread, and a harvest salad and they were all better than I ever would have expected from a brewery! If you're in town, stop by for a beer or better yet, go ahead and grab a meal. While we were there plenty of groups with children came in just to eat, so definitely child friendly as well!
This is the portobello burger. It's has spinach artichoke on it. It was good but super messy. The tator tots side dish are always good. They top them with parmesan and seasonings. I stopped in for a quick bite on Tuesday night and it turned out to be trivia night. Don't come that night unless you're actually playing trivia because every time I tried to sit down, I was told the seat was reserved. Found lone seat by the kitchen LOL but all good. The trivia did look fun and I plan to check it out when I'm with friends. Wide variety of beers and I like how they include description on the menu. Some places like Lazy Hiker just have the name and you have to ask the bartender what each one is like.
I just popped in here while walking around Sylva. I didn't expect much but the cider beer was so good and the staff was so cool that I stayed for hours and ended up ordering food--despite what their Magic 8-Ball said. This is simply a friendly place with good food, great beer, and amazing prices. Definitely recommended! read more
Amazing service, very friendly staff who were eager to answer questions about the beers/drinks and also about the town of Sylva. The beers were really good, but I consider their seltzers to be the star of the evening. I am not a seltzer guy, but recently I have been enjoying them. I really liked the blueberry seltzer and one called "Sugar Plum Fairy". These seltzers sit at 11% so... drink with caution. We didn't try the dinner menu but lots of people walked in to sit down and enjoy a meal. read more
This is the portobello burger. It's has spinach artichoke on it. It was good but super messy. The tator tots side dish are always good. They top them with parmesan and seasonings. I stopped in for a quick bite on Tuesday night and it turned out to be trivia night. Don't come that night unless you're actually playing trivia because every time I tried to sit down, I was told the seat was reserved. Wide variety of beers and I like how they include description on the menu. Some places like Lazy Hiker just have the name and you have to ask the bartender what each one is like. read more
Let's not talk about atmosphere here. Frankly, there isn't any. And service is also minimalist (you order at the bar, but they do bring your food to the table). Both the food and beer are why you're here anyway, and they are both excellent. We went for lunch and had beer flights. The stand out in my opinion was the Salt Rock Wit. I love wheat beers, especially on hot summer days. This one was one of the best ones I've had in a long time (and I've had A LOT of wheat beers). Their description was spot on: you get the wheat taste (although it is on the light side), a nice creaminess overall, and some orange flavor, with just enough of a tartness at the finish to give it some added complexity. The brewmaster's burger (subbing a portobello mushroom for the burger) was a solid good. Note though that their burgers and sandwiches don't come with a side (fries are sold separately). Since they are priced about the same as places that do serve sides included, the prices seem a little higher than they should be. That almost kept me from giving them a 5 rating. But I ended up at 5 because of this: the buffalo chicken flatbread. Great flatbread base, stellar buffalo sauce (some of the best I've had) and tasty chicken pieces, all covered with loads of some damn fine pickled jalapenos, Mexican cheese, chives and then a house-made hot sauce drizzled on as the finishing touch. I could eat this all day...and pretty much all evening long, too. This would be great at a party. If you go here, you have to order this. Beware, it packs some heat, but it's so good. Next time I'm in Sylva, I'd go back just for this, and another Salt Rock Wit! read more
3 months ago
Pretty much every time we make our way up to Sylva we find ourselves at Balsam Falls! In a town filled with breweries and beers on tap Balsam Falls' "Buttah Beer" stands above them all! Now I have never been to Harry Potter world so I have no idea if it is comparable to that but I can tell you it is my absolute favorite! It is a seasonal beer which might make it even more special. Even though I know it's seasonal I still find myself asking about it every single time I stop in and on instances where they are not serving their "buttah beer" I can still always count on the bartenders to recommend something delicious! Most recently when we stopped in we grabbed some lunch and it was good solid bar food. I got a chicken sandwich and onion rings both of which I enjoyed. The brewery does a wonderful job of decorating for the holidays, they have these big windows that always have very fun and creative displays in them. read more
