Made a reservation for my wife's birthday, and once again it was awesome! We absolutely love this…read moreplace. The drinks are on point, and the atmosphere is great. Highly recommend!

I went to this place with a couple of friends one night and it definitely exceeded my expectations!…read moreThere are not a ton of places that you can get a good craft cocktail in Bloomington but this is definitely one of them. You do have to make sure you get a reservation, which can be tricky but if you do it's worth it. There is a time limit on the reservation, but there's plenty of time for you to enjoy a couple drinks and take in the atmosphere. It's a really small spot, but the vibes are strong. They give you popcorn to munch on while you sip your drinks and the noise of the upstairs is completely drowned out. I highly recommend checking this place out.

Really cool place - they have a ton of beer to try! Their beer menu (which was fully printed and…read moreavailable at our table - no scanning a QR code or squinting to read a board at the bar) had a whole page of beers by The Tap Brewery, followed by two pages of guest craft beer representing every major type of beer and with some unique options, all on tap. For drinks, cocktails (and a few mocktails) and a smaller selection of wine are also available. I wanted to get beer but I was kind of tempted by the cocktails. My first choice was a flight that included a mix of The Tap beers and guest beers, but the waiter came back after taking the order and told me that they could only do flights with their beers but could let me sample the beers I wanted to try, so I did that, and the samples were probably around 2 oz each so I basically got half a flight. After that, I ended up ordering a real flight of their beer. The Tap beers I tried were: Kill the Lights stout (regular and barrel-aged), Tapenator dark lager, Frost Bite winter ale, Nefarious Nectar blonde. Guest beers: Jacob Leinenkugel white mocha stout, Weihanstephaner Hefeweissbier, BrewDog Winter Staycation. Not going to waste space reviewing all of these, but they were all fantastic. I was really grateful that they let me sample so many! And they also have food. The menu isn't huge but does have some variety, and it's not just basic pub food. I had the ahi tuna crunch bowl and it was pretty good! It kind of had the vibe of stuff thrown together in a poke bowl, but it worked and I thought the fish was done really well. Our waiter was wonderful! He was really friendly and just the right amount of attentive. My friend and I stayed for a while talking after we had paid and he didn't rush us out at all. Granted, it was a pretty quiet night. We both really liked the vibe of the place. I would love to be back soon!

Bree is the best server ever! I love the tap, nefarious nectar w the chicken wrap is the best!read more

The Alley is one of the better bars in Bloomington. I really like the overall vibe and atmosphere…read more-- it's a great place to hang out with friends. The location is convenient, and it has a fun, welcoming feel that keeps me coming back. Definitely a solid choice for a night out!

Neighborhood bar. Good sound level, small, close knit, local feel. Not an amazing beer selection,…read morebut varied enough.

I just left this place and let me tell you that staff is working hard!!!!!…read moreWith graduation they were clearly busy but made sure everything was taken care of. They even helped us seat all our reservations together when we were unable to make them as one large one. No easy task! Your manager Amber was so amazing and accommodating and KJ did a fantastic job as our server. We couldn't have chosen better place to celebrate with our friends and family. If you're ever in Bloomington this is a must for your list!

Classic Burger with Gouda cheese was excellent! He fries were crispy and had just the right amount…read moreof salt! My favorite French fries so far! The beer roasted salmon with the sweet potato fingerlings and shiitake mushrooms was very good. The silver skin was not completely removed from the salmon. There was not a lot of spinach. Would have preferred more spinach & less sweet soy syrup. Service was spot on! Server was very attentive and helpful with beer and food selections.

Speakeasy We had…read morenever been to a speakeasy before, so we weren't sure what to expect. The experience exceeded our expectations--everything was truly extraordinary. We would definitely come back again.

