Big Ugly Brewing

This place is a total hidden gem for any craft beer enthusiast! From the moment you walk into Big Ugly Brewing, you're hit with an incredible vibe; the industrial interior featuring cool vintage trucks parked right inside makes for a truly unique atmosphere. The location here in Chesapeake is super convenient with plenty of free parking. The service is absolutely top-notch—the staff doesn't just pour drinks; they are genuinely passionate about what they do and are always happy to walk you through the tap list to find your new favorite brew. The beers themselves are outstanding, boasting bold and complex flavors. It’s the perfect spot to kick back after work and enjoy some great company!

My husband, and I with some of our friends visited here over the weekend to listen to music, and drink beer in the evening of my husband's birthday. We really enjoyed the musician, and my husband of course really liked his beer. I enjoyed the fact that there is plenty of seating inside, and outside, and the restrooms were clean as well.

Very fun brewery. Kayla is amazing!!!Wonderful outdoor space, great indoor space. Wonderful beer list. No food, but the food trucks are to die for!!! #cousinsmainlobster amazing!! Loved everything about this place.

Very cool spot, great outdoor seating options, large tap menu, friendly staff. No notes! I wish they had a kitchen, as the rotating food trucks are expensive as hell, but at least the trucks are usually really good and have diverse options!

This place is always such a great place. Family friendly . They even have non alcoholic slushie for everyone. You can get something yummy from a food truck or bring your own food.

Cool brewery with a great outdoor patio and fun indoor vibe. My favorite beers were the Moo Moo Farm milk stout and the Maybe Today Satan double-IPA. We visited Big Ugly on our way back from the outer banks- it was only a few minutes off our route. We only had time for a flight, but it's on the top of my list to visit next time I'm in the area. Love the barbershop chairs and the VW bus inside -and their Chesapeake mural is simple amazing.

A fairly upbeat brewery with some decent beverages. I enjoyed their milk stout and found it to be very rich and flavorful. There was live music there which may have drawn a crowd, but it wasn’t really my taste. However, it was nice to see so many folks at a small business. I’ll be back at some point, definitely worth the trip.

Amazing selection of beers, cider, wine, and slushies. Friendly staff. Cool decor, many very naked humans.

I stopped by Bug Ugly on a Thursday around 5:30PM. This spot has the perfect blend of good beer, good vibes, and activities that make a weeknight feel like a weekend. The bartender like me taste 2 of their beers, but I went with with their Peake Lager, which was crisp, and refreshing. It's the kind of beer you can sip on all night, especially while hanging out with friends or, in my case, warming up for trivia. Thursday happened to be trivia night, and it was honestly one of the highlights of the visit. The host kept things fun without dragging the rounds on too long, and the place had just the right amount of friendly competition! Even if you're not a trivia regular, like myself, it's a great way to break up the workweek and gives the whole brewery a lively, energetic feel. They also had the Pittsburgh's Best food truck on-site, which was awesome. I tried the gyro and it was fantastic! I love breweries that consistently bring in solid food truck options. Overall, Big Ugly is a fantastic spot whether you're grabbing a beer after work, meeting up with friends, or looking for something fun to do on a Thursday. Great beer, great food truck rotation, and a genuinely welcoming atmosphere. I'll definitely be back.

I had last been to Big Ugly Brewing ten years ago for a Official Yelp Event https://www.yelp.com/biz/yelps-big-ugly-brewery-tour-chesapeake?hrid=4Qi4okkBuOCo4ORKfaaGbQ but that seems to have been in a different location. Looking back at the photos and wow! I'm sorry it's been so long, but I'm here now! After an afternoon of driving up from North Carolina, I was ready for beer and air conditioning and some wifi. I found all here and it was a great spot. Open, comfortable and friendly. I had a high top table but there was all kinds of other seating, both inside and out. For beers, I very much enjoyed their Tiny Panzer, a tasty hefeweizen. For seconds while Yelping with my laptop, the BUB Lite was a lighter American lager that was surprisingly flavorful and totally crushable. Big Ugly does not have a kitchen (yay, they can have dogs!) and today they were pairing up with the Pinoy Delights food truck. They have a schedule on their webpage. This is a superior spot and I enjoyed my evening. [Review 729 of 2025 - 1485 in Virginia - 24289 overall]

