The Trapp Door Gastropub

Easily the best brunch spot on the valley. Chef Nate is insanely good at his craft. The create your own Bloody Mary bar is boarder line genius. I would have never thought to put mustard in my drink, but a damn good choice! The house pickles are slammin and the eggs Benedict is a work of art. Homeboy knows his hollandaise. My boyfriend had the duck confit breakfast burrito and also the French toast because he couldn’t make up his mind. He ate all of it! Waitstaff could be a little more enthusiastic, but it’s Sunday! Who wants to work on a Sunday? Haha. Anyway, we will definitely be back!

Went here with reservations for brunch. The food was delicious and the bloody Mary was the best I had. My only issue was that the service was a bit slow but about 15 people all walked in at once at 11am when they opened so I think they were short staffed. I met up with parents here and they enjoyed it too. We will be back!

The pub is a gem in the rough. The beer selection is accompanied by a knowledgeable staff behind the bar and at the table. Food offerings from the menu are not boring and the chef has specials that don’t disappoint the senses.
The prices are a little steep for the place to be a regular stop. Overall it is worth a visit for the beers, food and usually nice acoustic music.
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A true gastropub with truly gourmet food here in Emmaus. Gotta love that right there. If you’re from the area you know what I mean. Not having to travel to downtown Bethlehem, Allentown, or Center Valley for upscale, fresh, unique food & drink is a great thing. Open kitchen till 11pm (Tue-​Sat) is yet another salvation for the road weary like me. The intimate environment makes for a great spot to get down to it with close friends and family. Your palates will be so thankful. 90% of anything I’ve ordered here is great, not good… great. Saturday and Sunday brunch hours of 11 – 3 is yet another draw. Reservations are recommended. When they get busy, they really get busy. Btw, Craig is a great server. Ask for the table by the window. Best seat in the house imho.

If you order smart here your gonna get the best meal in miles and miles. Go for the odd stuff, the off cuts, the game meat, seasonal dishes (menu changes very often), the dishes that feel like the chef’s passion project. For example I got pig trotter ramen with a quail egg once, stupid good. Not a lot of people are gonna want to eat pig feet anymore but if u set it down in front of them and didn’t tell them what it was they would lick the bowl. Truly great food comes from knowing how to use an off cut of meat or an underutilized ingredient and turn it into amazing things, not a perfectly cooked tenderloin and fluffy mashed potatoes. Get a not too hoppy beer so you don’t de-​sensitize your palette, and get the weirdest sounding thing on the menu. That’s my approach. Hasn’t let me down yet.

This pub usually has a strong draft selection but it can be a bit limited. A plus for them is their cask drafts. Their food, on the other hand, can be a bit over priced for what it is. I have had their burger, which is okay. I have had less favorable experiences with their more expensive entrees.

Previously had stopped in with a friend for a beer and noticed how busy the restaurant was. I decided to return this weekend with my girlfriend to try the food, which it was fairly slow around 6 pm. However, tables started filling quickly and it is highly recommended to make a reservation.
To start, we ordered gnocchi and bone marrow, which both were amazing with very decadent flavor. My only issue was the amount of bone marrow because it was delicious and I easily could have eaten more.
For entrees, we ordered duck breast and pork tenderloin, which the seasoning and plating was perfect. Also, both proteins were cooked very well with crispy exterior and moist interior as expected.
Do not let the location fool you — one of the best places to eat in the Lehigh Valley and I plan to return soon.

Trust me… go in by yourself or with friends, grab a seat at the bar, talk to the nice bartender about the interesting beer specials, order your beer, order the burger, enjoy the music, order another beer. Such a laid back, enjoyable vibe. And you’ll remember that burger and beer.

