Proof Brewing Company — Restaurant in Tallahassee

We have used Proof Brewing Company as a private event venue for our company parties for as long as I can remember. I cannot say enough extraordinary things about the venue and the people. The venue is expansive, and offers lots of nook and crannies to setup different things. The bank of high-top bar tables when you first walk in provide the perfect location for your welcome information and giveaways, the area with couches and coffee tables is great to setup a little area for the kiddos, and the outdoor patios (with heaters for those cooler nights) are outstanding. We host with an open bar, and there is not a guest request the bartenders have not been able to accommodate over the years.

The food is incredible! Our guests all expect to see burgers and French fries, but Proof’s catering menu rivals the best catering companies in town! From house pimento cheese with porter braised candied bacon and green onion in a mini phyllo cup, to sous vide garlic baby octopus. Every bite is amazing, and the food is attended by a team who keeps it stocked and fresh at all times. For the first events we were afraid to order some of the cold seafood dishes like oysters, ceviche, and shrimp since we used to work for catering companies, and have high standards for food safety and the presentation. Let me tell you… the kitchen team is trained well, thoughtful, and over-the-top accommodating.

Overall, Proof’s communication and organization leave nothing to be desired. We used to purposefully change venues for our events to other local restaurants and bars, but have not done so since the first time we hosted at Proof Brewing Company. The location is run and staffed by some of the most genuine, hard-working people, and we cannot sing their praises enough.

Tried to find a good video for those interested in hosting a private event at Proof to get an idea of the space, so I found an old video at https://youtu.be/sOrEMvrMwk4 if that helps anyone in seeing the layout....

I have been patronizing Proof for a few years now and I usually have a good time there but what happened the other day was so ridiculous that I had to write about it.

I’ve always seen this place as family friendly. I go there all the time with my daughter, get a beer, and let her run around their patio.

A couple of days ago I went there with my cousins, my cousin’s daughter, my sister, my aunt, and my 12 year old niece. The girl “greeting” us was extremely rude from the get go. We all showed our IDs and then she asks if I’m my niece’s father. I said no, she is my niece, and she is with me. She then said that she wouldn’t allow us to come in because I’m not the father!

This is beyond ridiculous. If I had said that I was indeed her father, what is the logical next step? Would I be asked to prove that she is my daughter? I have been all over town to all kinds of businesses and family friendly bars (including Proof with my daughter) and never once has anyone dared to ask such a ridiculous question and then force us to leave.

There’s always a lot of families in the business. Are they all being scrutinized like I was? Was I singled out?

After being asked to leave we quietly left the place. I guess the manager realized the ridiculousness of the whole situation, particularly since he has seen me there so many times, so he came out to the parking lot and told me that he would allow us to come in. Even though I appreciate the gesture, I will find it difficult to go back any time soon. It’s not like they are the only brewery or family friendly bar/lounge in town.

Just know that if you come to this place with your family you will be scrutinized more than the TSA would at...

Something bad is happening to this place. I've been going to Proof for six years now, but whatever's going on at the new location is disturbing. The food started off good a few months ago, but now the quality is abysmal. The fries in particular make me cry, they used to be crispy and delicious but now they're soggy, stale, and extremely over-seasoned, like the ones I used to get at middle school. They're closer to something you'd get at Arby's than a gastropub. My air fryer makes better fries than their restaurant, let that sink in. And now the bartenders will no longer serve samples of their beers to you before you buy then, something I've never heard of coming from any brewery, and I've been to a lot of them. I talked to the bartenders about it and they said they thought it was a really dumb idea, but that someone in upper management told them to stop. I can't agree more with the bartenders, it's a really dumb idea, and it's worrying not only that the upper management doesn't realize how bad it is but also that they don't seem to care about the opinions of their bartenders. At first I was super excited about the new location since it's in walking distance from my house, but I think I'm going to be avoiding it for the foreseeable future, which is a shame because while Proof has never been my favorite brewery, I've always thought they were at least pretty good. No longer; they've clearly sold out and have no interest in providing a quality craft service. Steer clear, this place is going...