True West is a bit of an anomaly, they are a craft brewery in a small town that carries other beer and has a full food menu. First I want to say the easiest way to turn me off of a restaurant is to be rude to me as a paying customer. It's the hospitality business and to me that is inexcusable. The people both at the door and behind the bar have been rude almost to the point of condescending multiple times and that obviously leaves a bad taste in your mouth the second you walk in. I will say their food is very good, I really like the soft pretzel and everything that I I've had has been at least okay. The beer on the other hand...not so great. The True West beer is overall rather basic and boring with nothing out of the box and nothing great. As someone who lives great beer I always want the beer to be great but it always falls flat in my opinion and I've tried everything from the Ruckus IPA to the Oatmobile. They do carry other beers which are much better than their own. read more

My expectations for True West were high, but by the end of the night I had come to the conclusion that this restaurant is just alright. My review is based only on the quality of the appetizers and entree that I ordered. Perhaps I would have a different opinion if I was of drinking age and could sample the brews. I will start at the beginning. In the afternoon, I had planned on running an errand to pick up probyotics and lip therapy. Unable to start my car, I called my mother and asked if she could pick up the items for me. She suggested that when she got home, we would both go to the local pharmacy and then eat out for dinner. We ultimately chose to done at True West, intrigued since we had not been before. I had heard good things from my friend who worked as a waitress over the summer, and I was hoping the restaurant would offer unique dishes. Looking at the menu, I found that the dishes were standard pub fare. Not bad, but not memorable. When the water came to the table, I found a piece of lettuce floating at the top. I wasn't upset about it, but it is worth mentioning. We ordered brussel sprouts and fried pickles (or "fried picks" as our waiter referred to them) for appetizers (or "apps"). They were decent and filling, but neither of us were amazed. According to my mother, Red Raven (another restaurant in Acton) offers far better "fried picks." We did not order our entrees until after finishing the "apps." The wait staff was slightly slower than we would have preferred. When the waiter came to us, we each ordered a turkey sandwich, a Thanksgiving inspired dish, and replaced the fries with a garden salad. The salad was of the quality of bagged salad from a grocery store. I enjoyed it, but it was still mildly disappointing. The turkey sandwhich was better, not the best I've had, but a decent sandwhich nonetheless. I would best summarize my experience by saying "It was okay I guess." Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I am not itching to go back any time soon. If you want to try locally crafted beer from a solar-powered brewery, go right ahead and I'm sure you will be pleased. If you live nearby and want to have dinner, no beer involved, perhaps consider driving a bit further. read more

The service is incredibly slow here. Took two hours to eat lunch with 3 people. Also, note that if you make a reservation you have to request to sit outside. We came for lunch and my 67 year old father wasn't comfortable sitting inside during COVID and they didn't allow him to sit outside even though he made a reservation and most tables were open. Food, atmosphere and beer are great so it's too bad the experience was not the best. read more

We went here a few weeks ago for the first time. The host brought us to the back bar. A perfect spot for a quiet and quaint evening. The bartender was well educated with the menu and made wonderful drink recommendations. I am not an ipa drinker, however the Ruckus (I'm pretty sure that was the name) was really good! To eat we had the dry rub wings and a gluten free burger. The wings were big, I wasn't expecting the rub to be sweet but they were still delicious. I have worked the industry for over 14 years and I have never been so impressed. There was an emergency while we were there. The staff all came together like a well oiled machine and handled the situation with confidence, professionalism, and efficiency. They wasted no time in doing what needed to be done. At the same time they didn't forget about their other customers. A++ True West management and staff. I can not wait to go back again! Such wonderful people and great vibes! read more

Beer is decent, food is decent and service is good, sometimes great. The speak easy is pretty cool, the bartender there was excellent. I like the trivia night. read more

We tried 3 different things from their appetizer menu and all were excellent. My boyfriend tried to of their own brews and enjoyed them... we also liked the fact that they give you more options than just their own beers... we also like that they have a full bar and your not just limited to beer... they have signature cocktails and I tried one called spiked Paloma... it was awesome. The service was great, friendly and polite... we did sit at the bar... cool place... hope to go back again when their patio is open. read more

