Famous for their award winning beers, the Russian River Brewing Company was formed by the California Korbel Winery in 1997. The original brew master became the co-owner when the winery left the beer business in 2003. It was then moved this location in 2004, opening as a brewpub. It's been on my list of places to visit for a while, so my wife, her mom, and I took the opportunity to stop in for a Thursday night dinner on our way to San Francisco from Fort Bragg. The inaugural double IPA (aka Imperial IPA) was made by the current co-owner at a different brewery in 1994. Double means it uses double the hops and malts, and the ABV is quite a bit higher. He then created Pliny the Elder (ABV 8.0%) in 2000, recognized as the most famous DIPA. The track continued, with Pliny the Younger in 2005, a triple IPA (using triple the hops and malts with ABV of 10.25%). This version is available once a year in the spring, since it costs so much money and time to make. With so much malt being used, a large amount of time (and hops) is needed to balance. I've had Pliny the Elder in bottles before, and really liked it: I don't like the hoppy 'piney' taste in my beers, but also recognize that not enough will make the beer too sweet (which I've been facing with a lot my island beers lately). Parking is street only, but there was a lot of it, with the metered parking only requiring payment till 6 pm. We were greeted warmly by the hostess and immediately seated at a table near the bar. As expected, it was quite loud, with after work folks having a good time. We got menus, ordered our food, and then decided what to do about flights. The brewery is also known for their Belgian style and thus offers two different flights. It was my first time, and didn't know how much my wife could help, so decided to order the California Sampler (a selection of 12 different West Coast 5 oz. pours of ales and lagers for $15.45) to start: O.V.L. Stout (Old Vic Loyals) - Irish nitro stout - really beginning to love stouts, and this one was good. Velvet Glow - lager - solid. Ending up buying 6 pack to bring home ($12.99) STS Pils - pilsner. Bought a 6-pack for $12.99. Russian River Porter - Blind Pig IPA - West Coast IPA Happy Hops - Juicy IPA Mosaic Stack - West Coast IPA SimCoe 25 - West Coast IPA Citra Flash Mob - West Coast IPA Mind Circus - Hazy IPA DDH Pliny the Elder - really good. bought two cans at $5.99 each. Pliny the Elder - the original Felt pretty good, so decided to order the Belgian Sampler (9 different for $13.63), Surprisingly, I didn't like it nearly as much (my favorite fruit beer during this trip was the Howzit Punch beer). Petite Robert - table beer Little White Lie - Belgian White Robert - saison Perdition - biere de sonoma Damnation - golden strong ale Mortification - quad Supplication - sour brown ale Intinction - barrel aged pilsner Consecration - sour dark ale In terms of the food, it was solid. The 8 pc chicken wings ($17) were good, and the cheesy garlic bread ($10) was filling. I had the meatball sandwich ($16) and upgraded the fries to a spinach salad (+$4): it was tasty, loved the toasted French bread and marinara sauce, with the meatballs being OK (tasted from frozen)...loved the spinach salad with strawberries and blue cheese. We finished off our meal with a Vinnies (co-owner) sundae: good vanilla ice cream with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and a lot of almond slivers. Payment was at the table, and me being again very pleasantly surprised at how little the flights were (a typical brewpub where they charge $3-$4 per 5 oz, would have cost 4 times as much...though of course I wouldn't have drunk as much either). read more

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We ordered two salads, one large pizza and their pizza bites. The spinach salad was very good with strawberries, goat cheese, and some nuts. The green salad had a good variety of vegetables also. We got the jalapeño cheese pizza bites, which was good and the large pizza I don't recall what the name of it was, but it was also fairly good The service was a little bit slow. They were quite busy, but it took us over an hour and a half to get our table. While we were waiting my friend and I had to flag down the staff so that we could get a beer while we waited. The room was quite noisy, but the table was comfortable read more

Russian River Brewing - Green salad - Pizza Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

