Balsam Falls Brewing Co.

We went during the day around lunchtime and it wasn’t very busy at all, which made it feel calm and relaxed. You order at the counter, pick up your beer there, and they bring the food out to your table. There’s a good variety of drink options, so it’s easy to find something you like whether you prefer lighter beers or hoppier ones. The space itself is on the smaller side and mostly indoors, but it has a nice local feel. I could see it turning into more of a lively, party-type atmosphere at night, but during the day it was a chill spot to grab a beer and food while walking around downtown Sylva.

Went in with my fiance and loved the atmosphere. This brewery leans into the different holiday seasons, and went full out with halloween/autumn vibes. They have a great menu, with a nice variety of alcoholic beverages, but also not overwhelming when it came time to choose. The Harvest was our favorite cocktail to drink. The food also came out pretty quickly and fast. Also appreciated the note on the menu about the wings taking longer. 10/10 will be going again.

We stopped in for a quick beer on our way through town. The place is welcoming with engaging staff. The two different beers we ordered were both tasty. Really good beer and the spinach artichoke dip hit the spot. This brewery is a great compliment to Sylvia’s Main Street. Definitely stop in for a beer and a bite.

Stopped in the evening after a full day of hiking in the great Smokey mountains and man it hit the spot like no other place probably would have! Food was spectacular, staff were all very nice, and the drinks paired perfectly with dinner. I didn’t even get a picture of my boyfriends chicken sandwich he ate it so fast😂

I have heard great things about this place, but I do not drink alcohol. I wanted to try the food, though, so we went in and ordered some. It was a nice experience and the people who were working were very kind. We got to pick a table to sit at, then order our food at the counter. The food was then brought to us. For our drink, we got a Shirley Rogers with ginger ale. We ordered the fried cheese curds as an appetizer, and then I got the cheeseburger with tots as my meal. They are a brewery first so they do emphasize that they have a small kitchen and wait times may be longer than expected. We did not encounter an issue with this, as our food was brought out to us within 5-10 minutes. The food was absolutely amazing. The fried cheese curds were great, and the house-made marinara sauce was delicious. The cheeseburger was really good! I tried a bite of the cuban that my partner ordered, and that was good, too. We did not need to get the cheese curds because our meals were more than enough, but I am glad we got them, anyway. The atmosphere was very comfortable and relaxed. I would definitely recommend stopping here.

We like to sit outside at the small table that faces the street. I got a flight. Flights are 4 to 6. I got 4 and all were good. I got the Greek salad with shredded chicken. We also shared a side of tater tot’s. Very friendly place in the historic part of Sylva.

Honestly super impressed by this spot. I had the helles lager and my fiancee had the IPA. Both were stellar. Then we got the buffalo chicken dip and hot dogs, and again, both were outstanding. Far exceeded any expectations. And the service staff were all so nice and helpful! Thanks for a great experience :)

First time here after multiple trips to Sylva over the years. Really friendly service and great food! Game dogs, Brewhouse burger, and Dada’s spicy chicken sandwich. All were good and really tasty! Thank you guys!!

Balsam falls brewing was just supposed to be a quick stop for us on the way to dinner but we stayed a tad bit longer due to the amazing staff and delicious beers and mead. I did a mead flight and they're all amazing. My partner sampled the beers and loved the spicy mango habanero beer and the ipas. We also got the fried pickles and they were great. Honestly his would be a standard brewery if it wasn't for the staff. We ordered the spicy beer and it was very much not spicy- the server immediately went and checked and realized there was an issue with the keg, fixed it and comped our beer. I wish I knew her name to give a shout out. Excellent service and ambiance and will definitely come back!

Stopped in for an early dinner and ordered the Tipsy Hog and the grilled chicken wings. The tots were good and the wings were undercooked. They also had no sign of being coated in the bourbon brown sugar rub. They had no flavor. For a full service pub, I wasn't expecting to order at the bar, service was good though. The atmosphere was typical downtown pub and was quite nice. Overall, I was disappointed and probably won't be returning.

The food was great. Had bacon chicken ranch wrap. Wife had bbq chicken flat bread. It was really really good. Good service. Highly recommend!