On January 19th, the night of the IU vs. Miami game, my friend and I decided to celebrate the win…read moreat Upstairs Pub. We are both Black women. Upon arriving, we showed our IDs to the first bouncer, who directed us to a second bouncer for an additional ID check before entering the pub. The second bouncer reviewed my ID and approved me without issue. For context, I am a current graduate student at IU, born in 1997. He then examined my friend's ID. She was born in 1998, yet he told her that her ID was fake and attempted to confiscate it. My friend firmly insisted that the ID was legitimate and asked what she could do to verify her identity. The bouncer claimed that the ID did not look like her and stated that she could prove it by using Face ID on her phone -- a request that made no sense, as Face ID can be used by anyone with access to a phone and is not a valid form of identification. While this interaction was taking place, white women were continuously passing us in line without being subjected to the same scrutiny or additional ID checks. The bouncer did not stop or question them at all. It is important to note that in my friend's ID photo, she was wearing a blonde wig and eyelash extensions, which she was not wearing that night. Despite these differences, it was still very clear that the ID belonged to her. Eventually, the bouncer stated that he was done speaking with us and suggested that we take the issue up with management. Once inside the pub, the first employee we spoke to was dismissive. He waved his hand at us as if to shut down the conversation and said, "You're here, you can just stay." We explained that the issue was not about being allowed inside -- it was about being racially profiled and feeling unsafe and unwelcome spending money at the establishment. As we attempted to explain this, a man standing next to the employee aggressively turned toward me and shouted, "WHAT," in a threatening manner. As a woman, I felt unsafe and intimidated. Engaging in a confrontation with a visibly intoxicated man who could physically harm me was not an option. Another employee, Connor, eventually stepped in and attempted to provide some comfort. He expressed empathy and stated that although he is white, he understands what it feels like to be a minority. While he cannot fully understand the experience of being a minority in America, I did appreciate his effort to acknowledge our feelings and the fact that he was the only employee who showed us any compassion. Based on this experience, I encourage people of color to be cautious when supporting Upstairs Pub, as our treatment made it clear that this is not an environment where we felt respected, protected, or supported.

Honestly surprised reviews are not higher for this place. Stopped in for a Monday lunch while…read morevisiting Bloomington. There's a bar side and a less bar side, but overall it does have a bar feel. The menu however, is elevated bar food. Not quite approaching Gastropub level, but more than what you're going to find in a dive bar situation. We enjoyed the breaded tenderloin sliders, the salmon BLT (that hoagie bun was pillowy soft), the sautéed brussels sprouts, and the potato pancakes. Although maybe they didn't call them pancakes? They were smashed potatoes. Loaded with butter, salt and pepper, and boy were they delicious. We had excellent service from Morgan, who was very attentive. And I don't know what mixture they're using of syrup and carbonation for their Diet Coke, but it was seriously good. Don't sleep on this place.

Not sure why this place doesn't have a five star rating. The food and service has been amazing the…read moretwo times we have visited from out of town. A random Yelp find, we ordered the blackened salmon and a burger. The salmon is the best I have ever had. I feared the seasoning as I am not a pepper or spicy girl. It was neither. Whatever they use, it's perfect. The grilled seasonal vegetables that came with it were unique and top notch. On my second visit, I couldn't bring myself to order anything but the salmon - doubt I ever will. The mozzarella sticks were HUGE and filled with cheese. The wings were great too and our server was kind and prompt. The hostess took time to answer our questions about the history of the location and is the one who recommended the salmon. We later spoke to a manager who relayed it is fresh salmon that makes it so good - so much so that IU sports team request it frequently. The inside of the pub-like setting is spacious with different levels and sides. There is small outdoor seating where dogs are welcomed. The only negative is parking. There is very little street parking nearby and no adjoining parking lot. This can be a problem for this with mobility issues and in busy downtown days. I wish they could fix this issue. Highly recommend this enchanting restaurant.

I didn't know this place existed but am glad I do now! This is a hole in the wall type dive, with a…read moresuper friendly staff and a great selection & variety of craft beer.  We stopped by in the middle of the day during the weekend & all the other patrons were regulars and people who work in the attached strip mall. Very chill, local vibe. Plus, you can bring in your own food! 10/10

Trivia, lots of great local music, and great beers! Highly recommend this hidden gem on the west…read moreside of Bloomington.

Great little restaurant. The French onion soup was a nice treat and the pizza was so fantastic,…read morefresh and delicious. High recommend this place.

Love this place. If you are in bloomington you definitely need to stop by. The food is immaculate…read more Every bagel no matter what u get is going to be good. The people who take your order are rlly nice and helpful. The only reason why it's not 5 stars is because the inside is small so you probably won't get a table. The wait is also sometimes really long. I think it's worth it every time but something to consider.