Really like the atmosphere, unpretentious and like a country bar. The bar is prominent and the tables are few, at least in the main room. The beer selection is good, but come here for the food. I wanted lamb, but none on the menu that day. So I opted for the pork sirloin which was a perfect medium. The sprinkling of bacon throughout was extreme! y tasteful. The eggplant corn fritters worked better than potatoes. My favorite part, was the oxtail poutine starter. Never had poutine, and can’t really compare, but it was great.

This review cannot improve on the huge cross section of existing reviews. I cannot give a full 5 stars because of my personal preferences. You know what they say about opinions and a**holes? We all have one.
That they didn’t have an «American swill» lager draft e.g. Yuengling is unforgivable. Is this a conceited attempt to act elite? Having a vast selection of unfamiliar overly priced variations of beer is what you get here. (I was a homebrew enthusiast 25 years ago and know a lot of these so-​called craft beers are hype).
On the one hand I am pleased there are variety and choice, but they are way overpriced for what you get because, for example, some brewer adds tangerine peels to the mix or something.
Then too, I’m not a fan of flavored coffee. I like foreign import coffee (and beer and wine), but dumping flavors into these, then charging a premium is an American mongrel thing.
The food is tasty and of a decent «take extra home» portions. But again, they add an odd spice or trinket like a fig piece on vegetarian pita bread with smoked cheese. Odd combination. Several menu items have odd combinations. Study in detail. To each his own.
The hamburger with egg was extraordinary. Though you can get something similar with bottomless fries at familiar non-​fast food hamburger place (or see my Frenchtown NJ Café review), for half the price.
The Cuban sandwich is extraordinary too.
The acoustics are incredibly terrible. You can barely converse and hearing the waiter describe things is a challenge. It was relief to get out of the place.
If you don’t mind overly priced novelty ítems, give this place a try. Your opinions might be very favorable.

Good little place with good beer selection and good food. Our waiter was excellent and food came out quickly.
I would say it was a little pricey for the portion size, and overall taste of food.
We were put at a small table right next to another occupied table which seemed a little uncomfortable especially since there were plenty of other open tables.
I had the fish sandwich which was not too great and nothing to go crazy about. My friend had their burger and he said it was one of the best he has had.
Overall a good experience and would go back to try other things on the menu.

This place is the real deal!!! I don’t even know where to start… Don’t judge by the outside or you will miss out on one off the best places on this side of the valley. 5 stars no questions asked. 3 dinners ordered: fried barramundi sandwich, range chicken breast, and Denver steak!!! Check out the menu for the details… everything was absolutely amazing! All I’m going to say is bacon lardons!!! Everything was excellent! Not to forget the outstanding beer selection! Locally sourced food and unique beers… go here! No seriously, this place is a must try! Awesome to see a place like this, on this side of town! Need more!

Don’t be fooled by the humble exterior (with an unpaved lot and shack-​like structure) this place is the real deal. The interior of the restaurant has the aura of an old sportsman’s bar and everything is clean as a whistle. Despite this décor, it is not a «guys place» per se; it is profoundly a «beer drinkers place».
The bottled beer selection is extensive (easily over 100 options) and has something for any serious beer drinker. I believe they have the old-​school American swill as well, but I’ve never actually seen it. The one drawback to their beer selection is that there’s only 10ish beers on tap, which isn’t a bad number, but there are usually more at places like these. They do rotate the draft beers frequently, so at least it keeps things interesting for returning customers.
They also have an impressive cocktail list, and they probably have some wines too, but this is a beer drinking place first and foremost.
As good as the beer is, the food is what keeps me coming back. While it seems like every other restaurant in Macungie/​Emmaus is slinging chicken fingers and anything else that can be deep-​fried, this place serves complex food that is actually intended for mature palettes.
Only a few restaurants in this area actually give a damn about there food. These restaurants know that there’s hardly any competition for quality food, so they can inflate their prices. Evidence of this tactic is strewn across the menu; sandwiches cost about $ 14, a proper entrée is usually $ 35 – 40. I understand that quality ingredients and skilled chefs aren’t free, but when there are better values in Philly or NYC, you know something is out of whack. It’s a shame, because I would come here more often if it was more reasonably priced. They do have happy hours though, which offer half-​priced drafts to softens the financial blow.

