Yikes. Went here on New Years, it was my idea, I feel bad that I actually encouraged my cronies to check it out. The Barley House in Cleveland is reasonably fun and not *too* slimy, but this place...well, lets just say that despite having been in clubs where people were doing cocaine off the toilet seats, this is the first place that has ever creeped me out enough to leave immediately. My pal Taylor has many stories about why he won't go to this place, mainly due to the guys at his work bragging about their annihilation of drunken college girls within its walls. I thought "Well, it's New Years, it's First Night, the Cleveland version is okay, let's just try it." Walking in (not recommended), you get a sense that a wet t-shirt contest would actually lessen the sleaze factor. There was a pile of shirtless humans up on the stage (dance floor?) writhing with gobs of drunken desperate hornification. We took a look around, my other friend used the bathroom (also not recommended), and we walked out. Pretty grodie. read more

UPDATE: I was forced to go to the Barley House this past Saturday for a birthday celebration. While most of the group was very drunk, I was waiting for my wine buzz to kick in when I was nearly knocked over by the overwhelming smell of VOMIT that was in EVERY corner of this place. I couldn't even bear the thought of opening my nose or mouth, let alone get a drink or dance the night away! It was explained to me that this smell occurs when the keg barrels are not cleaned properly. One of the bartenders even acknowledged this by spraying her area with perfume, somehow miraculously combining the sent of a frat house with the scent of a whore house. I nearly had to beg my "friends" to leave so I could get some alcohol in me and try to salvage the night. It didn't get much better than that, but at least my thirst was quenched at a decent smelling crap hole down the street. I will avoid this place like the plague FOREVER! read more

there is no reason food at this type of eatery should take over an hour to be served. they had one bar tender and four servers for the entire place on a Saturday evening. if you're not going to staff appropriately then just don't open the doors! absolutely a horrible experience! read more

Since moving into the main strip of downtown Akron, Barley House has been the rave. It is so popular that most of the other staples around there are much emptier than they used to be. After going to Barley House for the first time, I easily understood why. The place is absolutely huge. There are two bars in the place and tons of bartenders to serve people much faster and efficiently. The beers are super cheap - I think the last time I was there a 32oz (maybe 22oz, can't remember) Bud Light draft was $3. On a weekend night. Ridiculous. Amazing. Wow. There are tables everywhere throughout the bar. To the right there are Cornhole sets. The speakers blare all your favorite Top 40 hits so loud you can hardly talk to the people next to you. It's like a huge frat party right in the middle of Akron. Unfortunately, the party starts to get a little too crowded and a little too old pretty early and you eventually start fighting to get to the bar and fighting to walk a few steps. While I used to be able to do this a while ago in college, I'm finding it harder and harder to tolerate every day. A few times it was so loud and crowded that I lost my friends and my cell phone reception was bogged down too much. Not that I could have heard a phone conversation anyway... So while Barley House gets 5 stars for the prices, the space, and the great bartenders, they fall a bit short of perfect when it comes to overcrowding. read more

Like a lot of places, your impression of the Barley House will depend heavily on what time of year, week and day you step inside. I've been in here on some weekend nights (like after a Lock 3 Concert) with a large group of of people and had a fine time - even though I am old enough to be a Dad to most of the regular patrons. When large-scale events are going on downtown, the customer mix is a little broader, and the proportion of twenty-somethings and yes-college douchebags-is lower than normal. I've also been in here on some nights when it was packed - very hard to get a beer or get past the smell of stale beer, dirt and other indescribable stuff. An interesting experience, but perhaps not a pleasant one. My last visit, during a cold winter weekend, was far better. The place was not real busy, so the kitchen had time to prepare our food (party of 5) and the staff was not overwhelmed. Our meals were all excellent - and I resolved to stop in again - probably during some late afternoon or early evening before things get too crazy. My suggestion would always be to stop in an check the place out - if the crowd is too thick or the atmosphere not to your liking, walk out and find another spot to drink and eat. Otherwise, have a seat and enjoy the food. Plenty of TV screens, too - so you won't miss anything if you're into sports. read more