Yea, this is a great spot. I got into Sylva a little early so I strolled Main street before stationing myself outside the restaurant. Shortly, I was warmly welcomed inside by one of the staff members. You order at the counter and then take a seat anywhere inside or on their small patio. The restaurant has a good amount of space and lots of different seating options. I ordered a game dog with fries and their alcoholic frozen lemonade then took a seat at the bar. The bar top seems to be decorated with family photos from events and vacations. I spotted the famous St. Maarten airport. My food came out pretty quickly (helps that I was the first person there). Y'all, this hot dog is a MONSTER. The fact that the menu even hints at getting two is kinda ridiculous. Check the photo for evidence. It's topped with chili (with beans...legitimately my only complaint) and beer cheese (I added mustard too). Really really good. Fries were deliciously seasoned as well. The service was fantastic the whole time. As I left I texted my friends in Winston-Salem, "we've gotta come here on a roadtrip!" That's the ultimate sign of respect.

We have eaten at Balsam a few times in the past. We came back because we enjoyed the experience the last few times. Not today. Very disappointing. We had a flatbread BBQ Chicken), a bleu cheese burger, and a spicy chicken sandwich. We had fries and tater tots. The sides were good. The mains were just ok. My burger was dry, the bacon was fatty. The "spicy" chicken sandwich had no flavor at all. I paid $15.99 for a chicken sandwich that was more bun than meat, with no flavor. The flatbread was ok. With all the great restaurants in Sylva, being "ok" just isn't good enough. The restaurant was clean. The service was lackluster at best. The guy that took our order was professional, but not friendly. The woman that brought our food was not friendly at all. She wasn't rude, just cold. You could say she was just going through the motions. What a shame. We used to like this restaurant.

We just got beer and a Greek salad. You order at the counter then sit down. The beer was good and the salad was great. It was an open type of atmosphere and it was nice. The two ladies at the counter were nice but the older lady (not that old) was really on top of her game.

What is there to complain about? Absolutely nothing. Probably my second time here, ordered the same Portabella mushroom burger with added beef patty, and it was superb. We always get the Caprese pizza and the tater tots on the side. Always delicious and I usually forget to take photos before I start digging in! The beer is phenomenal and I got a flight of all the darks amber's and reds. Never a disappointment! Services always perfect, especially when they ask and try to answer every question related to food and beer.

Very solid beer with an awesome chef in the kitchen. This place is great after a day of sightseeing or hiking. The food is way above average, and the staff are very accommodating. Give it a try and don't forget to ask about the bar's backstory and it's famous mascot FERGUS....

Just rolled into Sylva on a mountain town hop. Spied Balsam on the little main drag and thought I'd wet my whistle. I love the signage, and the interior space. The bar is large, there's plenty of seating at tables and booths. There is also outdoor seating on the "upper entrance" side of the building. That's facing Main Street for the map oriented among ya. I entered from the Mill St side of the building. I love the decor. The permanent stuff makes the place welcoming, the Halloween touches make it festive. Service was polite, and efficient. I opted for a 6 beer flight. A four beer flight is an option too. Music was good, at the right volume. The menu is expansive with plenty of beer styles to choose from and 11 ciders available on my visit. They offer a couple seltzers, a beer and chocolate pairing in a collab with Dillsboro Chocolate Factory, Meads, an intriguing Mimosa menu, cocktails, mocktails, wines and food. The food menu has burgers, wraps, salads, flatbread, a kids section, and a few desserts. The weekend brunch menu looks downright delectable. Now, as you know if you've read any of my other brewery reviews, I don't put much stock in beer reviews because tastes vary...but I had a nice 6 beer flight plus a single taste, so I'll run down my thoughts, but take it as one man's taste... First impression, this place does slightly better with the darks. The only stand out otherwise was the Into the Mist Southern IPA (a style I didn't know existed). The flight shook out like this for me: Elevensies Livener - great, malty, slightly dark, mild, brown. Lovely finish. Pint-worthy Fergus the Rat - a Chocolate Milk Stout that is barely any of those things. It has a touch of bitterness, a faint chocolate finish and a body that is more brown than stout. Color was darker than a brown, along the lines of a porter Downtown Oatmeal Brown - the second best beer in the flight. Definitely a brown ale, done pretty well. It would be worth a pint Bonas Defeat - a dark, potent porter (7%) with a noticeable oatmeal finish, oddly. I like it but probably wouldn't get a pint. It's malt-forward, and has a roasted taste to it, as advertised. The bitter finish was a turnoff for me. But again, that's me. It lacks the body that was expected given the "robust" in the name Into the Mist - a light but very tasty IPA. Very smooth drinking. I'd think poolside, kind of a slightly heavy session IPA at 6.5%. Definitely the pint to get if you're not drinking the darks. Laurachi - a pale ale (true to the style), my second favorite non-dark. I've had better pale ales, but I suspect the unique hop, Sorachi Ace, just isn't my taste. Otherwise, I think it's a well brewed beer. Go West - a west coast IPA. Honestly, I can't finish the small pour. Musty finish, with little bitterness, and an off-putting nose. Again, this is likely my lack of appreciation of the hop being used. Just not very good to me. Overall, the place has something that will almost certainly appeal to everyone in your party, so for that reason, it gets a 4-star recommendation. Cheers!

