The service was very friendly and offered tastings before I ordered which I greatly appreciated. The beer and wine selection is nice. We ordered the pretzel and cheese appetizer, but it was just okay. The cheese was somewhat bland. We sat outside, but the location is not great. It sits on a busy road with a lot of traffic which is not great for people watching. It is a great place to go with a group of friends though. There are also two tv's inside to watch sports. Overall, this is a great place to have a drink and hang out with your friends! read more

This has become a frequent spot when we drive down to Chico. We love the renovated space. The food and beer continue to be spectacular as always! The burgers were fantastic today, and the garlic fries! read more

Food is always good here. I've been going since they opened and alway happy, even trying new menu items! They had 28 beers to chose from--I tried their chocolate stout which was fab!! It was loud, crowded, and everyone looked to be thoroughly enjoying themselves! read more

Ordered takeout twice. Impossible burger and fries. Last time there were such an unbelievably small amount of fries (maybe 10 fries) that the second time I asked for more. They instead gave me less. Most places give a ton of fries. Handle bar is super stingy. This meal was definitely not worth the outrageous price. I won't be ordering from them again. read more

Surprising to find such a pleasant pub in the middle of suburban mall-land. Great selection of beers on tap! Atmosphere was casual - lots of seating and good music playing, but not so loud as to drown out conversation. Staff were friendly and informative. The food is German style, but there is a wide variety of dishes, from salads to sandwiches to, of course, sausages, that there is surely something to please everyone. In fact, it was actually easier to find vegetarian options here than at most English-style pubs. My salad- with spinach, blue cheese, almonds, pears and grilled chicken was fresh and delicious. read more

I'm a fan of beer, but not a fan of making decisions. The beer menu at this place is so vast it's overwhelming. The bartenders are great at making suggestions so I don't have to make a choice. They always get it right and I haven't been disappointed. Plus they are super friendly. I love the outdoor patio and the fact that it's not downtown. Definitely a locals spot which makes it even better. read more

Been here twice now & enjoyed both times! Service is excellent, lots of choices of beer, and both meals I've had were delicious! Honestly can't wait to go back! read more

First time at the Handle Bar pub near Winco in Chico 7/12/18! I was served by bartender Brandon-- excellent service! He was friendly (to this 65 year old woman alone), knowledgeable in the beer choices & explanations. He let me try a couple before making my selection. I ordered a ham & cheese on rye that was cooked to perfection! The atmosphere is casual, uncrowded (on a summer Thursday night), and easy. I was looking for a place like this near Winco & Costco here I shop. I am delighted I tried it! I will be back! read more

We love this place! My only gripe...(which will probably sound ridiculous) I wish they would change their condiments to Heinz brand. They have awesome fries but I never order them because I can't stand Hunts ketchup. I may start bringing in my own ketchup. So extra, I know!!! Awesome beer rotations and great customer service! read more

This place is phenomenal! For several years they have consistently offered a diverse and interesting selection of quality beers from their rotating 20 taps. I have not seen a beer pub that does it better. I'm a west coast guy who loves microbrews and seeks out places like this (including in "beer capitals" like Portland, OR). These folks know what they're doing; there's always a good pilsner, pale ales, several intriguing IPAs, a porter or two, etc. But they absolutely excel in bringing in unusual brews from breweries doing experimental ales, like fun scotch ales, bourbon-aged ales, and surprising farmhouse beers. And, by the way, they have a nice selection of wines. The Handle Bar definitely deserves a five-star overall rating. You'll notice, if you look through the reviews, that lower ratings come from people knocking the food. That's dumb. It's like criticizing a liquor store for not having a large selection of groceries. This is a "specialty beer bar" (their own description) and, at that, they are in a class by themselves! That said, the food they offer is really good. There are tasty sandwiches and awesome salads, plus other pub eats. Go to this place for the great beer; you won't be disappointed! read more

