East Branch Brewing Company — Restaurant in Downingtown

I had really high hopes for East Branch Brewing Company because I’d heard good things, but I honestly haven’t been this disappointed in a long time. We went on a Friday around 5 and sat at the bar. The place wasn’t busy at all—maybe 2 to 4 other people sitting at the bar besides us—yet our bartender barely paid us any attention, spending most of the time chatting with other guests. Oddly enough, I got more attention from the girl who filled my water and cleared plates than from the person actually serving us.

On top of that, even though it wasn’t busy, it was still surprisingly hard to hear. The space doesn’t seem to have much sound absorption, so you can barely hear your server who’s standing right in front of you.

We ordered a few things:

Fried Goat Cheese – Good, but honestly it’s hard to mess that up.

Brisket Noodles – My husband enjoyed them and they definitely packed heat, but I felt like the dish was missing a sweetness to balance it out. I also don’t think brisket was the right protein—it felt heavy and dry compared to how nicely pork belly might have worked.

EBBC Dry Rubbed Wings – This was the biggest letdown. They were cooked so dry I could barely eat half of them, and you can literally see in the photo how burnt most were. I get that they’re smoked wings, but these were beyond overdone. Sauce or no sauce, they shouldn’t have been sent out like that, especially when the kitchen wasn’t busy. I can’t believe a chef looked at them and thought they were okay to serve.

Dessert was another disappointment with only one option available, which felt like an afterthought for a place trying to be a full dining experience.

The one saving grace was that my husband did enjoy his beer. So maybe this is a good spot if you’re only coming for drinks and don’t care much about the food. But for me, I go out wanting great food first and good drinks second, and East Branch Brewing Company really...

Went here on the second day their kitchen was open. In short, I highly recommend East Branch Brewing to anyone who enjoys delicious food, incredible beer, and a warm inviting atmosphere.

Even though the kitchen had only officially been open for about one full day there were no hiccups or mistakes made during our visit.

We managed to grab seats at the bar with a party of 3 after ordering our drinks and chatting for about 5 minutes. We ordered our meals, where I got the brisket with a side of kimchi. I also had the opportunity to try the fried chicken and pimento cheese.

All of the food was incredible -- the brisket was seasoned perfectly to allow the flavor of the meat to be the star of the show, and the kimchi was a perfect side for any dish. I promise you, the brisket is so perfectly done that you don't even need a knife -- it will pull apart easily with just a fork.

As for the atmosphere it was the perfect balance of excitement and relaxation/unwinding. Don't be alarmed if a friendly neighbor strikes up a conversation about how great the food is at the bar, but if you'd rather simply enjoy your meal you can certainly do that as well. There's a pool table that surprisingly does not dominate the room in the space required, and some small side rooms that have retro-style arcade games -- but again, you might not even notice these on your first visit because it's laid out so well.

As for prices, they are incredibly reasonable.

All in all, I absolutely recommend this place to everyone. Even if it looks crowded when you show up, don't be afraid to sidle up to the bar, grab a beer, and socialize while you wait for your table to open up. I can promise that you...

This place is a hidden gem in Downingtown. I’ve gone by here numerous times over the past few months and never bothered to stop in, as it appears to be just another brewery. But the difference here is that the food is actually outstanding at this place, when compared against your typical craft beer establishment. The brisket sandwich was absolutely wonderful and is a nice surprise for this area. Having lived throughout the south and in Texas, I’m picky with barbecue, but I can definitely say this sandwich would hold its own against any great barbecue sandwich found in other parts of the country. The meat had wonderful flavor and the coleslaw and roll were excellent, as well. My wife ordered the pimento cheese and bread, and it was divine. Putting some of this cheese on the sandwich was also a nice touch.

The beer here is very good and the selection is quite plentiful. I’m not a huge fan of obscure craft beer offerings, and I prefer a traditional lager or pilsner, and the couple drinks I ordered here really hit the spot. One of the best craft lagers I’ve had in a while.

Overall, this place is a great spot to grab a decent sandwich or small meal while having a few pints with friends. The building is an older building that preserves a lot of its charm from the past, and the space is very open, which does provide one negative aspect. It was EXTREMELY LOUD inside! I mean loud like you have to yell at one another. But even with this issue I still consider this place to be 5-stars. Great food and service, and the prices were...