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    Old Black Bear Brewing Company

    4.2 (557 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Old Black Bear Brewing Company Photos

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    OLD BLACK BEAR BREWING COMPANY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Gregory T.

    This is one of the first places I ever visited when I moved here 8 years ago. It's still one of my favs even though I've moved across town. I always stop by when I'm nearby. The best brewery in town for sure. Amazing food all around never had a bad meal. They are a little flare to their dishes that sets them apart. Super nice staff and very helpful with choosing beer selections. You need to stop by the back patio area is perfect for spring and fall.

    Taproom burger
    Bailey C.

    Always delicious! Ordered the salmon BLT (as a wrap) for myself. & the hubby ordered The Taproom burger with the beautiful sunny egg to top it off. In-laws we're in town for the holidays. Pretty busy Saturday night. Waited 45 minutes before getting seated. Grab a brew and take a seat on their couches, chairs area. I ordered a smoked old fashioned - not super strong bourbon but I enjoyed it. I don't like the burn from the alcohol anyways. Great cherry on top. Another yummy night at old black bear Madison location

    Tap Room
    Jason P.

    Old Black Bear..: where your hamburger patties are bear sized. I had the burger that came with a massive meat patty, medium rare decently flavored... on a potato bread with some cold potato sticks they called Fries. They may have been fried, a few hours ago.. definitely a sad turn. On the other hand their beers are tasty and the staff is friendly... cures my woes from a long day of flying to the rocket city. yogi bear out!

    Battle of the Bears drink menu (my number 1 is the slammer jammer) but the Kai Tai is a good one too!
    Becky G.

    This is my watering hole - a literal 10/10 every single time. They take care of you, have the best atmosphere, the best food, and the best drinks. Anna as the GM is absolutely the right and BEST choice to run the place. Favorite foods include Steak on Mondays (great deal for some great food), lemon dill salmon on the cedar plank, wings - anyway you can get them, Brussels, onion straws, the shrimp app and the steak tacos. You really can't go wrong. New drink menu is FIRE and I LOVE the creativity - but the smoked old fashioned is always a good fallback. It really doesn't get better than here. Check it out and prove me wrong!

    Bar area
    Chris C.

    Had a chance to dine here for brunch. The brunch menu looked really good. As a wing lover, I had heard the wings were delicious and that is what I had. They did not disappoint. They were crispy and the buffalo sauce was on point. I had a side of sweet potato fries and the portion was large. We sat at the bar but there is dining room seating as well. They currently had 8 custom beers on tap. Out service was great from the bartenders. The restaurant is located in the downtown part of Madison across from the railroad tracks. I highly recommend stopping by if in the area.

    Steak
    Parth R.

    Excellent burger and beer selection. The patties are juicy, I had a pork belly burger on a delicious pretzel bun. My only feedback is to crisp up the pork belly a bit more to give the burger some good contrast with texture. Otherwise, it is just a fat topped with fat and overpowering.

    Cj J.

    Restaurant is surprisingly large. Husband had been wanting to go so we finally checked it out. Food was really amazing. Fries were phenomenal. Service was friendly and fast. Overall I'd give this five stars and, considering we have no interest in alcohol, that's really saying a lot about the food. Delicious. Will be back.

    OBB Hott Chicken Biscuits
    Lawren B.

    Brunch day is the best day! The service was great. We love this spot & always have a good meal. The potatoes were dry and felt like that had been left out for a long time. BUT everything else was delicious!! My husband was enthralled with the delicacy of a simple yet elegant dish. It was abundantly flavorful; the chef assuredly has both skill and panache in the kitchen.

    256 burger

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    Business owner information

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    John S.

    Let us get you some hot fries and get that 4th star back!

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    3 months ago

    Atmosphere was fantastic, food was even better. Our server was also great! We will be back again for another delicious burger!

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    2 months ago

    One of our go to places, never fails. Great food, service, atmosphere. Love the live music they have there too.

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    10 months ago

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    2 months ago

    New to the area. We had a long day and needed a good beer and a sandwich. You will come here and you will have good food and drink. Enjoy.

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    John S.

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    1 year ago

    Amazing atmosphere and service. Great selection of beers to enjoy there or take home. Will be returning to try the food soon.

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    2 years ago

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    John S.

    Thanks for your patience! Glad you love our little hole in downtown!

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    Page 1 of 14

    Ask the Community - Old Black Bear Brewing Company

    Do they still do bottomless mimosas on Sundays?

    Yes we do!

    Is this place Kid friendly?

    Yes we are very kid friendly. High Chairs, coloring sheets, kids menu!!

    Is the patio dog friendly?

    I believe it is.

    Has anyone worked remote here? Is the WiFi any good? Is it a good place to set up shop and work remote the rest of the day after lunch?