My husband & I come here every Friday for a "speed date" before we pick up the kids. The beer selection is ever-changing & diverse. Definitely a place for beer connoisseurs. They do have a moderare wine selection if beer isn't your thing. The beer cheese & pretzels are delicious! The burgers are also really good! My husband loves the sauerkraut. The service is usually great, other than an occasional slip due to human nature. Any error we've seen, they've been quick to remedy. I look forward to our Fridays at The Handle Bar! read more

I love this bar becasue of the Atmosphere and the great employees always willing to help and very knowledgeable about the crafts beers. I personally love the Drake 1500. read more

The Handle Bar - Hahhahah take a piss - Pubs Near Me - Chico, California

In Chico for the night and clients tomorrow, and I wanted to get a bike ride in, outside of my hotel room for once, and grab some dinner. As usual, Yelp is a great place to find something that fits, no matter the meal time. Seems like if I type in "craft beer" for lunch or dinner (don't think I won't do breakfast too!) I see two things, how cool/progressive a city is, and a great place to eat and have a beer that doesn't suck (ie, mass market beers). Thanks Yelp! Sure enough, Handle Bar came up with so many stars I HAD to have a look. Even without the current taps listed, it sounded like exactly my sort of thing. PLUS, an invite to park my bike OR my dog. Well, no dog on this trip, but the bike part meant I could kill two birds with one pint. Perfect. I get there, and feel bad about going right into the patio, because I don't like being disrespectful to a restaurant that has a seating policy. However, I have a REALLY expensive bike, and I wanted it behind the railing. Turns out, no big deal. They were totally cool. Even better that the bartender insisted on coming out to me, rather than me click clacking all over, like a duck, in my stupid shoes and stretchy pants! Best news all day? They have Celebrator on tap! Probably the only German beer I still enjoy, as I've moved on to Belgians. I've NEVER seen Celebrator on tap, and it was even more amazing than usual! Flawless victory, HB! And then??? Friggin' spätzle on the menu! Not only that, but made as mac n cheese! I am DOWN with THAT sickness! Washed it down with an amazing chocolate mousse, and twice as happy that I rode, just to burn some of these fabulous calories. If you like chow and beer, you owe yourself a visit to these folks. Super chill vibe that's only gonna get better with the warm weather. I might have to visit Chico area clients more often! read more

I am a beer aficionado, and I can say without hesitation that the Handle Bar's beer selection is simply unrivaled in Chico. They have over a dozen taps, and aside from a few (the two SN beers, and sometimes Pliny), none of the ones I saw when I went there are beers you will find anywhere else in town. Highlights from my visits include The Bruery's Mischief, a hoppy Belgian pale ale, Oskar Blues' Ten Fidy, a Russian Imperial Stout, and North Coast's Old Stock Ale. read more

This is our favorite spot. Great beer selection. They just revamped their menu with some exceptional little artisan pub delights. The bartender is always great, on-the-ball and goes out of his way to make us feel relaxed and welcomed. Never once have we had an ill experience here and we can't say enough good about the place. Thank you :-) read more

My husband and I have been here quite a few times and each time I leave satisfied with the beer selection, but annoyed with the food selection. As a vegetarian I am limited to only appetizers. The beer cheese is fabulous, but I really wish their food choices were improved (I am not always in the mood to pack on the pounds). I tried to order the grilled cheese with no bacon (a meal choice), and it turns out that when you don't want bacon you loose the onions and other goodies because it is a pre-made mixture. I understand that they are a bar, but there are many good/great bars that serve great food. I just wish Handle Bar was one of them...maybe one day. read more

What an awesome place to enjoy delicious, tasty beers! The food is scrumptious, the employees are all friendly and super chill! Love the location, It's great having a hot spot to meet friends that isn't downtown! Kudos to the owners for their well thought out selection of beer, wine, cider, and tasty food! If you haven't tried it, what are u waiting for?! I promise you'll love it :D read more

