The atmosphere hits that sweet spot between cozy and lively--perfect for catching up with friends…read moreor winding down after a day exploring Alaska. Ample parking, easy access, and the kind of brewery where you feel welcome whether you're a lifelong Alaskan or just passing through. Pro tip: Arrive with an appetite and an open mind. Get a sampler flight of the beers, ask the bartender what's new or seasonal, and don't hesitate to pair it with something from the kitchen--this one's worth the stop. All told: If craft beer is part of your travel plan (or if you simply want a great local spot for food & drink), Matanuska Brewing Company in Palmer should be high on your list. Cheers to that!

It's always fun scratching off a brewery out of Alaska. The beer most of time is quite solid and…read moreflavorful from most of the breweries that I have tried out. Mantanuska Brewery is the latest brewery I got to try for the first time and it was an enjoyable first time experience. Steve and I got one beer from this brewery on two separate occasions and I liked it both times. The Deep Powder Porter was the name of the beer we had. What I liked about this beer was that it was very smooth which made it an easy one to drink. There is a malty sweetness going on here with roasty, caramel and cocoa flavors. Untappd had the beet as a feature with this beer as "brilliant " and I can see that going on with this porter but I might call it "alive" as this porter wasn't a dull one at all to drink but instead it was a fun one.

Bleeding Heart Brewery absolutely nailed it…read more I stopped in for lunch and had the prosciutto mac & cheese, and wow--this is hands down one of the best mac & cheeses I've ever had. Rich, creamy, perfectly balanced, and the prosciutto takes it to another level without overpowering the dish. I've also had their brunch, and the salmon with cream cheese and capers deserves a shoutout. The salmon is not dry (which is rare), and the bagel is toasted just right--not overly crunchy, just perfect. The outdoor seating is awesome, especially if you ride. This is easily one of the better spots to pull up on a motorcycle and enjoy a solid meal. Bonus points for the atmosphere. And the staff? Absolutely unreal--in the best way. Crazy friendly, welcoming, and they genuinely go out of their way to make you feel like part of their crew instead of just another customer. Great food, great vibes, great people. I'll be back--often.

Awesome vibe!!! Food is unique, well composed, and tasty. Beer isn't too bad either. ;) Would come…read morehere over and over. Wish their clothing had some logos that were full color (would live to advertise for them).

Amazing stop along the main road. Really good beer and plenty of places to sit and relax. Well…read moreworth the stop. The ipa- amazing!

Covid-19 update: Bearpaw is considered an essential service…read moreand will remain open. This was confirmed on 3/29. The brewery has several varieties of beer for sale as six packs. I saw at least 6 different varieties. 32 and 64 ounce growlers are available to go. No samples. Service is friendly and professional.

There isn't a massive saturation of craft breweries in Alaska like in states like Washington,…read moreOregon, California and Colorado but there are quite a bit more breweries in the state than you may think too. Arkose Brewing was a brewery Steve got to try when we were visiting Alaska last year. We shared the Mandarina Moose Grapefruit IPA which was pretty good. Perhaps not the best grapefruit IPA I have stumbled across but not bad. The cirtus notes and malty flavor made it enjoyable enough. If I ever do get to try beer from this brewery again I think I'd like to try a stout or a porter and get a take of this brewery's version of those beer styles.

#thankfulThursday…read more When the founder told me that the whole operation was ran by two people, I was floored. When he showed me an academic journal for brewers, I was ready to totally geek out. This, of course, was after I had tried a sampler with 6 of their beers. COOLEST THING: Every Thursday they do a small batch release. When I was there it was a Coconut Cranberry Macaroon Porter. And it was DELICIOUS. You ever hear people say "this is a beer for the non-beer drinkers?" Well, this is the place to go for them. The red and the stout were smooth and sweet. The Snarly was hoppy IPA but without the heavy bitterness in the back end. Above the taps the customer will find the beers on tap broken down by style. When I was there, they had light/Belgian, malty/dark, IPAS, and Barleywines. The space is clean and crisp. Lots of art and color, too. There is merchandise on sale and beer in both bottles and growlers to go. HIGHLY recommend Arkose.

