Mainstay Independent Brewing

They've expanded the number of beers on tap since was last here. I lump Mainstay in with Craft Hall since they're basically the same entity, but just on the beer itself, I'd say Mainstay is a solid. I think they've improved their food a little bit recently as well. Tons of space, which is good in the pandemic world. They have changed the layout a little bit though, and where they have a wall towards where the old kids area is/was, so they can close that off for private functions. Will be back in the future.

It was a little confusing but the brewery and Craft Hall are the same-- Craft Hall is the restaurant portion. There is limited parking in a small lot across the street or metered parking. I got a flight to try 4 5oz beers on tap. Their limited options was a little disappointing! My favorite was their porter. I also got the warm pretzel with spicy mustard and pimento cheese because it looked so good from other yelper's reviews. They must've changed their menu item from then because the pretzel I got looked completely different. The cheese wasn't in the pretzel, it was a dip and possibly fake pimento cheese because it just tasted like spicy cream cheese. I do love their huge space and bench seating. There's also an entire table of board games to pick from!

I was on my way to another local brewery and just happened upon this place. The inside was awesome, lot's of space. The beer selection was great! I didn't get a chance to try the food but it looked good. I added it to my list of spots to check out again when in Philadelphia.

Get the Poplar Pilsner - you're welcome.The space is huge, and there's plenty of room to spread out. The beers are insanely reasonable, with happy hour and football Sunday specials like $10 pitchers! High-tops, bar seats, picnic tables, and cushy antique armchairs; there's no shortage of seating options. This is a great place for large groups to conglomerate after work or for a more laid-back night out. Catering to hipster parents who bring their kids to bars - there's a large playset and SpongeBob playing on a big screen towards the back of the space, but there's enough room to separate yourselves if kids in a bar don't really appeal to you.The missing star is due to the super loud live music. Live music can be great, and in this case, the band was rather talented. However, the acoustics were terrible, and it was incredibly loud. We sat as far away as we could from the band, and we were still yelling to try to speak to each other. The space is versatile, and truly caters to a variety of different audiences. Mainstay's beers were all tasty and very drinkable. The Poplar Pils was a homerun.

If you ever visited the old Yards that once was here, you have to go back just to see what they have done with the space. Oh My, I had no idea it was that big in there! The space is awesome! It is set up with many different seating areas. One that feels like your in your living room with sofas. A few bars. A huge TV with ping pong and corn hole. An outdoor patio area. And then a pirate ship playground with a bar and swing seats nearby! It really is amazing.The beer was average. I tried a few before settling on one. The bartender's were very nice in letting us sample anything prior to committing. We did have sandwiches which were good. You do have to order at the bar and then they deliver your food to your table. I kind of like this concept because your not committed to being locked into someone for service.They seem to make all of their bread here and let you watch, as there are windows on that section of the venue. It was pretty cool.

This brewery has a huge indoor space, a nice outdoor space, and a cool atmosphere. We came on a weekend and it was relatively slow, and had our choice of seating. We chose the bar and the bartenders were relatively pleasant and helpful, but they did not bring us cutlery or condiments. The drinks were great, solid beer and would definitely recommend! The food wasn't quite on par with the extensive and creative drink menu. We order two different sandwiches and they were a bit underwhelming. I would come back specifically for drinks and try a few other items on the menu. Food 3.5/5. Atmosphere 5/5. Staff 4/5. Value 4/5. Overall 4/5.

Came for the beer and the Preakness, but left with dreams of that food!Boyfriend and I walked up here from Spruce Street Harbor Park on Preakness Saturday. SSHP was crowded, it was a nice day out, but we really needed a TV to watch the ponies. Boyfriend had been here before with friends for a bachelor party and said it was nice when it was Yards but was REALLY nice now, so we tried it out.I loved the venue! It's so spacious with a little outdoor seating, a playground for kids in the back, a huge bar with lots of tables and seating areas... It seems like a great place to come chill for a few hours with friends or family. The staff seemed laid back and friendly enough.We tried a few different beers with the aim of settling on one for a pitcher. We tried the lager, the weiss, the kolsch, and the "clean kitch" or whatever, but landed on the kolsch. Despite this place seeming to have a variety of beers on tap, I still felt like they all catered to the IPA loving crowd because most of their beers had that gross hoppy bitterness at the end that I can't stand. The "drinkable" beer was not drinkable at all to me. I typically go for wheat/wit beers or the really drinkable stuff like Corona, Bud/Miller/Coors light, etc. and the kolsch was the smoothest and lightest thing they had out of the beers we tried. Definitely get a small taste before you settle on a beer if you're picky like I am!About halfway into our pitcher we ordered food - I went with the fried chicken sandwich since I am on a quest to find my favorite fried chicken in the city and this one had pimento cheese that was calling to me. Boyfriend got the pulled pork. You order all of your food from the bar and they give you a number like at Panera and someone from the kitchen finds you when your food is ready and brings it out. The sandwiches came out and they were decently sized. They don't come with fries or anything, but that ended up being okay for us. Boyfriend inhaled his sandwich so I assumed it was good. The fried chicken sandwich was truly delightful. The creamy kick from the pimento cheese with a little sour hit of pickle on some perfectly fried and still moist chicken... Great sandwich. I would recommend and I would definitely order it again. I could even be convinced to go out of my way for it if I was hungry enough to also try their mac n cheese next time. According to the menu, all of the ingredients are locally sourced, but I didn't feel like anything was way over priced. I really enjoyed being able to have real food at a brewery because, being from South Jersey, you usually have to BYO food or there might be a food truck. But all that drinking you are bound to get hungry, so I always appreciate a brewery with a good food menu.Before we left, we went outside and across the street to see the chickens and the bunny. Hopefully that wasn't one of the chickens I ate, but if it was - good chicken. Overall: awesome venue and food, not my favorite beers, chill staff... Worth checking out!

Love what they've done with the space that used to be Yard's Brewery. It's open and great for meeting up with people. Food is pretty good too. I liked the Crafty Fries. Portions are big and tasty. They offer flights of 4 beers to try out as well. Good selection.

Wow, they have done amazing things with this space that used to be occupied by yards brewery.For those, that had been to yards when it was here, mainstay has knocked down the wall revealing a venue that is now about 2-3x the size. Its comparable in size to the new yards brewery. There is lots of space to hang out and even a place with games for kids to play.Anyhow, they have a nice mix of beers (including guest offerings) as well as nice food and a bakery (yes a bakery) in the back. Highly recommend it, especially if you have a big group.

Mainstay is the newest brewery in town and moved into the old Yard's brewery building. Beers were mostly solid with the German styles the highlight. The place looks just like the former Yard's - nothing has really changed. Lots of seating, open space, a foosball and pool table. Looks like the same brewing equipment from the Yards days. They had 10 Mainstay beers on tap - a solid line-up with an excellent German standout. Loved the King Laird Weisse - one of the best Weisse beers I've had in a long time. Their lager, pills, kolsch, Harness Bend (IPA) and Birthplace Porter were all solid as well. The first run stout was my 2nd fav beer from their line-up. I learned that the brewer came from Slyfox so has some experience in the beer game. They had a smaller food menu. I only tried the sliders which were OK but not best in class. Other options included a few different sandwiches, some dips, chili and a cheese board on the menu. Staff were friendly and the bartender was knowledgeable and happy to engage in beer small talk. Food was served quickly.Another good brewery option in the city. I look forward to returning so I can try some other beers when they are available. Tip - a great destination for a large groups given all seating options in the brewery. BK