Grist Iron Brewing Company

Stopped here on the way back north from Watkins Glen. Amazing facility, with lots to do. Beer is wonderful, I had the red ale and bought some to bring home. And the food, wow! My party sampled the pizza, Mac and cheese, brisket tots, brisket sandwich, and salad. All were outstanding, I ate way too much and went into a food coma for the rest of my ride. Approved, can't wait to visit again. Five stars.

Beautiful views of the lake and hills. Big parking lot, indoor and outdoor seating. No table service available... The beer was good and the mushroom garlic pizza was pretty tasty.

Hung here for a night while visiting for the weekend. This was my favorite spot that we went to. Live music was GREAT (City Limits), plenty of tables (shaded and sunny) and the view was so pretty. It was busy and we were still able to get food and drinks easily. There was a big, free parking lot too. We can’t wait to come back! Bonus: it is family/kid/dog friendly.

Beautiful location sitting on the patio. Food was good. But beer, although a good selection, was just mediocre.

Loved it! Live music virtually every evening. Great view, good food, reasonable prices. I've only been there once, but I'll be going back a lot. Update: we keep on coming back for more. Just a great atmosphere. ALL aged. 5-80 come here. So relaxing such a great view and good food. If you're in the Watkins Glen area and skip this place for a nice casual dinner...SHAME ON YOU!

The beers were actually very good here, especially the Maxximus Brown Ale. But the lasting memory is of the gaggle of bus load tourists that were unleashed upon this place. You know when you're at a live comedy show and there's a bachelorette party there absolutely ruining the show for everyone? Almost that.

We visited for the first time last week and had a great time. The beers were good, food was tasty and large portions. An added bonus was a good band and a better view. We will be back again. Worth the stop.

We had a great time today. Service was great, food was amazing and Beer selection was wonderful! The Vegan pizza, Veg Head, was one of the best I've ever had!

We hiked Watkins Glen and needed some food and adult beverages. Grist Iron Brewing was the place! It's set up on a hill so have a great view of Seneca Lake. They have a lot of beer choices, seltzers where you can add your own flavoring, and a decent selection of wine. Food options are good too and the portions... huge! We got the pulled pork nachos and the buffalo chicken wing dip. Both were delicious. They have reasonable priced merch so be sure to check that out as well. We put this on our "favorites" list :)

Came here with my girlfriend, which probably added a few points to the experience. The vibe and ambiance were honestly immaculate - especially on a rainy day. Super cozy, great lighting, and a relaxed crowd that made the space feel extra inviting. We were really excited to try the flavored beers, but unfortunately, the taste didn't fully live up to the hype. We ordered a flight that included Campfire, Right on Red, Double Fist, and Apple. My favorite of the bunch was probably Campfire. It's a classic, and they weren't kidding when they said it was "too easy to drink." Overall, Grist Iron nails the atmosphere, but the drinks didn't quite stick the landing for us. Still worth stopping by for the views, the vibes, and a chill time.

First off, we decided to stop off on a whim while traveling in between lakes, and we are so glad that we did. The vibe is impressive, the beers are delicious, but the food is over the top. The Hot and Honey pizza is to die for, and we almost drove back for a second one. The ladies at the bar are some of the most attentive in the area, so don't hesitate to swing through so you can be as blown away as we were! Oh, and the view from the patio isn't so bad either!

What a beautiful spot! Very sad we didn't bring our dogs as they are super dog friendly with their own par. No food was had either, but the pizzas, wings & giant pretzels are always a staple at a brewery & looks awesome. The band wasn't too loud but still could listen, families & bachelorette parties alike were enjoying the evening.

Enjoyed sitting outside listening to music while enjoying some food. Gorgeous views of the lake! Seating is very casual - picnic tables or hightop with hard metal chairs. Seating could be better but whatever. Lovely colorful umbrella are on all picnic tables to give you some shade. I know this is a brewery but none of us drink beer so I can't comment on that. No wait staff - you order inside & pick the food up at a window & you clean up after yourself. Food was OK - pretty good. Pizza was crispy & tasty. We also enjoyed the pretzel & the pork nachos. The cheese on the nachos congeals fast so be sure to eat it quickly! Plenty of parking!

Came for trivia day on a Sunday! We liked the convenience of ordering both drinks and food at the bar. The views were spectacular. Loved the ambience! Beers were excellent, many choices. Food was very good, I got the pulled pork sandwich and it was flavorful. All good things to say!

We enjoyed GIB twice last year while visiting FLX and made it a destination this year. Twice again. The view, the food, and the beer (Lake Life in particular) was great all four times! Dog friendly too!

What an absolutely stunning location and view! Headed out to have dinner here with the family. They had a great selection of beer and the menu was very good as well! We had a pizza and it did not disappoint. There was also live music that evening, which was a bonus!