Yea, this is a great spot. I got into Sylva a little early so I strolled Main street before stationing myself outside the restaurant. Shortly, I was warmly welcomed inside by one of the staff members. You order at the counter and then take a seat anywhere inside or on their small patio. The restaurant has a good amount of space and lots of different seating options. I ordered a game dog with fries and their alcoholic frozen lemonade then took a seat at the bar. The bar top seems to be decorated with family photos from events and vacations. I spotted the famous St. Maarten airport. My food came out pretty quickly (helps that I was the first person there). Y'all, this hot dog is a MONSTER. The fact that the menu even hints at getting two is kinda ridiculous. Check the photo for evidence. It's topped with chili (with beans...legitimately my only complaint) and beer cheese (I added mustard too). Really really good. Fries were deliciously seasoned as well. The service was fantastic the whole time. As I left I texted my friends in Winston-Salem, "we've gotta come here on a roadtrip!" That's the ultimate sign of respect. read more
1 year ago
Just rolled into Sylva on a mountain town hop. Spied Balsam on the little main drag and thought I'd wet my whistle. I love the signage, and the interior space. The bar is large, there's plenty of seating at tables and booths. There is also outdoor seating on the "upper entrance" side of the building. That's facing Main Street for the map oriented among ya. I entered from the Mill St side of the building. I love the decor. The permanent stuff makes the place welcoming, the Halloween touches make it festive. Service was polite, and efficient. I opted for a 6 beer flight. A four beer flight is an option too. Music was good, at the right volume. The menu is expansive with plenty of beer styles to choose from and 11 ciders available on my visit. They offer a couple seltzers, a beer and chocolate pairing in a collab with Dillsboro Chocolate Factory, Meads, an intriguing Mimosa menu, cocktails, mocktails, wines and food. The food menu has burgers, wraps, salads, flatbread, a kids section, and a few desserts. The weekend brunch menu looks downright delectable. Now, as you know if you've read any of my other brewery reviews, I don't put much stock in beer reviews because tastes vary...but I had a nice 6 beer flight plus a single taste, so I'll run down my thoughts, but take it as one man's taste... First impression, this place does slightly better with the darks. The only stand out otherwise was the Into the Mist Southern IPA (a style I didn't know existed). The flight shook out like this for me: Elevensies Livener - great, malty, slightly dark, mild, brown. Lovely finish. Pint-worthy Fergus the Rat - a Chocolate Milk Stout that is barely any of those things. It has a touch of bitterness, a faint chocolate finish and a body that is more brown than stout. Color was darker than a brown, along the lines of a porter Downtown Oatmeal Brown - the second best beer in the flight. Definitely a brown ale, done pretty well. It would be worth a pint Bonas Defeat - a dark, potent porter (7%) with a noticeable oatmeal finish, oddly. I like it but probably wouldn't get a pint. It's malt-forward, and has a roasted taste to it, as advertised. The bitter finish was a turnoff for me. But again, that's me. It lacks the body that was expected given the "robust" in the name Into the Mist - a light but very tasty IPA. Very smooth drinking. I'd think poolside, kind of a slightly heavy session IPA at 6.5%. Definitely the pint to get if you're not drinking the darks. Laurachi - a pale ale (true to the style), my second favorite non-dark. I've had better pale ales, but I suspect the unique hop, Sorachi Ace, just isn't my taste. Otherwise, I think it's a well brewed beer. Go West - a west coast IPA. Honestly, I can't finish the small pour. Musty finish, with little bitterness, and an off-putting nose. Again, this is likely my lack of appreciation of the hop being used. Just not very good to me. Overall, the place has something that will almost certainly appeal to everyone in your party, so for that reason, it gets a 4-star recommendation. Cheers! read more
We just got beer and a Greek salad. You order at the counter then sit down. The beer was good and the salad was great. It was an open type of atmosphere and it was nice. The two ladies at the counter were nice but the older lady (not that old) was really on top of her game. read more
11 months ago
2 years ago
Very solid beer with an awesome chef in the kitchen. This place is great after a day of sightseeing or hiking. The food is way above average, and the staff are very accommodating. Give it a try and don't forget to ask about the bar's backstory and it's famous mascot FERGUS.... read more
1 year ago
Definitely more of a restaurant style brewery offering a wide variety of different options in addition to the usual menu of beer. Wide open spaces and lots of room for big tables. The staff were so friendly and much better than some of the other breweries we went to in this area. read more
Great as always! I always love their hard seltzer drinks. Today I ordered the portobello mushroom burger and onion rings. The mushroom was so good. I also had a couple of different seltzer drinks that were amazing! Still highly recommend. read more
