Brew It Up! Brewery & Grill

The Scene
The striking windowed lobby stretches two stories high. In the dining room, outfitted in earthy tones and contemporary design, a narrow front area accommodates large parties. The smell of warm yeast seeps out from the row of vats, where customer brewers mix up their mash.
 
The Food
Flavors are refreshingly assertive. The intense tastes of the beers, such as a barbecue-smoky Scotch Ale, may not please all palates, but a perfumy Belgian Trippel goes down easy for microbrew newbies. Buttery clams and mussels steamed with an edge of thyme serve as a refined alternative to fried pub appetizers. Brats and Mash burst with sweet, stone-ground mustard tang and the deep, woody taste of caramelized onions. Creole-style Dungeness crab has a black-peppery bite and practically crawls from its plate, it's so fresh. Impressive desserts include colossal brownie sundaes and a lemon tart in a delicate crust.