You want great food, great beer and wine with a venue that encourages you to chat with friends without a TV to distract anyone, this is for you!
Service is prompt and helpful and other patrons are friendly.
Enjoy!

This place is the shiitake. They really pavéd the way for foodie pubs in the Lehigh valley. We rouladed in just in time for dinner at 4pm. The author of the menu really deserves a pâté on the back. Au jus don’t expect it to taste as good as it sounds.
We didn’t love the tex mex treatment of the chicken n waffles. They served it with mole and charred corn husk crème but I’d rather have had some mrs. Butterworths. And they served it to us raw in the middle the first time. They made a new one of course but we were really hoping for a round of free drinks or something to take sting off.
On the way out I banged my chutney trying to chimichurri my way to the door. Those Moscow mules really kicked me in the fois gras.

My husband and I ate brunch here the other weekend and boy was it yummy. I noticed that they seem to have better vegetarian option too. One star off for slow service.

We were here for the first time tonight with a party of nine people and I have to say that it was absolutely not a 4.5 star experience. In fact, I was wavering between 1 and 2 stars, and only ended up choosing 2 stars because of a few redeeming dishes.
I made our reservations yesterday by phone, and it was an easy and straightforward process, but, unfortunately, there are no prices on the online menu, so I’ve included here the prices that we’ve paid for the various dishes.
We arrived a few minutes early and were seated immediately, and our order placed and drinks delivered within ten minutes. Unfortunately, it was an hour before we actually received our entrees. We did get an appetizer about thirty minutes into the wait, but, as only one member of our party had ordered an appetizer, it only created an awkward situation.
The dishes that I tasted:
1. Seared Wagyu Sirloin ($ 37), with truffle potato duchess, gorgonzola gougere, braised greens, porcini jus. This dish was ordered medium but arrived well done and very dry; our waiter was very good about getting us a replacement, but it was another twenty minute wait for that. The replacement (more a medium rare) was flavorful, with a good sear, but wasn’t particularly tender. We also got an extra mashed potato side, which my brother liked, but I didn’t. The truffle potatoes were nothing special, the gorgonzola gougere was honestly one of the least delicious breads I’ve ever tasted, and I wouldn’t recommend this dish to anyone.
2. Bone-​in Pork Chop ($ 27), with creamed leeks, sweet potato and pork belly latkes, fried brussel spouts. This was one dish that I thought was okay, but it was a single pork chop, and honestly not more flavorful than ones that I’ve had at home. The fried brussel sprouts were probably the standout part of this dish.
3. Braised short rib ($ 27), with natural jus, creamed corn with bacon and confit fingerling potatoes. I found these ribs to be dry and somewhat flavorless, didn’t taste the bacon at all in the creamed corn, which also tasted a little underdone, and the fingerling potatoes were totally flavorless and definitely undercooked.
My mom had the short rib sandwich and thought it was quite good, but I didn’t get a chance to taste it. The fries were a little soggy, and totally flavorless.
Our waiter was difficult to find, despite the small size of the restaurant, and we had to ask repeatedly for our waters to be refilled. He was nice when we could find him, and he was very good about the sirloin and also when we spilled a drink.
Overall, we heard that the head chef wasn’t in today, but that’s no excuse for the food that we received. If it weren’t so pricy, I’d be tempted to give this restaurant another try, given the rave reviews on this site, but, at this price point, I wouldn’t want to risk it.

