Finback is amazing. A fun spot to grab a beer and possibly make a friend or two. There is a variety of beers which are creative and flavorful. And love the pop up kitchen, Dumpling Up. The only inconsistency is the kegs are not kept cold enough to allow for drinkers to enjoy the full breath and flavor profile of each beer. read more

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We came here with a group of about 35 people to celebrate a friend's birthday. Our group was ordering rounds of drinks and food throughout the night, and while most of the staff were great, unfortunately one staff member really put a damper on the experience. When we arrived, there were a few tables near our group, two of which had reserved signs on them. We mistakenly assumed they were part of our reservation and put our jackets on the chairs. Totally fair that we were wrong, but instead of simply letting us know, this staff member came over and said, "I need everyone to get their shit off the table. This isn't yours." He then very dramatically grabbed cleaner and a cloth, heavily sighing while wiping down tables that we hadn't actually used - we had only put jackets on the chairs. Throughout the night, he repeatedly came back to remind us that the tables weren't ours and told us not to stand too close to them, eventually putting up a rope to section them off. There were several other large groups upstairs, so it already felt unnecessarily hostile for what was clearly just an honest misunderstanding. Later, we had ordered food and were eating and chatting at the table we did have. Without asking if we were finished, he picked up a plate that still had two dumplings on it along with a drink that was about half full and took them away to be dumped. Then, when one of my friends went downstairs to order another drink, the same staff member cut him off before he could even order and said, "I'm only doing beer. If you want a cocktail, you need to find another bartender." I'm not sure if he was the manager, but the attitude throughout the night was incredibly off-putting. We were a large group of paying customers there to celebrate a birthday, regularly ordering food and drinks, yet his interactions consistently made us feel like we were an inconvenience rather than guests. I do want to emphasize that every other bartender and staff member we interacted with was wonderful, friendly, warm, and welcoming. Unfortunately, this one person's behavior was such a consistently negative presence that it really affected the overall experience. read more

The brew I had at Finback Brewery was delicious and had me rolling in the clouds. The service was cool, its bar service. Loved the ambiance here, big spacious place with super tall ceilings. They have lots of different beers as this is a brewery and they also offer other drink options like win and spirits. read more

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Came in here after hitting up two other breweries nearby. The tab list is impressive and we enjoyed everything we had. Took restraint to not buy bottles of their dark beers. Bartender was friendly and patient with trying samples of a few options. We first sat downstairs but found our way upstairs for a more quiet vibe. Would go back for the beers. read more

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On a recent visit to Brooklyn, I noticed Finback nearby and went for a visit. It wasn't on my original list but I was glad I stopped in. Over the years I've had some of their canned beer and enjoyed them. The location has high ceilings and a cool vibe with various tables and seating types including along the bar. I appreciated the outlets and clean restrooms. They had a merch area and to go beer along the right wall. It was a quiet afternoon, the bartender was welcoming and quick to serve. I had one flight of mostly IPAs on my visit and loved them all. I'd definitely visit again. read more

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Gowanus has no shortage of great breweries, but Finback is the one I keep finding my way back to. Their beer lineup is excellent, with some especially standout IPAs and sours, and the gin and tonic menu is honestly one of the best around. The space is big and airy, though weekends can get busy. There's usually outdoor seating too, which is a nice bonus. You can always bring your own food, but when Dumpling Up is open, I highly recommend indulging! The beef curry dumplings are my current obsession. Also love the crab rangoon and fries! read more

Finback Brewery - Beer - Pubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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We checked this place out recently for drinks and dumplings and it did not disappoint. They have several unique cocktail and beer options to choose from. I tried the Future Proof and Rolling in Clouds Hazy IPAs. Both were very flavorful and citrus forward. My wife had the spring fizz and she enjoyed it. The dumplings, crab rangoon, spicy cucumber salad, and hot fries were fantastic. The drinks were good and the food was excellent. The staff were friendly and gave great recommendations. read more

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Large, open space brewery good for large groups. Would have liked some non-alcoholic beer options but overall appreciative that they have some food options and lots of seating. read more

Great vibes, great beer!! I also highly recommend the black manhattan cocktail! Bartender was Dan, took amazing care of us and put up with our talking so much! read more

Walked in here to observe the bartender helping a patron at the hotel down the street . I felt super comfortable coming in hehe solo business traveler. He then introduced himself , "Dan". Really enjoyed this place as my first stop in town. I'll be back ! read more

Finback Brewery - Pubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Great hazy beers! Good vibe and loved the tap room! The bartender was very friendly and nice.