Stopped by while visiting U of A. Large bar, nice and clean...it was the middle of the afternoon and other than the hubs and I, there was only 3 other people within sight. This being the case, one would think the service would be top-notch. That wasn't necessarily the case...wasn't "bad" service but had to offer up that we were ready for another beverage each time. Didn't try any food, drinks only. Had another bartender been on duty, review might have rated higher. We would go back; staff just needs to step it up a notch. read more

Its an ok place to get some sports bar food. After 10 pm it gets annoying. Staff is average. Some of the staff is very good, but that is the luck of the draw. I will be going back though. WARNING: There is a new burger there. It is a spicy one. I can take heat, but I am not a regular fire breather. This is an unnecessarily painfully hot burger. You want to eat hot acid try this burger! read more

I have only stepped foot in this pub/bar in the downtown Akron area for sporting events. This football season I have become a regular along with other friends for Sunday football. For all you guys (or ladies) out there the Barley House seems ideal for the need to watch several football games at one time. They have dozens of flat screen tvs throughout the bar each playing a football game. For all those fantasy football managers out there it seems like the perfect place to drink beer with the rest of your league and see who is going to crush who this Sunday. My favorite part of Sunday football? The veggie burger. Most of the food on the menu is typical pub food, which is surprisingly decent for bar food. Not a 10 but definitely satisfies the afternoon cravings. The veggie burger is one of the best veggie burgers I've had in any restaurant. The first time the waitress put the burger in front of me I sent it back because it looked too much like a real burger. However, imagine my surprise when she brought it back claiming it to be the real thing (or not real thing..)! So, either every week I am getting tricked into eating meat, or they really do have a delicious pub style veggie burger. The only downside to the Barley House is the restrooms. No matter what week the bathrooms are always awful and I hate having to use them. Other than that, the Barley House is a perfect establishment to enjoy all your Sunday football fun! Go Browns! read more

Drinks? Okay, come here. Food? I would suggest eating elsewhere. I. And here a couple times, and both times they were out of something that was ordered. The first time it was wings, the second time it was the Reuben egg rolls. For me it doesn't come off well when the restaurant doesn't have enough food for their patrons to order. On another night a friend was actually able to order their wings and they were okay. I ordered the Reuben sandwich and I was disappointed. By the time I got my plate, the sandwich bottom was completely soggy, which led me to believe my food had been sitting somewhere other than in front of me for a while. The meal comes with actual chips, as I would have preferred my sandwich came with fries. I wouldn't order food here again. They have decent pricing on beers. The drinks are okay pricing, and they come strong. The only reason they have 3 stars instead of 2. read more

Barley House - (Half-Eaten) Reuben sandwich and chips - Sports Bars Near Me - Akron, Ohio

I went here a couple weekends back with my friends to enjoy watching some basketball and have a few beers. The atmosphere was very casual, and while bustling with some activity it was not too loud for conversation. Sitting at the bar the service was prompt and quite courteous. They even had a Jameson rep running around giving out free samples. From my one experience this place seemed like a decent joint to grab a beer. The prices weren't too steep and it had an average selection of drafts and bottles available. There were a decent number of screens available to watch things on, and the seating was decent enough as well. If I find myself in the Akron area I would probably stop by again. read more

Ugh, Barley House NEVER disappoints. This is my go-to food after a long night out, or when I want to binge. I usually order Barley House from Uber Eats, and surprisingly, none of the food is soggy by the time it gets here. My favorites from this place are the Buffalo Chicken Dip, fried Mac n Cheese bites, and their burgers. I try something different every time. They do however, take a while to make their food. You'll be waiting longer than expected, but's it's worth it. read more

