We were visiting Harrisonburg for the weekend and after looking on Yelp for a good place to have dinner on a Saturday night, we decided on Capital Ale House. Lots of prom kids and college students filled the place. We were quickly seated in a nice booth and Nate our server helped us with some stout beers. We had a milk stout and a caramel macchiato stout the latter of which was the best. Looking at the menu I have to say it was not your standard ale house fair. It was definitely "elevated" in this regard. We asked to split a 2 soft shell entree with broccolini & seasoned mash, a bowl of crab bisque and a pierogi sampler. We also asked for an extra plate, to which Nate said he would take care of it. When the food arrived it was divided perfectly. Nate had split the bowl of soup into 2 small bowls and he divided the entree and sides onto 2 plates. The soft shell crabs were HUGE, the largest I had ever seen, and crisply fried to perfection. The sides were equally exquisite in their flavor and preparation. The crab bisque was loaded with fresh lump crabmeat and perfectly seasoned. The pirogies were also excellent in flavor and presentation. It was the most satisfying meal I'd had in a while (could be because I was craving soft shells) Needless to say we were very happy with the food in every way and were stuffed as we asked for the check. Nate/Nathaniel really made the experience as he was highly attentive, though caring for many tables, and was quick to take care of our every need. The place was really rocking with customers and everyone there was having a great time. We'll definitely be back and let everyone we know what a top notch establishment Capital Ale House in Harrisonburg is. read more

Dinner for us this evening was a real treat. Appetizer was shrimp and spinach dip with crab bisque as an addition. Dip was good but the bisque was fabulous! My daughter chose shrimp tacos while I went with fish tacos. Both were a nice variation with a hint of cold slaw and a nice late bite spice. Like the atmosphere and location. Add it to your list of possible dinner locations. read more

We saw Facebook ads and decided to try it out during Happy Hour Thursday. We were seated in the middle of very loud college kids in the upper deck, and then ignored for over 10 minutes. We stopped a guy delivering beer to ask when we would be served. He got our waitress who was far from friendly. It was almost too hard for her to take the food and the drink orders at once because she kept getting it wrong. And of course, it was. She completely forgot about our appetizer until after we had mentioned it several times during our meal. We had to keep flagging her down to refill our drinks. The check had regular instead of happy hour pricing (thankfully i asked to see the breakdown when she just wanted our card). The beer was ok, the food was mediocre, and the service sucked!! read more

Capital Ale House - Margherita pizza - American Near Me - Harrisonburg, Virginia

Truly amazing draft list! They also have mid day food specials. The burger was really yummy. Parking across the street to the side of the building is somewhat hard to find. read more

WOW!!! Great place and delicious food. Service was on par! Can't believe I've never dined here before, yet glad to have gone. Food was plentiful and delicious. NO Shrinkgation going on at this establishment. Shrimp tacos were stuffed with shrimp and Club sandwich was massive... Please Go, Dine, and support this local gem in a cutesy small town setting. You'll be glad you did!! My son says be sure to grab an original local beer read more

See all

Honestly one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. Went on a Saturday night so bound to be a little busier, also some attending from prom. Called in advance to see if we could make a reservation and they said no reservations. When we arrive and wait for ~25 minutes with 7 open tables, I ask why the tables are open... they had reservations?! Is there a 24 hour limit or something I didn't know about? Can I not make a same day reservation? As soon as I was about to leave for another restaurant, we got seated and I really wish we didn't. The pretzel appetizer we ordered arrived 2 minutes before the meals, so much for eating this before the main course. Two of us ordered soup, SOUP... a meal that should not be rocket science to prepare. The soup took approx. 20 minutes and came out with our meal? Not even an appetizer at that point. Two of us ordered burgers and I really hope I don't get sick - the burger was cold, didn't have grill marks, and the medium rare had uncooked juice pouring out with a nice red inside. I'm honestly not even sure if they cooked this on the grill, it tasted like it was microwaved. One of us had to send it back and the other finished maybe half. Not sure if I'd even want my dog to eat that burger lol. If you're going to have a restaurant built to serve large amounts of people, you should probably be prepared to serve large amounts of people. I'd look elsewhere if you're in Harrisonburg. read more

Restaurant was not too busy early Sunday evening. They were out of several flavors of ciders, but the server recommended alternative options. Our meals were delivered quickly to the table. I tried the Mexicali Salad. It was flavorful and quite spicy with the jalapeño ranch dressing. If you are sensitive to spice levels, you might choose the regular ranch dressing, or ask to leave some of the jalapeños off the salad. My wife had the fish tacos, which are always her "go-to" and have never let her down! My son had a burger and seemed pleased with it. read more

Great food and great service. Calm and relaxing compared to other nearby establishments. We liked it so much we went two days in a row!