Big Ugly Brewery - Review by Lexi the Bougie BT's Assistant We recently visited Big Ugly Brewery in Chesapeake, VA for a dog-friendly event, and even though I'm not big on beer, I have to say--this spot is an absolute vibe! I originally came out for a special dog-centered event (because of course Lexi the Bougie BT doesn't miss a pup-up). There were several adorable small business vendors set up outside and even a costume contest and ice cream-eating contest planned. Sadly, the weather was way too hot to stick around long, but the love and energy were there from the start. What really stood out: Dog-Friendly Inside & Out - huge plus! Air-conditioned indoor access for pups--a lifesaver on a hot day Food trucks outside for tasty bites Plenty of tables and seating inside Tabletop games for guests--cute touch! A festive Santa photo setup by When Skies Are Grey Photography--shoutout to Denise, who always puts on magical events Bonus moment: We even ran into our favorite doggy daycare crew who had a table there! Seeing familiar faces and knowing that pet professionals support the space made me love it even more. Even if you're not a beer lover (like me), this is a great hangout spot with an amazing dog-loving community. I'd definitely come back--hopefully on a cooler day so we can stay and enjoy even more of what Big Ugly has to offer. If you're in the 757 and looking for a laid-back, dog-welcoming brewery with great energy, this is your spot. Paw-fect for pet parents and chill seekers alike.

Big Ugly Brewing is one of my go-to spots, as it's right down the street from me in the Great Bridge area of Chesapeake. They have such a good variety on tap, and I'm obsessed with their slushies--so perfect on a hot day. There's plenty of seating, with a patio area you can sit at when the weather's nice. They usually have food trucks parked outside, so you can grab something tasty to eat with your beer. There's also an upstairs area that's a fun change of scenery. I also love that they host the yearly gala for the Chesapeake Humane Society. It's great to support a local business that gives back to such a good cause!

Big Ugly Brewing is such a great spot in the Great Bridge area of Chesapeake. You can always count on them for brews, food, and entertainment. Taxus Street Coffee - Tuesday through Saturday, Taxus Street Coffee rents their space during the day to serve up their caffeinated brews. During most of the year with the exception of Winter, Taxus collabs with Klassic Doughnuts every Friday so that we can get both coffee and doughnuts all at once. Food Trucks - they have a solid rotation of food trucks, at least one, but usually 2 food trucks to choose from on any given night. We've seen Bar-Q, Pelican Pete's, Krazy Trompos, Prime 757, Courtney's Kitchen, Hangry's VB, and the list goes on. Live Bands - they always have some sort of a band on weekends, not sure about the weekday, but refer to their schedule on their website. They always have something going on whether it's featuring a local group or business, Girl Scouts, or a themed event. We always enjoy going to their Trunk or Treat event every year with our kids. The only problem is that some of their events attract so many people, the parking becomes an issue with people parking all over the place. I think they've outgrown their space! I don't drink, but my husband seems to enjoy it as we go there often enough! Whenever we want to just go out for a quick bite to eat, we check the schedule at Big Ugly first! Enjoy, Friends, and never stop exploring!

We stopped by Big Ugly Brewing recently so that my wife could enjoy a beer. I don't drink but it was a beautiful day outside and I decided to join. They had a band playing and we were able to grab a couple of seats outside. Such a great time!

Beer... meh... Service... an entire part of the taproom denied to sit, suggested to sit next to a trashcan by the front door, sub 40 degree drafts constantly. Atmosphere... over-hyped and sub-par Hard pass for a second visit. 10 year old says root beer is gross, two thumbs down.

Great food trucks and craft beers. Prime 757 was the food truck when I went plus they had a gourmet salsa vendor.

Came here for their Halloween party - such fun! Great decorations , friendly staff, good beer selection, even had some non-beer options. They don't sell food, but usually have 1 or 2 different food trucks. We only tried the Asian one, and it was unfortunately awful.

Is 10 stars an option? The stouts are great. The bar guys are top-notch. They recognize militarily and veterans. I highly recommend this place. The light beers (pilz) are good as well.

Another one of those places that everyone tells me about that I, for whatever reason, have never checked out. Nice open layout to enjoy a few beers with friends and family. We came on a Sunday afternoon and there was a live musician. The Witching Sour was really good, but I loved the Pina Colada Gose that I had after this one! So light and refreshing. Bonus: doggies are allowed inside!! I'll be bringing my hound next time.