The food was alright. It was kind of bland, their pasta sauce I mean. I'm really particular about sauces. The service was good. We didn't get forgotten like Steak n Shake haha. The best dessert I've ever had though! It was a triple layer choclate lava cake or something like that. read more

We all had issues with the food and service but what really bothered all of us (4) was the attitude of the two managers. After our waitress took our orders we waited forever. The girl had too many tables and they appeared to be just as upset as we were. Our food finally arrived and it cold as well as wrong. Overwhelmed waitress & cold/wrong food = We decided to leave. We tried to speak to the managers and were informed by these managers our waitress would have to pay for it if we did not. No offer to make it better or to help her. We felt blackmailed. As we turned to go, I was called a "b----" because we gave the waitress some cash just in case that was true. read more

It's good Bar food, definitely a great hookup spot for meeting friends going to downtown events. Staff is good and friendly. I'll go there every trip to Akron. read more

Only went here for my reunion last year. Drinks were full of ice, and hardly any drink. The atmosphere was pretty good though. We had the whole side with the patio dedicated to our party. read more

The food was decent - I got fish and chips that were yummy, but the cheese-filled pretzels on the appetizer list I would not order again. Also, the fries were really soggy, not crisp at all. The wait staff is really what makes this place lose a few stars - I had to ask 3 times for a water, and our table witnessed the waitress eating food instead of waiting on us when we were ready for round 2. Overall, fine atmosphere and decent food, but I'd rather go elsewhere. read more

I have visited Barley House over 10 times, and like most of the other reviews said: - Seating is a pain - Servers and hostess don't have a clue - It takes forever to get drinks at the bar - Cost of drinks could be a little better - Food is just ok BUT They consistently have good live music. I continue to go here, but because of the issues stated above it's a once a month or less visit. read more

Decent food. Good service. Good prices. Nice for lunch or going in to watch the game(a).

I went to the Barley House on Sunday around 5:40pm. I was there with a friend and I ordered a Barley's Own chicken salad and my friend got a burger and fry's and a long Island. We waited 45 minutes for our food for the waitress to tell us she dropped our whole tray of food. I had somewhere to be so I left and my friend ended up waiting alone for our food. In which neither of us was accommodated for, so the end result was that I ended up paying for both our meals which was cold and my chips were stale by the time I ate them. I am a student at the University of Akron and have been attending the Barley House frequently for the past 4 years, and never have experienced such terrible service. I understand accidents happen but in the end, I ended up paying for the staffs mistakes out of my control. read more

Came on a sunday. First 2 apps we ordered they said they were out of. First two entrees we ordered they were out of. All desserts they were out of. I mean come on. Tell us up front or go to gfs and bulk up. Not to mention the apps were expensive for how much you got. It's bar food for legit restaurant prices and servings. read more

Food was cold when it arrived, it was also very bland. Server was rude when I asked to have the food removed from my bill since I didn't even eat. When it was time to leave I noticed the charge still on there so I asked to speak to a manager because they refused to remove the food. Well the manager of the place was even WORSE than the server. After arguing for 5 minutes they finally waived the item. I left a fat $0 tip and walked out. NEVER GOING BACK! read more

We all liked our meals. Burgers, wraps, flatbreads are awesome. John (the cute waiter) was super nice. read more

Barley House - Sports Bars Near Me - Akron, Ohio

Two is generous because they don't have 1.5. Food is typical barfood. Not great but passable. For a name like barley house, we certainly didn't expect rap music as the house music. Don't dislike rap, but not at dinner on Sunday night. Was so loud I had to ask bartender to turn it down so we could hear each other talk. Service was below average. The place was less than half full but waitress never came to ask how the food was. Food took along time to come out and had to wait forever for the check. Actually considered walking to the door just to see if they'd notice. Will not go back. read more