We were down in Hburg for a week and went to Capital Ale House twice. The food was pretty good - fried calamari was meh, entrees were good. I thought it had better variety than other restaurants of the type in the area. Drinks were good, service was good. The first time we went there was a young woman handling the whole bar, which was fairly large and well occupied, and managed it all very competently. If you are fond of beer, there is a HUGE selection from which to choose! Holy moly. It was interesting to note who goes to Capital Ale House. Small groups, celebratory slightly larger groups (family birthday? Bridal shower?) An occasional person eating alone at the bar, which wouldn't feel awkward given the layout. Older people, younger people, everyone in between. And on Friday, every seat was occupied! This place is popular. I suspect the daily specials help - there's always something appealing being offered. We will be back. read more

We absolutely had one of the best Dining experiences we've had in the past 35 years. The food is fresh and tastes.The options were great. Above all else; Amelia our waitress was incredible; her attention to detail was THE BEST. She noticed the small things, asked the right questions, and took care of everything. It's associates like Amelia that causes us to become loyal patrons read more

If ever at Capital Ale, the pretzel is a must. And the beer cheese to go along with it. Food has always been very good. Burgers are always amazing. Huge assortment of drinks to choose from. Local gem - the outdoor seating is always pleasant in the summer as well. read more

Monday was burger night so most of us got burgers and were not disappointed. Fries on the side cost almost as much as the burger special and they were nothing special. But you have to get fries, right? The beer list was truly outstanding, if you can't find what you want, it's on you. One member of our party got the beef stroganoff and was disappointed. read more

Took my girlfriend here for her 21st birthday and had a great time! The venue is quite large and has the brewery aesthetic. The restaurant was very busy, so our server was scrambling to get around, but he still made it work. We started with a drink for each of us and the Bavarian Pretzel. I ordered a pink lemonade margherita which tasted as you'd expect, while my girlfriend ordered the Sangrita. The Sangrita was very fruity and did not a lot of alcohol mixed in so it tasted good. The pretzel is very light and doughy, and holds it's own well enough that you don't even need the sweet & spicy mustard or cheese sauce, though they do provide a nice palette contrast when eating. For entrees I ordered the burger of the month (which I forgot the name of, woops), and my girlfriend ordered the Cuban Pork Tacos. I specifically requested extra pickles on my burger and boy did they listen! Pickles on top and loaded with pickles between, they did a great job. The burger was juicy and slightly messy, just how a burger should be. Fries were fries, nothing special. The Cuban Pork Tacos tasted like pulled pork, not really sure where the Cuban aspect comes in. The pickled vegetables added a nice acidic kick to some of the bites. Our server noticed that I was taking pictures of my girlfriend with her drink and figured out it was her birthday. So, he gave us a brownie rockslide with happy birthday written in chocolate on the house! That was such a nice gesture, especially when the restaurant was so busy, and he didn't have to. Unfortunately, I couldn't have any due to my nut allergy but I'm sure it was delicious! All in all, Capital Ale House is a great sit-down restaurant to go to for any special occasions or a treat for a loved one. The wide variety of the menu means there is something for everyone. I would definitely come back here again. read more

See all

LOVE IT SO MUCH! It is relaxing restaurant the FOOD IS BRILLIANT and the service is fast and wonderful and it is so pretty amazing and it is so clean and sanitary and and so beautiful and perfect and the best place ever and I just ate here today definitely coming back and the staff is so friendly and fast and so wonderful and the theme of the restaurant is so beautiful breathtaking and relaxing and unbelievable and looks like stars! Seriously come down here and tell everyone have fun relax and enjoy ur self and have fun friends family employees and have brunch and dinner and warm and fun place and for all ages and fun place and make sure you give the waitress and waiters lots of tips and be nice and friendly and respectful they deserve it and work hard and do so much and always so patient and polite and kind to everyone thank you so much. They deserve it and be nice to all of them thank you so very much. From lauren Happy Valentine's Day everyone! read more