Bbq is great here. The brisket and pulled pork are some of the best we had outside of the South. The coleslaw and corn were also great sides. The portions are huge! Great service, great atmosphere and would definitely come again if we are in the area.

Great service and beers, food could use a little help here. We didn't have the stamina to try ALL the beers in 1 night but we tried! We started off with a flight and as soon as the beertender heard it was my husbands birthday, she gave us a token for a free pint! We stayed for a few hours sampling the different beers, all of them yummy but especially the PB stout! Eventually we got hungry and opted for the nachos, which were u fortunately disappointing especially for $20. The serving was a little small, toppings were lacking and the chips and meat not even warm but room temperature at best. We'd return to finish off checking the beers off our list to taste, but probably eat before we come.

We had sandwiches and grist tea on the patio admiring the lake view. The sandwiches were very good!

Delicious food, beautiful views and great ambiance. We were in town 3 days and had to visit twice! My kids loved looking for frogs in the pond while the adults enjoyed a drink

Came here over a holiday weekend when it was hootttt. We had our dog in tow and this was such a great place to cool off and hang. They have outdoor seating but they also had indoor seating with like the walls open? It allowed us to sit in a semi air conditioned area with our dog which was perfect. Also they have a beautiful view of seneca lake. Just all around good vibes. While cooling off we ended up ordering a flight of 4 beers. I felt like these were some of the better beers I had in the area. I really liked their Bikini Bottom Bomb beer and bought a six pack to take with me. It was really pineapplely. If I ever come back to the Watkins Glen area I will definitely be stopping back at this brewery.

We finally got to try our first brewery, and it was a great experience this time around. Last time, there was a four-hour wait--definitely pays to go when it's cold! I started with the Campfire Lite beer, a solid choice at 6.2% ABV, but then I sampled the Lake Life IPA aged in a Rye Whiskey barrel... and damn, it tasted like a Rye Ale. The barrel aging really brought out some incredible flavors, and I loved how well it complemented the beer. Great stop. Cheers!

The service was amazing! Super cool place! The bartender, Erica, was so kind and had wonderful recommendations. The food was very good! Overall, great atmosphere, drinks and food. Would absolutely recommend.

My in laws visited Grist Iron during their recent trip to the Finger Lakes, and they couldn't stop raving about the beer! They brought home some of their seasonal pumpkin beers for us to try, and after enjoying those, we knew Grist Iron was a must-stop on our own trip to FLX. Luckily, the brewery was pretty close to our airbnb, so we stopped in for beers and dinner one night. The brewery sits back a bit from the road, but it is on a massive piece of land that has beautiful views. We were surprised to see that they also have lodging onsite (noted for next time)! We walked around the grounds for a minute before heading inside to order. The brewery itself is also quite large, with a large bar, plentiful seating, and a small gift shop. I can see Grist Iron being a solid spot during any weather with all the space they have! Their beer offerings were so fun - which I could have guessed after loving their pumpkin beer so much. It was hard to pick which to get! I ultimately tried their blood orange blonde and their That's My Jam! mixed berry sour. Both were so flavorful and perfect for the start of summer (we visited over MDW), but I particularly liked the blonde since the blood orange flavor was sooo strong and made for a great brew! My husband, an IPA lover, chose the Juicy Way IPA and Lake Life IPA, which he also enjoyed, favoring the Juicy Way for its bomb of flavor. Since as mentioned in previous reviews for FLX restaurants / breweries, options for food after 5PM are quite limited, so we were pleased the Grist Iron did have a menu through the evening. To pair with our beers, I got the brisket sandwich, my husband ordered the pulled pork sandwich, and we split both. The buns were hearty enough to encase the goodies of the sandwich, yet still fluffy enough to not overwhelm the taste. The meats on both sandwiches were substantial and cooked nicely. I loved that the briskey featured a barbeque sauce made with their own IPA but appreciated that the sauce didn't overwhelm the sandwich. I also enjoyed the Carolina take on the pulled pork, with the feature of vinegar and coleslaw atop the sandwich. Both were solid sandwiches! I just wish the menu had *slightly* more variety. We loved sipping our brews and enjoying our sandwiches while watching the sunset over Seneca Lake. Grist Iron would be an appropriate place to take a family since they have the ample outdoor space and lawn games set up. I can easily see ourselves revisiting with family, friends, or just the 2 of us again. We had a great evening at Grist Iron - I'm glad my in laws put them on our radar, and I'm glad we had a chance to visit ourselves!

This was one of our top spots we did on our finger lake tour! The options for beer and wine were awesome, everyone was happy with their choices. The outdoor space was really nice and servers were great! The food really made it the best option for a quick lunch during our wine tours. We ordered two pizzas, fries, and a pretzel with beer cheese. It was just perfect for our group and we crushed it all! Adding this spot to our regular list when in the area!