Stopped in for lunch with friends on a Friday afternoon. Wasn't very crowded, staff were all polite and laid back while our group trickled in. Menu selection was alright, about what I expected in content and price. I had chili (surprisingly good!) and house salad. One thing I liked about the house salad - they didn't throw the entire kitchen sink into it. When I get a small salad, it's a good bet I don't want a 1500 calorie meal. Most places don't seem to understand that; these guys did. If I have a complaint, it's that there are just too many TVs. Seriously, they had every sports network known to man on at least two screens, many on three or four. The reason I don't care for it is simple - it's very hard to converse with anyone without you, them, or both being distracted by a screen. It's just a bit over saturated for my taste. But all in all, I had a good time. read more

I'd love to give this a higher star count, but their service is just poor and that is what bumps them down. The food I would easily give a four or five star on. The beer cheese soup would be a six star if that was possible. The food is really the only reason why my family keeps coming back. The servers are friendly, but extremely slow...even when it isn't busy at all there. If you plan on eating here make sure you have at least an hour and half to spend. read more

Well, what a disappointment this place was wanted to watch the Cavs playoffs game get there at 6 o'clock the only good thing was the waitress. The drink special was pretty good $3 for a bottom shelf Long Island Iced Tea until 9 o'clock. The televisions suck if you're going there to watch the game, they absolutely suck! the band was a couple of 50 year olds trying to play a mix of Irish folk and God knows what else. They totally blew! If you're looking for a place that's large and you want to be an anonymous customer this is the place. But if you want a real pizza that's not frozen or televisions that work or are at least real HD to watch the game on skip this place. The DJ sucked also maybe they should invest in some electronics at this place. Never again. read more

Total college bar. Huge place!! Video games, corn hole, darts etc. Very cool bar to go to on a Thursday-Sunday nights. Haven't had the food from there just the drinks. Bar is in the center of the restaurant. Has 4 garage door windows so if people want to sit outside they can & you will have a great view sitting on the streets of downtown Akron. read more

So stopped in today for lunch the place was pretty empty but looks like a cool place to go for drinks or hear a Dj late at night but don't come here for food it's pretty bad. I got their "special" jalapeño burger but all I tasted was red hot and jalapeño and nothing else no flavor whatsoever and their homemade potato chips which tastes like they got it from a bag. I can make both of these much better at home. I will probably try it out just for drinks and to hear music late at night but would never eat here again read more

love this damn place!!!! my classmates & I always enjoy a cold brew after a late night thursday class. love the bartenders!!!!!!

Went here with a large party...was told they had another large party coming in an hour so it was 'inconvenient' that we were there...simply requested the group be seated in small groups...was told they didn't really have any free tables...then the hostess started seating parties behind us...very rude and not welcoming at all...we left... read more