WOW! What a gem to find in the humble confines of Emmaus PA certainly not known for its culinary prowess. I don’t live here but come back to visit periodically and have stopped here for a beer and apps but never for dinner. I travel alot and have been top all the top restaurants and top chefs in cities all across the country and even the globe with no less than 2 Michelin star places. This place can hang and deserves a spot with the best of them!
The ambiance is warm, the candlelight is a charming touch and sets the mood for a romantic dinner or just a place to escape to for a drink. I was skeptical of the guitarist when he took to the corner to play. Had all the makings of the owner or partner who is doing us a favor by playing for us but it wasn’t the case and he won me over. But it’s because it was done tastefully, the right volume and song selections to add to the mood by not taking over the place and dominating the atmosphere.
I started with a fun cask IPA for a drink and we ordered the duck wings because we both agreed you don’t really see that on a menu everyday. The duck drums were perfectly fried and the sauce complimented well. Off to a good start.
For entrée I ordered the pork chop and wife got the chicken. The pork chop was a very stylish french double cut, with a pan fried brown crust on the outside with the most tender and juicy middle that was so perfectly cooked to the millisecond I swear. It blew me away how well prepared it was. The pork belly latkes made for an interesting and compelling side that had the tough task of keeping up with this dish but was up to the challenge. And the sauce, believe had sweet potato, tied it all together beautifully without being too overwhelming and letting the pork chop keep center stage and shine.
I was so enamored by my dish I ignored my wife’s dish but did take a taste and the chicken was well prepared and juicy. My only regrets was not ordering the homemade ice cream.
My only constructive criticism is portion sizes were unnecessarily big, maybe do us foodies a favor and cut back the size, improve your margins, make more money so you can stay in business a long time serving up these masterpieces. But large portions might be a regional thing that locals demand for this price point. And the wine list could use improvement. The beer list is plentiful but I would have enjoyed a wine with my dish but couldn’t find one to order. But it’s tough to find good wine anywhere in Lehigh Valley (Although I admittedly am a California wine snob so that might be on me).

I liked it. My wife didn’t.
Eclectic and intriguing menu, across the board. Loved the cheese offerings — had two varieties, a sharp-​aged cheddar and one I can’t name. These were each paired with a mustard /​chutney … and paired well. Chipotle sweet potato soup was tasty.
I had a skirt steak sandwich. Meat was medium rare … like I like it. Tasted good.
My wife had the burger. Best in Lehigh Valley, bragged the waiter. In fact, he gave it up for Lent a couple of years ago, and went on a quest to find a better one in the area. When I asked what other offerings he tested, he couldn’t remember … it was a couple of years ago, I guess. Anyway, it underwhelmed. Flat and dry and kind of big. It was a chore to eat. The waiter also forgot the salad that she ordered. His effort to apologize were clearly feigned. I’m sure he was trying to figure out how to play it off that he meant to do that, and by doing so he did us a favor. That would have been a spectacular feat, and one that he was not able to pull off.
And, as you can imagine from the burger comments, the waiter’s patina of smugness did not convince us of his hipness, but soured the flavor of the experience, such that my wife will not likely go back.
I’d probably go back; I’d like to explore the menu. I can get past the establishment’s efforts to be hip. For example, The Farmhouse staff in KC, MO pull off that hipness thing so much better, and still come across as genuine and comfortable so that the experience is not impaired by the staff. They are over-​tattooed and hyper-​pierced and who cares — I didn’t even notice, but had a great meal experience. ;-)

So far, borderline 5 stars. This place is different from anywhere I’ve ever been. The chef has sourced local and yummy. I went with 4 apps (2 cheeses and a smoked trout) were 3, and I went with the Duck Confit Flatbread. Was tempted by the Tuna (app and meal), the filet tartar, the heirloom tomato salad, the calamari and the fondue and and and…
Wow!!! Great flavors, fresh, local, and either free range, organic or just plain yum.
If you’re looking for a cheesesteak or crappy chicken Parm, this isn’t your place. If you want to enjoy an incredibly flavorful unique experience, this is your place.
Oh yeah… Lots of really unique beers and wines. Step up your food variety and come hither.
The service and ambience bumps it up to 5 stars