Came into the Stumbling Monk on a Saturday night and pulled up a few stools at the bar. They had 5 beers on draft and wide variety of bottles. They specialize in Belgian beers. I had the St. Bernardus and it was delicious. This is a great bar to sit down and have a conversation with friends at. They don't play loud music, they just have a radio player playing music from a local station. It's awesome and feels like home. We had a fantastic time and I hope I come back again. The bartender was super nice and knowledgeable. read more

The Stumbling Monk - Bar - Pubs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This place is such a unique hole-in-the-wall and I love it so much. Where so many bars blend into the same (albeit fun) sludge, this place truly stands apart. If you're a fan of amazing beers and stories, Belgian especially, then this place is for you. If you're looking for a place to daydream and drink, to play a rowdy boardgame with friends you've brought or made, or to share stories among the best beers in Cap Hill deep into the night, this is place is a must. Great service, great prices, and immaculate vibes. You really won't find a bar like this anywhere else, and if it's your type of place, this is the kind of joint to brag about. read more

What can I say, love Stumbling Monk, love Rob. Love the vibe. There's like no other place that is open till 2 that can fit a group of 6+ on a Friday night. My friends and I come here often late at night when it's empty and we have plenty of tables to use and seats to sit in. The beers are always fun to try. I feel like this is a best kept secret and I want to take advantage of it while I can before everyone else floods it once they find out about it. read more

A cool lowkey bar in Cap Hill that specializes in Belgian beers. The bar is a little divey but has a cool and chill ambiance with fun decor (lamps on the booth tables) and board games. read more

The Stumbling Monk - Indoor / menu - Pubs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Incredible hole in the wall on lower Cap Hill. My ex was from Belgium and this place is as legit as it gets. Authentic Belgian beer drinking experience! I live in Florida now but still fantasize about the Stumbling Monk. It's priceless.GO! Just GO! read more

I don't think I'll stumble in to The Stumbling Monk anytime soon. So after a night of delicious tacos we decided to grab a cold one before we call it for the evening. I went on Yelp and discovered The Stumbling Monk which was within walking distance from the restaurant. Judging from the lighting and ambience you can tell this is a dive bar. Dim lighting and people wearing wool flannels, it's definitely divey. I thought the ambience was chill and relax. It's a great place to gather with friends and socialize without having to yell over the music. The downside is the beer was not cold enough that evening. They literally served me a beer that was pretty darn close to room temperature. Room temperature draft beers are not cool. Pun intended. Otherwise, prices are decent and the establishment is near a good amount of restaurants. read more

We had a lil game night shindig here and Apples to Apples just totally stole the show. Flippin' awesome and bundles of fun and laughing. Pizza delivered, courtesy of Chris W and I got a Fiji water from the market nearby to wash it down. And no, I did NOT have a stash of Mel Gibson's up my sleeve! =P I finished with the green cards "cheesy" and "nasty". read more

The Stumbling Monk - from our table in the early goings, with Apples to Apples in foreground - Pubs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Walked in and got hit in the face with a musty damp smell. It also had the smell of too many people in a sealed room. It was a rainy day but this is Seattle get some proper ventilation. I couldn't wait to leave. The place was nice otherwise. Nice decor and staff. read more

I love this bar. The beer is well curated, is always rotating into new stuff and the owner is one of the most unassuming nice guys you'll find. Board games and other interesting stuff lines the walls and the ambience is quiet enough to enjoy conversation. read more

Seattle classic. Great beers, no frills. Good place to write a few pages or play a board game.

Amazing place. One of the oldest spots left from the 90s. Rob is still awesome. Great beer. Chill vibe.

