Brewmasters Bar & Grill

Stopped in Brewmasters for some grub prior to hearing a band at Deep South. It was a Saturday night, downtown Raleigh was hopping and yet this place was completely empty! (eerie). We sat at the bar and ordered some drinks.
They have a limited menu, but I really like nachos so I sw that on the menu and added steak. The food hit the spot and the nachos were a good portion, but quite pricey.(Maybe they charge so much because they don’t get many customers).
A few more people did trickle in while we were there. It was the only place to eat within a short walk of Deep South which is why we came here. They were playing some good music at least on the boom box. Overall, not too impressed though so won’t be in any hurry to come back.

Came here because everywhere else was packed. We waited over 20 minutes after receiving our menus, before we had to go get the server to let him know we wanted to order. After he took our order, he came back 5 minutes later to tell us they were out of wings. Extremely disappointed as we’ve heard good things about this place. Seems as though they’re understaffed, but still no excuse to completely ignore patrons. He was gracious enough to comp much of our food-​which was all delicious. Will give it another try in the future and hopefully we’ll have better luck.

I live in Raleigh and I am always downtown but I have rarely frequented Brewmasters (for good reason).
The last time I came here was probably 2011, but for some reason I just wanted to try it out again with some friends for lunch.
It started well, as in, we got our drink orders and placed our food orders within a few minutes of arrival, HOWEVER…45 minutes later, there was a glimpse of hope that we were actually about receive our food. We were probably 1 of only 4 groups in there, so they were not busy at all. That was not enough to stop them from delivering bad service.
Since we were here for lunch, we had to get back to work so instead of getting our food and eating it, we stopped them at the kitchen and asked for them to box up the food to go. This easily took them 15 – 20 minutes longer and the bad thing is, one of the orders came back boxed with the WRONG MENU ITEM.
The waitress that served us was very inattentive and during our 45 minute wait only stopped by once to refill our drinks and never apologized for the wait.
WILL NEVER COME BACK AND WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE SAME TO ANYONE CONSIDERING COMING HERE.

This place is terrible. Lets start with the chairs and tables. It looks like they picked these up out of the dumpster. Broken/​wobbly chairs. Tables that looked like they haven’t been clean sense the depression.
Now lets move to the wait staff. Just a joke. Kept mixing up the orders and really wasn’t paying attention. After seating out our table during LUNCH for 45 minutes it took us complaining for her to check on our food and apologize. Which honestly she could care less. We had to get the food boxed up to go since it took so long. Then it took forever for our food to come back out in boxes. Finally the food was cold and the bread was soggy. That can be attributed to my food being made first than seating while all the other food was made or whatever that poor excuse of a kitchen staff calls it.
I working downtown Raleigh and can walk to Brewmasters. But I can tell you after this experience I will not be coming back. There are way to many other places that actually care about the customers.
Oh I forgot to add they blamed the long wait on a big lunch order. You serve lunch. You serve lunch on a Friday. Most places are ready for orders of any size.
Do not go to Brewmasters. Your better off eating whatever’s in the trash can outside of a porn theater. Plus you’ll get better service.

Left Raleigh Times and came here to escape the madness. Good move. Found this place on Unilocal and made the short trek.
This place looks somewhere in between dive and sports bar. Some will think it sketchy. The interior is a sharp contrast to the exterior and block. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Take your ass in.
For the beer freak, they rotate maybe 50 on tap. Some corporate, some craft. Excellent selection and you will find something if you like beer.
The location is great too. Yes it is in downtown Raleigh. But what I liked about it, is that it was away from everything, yet close to everything. You could walk somewhere else if you were a sloshy mess. There are some parking spots but not much. Luckily snared one as someone was leaving.
Service was excellent. Arrived around 10 pm or so on a Saturday night. Greeted quickly and chose the bar. The dude at the bar was vigilant and attentive. The joint was busy but not a madhouse. I felt like I could actually be served, not elbow fight, and could hear a foot in front of me. Good atmosphere.
From the reviews it seems the food here is something to go with. Didn’t get any but would try upon return. I admittedly didn’t pay attention to anyone else’s food and I usually take some kind of pictures when I write a review. Kiss it. I have a reason to return and if I am in Raleigh I would stop here without question.
This would potentially be a one-​stop bar for many and I can see how it would be for me too.
I like it.

I went to Brewmasters last night to watch a little football, and this place was completely empty. Not a good sign, but I stayed. I ordered a Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest off their beer list, and guess what? They didn’t have any. The bartender did let me sample another Oktoberfest that was pretty good. I finished up with an order of the bacon bbq burger. It was cooked medium like I ordered, and it was pretty good. Nothing spectacular about Brewmasters, but that’s the norm for this place.