Nice staff! Awesome seating areas inside and out. Lot of choices and selections. Nice weekend or late night meetup spot

This place is spacious, staff is friendly and menu items seem to be great. I was here for an evening with my PMI HR pints and PDU event. There was DJ outside, bar was open. I didn't order anything since I already had my supper but the folks I sat with ordered some ginger foods that smelled really good when served. There's a merchandise corner that carried shirts. Will come back here to try their menu items.

Loved this brewery in Chesapeake! It's big inside and offers 2 floors. Plenty of seats available to hangout and enjoy beer. We happened to go on a Saturday where they had a live music playing and they were very good, sad I didn't get to go up to see who was playing! The 2nd floor is only avail for 21+ and was very cute area for drinking and taking pictures. They also had 2 different food trucks serving food and lots of space outside on the patio to sit and enjoy your beers outside! Great selection of beers and merch! We'll be sure to come back again!!

At least three local bartenders from other breweries recommended Big Ugly as a great brewery, and I finally got there to check it out. They were absolutely right - a great venue with a good variety of beer! Mid and pet friendly, and they usually have a food truck and live music. A pleasant surprise - not only did they have a changing table in the men's restroom, but it was a custom Jeep tailgate one. Very nicely done, and as a " Jeep Dad", very cool.

It's a place to hang out with beer bodies. The vibe is not romantic. It is a manly atmosphere so to speak. If you love beer and want to hang out with friends this is a good place. Parking can fill up fast. Give yourself some time to find a spot.

A so-so experience. Overall, I thought Big Ugly Brewing had a very nice selection of craft beer, and the three IPAs that I had were very delicious. They even have a jalapeno-inspired brew that I would recommend if you enjoy spicy food. Yes, I know that I'm describing a brewery, but this was the first time that I had a spicy beer, which I now love. . From my understanding, I think all (or most) of the beers are local . . . I might have to double-check this. While the inside of the brewery is pretty large, they have a very nice backyard area where you can enjoy your brews. I'm not sure if it was me or if the place was super busy, but I found a couple of the bartenders to be a bit cold. In these sorts of places, I like to ask a couple of questions about the beer selection. However, it seemed like I was bothering the bartenders about the beers. Also, I was not a fan of the ordering system. Like most places, I assumed that you could order where ever you are sitting. However, you have to order at the cash register, which was interesting. It was also interesting because the ordering system was inconsistent because some people (probably folks that the bartenders knew) were allowed to order from where they were sitting at the bar, and other folks had to walk and wait in line at the register. I did not have a problem ordering at the register, but I was a bit confused about why certain people had the privilege to order at the bar. Perhaps, those folks had a VIP status that I was unaware of. Overall, I definitely would return to try out some more local beers.

One of my favorite breweries in the 757! And, right now, one of the few places that will fill outside growlers, which is a plus in my book. We've been several times the past few months, but stopped in on a late Saturday afternoon. The place was steadily busy - no bar seating but they have a distanced line to the bar for drink/growler orders. Their bar prices are pretty comparable to other locals - $6-7 for a pint. We snagged one of the last indoor seats just around the corner from the bar. Of all the times I visited, it was the first I noticed the 2nd level seating. They had some great music playing, a few tv's behind the bar for sports fans and plenty of draft options for all tastes. Today, they had a BBQ truck and I wish we had waited to have some grub here - it smelled amazing! On nicer days, there's a nice outdoor space and they also have heaters for cooler temps. Definitely a great spot to unwind!

We had a great time at Big Ugly Brewing! They have a nice space inside and outside. We each got a flight of beer. The Rockers beer was the best! It was fun to try the food from the food truck that were there. The food truck was decorated with everything Pittsburgh! I had pierogies, hot sausage, and the cheesy fries. The food was yummy! I like this place because it is relaxing and spacious!

Big ugly is a Chesapeake favorite. They have a lot of award winning beers and the beer selection has something for all beer connoisseurs ie dark/light/sours. The brewery itself is a newly built establishment exclusively for the brewery with a very airy atmosphere. There is on outdoor seating area that is very popular during the summer and they have fire pits for those chilly autumn nights. I love that they often have bands playing inside and an assortment of food trucks that visit. This place is big enough for parties and to hangout with a group of friends. The staff is always on top of the beer delivery. If I have to say anything as a con it would be that it can get a bit loud with the bands inside, but it's not an issue for me.

