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Individual User Reviews |
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I liked the porter, the stout was ok, didn't care for the rest of the taster set too much. My wife liked the IPAs ok. There wasn't enough variation between them to justify having 3 on tap IMO. The clam chowder was very good, the salads just ok. For 5 bucks the garlic bread should have been a more generous serving. Service was friendly and attentive enough. Downtown Joe's didn't make such an impression that I'd go back next time I visit Napa.
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Bud Miller,
Orangevale, CA
(11/14/2010) |
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Great
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Good
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Great
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I have read the other reviews on this place. Very honestly, it was not the best I have been to, but it was nonetheless a wonderful place to be. The service was great, the food was wonderful, I enjoyed the IPA and the pizza I had at lunchtime enough to go back for a reprise of it for supper. I have been to brew pubs all over the country and find it best not to rate one against another. Enjoy what you get and make new friends over a good beer and a pub menu whatever it is. This place is a winner in wine country.
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David White,
Berkeley Springs, WV
(12/14/2009) |
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Awesome!
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Awesome!
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Good
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Awesome!
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Awesome!
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Waiter was very informative. Good sized sampler, their porter was excellent.
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Rob Mendonca,
Turlock, CA
(08/11/2009) |
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Great
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Good
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Awesome!
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Awesome!
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Great
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Monday Night Football and the Joe's burger are a must-have! Who'd have thought that great beer would be found in the middle of all those wineries. And the prices are very UN-Napa; a very good value for both food and beer. They ran out of some of their more bitter beers the night I was their, or I would probably have been able to rate them "Awesome". I will definitely return when next in Napa, and suggest you do the same.
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Mike Brick,
Annandale, VA
(10/01/2008) |
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Great
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Good
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Great
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Awesome!
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Great
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We spent last week on a wine tour of the Napa & Sonoma valleys. We found Downtown Joe's by accident, looking for a place to eat lunch on Tuesday. We were seated next to the glass wall overlooking the Napa River, had the Ahi as an appetizer and a great pizza for two for lunch.
They were out of Lazy Summer American Wheat, so we had a couple of Tail Waggin' Amber Ales and I had an Ace High Pale Ale. Both were excellent ales. My wife doesn't care for IPAs, so she skipped the Ace High. We both enjoyed the Tail Waggin', and I really liked the Ace High -- just the right amount of IPA hoppiness...
Our server was great, kept an eye on us and was right there whenever we needed something, although it was mid-afternoon, and a pretty slow time for them.
We met Colin, the brewer, and had a nice chat with him. We enjoyed the place so much, we made a point to finish up our wine tasting early to get back to Joe's so we could watch some NCAA basketball action on Thursday, 3/27.
Patty, the bartender, was like a long-lost friend within minutes of our bellying up to the bar. I had 7 people rooting for the WV Mountaineers in their sweet sixteen match with Xavier. The Wheat was on tap, and was very tasty, although a bit lighter than the wheats I'm familiar with. I also had whatever stout was on tap (didn't get the name, had been "tasting" wine all day, and it was my third glass, so forgive me!). The stout was creamy and at the right temperature -- smooth, caramel, chocolate, thick -- just right.
Unfortunately, WVU's hopes were dashed in overtime, but we made some new friends (one couple lives just 30 miles from us), and had a GREAT time...
I highly recommend the place.
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Bob,
Lancaster, OH
(03/31/2008) |
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So So
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So So
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So So
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Lousy
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Lousy
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went here on a referral from a winery. the bartender was rude, cocky, and annoying. his game was to crack on the customers and ring his bell afterward. what a clown.
the beer was crap, as was the food. nothing really more to say.
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dred turner,
cleveland, OH
(07/06/2007) |
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Good
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Good
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Great beer choices. Had an Amber and Red wheat that weren't that great but Worthy's Leprauchan Stout was worth the visit. Liquid art. Got good service but the crowd was light. Do have to wonder about a brewpub when you see people ordering those aluminum bottles of Bud
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J. King,
Campbell, CA
(03/25/2007) |
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So So
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So So
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N/A
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Lousy
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Lousy
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I went into the bar on a Tuesday night, not too busy, right? I sat in the middle of the bar right between the two bartenders and didn't get so much as a "hello" from either one for over 10 minutes. They were busy, yes, but just saying Hi would have been nice. One bartender kept filling orders for everyone else down the bar as well as new orders from the dining room. Finally, the other one asked if I'd been helped yet (as he realized that I didn't have a tab attached to my seat) and when I said no, he laughed and responded "well that sucks!" Finally I was able to order a beer, and while he couldn't tell me anything about them (he claimed they were all his favorites), I took a stab on the IPA. Not great, but not horrible. Nothing special, just very hoppy. He also proceeded to mock my out-of-state license. I was eager to go to a brewpub but I'm sorry I wasted my time and $4 on a subpar pint. I don't recommend Joe's. Service is definitely snobby.