On a recent weekend we took a family trip to Sylva and rented a cabin just outside of downtown. (Awesome area btw!) On Friday we decided the whole group would go into town in the late morning just to walk through downtown and maybe do a little shopping. Convenient lot we parked in great public parking directly across from Balsam Falls and part of the group decided to grab a quick beer here before continuing our walk of downtown! Well, 4 hours later, the only place we had been was Balsam Falls and we did not see any other shops downtown! So that should tell you we enjoyed it! Really good location. And seating outside so you can hangout in the sunlight and enjoy a little piece of Sylva. The staff was great, tell them some things you enjoy and at least give their recommendations a try! I think the overwhelming hit for our group was this "crushing COVID" beer, but I really enjoyed a couple of the IPAs as well. For the non beer drinkers they also have some ciders that some in the group enjoyed. To me the biggest surprise was actually the food! We also grabbed lunch while there and everything we had was phenomenal. A personal favorite were the Spicy Asian wings! Crispy and spicy! But I had bites of Buffalo chicken dip, flatbread, and a harvest salad and they were all better than I ever would have expected from a brewery! If you're in town, stop by for a beer or better yet, go ahead and grab a meal. While we were there plenty of groups with children came in just to eat, so definitely child friendly as well! read more
3 years ago
This is the portobello burger. It's has spinach artichoke on it. It was good but super messy. The tator tots side dish are always good. They top them with parmesan and seasonings. I stopped in for a quick bite on Tuesday night and it turned out to be trivia night. Don't come that night unless you're actually playing trivia because every time I tried to sit down, I was told the seat was reserved. Found lone seat by the kitchen LOL but all good. The trivia did look fun and I plan to check it out when I'm with friends. Wide variety of beers and I like how they include description on the menu. Some places like Lazy Hiker just have the name and you have to ask the bartender what each one is like. read more
We were in Cullowhee visiting our WCU daughter and looking for a place to eat with some vegetarian options for her. When I saw the extensive beer/cider/cocktail options as well as some vegetarian options I was sold and we went here. We walked in and an employee told us to grab a menu from the bar and seat ourselves. We found a big booth near the menu and perused the extensive menu. After awhile my daughter noticed a sign on the table that said we were supposed to order at the bar. My husband, usually a beer man, ordered the citrine cider and enjoyed it -- a drier cider. I ordered the Fire Agate and it was delicious. Daughter, son and daughter's friend all ordered flatbread s and loved them. Daughter's hot caprese looked amazing. I ordered the spinach artichoke dip for my meal and it was tasty -- good portion size. Husband said his spicy Philly cheesesteak was on point. Tater tots were cooked perfectly. A sign on the table says to be patient with the food because they have a small kitchen. I was surprised they had such a big menu if they have a small kitchen but we were prepared to wait. However, our food came out super fast. I hadn't even finished my cider. Daughter really liked this place and I look forward to trying more beers and ciders so we'll definitely be back next time we are in town. read more
4 years ago
Stop number 2 in downtown Sylva was at Balsam Falls Brewing. I ordered a flight (you can choose up to six) and my husband ordered a pint of the Elevensies Livened Dark Mild. For my flight I selected Into the Mist Southern IPA, Go West IPA, Red in the Head, Bine Pounder, Quartz Branch Citrine Hard Apple Cider and Quartz Branch Blackberry Cider. My favorite was the blackberry cider, I really did not care for any of the IPAs. If you are hungry they do serve food but we only stopped in for beer. The drink menu is broader so it's worth checking out but it would not be my first choice. read more
4 years ago
This was by far my favorite brewery in town!! Absolutely loved the vibe, there were so many options to choose from! I ended up trying a mimosa sampler, and then a few other beers! Everything was awesome, the prices were fantastic....as was the service!! We didn't try the food but it looked and smelled fabulous! They are open early, by 11am which I thought was cool and offered breakfast/brunch options as well. Do not pass this one by!!!! read more
5 years ago
I really liked this spot. We actually had two cheeseburgers and a hot dog. I got a pic of the burger forgot about the hot dog. I got my beer cheese & chili on the side instead of on it. It was goooood! Those burgers were big too! The fries were unique and scrumptious too. We enjoyed a flight of local beers & ciders. A wooden connect four game for the table, How Cool! Side note local made soy candles available for purchase there as well. They smell heavenly. Can't wait to burn it when I get home read more