Had a really good dinner at the Capital Ale House. An incredible beer menu. The food was really great too. I'd recommend coming here for sure in visiting JMU. read more

Had high hopes for this place, but all of the taps down stairs were offline because of renovation. The beer posted online was not what they had. The food was average for a beer bar. It was dirty. Table sticky, food stuck on menus. The hosts at the door all watched us walk out at end of our meal and said absolutely nothing. No thank yous or come again or have a good night. The one saving grace was our server. She was fantastic. Warm, personable, very attentive. She was also on the cover of the menu. read more

This place is amazing!!! We went on a Friday night and were seated right away. Whatever you decide to get on the menu will be delicious - it was hard choosing just one thing. The drinks are also great. This place would be great for anything from a birthday celebration to a casual date night! Definitely check it out. read more

Capital Ale House - Club sandwich - American Near Me - Harrisonburg, Virginia

See all

Service and ambiance were good. We ordered the loaded fries which was really good. Others had the andouille pasta which was good. And the sirloin which was "alright" For my dinner, I was expecting a better meal than I received. I ordered the pork schnitzel with German mashed potatoes and gravy. When I've ordered schnitzel at other restaurants it's always been tender, usually by being hammered flat. This schnitzel basically tasted like a regular pork chop that had been breaded. The meat was not tender. The sauerkraut was ok but tasted like it may have been canned. I expected a better meal for the price I paid. That said I would be willing to give them another try since others in my group liked their meals and this place has a reputation for great meals. read more

Ordered a medium cheeseburger through Grubhub. Delivery was perfect, the cheeseburger was not. Ordered the burger cooked medium, apparently the Capital Ale House took that as raw. Not rare, but raw. Burger was cooked maybe a minute each side, just enough to brown both sides. Took a bite and spit it out. Pulled the burger apart and the picture shows the rest. read more

Capital Ale House - RAW! Not medium. - American Near Me - Harrisonburg, Virginia

DO NOT EAT HERE IF YOU HAVE CELIAC OR GLUTEN INTOLERANCE! They served my mom an entire meal (off the gluten free menu) that contained gluten. They gave her a regular bun and they also served her a side sauce that contained gluten as well. It took us noticing for them to realize. If you offer a gluten free menu, your staff both in and out of the kitchen should be educated enough so that this doesn't happen! This is extremely dangerous and could have landed her in the hospital. read more

This is a beautiful place right by the courthouse in downtown Harrisonburg. Parking might be tricky, though they have designated spaces in the church lot Nextdoor, so we didn't have any problems for a late lunch on a Monday afternoon. We started with the giant pretzel app, because why not? It was hot, soft with just the right amount of salt. It's served with a very tasty German style whole grain mustard which is not to sweet and not too hot. We opted for the beer cheese with it, because again why not? Unlike other places, this was not liquid (that gets all hardened and weird after a few minutes), this was more cheesy and creamy and really good! Hubby had the side Caesar and I had a small side salad. Both salads were full of fresh ingredients. Hubby said his dressing was a cut above and he loved the addition of the chopped hard boiled egg. My blue cheese dressing was lacking that tangy blue cheese flavor - tasted more mayo than anything. This could be improved. Hubby ordered the 8oz sirloin, rare as usual and it was perfectly cooked! I had the Wurst Platter - a brat, kielbasa and knackwurst with German mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. At first glance, the sausages appeared dry, but looks can be deceiving. They were really yummy! The sauerkraut was done well, too. As it was served on top of the potatoes, I really couldn't tell much difference between my German mashers and hubby's plain ones. Maybe the German has sauerkraut mixed in? Super friendly staff and fast service! We'd eat here again when in the area. read more

See all

Our server, Emily, was AMAZING!! I hadn't been to this particular Capital Ale House and my husband had never been to one. We loved it. We really wanted good salads for dinner - they hit the spot!! Decided to go with the pretzel appetizer and the beer cheese sauce - another great option! I didn't know what beer to have but I wanted one. I explained to Emily what I generally like and her recommendation was spot on for a delicious beer!! Parking was easy. The dining and bar area were relaxing and comfortable! I'm looking forward to a return visit!! read more

See all

Good, solid food. Ambiance was nice. Service was a bit slow but they were very nice.