This was my first time here AND my first time for the Pliny the Younger release! I was very impressed. I only waiting in line for 99 minutes. I arrived at 8:45 and got inside with the first wave at 10:30. The owners even came to say hello to eveyone waiting in line, so I met Natalie and her husband. I really liked that the release was super organized. Inside is a typical bar and everyone is getting their glass of the younger. I ordered the hummus platter and wings. Both tasted delicious. (Trust me, I've been to places where the hummus platter didn't look appetizing but that's another story). I got 8 wings half sweet chili and half buffalo. It came with blue cheese and veggie sticks. Delish! Portions of the food was good. Staff were helpful and friendly. I bought my T shirt from the gift shop and got a few free coasters too. The experience of getting the younger and meeting new people in line really gave me a sense of Santa Rosa hospitality! read more

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Standard, American bar with only one caveat - outside of this place having a great service and favorite beers, one major drawback was - no burgers! We got offered to drive 10 miles away to their other Russian river brewery location, which serves them. On Father's Day, this place was relatively packed, however, had some seating available by the bar and tables with about 10 minutes away. read more

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Great beer--we all know that. Great food, too! But what really made our visit stand out was the service. Marissa made the experience exceptional from the moment we walked in. I was so impressed that she greeted so many regulars by name as they came through the door--it really showed how much she cares about her customers and creates such a welcoming atmosphere. She made everyone feel at home. Her knowledge of all the products was impressive, and she represented the brand perfectly while offering thoughtful recommendations and answering every question with confidence. Excellent customer service, a fantastic personality, and a big reason we'll be back. Thanks, Marissa! read more

Russian River Brewing - Pizza Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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Ordered the Belgian flight which was a deal to try so many different beers. We had 8 2oz pours and loved most of them. My sister got the hot wings and enjoyed them as well. They were kind enough to change the channel on one of the TVs so we could watch the WNBA game. Service was great, but at times slow. Understandable since it was busy on a Saturday evening. read more

Great value for the flight and 2 oz sampler pours. One of the more consistent breweries- you know that you're going to get a pretty good beer here. I personally really enjoyed the stout and sours that they had at the time. Loved how they brought out the flight because you know exactly what you're having because there is a bottle cap. I thought this was a really solid touch. I had the spinach salad with romaine lettuce instead- it was great- lots of goat cheese and the vinaigrette was well balanced. The calzone is huge and super filling. Service is fast and they have outdoor seating so your pup can hang out with you! read more

Great food, the best beer around and plenty of tvs to watch. The service was top notch. A must go to if you are in the area.

Service was fast and friendly. Food was great. Love the vegan pizza is just pizza no cheese. Ymmm. Typical pizza joint look inside with games playing on tv . Great place for a casual meal and a beer . read more

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Sundays they have all day happy hour. They have the best wings. You get 8 bone-in for $17 and choice of two sauces. The Pliny sauce is spicy! You already know their beer is top notch! read more

Russian River Brewing - Pizza Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Checked out this place for the first time and glad I did. My partner loves their beer so we both ordered a beer and ordered some beer to go. Good beer, just okay bar. Staff was nice and helpful and the food looked good although they closed their kitchen for the night when we went. read more

Someone absolutely needed to visit the mother ship from whence Pliny The Elder is sourced and they were happy as can be! We lucked out by snagging a table near the bar so it was as if we had landed a premium seat at a beer concert! We got some sampling flights of several beers on tap and enjoyed the experience and did some people watching too. Our server Annie was excellent and fun to chat with too. We didn't eat here since we already had dinner reservations but she was kind enough to make some recommendations to us for what we should try. She even let me try the hop water before I committed to ordering a pint since I didn't want any alcohol at that time. We need to make plans to return again to try their Pliny The Younger when it is released. Next time, we'll plan to have a meal there so we can linger longer and hope we'll be able to sit in Annie's section again because she was so nice! Visiting Russian River Brewing Company was a great experience and we'd highly recommend a visit here! If only we knew it was here before when we visited the area all the other times! Now that we know (and you do too) we'll plan our visit around a stop here and hope to see you there! read more

