Walking Man Brewing

One of our stops on the SW Washington brew passport. Staff friendly and efficient. Sat right away on outdoor patio. Two sets of stairs, not sure if there is handicap access. Wonderful beers and taster tray. This was our second visit. When we first started doing microbreweries years ago with the kids we stopped by here, Their beers are very strong, watch out and pace yourself. Had a warm pretzel and mustard for a snack.

The boyfriend and I made a special trip out to Stevenson to grab lunch and beer at Walking Man. We had just started the Breweries in the Gorge tour, and this one was number 2 of 11 for us.
You have to go down stairs below street level to get in, which was a little confusing, but we were greeted and seated promptly. There’s a decent sized dog friendly patio outside, a great opportunity to socialize the pups while you eat.
Anyway, the first thing we ordered was a tasting flight as we always like to sample a little of everything a brewery has to offer. There were lots of real hoppy IPAs and a couple of flavorful stouts and porters. We enjoyed everything save for the black cherry stout. I wanted to like it… but it was just too reminiscent of cough syrup for me.
For food, we started with a basket of garlic herb fries. I tasted one and WOW– I’d go back for those fries alone. Hot and crispy and topped with fresh minced garlic and herbs. We both agreed without question, they were the best we’ve ever eaten. And that is saying a lot.
My pulled pork sandwich was delicious as well and came with a flavorful house made beer bbq sauce. I would definitely order it again.
I’ve found that it’s rare to find a brewery that serves both great beer AND great food. For us, Walking Man nailed both. Delicious beer and flavorful food. Solid 5 in my book with no complaints about the service. We will absolutely be back.

PARKING:
No problem. It’s Stevenson, ya know.
ATMOSPHERE:
Fine, pretty much what you’d expect. Started off with a bad feeling when I had to walk down the stairs from the very uninviting front sidewalk, but once I got down to the garden/​patio seating I realized it would be okay. Sat inside, where it just looked like your typical brewpub. They have cool custom Walking Man themed stools, which were kinda tacky in a way, but I appreciated the obvious effort and pride that went into the seating. Merchandise was in the foyer by the door, so you don’t have promotional stuff in your face.
SERVICE:
No problems at all. Slightly awkward, like it was somebody’s first day, but that’s fine.
FOOD:
Just fair.
BEER:
I think I’ve only had one WM beer before, and I liked it, so went with it again: The cherry stout. Before, I liked that it didn’t taste like cough syrup (an obvious problem with many cherry beers). But on this visit, it kinda did. Maybe just me?
PRESENTATION:
No complaints, got the job done. Nothing stands out in my memory either way.
PRICE/​VALUE:
I was charged $ 17.35 for a pint and a just-​okay burger with a little side of slaw (like a 3 or 4oz ramekin). And I didn’t even upgrade the cheese, accepted the default american. No fries or anything. The price/​value isn’t terribly upsetting (it happens) but I do feel like I paid more than the printed prices. I’m pretty sure the printed menu didn’t match the online menu, and the check wasn’t itemized, so there was no way for me to question the accuracy without actually asking for a menu or an itemized check, and that would be super awkward, so I just laughed it off and paid.
RESTROOMS:
Horrible experience. Well placed, so points for that. But they try to be cute. Two single-​occupancy gender-​neutral restrooms, marked «readers» and «dreamers». Umm, sorry, I’m not familiar with that. Not sure what it alludes to, so I had to ask «am I a reader or a dreamer»? Turns out it doesn’t matter. And in my time there, countless patrons were just as confused as I was! Clearly this is a problem. Next gripe is that the locks don’t have a «occupied» indicator outside, so patrons have to juggle the handle to see if it’s locked. Stupid! Those indicator locks are inexpensive and easy to install. But wait, it gets worse! Once I got inside, I was faced with two locks: a clumsy latch that didn’t work well, and the doorknob button. The doorknob button didn’t really inspire confidence, no reassuring visual/​audible indicator it was locked, so I fumbled with the clumsy latch too. Then when it was time to get out I had to fumble with both of them, and they didn’t cooperate, and I started to wonder if I’d have to pound on the door for help. Funny thing is, I only went in there to wash my hands. I know regulars will laugh at me for being so stupid about the whole restroom situation, but look, a first-​timer shouldn’t have to experience an ordeal to use the restrooms. The owner should put himself in a first-timer’s shoes and ask «is there anything that would make this easier?»
OVERALL:
Okay, so the whole thing was ridiculous, but would I go back? Probably not, but let’s face it, Stevenson doesn’t abound with alternatives. I might drive around a bit and grumble «okay, I guess it’s Walking Man again».

One of my favorite places to seek out when I’m
On this side of Oregon. Just a jump over the Bridge of the gods and up to stevenson’s Washington. You will find great food great beer and wonderful atmosphere. And if you want to sit on their outside patio bring your four legged friend

Love this place. Great spot for a beer and great staff. The Imperial IPA is one of my favorites. Definitely a must go if you are doing a Gorge Brew run.

You will not find this place if you just straight through Stevenson. Therefore it is rarely crowded even on summer weekends.
On par with the other excellent nearby brew pub (Backwoods), but with a much better selection of food (both places produce excellent, award-​winning beer). I especially love the Steelhead tacos.
Like most restaurants in The Gorge Walking Man’s has a super friendly staff who are always stoked to talk about the local attractions.