True West - Breweries Near Me - Acton, Massachusetts

Went there with a party of about 15 people, we had the back room. Drinks came extremely slow kitchen was horrible, we ordered food and got one part of it almost three hours later, all the other tables got half of what they ordered. They didn't offer any kind of food to soak up the alcohol we were drinking, we had to ask for chips and salsa and she brought it to one table instead of all 4. Horrible horrible service. I know the bar and the kitchen are out of the waitresses hands but there were other ways the bad situation could have been remedied. Nothing was comped (as it absolutely should have been as a former waitress) no manager came to apologize. Everything that could go wrong did. The place is set up for failure, good luck come summer. read more

The beer was beer - not anything that blew us out of the water, but still good. Food was even better! We got the fried pickles, super good! I got the Spring Risotto and it was delicious, my husband got the fried chicken sandwich with french fries, fries were great and sandwich was good! read more

True West - Breweries Near Me - Acton, Massachusetts

The food is horrendous. Flatbread is literally a frozen Celeste pizza, not a flatbread. Strawberry spinach salad was awful. Ordered with chicken, which was just a few julienned strips of leftover chicken, a couple of walnuts, a little cheese, and a few pieces of strawberry. We're amazed that they are in business. And, for a brewery, they have 2 of their own beers...ever else is another label. What a wasted trip. read more

This place sucks because there's no lemonade so they made me drink water so I do not recommend and they take very long to come to the table after you get here so ya read more

True West - water - Breweries Near Me - Acton, Massachusetts

Nice joint. Food and beer excellent. Barman was friendly. Had beef on wek. Was delicious. Pretzel was small.

Oh, wow! Favorite beer is tough because they're all good! But I would say Colonial Red, Ruckus and the new Cash and Prizes are definitely great for IPA lovers like me. Ok...Colonial Gold has to win! It's definitely a 5 star plus!!!!! Btw...Hubby LOVES the coffee flavored stout. read more

If you're in need of solid food and good service, I'd definitely recommend coming here. I came here last night with a couple of friends and got the House Burger. It was a really good burger--pretty juicy, flavorful, and cooked just as I asked. For $14, it was a great meal. The West Coast Burger also seemed pretty fire, and my friend can confirm. I also want to emphasize how good the service was. Our server, Amanda, was really accommodating and friendly, but not the typical, faux-professional nice--she was super real and chill. If you have the chance, I'd ask to have her as your waitress. Overall, I had a good experience here. read more

We had a great meal at True West tonight. The food was good, the atmosphere perfect, and the beer tasty. We'll definitely be going back!

Food is good,beers decent. Service terrible. Takes 10 minutes before someone even acknowledges you at the bar. Staff is more concerned with themselves than you. read more

If you've been avoiding True West because of a bad past experience or negative reviews about the food, I think you should consider giving the place a chance. I was in the neighborhood a few weeks ago, hanging out with my sister and BIL, who live nearby. They had been to True West before, but they didn't enjoy the food when they first visited. I had never been, as some negative reviews were keeping me away. Hungry, short on time, and in the area, we all decided to give True West a shot, in spite of our reservations. I'm happy that we decided to go--I REALLY liked the hamburger. It was cooked perfectly (I asked for medium rare), the homemade bun was awesome, and the fries were also very good. My dinner companions were also happy with their food. And, of course, the beer was great. I don't know what the deal was with the food when the place first opened. What I've heard is that they initially insisted on using spent grains from brewing in a lot of their menu items, because sustainability, I guess? Blech, if true. I mean, spent grains are basically animal feed. I don't know just how accurate this is, but maybe they altered and improved the menu after all the negative feedback. My sister thinks they did, and she now plans to return after about two years of avoiding the place. And I'd happily go back for a another burger and beers. read more

I really wanted to enjoy this place since Acton is lacking a lot when it comes to dining and bar experiences. We had to return our brussel sprout appetizer because it wasn't even close to being cooked. It seemed like someone forgot a couple of steps in the prep when they were put on our table wet and raw instead of crispy and tender. Part two was the fish tacos. The fish is breaded in "spent grain" left over from the beer brewing they do on the premises. It sounded hokey, but proved to be tasteless. Why bother to add an ingredient if it doesn't enhance the food? It's bland and adds an odd aftertaste character that I found to be unpleasant. The salsa on top literally tasted like canned tomatoes and nothing more. The decor is nice near the front by the bar but rather stark and dark in the seating area. If you are seated facing away from the front windows you sort of feel like your inside a dark box. But the place is lively for sure. Lots of people at the bar, which explains why our drinks took 20 minutes to arrive. Like any new restaurant these guys have a learning curve to deal with. I hope they figure it out because they have potential. I'd go back for a drink at the bar but I have no interest in their food at this point. read more