As a fair warning, please be advised that I have author's Tourette's syndrome, so I may suddenly curse or whatever in mid-sentence during this review! The lady was thinking shepherd's pie. We had errands to run downtown. My lightning quick brain thought, "Barley House! So off we went. It was raining, so we chose to use the parking deck in the rear. There are two entrances, one from the lobby of the building in which it was housed. and another from the street. In keeping with the idea of dry, we chose the former as the elevator from the parking deck emptied out into the lobby. We ambled in, looking for a hostess station, found none, nor any sign instructing one as to what to do, so we sat ourselves at a likely looking table and awaited assistance. The hostess landed upon us, much like the house landed on the wicked witch, from the street entrance area and soundly berated us for having had the gall to seat ourselves, who did we think we were? And we were summarily instructed that during any future visits we were to report to her forthwith and request seating so she can know where we are, mark her little board, and notify the waitress. Obviously another fine product from the nuns at some Catholic school! Bit*h!, as#wipe! Sh%tsmear! Harrumph! Guess we've been told! There were at least forty tables in the expansive bar, I mean 'er restaurant, and perhaps six had patrons. I could definitely see why making that mark on her board was of the up-most importance to keep it all straight! Thankfully the waitress was charming. After placing our drink order, the lady complained about the massive fan overhead drying out her contacts. Changing chairs just didn't do the trick, so I found the hostess, so as to avoid another tongue lashing b8tch, and told her we would like to change tables due to the fan. It was obvious we had gone a long way towards making her day, by the look of disgust tossed our way, but#cheese, but she said go ahead, feverishly erased the little mark on her restaurant seating diagram which represented us, and then in a huff rushed over to our old table with a bottle of Windex and a rag and feverishly removed our foul stench and the imaginary offensive rings left by our iced tea glasses. Something that, by it's appearance, did not take place prior to our having been seated there! Thank goodness she and her Windex were there to keep the house in order and remove any hint of we miscreants who happened into her establishment. As I sat contemplating the various and sundry orifices into which the Windex pump mechanism could be inserted into said hostess, we noted that alas, shepherds pie is served only after 3:00 PM, as the luncheon chef only knows how to make sandwiches and fries! Doubtless one of the many fine graduates from the McDonald's School of the Culinary Arts! Oh well the Thursday burger special will do for the time being...$6.50 for a half pound burger and seasoned fries. And it should be in the chef's wheelhouse! The burgers took a while, and no drink refills were offered during the wait, but they arrived without having withered at the pickup window, and they were reasonably good. In deference to our charming hostess, the next time shepherds pie comes to mind, I'm thinking maybe Mavis Winkles, or Sully's or Kevin O'Bryan's. If you need a quick dose of mother-in-law, or ex-spouse I encourage you to stop in to the Barley House and do anything that comes to mind to annoy the hostess. Satisfaction is guaranteed. But do refrain from punching her out, 'cause that would be bad, and your mama taught you better! read more

The worst experience I have ever had. Staff sucks, food sucks and the bathroom is beyond disgusting! You have been warned!!

Been here a number of times for a draft when doing stuff downtown.Bar staff is good and the appetizers are as well.

Drink Prices are competitive. Barley House's Happy Hour is a very strong one for the surrounding downtown area. $2 for 25oz draft domestics and some $5 small menu items that are usually pretty solid. For being such a big place service is usually pretty good, but then again I sit at the bar, so if you're sitting at a table away from the bar service struggles. They have plenty of TVs for viewing. For those of us who live in Akron I think we all go through a Gross and Hate phase with Barley Blouse, but I always find myself coming in here and enjoying some good beer with friends. (Also, this has to be one of my favorites because 2 years ago they were selling 25oz Great Lakes Christmas Ale for $2.75 YIKES! Unfortunately or maybe FORTUNATELY they don't offer that special anymore during the winter season). read more

I've came here for lunch four times & the food is always mediocre, drinks are noticeably watered down, & the servers seem to hate their job. Save your money & go somewhere else!! read more

Tried to eat here. Twice!. Seems they can't fathom that if there is a concert at the Civic - one block away- they might be busy!. We arrived here about 6:45 and managed to order food and get a few drinks. They apologized for being short staffed. One hour later, still no food. we had to leave to attend the show. Gave it a second shot after the show and they were still short staffed! Waited for 5 minutes at the bar and not even a look from any of the bartenders. We left and went to another place. read more

Barley House is like the Jekyll and Hyde of Akron, Ohio. It's decent during the day, but at night...? Night is the potion. Night is when the monster comes out. This place is a nightmare at night. You'll be lucky to find a place to sit, navigating the crowd is a bitch, and you'll have to wait at the bar for a VERY long time to get a few (standard fare) beers. The bouncers aren't exactly rude, but they give off the kind of vibe you'd get from the average prison guard: a bit dull, and itching for a reason to beat something. However, going here in the afternoon or early evening is much nicer. The food is good, seating is easy to find, and service isn't anything to complain about. It gets two stars because, like the story goes, Hyde's atrociousness far outweighed Jekyll's mild-mannered behavior. read more