What a welcome addition to the Chico scene. I made a beeline to visit after learning that Trummer Pils was on tap. Importantly, they serve those Trummer Pils draughts in the proper glass! Rounding out the experience - they have a nice selection of German inspired food, access to an outdoor patio, mature clientele. One of my new favorite hangouts when I visit my hometown. read more

"Best place to hangout with friends over a delicious glass of beer or wine along with the curry wurst....food is excellent! From salads to bratwurst. Go, GO GO GO to this place!!!!!!!!!!!" read more

I like the place, but I have been stiffed twice by them. They charged me full price for a beer I ordered but ran out of the keg so all I got was about 3 oz. And then the other day they charged me twice for the same beer. They charged my card after I gave them cash. Kind of disappointed with them right now. read more

Been here a handful of times now. Im from sonoma county and i'm used to good tap rooms. The Handle Bar is one of only a couple here in Chico. Great ambiance. Outdoor seating. Comfortable bar and dining room. Small, yet quality menu. Great rotating selection of taps. Worth taking the time to review. Attentive service. I think they also own the midtown local cafe. Brandon took excellent care of me. Thanks Handlebar! read more

The beer is great. The staff is great. The service is terribly slow. I've been here three times, and its always busy, and there is always only one person working. The last time, it took over 20 minutes to get our order of two beers, which is really unacceptable. I really want to love this place, but the owners need to put more than one person on staff at a time. read more

If you love beer this is the place in Chico for you! 20 taps, a large bottle selection (that you can get to go!) tasty food, and a friendly staff, what's not to love. If you're more of a lunch person be sure to ask for a sandwich punch card. read more

Great place to go for a brew after work. Always have an eclectic selection of beer on tap. And if I'm in the mood for wine, I'll order the artisonal platter as well. Great place to unwind read more

Love The Handle Bar. I go there all the time. Great food, great drinks and drink specials. I really like The Handle Bar for meeting with a small group, very comfortable read more

Excellent food and service. Hannah is a rockstar behind the bar. So great at making drinks and topical conversations. Definitely a great spot. Thanks for having a solid business and good peeps. read more

Graet selection of micro beers. Attentive bartender. We had the polish dog and short rib spaetzle. Both were very good. We're out of towners and when we return we're stopping here again. read more

Went for dinner & drinks last night & everyone in our party was completely satisfied. Beer selection great & was pleasantly surprised with a dang good margarita. We ordered the pretzels & cheese dip app to start. It was a bit different than what I expected but tasty - the pretzels were like little loaves of bread. Warm & yeasty. One ordered the spaztel which was okay...but the show stopper was the pastrami sando. Meat piled high with just the right amount of sauerkraut & garlic aoili. Kellie provided good service & let us take our time ordering. Food & drink prices reasonable too. read more

Great little place...although it wasn't easy to find. I thought I had passed by as there is little signage from the north entrance. But it's a really great place with an incredible selection of craft brews. One of the waiters was wearing a Russian River Brewery shirt and told a story about camping over night on his birthday to get a taste of Pliney! Check this place out if your in the Chico area. read more

I have been here twice with my fiancé. They have a good selection of beer. And the bar food was pretty good. However, one of the staff members was a bit rude when my fiancé inquired on beers (we know they are written on the board)... Not everyone can read the details, and the way he said it to my fiancé was a bit abrupt and simple minded. We finished the beers that we had and the deli plate and left. We met with family there the 2nd time and although there was no rudeness, this place just really didn't have me over the top. Maybe for a happy hour or with a larger group of friends? read more

Horrible service. The people who work there are all chip and no shoulder. The restaurant was half full so that's why we waited an hour for a turkey sammy. After asking politely about our food the waitress treated us so rudely that we just walked out. What a joke. read more

Fantastic little bar in Chico! They have a wonderful beer selection, if you can get the Sculpin IPA, DO IT. Amazing. Everyone is so friendly there, the tap takeovers are top notch. The food is really great as well, it has a german vibe, but with their own twist. The chili is good, but I recommend the pastrami. I really enjoyed it. The staff are also consistently en pointe. Love it!!! read more