The burgers were bland and undercooked, and the beer was nothing special outside of a Budweiser. Service and management wasn't great, either. read more

Love love love the beer and the bar! We tried a few different beers on draft and had nothing but good things to say about each of them. I wish that was where our story ended. The food on the other hand was quite a different story. My son absolutely hated their chicken strips. 1, they were totally burned. 2, they tried too hard to be creative by incorporating the whole farm-to-table/homemade aspect. 3, after our son refused to eat them we decided to have a try and found them to be absolutely revolting. This place also makes their own ketchup and ranch dressing -- also bad. My wife ordered one of their burgers medium which was brought back burned. We sent it back only to have it returned medium-well. I had the warm pretzel braid as an appetizer and found it inedible. The brewers fries were the only saving grace and they went well with beer. Oh and my daughter loved their mac and cheese, but it was way overpriced at $14. Overall, neither the food nor the service was worthy of the pricing. We were very excited when we heard this place was coming to Acton and had very high hopes. Unfortunately, we were generally disappointed with the food, the noise and the service. read more

I really want to like True West. Acton has nothing like it and so they have a great opportunity here to fill a void. My wife and I went here on opening weekend. It was a 45 minute wait and they don't take reservations. The space is smallish so we just walked around outside until our table was ready. They call your cell. There's nothing that resembles a waiting area. If it were cold or rainy you'd either have to stand there in everyone's way or go to the bar. The decor is pretty cool, actually the space is pretty cool as there's no decor to speak of. It's loud as others have pointed out, obnoxiously so. You can't really enjoy a nice conversation. There's also a lot of kids running around which for a brew joint seems odd. Our waitress was very nice but totally stressed and it showed. She screwed up a few things along the way but again, she was pleasant. The beer wasn't good, it was epic. Seriously, I'm 50 and it's the best I've ever had. Just the right blend of hops, perfect color, yum. It would be nice if you knew how many ounces you were paying for however. The food came after an eternity and not to be a party pooper here but it wasn't good at all. This whole "farm to table" thing is hip right now. I get it. They boast that everything is made from scratch, blah blah. This doesn't automatically equate to great food. In our case the fish and chips were limp and soggy. The homemade ketchup is gross. When I went to pepper my fish I couldn't. There are no salt and pepper on the tables. Huh? I'd rather forgo the en vogue farm to table thing and just get some simple pub food with extraordinary beer. So some will like this place, beer devotees most likely. For them it won't disappoint. There's good karma here too it seems. Friendly staff and a most definitely upper middle class + clientele. It's new. It's hip. It's exciting. But to stay in it for the long haul they need to work on the food, do something about the noise, and figure out what they want to be....a bar with bar food done well or a legit restaurant with special food of superior quality. read more

Excellent locally sourced food and their own selection of beers mark this as one of the better places in Acton. There's also a really cool, hidden, "speakeasy" in the back. read more

Had to check it out after trying their brew/food at the spirit of hudson. Got the pretzel with ale cheese and the tots with tomato aioli and both were amazing. Service was great, beer was great, food was great. Will be back! read more

The beers were fantastic but the food was lacking. The kids Mac and cheese was so bland out kids didn't even eat but a small bit. We had the fried pickles which were good but would have been better if the grain had been ground finer. The turkey club was filling but would have been made much better buy the promised garlic aioli. Turkey was very tasty. Husband had the Reuben and had the same opinion. The bread was tasty and good but nothing to write home about. It's a shame it has amazing potential, but is not there yet. read more

