Love Strange Brew! They have a wide selection of beers, a long oval-shaped bar, friendly staff, and the chef, Reef, is incredible. The owners have been adding arcade games to the dining area and have a very respectable collection by now, including classics like NBA Jam and Mortal Kombat 4. Also, a nice seating area outside for when the weather is decent. This place is always hoppin in the summertime. A great bar to go with friends for several hours or just stop in for a quick drink. read more

Mia was amazing. She was patient and kind. The food was amazing. The WINGS! Day-um! Bangin'! Loved them. Their 'Super Hot' sauce taste good but just a little too hot for me. Yeah, atmosphere is good. They have lots of cool retro games. The clientele was friendly, quiet and nice. And the beer list. God. They had Saint Bernardus APT 12. I haven't had that since I lived in the city. I love this place. I'll be back in about three months. My humblest regards, k.david read more

Strange Brew Tavern - Bars Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

10/10 recommend the "Boom Boom Shrimp". The boneless wings don't taste like they're from a bag in back of your freezer but rather like someone cut up fresh chicken. Maya, the bartender 10/10 excellent service and confirmed while I was writing this that yes, they cut up a chicken breast and bread it. Good crowd, excellent service and food! 10/10 recommend read more

Strange Brew Tavern - a plate of food with lettuce - Bars Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

My family & myself were very surprised at the quality of the food A1. The young lady that attended us was super nice we had some trouble with the payment but she was very comforting an didn't have us feel no way,amazing.The food WOW delicious warm & fresh cheesesteak 10/10 cheeseburger 10/10 & quesadilla 10/10 , an also the food portions were huge..... The service & food amazing ,if you are ever in the area please check'em out. Very nice bang for your buck not to pricey I had 5 orders and 1 appetizer less then $80 oh yeah baby let's go ,,, I'll be back!!!! read more

I usually don't give an establishment a review after one visit, but my experience here was fantastic. Our server (also the bartender) was very welcoming and could answer any questions we had about the menu. She also delivered our food in a timely manner and checked in occasionally to make sure we were satisfied with everything. The food, especially for bar food, was amazing. We ordered wings, spinach and artichoke dip, and broccoli cheddar bites for apps, and for my meal I ordered the smokehouse platter. All delicious! The tavern also has an excellent beer selection and daily specials throughout the week. I will definitely be back! read more

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Driving through on a road and I needed a late nightcap before heading to our hotel. Great surprise here. No frills but well poured drinks, amazingly friendly and attentive staff at midnight with a kitchen open AND serving real good bar food. We ordered chicken fingers and they were real on the fresh batter fried strips of chicken breast. Kudos! Doing the late night crowd right. Shout out to Heather! read more

Strange Brew Tavern - Cocktail - Bars Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

No live music as posted but fun people great sandwiches and great staff. We enjoyed ourselves. A really welcoming townie bar.

good beer quick and delicious bite, service is also friendly, fast and attentive! games and tables so always something to do

I strongly recommend this spot to my craft beer drinkers! This spot got endless different types of beers from regular corona to a Chimay to Hop devil.... Then If you go there enough you can start this game they have were you drink a certain amount of different beers and you get some type of customizable mug you keep there and use it as your for the night Never got food from here soo can't say if it's good but the atmosphere seems lively I can't really recollect every time I go here usually stupid inebriated leaving this place 4 outta 5 and that's only my fault need to try the food! read more

Strange Brew Tavern - Challenge!!...pick a number get a strong ass craft beer/domestic/import! - Bars Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

There's a band here playing some good ol classic rock music which is always a cool thing. read more

Strange Brew Tavern - Bars Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

The food is okay (though the burgers are creative), the service is okay, the dining area usually isn't busy. Sometimes there is music, which makes it impossible to talk to anyone. The real star of this place is the beer list. They always have an incredible assortment on tap - sometimes thematic (like the night of imperial stouts!) but always of high quality, and always rotating. Excellent spot for craft beer aficionados. read more

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Found this place on Yelp and said, "What the heck." Got here and wasn't sure what we were getting into as this is a place you would normally drive by without thinking. So glad we stopped in as the food and service was amazing. We will certainly be back when in town next! read more

Family and friends stopped in following a memorial service to enjoy the food and spirits in this local favorite. They have a good beer selection. I ordered a Chimay and was surprised to learn they had Chimay blue in stock (among others). I also ordered some chicken fingers with one of their signature hot wing sauces and we all enjoyed them so much we ordered another basket! Looking like a Chimay and chicken fingers with hot wing sauce are going to be a favorite of mine! Have fun at the old Mountainville Inn now called Strange Brew. read more

Strange Brew Tavern - One of my favorite beers. I actually discovered this beer at the Penguin in Boston! - Bars Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

Great food and great beers, and the service is excellent! I've never been disappointed, and the waitresses always recommend beers that I like. I would say them being closed is the worst part of the shutdown... read more