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If I were only rating the beer and its selection, I would give Russian River Brewing Company 5 stars. The beer is amazing! I really enjoy getting the flights and trying all the beer available. I think it's the best way to figure out what you like and then follow your favorites on future visits. Unfortunately, I would give only 2 or maybe 3 stars to the pizza. We had the Mikey pizza, and while it wasn't terrible, I can't say it was that good either. The pizza had a good crispy crust, which I liked, but the sauce and toppings didn't bring much flavor. Service is a good 4. Our waitress was nice and checked on us from time to time. On busy days it can be hard to find good seating, and parking nearby can also be a challenge. Overall, I enjoy coming here mainly for the drinks. My favorites are Happy Hops (IPA), MIND CIRCUS (Hazy IPA), and VELVET GLOW (Helles-Style Lager). read more

Russian River Brewing - Flight from the Russian River Brewing Company - Pizza Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Food was good! The pizza tasted good and I liked the amount of toppings they put. It was kind of a generic pizza though and it was a lot spicier than I expected, but overall it was a better than average pizza. The salad was great and I liked the amount of chicken they put. It was also a tad spicier than I thought but it was still good. Their house beer is pretty good even to me, and I don't usually like the taste of IPAs. Service was good, our server was very friendly and super knowledgable about the menu. The vibe is nice and casual. Similar to a sports bar but without the TVs. I do wish the tables were a bit bigger though read more

Russian River Brewing - Bbq Chicken Salad with chipotle ranch No beans - Pizza Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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Went into this location not realizing there were two different locations. When I walked in it felt like we were in an old pub with a lot of history and cool decor. Sat at the bar and was immediately greeted by Nick. His knowledge of the beers, history of Russian River, and history of craft beer in general was top notch! Definitely worth the trip! read more

Stopped in for a late lunch. Wasn't too bad of a wait for 3 at a high top. Everyone was friendly but it seemed to take forever to get our food. Everything was tasty but nothing mind blowing. You go for the beers and stay for the vibes. The noise level was nice and mild. I didn't feel like I had to yell to talk to my friends across the table. Not my first time not my last. read more

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The food is always super good. My fav is the BBQ chicken salad but with buffalo sauce instead of bbq sauce. I also love the old school veggie tray. I also usually get the Iced Tea to drink with sugar on the side . Their service is amazing and they usually know exactly what we want since we are regulars there. The ambiance is really nice. read more

Russian River Brewing - The bbq chicken salad. - Pizza Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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Discovered this spot on Yelp and instantly knew we'd love it! It's a classic hometown brewery with a great menu, eclectic decor, and a super welcoming vibe. Even on a rainy midweek night, the place was packed, but after a 30 min wait, Marlon greeted us and gave excellent service. I was originally set on a salad, but then my hubby pointed out the special: a slice of pepperoni pizza with a side garden salad - for just $10! Perfect portion, exactly what I wanted, and absolutely delicious. Hubby devoured his calzone and washed it down with a hazy IPA - he loved it! read more

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Russian River Brewing is one of those pilgrimage sites for beer fans and I was happy to make it a big part of my recent trip. I visited this original location twice and had a wonderfully different experience both times. If you're a beer fan, this is a must visit stop! From the outside it's unassuming with outdoor seating. They have a merchandise and to-go side store that was closed on both visits. I was surprised how small this location is, with large bar along the left wall, small tables in this area, and larger ones to the right. The kitchen and restrooms take up most of the back. All the staff here were wonderful and welcoming. My first visit I sat at the bar and enjoyed the California flight of their American styles. Their flight trays are epic and you can opt to do just the CA, just Belgian, or all. I also ordered a pizza and asked for hot sauce- their Pliny Sauce is amazing if you like spicy, and bottles are available to go for $10. Prices overall for food and drinks were reasonable. On the second visit a couple days later I had the Belgian flight and thoroughly enjoyed tasting and reading about each one. Some are not my favorite styles but I appreciated them regardless. If you're a pair or small group, I definitely recommend sharing. All the old brewery kitsch makes for a fun ambience as well. I loved my visits here and hope to come again soon! read more