Just okay. We ordered pork sliders and they came with a German potato salad. The salad turned me away from the whole meal. No happy hour menus. We had to ask about it. Service was great but the happy hour food is just okay. read more

Came on a sunday and it must've been happy hour since all the beer that we ordered were discounted by a dollar. Drinks were good but we weren't a fan of the food. My friend ordered a salad and she was not impressed. My fiance ordered beer pretzels but it tasted more like bread than a pretzel and the dipping sauce was a strange taste as well. Overall would still recommend coming here for their drink selection and happy hour pricing. read more

Awesome beers and great food. Beer selection changes at a nice pace. Me being a beer geek I like to change it up a lot, so this place fits me perfect. Also they sell bottles to go, some rare ones as well. Go already!!! read more

Since my last review I have been back twice. Both times were awesome! They have a new staff member who I previously remember from Beatnik's. He was our waiter and he was a great joy compared to the last waiters I've met. He cared and was on top of his waiter game helping multiple tables and tending the bar without making anyone feel as though they weren't being taken care of. Customer service is important & I love that I can love this place again and continue frequenting this venue for wonderful food and their vast beer selection. The flights are always fun! read more

breuben and turkey sandwich were amazing. great beer. knowledgeable bartender Brandon was able to pair beers with taste/preference definitely coming back So I did return, let's just say the brewben and turkey sandwiches are the best two sandwiches. Nothing terrible to report, just underwhelmed at the rest of the food menu. Beers are still great. read more

My hopes were as high as they could have possibly been and my first experience was pleasant enough. The beer menu is nice, the changes to the taps are great. The only beer issue I have is that a place that prides it's self on high end beers should not carry Pabst, but rather offer something else if someone is looking for a light beer. I have been there a couple of times since then and will not return again due to a few issues. Their food offerings are sub par with the beer cheese being served directly out of the refrigerator (hard as can be) and every day store bought pretzels. Their other foods that I have tried I thought were very over priced. Now for the worst part. The last time I was there, I went out with a friend while he smoked. As I stood on the sidewalk, there were big brown cockroaches running around on the ground. Now I am no expert, but to me it would be a logical conclusion that if they are that bad out on the sidewalk by the front door, they may be in the building in even higher numbers. For that reason alone I will not be returning as I do not want the little disease carriers crawling up a tap to get a drink of what I order or mixing themselves in with my food. Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. It is good to know that you are on top of things and have a pest control company who takes care of things. However those were my experiences and opinions. What I wrote was not unfair nor libelous as you wrote, but rather a set of experiences that do have merit. read more

Four stars for the beer selection- it's quite good. Not amazing, but they do a good job in having a variety of beers and beer styles. I've almost always had something that I at least really enjoyed, if not always finding something that blows my doors. Two stars for the service- I sat at the bar for several minutes before finally deciding to check my phone for time. Ten minutes after that I was finally acknowledged. It was probably a solid 15 minutes give or take one before the two employees working this evening asked me if I wanted anything. And it was busy, yes, so I was prepared to wait a while, but when the guy sitting next to me, orders food, orders beer, receives beer, receives meal, all before I have even been acknowledged, we got problems yo. This was also after I had made eye contact with both bartenders several times each. I was getting up to leave when someone finally asked if I had been served. To the guy's credit- he checked on me in a timely manner to make sure my food was good. It was decent, but really, how bad can a sandwich be? Piece of constructive criticism- even if you can't take an order, at least let someone know you see them and that you will get there when you can. Just a quick- "Give me two minutes" goes a loooong way. read more

The brewben, potato salad, and beer selection get me coming back for more. Best Rueben sandwich I've had in town for sure. Service is always really good considering that they have just one or 2 people at the bar or taking orders. They have a great vegan option for my lady too with the Mushroom burger/sandwich. - I will note that they may want to start asking if you want cheese on your side salad if you ordering a vegan option. We didn't realize but it's not a big deal. I'll be back! read more