Quenches the Thirst brought by Invading Armies! SITREP So I am moving around Capitol Hill after dining with friends, trying to find a place to get a good ale, to locate a good beer to take the spice of wasabe off my tongue, to acquire a pint of amber brew that will put out the fire in my gut...... and the Yelp search engine tells me there is this place called the Stumbling Monk just a couple blocks away that I should go "stumble to"..... and I so I do.... THE SETUP Wow. What a nondescript place to find on Olive Way deep in the Capitol hood. It certainly doesn't look like a tavern from the outside, but the address matched up and so IN I go..... Wow, again. What a no-frills pub! But that's a good thing! Not a lot of noise. There was no loud *ka-THUMP ka-THUMP ka-THUMP* DJ-Dance music, nor even a jukebox as far as I could tell. People were just sitting, having a drink, and enjoying quiet conversations. I could see how for the hipster, scenester crowds this might be a TOTAL bore (in my best Valley-girl, "like, Omigod, they didn't even have KARE-EE-O-KEE..."). So I was happy! The vibe was truly on par with how I remember the old TV show "CHEERS", where there wasn't anything fancier than the patrons being entertained with conversations with each other and the bar staff. Now if you wanted to play some boardgames, there were plenty strewn about the place so that you would grab one or two with our mates and head into a booth and be cosy as clams.....and drink your beer.... THE BEERS And the beers! You can get incredible tasting Belgian beers here for hardly more than $5 a pint. Hair Of the Dog, New Belgium Eric's, and so many more. I lost track after 10 beer selections..... ;^) THE LOWDOWN I will be making regular visits here to cool off my the spicy foods from my tongue and in my tummy with those delicious Belgian beers. read more

Fifteen years ago in this town, the craft beer revolution was already underway. It took a while to spread farther inland, though now it's everywhere. But back then, even out here on the coast, it was an underground revolution. You didn't have to know too many secret knocks--because there weren't too many bases. You only had to know a few code words ("Pike," "Hale's," "Pyramid," "Grant's," etc.). Those founding fathers did the heavy lifting of showing people that beer could be good, with a couple bars hip to the scene providing a playground. As the 90s came to their middle years, Rob started TSM as a boutique bottle shop dedicated wholly to fancy-pants beer. I was thrilled at the time, especially since I walked by it almost every day. I was nervous for him, too, though--I figured the market couldn't support a retail sector. I was not exactly a beer visionary in my 20s--when Elysian got started, I told anyone who would listen (meaning maybe two or three people, and only if I was buying) that Seattle couldn't support another new brewery. Now we have, what, three dozen thriving breweries that have opened since Elysian opened their first (of three) location? My puzzling lack of optimism made me think Rob was going even further out on that limb when he told me he was moving up the street and opening another BAR dedicated to fancy beer, but...mostly European stuff? Whew. This kind of crazy talk used to freak me out. Yeah, times have changed. I finally realize that it's OK for the beer lover to look forward to enjoying the good news: look who just got to the party! So, as of 2012, Mr Rob, I eat those words (not that I ever uttered them aloud). TSM is clearly thriving, and triumphing over some architectural and geographic quirks. Let's get those quirks out of the way--first of all, the HVAC system in here was probably installed by Ozzy Osbourne in the middle of a serious bender. It's muggy and stuffy in here in the summer, and drafty in the winter. Your parking options are only slightly less limited than they would be in the middle of a train yard (it's the western flank of Cap Hill). The light switches here can be set to Dim, Flicker, or Off. But, really, we all know what parking is like around here, and the other stuff adds to the charm. And this place has charm aplenty, starting with the triangulated corner wall of windows flanking the front door. There is a handful of booths, a scattering of tables and chairs, a little patch of stools, and a nice heap of board games. The staff is engaging, well-informed, and totally up on the tap and bottle lists. And that's what really sets this place apart--a ferocious focus on bottled and kegged Belgian and Belgian-style beers. TSM also stocks a few ales and lagers from outside the abbey and farmhouse traditions, but by and large you'll see grand crus, quads, trippels, dubbels, pales, saisons, wilds, lambics, flanders reds and brunes, and other Belgian styles pouring here. Some are widely-available classics, some are shining examples of the craft, and some are even the rarer jewels of the brewer's art. Not all are from Belgium, not all are Trappist, but many are. The stock rotates. Keep your eye on the chalkboard next to the bar for the latest info. Some of the stuff is quite labor-intensive for the breweries, and some of it comes with other costs passed along to you, so you see the occasional bottle here for $35 or more. This can come as a shock to some, but Rob has not only hung on through the growth of craft brewing, he's built a reputation throughout the city and even nationally and internationally as a beer geek's destination of choice. Getting his hands on those highly specialized bottles and kegs is what has built that reputation. It's also what's helped me help him make his lease payments through the years. There's no food to speak of on offer here. As a result, it's a great spot to come for that pre- or after-dinner drink. No after-breakfast drinks, though, since it doesn't open until 6:00. You can hit this place with a buddy, a group, a bunch of co-workers, or even a date if she's hip to the schmancy beer. It's very easy to introduce people to good beer at TSM, and it takes even less effort to please the beer aficionado--all you have to do to make them happy is come in when the place is open. Make sure to leave time in life to stop and smell the brettanomyces. read more

