This is a great place to go to on St. Patrick's Day parade day morning in Utica. Service is great that day, the bartenders are attentive and friendly (especially if Linda is there). Any other time, if you are not a regular, this place might not be for you. I've been here several times with mixed experiences. The last time I was there was a Thursday in the summer of 2024. My husband, brother and I were excited to find seats at the bar and order dinner. The bartender was a short blonde woman and there was a male bar back. The bartender did not acknowledge us for over 15 minutes. We were actively looking at the menu on our phones and talking about what we wanted to try and attempted to make eye contact with her as she walked by us with no luck. She didn't even say "I will be right with you", literally no interaction. She was very friendly with everyone else around us seeming to know exactly what they were drinking and happy to get it for them. We left as we felt very unwelcome there and ended up having excellent service down the street at Lukin's. read more

This place is a home run. Admittedly we had limited options along our route as we were headed home to CT on a Monday after a long weekend in Seneca Falls. We found this little gem and holy toledo did we we strike gold. First of all, the hostess was super nice and greeted us right away even though she was clearly busy and hustling. We chose to sit outside at a picnic table to soak up the beautiful weather. The outside is fun with brightly painted picnic tables and murals on the building. Our waitress was very knowledgeable of the menu and offered great suggestions. She was great and we really enjoyed interacting with her. We started with rum punches which were made with freshly squeezed juice and they were out of this world. We shared the "everything" wings which were crispy and that sauce was delicious. We were tempted to lick the sauce off the plate. We refrained so we didn't get strange looks. I had the Kimchi Reuben which is made with house made kimchi I might add. My husband got the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich. We both opted for Poutine Fries for our sides. Guys, this food was unique and spectacular. I'm just bummed it's 3 hours from home! But I'll definitely make an effort to be back. read more

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Cute place with nice seating outside, has its own parking lot. We were slightly disappointed to learn that they no longer brew their own beer since COVID, however, they do have some good selection of beers on tap. The food menu offers a variety of options. Hubby had the kimchi Ruben (a bit salty, wished it was more spicy, but still had good flavor), kids shared a grilled cheese sandwich (big portion with yummy melted cheese + crispy fries), and I had the tuna poke bowl (loved it). Everything came out quick and delicious. Our waitress was so sweet too, we enjoyed our stop here for lunch. Nice little find! read more

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Not my favorite place but I was there to meet someone. While I was waiting I was sitting at the bar with a beer and my headphones on dude next to me is passed out cold. Bartender gets my attention to s as k he to move over so get friend could sit down. There were 3 empty seats right next to me. Clearly I was being asked to move away from the bar. Why? Dude is passed out in the middle of the bar seating and somehow I'm the problem and asked to leave? read more

While in Utica getting the truck serviced I consulted my trusty Yelp App looking for a brewery, what pops up but Nail Creek Pub and Brewery. We sat at the bar which is typical and had the absolute best experience with Emma, the bartender, who was big as a barn pregnant, but looking very cute. Emma was personable, knowledgeable and very engaging. We really enjoy the conversation, food/beer experience. I had the tacos and hubby had the grilled cheese with a cup of the soup of the day, all was very tasty!! Beer was very yummy! Should you happen upon Utica, NY, stop by Nail Creek Pub and Brewery, it's a great place to take a load off and have a local brew, great service and conversation. Say hey to Emma, unless she is giving birth to her baby. read more

The Nail Creek Pub has existed long before I was born. I am not a regular/I have gone in occasionally over the years. It's extremely doubtful anything I say will have any impact. That being said, went there Saturday afternoon with my 6 pound yorkie. I went inside cause they said dogs were allowed. As for my dog, he is behaved, housebroken, but when nervous, barks for attention. I go to the bar, which nobody was working behind. Waited a few minutes. My dog barked, yes; dogs tend to do that. I quieted him down. Next thing I am asked is to take me and my dog outside. I tried telling him I calmed him down, but the bartender(if that who he was), was not having any of it. My problem is not what was being asked of me, but how. If he told me, he has a bit of a headache, and out of common courtesy, take the dog outside, I have absolutely no problem with this. I could relate and understand. Him, coming off like a d-ck, accomplishes nothing. Maybe he doesn't like dogs. Maybe he fears my 6 pound yorkie, is the reincarnation of Cujo. Whatever is it, not my problem. read more

