I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Mad River Brewery. Great little spot with good beer,good service and friendly locals. Liza was welcoming and great to chat with. I will definitely be back. read more

Food is disappointing now. The beer is good, but definitely not holding the standard of the glory years of craft brewing (2008-2018). I go here for the venue, that's about it. read more

I drove all the way from Berkeley to get Ford growlers of their great Slammin' Salmon. Unfortunately, no mad River beers are available in the Bay Area. read more

Went on a walk with my friend on a beautiful day in Blue Lake. We decided to stop for a beer and enjoy some more sun. We walked in excited to prolong our fun afternoon and then we got to the bar to order... the bartender, who's name is Liza, was super abrupt and not friendly at all. She was very rude and we were being nice. Even gave her a huge tip when we ordered, because you have to pay when you order... trust me.. she did not deserve the tip.... she was rude and condescending the entire time and really ruined the experience for us. Beer 8/10. Chili fries 9/10. Service from food 10/10. Bartender 0/10. If Liza is ever there behind the bar again, I will leave. This was the worst experience ive ever had at the brewery and it will be a minute before I go again. Definitely taking my money elsewhere. read more

Absolutely blown away by the bbq and the beers here. The brisket was amazingly tender and juicy. The pulled pork was interestingly spicy but not in a bad way, it fit perfectly with the cheese fries. I really loved their Steelhead Ale, and my girlfriend had the Jamaican Red. They had an amazing blues band there and nice outdoor seating as well l read more

Paskenta Mad River Brewery - Brisket, Baked Beans, Fried Cornbread Muffins, Cheese Fries, and Pulled Pork - Breweries Near Me - Blue Lake, California

Mad River was one of the breweries we went to while on a recent trip to California. The location isn't in Eureka where we stayed but it's still a pretty short and manageable drive from there to Blue Lake. The beer I found to be enjoyable and satisfying. I got a barleywine beer, a beer style I don't often get called John Barleycorn. Flavor notes in this were caramel, brown sugar, a breadiness and a booziness to it. I liked it quite a bit! Their other beers looked promising and most of their flagship beers were on tap but I went with the barleywine beer since it looked just a bit harder to come by! read more

Paskenta Mad River Brewery - Enjoying the John Barleycorn beer! - Breweries Near Me - Blue Lake, California

My wife, two dogs, and I stopped by for lunch. The location is off the 101 a few minutes and worth the detour. We have been burnt out on typical brewery food so to find a nice bbq spread was appealing. The beers were great. Started off with a sampler and had a pint from our favorites. Their beers weren't as hop heavy as most west coast beers have been which is refreshing. Service was friendly. The food is provided by a separate vendor and was amazing. Two of us shared the two meat platter (plus an extra side salad). The portions were generous, we had to bring a bunch home. Hard to decide if I liked the pulled chicken or brisket more. The place is dog friendly outside. Had a self serve dog station with water bowls and treats. Our pups were very happy. read more

Paskenta Mad River Brewery - Dog station - Breweries Near Me - Blue Lake, California

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We had to go a bit out of the way for this brewery, but it was worth it overall. We enjoyed playing cornhole outside while sipping on a flight sampler of beers. The best to us was the sour ale. Burritos were offered by an outside vendor and the steak burrito was incredibly tasty and highly recommended. Staff were friendly and helpful. read more

Mad River Brewery is a gem. After a delightful series of hikes, the reward never tasted better. We first found their brews in a local store and made it a point so find the homeland. Stocked with an extensive and most delicious array of options, it's suffice to say no one went thirsty. Recommend the red, you can't go wrong with the IPAs and the Nitro Extra Stout was spot on! Have a sweet potato fry too. Cheers to good beer and good people. read more

My son says that "This s**t was gas ". Excellent food. Mad Burger was top notch and the Guacamole Turkey Burger was excellent!