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Hartland, VT
(03/06/2007) |
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Great
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Great
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Good
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Great
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Awesome!
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We spent 5 nights in Napa at the end of October 2006 while visiting from England. Joe's became a second home and a great place to relax after touring around during the day. Having been brought up on English 'real ales', I was very very impressed by the variety and quality of the beers brewed on the premises. I appreciate that these can be an acquired taste, but they are a welcome relief from the usual blandness and predictability of teh national brands. The staff and regulars in the bar were very friendly and there was always a buzz in the place (not caused by bees...). It will be a definite place to visit again.
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Chris,
Sunbury-on-Thames, UK
(11/04/2006) |
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Lousy
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So So
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So So
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Lousy
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So So
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went for a quick time contrained lunch while in the area on biz and ended up having to get food to go as it took over 40 mins for a SALAD! Empty when i was there BUT waiter still gave us bill and let us pay for table next to ours>>DUH>.. Beers I tasted were only fair. Nothing special..not worth the detour..
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randall jay,
pebble beach, CA
(01/01/2006) |
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Lousy
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Good
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Great
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Great
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So So
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Tried the sampler of eight beers. All but two were completely undrinkable. They seem to have a serious problem with contamination. Food was very good, and our server was grat.
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Fairfield, CA
(11/15/2005) |
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Awesome!
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Awesome!
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Great
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Great
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Good
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I wish so much that I lived in Santa Rosa. This is almost the exact idea of what a good brewpub should be - many beers and great food in a nice setting with pool tables, etc.
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Glenn,
Bakersfield, CA
(09/18/2005) |
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Great
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Great
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Great
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Awesome!
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Great
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Things are really looking up at Joe's. The old brewer left and they've now got a great head brewer, Colin Kaminski. Like others, I wasn't too fond of the beers at Joe's in the past. What I tasted last week was an incredible improvement. If I didn't know better, I'd say I was in a different place. I spoke with the brewer at length and he explained the changes he made in the brewery and serving of the beer. The beers are now clean, no funky off flavors. He is also tweaking recipes, much for the better and has lots of plans for further improvement. I expect to be able to change my rating to an Awesome in the next couple months! It is exciting to see such a turn around and to have another great place to enjoy a quality pint. As always, the staff is just fantastic. Quick to take care of your needs, cheerful, and they make you feel like they're really glad you came.
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Jamil Zainasheff,
Elk Grove, CA
(01/07/2004) |
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N/A
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N/A
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N/A
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N/A
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N/A
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The brew length at Downtown Joe's is 7 barrels.
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Colin Kaminski,
Napa, CA
(08/13/2002) |
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Lousy
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Good
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N/A
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Good
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So So
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Did not care for the beer. Needs some work on quality, grassy notes in some beers, odd flavors in others, noticeable especially when served at an appropriate temperature.
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St. Helena CA, CA
(01/07/2002) |
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Great
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Good
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Great
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Great
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Great
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Napa is ground zero for wine. While I am a "Spanish Red" wine drinker, I came to Napa for a brew. Downtown Napa is nice place for a brew. This brewpub is next to a small park. I sat outside. Flies and bees were around. This is part of being surrounded by blossoms. I had the Stout. The Stout was low in carbonation and was served at just below room temperature. These are two qualities I look for. I ordered the fish and chips which was a local mix of calamari, fish and fries. It was tasty and not greasy.
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Neil Serafin,
Bailey, CO
(05/05/2001) |
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Good
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Good
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Good
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Good
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I found Downtown Joes using the beer guide called the Celebrator. I was there two different times. I thoroughly enjoyed the stout and pale ale. I ordered the pulled pig barbecue pizza the first time. I hadn't really had a barbecued pizza and turns out I probably could have done without it. It was okay. I ordered the next day a chicken, spinach pesto and was completely satisfied. Yeah the inside bar where the band plays is loud as hell. Sitting outside is where it's at except for the bees! There's bees everywhere in northern California and that made me a little nervous. But I would definitely go back to Downtown Joes, loved the place!