Great place to come for lunch. The cilantro-​jalepeno hummus plate is delicious (whole garlic cloves, roasted red peppers) kalamata olives would have made it perfect. The pulled pork and pub burger are quite good. Try a black cherry stout and sit on the patio out back. Also, great for dogs (patio).

We stopped in here for lunch over the weekend and were thoroughly impressed with the service, atmosphere, and food! We were super short on time, poor planning on my part!, and the waitress we had was so wonderfully accommodating. The outdoor patio was super charming! Food was all excellent, and the beer was delicious!

The black bean burger was delicious and so we’re the garlic fries. The fish tacos and pulled pork was good too!

I was pleasantly surprised by this place. It doesn’t look like much on the outside but the beer and food is delicious. Their IPA stood out among the excellent ones sampled in and around Portland and their garlic fries were perfect after a hike. They have a nice outdoor patio area and service was top notch. I highly recommend this spot if you’re in the area.

Had the pulled pork sandwich and the taster tray. The sandwich was good. But I was more focused on the taster tray. The walking man IPA was really good, as well as the homo erectus. Both are my instant favorites. The service was friendly and fast. Will be back to sample their brew again.

This is one of our favorite places to eat. The menu is small but always delicious. A must order is the Garlic Fries. Our 1^st visit to the walking man we ordered the Garlic fries and people all around us struck up conversations about them.(You can smell them a mile away) Next thing you know everone ordered them as well. My wife and I also love the beer selection. We both agree the Walking Man IPA is the best. IOHO… There is a reason the beer has won many awards. I definitely recommend this restaurant to the casual person but, for A beer drinker its a must.

Ended up coming here because of a not so great experience at another near-​by brewery. I had never been here, nor tried their beers, so we were taking a shot in the dark so to speak. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted by a very friendly server. The atmosphere and décor was really great, and it felt like a place that the locals frequent and love. I enjoyed the beers, and even took home their Homo Erectus IIPA which is delicious. So being vegetarian, I wasn’t sure if there would be many options, but they had plenty. The Black Bean Burger I had was really good, my SO had the Black & Blue Pizza which was also really tasty. The salad greens were so fresh that she ordered a second plate of greens to nibble on. Overall this place is top-​notch in my opinion, is really comfortable, and has a great friendly staff. If I lived closer, I’d visit often. We will certainly be back.

We were only in town for one night and I am glad we decided to eat and drink here. We waited about 15 minutes to eat outside which was nothing after being on the road for so long.
The food was great and the beer was even better. We sat outside and the atmosphere was perfect for even our 2 year old. The next time I am in this area, I will be back.

Go out of their way for you staff! They make you feel at home. Steelhead tacos are a must!

Fun place with excellent beers hand crafted.
I was given a tour of the «beer works». Great crafts people taking pride in their delicious end product. Comfortable pubby place!

A gem. Hidden under the street level is more than a brewery, but a friendly bar where folks are happy and treat you like family. Had some beers and garlic fries. The garlic fries were outstanding; they cook down the garlic so it’s less sharp and more manageable. The staff is quick to offer a hello, grab you a drink, and check in on you. They place is small and more so in the winter, when they lose their outdoor seating to the weather. Bookmark this place and visit next time you’re in the Gorge.

Great beer, great patio on a sunny day, and wonderfully dog-​friendly. Our waitress was extraordinarily cool with my friend’s crazy dog, trying to nest among the shrubs.
We only had time for a quick bite, and our tasty little pizza arrived promptly. Thank god for a great brewery in Stevenson — the brews fortified us for our journey into the woods, as they always do.

We had a long day at a music festival and decided to stop off here. I was amazed as I walked down the stairs to an open patio, surrounded by trees and brush. I love being around nature so this was already looking great. We found a spot easily and sat down.
Once seated, our waitress was prompt and gave us menus and water. I had a hard time deciding because all of the food sounded so good! I finally decided on a pub burger and a black cherry stout. I was so glad I did, because the cherry stout was something I had never had before. Both the beer and burger was amazing! One of my freinds ordered a peanut chicken pizza and that was also very good.
I almost forgot to mention they had a man play bagpipes, which is so cool! I’m all for live music anywhere!
All in all, the waitstaff was freindly, attentive, and helpful. The food was great, the beer selection was great. The atmosphere was awesome, and we will be returning! Thank you for an amazing experience!

If there is a single reason to go to Walking Man Brewing, it’s the Black Cherry Stout, which is easily one of the best beers being poured in the Columbia River Gorge. If there is a single reason to avoid Walking Man Brewing, it’s the food, which is reliably mediocre, save for the mustard they serve with the soft pretzel (expertly crafted with their own Barefoot Brown Ale).
In winter months, the atmosphere is cozy and welcoming here; it feels familial and snug and small town-​y. Getting a seat is easy and the staff is always warmly friendly. In the summer the patio opens and getting a beer with the dog is the perfect way to spend a few hours after a hike.
In sum, go for the beer anytime of the year but go someplace else to get your grub on.