This place isn't too bad. About 10 beers on tap, maybe 1 cider, and some wine. They don't serve food, though you might be able to bring your own as I witnessed a table have pizza delivered to them; don't quote me on that one. There's a lot of board games to choose from in a nifty display around the door. We went in on a Friday night and all things considered it was pretty chill. Not entirely packed, but busy. Noise level was fine, easy to carry a conversation. read more

I'd give 2.5 here.. I've been trying to get to the Monk for years, but every time I'd go by, they were closed? They don't open until 6:00 p.m. WTF??? How does this place make enough money to pay the rent? Oh yeah, no heat, 1 light on, and they hooked up a porta-potty to the back door to use. Seriously, I am a beer guy, brewer, fan of Belgian beers, etc and was really expecting to be blown away by a place with such a great name and hip looking interior. But, they just don't cut it. Decent beer list, but SO MANY more great tap houses now in town that their 'Belgian' inspiration is lack luster. Ladies Note - I'm a guy so I really don't care about bathrooms, but I had to laugh when the handsink was outside the bathroom in what looks like what would be the kitchen in this common area. Oh yeah, they don't have a kitchen either. I'm guessing if you live right there in the hood, stop in for a beer, whatever. But, I would NOT make this a travel destination for beer aficionados. Seriously, how does a bar not open before 6:00 p.m.??? read more

Belgian beer bar with excellent draft list of imports. Chill dark vibe. Ideal for quiet chat, a book, board game, and more. If you like strong Belgian beer, have spent time in cafes in Europe, or want to avoid the crowded frat house feel popular in some neighborhoods.. highly recommend Stumbling Monk read more

Bar with a great selection of beers. The tap is limited to around 10 taps it seems, but the variety there is great if you're interested in Belgian beers. The bar sits on the corner block, with a large window facing the street. From the outside it doesn't look like much of a homely bar, but it was quite nice inside. There is a selection of board games available to play while enjoying your beer, and the prices were very reasonable. I would definitely return to this bar, since I love Belgian beers. read more

The Stumbling Monk - Pubs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

No murals-unless you count the impressive sketched coaster montage on the wall, three-four times larger in size, no shushing, and no Pommes Frites...nonetheless, Stumbling Monk I knight thee my west coast Burp Castle (aka. place of reverence). A serious Belgian beer selection at decent prices, dark, and open late. If I lived closer I would take communion here often. read more

The Stumbling Monk - Coaster mural - Pubs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Love this spot... cannot be beat on the hill. Nostalgia and great beer. What else do you need?

No draft beer samples? At a bar that only has beer? Ok.. Beer pours are hideously overpriced. Would recommend tap house down the street for a better experience. Staff is like a typical dive craft beer bar experience. Out of some of the more basic beers like ipa. read more

The Stumbling Monk - shot of beer for 7 dollars.. - Pubs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Walked in and walked out. I'm not a Seattle native. There was absolutely no music playing or anything. And it was dark as heck. The beer looked fun, though. read more

I was not impressed with the Stumbling Monk. As a 'Top 100 Beer Bar' I expected more. The bar did not open until 6:05pm and the interior lacked any style. I've been to nicer frat house basements. I love a good dive bar, but this place was more of a dirty bachelor pad with cranky bachelors, I mean bartenders. However, the beer selection was small, but it was TASTY. I tried some rare Belgium beers I may never get to taste ever again. read more

Beer beer and more beer. They have cider too and wine available. Bartender is super knowledgeable and friendly. Fun place to play games or catch up with friends. read more

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We go every week. This is a public house in the old school tradition. This is a quiet place to have an amazing beer at a super low price. It is not fancy pants, not trendy, not a fusion bar/tapas/nightclub. This is a beer pub, for beer drinkers. If you want trendy, fancy pants, or a corporate chain they have a spot for you at World Of Beer and or Starbucks down the street. That being said, we go for the selection of truly amazing sour beers and the decisive lack of snotty douchebags and or meatheads. (Btw the place does not smell, and the bearded bartender is always nice to us, so not sure where all those comments are coming from but my guess is you get back what you put out.) read more