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Great location, convenient & plentiful parking outside is $1.50 an hour. Fun quirky and cool interior with comfortable seatjng. We were seated quickly and our waitress Ruby was fun and efficient. The margarita pizza was delicious, a medium was enough for three of us. We ended up doing both samplers/ flights- perfect size for two people to split with an immense variety to try. The larger sampler is the Californian and then the smaller sampler was a whole collection of Belgian brews. My husband isn't usually into sour beers, but the Belgian collection included three and he was delighted by them all! So glad we stopped in for this lovely experience. read more

Russian River Brewing - Californian sampler, seating and bar in background - Pizza Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Like the pub atmosphere and came during the pliney the younger event and it was awesome! i never got in before the kitchen closed... so i cannot tell you about the food but i heard the pizza is really delicious. the pliney did not disappoint! omg for a triple? it was smooth and tasty... i can't have enough! I def will be back for the pliney again. it was fun but get ready to spend some dough and take home some liquid dough! lastly, staff was all helpful and kept this place running smoothly throughout. so all in all- great place in a cute ol' downtown location. read more

Honestly, come for the beer, skip the food. The food is just OK. Parking is easy. The windsor location is more modern. read more

As soon as we landed in San Francisco, my boyfriend rented a car so we could come out to Santa Rosa for pizza and beers. It was a little ways out, but the lovely scenic view (thanks to the traffic) made it worth the wait. Apparently, the Pliny the Elder is a must have when you come here. I opted for the HopWater which I believe is made in house and it was amazing. Don't sleep on the hummus plate either. It was full of fresh veggies and warm, buttery pita. The hummus was full of flavor and one if the best I've had. The pizza was perfect. So good in fact that I'm glad I don't live nearby because I would really need a cardiologist on demand. The crust was crispy and chewy and it was LOADED with pepperoni. My only complaint was that the service was a little slow. We couldn't find our server a couple times, most importantly when we were ready to leave so not to be noncompliant with the parking meters. In any event, she was super sweet and responsive when we had her attention. 10/10 read more

Russian River Brewing - Hummus plate - Pizza Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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We came for the Pliny the younger event, so this review is 3 months late! However we had a great time and the staff was prepared and ready to help! The food was delicious and we enjoyed the beer. The wings were amazing and the Pliny bites and pepperoni pizza were hits. Come during a sporting event or other hang out with friends and it's sure to be a hit. I love when a brewery has great food and beer! read more

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Fun place,good food and beer... simple fare, pizzas, sandwich etc If in the area, something to,check out....we had to drive a ways, not sure if I would make a trip again.... read more

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April 3rd, 2025 marks the end of Pliny season - your last chance to think about if you can squeeze it into your schedule. This location is smaller but is more cozy than the larger (massive) Windsor location. I enjoyed the indoor ambiance this time at the bar - last year was outside and there is something special just being inside the building watching it all happen. Its so intimate and people at the bar so friendly - there was something in the air here. Having just been at the big and beautiful Windsor location the night before I really appreciated how comfortable, warm and welcoming this place is. Between the two locations more my style but perhaps the Windsor location is a better bet during Younger as it can hold an enormous amount of people and endless standing room at 9pm when they open the floodgates once the restaurant is done serving food. The wait goes by more quickly than you'd think. One group in front ordered Door dash and others played games to pass the time. The people behind actually were lined up for the second time that day. Pure madness - but they came from really far away and they all wanted another ration of 3 beers each. You don't have to make it an all day thing - if you want to chance it come 8 or 9pm and the line dies down close to the end of the night. Maybe eat at one of the empty restaurants next door like the Chinese restaurant - I've never seen anybody come or go - they might need your business. One thing that stood out was how the bartenders all worked so well together. There were 3 and all of them helped each other out and poured for all the various servers that brought beers to the edges of the pub. Seriously, get all three of these bartenders last night and put them in the White House - they could get anything done working so well together. I enjoyed some sour beers - tried two and they were outstanding. I suppose I'm a sucker for the sour beers but the point is - even if your out of your beer ration there are so many other excellent options. There is a whole wall written in chalk - endless options. You can sit there and study it all - but trust me - its nothing like being back in school again. Its so much fun - and the food was great too - I had the same chicken sandwich as last year - a little heat and flavor to it served with chips. It must be that Pliny sauce. I think pizza is probably the best choice here with wings - both perfect to share although I didn't have them this year. There is only a few days left - don't let the 5 and 6 hour long wait times scare you off - I gave you some tips to avoid that and the worst wait days are the first day open and weekends. See you Sunday night? read more