I had been to Nail Creek many times, but never had anything to eat. This time, I went for lunch and got the lunch special which was a hot dog with white beef chili on top alongside fries. It was absolutely delicious and I hope it's a special again next time I'm in. My friend got shrimp tacos and was equally satisfied with her choice. They have a great draft selection, with something for everyone, and service was great. The bartenders are super friendly. The place itself has an old charm to it while still seeming modern, is clean and well-maintained. I definitely want to go back for their brunch menu! read more

Stopped in here this past weekend to try some of their beers. Have quite a few beers on tap, as well as a full bar. Husband was able to create a beer flight and enjoyed being able to try quite a few different beers. Love the porch outside. Had great service. Didn't try any of their food, but the menu is unique, not just tons of choices. read more

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Super banger bartender, he had a cool shirt and he was really nice and helpful. The food was so dang good, I got the Tsao Chicken sandwich and my tummy happy. Thought it was gonna be loud and obnoxious but everyone was super chill and the environment was great. Super sick yo read more

It's a bar in an old, dark, borderline creepy place. Gives a haunted house vibe. But their draft beer selection is usually good. I've had apps there before, although not this time and they were good. Bartenders always know there stuff. It's all in all a decent bar/restaurant. read more

Great place--extraordinary service with delicious food. The waitress sat down to give me suggestions and they were spot on. The stuffle was AMAZING. I also ordered lemonade after reading other reviews and it was tart and not too sweet--made in house. Cute place and adorable staff! read more

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Food and customer service was excellent. Nice large draft beer with lots of Craft offerings Group of 5. Hamburger Mexican style was very good. Tuna Ahi Bowl appeared to be fantastic. Both people gobbled it down. Shaved steak was received well. French Fries seasoned are even better. read more

Onion rings and house made sausage were A+! Service was the best! Fast, attentive and friendly.

We were in Utica for the day so I did my normal search - "poutine near me" and Nail Creek came up. It was also listed as specializing in Belgian food. Neither was true but we still had a good time. The menu was pretty small. Nothing appeared Belgian but it had a good selection of bar type items. My dining partner got a shrimp po boy which came with a cup of curry veggie soup. That soup was awesome. I stole it from him and really enjoyed it. He said the shrimp po boy was just okay - nothing special. I went with the Friday special - Fish fry. I'd seen that at several places and thought it was different than what it turned out to be, not that I was disappointed. It's basically beer battered which fish (I think haddock) and fries. The portion was gigantic - my partner ate most of it. The fries were really good. The dish reminded me of fish and chips. The highlight of the visit was the door next to the women's room where we happened to sit in the back. Hundreds of sticks, many for rare beer types like one from Norway were covering the door. Visually very cool. Prices were decent and I almost forgot the beer! Great selection. We had a beautiful blueberry and a crispy apple cider ale. read more

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Hubby and I found ourselves in Utica on a recent Saturday afternoon and stopped here for lunch. Of course because I found this place on Yelp, lol. Lots of outdoor seating, but we went inside because it was a very hot day. Plenty of seating inside too. There's a large open area when you first walk in surrounded by high tables with barstools. If you walk towards the back, there are regular tables with chairs and bench seating. We found ourselves a table and then it was time to order. We weren't sure how the service worked at first, but soon realized that you order from the very nice ladies behind the bar. They have quite a few beers on tap and about the usual bar menu you'd expect from a pub. Hubby ordered himself a beer and we ordered the nachos as an appetizer. We both decided to go with the Local Burger and fries for our lunch. The nachos were surprising in a good way. They are not served with a usual red salsa but a green salsa thats kind of sweet with a little kick. Both of us weren't sure when we saw it at first, but then agreed we loved it. The burgers were absolutely fantastic huge half pound burgers cooked to perfection, and the french fries were also much better than the usual pub fries. You can actually get a double half pound burger for only four dollars more which is ridiculous, also in a good way The service was top-notch. The ladies behind the bar were very attentive and made the rounds to check on everyone at tables multiple times while we were eating. I would absolutely go back here again to try some of the other things on the menu that sounded tasty. Highly recommended. read more

