Wait, Are We In Cleveland?

While visiting my family for the holidays in upstate NY, we dined at the Sackets Harbor Brewing Company one night. It had been years since I've been there, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised. Their beers, in particular the 1812 Amber Ale, are popular in the area (ex. similar to Great Lakes Brewing Company in Cleveland) so we were looking forward to sampling them. We ordered two of their 7 Beer Samplers, and after several attempts of identifying the brews our poor waitress gave up. How do you work at a brewery and not be able to identify the beers to your patrons?! So we happily sipped away and argued over which beer was which as we waited for our meals.

I started with the Onion Ale soup, which was basically a French Onion soup cooked with a hint of beer. The soup was flavorful and rich, but a little odd. There was hardly any broth left by the time it was served. The bowl was filled with thick-cut croutons, and they had absorbed almost all of the broth. My brother loved it, but I was looking for a little more "soup" and not as much "soggy bread". For my entree, I ordered their meatloaf wrapped in bacon with a house-made spicy ketchup. It was served over cheddar mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. The two side dishes were outstanding. The cheddar mashed were creamy and melted in your mouth. The meatloaf itself was dry and could have used a little more ketchup, but overall I was happy with the flavor. The onion straws balanced on top of the meatloaf were a nice touch, and added a little crunch to the dish.

If you are a fan of Great Lakes Brewing Company, and you're ever in the Sackets Harbor, NY area looking for a similar experience- then I suggest that you check this restaurant out. Their food and beers are quite good, and it is nestled in an adorable harbor just off of Lake Ontario. The quaint village of Sackets is fun to explore, and offers several great restaurant options.

Sackets Harbor Brewing Company
212 West Main Street
Sackets Harbor, NY 13685
(315) 646-2739