Never heard of this place before. Doing Yelp research on area, saw this place which is a chain unique to Virginia with different menu and great beer list. Good for us! Vacationing from out of state, we like to try new places we don't have at home. As a beer enthusiast, was impressed with their extensive selections of both local beers and imports from all over USA. Traveling with teenagers, previewed the menu to make sure it had something appealing for everyone: flatbread pizzas, salads and Mac & cheese options fulfilled that requirement. You can make a reservation, which I did although it wasn't necessary on Thursday evening. Greeted and seated immediately at booth in downstairs area. Typical ale house look & feel with lots of wood and dimmed lights. The beer list! OMG! I had to study it for a while before making a selection. Gives every detail and divided into sections of type of beer. I love to try beers local to the area so I went with Brothers Brewing which is based in Harrisonburg. Had an IPA and then a lager with Hisbiscus which was so unique & smooth! Happy with both my beer choices. Our server was very friendly and attentive. We started with the Bavarian pretzel. It's a must! One was enough for 4 of us to share (it's HUGE). Highly recommend the beer cheese upgrade. It's delicious! For dinner my girls had a margarita pizza flatbread which looked and tasted amazing. I went with wings, spicy buffalo which has plenty of kick! Your mouth still burning after you finish each bit for a while is a damn good wing to me. Also had black & blue salad which had steak, Gorgonzola cheese, spinach, pickled onions and more. Tasted great but was disappointed at very chintzy on the gorgonzola cheese which looked more like a dusting than a feature. My steak I asked medium well and got medium rare. I didn't say anything, and ate as is, which was my choice. My husband had the Wurst platter, which he said was good but I could tell he didn't think it was great. Desserts were delicious: apple pie and brownie. I'm glad we took a chance on this place. Time will tell if it makes our regular rotation, as we vacation at Massanutten often. If you're a beer enthusiast, definitely come here. They have growlers to go. read more

Capital Ale House - Black & Bleu salad - American Near Me - Harrisonburg, Virginia

See all

I can't rave enough about this place. We were looking for a bar for taking out our daughter who was turning 21 that night. We considered the dive bars down the street, but chose this place so we could have a table to SIT DOWN at in the bar section. They were so nice and so accommodating - it was a really fun night, and comfortable!! And we could hear each other talk! Thank you so much, Cap Ale! read more

Went to Harrisonburg for a day trip. I had in mind to stop in a bar/ restaurant that will offer nice drinks, variety of food and either they had games to play or darts/ pool tables, I was exploring options about restaurants/places and found this restaurant. It was exactly what I was looking for to spend a very nice evening! This restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating + they also have one bar downstairs and other upstairs next to it they have pool tables and darts! We had a TON of fun! Drinks are delicious and they have an extended variety of beers, ciders, wine. The food also was very delicious I ordered a mushroom burger and it was chef's kiss Our bartender was the best! Great service, I wanted something fruity to drink asked for her recommendation and she recommended a cider not gonna lie but I had like 8-10 of those ciders that night lol. If I'm right her name is Jess (idk if I'm spelling it well ) Great service! read more

See all

If you want some beer, this is the spot. PLENTY of beers to choose from. We didn't order food here just a drink to finish our night, but the food did look delicious. Nice modernized feel, I was overwhelmed with all the beers on draft! read more

Capital Ale House - American Near Me - Harrisonburg, Virginia

See all

All I can say is wow!!!! The best chicken, shrimp and andouille pasta. Service was prompt and friendly on a busy Thursday night. Our party of 3, ordered the same dish and we left happy and talking about how good it was the next day. read more

Capital Ale House - Chicken Shrimp & Andouille Pasta - American Near Me - Harrisonburg, Virginia

I love to dine at this place whenever I'm visiting family here. It's an excellent resource for discovering many local (and not local) beers. They also have wine and cocktails. Food is delicious. The menu has something for everyone. On the bartender's recommendation I ordered the chicken pot pie rolls and they were amazing. I will be thinking about them long after I travel home. The service is great, too. The manager put the baseball game I was looking for on one of the TVs. Large venue and great location. read more

Capital Ale House - Bar TV - American Near Me - Harrisonburg, Virginia

See all

Went in to watch a game. Sat at bar and ordered the Pork Schnitzel, tasted ok. The ambiance was cozy. We went on a Saturday and was pretty quiet. read more