Went here for the beer and walked out amazed by the food! They take pride in the very eclectic menu and even crafted cocktails with homemade ingredients. (The margaritas are really good!). Don't be shy to try the tuna poke bowl or kimchi Rueben! read more

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We were visiting family in the area. We stopped in for lunch on a week day in early January. The place was cozy and warm on a cold winter day. My husband had the Chicken Cesar Salad, our family member had the Mediterranean Grilled Cheese and I had the Local Burger. I washed it down with a local draft beer. They had a nice selection of draft beers. Everyone enjoyed their food. The service was prompt and professional. We would stop in again when in the area. The dining area was full of other patrons. Clearly a popular spot. read more

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I tried the pork schnitzel on a pretzel bun. It was ok. The talked-about-fries were, sadly, the coated frozen stuff, and pretty sad. They need to buy potatoes, cut them and double fry them in peanut oil the way 5 guys makes them. Anything else is fair to poor. The best thing was the draft beer. They had the old Matt's premium on tap. A superb beer ! Barkeep/ waitress was perfect. Excellent personality. A neat place and would return to try their soups. read more

Nail Creek Pub & Brewery - Brewpubs Near Me - Utica, New York

Great tasting food. One of the few places open on a Monday. Classic poutine fries with cheese curds and gravy. Burger was cooked as ordered. Nashville style chicken had an amazing flavor and perfect amount of heat. And yes the onion rings were out of this world. Not greasy or undercooked! read more

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Classic, updated old school bar. Very clean throughout...even the men's room...good music at low volume so customers can converse, friendly crowd. Excellent beer selection on tap anchored by Utica Club. And an excellent choice of pub food at reasonable prices. We were fortunate to have Cool Joe tending to us and he effortlessly and enthusiastically juggled bartending, taking lunch orders, and delivering the lunches. One of the best Utica bars I've been to and I'll be returning. read more

The entire family loved everything ordered here both times we have stopped. The staff is friendly. Beer selection good, lemonade perfect. The menu may be limited, but what they do offer is done very well. I tried their soup du jour which was lemon chickpea. It was light and comforting for the rainy day. The burgers were delicious. My husband had a hot chicken sandwich which had some zing. We will definitely be back! read more

Nail Creek Pub & Brewery - Poutine Fries and Turkey Club - Brewpubs Near Me - Utica, New York

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amazing food n staff highly recommended .love the wings here always fresh n done right

I call this the "old mans bar" because it's always an older crowd lol but the crowd is always chill, I honestly love it here. Always chill vibes, the bartenders are all great. They have darts in the back, some tables to sit and drink with your crew, and an outdoor deck with picnic tables. I've heard they have a bangin' brunch here that I've been dying to try. I've heard it's one of the best in the area. I'll update my review once I try their brunch! In the mean time, if you're looking for a chill bar with cool people, grab a drink here! read more

Ordered a shaved rib eye sandwich with a side of pitouine fries which was with gravy and cheese curds which seems to be a main staple in Utica. good selection of beers on tap with great prices ($4). Service was great and we left here totally satisfied with our food and couldn't have anything for the rest of the afternoon. Cool ambiance small spot but worth going back to. read more

I've eaten here on so many occasions. Brunch, lunch, dinner. You name it and the food and service are always above and beyond. I absolutely love everyone and the food. I came this morning to order the duck and waffles and while my duck was on the salty side, TODD took great care of me and made sure I was satisfied. I put his name in all caps to make sure mgmt sees who I'm talking about. Give TODD a raise haha. He's an amazing server. And thank the cook in the back for putting up w me reordering my meal. -happy and full customer Also I would put in pics of my order but I always eat it before I remember to take a pic smh. read more

Driving by and stopped in, the staff was very friendly and allowed our two well behaved dogs on the patio area. Had the soft shell crab sandwich, which was done up perfectly, and my wife had the Friday, fish fry special, great taste. Great selection of beer as well. Great place to grab a beer and food. read more

Nail Creek Pub & Brewery - Brewpubs Near Me - Utica, New York

Varick Street has sort of the Tragically Hip theme...some closed joints mixed with some folks that are trying to creative a hip hub near downtown Utica. I suspect the Saranac Brewery (which sits two blocks from Nail Creek) helps the cause as does the Thursday music events in the summer. This joint is a charming little spot with a nice wood interior and outdoor porch for consuming adult bevvies. Very nice bartender who serves up a fine Manhattan (with my preference...Bulleit). In Utica, that will set you back all of 8 dollars. Four stars for that alone...the poutine is also decent and the music is all 70s all the time (at least the evening I was there...even the sappy Chicago stuff). read more