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This has been on my bucket list of breweries to visit for years. I was finally on a road trip to Oregon and planned a stop in Santa Rosa to check this off the list. Pliney is available in the Bay area and so are some of their other beers, but I didn't drink a Pliney this time! They have the best sample system and an enormous selection of awesome beers so I tried at least 10 of them! R&D beers brewed in their 5 barrel system to Belgium styles and sours, they had an incredible selection and they were all really good! The samples are small, I would guess 1.5oz? Just the right amount to get two full mouthfuls of each variety and really get the flavor, but not get to impaired to drive... The food was also awesome, I had the Mikey pizza and on the advice of the beertender, I ordered it extra crispy! The Mikey had pepperoni, sausage, and grilled onions. It was fantastic and diving board crisp. Thon crust, just the right amount of toppings, yum! So I did leave with a couple of bottles of Pliney as well as a couple of their R&D IPA #68 as well as some schwag that was delivered off a menu at the bar! This place is awesome and I hope to return some day soon. Definitely give'em a shot! read more

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We enjoyed a delicious lunch with friends. The sliders, wings and chicken sandwiches were all delicious and they have the best fries! The space is very clean and bright brewery. We didn't have time for a tour but the tanks were visible throughout with large windows. The service was good. Polite and professional and the food came out in a reasonable time, cooked fresh. read more

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Great beer, delicious pizza and nice happy hour! Service is top notch! Loud ambiance, prefer to sit outside.

Stopped by here on the way home from a weekend with friends which was the perf. way to finish off our weekend getaway. We had about a party of 8 and were able to be seated outside relatively quickly - everyone got a few brews and we decided quickly on some light bites to share. Overall the beer selection was great - but I usually stick with a house pilsner which was tasty & refreshing (perf for the hot weather at the time). We ordered the artichoke dip which came piping hot (just the way I like it) with nice pillow-y warm pitta bread to dip. We also got the pliny bites and a Mediterranean pizza - both came out hot, cheesy, and with a great crispy crust + tasty dipping sauce. Service was great and efficiently fast as well. Would def. stop by here again if around the area! read more

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Delicious vegetable sandwich was big enough to share, complemented by Great chips and a gourmet pickle! Chicken wings also satisfied with spicy Buffalo sauce and veggies(so I felt slightly virtuous haha). Fast, personable service made us feel welcome. Patio is a great spot on warm days! Don't miss: hop water, non-alcoholic and very tasty, like a seltzer only better! All this and you're walking distance to great ice cream, used book stores and other downtown attractions! read more

The barbequed chicken pizza was absolutely delicious and the service was very friendly! I waited 3 hours for Pliny the Younger and it was definitely worth the experience. Would I do it again, most likely not, but this is definitely something you have to try at least once in your lifetime! A triple IPA at 10%+ ABV that drinks like a light German lager is truly a very, very respectable monstrosity. Had some great conversations with the people waiting in line with me as well as the people that I was seated at the bar with. read more

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Great selection of beers. Pliny the younger triple IPA was excellent. Food and music was great. Except for the long but expected wait times during the release window. read more

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Blind Pig IPA, Happy Hops and Pliny the Elder plus so many others beers along with the pizza, second to none.

Came here a WHILE back and just now dug out the pictures for a quick review. Had a great time here, we happened to just be in the area for the night and stumbled across a place with beer flights and pizza... what else could you need in life.. Service was great, and the outside seating area was totally fun. Would love to visit again someday. read more

Russian River Brewing - Pizza Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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I recently relocated here and was recommended to come here by some coworkers. The service was very good our server was able to recommend us some of his favorites on the menu such as the Baked Artichoke & Spinach Dip. I had some questions about which of the beers on tap to try and to my surprise they serve a full flight of all their beers on the menu. The value was too good to pass up so my gf and I tried them all. Will definitely be back to try the wings and the Pliny Bites on my next visit. read more