Cool little spot near the end of the main block of town. We popped in during a dreary rainy day and it was so nice to sit back and have some cold drinks and great cheeseburgers. Will definitely visit again the next time we are in town.

Definitely more of a restaurant style brewery offering a wide variety of different options in addition to the usual menu of beer. Wide open spaces and lots of room for big tables. The staff were so friendly and much better than some of the other breweries we went to in this area.

Great as always! I always love their hard seltzer drinks. Today I ordered the portobello mushroom burger and onion rings. The mushroom was so good. I also had a couple of different seltzer drinks that were amazing! Still highly recommend.

I went here during WSOP events in Cherokee, just to get away from the poker scene for a while. It's about 15 minutes, and Sylva is a chill little laidback town. On this occasion, I came for the burger, not the beer. I wanted something in my belly prior to playing the Nightly event. The burger was solid, and the chips were good. The only thing was that the onions were beyond powerful. Since I had to wear a mask at the poker table, I could smell my own onion breath and repeatedly thought to myself: Can they smell that? Can they smell that? I finished 11th of 247 in that event. That might sound good, but it does very little. In a Nightly, you're basically paying $145 for a shot at $6k-$10k, but you have to win it. Getting back to this relatively fine establishment (if that makes sense), it's clean with good service and fair prices. While it didn't blow me away, it's recommended.

This is the portobello burger. It's has spinach artichoke on it. It was good but super messy. The tator tots side dish are always good. They top them with parmesan and seasonings. I stopped in for a quick bite on Tuesday night and it turned out to be trivia night. Don't come that night unless you're actually playing trivia because every time I tried to sit down, I was told the seat was reserved. Found lone seat by the kitchen LOL but all good. The trivia did look fun and I plan to check it out when I'm with friends. Wide variety of beers and I like how they include description on the menu. Some places like Lazy Hiker just have the name and you have to ask the bartender what each one is like.

Some of the absolute tastiest cider I've ever had the pleasure of imbibing. While the blackberry cider is my go to, this year's winter cider is in-friggin-credible. Friendly staff and tasty food, even when short handed.

We were in Cullowhee visiting our WCU daughter and looking for a place to eat with some vegetarian options for her. When I saw the extensive beer/cider/cocktail options as well as some vegetarian options I was sold and we went here. We walked in and an employee told us to grab a menu from the bar and seat ourselves. We found a big booth near the menu and perused the extensive menu. After awhile my daughter noticed a sign on the table that said we were supposed to order at the bar. My husband, usually a beer man, ordered the citrine cider and enjoyed it -- a drier cider. I ordered the Fire Agate and it was delicious. Daughter, son and daughter's friend all ordered flatbread s and loved them. Daughter's hot caprese looked amazing. I ordered the spinach artichoke dip for my meal and it was tasty -- good portion size. Husband said his spicy Philly cheesesteak was on point. Tater tots were cooked perfectly. A sign on the table says to be patient with the food because they have a small kitchen. I was surprised they had such a big menu if they have a small kitchen but we were prepared to wait. However, our food came out super fast. I hadn't even finished my cider. Daughter really liked this place and I look forward to trying more beers and ciders so we'll definitely be back next time we are in town.

Food was incredible. Nice friendly staff. My only wish is that there was table wait service. I tipped 18% on our order but had to go up to the counter for every little thing.