Went earlier this afternoon for a quick weekend lunch. My partner and I ordered the Smash Burger, Fried Green Tomatoes (special item), a side of Smokey Mac n' Cheese, and Watermelon (special item) from the food place inside. We got two drinks from Mad River Brewery, a Huckleberry Seltzer and Tangerine Sour. Our total for everything was around $50, excluding tips. We waited about 20 minutes for food which was perfect since we had our drinks. Everything tasted great and were good portion sizes. I left off a star just because the overall experience was just OK. There were between 5-10 flies that wouldn't leave us alone and we were swatting them away the whole time we ate, but I know this isn't really controllable on the restaurant's end. The other slightly bothersome thing was that the buzzers they give you after you order make a loud, incessant beeping noise when your food is ready. It wouldn't have been too bad if it were just ours, but there were about 6 other parties there and we had to hear the loud beeping numerous times which cut into our conversation a bit. But, all things considered, I can deal with flies and beeping if it means good food, good drinks, and supporting local and Indigenous folks. I'm sure we'll be back! read more

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Very average. At least the beer gets me intoxicated. I wonder if the new owners see any new opportunities. The food truck thing seemed to work well. read more

This is a stop for us every time we come up to this part of the coast. In years past they always made a pretty good burger but their salads left something to be desired. But now they've raised the bar on their salads... so that 'upgrade' with their already great beers makes this my favorite brewery in the Humboldt Bay Area. Whenever I stop here I drink their UnionTown Porter (and I buy some to take home). What's great about Mad River is they always have a pretty good selection of porters and stouts to choose from. I am not a huge fan of IPA's and most breweries today) to my profound disappointment) lard up their selections with this style of beer. (And yes I meant to use the word 'lard' in lieu of 'load') On this particular visit they had a Coffee Porter that was great. I drank one there and have a Crowler in the RV fridge for taking home. Also ordered a barbecue salad: This was excellent and you pick any meat from the smoker for the topper. I ended up with a huge portion of tri-tip. It was tender and served over fresh greens, pickled onions, fresh cucumbers and I'm not sure what else because I was also drinking beer. Mad River did all the stuff a brewery should do: they served me great food and beer in a friendly setting with both some indoor and extensive outdoor seating. Beer, food, kids, dogs... these are good things. I'm happy! read more

Paskenta Mad River Brewery - Breweries Near Me - Blue Lake, California

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Nice brewery colocated with Low & Slow BBQ, we only had time to try one beer (the EPA) but it was good. Nice interior, friendly service, huge patio out back. A definite stop if you're a tourist in the area and fishing the Mad River across the street and want a break. (Or, if, like us you do a quick visit to the hatchery up the street and then stop for a beer and some BBQ on the way back). read more

We stopped by for a couple of ciders and picked up dinner to go. It was super packed, but worth it! Family friendly and great outdoor seating. read more

Paskenta Mad River Brewery - BBQ menu - Breweries Near Me - Blue Lake, California

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After a very disappointing stop at another somewhat local taproom, we knew that there had to be another local brewery with a better experience. We found it!!! Mad River Brewery!!! What a great place. Very chill vibe, sports on the tv's, smell of delicious bbq, friendly and engaging staff. Our bartender was educated on their beer selection, knew how to pour a pint in a chilled glass and conversed with us about what brought us in. The food although we didn't order looked amazing. Make the stop, it's worth it. read more

Meh. I love trying local breweries while I'm traveling, and was excited to try this place as I'd heard great things, but neither the beer nor the food hit the mark. The location is great - it's a bit off the beaten path and has a great view - and they're taking safety precautions seriously. There's a spacious beer garden (full of really cute dogs when we visited!) and the service was very friendly and prompt. As a place to hang out and enjoy a brew, it delivers. Unfortunately I was unimpressed with the food & drink offerings. I tried four of the beers in a sampler - a couple of the fruit sours, the red ale, and something else, the porter perhaps? I thought they were all just okay. The sours especially were disappointing - I love a good sour but these were funky and one-note, and not in the way that I like. We needed a snack as we were hungry but had dinner reservations in a few hours, so didn't want to fill up on carbs (and the menu here is very carb-y) so I ordered chicken wings. The good news is that the wings were huge, and very saucy, so if you like hot saucy wings these would probably hit the spot. The less good news is that I don't typically love wings (too much mess for too little reward) and the texture of the wings here was odd. Felt... undercooked, maybe? I couldn't finish the last wing even though I hate leaving food uneaten. Definitely my mistake for ordering wings when I don't generally like them, but I took a gamble, and it didn't pay off. Wing fans would probably be more impressed, but I wish I'd ordered the corndog off the kids' menu instead. Mad River clearly puts thought and effort into what they do, and they have plenty of fans. Just didn't work for me - and that's okay! I wish them the best. read more