Came here multiple times and recently went there to host my baby shower. The staff and service were great! We had our own space upstairs in their private area, even though it was open and you could see downstairs, there was enough space and you didn't have to scream to talk. The food here is always great, love the dumpling variety and the shrimp spring rolls were a hit! The drinks you would need to go downstairs to get but it's a short distance and gotta get the steps in. read more

Really fun brewery/bar. Decent cocktail selection but it's not a FULL bar (like you can't get an old fashioned but they have something called the black Manhattan). They also have some food you can order (but you can also bring in your own). We had the wings and dumplings, both very good. read more

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I know this is a brewery, but we must discuss the food first. Pork and chive dumplings are THE BEST ever! Perfect every time. Juicy and hot and flavorful. Salt and pepper wings are SO crunchy on the outside and juicy and hot on the inside. First time having the shrimp spring rolls and they are amazing. Whole shrimp with tail wrapped in flour wrapper and perfectly fried. Beer is always good and varies. Cocktails are fantastic. Hubby always has aquavit gin and tonic. His absolute fav. And I always go for their vodka with a splash of grapefruit. Here tonight to celebrate a good friend and happy to do so. read more

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First time drinking here after always walking by. Great hall for meeting friends, meetings, dates, and night caps. Spacious, California decor aesthetic with nice bartenders. I don't drink but there have non alcoholic options. There's a kitchen but closed on Mondays. Seating options and water closets located within wooden structure. The open setting and sun roof due daylight. They switch up to dimmer setting at twilight. The drink prices vary but affordable options. read more

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We stopped in at Finback during a little brew tour in the area and we enjoyed the relaxed vibe and the beers! The beertender was helpful in suggesting options from their large menu of draft beers, cocktails and food. We ordered a New England IPA and a N/A IPA and both were really good! The beertender said they were know for their NE IPAs and now we see why. I'd recommend stopping in for a good beer or cocktail or to try out something from their dumpling and bar food menu! read more

Finback Brewery - Inside - Pubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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We had a beer club meetup here and it was awesome. The bartender was flying solo and it was kind of busy but he did a great job keeping up. They have a good variety of beer and the space is great. There were a lot of artworks hanging on the walls so I love that this seems like a gallery, community meeting space and beer hall rolled into one. read more

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Finback Brewery is one of the latest NYC breweries I have go to try lately and it was a fairly good experience. The beer that Steve and I tried was the Premium. This was an IPA with Grapefruit, tropical, fruity, citrus flavors. And what was that? Yes, I detected just a hint of bubblegum flavor. Now I do love bubblegum flavor but sometimes when it's in beer, usually Hefeweizens it can be a bit overpowering with the rest of the flavor bouquet. But with this beer, the Premium it was so subtle that it just played along nicely with the other flavors rather than dominate and having that kind of control over this flavor which has been tricky for some is considerably masterful. read more

Finback Brewery - The Premium IPA from Finback Brewing! - Pubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I had a nice time here celebrating a friend's birthday Saturday afternoon. It seemed like everyone else in the neighborhood had the same idea to hide away from the rain. My friends who go often said it had never been that crowded. Unfortunately there was only one line for drinks and food and it took me 15 minutes to grab anything. Once I got to order they were super efficient and quick with my order. I ordered the spring fizz, guavamente, dumplings and fries. Pleasantly surprised with the dumplings and fries. Super filling and easy to share. They had a good selection of beers and cocktails that could appeal to everyone in a group. The space itself was very spacious with a lot of separate seating and what looked like an upstairs for private events. The atmosphere itself was very laid back and chill. read more