After a long day of Interstate driving we chose to spend the night in Harrisonburg VA...hungry and expecting nothing but some sort of chain brand pizza, we found The Capital Ale House. Very cool layout lots of wood finish. What a cool place, kitchen open to cook a delicious steak at 11pm, a miracle. Topped of by excellent service from our bartender Lauren. She was low key, courteous and knew her stuff. Harrisonburg is our halfway point between NYC and Nashville, so we WILL be back. Glad we came in. read more

Capital Ale House - 80 beers on tap! - American Near Me - Harrisonburg, Virginia

CAH makes me wish I lived in Harrisonburg! It's such a nice place to visit. Make a reservation especially if it's a weekend or holiday because they get very busy. We were at the arts theater for a performance and stopped by for dinner. Fortunately they could accommodate the two of us at the bar. Our bartender was wonderful! He was also our waiter. We will get back there and make a reservation although our experience at the bar was fun. read more

Josh S. provided exceptional service. He was polite, helpful and funny. He knows how to take care of his customers.

Noah, our bartender, was great! He was very attentive to us. He was pleasant to chat with. I had an Alagash White (blue moon-ish), which I loved. My daughter had a pear flavored cider beer that she enjoyed! The Thai Chili wings were absolutely delicious! Thanks, Noah! read more

Eleven of us had dinner here after a JMU football game. Needless to say, the place was packed, and this is a big place with two floors. We arrived at 7PM and they were ready for us. That in itself almost deserves 4-stars as there were a lot of tables already in service. Our server appeared promptly and took our drink and appetizer orders. We ordered the Giant Bavarian Pretzel with cheese dip, mussels and fried pickles. They and the drinks were served promptly. "Giant" is a good description of the pretzel. It was so large that all of us got some of it. The fried pickles were standard bar food and good. I didn't taste the mussels but those that did said they were good. The entrees were many and I can't comment on them other than to say no one expressed dissatisfaction. I ordered the Wurst Platter and it was very well done. It was served with two "chefized" mustards and one ketchup. All were good. I also thought the sauerkraut was very good. Not to sour and just a touch of sweetness. The food here is not exceptional but it is very good - exactly what a bunch of football fans was looking for. The service and the kitchen were what impressed me the most. One server took our order but a team served us. The tribute to the kitchen is how quickly the food was prepared, properly, during a huge rush! read more

My family went to Capital Ale House to celebrate our son's birthday. There were six of us. We have different tastes in food and the menu was amazing both in choices and in price. The service was incredible. Colby, our server was outstanding. We are a family who joke around and laugh often. She joined right in and we really enjoyed that. The dessert served to our son was enjoyed by all of us. Well..not Colby but we would have gladly shared it with her Thank you Capital Ale House. We live in PA and New York but will definitely be back when we're in the area! read more

Good food for a fun week night out with friends. They have an extensive beer and cider list for those who enjoy those items. The menu consists of burgers, fries, salads, fish tacos, German entrees ...it's a little bit of everything. I typical go for the steak salad or fish tacos and sweet potato fries. Sometimes will go for one of their burgers which is also very good. Pricing is fair for what you get and they do have a rewards program if you sign up. Only knocking off a star for less than welcoming greetings from staff. A bit inconsistent in this area. read more

See all

Pleasant staff. Great selections. They have a happy hour. Fantastic draft beer selection. The food was great and the portions were large.

Dammmmm Danny. Such a great experience. He turned the music up for us outside. Very knowledgeable about the menu. Always leave Danny great tips. read more

Capital Ale House - American Near Me - Harrisonburg, Virginia

In town for a few days hiking the Shenandoah National Forest and was looking for some good food and drinks. It looks like we found it. It took several minutes to look over the draught beer menu for the down stairs bar - I counted about 75 on the list with a lot of Virginia Breweries. I got Proud and True from Brothers Craft brewery located in Harrisonburg, Va. I liked how the menu broke down all the beers in categories- Cider, Crisp and Smooth, Malty and Sweet, Sharp and Hoppy, and Bold and Roasty. My Proud and True was as advertised Smooth and Crisp. Too many beers to only drink one, so I had a Razzle Dazzle a Blonde Ale by Beale's out of Bedford, Va. For dinner we had the Beef Ribs and Caprese Chicken both were great. read more

Capital Ale House - Ocean Breeze - American Near Me - Harrisonburg, Virginia