We stopped in as fellow brewers specifically to check out Mad River. The beertender was super welcoming. It was a slow-ish weekday but the place is clearly cherished by locals, and for good reason! Delicious, well crafted beer! read more

A brewery with a view of the mountains AND a super spacious beer garden? I'm there. This place is perfect if you're looking to relax with some beers and brewery food more than 6ft away from people. There is seriously so much space in the parking lot turned beer garden and I loved it. Their ordering set up is well done too. You line up (distanced) to place your order and your beers are basically ready immediately. There's a plexiglass divider between you and the staff as well. My husband and I both got their fruit beers and sours, which were super tasty and fresh. You need to bus your own tables during COVID times, and I'm not sure if they sanitize between customers. I can't speak for their food since we didn't have any on this visit. read more

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Overpriced. soggy food. You ask for medium rare, and you get medium too well. Beautiful location, but it's not worth the stop. The beer is not consistent. $70 for 2 burgers and cold and dry fried pickles. Sad to see this place fail so hard. I will not give them any more chances. The backyard and the bar smelled like a sewage dump. I would stay away or take it at your own risk. It's not worth the price, though... read more

Used to be outstandingly good with previous folks that did food there but some genius fired them . Now ok but just

The food was delicious from Low and Slow BBQ. Beer was cold and tasty. Staff were friendly. read more

It was the other patrons on the patio, letting their kids be absolutely wild and out of control, which ruined it for others, including myself. I blame the establishment for not enforcing basic manners. read more

When traveling we like to visit and support local companies. A few years ago we discovered this brewery, liked the beers and went back. This time it was clear, out of towners are not welcome. It's not that often that bar personell is turning their back towards customers, talking among themselve, usually this happens outside the bar area. We came a long ways, opened a tab, sadly enough the person behind the bar asked local visitors whether they would like a refil, but never asked us, out of towners. Tried to say something nice but it was clear, we were not welcome. While I understand that as out of town we are not important, hence this review is for all the other folks traveling searching for a nice place to have a beer. While the beer is nice, the personal does not like out if town visitors. It's not worth the drive off the beaten path. There are other great breweries in the area. read more

I used to love this place. But the beers have changed over the years. And its now become a daycare and a a place for children to run in circles. Last few times i went. Kids were screaming and running around the tables outside. Very hard to enjoy a beverage A 21 YEAR OLD and up is supposed to have. And i miss the Jamaica beers!! And RIVER DAYSS!! Now its seltzers and steelhead alternatives. Make humboldt beers great again read more

Mad River Brewing Co. was my first exposure to craft beer. Some time - long ago, when I was in my mid-to-late 20's, (I'm 53 now) I was in a store in Chantilly, VA - back then called "Total Beverage" (now called Total Wine). I was in the craft beer aisle, and noted six packs of a beer with a Rainbow trout on the label - called "Steelhead Extra Pale Ale." As a Fly Fisherman, this caught my attention. So I bought a six pack, took it home and chilled it - and was blown away by how good it was. So then I went looking for more - what else did Mad River Brewing Co. brew? I then discovered Steelhead Double IPA, Steelhead Extra Stout, and Steelhead Scotch Porter. Since then, the names of these these beers have been tweaked. I've continued to drink these beers over the years and introduce others to them. This summer, the second week of August 2017 - I went on vacation to visit and experience the Redwoods in Northern California. And I was aware of where Mad River Brewing Co. is located in relation to where I was staying in nearby McKinleyville, CA - so I was excited that I'd be able to work in a visit to the brewery. Before visiting, I drove up Rt. 299 all the way out to Willow Creek to visit the Bigfoot Museum, then hit Mad River Brewing Co. on the way back! I tasted pretty much everything they had on tap that day... First flight: Steelhead Extra Pale Ale (5.6% ABV) Jamaica Red Ale (6.5% ABV) Slammin' Salmon Double IPA (8.6% ABV) Eureka Natural Foods Pale Ale (5.6% ABV) Redwood Stout (6.5% ABV) Second flight Uniontown Porter (6.5% ABV) Everyone Gose Mad (4.86% ABV) Citra IPA (6.2% ABV) Lemonhead Summer Wheat (5.0% ABV) 'Get to the Choppa' Red (6.5% ABV) 2015 John Barleycorn Barleywine (10.5% ABV) I believe The Slammin' Salmon Double IPA used to be named "Steelhead Double IPA," the Redwood Stout used to be named "Steelhead Extra Stout," and the Uniontown Porter used to be named "Steelhead Scotch Porter." All the usual suspects that I was familiar with - the original four ales - were still good. And I very much enjoyed tasting everything else that Mad River had to offer that day. The Jamaica Red Ale was my favorite of all the ales I had never tasted before. I sat at the bar during my tasting and chatted with several of the bartenders. All were friendly and fun. Afterward, I bought a bunch of Mad River Brewing Co. t-shirts and tanks to bring back as gifts for my craft beer loving friends! They also serve food at Mad River, I did not try any of the food. Hope some day to come back to Northern California and visit again! #MadRiverBrewingCo #SteelheadExtraPaleAle read more