On a recent weekend we took a family trip to Sylva and rented a cabin just outside of downtown. (Awesome area btw!) On Friday we decided the whole group would go into town in the late morning just to walk through downtown and maybe do a little shopping. Convenient lot we parked in great public parking directly across from Balsam Falls and part of the group decided to grab a quick beer here before continuing our walk of downtown! Well, 4 hours later, the only place we had been was Balsam Falls and we did not see any other shops downtown! So that should tell you we enjoyed it! Really good location. And seating outside so you can hangout in the sunlight and enjoy a little piece of Sylva. The staff was great, tell them some things you enjoy and at least give their recommendations a try! I think the overwhelming hit for our group was this "crushing COVID" beer, but I really enjoyed a couple of the IPAs as well. For the non beer drinkers they also have some ciders that some in the group enjoyed. To me the biggest surprise was actually the food! We also grabbed lunch while there and everything we had was phenomenal. A personal favorite were the Spicy Asian wings! Crispy and spicy! But I had bites of Buffalo chicken dip, flatbread, and a harvest salad and they were all better than I ever would have expected from a brewery! If you're in town, stop by for a beer or better yet, go ahead and grab a meal. While we were there plenty of groups with children came in just to eat, so definitely child friendly as well!

This was by far my favorite brewery in town!! Absolutely loved the vibe, there were so many options to choose from! I ended up trying a mimosa sampler, and then a few other beers! Everything was awesome, the prices were fantastic....as was the service!! We didn't try the food but it looked and smelled fabulous! They are open early, by 11am which I thought was cool and offered breakfast/brunch options as well. Do not pass this one by!!!!

Food was only ok..but the servers are absolutely awesome. So friendly and personable! Very rare to find these days!

Stop number 2 in downtown Sylva was at Balsam Falls Brewing. I ordered a flight (you can choose up to six) and my husband ordered a pint of the Elevensies Livened Dark Mild. For my flight I selected Into the Mist Southern IPA, Go West IPA, Red in the Head, Bine Pounder, Quartz Branch Citrine Hard Apple Cider and Quartz Branch Blackberry Cider. My favorite was the blackberry cider, I really did not care for any of the IPAs. If you are hungry they do serve food but we only stopped in for beer. The drink menu is broader so it's worth checking out but it would not be my first choice.

Always phenomenal food and phenomenal service. Enjoyed what was easily the best BLT I've ever had with house made garlic aioli and some incredible beer. My server that day, Quinn was fast, hilarious, charming, and a great person to be around. I will be returning anytime I visit Sylva and recommend everyone I know to do the same.

The food and drinks were so delicious! We had a party of 17 they easily accommodated and everything we got was so good. The staff was wonderful.

I really liked this spot. We actually had two cheeseburgers and a hot dog. I got a pic of the burger forgot about the hot dog. I got my beer cheese & chili on the side instead of on it. It was goooood! Those burgers were big too! The fries were unique and scrumptious too. We enjoyed a flight of local beers & ciders. A wooden connect four game for the table, How Cool! Side note local made soy candles available for purchase there as well. They smell heavenly. Can't wait to burn it when I get home

Stopped in on a Tuesday and sat at the bar. They have trivia on Tuesdays so all tables were reserved. The Oktoberfest beer was great and I ordered a Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken. The salad itself was great and they had real greek dressing. The grilled chicken had an interesting flavor but was still good. Next time I would order the wings and a greek salad instead of adding the chicken. The servers were friendly and everything is ordered from the bar, maybe that is just on Tuesdays, but made it quick and easy. Overall good food and good atmosphere. I didn't participate in trivia but they had the questions on the screen which was fun to follow along and didn't make for the trivia host to be too overpowering. So if you'd like a good beer and good food at good prices check it out.

Really chill place. Great beer options for beer flight. The food was pretty descent for a brewery and prices were reasonable-- especially in NC. The tots with cheese and bacon were a tad salty --good thing for the beer to wash it down. The burger was certainly delish and full of flavor! It's definitely HUGE and good for sharing. Would certainly come here again to grab a drink and try something else on their lunch menu.