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I'd consider myself a lucky man. One of the annual celebrations in our household is close enough to Pliny season that my wife and I decided a few years back that we would do annual beer pilgrimages to Santa Rosa, and we've been coming a few years and we haven't been disappointed yet. This year, we arrived around 7pm on first day of the Pliny the Younger release and the wait was surprisingly fast, like 20 minutes? Normally we're out here with our camping chairs at 5 am having dragged our young children along with us to watch their parents drink... This was great, but at the same time chatting with fellow beer lovers for a few hours in line at beer fests is also a great experience if you haven't done it. In terms of food: Wings - Solid. Not much to say about them, but they're good and they always go well with beer. I would say many drinking cultures around the world agree. Great flavor, makes a mess, everything wings should be. Calzone - Delicious. We got a really nice cheese pull on this one and the pepperoni inside was very good. My wife's not usually a fan of pepperoni, but she said these were probably the best she's had outside of Lucali's in NY. Carrots - Yes, carrots. I don't know what it is about bay area produce but these carrots were the sweetest, most delicious carrots I've ever had. We actually asked for a side and got a full take out box to go. Our server kind of gave us a look, but, hey, he made it happen. Shout out to that guy by the way, really cool kid. Beer - Let's see... Pliny the Younger - For people just getting into beer, Pliny the Younger is one of the holy grails of the beer world and it's a fleeting thing. It doesn't keep well, it's only available for very limited periods of time, but damn if it isn't delicious. I'm not big on hops to be honest, but double and triple IPAs smooth out the bite and this one is delicious. Double Dry-Hopped Pliny the Elder - This fits me pretty well. I feel the original Pliny the Elder has a strong wood flavor, my wife would say it tastes like christmas. The double dry-hopped elder smooths out the finish and it makes it easier to drink a lot of it. Dangerously tasty. Mortification - We usually fill our growler with this one but they were selling bottles this time around, cheers to that. This is dark ale, reminds me of trappist ales and it's one of our favorites. Not easy to find, give it a shot if you get a chance. Robert Saison - This one was very light and refershing, our first time having it here. We bought a few of these and gave it to a few friends who appreciate lighter beers. Hints of sweetness in this one, nice finish, great beer. R&D - Apologies, I procrastinated on the review and forgot which number this was this year, but the RND was delicious this year. We have a growlerful waiting in our refrigerator as we speak. I don't think I've had a problem with any of their beers so far, these guys know what they're doing. If you guys like beer or just want to share an experience with some cool people, definitely stop by during the annual Pliny the Younger release if you're in the area, or any time at all. Cool spot, really cool people, great beer, great carrots (had to say it). read more

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This is JUST for the 2025 Pliny The Younger experience. 1st come with patience. It's going to be a wait bring a chair for being in line. We arrived Sunday 3/23 at 9:30am & they started seating early & we were in at 11am. Our server was super attentive - and we still had time to sit and relax if we wanted to. We order the hummus platter, some chicken wings, Pliny Bites, and I had a meatball sandwich and we each had our 3 Pliny the Younger & we each purchased our 3 bottles too. Then we bought some extra merch too. This was by far the fastest we've ever been seated. Plus this year they were doing the outdoor seating too which really helps. Also - the servers were all super friendly which makes it fun. However, we love to people watch & they sat us next to the restrooms - you should pass on this. We prefer the bar & on our next visit we'll be sure to specify not by the bathrooms please. Parking is easy - street - lot - garage. Or do like us & get dropped off & picked up so you don't have to worry about having a DD because while the food is good - it's not 1.5 hours plus good :) Enjoy your Pliny The Younger! read more

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Pliny on tap great staff lots of parking and really really good pizza! Can get crowded but the bar area is the best.

We stopped in just for the beer and did a "make your own flight" with the ones we wanted to try. Between us, we sampled about seven or eight beers, and the price was only $9 -- super reasonable! The space itself is on the small, not like a huge brewery, but there's plenty of parking available. The food looked tempting, but since we only came for the beer, we didn't try it this time. Based on the quality of the beers and the value, this place is definitely a solid 5/5 stars. read more

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