One of my favorite places to hit up when I am in town! Great selection of craft, local beers. Food is excellent! I love that they use locally sourced ingredients. I've tried quite a few of their dishes and never been disappointed. Brunch is on point. BLT with friend green tomato is ridiculous! Staff is super friendly and helpful. Love this place! read more

Nail Creek Pub & Brewery - Fried green tomato BLT - Brewpubs Near Me - Utica, New York

I've always had good experiences coming here for lunch or dinner. They also do brunch on sundays. Their food is always amazingly good. Reasonable prices. Good service during lunch hours. During dinner you usually have to grab your own menus and drinks because it's also a bar and it gets busy on the weekends. They also serve different kinds of kraft beers from most local places around the area and they also have live bands playing either on Friday or sat. read more

Nail Creek Pub & Brewery - Spanish chicken and dumplings - Brewpubs Near Me - Utica, New York

The Nail Creek Pub is one of my favorite places to visit when I go to Utica for work. Walking into the pub is like walking into an old time saloon or speak easy due to its massive wooden bar. The wait staff is enjoyable, friendly, and super personable. During my last time at Nail Creek they had trivia night, every Wednesday. It is free to play trivia and the prizes are gift cards to Nail Creek, 1st $25, 2nd $15, and 3rd $10. The MC was great and made trivia night a lot of fun. When I was at the Nail Creek Pub I ended up drinking the Saranac special which was Blueberry Blond. The beer was absolutely delicious! Truly enjoyable. I ended up eating the sweet and spicy shrimp and the pulled pork sandwich with macaroni salad. All of the food was cooked with perfection and to my taste. The pulled pork sandwich was layered with sauce, meat, and coleslaw which tasted dynamite. Truly a great place to spend the evening. read more

Super friendly staff, amazing food and all around immaculate vibes . One of my favorite stops on Varick

This is a great spot if your in Utica. Besides the beer and drinks, the menus is not typical of a pub. Tonight I had the Mussels w fries, and oh man were they good. Choices like a Poke bowl, General Taos chicken sandwich etc., keep you interested. If I'm up here again "I'll be back" read more

We visited here exactly one year ago. We were in Utica for the same events this year. Utica's Tomato Pie Day at the Parkway Center, Wine & Chocolate event at the Memorial Auditorium, and the Utica College Physical Therapy students' "Muscle Hustle" on Varick St. These have become annual events for us. The anchor of Varick St is Saranac Brewery. This street is a busy, hip mix of breweries, pub, and eateries, many w/ outdoor seating. Nail Creek Pub has outdoor seating. You better bring your "A" game if you want to serve the public on this crowded street. That being said, after a brew stop at the Celtic Harp across the street, we decided for dinner at the Nail Creek Pub. This craft brew pub offers to Belgian beers, two stouts, & a saison. Also wine and full liquor bar. This place has a very loyal local clientele, but is very friendly to visitors like us. A good crowd was already enjoying the day we we sat down (table 11, front corner). Two women were flying around taking care of all. We ordered drinks and dinner. My bride ordered the roasted red pepper soup ($5.) and a Mediterranean grilled cheese sandwich ($9.). Soup first, a bit too much heat for her, but very excellent to me so I finished that. I had a shrimp po' boy. It comes on grilled bread, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, and remoulade ($10.). All served hot and as expected. Funny thing, if you don't want fries, you can get a 16 oz. Utica Club beer instead - Brilliant. A limited menu but not limited on quality. Week nights specials are available. Dinner for two w/ two wines, one Jameson, tax & tip $57.00. A good value to us. We don't know the names of the two women working this day but they were doing a very good job keeping up on this busy day (O# 180315). Hours: M-Sat 11:30am-2am, Sun 10am-5pm. Yes, they offer a Sunday Brunch too. The local "clubhouse" feel of Nail Creek Pub distinguishes it from the other bars on Varick St. We will visit again. Thank you. read more

