We recently stopped at Sudwerk on our way to Sacramento. It was on a whim because we were hungry and traffic on the Causeway, often bad, was terrible. It was the first time we'd been there in about 10 years, although we had been quite a few times in the past. Back in the mid-90s, when we were students at UCD, this was actually the first brewpub we ever went to. We had continued to like it on subsequent visits.
However, this place has changed a lot for the worse.
The location is the same. It has the same pluses in that regard: plenty of parking, a patio seating area with a good amount of shade, and shade for the parking area from the Pole Line Rd overpass looming overhead. It has the same minuses as before: in an otherwise unpleasant, characterless old semi-industrial part of town (still, despite recent changes) right next to, but not easily accessible from, I-80. It is thus not really a pleasant location and not convenient for driving and is a terrible location for those wanting to get to it on foot or bike.
The patio area is partly the same as before except for changes in the seating, etc. It's got shade and is overall attractive.
The inside is now terrible. It was clearly remodeled significantly fairly recently and checking the website now, we see that the website reflects this. It has the same basic layout with the copper kettles in the middle, but it is otherwise different in decor, feel, and furniture. Everything about it is barren, stark, cold, hard, and uninviting. It has vaguely white walls, hard bare floor, hard spartan mental furniture, and no real embellishment. The lighting is a harsh glare. The whole inside is just unwelcoming, unpleasant, and uncomfortable, with a feel that it was just a barren space that was converted to a pub as cheaply as possible with no care. The chairs and tables are not even comfortable to compensate. With the lighting and the basically open space, it feels cavernous and devoid of intimacy, yet when it is chock a block with people, it feels especially crammed and uncomfortable. This all makes it also very loud and unpleasant when it is full, as it was then. Hordes of children of all ages were allowed to run amok in the place, making it much worse.
Service was ok but minimal. Ordering now is by phone via the link on the table, increasingly common and ok in of itself. It is self seating.
Food which we had was ok but not great. The menu has become more limited and the only sops to prior more German-influenced menu are the pretzel and Pilsner brat sandwich. The brussels sprouts have pickled onion, which is a nice touch, though. I remember the food having been better before and also having both more German-type dishes but more variety in the options.
Their lager/German-style beers, previously their real beer core, are still good and always have been. I have not had any of their ales in a long time, and those were few, anyway, so cannot comment on this. Like other places, they now have some sours or the like, which I have not tried.
Another big negative compared to the past is that they evidently no longer have beers by the litre. Their prior emphasis on German-style beer and food included this and it not only is a great way to fully enjoyt that kind of beer, but it was always a much better deal money-wise. That is evidently gone, the beer only offered in pints. They do still offer pitchers, apparently, of a few beers. That is a plus and has become less common.
Overall, the place would probably merit 3 stars but for the absolutely horrid ambience, feel, decor, noise, etc., which is a definitely 1 star on that score. We shall never go here again as long as it is like that. The experience was so unpleasant, we couldn't wait to leave and get to Sacramento. In fact, we were so uncomfortable that we didn't even bother taking pictures of the place. read more