I think it's fair to say that many Metro West residents could hardly wait for this restaurant to open. Perfectly situated in West Acton on Massachusetts Avenue (Rt. 111), its construction was heralded by a lot of us eager for a high quality restaurant and an alternative to the few (and mostly mediocre at that) we currently have. The restaurant positioned itself as a combo brew pub and farm-to-table eatery--what more could anyone ask! The question is, how good is True West? Unfortunately, as of this review, it's a work-in-progress: not great, but not DOA. Coming back to its initial premise, what it does well is the brew pub end. If you enjoy sitting at a bar with a beer in one hand and a nicely dressed burger with fries in the other, then this restaurant is your bag. I've enjoyed both beer and burger. So what's not working right so far? A quick scan of the other reviews kind of spells it out: * Even with the sound dampening panels, the acoustics aren't conducive for intimate conversations. * I've dined at True West twice and both times found the wait staff to disappear after taking orders. * Agree that their homemade ketchup takes some getting use to. * The design of the restaurant is sunny but industrial. Think metal chairs. Again, not intimate for their price point. So what's really not working right (i.e., a note to the owners): The biggest challenge I think True West faces, long-term, is their menu. It is what it is, which is pub food. Think burgers, salads, pizza (flat bread). Nothing terrible but nothing stands out. It's very middling. Strongly recommend the restaurant begin to master and broaden it. The second biggest challenge is its bar. Stick with the beer. Its craft cocktails are not stellar and this is not a place to order a martini (yet). The bar also tends to serve cocktails (like a Cosmo) in inappropriate (palm size) glasses. Not a deal breaker if the drink itself is a winner--which it wasn't--but bad optics all around. In conclusion, this is a new restaurant that is still getting its footing. I believe with a more expanded menu, better trained staff and hiring of professional bar tenders, True West could be a winner. I intend to visit it again this winter and see if the restaurant has improved. read more

I have been enjoying true west for over a year now. So nice to have a local place witch charm and character. The staff and patrons are always nice to be around. I have been trying to support small businesses during these difficult times. I must say the quality of foos hasn't gone down one bit. Also the system they use for take out is excellent. I look forward to sitting at the bar again and enjoying a cosmopolitan but for now I will continue to support this excellent establishment. Thank you for providing great service read more

Meh..it's ok. My salad was fresh and chicken was tasty. Not much dressing. There was no bread offered. I asked for some and I was brought a "slice" of bread. Really?! Although the burger was over cooked It tasted great. The pickles were yummy. Very loud. The staff was very attentive. read more

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My friend and I had lunch this afternoon at True West and were really pleased with the food, location and vibe of the restaurant. They were able to accommodate several options that I was interested in by making them in a vegan way - which I always appreciate! I started with the brussel sprouts which had a nice spice to them and had the veggie burger as my main (just with the omission of the bun). My friend had the French dip style sandwich and loved it, saying the horseradish sauce was one of the best she's tried. Service was friendly and super accommodating and we will certainly be back! read more

True West is a great spot. A little over 20 minutes from Worcester. The food is great, the beer is better and the service is the cherry on top! Our server Olivia had a great attitude and made amazing suggestions. The bartender I met, James, seemed to know and care a lot about giving great service and drinks as well. Can't wait to go back! read more

LOVE this place! Beer is fantastic and the food is amazing! On the warmer days I recommend calling ahead if you want outdoor seating. Another perk is that they are dog friendly! Can't wait to come back. read more

Party of two, second time to stop, but first time to eat. They were too crowded when we tried to eat about two weeks after opening. We got there around 6 on a Saturday evening and were told that it would be 45 min wait. Luckily, we snagged two chairs in the bar. The bartender was attentive and knowledgeable about their beer. We ordered his suggestion, True West Colonial Gold. It wasn't horrible, but the hoppiness left a bitter taste that wasn't what we expected after I had specifically said that I was not a hops-lover. Anyway, it was cold and we were thirsty, so we ordered the True West Wings. Oh.My.Goodness! These were amazing! They were cooked to perfection. They were juicy to a fault. The flavor was outstanding and they were a really nicely-sized wing! We were in absolute Heaven with those tasty morsels! With the addition of these wings, even our beer tasted better! We only had the appetizer and beer, so we can't attest to the rest of the menu, but we'll be back! Even if it's just to try a different beer just to wash down those wonderful wings! read more

Interesting restaurant ... Large open space some tables, high ceilings ... Lack of any real decor or ambiance.. But it is a pub... The waitress was a bit rude .. Asked for a wine list . She said she only had four wines and rattled them off. Okay I get it, it is a beer place but really...... We ordered the pulled pork tacos and fish and chips. Tacos were cold....but very tasty. Lots of great flavors, but really needed be eaten at least warm. Fish and chips, once again great taste but the batter was not crisp but very soft. French fries were hand cut and delicious. It could of been opening week mishaps. Give it a try, but don't go if you want a conversation. It was so noisy we couldn't hear each other talk. Definitely need some sound absorbing insulation. read more