The Stumbling Monk - "Spirits" - Pubs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The sign wasn't really illuminated, making this nook a bit trixy to find. Interior and decor were very nice indeed. Definitely reminded me of watering holes from my brief travels in Belgium. Lots of great Belgian beer on tap and in bottle (a HUGE high-five for carrying Belgian beers from American craft brewers which are just as good...if not better..than their Belgian brethren). Bartenders were very friendly and attentive... The crowd...was not. Very "Seattle Freeze", everyone seemed to be very happy talking to their 3-4 other friends in their little corner of the room. It's difficult to even ask someone if you can burrow a chair they're not using, odd. I'm not sure if this is typical or we just went on the wrong night (Saturday). PROTIPS: - Try out the type writer, you'll be glad you did - Try out the bathroom faucets. The "hot" knob will melt your skin. So what do you do, turn the cold knob to tone down the hotness. This faucet is binary though so be prepared to experience A blitzkrieg of "HOTCOLDHOTCOLDHOTCOLD" on your hands. Stunning. - Maybe I'm crazy, but I REALLY like the wooden chairs here. They look like back murder but seemed to perfectly conform to my frame. I even tried to buy one from them. read more

This place is great. It's a tiny little pub which has some of the best selection of interesting Belgian beer you can find anywhere I've ever seen and does it at a better price than I've seen anywhere else. You can get a glass of Belgian beer for less than $6 here pretty easily. Combine that with the selection of random board games (drunken battleship anyone?) they have and the cozy feel of the place and you'll be in love. The only thing wrong with it is that it's in Capitol Hill which means it's a pain to park near, and a pain to get to unless you live in Cap Hill, Downtown or the south end of the U-district which I don't anymore. read more

Corinna & Duchesse, sitting in a tree, s-i-p-p-i-n-g. Actually I was sitting on the table, because of a lack of chairs and because I am just class incarnate, but still. So. Belgian beers have never been my thing. Too syrupy, too fruity? No idea, but they just haven't made me love them the way, say, a good brown ale or IPA does. Stumbling Monk, therefore, never really tripped my radar as a place to go. But after wandering into this steamy little bar I felt pretty good. At home. I've been curious about sour ales for a while, so I broke myself in with the Duchesse on the bartender's recommendation. Love. Love love love. So delicious. A whole new world [of beers], a dazzling [beer] I never knew. Folded in that pint's warm (actually chilly) embrace I felt complete. When it was time to go, I stumbled out (how apropos!), secure in the knowledge that I would be back for more sours and more table-sitting. read more

This is one of my favorite bars on the Hill, and I'm lucky enough to live right around the corner. I've enjoyed many of their delicious beers there over the years, played many games of chess on their tables, and always make sure to leave a decent tip. So, I don't feel to bad basing my review around a major complaint that I have with Stumbling Monk. I walked in the other night with a friend who just moved to the neighborhood. He was new to Capitol Hill, and also to Belgian beer in general. It was his suggestion we come here. Seeing as I've been here numerous times and always had a good time, I was happy to oblige. My friend was interested in a sour red ale. Since it's a pretty distinct beer, not everyone's cup of tea, I suggested he ask for a taste of it first. When it came time to order, I just put in my order and asked for a taste of the sour red ale for my friend. The bartender looked down his nose at us, as though we were from another planet, and said evenly, "We don't do samples here." FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, WE'RE EACH ABOUT TO SPEND $6-8 + TIP ON A FUCKING GLASS OF BEER! YOU CAN GIVE US AN OUNCE TO TASTE, YOU FUCKING MISER. (Especially since most of the beer is obscure foreign stuff that doesn't even taste like what many people would even consider "beer." There's a pretty good chance a new customer could buy something that they actually don't enjoy at all.) I laughed it off at the time, and so did my friend, but it was a downright awful introduction to what's supposed to be a friendly neighborhood establishment. We should have just walked out, but we were having a good night, so we bought some beers anyway. I should mention that in the dozens of times I've been in here, I've never seen this particular bartender smile, or say/do anything to indicate he enjoyed his life, his job, or at the very least having me and my friends as patrons. (It's not the dude with glasses; he's cool. It's the bearded guy who's got a demeanor as sour as a Flemish brown ale. Dude, you fill up glasses with expensive, tasty beer for a living. By definition your job is to make people happy. Why are you such a grump all the time, every time I've been in here?!) Anyway, I'm giving Stumbling Monk one star for now. I'll be back soon, and I'll write an update, but this place better develop an attitude commensurate with the amount of business that I and other patrons provide it. (For an indication of how this experience could have gone instead, check out my review of Victrola: http://www.yelp.com/biz/victrola-coffee-roasters-seattle#hrid:bNkChTtfjTXR1BilosqYYA) read more