Pretty cool spot capturing attention on Chesapeake's S Battlefield Blvd using some road side antique vehicles/signs. This motif is seen throughout the property with indoor and outdoor repurposed seating made from motorcycles, truck beds, car grills/fronts, and even an old VW bus with a table/benches you can sit in. Parking lot was busy on a rainy Friday late afternoon but I scored a space relatively close to the side entrance. There was a food truck on-site serving up Italian fare but I skipped it. Indoors, it was packed with a tad long drink line that gave me time to "drink in" the repurposed auto motif scenery. Noticed most indoor tables were reserved, denoted by sharpie identified tent cards. Also thought it could use bigger/better/brighter signage for displaying what drink varieties are available that day. All employees I encountered were friendly and helpful. After learning it was our first times there, bartender offered entire group (me +4) samples of various beers. I pulled the trigger on the Sunbeam Blonde (like my marriage choice) and started a tab using my credit card which they kept in a plastic container. Others chose a sour and a Zeppelin Belgian strong ale. Enjoying a smooth drinking beer in a lively place with great co-workers after a long work week is a tradition I see happening frequently. Thanks Will and others at Big Ugly. Until next time

I was recommended by my SIL. I came Saturday afternoon when the Medieval fights were the feature of the day. The beer was tasty but a little pricey. service was prompt and polite.

Great space for larger groups and super friendly bar staff. The beers are pretty standard for microbrews; nothing too crazy. They had a pizza food truck when we went and looked amazing

I am not a brewery girl so this review is more about the establishment and people since I know nothing about beer. And even though I am not a brewery girl I would totally come back here. Great atmosphere and lots of cute sitting areas including barbershop seats, a VW bus and outdoor fire pits. Lots of room for groups and there is a 2nd story. I am the person that asks for the closest thing to Miller Light. Whatever they gave me was good. I even had a 2nd. :) I am glad we got there early on a Friday....around 3:30 because it was packed by the time we left. The live music was just setting up. And the food truck that day was awesome! Real deal Italian. A fun place to go with friends. Friendly staff.....she didn't even roll her eyes when I asked for the closest thing to a Miller lite.

This is a great local brewery in Chesapeake Virginia, the only brewery located in Chesapeake. This place is a hit amongst the locals and it was certainly hopping when I visited and it was a Thursday night. People were really supporting Thirsty Thursdays. The place is big, I had heard from my friend they had recently moved from a smaller location. It looks like they made the right decision and needed the space. Lots is tables and chairs to sit at and enjoy your beer, we couldn't find one because a group had reserved half the brewery for a private party. The staff was great, very friendly and helpful in picking a good beer. They even gave me a couple of cool stickers from the brewery. The beer is good and tasty and has even been recognized with numerous awards for great tasting beers. If you want food, they have a food truck right outside the door serving lots of different BBQ and Nachos options. Overall all great experience and fun visit and can't wait to visit again.

Excellent brews and atmosphere. Staff and service are great! If visiting a must stop.

Didn't have time to stay this time, but we wanted to grab some beers to take home when passing through Chesapeake. The location is easy to find, well marked, and has a great vibe. Old cars abound! The place has the feeling of grabbing a beer in a buddy's garage after working on cars all day. That's a very good thing, by the way. The bartender wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but friendly. The blonde ale wasn't to my wife's liking, but I thought it was fine. I thoroughly enjoyed the IPA that I brought home. Great spot to hang out and grab beers.

Ordered a beer (drank it before realizing I needed a pic) while I waited for Vangs sushi. Came to the brewery for the food truck. Win. Win situation. Good beer and food sushi equals the perfect night!

Ok. So this is my 3rd time coming here and it just keeps getting better. I recently came in one morning to try their coffee shop (Taxus Coffee). This evening my daughter and I came in and also had some of Prime757 food from the food truck. We decided on a beer flight and we loved them! I am now a lover of their "Steady As She Gose" and their "Morning Commute". Absolutely delightful! I love the hint of cocoa nibs and coffee in the Morning Commute. I am also just learning that I'm a lover of sours. Everyone there seems to be very friendly. The decor is unique, rustic, functional and very spacious. I haven't had the chance to chill outside with the fire yet; can't wait. I'm starting to really like this place! Oh...and it's 1/2 mile down the road from my work. BINGO! My new go-to brewery.