The food and drinks were all incredible! We had the beer cheese and bacon tots, beer cheese and pretzels, Cubans, BLT, and burger and it was all FANTASTIC. The fries are also super yummy and fluffy on the inside yet crispy on the outside. The homemade ranch is to die for. We sampled plenty of the beers and ciders and they were all good. Relaxed atmosphere and nice staff. It's not your typical sit down service with someone coming to take your order but everyone was still so nice and helpful. We happened to stop in after making a last minute two day trip to Sylva and we're so happy we did.

A great hidden gem. Great food and the beer is equally exceptional. Must try the pizza bites and the flat breads. Burgers were great too!!!

My friends and I were visiting New Years weekend over in Bryson City. We happened upon Balsam Falls Brew on a brew tour. They quickly allowed our two dogs in and welcomed us. All the other Breweries either made us sit outside in the cold rain or wouldn't let us in at all. By far of all the breweries we have visited in Sylva, Bryson and Dillsboro and Franklin, Balsam Falls is the best. They have the best beer selection and service. The food was spectacular! Love the fries and tots. The BLT & Shredded chicken wrap were awesome too. The servers were so great that we actually came back the next day for lunch and brews with the dogs. When we walked in, they all remembered us, and Ava, the sweetest server remembered their names and immediately brought them water. I Highly recommend this place for just some good hang out time and great food with good beer. Oh and the pickle mimosa is worth having!

The pretzels and beer cheese are hereby highly recommended! Great atmosphere for a bar that has a quieter feel. Some enjoyable brews and ciders on tap. The rest of the food here is good too, the flatbread for example. I love this adult hang out in a college town.

I really want to give this place a 5 star. Because the bartender was great. (I don't remember her name). And the beer was really good. But the cross contamination I saw going on in the kitchen was gross. Saw a guy in the kitchen in a purple shirt pick up raw ground beef (no gloves) then reach into the onions (with no gloves and didn't wash his hands). To be honest I didn't see him wash his hands at all after touching the raw meat. Was the food good yes! Just hoping I don't get sick from the cross contamination.

Great beer and ciders! Burgers are out of this world. I recommend the tots and the pretzels, too. You really can't go wrong!

I've eaten here several times and it's always wonderful. The beer is phenomenal, I'm even hooked on ciders now. Plus that brewmaster burger is the bomb. You won't regret stopping here!!!

Great food, excellent service & 4oz tasters!!! This time we had the Elvis, which was a peanut butter banana brew --yes. might sound weird, but oh my goodness was a fantastic! You didn't teach much banana, other than they gave it a little sweetness to the peanut butter!! the grilled chicken wings were fantastic. Didn't need any other seasoning than what they put on their their salad is fresh and fantastic, dressings are all made in house from scratch! Love this place.!!!

I don't usually write reviews. I write them for very good and very bad. Today, bad. Downtown Sylva for the "Arts Festival". I ordered a spicy chicken sandwich. That's usually a safe bet since most fast food places make decent ones. The sandwich today was horrible. Not spicy, tasteless in fact. Tomato was green and an end cut. No sauce. Basically tasteless. Very underwhelming experience. They did have beer though. Basically don't sell stuff that is bad.

Normally I write long, flowery reviews. Not this time. 5 stars. Great service. Burgoo Stew. Bonas Defeat.

Friendly and clean atmosphere. Pricing was good. Guy waiter with the mustache was funny too. Our table was wobbly which made it difficult to enjoy since every move made the table shifted. Also, besides beer they only offer carbonated drinks. Was hoping for a tea or lemonade options but also understand it's a beer place.

Went today for lunch and had an amazing experience!! Food was great, people were awesome and super chill environment. 10/10 Will be back!!

Came to Balsam Falls for Trivia Night and had to try their new food menu. We starts with Tuna Poke Wonton Tacos or as they call them, Pok'em if you Got'em and their special app which was simpler to a large pizza roll. For the main I got the Nachos with the Carnitas. The Nachos were very good and made with fresh made chips. My only complaint is for the price the serving sizes are a little small. Nachos are not really shareable and for $12 you only get 4 Tuna wontons. Beside that it's a fun place.

The food was decent compared to how long the wait was. there was only 4 tables 3 of which was 2 people and the last table was 4 people that only got 1 dish. some people we were next to waited 45 minutes for food and others were complaining about how long the wait was. Some of the games were inappropriate and not child friendly. Not my best spot.

Flatbread Italian is out of this world, no Sci-fi. 10/10 food, ambiance and service.