For all those Lehigh Valley residents, Strange Brew Tavern used to be called Jelly Beans. I came with a few friends, who are frequent customers of this fine establishment. We sat at the bar. It must have been after dinner hours I think because the dining room was empty. The menu looked great. I definitely had a few things in mind I wanted to try. I decided on a gyro. I still have no idea what kind of sauce is on a gyro, but it's heaven. What a great idea. Make a game out of trying one beer from 100 different breweries. After you try 100, you get a really cool mug, which you keep there and use every time you come back. They track each beer by providing a place mat with 100 numbers. Each number signifies a specific brewery. Each number gets crossed off when you order a beer from that brewery. The bartender keeps track and on your next visit, provides an updated place mat. read more

NOT the same old neighborhood watering hole. This establishment evolved from the Mountainville Inn to Jelly Beans Southside Jam and, finally, to Strange Brew Tavern. The latest evolution of this corner venue features an optimal mix of great beers, tasty vittles, and ambiance. Their "Century Mug Club" boasts a list of 100 notable beers from around the world. Drink all the beers on the list, receive a commemorative gift; drink all the beers in one night, receive commemorative alcohol poisoning. The draft and bottle lists are impressive for a local pub, and the prices are reasonable. The pub fare is top-notch, and the daily specials leave little to be desired. Prime rib is currently featured on Saturdays! Aside from the live music on the weekends and the typical dart board and pool table, this place also features a shuffleboard table! You don't find that too often. I must say I'm delighted with the way this place has taken shape. I frequent Strange Brew Tavern multiple times a month. read more

I'd been here under the previous Jellybeans so I wasnt expecting much in way of decor. But it had always been a cool place to hang out and now, the beer list was said to be fabulous. Unfortunately we made the mistake of visiting this place on Trivia night. I wish I had brought my earplugs. The hosts were way too loud--obnoxiously so--their voices were not at all soothing (guess you dont have to go to broadcasting school to be a trivia host) and when one of them announced a Trivia team as "Hitler was right" we were out of there. At that point, we were just finishing our appetizers. We asked that our main meals be wrapped for takeout and left. Not only did they miss out on our liquor sales for the night (too bad because the beer list was decent) but we most certainly will never go back. Still, I have to give two stars because my onion soup and his chili were really good. But the veggie burger and Londoin Broil sandwich were only so-so. Not good enough for us to even go back for takeout. read more

We actually like this place a lot... I've really enjoyed some superb and epic sandwiches here and it's hands down the best place for great beer. But there are some elements of the negative reviews that ring true. The bathrooms are gross lots of times. The bar staff are kind of inattentive from time to time. The bar could be wiped better once in a while. We keep coming back because overall you can tell that everyone is trying hard and they want to be good. I think they just need a (visible) manager that's there all the time to keep an eye on the bar, serve drinks if there's a back log, train the staff in customer service and make sure the bathroom is in order. read more

Strange Brew Tavern is one of my favorite places to hang out! In fact, I've been there so often that it's practically a second home at this point. Here are a few of the highlights: * An extensive and ever-changing list of craft beers: I've tried beers that taste like gingerbread, watermelon, chocolate, and vinegar (yes, vinegar - sour beer is oddly delicious!). I'm working my way through the 100-beer Mug Club list and having lots of fun trying different beers along the way - even if it takes me a few years to get through it! * Super fun trivia night: Trivia Night takes place every Thursday at 7 or 7:30 (the start time shifts depending on whether there is Thursday Night Football). It's usually a very popular event and the trivia night crowd can fill the entire bar area and quite a few of the restaurant tables as well. It's definitely my favorite trivia event in the area. Though I've yet to be on a winning team, the questions are usually at the right level of fun/difficult and it's easy to see and hear the questions. If you're *not* planning to be part of trivia, however, I'd recommend not visiting SBT on a Thursday night as it may be hard to find a table/spot at the bar or get quick service. * Tasty food: I'm not one for breaking out of my "favorite foods" bubble, so I haven't tried a lot of what SBT offers, but I've really enjoyed the few menu items I've had! Definitely do yourself a favor and try The Fritz sandwich. If you are a fan of hot and spicy, try the wings in one of the hotter sauces - sooo delicious! Finally, the cheese fries are always a good staple. * Other stuff to do: Strange Brew also offers darts, shuffleboard, a jukebox, Megatouch game machines, foosball, pool, bands/musicians, and more! read more

Great local bar with a great beer selection. The food is absolutely top notch, with weekly specials changing every Thursday. Friendly bartenders with a fun environment, whether you need to go for food or just to pound down a few, this is a very good place read more