True West - Breweries Near Me - Acton, Massachusetts

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If the food wasn't as good as it was when it FINALLY arrived, I'd say 1 star. But, it was pretty tasty. However. It wasn't busy at all, yet it took nearly a half hour to get our appetizer. Then another 15-20 for our meals. Of course, once mine arrived, it was wrong, so I waited another 20 minutes. At which point I basically had to inhale my food because my husband and son were pretty much done and we had been there for well over an hour already. They nicely took my lunch off the check for the trouble, which I appreciate, but unfortunately I can't recommend it, and we won't be back. Bummer. read more

Awesome service. Had a take out order that was running a little late. I had paid online and didn't have my wallet with me... the server (Katie), figured out how to add a few beers to the tab and brought us a complimentary order of chips with salsa and guacamole to have while we waited. Super friendly and accommodating even though they were busy and probably short staffed. Just great service and much appreciated! read more

The beer remains solid. My favorite is the campfire, as it is dark and smokey...love it. Tried some more food and overall we enjoyed it. I think in general it's pretty expensive (say for lunch), but the staff was responsive to issues, even taking something off the bill (we did not request it). I am between 3-4 stars, but gave them a bump for improvements. We will be back. read more

Beer and atmosphere: excellent Food: either excellent or garbage. No in between. Definitely a fun, family-friendly bar/restaurant. read more

This place would be a great city restaurant. Its personality doesn't fit Acton though. There's a ton of noise, loud talking, overpriced beer... Things you'd fine at a city bar. My friend and I decided to leave after 1 beer to go to a simple five bar in Maynard. The beer was tasty though, as were the potato dumplings. But the experience was ruined by having to talk very loudly so my friend and I could hear each other. They should fix it. Service was ok... We had like 3 different waiters which made the whole experience feel very impersonal. read more

Once in few weeks we stop here for a beer and telling our selfs, let's order some food , and every time we get on other disappointing meal.

My meal at True West can basically be summed up as... a week later and I'm still dreaming about the experience. The atmosphere is great and really reminds me of a neighborhood spot where friends and family can come together. But really, the star of True West is food. We started off with the tater tots - a fresh and crispy little snack. So good, I'm afraid they've ruined frozen tots for me. The aioli that came with them was a really nice alternative to ketchup. Our table shared an order of the gnocchi. The gnocchi were the perfect texture but the sauce was really the standout. For my entree I enjoyed the fish tacos and I cannot stop thinking about them. The fish was delicate, the accompaniments were light and the flavors were out of this world. I've had my fair share of fish tacos but these were a standout. My dining mates enjoyed the chicken & waffles and a burger and were equally impressed. We finished off the meal with a passion fruit mousse - so light and refreshing and the perfect way to end the meal. Chef Mike is a master in the kitchen and does an incredible job of elevating simple dishes. This place is a total gem. P.S. Mention "the conspiracy" to the hostess. You can thank me later! read more

Four of us (and a baby) just had a great lunch here. Daughter and husband just moved to Acton and someone recommended this place. It was a lively atmosphere with people watching the Patriots in the bar area and lots of families and couples in the restaurant. Our waitress was super friendly and helpful. I had the burger (perfect and huge) with the Ruckus beer. Someone else had fish tacos which they described as "amazing." All in all, a nice time...cool, minimalist decor and most importantly, excellent food. A little bit of Cambridge in the burbs. read more

So happy to see a micro-brewery open up in the area. The innovative beer selection complements the edgy menu. The decor is "modern casual" with a bar area on one side and a traditional dining area on the other. They also have some outdoor seating with the breathtaking view of Rt 111 :) Our server (Alessandra) was the perfect representative of the establishment. She enthusiastically described the beers and also some of the more popular items to eat. We were made to feel at home considering this was our first time here. We were impressed with our orders but there were a few misses. The Fish Tacos, a popular item, could have been better seasoned. Presentation of the entrees was impressive but in general we would have liked to see bold flavors. If this restaurant were in Boston/Cambridge, a 3 star ("A-OK") would have been appropriate. But we rate it a 4 star ("Yah! I'm a fan") because of the lack of options in the area. All in all, it was a pleasant experience and we'd consider a second visit. read more