South Bend Brew Werks — Restaurant in South Bend

SBBW is really great. It's just a small place next to the State Theatre. If you blink, you will miss it. I live and work in South Bend. I deliver bottled water for a "hometown" major distributor, so, I am quite familiar with a lot of companies and restaurants. I happened to find a "SB-150" pint glass SBBW sold for a brief time. It took me a while to find out what the gear wheel with "SBBW" in an "X" which somewhat resembles a rail road crossbuck. After researching, I found South Bend Brew Werks and decided to check it out and maybe see if I could still get one or two SB-150 pint glasses to match the one I found. They were a limited item and are no longer available which I am sad about, howerver, they do have SBBW pint glasses for a REDICULOUSLY cheap price, considering you can go to Starbucks and pay an arm, a leg, a lung and possibly a kidney for one of their"trademark" cups. $5.00 for really cool unique pint glass. And, it's good quality too, it's not a "Dollar store" type, it's pretty sturdy and heavy. In my opinion, well worth the $5.00 and a great conversation item, especially if you have out-of-town friends or relatives who like small brew, sort of like Goose Island was before they sold out and became a national name. They also have all wood coasters with the SBBW logo, pins, bottle opener key chains and apparel with the logo. The apparel can be a bit pricy, but, considering they are a local, small brew pub, they can't do bulk like a major franchise, which, can and have been known to sell t-shirts for 30.00 to$40.00. One really cool club SBBW offers is what they call "The Stein Club". It$45.00 for membership, you get a pint Stein, (I believe all the club members steins are hanging on the wall), and I believe every month, you get to try a new beer from a local micro-brewry. It's pretty cool. I used to drink beer when I was a little younger, but, since i have gotten married, I just don't drink it anymore. I drink something I can share with my son, like root beer. Which brings me to my next subject. SBBW brews an offers their own brand of root beer; "1919". This is pretty awesome for people like me who don't drink, or, if you stop in for a burger and have the kiddos with you. I have had some great root beer and I am actually sort of a root beer connoisseur. For $12.00, you can purchase a "1919" growler, or, if you prefer, a "SBBW" logo growler and they will fill it, not like some other places, you pay for the bottle and give you some root beer with it. SBBW, fills it! They KNOW how to take care of their guests! The bar tender even checked the amount in the growler, WITH A FLASH LIGHT, to ensure I was getting a FULL growler! As I said, I have had some great root beer. Most of which was just short of taking out a mortgage to pay for. SBBW's 1919 is the best I have had in along time! Once you taste it, it doesn't have the overly sweet taste like big brands have. Right away, you can tell 1919 is made with ONLY, "REAL" cane sugar and not "high fructose corn syrup". You can taste the root beer, not the sweetener. The consistency is OUTSTANDING! it looks like a fine Bock Beer in the pint glass. When you pour it, it maintains at least a 1" foam head. My son was so astonished, he asked if he had a moustache after trying his first drink. When you go to SBBW, if you try their beer, you have to try the "1919" as well. The 1919 growler, like the pint glasses, are an excellent conversation piece. The neat thing is, you can refill it for a minimal cost, or, display it as a show piece. What makes it so remarkable; in big numbers is, "1919". Right below it, is why SBBW named their root beer "1919". It all has to do with prohibition and is a REALLY fascinating reason and story. If SBBW grows, which I hope they do, I do hope they stay local in South Bend and don't go national. Going commercial would ruin this great...

This weekend we landed in south bend for a hockey Tournament . Staying in a university town often leads to many searches in where to eat. The reviews for Brew Werks were hit and miss. With three hungry kids we took a chance. My family are those pretentious food eaters everyone cringes about....we like good food! I have to say this place delivered!! Great local in house beer to start. Hummus is divine, not a classic hummus..spiced (not Spicy) up and whipped into a creamy frenzy, perfect with those warm pitas and veg. Fresh salsa and homemade tortillas. Brisket and jacked up potato salad (that was spicy!), flatbread with fresh basil pesto and fig drizzle, creamy Mac and cheese and another flat bread with a creamy garlic sauce and chunks of artichoke. So the flat bread had a bit much cheese, the nachos had some processed cheese. If you look past those small details, this was some creative work going on in the kitchen! Are the portions small? Maybe, but normal...like not feeding a family with one dish. Expensive? 104, before tip...5 people, apps and 4 beers.. I would of paid almost 200 cdn back home. The service was fantastic, our family unanimously decided we would adopt our waitress if we could. Not sure what the bad reviews about food were, what’s your food standard? Is it fresh and homemade with creativity? If not, this won’t be the place for you! Great find and a...

I've been here twice while traveling for work in the South Bend area. Both times were unremarkable. I like having a nice local beer wherever I am traveling, and the beers I have tried here have always been pleasant but nothing to wrote home about; try a flight if uncertain.

I've gotten food here twice, and the most recent mac and cheese was definitely prepared ahead of time and frozen, to be re-heated later. When it was served to me, the edges were as hot as the surface of the sun and the middle was just lukewarm. It tasted good, though.

My biggest gripe is that the service level seems to be completely lacking. On my first visit, (seated outdoors) the waitress clearly wanted to be anywhere but at SBBW. Her level of attention and service was sub-par at best. She seemed annoyed that we were there. My party was lucky enough to get her AGAIN on our second visit, and it was obvious not much had changed. She was still distant and not incredibly enthused to be there.

I love that this restaurant donates locally to worthy causes based on your purchases of beer. I think, however, that the bottle cap gimmick is a bit far reaching. Just tell everyone that their beer purchases are going to a named local charity - there is no reason to give the choice...