Brew House No. 16

Renovated firehouse? Omg, I feel like I’m in ghostbusters. But this is just a very cool place! When it’s not too hot, they open up the front doors and the back door. There’s a fantastic breeze that comes through! You can see the fire poles in the front of the restaurant and there’s a great spiraling staircase in the back that makes you want to climb it! (Don’t. You can’t. It says staff only unfortunately). The area is lovely!
I’ve been here a few times — most recently, I made a reservation at 7 pm for 8 people (actually called them at 5:30 pm) and they were so gracious on the phone and said they would try their best to space us in. Not only that, I ended up not liking my cocktail and they offered to make me another one!
Their cocktails are really interesting (beet? really?). The place is really cool… why all of these bad reviews?
Well, their food is just okay/​good. I’ve had the mac and cheese (hit or miss unfortunately). I love the soft pretzels with the cheddar dipping sauce. The complementary bread and cornmeal muffins are also delicious. I like the steak frites, but I asked for medium and it was pretty well-​done.
Furthermore, the service is really slow. It takes forever for us to put an order… and even longer for them to get our checks and run our check.
I really like this place! I’m giving them 4 stars in the hopes that they’ll get faster. It seems as if they might be a little understaffed… but everyone there is really nice and super friendly!

I enjoyed the on tap selections from the brew house– I had a great lemongrass mead and then a coffee porter; both excellent. I ordered the macaroni and cheese, which was great except there was bacon as garnish, which was not in the menu description. Our server was very friendly, but not very attentive, either because there were not enough other staff or because there was a flurry of customers. Either way, we sat for a while without service. Beer was certainly worth it though.

I want to give them a 4 star and they likely will be there as service is 5 star. Beer also was very good. Loved looked though have a soft spot for remodeled older spaces. I am also a bit of beer nut.
What makes it three stars was good. Pâté was a little runny and needed more and different type of bread. I work recommend regular emmental instead of the aged type. Love short rib but this was more prime rib as 36 hours was not spent braising but in sous vide. If not sure what that is then do not order it.
I will come back as worth another try.

Great atmosphere for lite fare and good wine! Try the house wine! Great customer service!

I really wanted to try this place because of the building architecture and the concept seems like a good idea. The truth is that I wasn’t impressed.
Atmosphere: Inside is kind of nice. The building preserves it’s own firehouse ladder and walls.
The bar is kind of uncomfortable. It is too small and thin. You will have to say «excuse me» many times, if you plan to go to the restroom.
Food and drinks: The food was surprisingly good. The Mac’ and Cheese is superb. Don’t feel shy to order it. It has a creamy bechámel sauce which is delicious. The pork tacos were ok, nothing special. The cocktails are really good and it seems they make their own beer.
Service: SLOW, SLOW, SLOW. There’s not much to talk about this. From the moment the server goes to the bar and back for some reason takes forever.
In overall: It’s fine. Worth trying. The food is good but I’m not crazy to go back again.

Super friendly bartenders, servers and owners — 5 stars for the drinks!
Delicious charcuterie — try the gravlox! Cauliflower soup and grits were tasty and I’m disappointed they are no longer on the menu in the spring :)
Also went there for breakfast and had the French toast with rum syrup — so good.
I love that there is now more outdoor seating in Mt Vernon. I’m definitely becoming a regular.

This place is awesome. Every time I come here (and I come a lot) it just seems to get better and better. Here are some of the highlights:
Ambiance: The restaurant is in an old firehouse, so it’s cute already. But add outdoor seating and some great lighting and this place is the perfect mix of cozy and trendy.
Drinks: The brews are delicious! The double IPA is one of the tastiest and well rounded beers I’ve ever had. The other brewhouse beers have never disappointed either. They are always flavorful and interesting. The cocktails are also awesome. The «gimme a beet» is so good that I have trouble drinking less than 5 of them.
Food: OMGG… I’ve had everything on this menu and it is sooo good. The ingredients are local and fresh and you can really tell the chef cares about the food he puts out. The vegetarian tacos, calamari, lamb shank, baklava, poutine fries, steak, and all the chicken dishes are some of my favorites. Honestly, I’ve never been disappointed by any food here.
Service: The people who own this establishment are genuinely kind and hard working. They’ve come over to the table on multiple occasions to check on food and service and are always friendly and so warm. The servers are always prompt and friendly as well. When they first opened I think service was a bit slow due to the number of people and servers, but it’s better every time I’ve gone after that. To me this just shows they’re growing and willing to make the changes they need which is exactly what new restaurants need to do.
All in all, I LOVE THIS PLACE. I take all of my out of towners here and come at least once a week. A must for the Mount Vernon area!