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Eric,
St. Petersburg, FL
(11/21/2000) |
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Good
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Good
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So So
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Lousy
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So So
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We also met Lance, who gave us a tour of the brewhousesom of his brewing secrets and his 17-bbl system with huge old copper kettles. We were seated in the back and swore we were forgotten, it took over 75 minutes to get our food after being seated right away (dinning area NOT crowded)but bar area packed w/ locals watching the game(s)on several TV's in the bar. The beers where good but I don't think we'll ever try that again, we'll just eat and or drink in bar area and order it all at once. We found the owner when we finally got over the fact that nobody was coming back, and went out in different directions to search for an employee. Lots of locals and Nowhere to park, the area has lot of limitations. We went in Winter/Fall & I'd bet it pretty in the summer (they have outside seatting w/ heaters available, but back up to a murky creek and could be a mosquito / insect problem as many Napa / Solano outdoor areas are during the summer / spring months can be....Nothing to write home about but it was fair-ok once we finally got served.
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Susan,
Vallejo, CA
(08/13/2000) |
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Great
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Good
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N/A
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Good
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Good
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Just got back from a trip to California, and I completely disagree with the last reviewer. In fact, I hit Pubcrawler prior to my trip, and didn't plan to visit Downtown Joe's based on the review. I'm glad I changed my mind. The place is definitely rough around the edges, and is frequented mainly by locals, as opposed to the touring wine aficionados. But I thought it was a pretty cool place, with lots of regulars. I met the brewer, Lance, who gave me a tour of the brewhouse. He's got a nice 17-bbl system with great old-looking copper kettles. As for the beer, I had the bitter and the stout, and both were very nice. The bitter was pretty highly hopped, which is fine with me, and the stout had lots of roasted, chocolate, other dark malts. A fairly chewy beer. I should say that I was there on a fairly slow afternoon, which was probably a good thing. Anyway, if you're a true beer hunter in the mood for some serious pubcrawling, give this place a try.
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Paul Ouderkirk,
Albany, NY
(06/01/2000) |
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Lousy
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Lousy
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So So
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Lousy
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Lousy
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I really do not mind a dining experience in a busy brewpub. However, I was sitting at the bar trying to enjoy my watered down tasting pale ale while the servers kept lining up empty beer glasses right in front of me on the bar. Not even 12 inches from my food. When I say glasses I should give you a fair number, not overly inflated, but a true estimate would be 40-50 at a time. This happened over and over again during my meal. The set up of the place needs some serious work. The bar is too small, the wait staff was busy but not in control, and for a brewpub that is in wine country and has to compete the beer just sucked. I am not that picky a guy and I am not just complaining. I know good beer, and good service. This place lacks both. Drink wine in Napa. You won't be dissapointed.
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Mark DeJohn,
Bend, OR
(04/05/2000) |
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Good
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Good
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Good
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Good
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Good
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I appologise for hitting the "submit" prematurely, I've got it figured out now, I think.
I hate to add more of the same about Joe's, I agree their hearts seem to be elswhere. Our server was nice, though, and the beer wasn't bad....
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Aaron Dougherty,
Kansas City, MO
(03/04/2000) |
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So So
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So So
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Good
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So So
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So So
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Odd lay-out, with a tradional set-up of very dull beers (lager-wannabe, Pale, Dark, Bitter, wheat-wannabe, and stout). Seems like the owners are half-heartedly trying to merge the Napa Valley winelovers scene with the microbrew scene from near-by Bay Area, with very uneven results...//TSB
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Bis,
San Diego, CA
(10/23/1999) |
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Good
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So So
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Good
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Lousy
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So So
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The beer is good. I've had good and bad meals, very inconsistant. The service has always been lousy in the bar. They seem to be doing you a favor when they serve you.
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Dan,
Martinez, CA
(06/26/1999) |
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Good
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So So
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So So
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So So
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So So
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The layout of this place is all wrong. They put live bands ten feet from the bar creating an atmosphere in which it's impossible to communicate with those around you. Great location - untapped potential!
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Napa, CA
(06/10/1999) |
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Beer Selection |
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Service |
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Good
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Lousy
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Good
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So So
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So So
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Napa, CA
(12/15/1998) |
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