Nail Creek Pub in downtown Utica New York on Varick Street is a unique pub! My husband Ned looked and googled and Trip advisor-ed on his phone for over a half hour trying to find a place for us to stop and have lunch along the Erie Canal and I-90 going east through New York. We saw positive reviews online and decided to go for it. The staff at the pub and our wonderful tender of the bar Katie impressed us immensely. Online we saw the special today Saturday, July 30 was the kimchi burger and onion rings and we ordered both. Excellent choices. The burger was done medium rare, with remarkably tasty kimchi on top with two slices of pub smoked bacon. The kimchi and meats are smoked and cured in house. The hoppy IPA and the rose wine served were on point. Kudos to Mike, Katie staff and chefs in the kitchen! Thank you, mary and ned read more

Nail Creek Pub & Brewery - Utica New York's Nail Creek Pub - Brewpubs Near Me - Utica, New York

Stopped in for lunch on a Sunday. Unfortunately, they only had the brunch menu going. I was really looking forward to the poutine. Looking at the menu, nothing really jumped out at me. Also, the tacos were already gone. I decided to just have a drink, before finding someplace else to go. The bartender was attentive and all. The place looked nice, but I just felt disappointed. Had a really good Utica Club though. If in the area, I might try again, but getting up there isn't going to happen often. read more

My favorite little bar in Utica, the city, Every time I come, I want to sing "Doo Wah Diddy". The perfect spot to try some new unique beers. You and your friends will all be saying "Cheers!" Every time I visit my old stomping grounds in Utica I stop at Nail Creek. There's always a great selection of beers on draft at reasonable prices. The bartenders are always willing to help you pick out a good beer and will even let you try a sample if you are torn between one or two. If you really can't decide, order a flight! The inside is pretty much a dive bar and sometimes could generate some off-aromas during peak hours, but that is what gives it character. There is a big deck outside with picnic tables when it warms up and there are often live bands playing out there. I ate lunch there once. Food wasn't great, but they let you substitute your side for a Utica Club! read more

Nail Creek Pub & Brewery - Pints. - Brewpubs Near Me - Utica, New York

A group of friends and myself were in Utica for a show at the brewery. Everywhere we wanted go in Utica was closed...on a Saturday afternoon (food, distilleries, bars....WHY?!) Nail Creek was most definitely open so we came here for a few drinks and food before the show. We ordered the poutine to share...and we had some mixed reviews. Some of us loved it (including myself) but others not so much...like, at all. There was definitely a weird flavor (again, I enjoyed it) and I couldn't quite figure it out until I did....the poutine straight up tastes up Chinese Boneless BBQ Spare Ribs! Hahaha so random but I think it's whatever it is in the gravy. My friend absolutely hated it but I thought it was awesome. Maybe you could change the description to reflect the non-traditional poutine gravy (or change the gravy...) There was really nothing on the menu that caught my eye so I went with a soup special with sweet potato. I wasn't expecting a completely smooth puree, but it was really tasty. Typically I like a little bit of texture; not a fan of the Campbell's Tomato Soup liquid texture. Nonetheless, it was flavorful. I don't think I'll be back to Utica again but this place was fun. The early 2000's pop-punk playlist that was playing definitely made the experience even better. read more

Great food and service. We got burgers, spicy chicken sandwiches and fries. We will be back for sure.

Nice staff, cool music, pleasant atmosphere, large wrap-around deck make this a great pub to hang out with friends and/or just enjoy nice weather if you're by yourself. The Local Burger is excellent, I highly recommend it. Please note though the name *is* misleading. Nail Creek is NOT a microbrewery, but just a pub featuring microbrews from across the country as well as from down the street - FX Matt Brewery, where they brew Saranac beers, is just a block away. Nail Creek had mostly IPAs, but only a couple of other beers (which were over 9%, a bit too much to enjoy then drive). They did have Guinness on tap, (and the bartender did an excellent job of a patient pour), which paired well with the Local Burger. I recommend Nail Creek, but don't expect a cool new microbrewery. read more

Came in here after a rainy day at the Fort. We ordered the poutine and some burgers. The poutine was meh but the burgers hit the spot on a rainy day. The beer was fine and they had the Down Eastern Cider available which was quite tasty. Service was bit slow but the place was busy too. read more