I would like to give two ratings for this place — one for the food and one for service. We give credit to the place for taking a party of 6 last minute on a Saturday night. And the hostess could not be nicer. But once seated, no waiter wanted to take ownership of us so we sat a long time before having our drink order taken. The server assigned to us seemed upset but gave us attentive service nonetheless (eventually).
We had two kids with us and this may have been the trouble. Despite the friendliness of the hostess, the place is not kid-​friendly.
The beer menu and wine selections are terrific. We started with the pretzels and cheese and calamari. I liked the calamari but have had much better pretzels elsewhere.
The menu is not extensive but it is varied and I wanted almost everything on it. I ended up with the vegetarian dish with polenta. Delicious. We had mussels, the burger (it was fine), and the paella.
But it took forever to get our dishes. The timing was off.
I might return because I liked the menu but I would make sure we had plenty of time. It hasn’t been opened all that long so maybe it has some service kinks to work out.
The ambience itself is very nice. We enjoyed the décor and the fact they restored a fire station.

The Brewhouse is a welcome addition to Mount Vernon. They kept true to the firehouse, keeping the circle stairs and the fire poles — you are absolutely not allowed to slide down them. The space is tight, especially for sitting at the bar with the tanks (probably fermenting?) right behind you. Nevertheless, there is a dynamic and peppy vibe in this firehouse that makes you want to come back.
We sat at the bar; some of the folks back there are a little better at service than others, some like to chat with each other more than keep an eye out for who needs drinks. I loved There are several house brews on the menu and a decent cocktail and an ample wine list.
I started with the Gimme the Beet cocktail — using one of their few decent gins — Barr Hill with beet juice, ginger syrup, lime juice and tope with ginger beer. It is tasty — definitely get the beet flavor in this drink. It’s a little sweet for me — I would probably sub soda for the ginger beer next time. I quickly switched to wine — a smooth Argentinian Malbec.
We ordered a bunch of things to share, starting with the arugula salad — peppery, flavorful arugula with sharp, shaved cheddar and crispy, melon balled apples. Careful with those melon balls, I accidentally shot one across the bar — whoops! The salad was a little over dressed. Still tasty.
Sadly, these guys were out of the soft pretzels. So, we went with the flash fried calamari. The flavor was good, but if you are going to go with the flash fried — eat it quickly. We let it sit for a little and the fry becomes a little soggy.
Lastly we went with this gorgeous crock of mac and cheese — tons of gooey aged cheddar, pecorino, Gruyère topped with bread crumbs and thick cut bacon.

Enjoyed a GREAT lunch! A friend recommended that we come here for lunch — I was prepared for the week lunch menu and did not know that Saturday would be a brunch menu. I was really not in the mood for brunch, I wanted a salad, so… I ordered the 3 egg Omelette and the Arugula side salad, my mother ordered the Quiche, and our friends enjoyed the Omelette and the French Toast. The food was FANTASTIC! The quiche was ham, broccoli and cheddar cheese. The crust is made out of phylo dough and is simply out of this world. We all thought the chef did an incredible job of taking simple brunch food and kicking it up a notch! I can’t wait to go back for their dinner menu.

This is a great establishment that keeps the character of an old Baltimore firehouse. A beautiful entryway, old tile walls and old firefighter poles remaining.
We came here with a large group. The staff were friendly and attentive, the food was well presented and prepared, and the brew tanks were a great touch. I had the pan roasted chicken and it was an amazing dish. With sausage and grits, the food complimented each other.
I would definitely return and recommend the Brew House No. 16 to others. There are plans to turn the 2^nd floor into a brew hall and open it up to bigger events. Definitely worth a try!

My gal and I stopped in for a couple drinks about a month back, and really liked the look and feel of this place. The food looked good, and a cook guy who we met that night at the bar swore by it. So tonight we finally got a chance to stop in for dinner, prior to attending a nearby Chesapeake Shakespeare Company play down the road. We were able to get in without a reservation, though it was fairly crowded even at 6:30PM. We both started with a beer, and it’s good to see they carry numerous local brews in addition to a few of their own beers on tap.
As we often do, we split a few menu items, ordering the arugula salad, mac and cheese, and short rib poutine. As we awaited our food — a fairly short wait, at that — we had the pleasure of enjoying the very generously sized basket of their home-​baked breads, which were outstanding. A great kick off to our dining experience. I thoroughly enjoyed all three dishes we chose, though m’lady thought there was too much dressing on the salad, and too little gravy on the poutine. She also wasn’t impressed by the cheese curds on it, though I thought they were fine. I, on the other hand, thought the meat seemed like more shredded beef than rib-​like.
Other things that make this a five instead of a four in my book is the quality of staff and the overall feel of the space. Our waitress for our dining experience was excellent, and on our prior visit we met the owner, who clearly takes pride in his restaurant-​bar. I understand and appreciate why!