Five of us came in for Thursday night trivia and regardless of where we placed in the trivia competition, we didn't leave happy. First off, it took exactly 1 hour and 20 minutes for our food to be brought to our table (longer than tables that sat down and ordered AFTER us). Our order consisted of fried pickles, seared tuna salad, jerk chicken (served with a side salad), and the bbq rib special (with a side salad). Doesn't seem too difficult to whip together, right? Our dear waitress (who mind you was actually awesome and super apologetic all night) kept explaining that the kitchen was really backed up this night. However, when I asked if it was normal to wait this long for food, she wasn't exactly too quick to defend the timeliness of the kitchen, which leads me to believe it's normal for food to take quite some time to be served at Strange Brew. When our food finally arrived, it wasn't worth the wait. The sauce on the jerk chicken was pretty awful and was considered so by everyone at the table. The ribs were dry but the sauce was decent. The seared tuna salad and fried pickles were good according to those who tried them. After all was said and done, our waitress apologetically gave us a free round of drinks and covered the jerk chicken, which was very much appreciated. And after 2.5 hours of freezing in the cold air conditioning and sitting through 4 slow rounds of trivia, we were quick to storm out the door, sadly, never looking to return back to Strange Brew. read more

I've been coming here regularly for a little under a year now and can easily say this is my favorite bar in the area. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable about craft beer and can easily recommend multiple options based on a beer that you tell them you liked in the past. They are always welcoming and whether you're a newcomer or a mug club member they treat you with respect and the best service possible. The beer selection is what I believe to be the best in the area. You can always expect to have every style imaginable on tap throughout the year as well as an incredible bottle selection. All drinks are competitively priced and I can't say I've overpaid for a beer or could have gotten it at any other bar for cheaper. Mixed drinks are priced just as well. Poker night, trivia night, and live entertainment on weekends as well! read more

Strange Brew Tavern - Bars Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

Excellent craft beer selection earns the 3 stars. Inattentive bartenders. Are they ignoring me or too stoned to realize I have been standing here for 10 minutes waiting for a beer? Questionable food. Are wings supposed to be this dry? The odd South Allentown customer base. Who is this bar for? read more

Has been my go to place for years until the pandemic. Am going to try to start going back, but I also moved since then, used to live 2 minutes away driving or about a 10 minute brisk walk from there. Lots of different types of people go there which is cool. Good service, everyone is nice. And the wings are great, love the burgers too. Cheesesteaks also very good. It's one of the places I often go by myself just to chill for awhile after I'm done with my gig that night, if I'm in Pennsyvania or the Lehigh Valley.. good selection of music too, live music on weekends. Scotty Doesn't Know!! (Scotty would get that one). So I hope Strangebrew comes roaring back into my life because I genuinley was happy there. There's no pretension, it's beer and wings. For me, at least. I will not go anywhere this is a dress code because I feel its a form of classissm - and there isn't one here, but you can't smoke inside anymore. Some love that, some don't. I don't smoke anymore but everyone just stands out on the patio anyway. Anyways, great place, and you can always find parking on the street if not in their actual parking lot. read more

Great craft beer selection, and definitely has been improved since the old incarnations, and the new bar is lovely. Live music on many nights, and food that is significantly better than your standard bar fare. For craft beer fans in the area, it's probably the best option. It's roomy and doesn't have the smoke of Liberty St (though no place can match Liberty's selection), it's easy to get to and has parking (which can be annoying at some of the center city locations), and the service has been good or great every time I've been there. Worth a stop for any fan of craft beer, good food, or live music. read more

Strange Brew, or known as SBT to locals, has an extensive and eclectic beer selection that is consistently changing. What's great about SBT is that they highlight local breweries in the area and have many beers on tap that you can't find anywhere else. My favorite time is to come on the weekends when they have their home cooked dinner specials. SBT is casual and low key...just the way it should be. Become part of the mug club and get a great beer education! read more

Strange Brew Tavern - SBT is a great hometown bar with an extensive beer collection. - Bars Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

***public service announcement*** i've come here three times now and i can confirm...best wings in the lehigh valley. they won't disappoint. cheers! read more

Nice hometown bar. The staff are very friendly. The selection of draft beers is great. The bar also has a nice, warm atmosphere. The biggest plus for this bar is that they have live entertainment on the weekends with some of the areas best bands! We'll be back! read more

This was really a great find! A few frends and I stumbled upon this place while looking for a bite to eat and we were not disappointed in the least bit. The beer selection alone is worth coming in to see. They had many craft brews on tap and they let you sample them before buying - always a plus! Aside from the beer, they make insanely great sandwiches and I was really, really pleased with my meatball sandwich (yum!). Combine good drink and good food with pretty decent prices (especially for how much food you get) and you have a very solid restaurant. I definitely recommend this place if you're in the area for lunch and you'd like a really tasty meal. read more