    WiFi is fine for normal web surfing and office processes. I've seen the Owner working from there on his laptop when they are not busy several times. I doubt they would mind if you worked for a while after your lunch occasionally.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    4.5(127 reviews)
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    Good brewed on premises beer, friendly staff, awesome adjacent premises pizza etc. all in a casual…read morecomfortable atmosphere with inside and patio dining. The beer is great - I tried several IPAs and they also have alternatives for enthusiasts of other adult beverages. I will be returning every time I visit Huntsville.

    We stopped by Yellowhammer Brewing to try a brew and check out the place. It was a rainy day and…read morethe inside was dark and dreary feeling to me. The bright tv screens seemed to be the only colorful and bright colors in the room. There were 8 customers at 2:00 when we arrived. We ordered pizza and salad and found a table to sit at while we waited on the pizza and salad. Dave went to the bar and purchased one of Yellowhammer's IPA's. I am sorry we cannot remember the name. The beer was higher octane and served in a smaller portion. If the beer struck my palate, I would definitely remember the name. I didn't care for the taste at all. 3/5 I love IPA's from the brewery in Louisiana. I love their helles doppelbock too! It must be the swamp water used? We have tried a few beers from Yellowhammer. Their taste isn't what we prefer. It is great to have the brewery here in town so people who do like the brand can stop by and consume the beers. I will return again to try something else. Sometimes it takes more than 1 visit to adequately decide whether or not a place is considered a fav.

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    Straight To Ale Brewing - Bistro burger and fries

    Straight To Ale Brewing

    4.1(237 reviews)
    8.2 mi
    $$

    Let's start with the obvious... I NEVER would have thought that I would find legit Canadian or…read moreWisconsin poutine in Huntsville, let alone Alabama... but I was WRONG! I try not to judge a book by its cover, but I was skeptical to mix the Gobble N' Guzzle (dark lager) with a poor attempt at poutine. However, I was feeling it that day and went ahead at the confirmation of the bartender that the poutine was "pretty good" (insert skepticism). The exec chef indeed knows what he is doing. What I was greeted with was a heaping helping of crispy, skin-on fries, REAL cheese curds (not just melted BS cheese), and a thick/umami-loaded gravy that was crafted with love and all the right flavors and aromatics. The end result was a savory symphony that would give way to the dark ale as it washed the fat and flavor from my palate for me to take a breather before the next forkful (or 4... maybe more). The beer is also good (since it IS a brewery)... but that portion of the reputation precedes itself. Ranging from their flagship IPA to the dark lager I had, to the crisp pilsner, they boast a wide variety of beers that anyone who enjoys beer can find something to savor while ideally shoveling this totally legit Canadian treasure (the OG MTL style was my choice) into their gullet. I'LL BE BACK (in Arnold's voice of course)... sooner rather than later ideally. If you are looking for a beer destination with food to match, Straight to Ale will not disappoint. They have all the beers and upscale bar eats you could want. I give my seal of approval to this former school-turned culinary and culture hot spot. It's nice to see space repurposed or renovated to meet the needs and wants of the surrounding area, and they nailed it with STA.

    Beers and food for lunch…read more Great choice got there at 1230 on Saturday, perfect time before the crowd built up. Sat and bar outside on a nice day. Had the monkeynaut amongst other beers and it was the best of the batch. For lunch I wanted a pork kimchi and chicken jerk. They won't split it, but I was with someone so we ordered and spilt the tacos. The pork kimchi was the better of the two. The pork was tender, well seasoned and had a good hint of spice from the jalapeno and kimchi. The jerk chicken was ok, the chicken was a tad on the dry side and it could have used a little heat. Cool place.

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    Back Forty Beer Company - Beer flight

    Back Forty Beer Company

    3.6(45 reviews)
    8.8 mi

    Back 40 has become my favorite brewery in the area. It has a huge outdoor area, a huge indoor area,…read moreand a wide variety of beers that are all good in their own right. It doesn't matter how busy it gets (at least as I've seen), there is plenty of room, plenty of staff, and plenty of beer to ensure you don't feel crowded or thirsty from the wait. I've tried just about every beer they have minus maybe the seasonals and you could put them next to any other HSV brewery and they'll hold their own if not best the competitor. It's not elitist either, it's approachable, down to earth, and doesn't take itself too seriously with all kinds of wild tasting notes or stories. The story is the beer and the location. I have not eaten here so I cannot comment on the food, but the space (in and outside) as well as the beer are as top notch as I have seen in the area. Sure, it's better when you can be outside... but not the only time or reason to go. It just enhances the already chill and relaxed vibe that not only the staff has, the patrons as well seem to embody that feel as well. It's a nice place to burn an afternoon, happy hour, or evening with people you want to spend time with.

    Wasn't bad but definitely didn't wow me. Came here for a Holiday Party/luncheon for work. Got some…read morejerk dry rub wings for a starter and the Back40 Burger. Wings were extremely basic and barely had flavor with the dry rub. Burger was great though and they gave a ton of fries. I'm not a beer drinker so didn't try any of those. Would come back to give a few other options a try. Service was good for what small interactions we had. Great space though!