I should preface this review with a very, very important note: I usually only go to the Barley House on Tuesdays with the student organization I'm a member of, so my experiences have been somewhat different than those who come on the weekend. Our group has a regular waitress, Jessica, and she's always amazing to us. She's a great server, very prompt, and courteous. She's never disappointed us. However, on days when Jessica's been off, the other waitresses (there are no male waiters, by the way) have been HORRIBLE. Jessica is a blessing, and fortunately she's scheduled to work every Tuesday because of how much we like her. That said, they're terribly understaffed even though they know that we bring in a group of 40+ every Tuesday. Jessica usually only has one other waitress (if that) there helping her when we bring in a group that big, but service is still decent considering. I've read a lot of reviews on Yelp about the cleanliness of Barley House, but I've never had a huge problem with that. Granted, I'm sure people are less sloppy drunk during the week, so take that as you will. During the week, it's relatively clean and the environment is fun. Tuesdays is karaoke / Barley Feud night, which always makes for an eventful evening. The DJ panders to our group and plays music that we enjoy, which is greatly appreciated. As for the food, it's decent for bar food. They have inexpensive options that fit into any college student's budget, and even have a $2.99 burger and fries deal with the option to substitute a veggie burger. Over all, my experience with Barley house has been generally positive. However, I came on a Friday once. My favorite drink at Barley is called the "Lucky Leprechaun." It's $5, but completely worth it. One of my best friends was in town, and knowing her taste in beverages I convinced her to go with me to Barley to try the drink. We got there and, as many other reviews here state, the bar was filthy. Every surface was sticky, we couldn't get service aside from the bar, and the music was excessively loud. Barley doesn't feel like a dance club to me, but apparently the owners disagree. On Tuesdays Barley is a chill sports/karaoke bar, but on the weekend it takes a teen werewolf-esque turn for the worse. If I wanted to go to a sleazy dance club I would go to the Interbelt or the Lux down the street, so I was pretty surprised to find out that Barley turns into a horrible hybrid of a dance club, a sports bar, an Irish pub, and a urinal/puke bucket on the weekend. Instead of sitting down to eat, we decided to just get some Lucky Leprechauns and get the hell out of there before the smell of skank, vomit, and garbage on the air absorbed too deeply into our pores. We got our drinks pretty quickly, and I prepped my friend for a party in her mouth. Unfortunately, there was a party but everybody had violent stomach flu. The Lucky Leprechaun on Tuesdays and the Lucky Leprechaun of the weekend are completely different things. While Jessica makes her Leprechauns with love and fairy dust (and generous amounts of liquor) the bartenders on the weekend make it with abject hatred and goat piss. Maybe a little bit of lime juice, too. I don't think the recipe was followed at all, because I've made Leprechauns for myself and they've tasted more or less how Jessica prepares them. Something else that should be stated is that Barley attracts the lowest common denominator of human being on the weekend. On the Friday that I was there I actually saw a man with a shirt bearing the text, "I (Heart) Vagina." Way to go, douchebag frat boy, that's just super good for you. Conclusion: Barley on Tuesdays is wonderful with a fun environment. Barley on the weekend is a piss and vomit-filled clusterfrak and you'd be better off going pretty much anywhere else. Even though the latter experience was terrible, my good experiences with Barley greatly outweigh the negatives. I would give it 2.5 stars if I could, but I'll give it three since Yelp doesn't like decimals. I don't have any anecdotal evidence to back up this theory, but I'm sure that their veggie burger is still good on the weekends... read more

Made a mistake today. Thought I could have an early lunch. Server was non existent. She would not write the order down so it came out all wrong. Then the second time it came out cold. Food was bad, service worse. Hope it is not something that happens often. read more

So good!!! The nacho burger is the best thing on the menu!! It's a burger with good spicy queso cheese, a couple tortilla chip and a thick bun. The fries are also amazing! The service was good too. By lots of construction tho so I recommend walking there because you won't find parking really close read more