Saw the sign for the Stumbling Monk and my mind immediately began to conjure questions...Should a monk be stumbling? Can monks drink? Is this historically accurate? Maybe historically, water sources were contaminated forcing monks to drink? After escaping the random tangent that is my brain, I finally went inside and paid attention to what the monk is all about - the beer! I came in on cask night, so of course I had to try the beer on cask. Imperial stout - dark, delicious, and surprisingly easy to suck back without that added CO2. I quickly drained my glass and went back to try the duchesse de bourgogne. I love sours, so this was quite lovely. Just the right amount of sour. Finished that beer rather quickly as well. Now that I have made myself out to sound like an alcoholic, I really did take the time to put my beer down for a second and observe the place, I promise! It is small, cozy and fun. There are many different games to play, such as chess...because my favorite thing to do when I am drunk is think strategy. Obviously. There are only a few tables, all occupied by hipsters, but what cute little hipsters they are! The bartender was super quiet, but very kind. The only thing that I do not like about the Stumbling Monk is the bathroom. If I was sticking with the whole monk/Christian theme, this bathroom would be like the gate to Hell. There is one toilet for the establishment. It is inside a closet. The inside of that closet is painted black. You have to exit to wash your hands and the other patrons just stand and stare at you awkwardly. Ehh. No thanks. read more

Dear lords, Stumbling Monk... where have you been all my life? And why have I only so shamefully ~just~ graced your doorstep?! I've heard about you before, yes. Though I must say, for a member of the clergy you have quite the reputation. You're dark, a little musty and and maybe even dank at times. As the evening wears on you can get a little crowded and the temperatures start to rise inside. But you have the perfect solution to that little problem, don't you Brother? That's right. Beers. Glorious, higher end, delicious beers. The majority of your offerings are Belgians, natch -- what else would one expect? But so many varieties to choose from! Lambics, Tripels, Quads, Saisons, Trappists....a Barleywine here or there. A Stout for those who need something darker. (All with the appropriate glasses to pour them in) Your tap and bottle list is impressive, and you have left me staring all keen eyed and awe struck at your menu -- sad that I cannot afford let alone drink all the lovely brews you have to offer. Mayhaps this is a good thing Brother -- cuz you have no food here and your drinks pack a punch. Board games abound for all the laymen who walk through your door, and perhaps with a nod to St. Francis you allow our four legged canine friends in as well. Please forgive me for not stopping by sooner, but worry not. I will be back again and again. I have seen the light! read more

Do you like beer? Then you'll love this place. Good for small groups, (don't try bringing 10 people here) The Stumbling Monk is a great bar for folks who want a chill night out. Tons of awesome beers but no food. Eat somewhere nearby and plan to spend your evening here playing board games and downing tasty brews. Very simple spot. The fanciest part is the beer! read more

I can never find this place. I'm not necessarily showing up drunk, I'm not directionally challenged - I just always think it's 'over here' when really it's 'over there.' I dunno. I guess the beer gods want me to work a little harder for this one. The first time I came here was on a date. It was a hell of a date. It was one of those dates where it's so, so, so bad that you don't care because it's a story that you can tell for the rest of your life. But this isn't the place for that story - this is a place for me to tell you about the Stumbling Monk. The atmosphere is very, very comfortable. I can come here alone or I can come here with friends. I have never heard of any of the beers that are on tap ever, but the bartenders are super friendly. They ask you what you like, then make a recommendation. There's hipsters sitting around writing in little black notebooks and sighing dramatically but you run the risk of that wherever you go so I won't blame it on the bar. Final note - be careful when you're drinking. Most of their beers are higher in alcohol content than your average brew and you might suddenly find yourself unable to walk in a straight line. read more