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Whenever I pass through town, I look for brewpubs and Mad River always seems to filter to the top of the heap. Good beer, good atmosphere and decent pub food. Order at the bar, pick up food at the window. Fish and chips are a solid choice. read more

Paskenta Mad River Brewery - Fish n chips - Breweries Near Me - Blue Lake, California

The food is excellent and the service is wonderful. Sometimes they run out of a type of burger if you get there near closing time like we did - no worries, it was an opportunity for my husband to try a bison burger for the first time! He loved it! There was a little hiccup with the upcharge to cover the difference in price, but I called Trevor (days later when I realized it) and he was so pleasant and helpful. It's one thing when you enjoy the food, but a place is on a whole other level when the people are concerned with customer service and treating you right. That warms my heart and will keep Mad River brewery as our go-to place to eat out in Blue Lake! Thanks for the memories - Taco Todd and fam enjoyed the live band too!! read more

Unexpectedly good. People enjoying themselves. Had the Smash Burger and it was really good. Fries are also good. Have to come back and try the BBQ. Smelled delicious. read more

Paskenta Mad River Brewery - Smash Burger and Fries. - Breweries Near Me - Blue Lake, California

I came here a lot this summer after spending the days in Willow Creek and it's on the way back home. Each and every time the food was great. Some days there was live music and it made the atmosphere fun, especially if you sit outdoors. I've tried many different dishes and I liked them all. Their bbq food from Low and Slow is just ! Blue Lake is a lovely place and I love supporting this place since it's owned by one of the local tribes. The food was good, the weather was good, I was happy each and every time. read more

Yuck. And overpriced. $50 for a burger, 3 buffalo strips, "loaded" tots (cheese and sour cream aren't exactly loaded), and an $8 side of chili. Everything tasted burnt, under seasoned, or just disgusting. The best thing I had was the cherry cider. Definitely won't be back! read more

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I was yelled at and called a liar due to some tag anomaly on a keg. I got turned away trying to return the first time, and emailed about it. Was told to bring it in for deposit by tap room manager Wes. Below is a copy of the email. Ghey also fail to say return within six months, it is not on paperwork. Anyways he claimed I got the keg from Santa Rosa when I just bought the kegerator to cut down on recycling during covid, and it is the only keg I put in it. On top of it he said my keg rental privileges are revoked. Guess I won't go here anymore after over a decade of supporting them. I have been able to locate your original sales info from 6/22/2020. I cant speak to why there was any confusion at all in the process but I can tell you that I'm here to fix it. So long as there hasnt been any tampering with the keg in question, and its still in good condition, we would be more than happy to fix the mistakes and get you your deposit back. Now if you want said deposit in cases of beer, thats your call. Just come by during operating hours and ask for me. read more

We have spent our last dime at this place. We have been coming here for years and watched it go from a bustling concern full of customers to near closing with empty tables everywhere, all due to the quality of the food, because the beer has always been mediocre at best. Then Bill of Low n Slow brought it back from life support, going from sandwiches and a bag of chips to full-on award-winning barbecue from their kitchen and the smoker which was going full bore. Lines out the door for Bill's food. Bill breathed life into the place and rescued it from closing, then was unceremoniously asked to vacate, replaced by one of the dozens of food trucks which can be found on any street corner. The beer is not worth the trip to Blue Lake as it is not nearly on a par with other breweries in the area - Low n Slow was the reason we made the trip. No more. read more