Thank you! I just cannot thank you enough for the awesome pizza, and superior service ( ask for…read moreJeanette). 8How lucky we are to have a place with fire pits and live music on a Sunday afternoon. Oh, and don't forget the beer brewed right in front of your eyes. Susitna Brewery is worth the trip !!

This place is Amazing, if I lived close by I could see visiting here often :) !…read moreThe service was fantastic and our server Sierra was super attentive and friendly. Wished we could have stayed a little longer to try other options BUT we will be back. Very clean restrooms and dining area. Lots of goodies to purchase and their prices (in my opinion) were very reasonable.

EDIT- upped to five stars because I tried the pizza. Moose's Tooth who????…read more Also - the gochujang wings were excellent. Not too spicy!! Best chicken wing I've ever had. Yes, I got wings at a wood fire pizza place - and boy, am I glad I did. We did the garlic Parmesan and the sweet heat wings. I don't know what magic they do to get the skin so crispy and bubbly, but I'm happy they figured it out! It's like popcorn, so light and airy. And even sauced, the crispy texture didn't end! We took half our wings home to Anchorage and even after the microwave a few hours later - still crispy. We also shared a Greek salad that was delicious, fully loaded, and so big we both ate off it and still had leftovers!!!

Love the food and drinks at BearPaw, especially the kombucha…read more But today the customer service from the lady at the counter was very unfriendly and rude. When I said thank you for the pizza dough, her response was "yep".

Was fun to come out on a day trip from Anchorage…read more Bartender was a blast happy to try some great new beers. Food was great we got a pickle yes pickle pizza!!! So freaking good. - Side not we love pickles. They had highchairs for the kiddo and some amazing outdoor seating in the summer. Place was clean and amazing to be in.

Nice inside and outside area. Several picnic tables on the gravel patio. Some actual tables closer…read moreto the building and then seating inside. They have a small kitchen and the pizza was actually pretty good. We got the pickle pizza. Drizzled honey on it, it was very good. That's all we tried.

funkberry pie sour i dont care if you dont like sours…read moreget the sour its so good try it thats an order. do not disobey i don't make the rules. those just are the rules. (you're welcome...)

Lots of beer options! Inside seating is limited during Apres ski. A few outdoor fire pits…read moreavailable. A couple food truck options for food. Friendly service and great recommendations.

As we entered the restaurant we noticed it was very busy!…read more Went to the hostess stand since it's required to have them seat you. We were seated by Andrew and he let us know immediately that he was the only one doing food service and he would be right back. We totally understand where he was coming from since Andrew never stopped moving while waiting on ALL the tables. He came back shortly after seated and took our beverage order and when he came back we were ready to order an appetizer. Ordered their jalapeño poppers and I have to say they were really scrumptious, my only issue is they are pretty expensive saying that you get 4 poppers for the price of $19 I think that is steep! The atmosphere was pleasant and everyone seemed to be having a good time especially since it was Valentines Day. The beer prices were fair although I wished they offered Ciders I gave a 4 for the price on apps however I give a 5 for Andrew

My wife and I ordered at 8:30 on a Friday night. It first took 30 minutes to place a…read moredrink order that was the only part of the meal that was correct . When my prime rib came out it was cold to the touch and the order was not cooked to the proper temperature. The salads came out 15 minutes after the entrees . When I asked have my meal fixed the staff said I was being inappropriate for asking to speak to a manager. Worst service ever ! The prime rib was salty and sh!t

Wonderful restaurant with Alaskan speciality and several alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks…read more There is a large gift shop in the same building which has a huge walrus and head. I ate the crusted halibut with mashed potatoes and it was delicious. Our waitress was wonderful and very helpful. 18% gratuity was added for our party of 6.

This place has the opposite problem that 49th State has:…read more Pretty good food and bad beer. The beer here is very, very bad. It is some of the worst beer in the state. I had a hazy IPA here during Fur Rondy and it tasted candy-sweet, oxidized, and had a chemically-bite to it. It is one of the worst beers I've ever had. It tasted old and stale when it should've tasted bright and fresh. I do not know how they can serve it to folks with a straight face, it's that bad.