Been way too long since we have been here. Others had reminded us recently how good this place is. They were texting pics and making us jealous, so it was pay-​back time!
Walked in and were greeted by folks behind the bar who said to sit wherever we wanted. Choices, choices! Bar? Booth? Table? We chose the bar, close to all those taps. I’m a dark-​beer girl. Prefer a Stout or Porter. Asked for a recommendation. He suggested a new Crank Arm All Mountain Sweet Stout. I asked for a taste and it was good enough that both of us ordered a pint. I think it’s cool they have brews from this Raleigh one that’s right down the street!
Food: BBQ Bacon Burger with Onion Rings for me. Cuban with Garlic Fries for Husband.
The Burger came with their infamous candied bacon (which you can even order by the pint by itself). This was a juicy, perfectly cooked (medium for me) full-​of-​flavor burger. And those onion rings… mmmmmm! Tip: try some of their tangy chipotle-​lime aioli to dip ‘em in!
Husband really liked his Cuban. Certainly the most interesting choice of bread for a Cuban… rye/​pumpernickel. He said it worked though. The plethora of garlic fries that arrived were also very good, although could have stood a tad longer in the fryer.
Now if you’re wondering where the heck to park now that the Warehouse District has become so popular (this restaurant is just slightly on the outskirts of it), but street parking has become harder and harder to find… well, there is a relatively new lot on Davie Street, about 2 blocks from this. It’s not free, but it’s convenient. Don’t let parking keep you from checking this place out!

The hangover burger truly is the best! Delicious! Enough for two. Tho beer is not cold enough. A few more degrees colder is better. Service… ah…could be better.

3.5 sterne. Gute Music. Essen solala
Eckkneipe unweit von downtown. Spinach dip (ein lieblingsmahlzeit) enttaueschend. Garlic fries. Meh. «Nur» $ 6 pro Glass pinot.
ABER… Sehr gute live music in Open Mike Night. Wie immer mitlerweile in America unzaehlige Craft Beers plus Schneider Weisse von Zapf.
Come on music night (immer Mittwochs). Also Musiker waren wirklich gut.
Gruss

I really like this place. The food is great and the atmosphere inside the place is awesome. I like to go on Sunday because the bartender is super friendly. Will be back soon!

A nice location, plenty of seating and a hidden gem for ordering a pint of bacon. Plenty of televisions to watch your favorite game in closed caption of course. The selection of music was indie pop, I think?
But the overall bar staff experience and service was poor on our visit. The bartender wasn’t rude but he wasn’t very friendly or helpful when it came to explaining beer selections. It appeared that the kitchen staff and bartenders would hang out in a corner for long periods of time ignoring customers or perhaps giving the appearance that «today is not the day we want you here» attitude. We ordered mixed drinks and clearly the bartender doesn’t know mixology very well. They were horribly mixed and filled with too much soda or mixer juice.
We decided to stay and order the pint of bacon. I will say that this is a wonderful treat and saved this review from possibly being a 1 star rating.
While I think this location has promise, it should hire a strong manager to oversee the daily operations each and every day so that the experience is quality each and every time the doors are open. Clearly this was a poor experience with poor mixology skills and poor customer service. If nothing else, try the pint of bacon.

Was excited to try this place. Was recommended to me by a friend. The menu was okay. Probably better if you really like burgers but I don’t.
Food was okay. I got the tenders with fries. The fries were awful and the chicken was good but you only get 3 for $ 8. The service was what I was really disappointed in. Our waitress was good at first but than dissappeared. It took her forever to get my drink refilled and didn’t check on us much.
There was a very loud group that came in after us that got service before I got a refill. I didn’t have a great experience. I will not be back to this particular one.

The Pint of Bacon and the Hangover burger was good but we will never be back because the service was horrible. We watched the bartender drinking a beer and shots behind the bar and the server told us it was his second day but the manager did not help him at all even though there were only 2 tables in the restaurant. We watched 3 guys working there not doing anything!

Brewmasters has a good selection of burgers and sandwiches, but what sets the apart from other bar/​restaurants is Brewmasters has an amazing selection of draft beer. And a lot of them are local. The food here is of average quality, but the location and beer selection keep me coming back!

This is our second time here, the first time was a couple of years ago before going to see a show at the nearby Berkley Café, and we were quite pleased with the Chicken Lettuce Wraps and always wanted to go back again. We finally made it back while spending the day downtown on Saturday, and we weren’t disappointed. The Wait Staff is an interesting crew, and they do seem to go out of the way to please the customers. We ordered the Lettuce Wraps again as an appetizer and they were completely different than what we remembered. The guacamole and salsa that came with them were not very good, in fact they didn’t compliment the Grilled Chicken and Feta in the wraps at all and after giving them a taste they were set aside. The wraps themselves were very good though so we ate every bit of those.
Now on to the Burgers, Yess! We both ordered the BBQ Bacon Burgers which include their signature Candied Bacon. The bacon wasn’t as impressive as it sounds, we found it to be just a little sweeter than your usual bacon. The Homemade Chips and Fries were AMAZING! I’ll have those any time, anywhere. We ordered our burgers Medium Well and they might have been a tad bit overcooked, but I didn’t mind because they were still very juicy. I included a pic of my burger before I attacked it.
Overall we were happy with our meal, the service, the atmosphere and the cleanliness, so we will probably go back again some day.