Big Ugly is a great spot for families or a date night. The beers, atmosphere and food truck selection keep us coming back. The Sunbeam Blonde and Paul Brown Ale are two personal favorites. They have live music Friday and Saturday starting around 6:30. Indoor and outdoor seating with fire pit are available, I'd recommend getting there by 6 on Fri-Sat because it fills up fast. One of the "Maine" food trucks on location is "A Bite of Maine" who's lobster rolls are to die for. They also have BBQ, Italian and Mexican food trucks in rotation. Big Ugly is great about keeping their event calendar up to date with which food trucks and live music will be available.

I absolutely love this brewery. I'm a regular at the pop-up coffee shop they host 3 days a week, so I spend a lot of time in the building itself. It's extremely spacious & always clean, with seating options indoors & outdoors. The owners & employees alike are helpful & exciting to talk to. Their beers are unique & delicious. I've tried at least a half dozen and have yet to be disappointed. My favorite is the Morning Commute which is made with the coffee from Taxus Street Coffee (the pop-up I mentioned)--it's lighter than you'd expect from a coffee infused brew but that's what pleases my palate most! They have plenty of options to satisfy. You'll find that they have the big games playing on TV and the space is almost always full of smiling guests & good community. They also host a slew of events every week ranging from food trucks, trivia night, fundraisers, and live music. There is always something going on. They encourage bringing outside food (especially when there isn't a food truck) and of course, your dogs are welcome too. I've found that Big Ugly has quickly become my favorite meet up spot with friends or a place to look if I'm feeling like staying local but having a good time. Super big fan!

I love beer... seriously, I am a fan. This place does a great job of having great beer and a great facility. However, their success can come with a price. If you happen to come here during a big event, be prepared. Parking here is atrocious. Pay attention as some of the neighboring businesses will allow you to use their parking lot but it can be awkward if other people are using it for well.. their business. I like the layout. It's very conducive to be fun, laid back, and unique all at the same time. The outdoor seating is a personal favorite. It is extremely dog friendly and that's obviously a big win for my review history looking for dog places. Overall, I'd say this is a definite place to checkout if it's not hosting a large event. They have a good beer selection, venue, and environment. Food Taste: n/a Overall Service: 3 Value of food to cost: 4 Facility: 5 (when not busy) Repeat customer: yes Dog Friendly: YES

Love this place. Beer is good and there is usually a food truck on site. Fast, friendly service. Super clean facility. Often hAa live music. Multiple TVs with live sports. One of my favorite beer stops.

I had been wanting to stop by Big Ugly for quite some time and finally made it happen. It definitely seems to be the place in Chesapeake to be on a Friday night, as we had to circle the parking lot twice at 8pm to find a spot. It was a lovely fall night, and the fire pits were blazing outside while live music played inside. Combined with two food trucks and great beer, Big Ugly had everything I wanted for a great night out

You drive out in the middle of nowhere, chasing the ribbon of pavement called Battlefield that winds it's way lazily towards Northwest River Park and the Outer Banks. And there, tucked among quiet homes and lush greenery is Big Ugly Brewery, a craft beer oasis hidden in the more obscure regions of Chesapeake. A classy outdoor area and spacious tasting room welcomes thirsty beer lovers where they are treated to humble yet delicious brews. Big Ugly doesn't often run to the extremes in beer making, preferring instead to focus on palatable beers done well. The staff are great, adept at making even first time visitors feel like they are long time regulars and their pet and children policy is both unique and perfect (most days kids of the furry and non furry kind are welcome in the taproom, but on Saturdays the indoor facilities are reserved for the 21+ crowd). Big Ugly is very much out of the way so I less you are in the neighborhood it will most likely not be a regular spot, but if you are in that patch of Chesapeake that looms in the shadow of the toll booths on the expressway, and you are in need of a great brewery with excellent service, you need to punch Big Ugly in your GPS and enjoy some frosty beers in a cozy neighborhood party setting.

This was the fifth and last brewery that I visited while I was in the Va Beach area for family business. I am from Texas and have been brewing for over ten years. I arrived later in the evening and business was hopping. Layout very unique. Kind of a rustic feeling. Big and spacious. Staff was busy and friendly. However, I sat at the bar for a bit before I realized I had to order at the end of the bar and risk giving up my seat. The beer was decent. I had the Rocker. The brewery is kind of far from civilization and one must be willing to travel to get to it. Travel any further, one wold be in North Carolina. But it is worth a small road trip. Cheers, Mike Hutto, Tx

This was a fun place to go on a casual night out. My husband and I came by looking for a place we could fill a growler for our upcoming weekend away with friends, and this spot came up. It's a typical brewery inside, with a small van where kids can play. We ordered from the bar, and it's the first time I heard that we could add a flavour shot to our Berlinerbus beer. We chose mango, and by golly was that a delicious treat. I think it's my favourite thing to drink of all the breweries I've been to. We ended up buying steady as she gose for the growler, but will definitely be back for the Berlinerbus. The weird phlex was also delicious and came in 2nd for the growler. We weren't huge fabs of the red, white & blueberry saison, but my husband thought the mo ugly tropical IPA was nice. It smelled fruity and you did get the taste of coconut when drinking it. Overall, great atmosphere, wonderful beer selection and good service. We will definitely be back to try more!

