Great Lakes Brewing Company

06/05/2008 Posted by bmichaeln

Let me start by saying that I love this beer. It may even be the best in the world. But that is well known, and I am here to call attention to one of the most often overlooked aspects of a fine restaurant: how they treat their employees. In my many visits to the GLB, I have never seen a server get a break. In fact, I have seen on several occasions, a fat lazy manager(his name is pete), who is rather like a despot. Requiring employees to work 10, 12, 14 hours with NO BREAKS. NOw I understand that this is totally legal in Ohio, but that does not mean it's okay. THis place has 4 floors! and none of them are level surfaces! These girls work their asses off to provide outstanding service and they're treated like DIRT. I will not support this business until they figure out how to ACTUALLY be a place of integrity, rather than just profitting off the illusion, and hiding behind their small carbon footprint and organic beer. shame on you conway brothers, shame on you.

Pros: Excellent Beer

Cons: It's flavored with sweat and tears

04/06/2008 Posted by BobSch

We visited GLB on Sat afternoon on 4-5-08. We had to wait for a table so we went to the bar to get a beer. Granted, they were crowded due to the Cav's game crowd, but we could not get the bartenders attention to order some beers. Hey buddy, your beer is that that great where you can ingnore your customers! After about 10 minutes and no service, we decided to visit the West Side Market instead of having a few beers before dinner. A business needs to understand that you are there for the CUSTOMERS and should be somewhat attentive to them. No amount of arm waiving or yelling could get his attention. He could have atleast acknowled that we were there and said that he'd get to us shortly. The food was good and our food server was excellent. Good thing they do not sell Miller Highlife. An $11 hamburger. Come on now, it was not that good for the price and the fries were way too salty. We will remove GLB from my list of restaurants to come back to.

08/06/2007 Posted by abartsch

If you accept average food go ahead and order whatever you want, it will be totally mediocre. The beer is great. From now on, I'll go to Giant Eagle and get a 6 pack of Dortmunder and make my own burger. This place used to have great food, it's garbage now, I don't ever recommend going here to eat.

Pros: Beer tastes good

Cons: Mediocre food; mediocre service; poor value; rough neighborhood

08/03/2007 Posted by nas20

Everyone used to say how the dining at Great Lakes Brewing Co. was as good as their beers. Not anymore. The "seared" Pretzel Chicken was deep fried and my Fish and Chips had a soggy batter for being deep fried. I would rather have had Arthur Treacher's fish for less than half the price. It took them about half an hour after our beer order to take the food order, and the waitress messed up the second beer order. Their beers did shine, notably the Commodore Perry IPA on tap; the Brewer's Pretzels appetizer were great as well, but I will not be going back to eat there for a long time.

Pros: Great beer and specialty ones they don't sell in stores

Cons: Food and service were lacking

07/13/2006 Posted by mharpo

Great beer, fun atmosphere. However, I have experienced a steady decline in the level of customer service, menu selections and quality of food. In addition, current management doesn't really seem to care about customer satisfaction. I recommend having a few beers at the bar, maybe enjoying the artichoke crock as an appetizer, then leaving for a better dining experience.

Pros: beer, ambience

Cons: parking, service

01/29/2005 Posted by millaj21

While in Cleveland on vacation, we decided to try out Great Lakes Brewing... had a hard time finding the location, but it was well worth it! Our server was amazing, and gave several good suggestions on what to order. The food was exceptional (if you're ordering dessert, try the infamous bread pudding)! And, of course, their beers are unbeatable... we tried the Edmund Fitgerald Porter and the Blackout Stout, both very tasty and smooth. Try this place if you enjoy finely crafted beers, and if you want to support local small businesses. Great Lakes Brewing Co. rocks!

Pros: unbeatable service, unique food & beer

Cons: parking

08/06/2003 Posted by tmdempsey

The outdoor seating is amazing. It has so much charm, especially the courtyard. There is no better outdoor dining in cleveland on a beautiful weekend day or night. On the flip side, I don't recommend sitting in the downstairs. Its damp and feels like you are in the dungeon basement.

Pros: outdoor dining, bad parking

Cons: basement dining, great area

07/06/2003 Posted by afilip

interesting setting but boring menu....beer has some flavor but could be colder...Tony

Pros: nice setting

Cons: boring menu

03/31/2003 Posted by ginger_snap

Visited Cleveland, stumbled upon this brewpub, and am duly impressed. Beer drinkers will appreciate the hand-crafted beers. Foodies will delight in an ambitious menu. Vegetarians will be amazed at the inclusion of many choices of non-meat items. Service was a bit spotty; ambiance was warm and inviting. The burgers and fries stole the show. If you are a fan of Belgian fries, you want to eat here. If you appreciate good beef, the burgers are to die for. Soft pretzels made with grain used to brew the beer served with various mustards and cheese spreads were wonderful. The bread pudding was scrumptious. Stay away from the "specials" and stick with the standard, tried and true menu items. My party of 6 gave GLBC a big thumbs up. Keep up the good work!

Pros: smoke free, burgers & fries, bread pudding

Cons: dinner specials, crowds

10/24/2002 Posted by CNJones

I love Great Lakes Brewing. This impeccable restaurant/brewery always has a diverse crowd to please any people watcher. It goes without saying, but the food and the beer are out of this world...I've not yet been disappointed with anything I've tried. The Pretzel Chicken and Jack Daniels Bread Pudding is to die for. My absolute favorite dish however was the Squash Ravioli--although I've not seen it on the menu recently. The Stilton Cheddar Cheese soup and the Bratwurst & Pierogi Plate are a nice substite until they bring back my Squash Ravioli.

Pros: Beer, Food, Service

Cons: Parking