Clearly, this is a solid 4 star establishment from reviewing my friends' reviews. I have been in twice and was introduced -thanks to the charming Chris W- to La Fin Du Monde, and we've been having a thing ever since (me and the beer, that is) We played a board game, we drank good beer, we had a pizza delivered, we shared it with the bartender. We laughed and stayed for hours. It - and this place- was a really memorable good time. read more

Great beer, bad dates. After hearing about both in a recent ROTD, a fellow Yelper and I arranged to meet and share horror stories. I'll spare you all the details, but it was fun to know that the Stumbling Monk could be the site of so many bad dates. And even if your date is a dud, at least your beer is tasty and you can drown your disappointment in a glass. The charm of the Stumbling Monk is that it's a very basic setting, allowing you to focus on The Beer. I'm a fan of the darker, more malty varieties, so our friendly bartender steered me toward two delicious and potent brews. By the end of the second glass, I was texting a friend about the Stumbling Mink. Needless to say, I won't be returning here for any dates, but I'll gladly come back for a drink among friends. read more

Amazing seasonal rotating taps and choice of bottles. Belgians, barleywines, ciders, and local breweries all mesh in a wonderful (if a bit musty during the summer) atmosphere. There's a ton of great bars and brewhouses in Seattle, certainly a ton that're bigger, but few that create their own neighborly niche as well as the Monk. Most rarer import, craft, and cask beers are delightfully cheap here, but you can find some fairly pricey stuff, if you're looking for the brewed equivalent of "top shelf". read more

Holy wow these beers are dope! From the suggestion of our favorite transient Thrill, we decided to check this place out after Dinner Club at Dinette. First thing's first, I was totally impressed by the selection of beers here. It's a refreshing change as opposed to some of the cookie cutter dives on the hill. While dank and a little dark, the place isn't exactly the kind of ambiance to take a date, but for a few brews with the boys... and a good game of chess... the Stumbling Monk has charm for days. 4 knight-takes-pawn stars out of 5 read more

Full disclosure, I'm not a beer connoisseur. I'll drink coors light as happily as a craft brewed IPA. My friend however, is a full blown snob. Gets angry at misused glasses for belgians and frosted mugs for beers that shouldn't be "too cold." So there, he's legit. And he liked this place. Low-key, good beer selection. Should satisfy your inner beer snob. read more

This isn't a bar. Pretend you're at your grandfather's house and he finally cleared out his "parlor" or that old useless room near the backyard. He threw in a few tables and a few booths. He bought an industrial grade fridge and dragged in that old bar he built some years ago and threw it in front. Then he washed the whole thing in delicious varieties of beer and stocked the fridge with bottles. Throw in all the old family board games to boot. Great place to just hang out and not worry about a damn thing. No pretense, no attitude, just order a beer and chill while the sun goes down and you think of more preposterous things to write down on the lines of a game of Scattergories. I almost felt like I could've just curled up in the corner for a nap, although I'm sure Seattle's finest would've loved that one. read more

It's got nuthin' for atmosphere but I did hear that they got a new toilet with supersonic flush, so yay Monk! I had the Cassis Lambic and loved it though it was deemed "too girly" by a couple of the dudes. Well, it's not FOR you so please go back to your Hair of the Dog Adam (whatever that means) and your Elysian Ale. We paid $11.60 for parking (what's with the .60???) and about $11 for two beers...so for $22 it was a good night with friends. read more

I don't know. I spent like 20 minutes trying to park to meet my friend here the other night, and by the time I actually walked in, I was cranky and famished. So I was pretty much instantly pissed they didn't have anything to offer me beyond chips. I didn't want chips; I wanted a burger. The 10.something IPA helped a little, and then I went next door and got teriyaki, which was pretty good. But I still felt pissed. The open bathroom situation didn't help my mood either. Nor did the lighting. Nor did the no-background music. If wanting a little ambience is wrong, I don't want to be right. Not my bag, and I typically love dives. But I guess they have a good beer selection. Not enough of a draw for me to go back. read more