Really chill place. Great beer options for beer flight. The food was pretty descent for a brewery and prices were reasonable-- especially in NC. The tots with cheese and bacon were a tad salty --good thing for the beer to wash it down. The burger was certainly delish and full of flavor! It's definitely HUGE and good for sharing. Would certainly come here again to grab a drink and try something else on their lunch menu. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
Stopped in on a Tuesday and sat at the bar. They have trivia on Tuesdays so all tables were reserved. The Oktoberfest beer was great and I ordered a Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken. The salad itself was great and they had real greek dressing. The grilled chicken had an interesting flavor but was still good. Next time I would order the wings and a greek salad instead of adding the chicken. The servers were friendly and everything is ordered from the bar, maybe that is just on Tuesdays, but made it quick and easy. Overall good food and good atmosphere. I didn't participate in trivia but they had the questions on the screen which was fun to follow along and didn't make for the trivia host to be too overpowering. So if you'd like a good beer and good food at good prices check it out. read more
2 years ago
Always phenomenal food and phenomenal service. Enjoyed what was easily the best BLT I've ever had with house made garlic aioli and some incredible beer. My server that day, Quinn was fast, hilarious, charming, and a great person to be around. I will be returning anytime I visit Sylva and recommend everyone I know to do the same. read more
3 years ago
The food and drinks were all incredible! We had the beer cheese and bacon tots, beer cheese and pretzels, Cubans, BLT, and burger and it was all FANTASTIC. The fries are also super yummy and fluffy on the inside yet crispy on the outside. The homemade ranch is to die for. We sampled plenty of the beers and ciders and they were all good. Relaxed atmosphere and nice staff. It's not your typical sit down service with someone coming to take your order but everyone was still so nice and helpful. We happened to stop in after making a last minute two day trip to Sylva and we're so happy we did. read more
4 years ago
A great hidden gem. Great food and the beer is equally exceptional. Must try the pizza bites and the flat breads. Burgers were great too!!! read more
4 years ago
My friends and I were visiting New Years weekend over in Bryson City. We happened upon Balsam Falls Brew on a brew tour. They quickly allowed our two dogs in and welcomed us. All the other Breweries either made us sit outside in the cold rain or wouldn't let us in at all. By far of all the breweries we have visited in Sylva, Bryson and Dillsboro and Franklin, Balsam Falls is the best. They have the best beer selection and service. The food was spectacular! Love the fries and tots. The BLT & Shredded chicken wrap were awesome too. The servers were so great that we actually came back the next day for lunch and brews with the dogs. When we walked in, they all remembered us, and Ava, the sweetest server remembered their names and immediately brought them water. I Highly recommend this place for just some good hang out time and great food with good beer. Oh and the pickle mimosa is worth having! read more
5 years ago
Friendly and clean atmosphere. Pricing was good. Guy waiter with the mustache was funny too. Our table was wobbly which made it difficult to enjoy since every move made the table shifted. Also, besides beer they only offer carbonated drinks. Was hoping for a tea or lemonade options but also understand it's a beer place. read more
4 years ago
4 years ago
I really want to give this place a 5 star. Because the bartender was great. (I don't remember her name). And the beer was really good. But the cross contamination I saw going on in the kitchen was gross. Saw a guy in the kitchen in a purple shirt pick up raw ground beef (no gloves) then reach into the onions (with no gloves and didn't wash his hands). To be honest I didn't see him wash his hands at all after touching the raw meat. Was the food good yes! Just hoping I don't get sick from the cross contamination. read more
Came to Balsam Falls for Trivia Night and had to try their new food menu. We starts with Tuna Poke Wonton Tacos or as they call them, Pok'em if you Got'em and their special app which was simpler to a large pizza roll. For the main I got the Nachos with the Carnitas. The Nachos were very good and made with fresh made chips. My only complaint is for the price the serving sizes are a little small. Nachos are not really shareable and for $12 you only get 4 Tuna wontons. Beside that it's a fun place. read more
3 years ago
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More info about Balsam Falls Brewing
506 W Main St
Sylva, NC 28779
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(828) 631-1987
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http://balsamfallsbrewing.com
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