Came here for Restaurant Week and the food was really good! Very nice date spot since the ambiance seemed low-​key and romantic. The lighting is low so if you’re eyebrows aren’t on fleek, don’t worry about it – the renovated firehouse got you covered.
It looked like they have their own brew of beer (there are tanks in the place).
I haven’t been here during their regular (non-​restaurant week) times, but it was def on the pricier end for the restaurant week deal. It wasn’t even a deal, to be honest. I just wish it had been a real «deal» instead of totaling a similar amount if I had ordered an appetizer, main, and dessert.
That being said, the server we had, Colleen, was really helpful and accommodating. She gave me great recommendations and I was happy with all the food I ordered.

A large group of us came here during Restaurant Week and were all impressed! The ambiance of the restaurant was really cool since it’s a renovated firehouse. There’s a beautiful bar and you can see the brewing tanks. This is definitely a good spot for a date.
Taking a look at the regular menu, the food is on the pricier end, but our waitress, Colleen, mentioned that all of the food is made to order and locally sourced (within 150 miles). I ordered off of the RW menu and got the octopus a la plancha, the ale braised pork and the chocolate crème brûlée. The highlight of the meal was definitely the pork. The carrot broth was flavorful and the pickled apples on top was an interesting twist. I also ordered a Basil Lemongrass mead from Charm City Meadworks. It tastes exactly how it sounds. I thought it was interesting, but wouldn’t be for everyone. Colleen was nice enough to bring me over a sample before committing to a whole glass.
Service was pretty good. Our food didn’t all come out at the same time, so maybe they aren’t quite prepared to serve large parties. Also, they bring an iPad over with the square card reader when it comes time to pay the bill. I actually thought this was kind of awkward, since the waitress can see exactly how much you’re tipping right over your shoulder. And it takes way longer to go through the whole process. But that’s just me being a complainer. I’d still recommend coming here and I will be back for sure.

A little cramped, a little pricey, but super delicious. Do make a reservation for the weekend — we didn’t and had to wait, but not terribly long, perhaps 20 minutes for a table of 4. The bigger challenge was neighborhood parking, and squeezing past other tables to get to your seat. They really pack you in like sardines there. While I was waiting for a table, I was able to snag a seat at the bar, get a glass of wine, and soak in the atmosphere. It was interesting without being eclectic, and chic, yet still very casual. The bartenders were very friendly, and there are tvs at the bar for your viewing pleasure as well. But don’t worry, it’s not going into sports bar territory if that’s not what you’re looking for. All around, the service and atmosphere was friendly.
The food was oh so good. But $ 16 for a burger? I can get an equally delicious burger elsewhere for half that cost. (Well, probably more like $ 10 – 12 elsewhere for something on the same level. But still, overpriced.) I also tried the pork sausage on a pretzel roll, which was also a great choice. Even the fries were a cut above the rest. We also had the pickles as a starter, which were alright, but I wouldn’t recommend. We couldn’t identify all the different pickles, and the crackers it was served it tasted like cardboard. But I’m not letting that sour (hehe) my experience because everything else was so great. Really just knocking off a star for the prices.
There are a few other things on the menu I would like to try, but I can’t say that I would become a regular here. But if you’re in the neighborhood, it’s worth a visit!

I have very mixed feelings about this place. Stumbled in about 10p on a Thursday. First off, I don’t think they have enough bartenders. Reason being is that the bartender kept getting pulled in umpteen directions that it took 10 minutes to get 2 beer orders in. The place wasn’t even crowded. Everyone was sitting at the bar and there was 1 table occupied
A friend of mine didn’t even get her drink order in after waiting that she ended up leaving altogether
I tried the chai-​tini which is exactly what it sounds like. Alcoholic chai tea. Not too bad and it made me feel like an adult drinking out a mug. Ha!