This was a small town Gem, staff was great and accommodating! We were the only African American patrons at the bar and weren't treated any differently than anyone else( yes its a thing in small towns) On top of that im Vegan and they catered to my needs. We came back the next day just to patronize!

This place is awesome! Special shout-out to Sarah our bartender. She made some awesome drinks and had great service. I highly recommend you try this brewery for the vibes, the drinks, and the people.

Came to meet family for lunch and was pleasantly surprised by Balsam Falls Brewing! We ordered 4 different beers and they were fantastic along with their food! We had everything from a chicken salad wrap to the Southwest burger and everything was amazing. Also.... BEST TATER TOTS!! Service was also fantastic. You have to order at the bar, but they made sure we had everything we needed!

Sylva has a new best brewery! Tons of different beers (we visited in their 9th month open and drank their just-released 99th beer). Huge area you can sit many different places. We had kids and sat in the living room like area with couches and coffee table. The kids played their myriad of board games while we watched World Cup soccer on their 2 tvs and munched on free popcorn while sampling most beers at $2 a sampler.

So I had four stars down, but the longer I've thought about this spot, the more I just loved it and bumped up to 5! On free weekends, I love getting out of Asheville and checking out some of our amazing neighbors who are doing great things. Sylva is really on the rise and now have not one, but two breweries! Balsam Falls is on main street and is doing great, interesting beers. We went on a slow Saturday evening but it started to pick up a lot around 7 as we were leaving. They are a new spot and it appears like they are still finishing a few things on one side of the bar. They have one of the biggest bar areas I've seen in the brewery. It seriously looked like the bartenders could do cartwheels back there if they wanted. The list is extensive with every beer sorted by variety. They have a few guest taps as well. We started with a flight of 6 to try out the most we could. A clear favorite for me was the Bells will be Ringing Winter Warmer. Obvi it's seasonal but I hope they do it again next year! Super festive with hints of orange, cinnamon and cloves. Based on our choices, the bartender then gave me a sample of Break the 7th C - an experimental beer made with 7 hops. It was incredibly interesting and drinkable of an IPA. I ordered a full draft of that! This was such a pleasant place to stop in. They had complimentary, fresh popped popcorn which I borderline bathed in. (I love popcorn). The bar was covered with Sylva memorabilia and newspaper cutouts letting you know the history of the town. They had TV's for sports games, a gaming set up, and lots of group seating throughout. I can't wait to come back.

Stopped in to check this place out since it's fairly new. What a pleasant surprise that being new they already have their brewing dialed in. Had a flight of 6 ranging from the 87 Blonde to the Bine Pounder IPA and all were solid. Great job!!! I'll be back.

My husband and I stopped by Balsam Falls Brewing Co this week for a late lunch. I tried the Tampa Cuban and Fried Pickles. It was excellent! The best cuban I've had in NC! My husband tried the BBQ Flatbread Chicken and he said it was very good as well. He drank the Chaucer's Rasberry and it was delicious. Food was great, drinks were great but service was about a 3. It took much longer than expected to get our food and it didn't come out all at once. The bar tender/waitress was by herself so service and attention to customers was not as good as expected. Overall I would still rate it a 4 based on the overall experience but a 5 for the food and drinks.

So, I went here for the first time... never have I ever seen more chaos in an establishment ! First off, the kitchen manager is very rude, he yelling at employees and even talking down on employees who are behind the bar (meanwhile I'm sitting at the bar waiting to order and could hear all of this) the kitchen manger closed the kitchen 3 times in the time span I was there because he couldn't handle a rush!! Never had I ever seen or heard a kitchen close mid day because they couldn't keep up with orders. Not only did it take forever to get my food but one of the male brewers forgot to put in part of my order! Not only did this happen but on top of that my friend first day was today which I came in to see her and she notified me that they decided not to tip her out! So any newbies looking for a job don't work here unless you don't want tips and want to work 9 hour shifts (without being told you're not getting paid). I work at another brewery and Sylva and never would we stiff our employees from tips, even on their first day!! In the end I asked one of the brewer's to speak to the manager, never did I get to speak the manager!! Definitely Speaks volume..good luck with you experience. (I will say the three ladies who work in the front and the 2 lads who work in the kitchen were awesome and have great customer experience!)