Iechyd Da Brewing Company — Restaurant in Elkhart

Iechyd Da has long been a favorite of mine: A go-to spot for team celebrations where we’d enjoy great food and spend a lot of money. However, after a recent, deeply troubling experience, I will never return, and I feel compelled to share the specifics of what happened to warn others about the unacceptable treatment of individuals with disabilities at this establishment.

Last, we went to celebrate, and one of my friend’s husbands, who requires a service dog, was shockingly harassed by an employee the moment he walked through the door. Despite the dog being clearly marked as a service animal and them having the appropriate documentation, the employee made a beeline toward him and rudely declared, "no dogs allowed."

My friends calmly explained that it was a service dog, which is protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Instead of understanding or complying with the law, the employee asked an illegal and invasive question: “Why do you need a service dog?” Under the ADA, businesses are not permitted to ask about the nature of a person’s disability. They may only ask two questions:

1. Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
2. What task or work has the dog been trained to perform?

This employee blatantly violated those legal guidelines. When my friends politely reminded her that she couldn’t ask for specific information about the disability, she arrogantly claimed she had the right to do so. After reluctantly explaining the medical need for the service dog, the employee took it upon herself to decide that the reason “didn't qualify,” which is another violation of the ADA. No business is allowed to determine whether a disability qualifies or not. Service dogs are legally recognized if they are trained to perform specific tasks that assist a person with a disability.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, the employee further humiliated my friends by insisting the service dog stay hidden under the table. Not only is this inappropriate, but it also disregards the requirement that service dogs must be allowed to accompany their handlers wherever the public is allowed to go.

The harassment continued when the employee returned a short while later with a highlighted paper, once again challenging the validity of the service dog. At this point, numerous ADA laws had been broken: Failure to allow access to a service animal Asking illegal questions about the person’s disability Challenging the legitimacy of a service dog based on her own, unqualified judgment Attempting to limit the dog’s ability to perform its job by restricting its placement

My friends were publicly embarrassed and made to feel deeply uncomfortable in a space that is supposed to accommodate all people, regardless of their disability. The fact that the laws—laws designed to protect individuals with disabilities—were so blatantly ignored and broken by this establishment is appalling.

Until this incident, Iechyd Da was a place we regularly brought our team, where we spent a lot of money, and we even had employees who were regulars. But after witnessing such blatant discrimination and disregard for federal laws, we will never return. I strongly urge others to reconsider giving their business to a place that has shown such disrespect and ignorance when it comes to supporting people with disabilities. I also hope my friends pursue legal action because this kind of behavior is not only morally wrong but also a clear...

Hands down, Iechyd Da is my brew pub of choice. We travel from 40 minutes away every chance we get to enjoy the nearly perfect food, the superb quality and variety of craft beer, and the cozy, laid-back atmosphere.

For the food, the range of variety is just enough to satisfy anyone's appetite but refined enough to not slack on quality. Speaking of quality, they are doing everything right here. Unique ingredients and flavor combinations of their pizza and sandwiches are refreshing to see here in the Midwest. Nothing has disappointed in any of our visits. Any "foodie" would find heaven behind these doors.

Now for the beer. Oh the beer. There's always something for every beer drinker on the ever revolving menu. The revolving beer list will ensure you are in for a treat and are never bored. It's sad to see some of the favorites go due to their seasonal ingredients, but when they're back it gets downright exciting. My personal favorite would be the award winning Breakfast Cookies. There is also a couple of carry-out options in the form of growlers and the recently added large cans. Just amazing.

Last, but certainly not least, the atmosphere. Few places, especially brew pubs and the like, are as warm and inviting as Iechyd Da. There is no wait staff, saving you money, all orders are placed at the large and welcoming bar. With oversized tables and booths the place almost demands that you socialize and meet your fellow diners and brew lovers. There's also an outside area with tables for those who enjoy it. Plus, the bathroom walls double as chalkboards, which is always entertaining.

In conclusion, if you appreciate high quality food, superior beer, and a laid back experience, do not hesitate to stop in. There is no better place...

HIGHLY RECOMMEND! We were in town for a few days getting some work done on our RV. Asked the ladies at Morryde what pub or brewery they'd recommend in town. BOTH said Iechyd Da and we were not disappointed.

Arrived at 5:30 and found two seats at the bar. I loved sitting at the bar for a few reasons: 1. We had Heather's attentiveness and knowledge right at our beck and call. 2. Did not have to stand in line to order food. 3. Heather!

We tasted every one of the beers they had on tap. We opted for the 5 oz size of 4 different selections. The most memorable was the Dragon's Lair, a really nice stout.

Gotta have food with your beer! We started with the Brewer's Break Plate that came with two kinds of sliced meat, stuffed peppadews, fresh mozzarella drizzled with balsamic, roasted red peppers and crackers. Yum!

We could have stopped with just that but we had to determine if Iechyd Da had a better reuben than "The Vine" where we ate on Monday night. (The Vine claims to have "The Best Reuben In Town"). For comparison, Iechyd Da's sandwich had more meat, more sauce and less bread than the reuben we had at The Vine. In our opinion, Iechyd Da wins the best reuben in town award. It's important to note... the pictured reuben below is half a sandwich. The kitchen split it for us and hubs had the other half.

By the time we were done and paid the bill, we spent about $60 (and that includes tip and an $18 t-shirt!). The only disappointment I had at Iechyd Da was that they aren't open on Monday and Tuesday! But, hey, everyone needs a "weekend". When we left at about 6:45, there were people standing at the door waiting for a seat.

Great food, great beer, great atmosphere and HEATHER! See y'all next time we...