I'm not a big fan of sours, but I really enjoy their Gose of Christmas Past! Tasted of blood orange and cranberry so that somewhat explains the name.. Wish I had some turkey with, hah. But delicious nonetheless. The staff was incredibly friendly and kept giving us a few options to sample since I'm super hard to please when it comes to beer (team cider here, all the way). I also dig the way this place is decorated - quirky, kind of all over the place, but in a good way. And they have a freaking yellow vee-dub inside! How cool is that?! Some days, no place can go wrong. Whether it's because you're just having a great day all around, or you just happen to be with your favorite people. Either way, this place can't seem to go wrong on any given day.

We had a great first experience at big ugly! It happened to be a day they had several fire trucks there for kids to get in. The beer was good & we enjoyed the food trucks that were there that day. You have to look on the Facebook page to see what food will be there which days. Nice family friendly atmosphere!

No Complaints about big uglies. Good Beer! Great Price! Always a different food truck out front. My friends and I go here often. One of my top spots.

Excellent food atmosphere and beverages. I stopped in the other evening to burn some time. Even though the bar was full, the staff was friendly and attentive. Even though there was excellent live music, you could have a conversation. Definitely a repeat performance and destination

Big shout out to chesapeake brewery! All new and much more room throughout. Parking can be a bear because they have more seating than spaces. Several different types of beer brewed on premise. This place is kid and dog friendly inside and out. Cool car vibe with a fire pit made out of a front end. Superb outdoor seating. My new go to place. I have a feeling you will find me and my man dog here often.

Nice new place. Came for BINGO night with my best friend. We didn't win anything but the beer was good and the decor fun. The video game was da bomb!

Great place to meet up with friends. Very good beer and live music. Music bingo and trivia nights are great! Less expensive than farm house as well.

Went with some of the guys. What a delightful brewery. Loved the motorbike theme and the indoor vats. The Rockers IPA was delicious and if I'm back in Norfolk again soon, I WILL be back! Thanks for a great little craft brewery doing a great job!

Word of mouth has spread about Big Ugly and heck even the Yelp Elites will gather for an event soon. I have been wanting to check them out for several months, but there weekend only schedule did not permit. They recently expanded Wednesday - Sunday and will expand hours again. They are doing it right with the soft type of opening lasting so long to make sure they are ready. The overwhelming crowds and and fans are eager for them to be a 7 day operation. The location is one reason I am taking part of the 5th star away. It is remote for most of the area, however those living in Chesapeake will say it's in their back yard to some extent. Truth be told it sets less than 10 miles from the NC border. No offense to the business, but most of the population resides in Virginia Beach and Norfolk. I wont be able to make it a regular place. I was also disappointed it was in a strip, I had visions of it being in a stand alone joint. Let's get to the great stuff that occurred on my first visit. Plenty of parking and the lot was clean. Good signage to find them and very cool benches out front with Chevy tailgates utilized. A step inside and forget the strip stuff, you would have no idea where you were. The decor is marvelous with it's car/cycle theme complete with a full size VW bus that you can comfortably seat four in. It has a table and it's own TV...this is where the cool people hang if your one of them. Concrete floors run throughout and the bar has an appealing L shape. Decent amount of tables, but understand when it gets packed there are not nearly enough. During my early Friday evening visit it was full in the front, but the rear area with a few tables and area to stand was empty. This is where the restrooms are which were spic and span by the way. I saddled up to the 20, or so seat bar and was greeted by bartender Aaron. She graciously provided a few samples and I quickly decided on the Ghost Rider which is a Vanilla Porter. It was spectacular and I really enjoyed it. Excellent service and beer knowledge by Aaron who was very friendly the entire time. I struck up a conversation with a regular who has been coming since they opened and resides close. He is convinced that they will be formidable competition with some big boy locals when it comes times to judge a few of their brews in upcoming contest this Summer. He especially believes the IPA Big Ugly produces holds its own with anyone locally. Also, another niche they provide is Nano Brewing. Have I missed this? I have never seen nano brewing before. They put select types of concoctions such as mango, or other types of fruits and mixtures packed in a tube and run a house brew through it for the night. This is something they do every night along side specials. I found the price point of the beer to be on par with others, around $5 a pint. A huge part of their business is growlers which flowed in and out like a revolving door. They will fill any brand of growler which is excellent. Like most other breweries they don't prepare in house food. They did have food trucks but got into a dispute with the pizza joint at the end of the strip, so it has stopped. However, they have entered into an agreement with Nacho Grande around the corner to deliver food by simply by a text. They have menus at the ready and this is a great system. I did utilize and got my hot delicious food delivered in around 10 minutes. Not only good, but plentiful and cheap. I did talk with the co-owner Jim a few minutes at the bar. He has kept his day job at Sentara and when not working is at the brewery He seemed to really know what he is doing and has surrounded himself with local talent. He is already talking about entering his IPA and a few others in local craft brewery contest to lift it's street cred. I was not only impressed with the beer, but the creativity that they bring to the local craft scene in Hampton Roads. The decor is hip and inviting even though it's in a strip. The noise level when busy is what I guess you might expect, LOUD! But I have experienced worse. Big Ugly may be new to the area, but they are already doing so much right that I give them a great chance to thrive. A 4.5 and rounding down due to location in the sticks. Recommend beer lovers to come and try for yourself. I find it hard to believe you would not walk away a happy camper like me.