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Asian-owned, really good selection of beers, and plenty of seating. The place felt like something from Williamsburg/Bushwick but less pretentious. The staff was super friendly and the food offerings were good. We had just come from another place, but we can't resist fries so we went for an order. They were shoe string fries with some pepper flakes -- it was good overall, but I would have liked more oil to give it more flavour; I'm sure people who are going for healthier fries would prefer it though. Can't wait to come back and try more! read more

Really enjoyed everything about finback! The beer is pricey, but delicious and great quality. My partner and I split a flight and an order of their fries which were perfectly crispy with a bit of spice. Atmosphere inside was very spacious, and looked to have a separate space upstairs for events. read more

Finback Brewery - Flight - Pubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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This Brooklyn outpost for Finback is great! Have always loved their beers, particularly their sours as well as their stouts. Recently I've been really into their stouts including the Marshmallow Drip and their Coconut Drip - these beers are like drinking dessert in a glass! They not only do beers, but are in the distilling business as well, and make a mean gin & tonic. During COVID it was an all outdoors setup, but now they've opened their amazing indoors and scaled back their outdoor footprint. Plenty of seats at the bar as well as many tables. Place is super inviting, and on weekends you'll see a pretty eclectic crew including many families with young kids. Looks like they have a limited food menu, but I've never eaten there. Looks like they're building out an upstairs portion, so it'll be interesting if they'll keep that for employees only or open up to the public. Another great brewery to add to the bourgeoning craft beer scene in south Brooklyn. With the unfortunate loss of Svendale and Folksbier in Brooklyn, it's great to have some new comers into the neighborhood! read more

Finback Brewery - Pubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I really enjoyed this place for hanging out with a large group. There was a lot of time and many big tables. I wish I could give this place a better rating, but I did not enjoy my beers or my food. It was just okay... but would probably go back to hang out in the space. read more

Finback's Brooklyn location is great! It's a big, open room, with plenty of seating. And, in case it needed to be said, plenty of good beer! They had a little over a dozen beers on tap when I was there, with a wide variety ranging from hoppier IPAs to insanely sweet stouts. They also have cocktails on the menu, but I can't comment on them because I stuck to beers. Staff is fantastic, the two bartenders were friendly and great about keeping things moving. Even with a crowded bar, there was never a long wait before one of them got to me. With lots of great restaurants minutes away on foot, I think Finback is a great pre- or post-dinner stop for a delicious drink! read more

Finback Brewery - Pubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Seems like this place is always pack on Friday and weekends. Good vibes with amazing flavorful drink. Outdoor space with two levels to hang around. We only tried the beer and the favorite was memory and perception that will knock you off your feet. Grab small bites for a hefty price but the wings were well worth it. Nice crunch and flavor if you like your wings fried well. Order at the bar and self serve water station. read more

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I love this place. The beer. The gin. The service. The ambiance. We stop here every time we are passing through. Love it. read more

Finback Brewery - Pubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

This place is kind of a joke. They've made good beers, here and there, over the years, but the vibe and attitude of those working here is sub-par. And more sour than their most sour beer (which I'm sure is equivalently miserable). Especially when the quality of the beer they're putting out, overall, ain't great. No wonder locals and beer folks in the area and 'hood told me to skip. My same advice to you, my dear Yelpers. read more

Big space with plenty of seating. Nice place to hang out with a few friends. Got a good hazy beer and espresso martini here. read more