Only giving two stars because the beer selection looked pretty good. Was going to get some to go beer on the way home from work and asked for a bottle list, didn't have one. Tried to look in the cooler, no help when I couldn't read labels from 7 feet away. Asked if something I saw was what I thought it was, he said no and walked away, less than zero information. Maybe understandable if they were busy but there was only 5 people in the building. Bartender had zero personality and seemed to not want my money at all, no wonder why they all got fired from tally ho. read more

A great beer bar with really tasty and affordable food. A personal favorite is the salmon sandwich with a fresh dill aioli. The trivia on Thursdays is very popular, it's fast - moving and entertaining. The drafts are fantastic, and change frequently, and the staff is knowledgeable. It's the best beer bar in the Valley, so yourself a favor and check it out. read more

Strange Brew Tavern - Fab salmon sandwich and Maryland Blue Crab soup. Yum. - Bars Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

Pros: great food, reasonably priced, lots of beer selections, strong mix drinks on the cheap. Cons: service is all over the place, sometimes they have waitress staff, sometimes they don't and you are served by the bartender. 99% chance that if you pick table seating you won't be seen by the bartender and you sit there in awkwardness until you get up and go to the bar and ask for menus or until you get up to leave (at which point the bartender will flag you down and apologize). Overall, if this place steps up their serving techniques, it would be a 5 star college pub. read more

I'm new to the area but it seems like I'm a regular at Strange Brew. Great beer rotation, solid food choices, and lively atmosphere. I'm happy to say this is my first favorite bar in Allentown. I'll definitely be coming back indefinitely. Trivia is on Thursday's, they have daily beer specials and happy hour specials, as well as a decent rotating special food menu. read more

I've never written a review before because I don't believe it's fair to judge a place on one visit. I've been to strange brew a few times, Good beer selection and it's close to my house. I usually get wings, not the greatest but also not terrible. I was there tonight, in fact I just left ten minutes ago. I work in the business so I notice the little things. For example, using a spackle bucket that was stacked inside another to bring ice to the bar... But tonight brought things to another level. I was brought out my second beer and I drank about half of it... When my friend sitting next to me asked what was in my beer. A plastic lid from a to-go ramekin and a napkin wrapper were stuck to the bottom of the inside of my beer glass.. I can forgive mistakes however, when I told the bartender he said "well I don't know how you didn't notice that"... Asked me if I wanted another and I obviously said no. He walked away, and we asked for the bill and we were charged for everything including the beer with garbage floating in it. Don't ever go here, if you want more proof, walk in and go straight to the bathrooms or watch the owner walk around behind the bar in thong sandals. read more

Awesome beer selection and delicious food. It gets loud when there are bands, but it's one of our favorite spots.

Beware! I ate here one time and was served rotten chicken..when I brought this to the attention of staff, their chef came out and said he thought it was "ok". Food went straight into the garbage can and ultimately the bartender sheepishly apologized and offered to take food off check. This chicken smelled like it was in the garbage for a week! Now I see 71, yes 71 food safety and cleanliness violations! Unless you really want food poisoning, go elsewhere! read more

Just got back from Strange Brew Tavern. My second trip. Unfortunately, I'll have to say it was poor overall. First ordered wings, they were so dry and overcooked I could not bring myself to swallow the first bite. Spit it out and informed the waitress. No offer of replacement or removal from the bill. My wife had flavorless chicken penna vodka. I had over/undercooked fish and chips. That is to say the fish was overcooked and the chips were undercooked, they were a cooked color but very cold. Another complaint with no action. I'm sure if the waitress had told the chef our complaints he would have done what any good chef would, fix it or remove it from the bill. Summary very unhappy and kind of expensive at that. We are running out of good restaurants to go to in this area. read more

Do not underestimate dive bars. This gem was hiding around the corner of our neighborhood this whole time and it took us until now to go. My friend's and I are in that weird inbetween of too old for college bars but too young for middle-aged bars. This is great for the casual atmosphere, wide beer selection, and amazing food. Wings were crispy and flavorful, cheese fries, onion rings, pierogies, quesidilla, all delicious and at decent prices. And the best part, everything was fresh. Live music after 10, no groupies, not too crowded where you're uncomfortable. Definitely stop by if you are craving down-to-earth food and drink. read more

Great spot for good beer and food. Has the great dive bar feel with friendly people. Love the wings and the bartenders can point you in the right direction for your taste in beer for what they have. Stop by and give it a try. read more

Good place to stop for drinks and live entertainment but they really lack in service and upkeep of the place. They could keep it cleaner and update things, the sign such trapped to the wall is a good example of how they present their business. The food is sometimes really good but sometimes not so good. The worst part though is the service. Sometimes you're lucky and there is one or two servers in the dining room area but other times no server we can see. At the bar, there might be three bartenders but they hardly ever come to the one end, you need to flag them. Brittany is a great bartender but I haven't found another I like that much. read more