Mad River Brewing Company really blew me away! I went with two friends on a random Monday afternoon, and we really enjoyed ourselves. After a few hours laying by the Mad River, we walked inside this joint to a deliciously air-conditioned, well-lit tasting room, which consisted of a bar, tables, a refrigerated food case, and clothing merchandise. Leading up to the tasting room, they have an outside beer garden. I LOVE beer gardens! They have a nice bar with two huge chalkboards indicating what brews they have on tap. One board listed their House brews that they have mostly year-round, and the other had their Seasonal Specials. I am a huge fan of their House brews, so I was hoping to try something I hadn't before. The Specials variety ranged from pale ales to dark stouts, including a blackberry cheesecake cream ale that sounded very interesting. My friends and I were looking for something to quench our post-river thirst, so we all got a pint of the Humboldt Haze. It seemed to be a very light ale, and easy to drink. We took our brews outside to the beer garden to drink in the sunshine, and we were the only ones out there. There were at least 15 tables to sit at outside and about five or so inside. They don't serve food at this establishment, but they do have regular food trucks outside Wednesdays to Friday 5-close, and Saturday all day. Overall, it was a wonderful, relaxing experience nestled in the tiny town of Blue Lake. read more

Paskenta Mad River Brewery - The Mad River Tasting Room with a pint of the Humboldt Haze! - Breweries Near Me - Blue Lake, California

Beer was so good. Did a flight of six tastings Great decor Great staff Service could have been faster Ambience was friendly mostly local They do different art installations in the wall which were cool Lots of awards read more

Stopped in a few weeks back with my oldest son. He was visiting from out of town and wanted to check out some of the local breweries we are famous for here in the north coast country. There are dozens of great options on the board behind the bar, and after perusing them all we decided to give the Mad River 26th Anniversary Ale a go. This imperial cream ale is nothing short of spectacular. Rich, smooth, dark, full bodied, with great texture and loaded with flavor. Now in their 26th year, Mad River Brewing continues to release great hand crafted brews. The tap room and inside bar area is still a small comfortable, warm and friendly place with a couple tables and half a dozen or so barstools. A large covered area outside allows for more seating. The kitchen was open for lunch service, we did not eat but everything coming out looked good, and the folks who were eating said the food was great, plan to return and see for myself soon. A great brewery and tap room, well worth a visit to grab a craft cold beer and now a bite to eat. 4 stars 00328 read more

Paskenta Mad River Brewery - 26th Anniversary Ale... - Breweries Near Me - Blue Lake, California

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Drove 30 minutes to visit your establishment. Lo and behold your are closed until 2 today. WTF! Post it on Yelp or somewhere where out of town people can see it. I-am really disappointed in your thoughtfulness! We always visit the local craft breweries when we travel. We were really looking forward to trying your beer! read more

Paskenta Mad River Brewery - Breweries Near Me - Blue Lake, California

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Cold tasty beer and stellar service with a smile! I stopped in on a Friday afternoon for a beer and was pleasantly surprised. Love the regulars mugs over the bar. Makes me wish I lived here so I could get a mug! Had steelhead extra pale and sozins comet Jamaica red. Steelhead is a great, well rounded crisp extra pale ale. The red was lovely with a nice sharpness. Their beers are well crafted. I skipped the pub food but the next time I am back I look forward to another pint. read more

I love the beers from Mad River, in fact I usually come in to buy cases whenever I go to the coast but rarely do I stay to have a drink. Some of the bartenders seem like they don't enjoy working here and have weird attitudes that make you feel uncomfortable. Food from Low & Slow is amazing though, and is the prime reason I do stay to have beer here. 3 stars because the beer and food is good, but lacking in customer service and comfortability. read more

The view is stunning here and the air quality is so crisp. Nice that they have the cornhole game outside. The beer was pretty good..we tried a few of them. The food was mediocre..frozen tots, extremely oily fried fish, and decent sauerkraut. OK..so the biggest issue I came across during my visit is the girl who rang us up. My fiance gave her his debit card and she gave him the pin pad to enter his pin. A message came up and she apologized that it's a known issue with their machines. She proceeded to saying.."CAN I GET YOUR PIN NUMBER SO I COULD INPUT IT." I immediately chimed in and said ABSOLUTELY NOT. He ended up using another card to pay. I have no idea who in their right mind would ask for someone's pin number!!! This is absolutely unacceptable. I have no idea how many people she has asked and how many people have given their pin number to her..because she said it as if it was a normal thing. If anyone's bank account is being scammed after their visit here, you know where the problem lies. read more