I had a hard time finding this location, but once I did...it was a pleasure!! Such a neato place in a tucked away strip in Chesapeake! Not too sure of how many will venture here outside of the locals in Chesapeake, but if they do I hope they have a DD. If you travel here from cities such as Virginia Beach and Suffolk...have uber on speed dial! You may want to stay longer than expected. So much to choose from but... They do not serve food here...such a bummer - hence the 4 stars!! -.5 star for distance and -.5 star for no food. However, the night I visited, Bella Pizza was the Food Truck on site. And they are - AMAZEBALLS!!! I learned the term "first flight" - I had no clue of it's significance. To my surprise it was the flight of beer samples. Let the drinking began... I am far from a beer drinker, but I sampled the flight without hesitation. I know now I like the lighter beer (Blonde)! The owner Bim came over to check on us...friendly guy. Of course I gave him my review on the beers. As he saw I wasn't too fond of the tastes he recommended one for me. So he brought back a sample of Bim's Magic Berlinerbus...oooohlala!! Now the Magic must of been powerful, because I wanted another glass of that one!! Now IMO this wasn't beer, but more like a fruity drink. So I kinda cheated. But if he said it was beer, then I'm a beer drinker - NOW :) Such a great night in an awesome venue!! The staff, family-oriented and eager to talk about their business...this makes for a fun time!! The decor is different and definitely makes you feel like you're in a backyard somewhere. I see this place being a great hang out. It's small...so it may fill quickly on a weekend night! This was my first time at a brewery, therefore I didn't know what to expect. But next time someone invites you to a brewery - just go!! You are sure to find something here that interests you! The staff is friendly enough, so just ask them for recommendations and enjoy the night! Have fun :)

The hubs and I attended the grand opening and had a great time! It was slam packed, but somehow I landed the cool kid chair.. the antique barber chair! We sampled several of the bars with a couple of flights. The had the Split Window Saison, Sunbeam Blonde, Rockers IPA and Ape Hanger Stout. The hubs is partial to IPAs and I'm a stout lover, but all 4 beers were solid. Loved the Ape Hanger Stout! Didn't get a chance to try the ghost pepper beer they had on tap as well, but everyone around us who had tried it raved about it. Looking forward to going back again for other brews as well as the food trucks! Can't beat great local beer AND local eats... great way to spend a Friday night!

If you enjoy swimming in a compacted fishbowl this is your brewery. Great aesthetics and a fun name. Just most I've seen it's very crowded, which to many means great service and fun. To some it means limited service, long lines, disrupted conversations, and bit hard to get around, or really hear anyone. There are a few great crafted beers but it's Virginia there are plenty of crafted beers around and if you don't enjoy swimming in a crowd, may want to try out another pond. Or better yet, you can always test the waters and give them a call. If they scream into the phone. You'll know what kind of tank is instore for you.