Portneuf Valley Brewing — Restaurant in Pocatello

I started coming to PVB in 2002 when I moved here for college. I've come literally every week or bi weekly at the most for 20 years. I've had study sessions there, dates, business meetings, and taken my own students there when I started teaching. I've always tipped handsomely, been patient when food was slow or bad, or beer was flat (which has happened often). Ive supported it when it was busy and popular and when it has been absolutely a dead ghost town. Either way i bring friends and family to support it. My wife and I come here weekly still for date night because this was always a conformable place. But over the last year, the service has gotten progressively worse, and the staff more rude. Tonight was the last straw. We showed up and it was moderately busy, but still plenty of seating available. No one was at the bar or at the front, so we grabbed menus and started seating ourselves as we always have over the years (it's often understaffed or no one around when you enter). Penny, the owner came up to the front, rudely grabbed the menus from our hands, and said she is seating people tonight and we will just have to wait! We were embarrassed and tried to explain we didn't see anyone up front...but before I could even get it out, she looked straight through us like we didny exist, and started seating the people behind up. My wife and I just looked at each in shock, and said they truly don't want us here anymore I guess. It was bizarre to be treated like that anywhere, but after seeing out faces come in literally hundreds of times over the years makes it especially hard to swallow. Some of the waitresses are super sweet to us and recognize us and treat us so well, but penny evidently is more interested in serving tourists or out of towners more then people that have supported her for years. Oh well...there we will cross this place off the list and become "regulars"...

6-8 years ago... My best beer buddies and I stopped in at PVB on the way to a very important beer trip to Jackson. That trip was great, but what we remembered most was the good beer and the great food at PVB. We had the entire beer lineup a couple times over and all the boys had food and shared appetizers. Hands down, the best appetizers were the pretzel and the nachos. Maybe the best monster mahogany Bavarian pretzel in Idaho. Serious.

Not anymore.

Most recent visit, the flight and all the beers were warm and completely flat and oxidized. I ordered a pint of the Octoberfest because I figured that was the freshest and should be the best, but even that was flat and warm.

But what really bothered me was the pretzel and the nachos we ordered.

The "chipotle chicken" nachos were absent anything chipotle and the chicken resembled deli sliced chicken... Who puts sliced iceberg lettuce on nachos just to sog things out?? So amazingly average and just not really trying at all.

The "pretzel" was undercooked PIZZA dough with no salt and zero browning... I even asked, "if it was an authentic pretzel that was brown with plenty salt?" The server assured me it was. It was raw dough in the middle.

I've stopped at PVB most times I've been/passed through Pocatello for the last 15ish years.

The most recent was tough... Really tough.

If the next visit isn't miles better, we will always just move on to OfR.

I hate giving only 3 stars, but really it should probably be...

My wife and I have had family business in Pocatello recently. We were here two months ago and this last week. Both times we had the pleasure of taking the time to enjoy great meals at Portneuf Valley Brewing. Pocatello is fortunate to have such a high quality brewpub / restaurant nestled in by the railroad tracks in the shadow of the Benton Street overpass. We usually try IPA's, various food, and we place high value on ambiance. These pleasant folks scored high in all three areas both times we were there. Different bartender / servers both times were pleasant, helpful, and efficient. The IPA's were excellent and we love the feel of the place built into the older building in Poky's old industrial district. We usually order separate meals and share along with appetizers to get a broader taste of the menu. Both times we tried different menu items and we were not disappointed. Everything we've tried has been top notch and worth going back for which we will definitely do the next chance we get. Portion size? These good folks serve enough that we had extra to pack up and take on the plane, both times! Oh, this last time we discovered an extra plus. If you go late afternoon or early evening, be sure to sit out on their West facing back deck and enjoy the warm sun with your meal as it sets. Our take? Five well deserved stars... you would have to try pretty hard to be disappointed with this pleasant, high quality...