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    BeeZr

    BeeZr

    4.2(97 reviews)
    9.6 mi

    Seriously tough call on the rating here. I think I'll settle on a 3 but it was super close to a 4,…read morejust several minor frustrations added up. I came here with one of my best friends who was home for Thanksgiving to have a girl's day out. BeeZr advertises a nice-looking brunch on the weekends so we thought we'd try it out. She wound up not being able to meet until later in the afternoon but I'm not opposed to a late brunch, so we got there around 1. It was a gray and dreary day on Thanksgiving weekend, so I get it being slow, but the restaurant was literally empty except for us and the servers. We joked it was because we'd rented the whole building to treat each other. The vibe is...fine inside. It definitely looks and feels more like a brewery than a restaurant, with large equipment and a sort of dimly lit atmosphere and a few large TVs by the nice bar. They have a small patio on the square which is REALLY lovely and definitely would've been my preference if the weather was nicer. Our server was okay. He was soft-spoken and not unpleasant, but did sort of have a knack for appearing at inopportune times during the conversation. I get that it's not always possible to avoid, but a little more discretion would've gone a long way, especially since we were the only ones in there. Our food and drinks came out in a timely manner. My biggest frustration was definitely the menu and item availability. I pre-read it and came knowing what I wanted (bananas foster French toast) only to discover that they were running a limited Thanksgiving weekend brunch menu and therefore it wasn't being offered that day. The first thing my friend ordered also wasn't available. I had my heart set on brunch so I asked for the breakfast burrito instead. Our waiter had to go check and make sure the kitchen could do it. Turns out they could - yay. But then I asked for potatoes to go with it -- and there were no breakfast potatoes available. I went with fries instead. When my burrito arrived at the table, there was no salsa or sour cream, which was supposed to come with it. Any component part of this experience is not a HUGE deal, but it all added up to be rather disappointing. My friend got the bulgogi tacos, which came in an order of two sort of small tacos. She liked them and said they were really good. She also got first a French mimosa and then a classic mimosa; I also had a classic mimosa. Both were generic but enjoyable. My breakfast burrito was decent, but I really missed the salsa and sour cream. The bacon inside was cut into tiny crunchy pieces, which I liked. The eggs were cooked very well but needed more salt and pepper. I enjoyed the bright burst of peppers and some were even a tiny bit spicy. It was a large serving but I wish it came with some side item instead of me having to order one. The side of fries was generous and they were really good -- super crispy but still fluffy inside. I thought the bill was a little high for 1 mimosa, a breakfast burrito, and fries -- almost $40. The burrito alone was $18, which seems like sooooo much for a brunch entree with no sides. Idk. Maybe I don't do mid-scale dining enough. Overall, I thought the quality of the food was solid enough that I'd consider returning, but I'd call ahead to see if they had what I wanted to avoid frustration.

    I had never been to this place until I had a group meeting there. Staff was very accommodating,…read moreseating us upstairs immediately and making sure we had plenty of tables, chairs, plates, etc. I will note that the upstairs is HOT so they had industrial sized fans (eek!), but I think that's just do to the building. The pizzas weren't amaaaazing, but they were good. I tried the pepperoni and bulgogi and both were decently executed and ample in size. They have outdoor seating if that's your thing, service is good, and they really try hard. I'd go back.

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    Rocket City Dog Bar

    5.0(3 reviews)
    8.5 mi

    Finally made it to rocket city dog bar, and we were not disappointed! The service was great, Jess…read moremet us at the entrance and gave us all the instructions and was able to easily find our registration online and we didn't have to pay to come in. There are dog wardens who make sure everyone is playing safely. The café tables have QR codes so you can order food and drinks. The dog play area has some kiddie pools for the pups to play around in, perfect for hot days. I noticed that the whole dog park was really clean compared to other dog parks. Also, the dog cleanup stations have sunscreen and bug spray in case you need it. Although I didn't see any bug out that night, the temperature was kind of cool in the high 70s. The owner Jeff stop by to say hi and told us a little bit about his place and his plans for the future. He really does care! Few tips, register online from their website so they have your vaccination information on file. You don't need to make a reservation to stop by. But just know the parking lot is very small so you may have to park around the back of the building and walk through the courtyard. I was able to find a spot on the side of the building next to the other brewery. As for the rules, no food, drink or treats or toys of any kind are allowed in the dog area... That makes total sense so you don't have any jealous dogs. There were maybe 10 dogs there and they all seem well-behaved, playful and friendly! The other patrons at the bar were so friendly and easy to talk to. I didn't eat or drink anything this time but next time I go back I definitely will. It looks like it's simple food like cheese, plates, and hummus plates and chips for the food. And there were so many beers to choose from. They also mentioned that we can havefood delivered like Uber eats or DoorDash. What a great idea! We can't wait to come back and visit everyone again. ‍

    Best dog bar ever! Woof woof bark bark! Beer beer! Such a great asset for Huntsville! Check their…read moreYouTube before you go to see if it's busy!

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    Old Black Bear Brewing Company - breweries - Updated June 2026

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