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Finback Brewery is a craft brewery that opened in Queens, New York in January 2014. It was founded by business partners Basil Lee and Kevin Stafford. Lee is a licensed professional architect, but he had a passion for drinking craft beer. He home-brewed for a few years with his friend and fellow craft beer aficionado Stafford (a graphic artist), and then the two decided to pursue their dream of opening a craft brewery in New York City. They first tried to find a location in Brooklyn, but multiple deals fell through. Finally they were able to secure a location in the Glendale section of Queens. Originally they were going to call their brewery 'Narwhal' until Sierra Nevada Brewing Company released a beer with the same name. Then the partners were inspired to name their brewery 'Finback' after a real finback whale became beached and died in Queens in 2012. Lee and Stafford struggled for so long to secure their location that they too sometimes felt like a "beached whale". In spite of the fact that the brewery was a solid 30-minute walk from the nearest subway station, lines soon began to form around the block for their can releases. Finback's mission is to brew a variety of different beer styles with great flavor and complexity from quality ingredients and small batch artisanal brewing. A second location opened in Brooklyn in March 2020 and there are currently plans to open a third in Long Island. I recently visited Finback's Brooklyn location while I was cycling around NYC with a cycling buddy of mine. I have tasted some of their beers before from DeCicco's and was impressed with what I tried so far. The Brooklyn taproom is located in the Gowanus neighborhood. The interior was spacious and my friend and I pretty much had the place to ourselves during our visit. My passion is for hoppy unfiltered IPAs, so I decided to order a flight of four samples consisting of "Sun Drenched", "Manhattan Bound F Local Train", "Growing Towards The Sun", and "Yellow Cake". I enjoyed all four, but the latter (a Lemon Lactose Vanilla Milkshake IPA) was easily my favorite. Brewed in collaboration with Sterling, Virginia-based Crooked Run Fermentation, it reminded me of lemon-orange Italian ice. My friend isn't too crazy about IPAs, so he asked if I was interested in splitting a Farmhouse Ale. We ended up sharing a bottle of "Floating In A Sunbeam" which was tart with great notes of blueberries and cherries. Overall, I had a really nice experience at Finback Brooklyn. I look forward to visiting the original location in Queens. read more

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New brewery in the neighborhood, in an area that already has Three's, Strong Rope, and Wild East not too far away. Great if your'e looking to bar hop or wait for a table at one of the others! Finback's space looks very promising and I can't wait for normalcy to return so we can enjoy their indoor area. Right now, they have some big barrel tables outside. A month or two ago they had even more outdoor space that extended onto the street. You'll have to get a bag of chips with your order per NY state law, but yay for hot cheeto fries! My bf has tried a few of their beers, and I've tried their gin & tonics. I'm a bigg fan of their g&t's!! We've also bought cans to go, but weren't super impressed with their pilsner. Always down to try something else though when we go back read more

Next up the the brewery hop -- Finback at their BKN outpost. Smells like fresh wood when you walk in and I do believe they are putting some finishing touches on a mezzanine floor which looks like it could provide a grand birds eye view of the tap room. The multi-color geometric mural serving as the back splash to the 20 tap handles reminded me fondly of Mikkellar. At least 16 of the tap handles were dedicated to fresh suds on our visit, mostly of the hoppy, sour, and bold stout kind. They were even serving some cold brew but not sure if this was on tap or not. IPA's were fresh and crisp; cloudy in appearance but thankfully missing a powdery mouthfeel. Ample sitting inside and there's even a small outdoor section up front. Great vibes and fresh beer to round out a lovely afternoon of brewery hopping. read more

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Another win for Finback! The beers are solid The seating was cramped* * lots of people, but the bartenders handled it well read more

Amazing vibe, decor, beer and dumplings. They're SO good. Also the glassware is gorgeous. Go for dumplings and beers, it's so fun.

Gowanus might have the highest density of elite craft beer breweries in the universe. Finback fulfills the IPA niche on the Gowanus roster boasting a superb selection of IPAs, DIPAs, TIPAs, and a handful of other beer styles in case your annoying IPA loving friends dragged you to this taproom. I decided to go for a flight of IPAs. They absolutely nailed the NEIPA style. Certainly on par with anything you'd find at Other Half or any other top flight IPA brewery in Mid-Atlantic or New England. Service was quick. I believe they had four gender neutral restrooms with one being handicap accessible. It's an outstanding to host an event or a large group. read more

Beer: 4 stars. Noise level: 2 stars (too loud!) Food: 3 stars at most (too much fat / fried stuff) Plastic use: Come on, WHY do you have to use plastic at all (see photo)?: 1 star. read more