After reading some pretty harsh reviews, I was nervous about stepping into Brew House, but we had a great dinner there. I do think they need time to come into their own, and in the meantime I really recommend sitting at the bar: first, you’re harder to ignore, and second, you get a front-​row seat to whatever shenanigans the line cooks are up to. It was fun watching them decant stock, prep vegetables and give each other a good-​natured hard time back there.
We started our meal with their Wheat Whit, which is especially fun to say if you aspirate your H’s in the style of Stewie: Hweat Hwit. Sadly, the beer was more fun to talk about than to drink; it was fairly pleasant on the front end, but gave way to a hoppy profile that just didn’t belong. Later I sampled their espresso porter, and came to a similar conclusion: good flavor, but much too bitter to be enjoyable (this one was coffee-​bitter, so maybe it was intentional?)
Since we weren’t starving, we ordered light entrees: my friend had the Six Onion Soup and I worked my way through the baby kale salad, which I loved — just the right proportion of creamy cheese, crunchy apples and crisp leaves lightly tossed in vinaigrette. My friend loved her soup, but didn’t finish it because it was, well, mostly onions. Psst, wanna know a secret? onion soup is first about the cheese, and second about the broth. The onions are a distant fourth, after the crostini.
We also ordered the pretzel sticks, which were truly disappointing. The bartender made a big deal about how they were made in-​house, but even before tasting them I could tell they were not baked that day: their surface was puckery in the way that salted baked goods get after being stored improperly. When I bit into it, yes, it was dry and chewy — a little stale. We ate them anyway, because the spicy-​creamy mustard sauce was to die for! Once they were gone, the server brought a complimentary basket of bread that included four different kinds (including sourdough and cheesy raisin) and put the $ 7 pretzels to shame. Live and learn, I suppose.
The atmosphere inside is absolutely gorgeous — I hear it cost a couple of million just to rehab the space, but it was worth it. Pressed tin ceilings, suspended bare-​bulb lighting and marble-​topped tables hearkened back to another era, and the firehouse feel was fun and classic. I loved it. I did not love the temperature in the bar area, which was much too warm. Granted, it was frigid that day, but HVAC overcorrection is one of my pet peeves.
The last thing I have to mention is that the bartender was a little odd. Not rude, just odd. Example: my friend asked for a spoon when her soup was served. The bartender pointed to the silverware rolls and said it was in there. When my friend unrolled the napkin, guess what? No spoon. She asked again and the bartender appeared shocked that it hadn’t been in there. We certainly weren’t offended by this, but it seemed strange that she wouldn’t know where the spoons were or weren’t. This was one of maybe half a dozen similar encounters that left us feeling, not slighted, but scratching our heads a little. Again, not a huge deal, but something to keep an eye on.
I do want to come back, mostly because I’m curious what my husband (who loves hops) will say about their beer! I’ll just stick to the free bread basket, or maybe I’ll try one of those killer burgers. Cheers, BH16!

This is a nice place and a great addition the University of Baltimore/​Mount Vernon area… BUT…needs some service work for the price point.
Goods:
great espresso porter… Amber is not bad. Some real potential here.
Food is good… lots of choices.
Great space!!!
Great homemade bread to start.
Had a menu with lots of great options including vegetarian. Had s hard time choosing which is good. Oyster bacon pie was really a stew… call it that… but good portion and tasty. Needed more big juicy oysters though.
Chicken dish was delish. Wife’s butternut squash baklava was terrific and is still raving about it.
Friendly waitress who tried to hold it together.
BADS:
Pours are smallish for a non high gravity beer. Look folks… you can pour a pint if your stout or Amber is 7% or below!
Bar Service! REALLY needs work. Took 10 – 15 minutes to get a beer in our hand. The staff were antsy and mingling and looking over at us sheepishly. I almost got up to pour it… just to be helpful of course :)
Soup had odd spots of hot and super cold. Perhaps microwaved? But good.
Price point is definitely gastropub high end. Food is good though but you need food service and beer all flowing great… to get a 4 – 5 rating.
I’ll be back to try again … I want to take alums and faculty here… but not until service improves.

Brew House No. 16 is renovated fire station bar located in the heart of Mt. Vernon. They had only been open for a week when some friends and I decided to go check it out. There is some nice outdoor (and indoor) seating available. They fused the bar and fire station auras nicely.
We had ordered some drinks and a stout cake. I was a little nervous about the order initially, as we had just read a review that told us to never order the cake. I was pleasantly surprised. The cake was flavored well — more on the dry and dark chocolate end, not very moist. The drink selection was average — they had some beers and mostly cocktails, but the drinks themselves were good.
I do think that they were a little understaffed, but they have a great start and I can definitely see it as a future hang-​out spot for Baltimore yuppies, especially in the summer months given the outdoor seating & great location.

I went to Brew House No. 16 on their second night of being open. The restaurant itself is AWESOME! Located in an old firehouse the décor was gorgeous with edison lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling and lots of industrial touches.
The wait was about 30 minutes so my boyfriend and I sat at the bar and decided to order a few drinks. I had Mama’s Apple Pie which was sailor jerry’s, clove simple, ginger syrup and apple cider. It was AMAZING. I will absolutely be coming back for another one!
For starters we had the duck fat fries which were crispy and it was a huge portion. Definitely something to share with the table. For dinner I ordered the firehouse burger and unfortunately it was undercooked. I sent it back and again it was undercooked. They were kind enough to remove it from my bill seeing as we just couldn’t get it right. The fries that came with the burger though were perfection. They were similar to the shape of au gratin potatoes but crispy like regular french fries. I tasted my boyfriends pulled pork taco and it was DELICIOUS. It had a smoky flavor to it which really made the dish stand out.
We will be back again to try something else