A good, solid 3. Went last night for dinner. Pretty good draft selection, better than average. We both had the veggie burger with sweet potato fries. The veggie burger was very tasty, we both liked it. My fella, who has much more experience in veggie burgers than I do, gives the burger a 3.0 by itself. The roll it came on was really good. The sweet potato fries were served dusted with sugar and a side of warm maple syrup. Not what either of us expected. We really prefer them more savory. The fries themselves were good, but perhaps a choice of sweet or savory would be a good idea. We also ordered some onion rings. They only had a handful of onion rings left in the kitchen, so we were comped on that handful, and they were good, but it seemed a little odd to me to be out of anything as potentially popular as onion rings on a Saturday night.
It’s a seat yourself establishment. The place is clean and comfortable. The décor leans industrial/​minimalist. Service is very friendly and helpful, but a tad slow. A little room for improvement there.
All in all it was a good meal and we certainly would go back again if we are in the area.

Always had great food here. The Cuban Sandwich is authentic and delicious. And if you’re a BACON fan… gotta have the «Pint of Bacon» appetizer with the «Apple Jelly»…it’s like having a piece of heaven.
This is a great lunch stop because the crowd is lite.

I really don’t understand why this is rated 3 stars. It is worth 4.5 stars and maybe even 5 stars when you compare it to other bar and grills options. Please note that my rating is not saying it’s a 5 star restaurant but rather one of the best bar and grills when compared similar restaurants. I’m basing my review on the fact it’s a bar and grill and if this is what you’re looking for stop reading and head on over.
They have a very large selection of beer options it is almost over whelming. This is where the staff comes to the rescue. The wait staff was extremely knowledgable with their vast beer selection and super attentive during our meal.
Every thing we tasted was excellent. Burgers, sides and ginger beer was super fresh and tasted like it was local and fresh. I have no problem recommending the food we tried so here it is:
— Pint of Candied Bacon
— Classic Cheese Burger (I put the extra candied bacon on it)
— Veggie Burger
— Sweet Potato Fries
— what ever is on Draft.
— Garlic Fries
So I am recommending their Homemade Ginger Beer but only if you like fresh ginger. This is not a ginger ale and has a strong, fresh, sweet ginger taste. It is a nice balance of sweet & ginger fire and is also worthy of 4 stars.
The atmosphere is not fancy but exactly what you’d expect from a bar and grill. If you are looking to socialize and try unique craft beers & eat fresh, quality bar food give it a try when you are in Raleigh.

This place gets better every time I go. I started with 3 stars and am giving Brewmasters a «raise» to 5 stars.
The last two times I’ve gone, the food has been awesome. The beer has been cold. The service has been phenomenal. A pretty sophisticated menu for a venue that looks like it could be a dive.
You can’t judge a bar by it’s exterior!

Brewmasters is a hidden beer oasis on the brink of downtown. It looks like a typical dive bar from the outside and when you walk in it is a well appointed industrial chic establishment. I have been there quite a few times and each time it has been a great experience. They have one of the best draft selections in the downtown area and a unique food menu to boot. Each night of the week there is something scheduled from trivia to tapping a special keg. Last night it was open mic and there was great local band playing.
There is restaurant seating as well as a plenty of bar space. For the dog lovers there is plenty of outside seating (several picnic tables). They cater to the beer enthusiast and the novice (you can try a plethora of beers via flight). Being two years young to the craft beer scene I have never felt incompetent when asking the bartenders about suggestions. They are nice and willing to teach. You don’t have to be part of a certain crowd or a certain kind of person. They welcome everyone and treat everyone the same. With respect.
If you go try the Pint of Bacon and the Hangover Burger! Yum!
The restaurant and bar are always clean. I am also grateful for a clean bathroom especially at a bar.

Though it looks a little janky & generic on the outside, Brewmasters lives up to its name. They have a plethora of delicious draft beers (probably 40+) and many are local. They have NC pint night on Monday and they tap a few new kegs on Tuesdays. Located at the corner of Martin & Dawson, Brewsters is easy to walk to and easy to find. There’s quite a bit of street parking around too, and they’ve got about 5 picnic tables outside.
I’ve tried their food a couple times, and I must say that their burgers are the best on their menu. The cajun chicken sandwich was boring and bland, and the cuban wasn’t anything to write home about either. But the beer is where it’s at… after all, it’s Brewmasters. They’re always rotating kegs & pouring delicious pints of beer. I’ll keep coming back just for that reason alone, but the burgers are tasty too :)