Finback Brewery - Pubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Second drunken stop of the night after coming from another brewery to keep the night going. The vibe of this place was super cool. Very industrial and modern which was kind of mesmerizing with their cool bar backdrop. Lots of neon colors and exposed plywood (unsure if they're still renovating or what). Lots of big tables for bigger groups and was east to get a seat and stable for the hour/two I was there. Staff was chill and helpful. I saw dogs inside so probably allowed too. Beer/food: I ended up trying two beers there, one was their pale ale which was decent (3.5/5) and another which was a Pilsner that had some zesty undertones which I was less a fan of and would veer away from. They had some bar snacks which were atypical and on the "fancier side" - dumplings, wings, etc. tried the chicken wings which were fried absolutely perfectly, great crunch and retention of inner moisture (lol) but was fairly lacking in seasoning, was just tossed on. I'd give it a 3/5. Dumplings were really lackluster for me, the inside wasn't as stuffed as I hoped and they were obviously cooked on a stove with burnt prior dumplings cause that was the predominant taste for me, I'd avoid them (2/5). I think it's a cool spot but I think I enjoyed the vibe of the place more than what they actually offered. I'll probably stop by again and try to see if I can find what beers they are known for. read more

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My son suggested Finback Brewery, next to the Marriott we were staying in, so we visited with my DW and my son's family. Outside seating was small and not weather appropriate, so went in even with a small baby (not 21, but only 2 months old). The good news the flights were available, so we took some variety of beers, lager, pilsner, stouts & sour - all 4 for $18. Now granted this place is not Pure project in Vista (with indoor taproom and outdoor patio) or my another favorite one also in Vista - Eppig Brewing, but the beers were surprisingly good. Not sure about food at the time of our visit, back in Vista CA - it's always food trucks, here would be no room for it to park. Next time we are in Park Slope, visiting our son, we will come back to try more beers at Finback Brewery. read more

Finback is an instant add to my shortlist of 'favorite NYC breweries.' This spot is in one of the most brewery-heavy neighborhoods in the city. You're right by Threes, Wild East, and Strong Rope, and close-ish to Folksbier and Other Half .. which is to say, this is a great area to (eventually, post-pandemic!) go brewery-hopping. On to Finback itself. First impressions: the space is cool. Spacious, with a minimalist, yet trendy vibe. The indoor space is huge, so while there's no way to make reservations, it was easy enough to walk in on a Saturday afternoon and get seated right away. For now, I like that the seating is spaced out enough to feel comfortable, and that they don't keep seating time limits as some venues now do. In the future, I think it'll turn into a buzzy, energetic hangout space (when that sort of thing exists again!) Sidenote: there are a few barrels with 2-3 seats each and a table that seats 6ish outside, all open / uncovered. So if you're set on sitting outdoors and it's cold, rainy, and/or you're in a bigger group, this may not work out. The beer menu is large with a decent range of variety. We sampled a few sours, stouts, and IPAs, and were quite impressed with all of them. No tasting pours or flights yet, which is a bit of a downer, but hopefully that'll change soon. Whatever's your go-to, you'll probably find at least 2-3 options on tap. And if you're not at all into beer, there's also a pretty extensive cocktail menu. Will definitely come back and highly recommend to both beer enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike. read more

Finback Brewery - Breathing: Conversations and Totality - Pubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Wow! I'm a Chicago beer snob--a huge fan of Half Acre's brews--so today's visit to Finback was an epiphany. Yes Virginia, there are other great breweries and beers outside Cook county. Host Niko recommended the flagship Finback IPA and DIPA "Breathing: Conversations," an 8 percenter that rocked me! He followed up with tasters of the sinfully delicious "BA Grazing on the Ordinary + Coffee." I couldn't quit, so I ended with a pint of "Out of Sight." I've seen the light! read more

We started going to Finback during the pandemic after having a couple of their beers elsewhere. They are constantly putting out delicious beer and the staff is always friendly and welcoming. Now they have some outdoor seating and I am very much looking forward to sitting and having a beer or two. I haven't been to the Queens location yet but I'm sure I'll find my way there at some point. If you are near this place make sure to go and treat yourself. ENJOY!!! read more

Finback Brewery - IPA Island - Pubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York