Line Brew Reserve — Restaurant in Almaty

Visited in September 2025. Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 Almaty.

Line Brew is a decent Irish-style pub grill bar with a summer terrace, decked out in dark wood tones for a cozy, tavern-like vibe. We opted for the terrace, taking advantage of the pleasant weather.

FOOD:

The menu focuses on grilled dishes, steaks, European cuisine, and beer-friendly snacks. Craving meat, we went for the grill options: a ribeye steak, their signature beef rib burger, and a mushroom-chicken julienne. The ribeye was made from quality meat with a sweet, flavorful fat, and though the doneness was only right on the second try, it was juicy and chewy, despite occasional sinewy bits. The signature burger, however, was a major letdown. It looked impressive with a bone-in rib you could easily pull out for a dramatic presentation, but the meat was dry, tough, and flavorless, like overcooked beef with no smoky or grilled essence—nearly impossible to chew. At our request, it was replaced with beef stroganoff, which was acceptable but still had some chewy pieces and overly large mushroom chunks. The mushroom-chicken julienne was decent but skimped on the chicken, leaving it underwhelming.

SERVICE:

The service was a bright spot. Our waitress was attentive, well-versed in the menu, and handled our complaints swiftly, replacing the disappointing burger without hesitation, which helped smooth over the experience.

VERDICT:

Honestly, Almaty has better spots for a great grill. Perhaps we caught Irwin Grill Bar on an off day, but it felt like a one-time visit that doesn’t stand out. Located at a hotel, it might work for a quick lunch, but it doesn’t demand...

Awful experience having dinner tonight. Solo business traveller - service was cold and and unfriendly - the wait staff need to smile and make an effort Ordered the black Angus steak which was so tough I could not even cut through it. I left it on my plate on the side of the table, clearly was not eating it and no one asked if my meal was ok- even when they (eventually) cleared my plate after more than 30 minutes they did not mention the untouched steak. When I told them it was too tough to eat, the waitress and manager argued in Russian in front ont of my and the immediate response was ' we cannot remove from the bill' (via phone translate app) I'm a business traveller, I don't care if I pay for a meal- that wasn't the point, but the way it was handled was totally unprofessional. Maybe this place is ok if you speak the language but definitely do not recommend for English speaking people (none of the staff spoke English). So many better options in Almaty with good food and friendly service, don't wasted your time...

Mi trovo spesso ad Almaty per lavoro e questo locale mi è stato consigliato dai mie colleghi. Avevo grandi aspettative ma effettivamente devo rimandare le 5 stelle alla prossima cena. Il locale è molto bello ed accogliente, ambiente pulito ed il sabato sera abbiamo trovato un'ottima band con musica dal vivo non troppo chiassosa. Buono il menù con ampia scelta di carni, antipasti e contorni. Personalmente ho preso una t-bone steack ed è stata una grande delusione, poco saporita ed abbastanza secca, quasi avesse "riposato" troppo. All 'onor del vero amici hanno preso altri tipi di carne e si sono trovati benissimo, quindi credo sia stata solo una scelta sbagliata. La prossima volta tornerò per provare altri tipi di carne. Buona la scelta di vini anche se un pochino costosi per il Kazakistan.

I often find myself in Almaty for work, and this place was recommended to me by my colleagues. I had high expectations, but I’ll have to save the 5 stars for next time. The restaurant is very nice and welcoming, with a clean atmosphere, and on Saturday night we enjoyed a great live band that wasn’t too loud. The menu is good, offering a wide selection of meats, appetizers, and side dishes. Personally, I had a T-bone steak, and it was a big disappointment—rather bland and quite dry, almost as if it had been "resting" too long. To be fair, my friends ordered other types of meat and were very satisfied, so I believe it was just a poor choice on my part. Next time, I’ll return to try other cuts of meat. The wine selection is good, although a bit pricey...