What a great place. Atmosphere is amazing, especially at sunset time! Brews were great and the food was delicious - especially the soft pretzel with beer cheese!

Great sunset views! Excellent lodging! A little disappointed that there was no live music because the band person canceled last minute. They said it would be over an hour wait for food and it was about 10 minutes so they were completely off on that. Honey chicken pizza was delicious and would've been worth the wait if we had to wait.

My husband and I decided to stop here and check it. We kept on seeing advertisements and then looking at the photos online. The priced of the beer were really expensive $9 each, for thar price we could had easily had gotten a 4 pack of their beer that they sell on site, but oh well we wanted to try other ones. Their flight was 4 samples of $12, which I found to be very expensive too. My husband and I decided to get food. I decided to get the loaded Mac and chesse, which was very delicious, and my husband got the Chicken Bacon and Ranch sandwich. My husband and I absolutely love the outlook of the lake it looks absolutely amazing. I would highly recommend coming here and checking this spot and definitely sitting outside for a view and relaxing.

We got there at lunch time and only waited a few minutes to place our order at the bar. Great beer. Had the pulled pork and hubby had the brisket sandwich. Both very good. Super nice patio with a great view! Pet friendly.

We stopped for a quick drink while perusing Seneca Lake. The guys wanted to take a break from the wine and get some beer. This place didn't disappoint. Lots of beer options and the cider I had was pretty tasty. The bar is huge and there is a lot of seating. There is food served here but we didn't try it. The bartenders here are really awesome! Check in on Yelp gets you "one free high five from a bartender"!! I took advantage of that!!

Brewery with a counter service for food. Dog friendly inside and outside. Lots of sitting areas and space. Food was not great. Chicken was dry. Brisket was fatty. Coleslaw was super runny. But we enjoyed the environment and people watching and the brewery feel of it all.

The view is amazing and they have plenty of outdoor seating, even their indoor seating can feel like outdoor seating. A brewery with more than just pizza is always a plus, not that I dislike pizza but it's nice to have options and most breweries just have pizza so this is a plus. The beer was good, we've grabbed some 6 packs to go on our visit here's. They occasionally have live music and events.

We stopped here for dinner and were not disappointed! They had live music ("the sorters" who were very good!), and the food is simple no frills type of options... but seriously amazing. The caeser salad, nachos, and brisket were all delicious. My husband is a BBQ fan and he said it was perfectly cooked and very flavorful. The bartender was friendly! Great experience all around, we will be back.

Perfect Sunday afternoon here... Lively music (Dylan Doyle Band playing great tunes), good food options, tasty flights of beer, and the patio was perfect on a warm day. Highly recommend.

We chose this brewery because they are dog friendly and they had seasonal pumpkin beer. Food and drinks must be ordered at the bar and picked up at a window. When we asked for to-go boxes, we were directed to get them by the kitchen. Food was good. I enjoyed the wings, but they were a bit salty and imo not enough ranch (I subbed instead of blue cheese). Buffalo chicken was not very spicy. Fantastic selection of fun beers: pumpkin, kiwi, coffee, etc.

This was our last stop on our Seneca Lake brewery tour (July 14). We have always like this space, but it did disappoint this time. Since COVID (that's when I think the change occurred), Grist Iron has you order food and drink at the bar. For food orders, you get a "buzzer" that tells you when your food is ready and you go to the pick up window for it. Clearly the ordering processes was not working well, because people were not being notified that there food was ready. There were a lot - a lot - of people there for dinner and likely Grist Iron was overwhelmed. Besides the normal Grist Iron menu, on thursday they are having BBQ'd ribs ($2/rib). The ribs were being sold outdoors and there was a line...and they sold out! We heard that there had been 800 ribs! Wow. We didn't get ribs, but did get a BBQ pizza. The pizza was good, when we finally got it. (Two nearby places have been recommended for dining and we may try time next time: Stonecat and Scale House. In addition, we were reminded that Two Goats serves a beef-on-weck sandwich for those who aren't vegetarians.) For the size of the brewing operations, we were surprised that they only had 12 beers on tap. There are much smaller breweries with larger selections of their own beers. Wineries in the Finger Lakes region have wine trail markers. I hope the breweries will advocate for something similar. Those markers could help more people discover the growing number of breweries in the Finger Lakes.

Great food, insane views, always live music in evening, incredible beers!!! We stayed at the lodge for a few days and had an absolute perfect experience. Expensive food and beer but that is everywhere in finger lakes. Very good pizza for a brewery. There was a "rib night" and it was the best ribs I've ever had... two bucks a bone (I crushed ten). All their beers are incredible. I loved the "BOB" - blood orange blonde ale and the banana hefe OMG!!!! Can't rave enough about this place. Best brewery in finger lakes hands down.

Not many places where we were staying are open late on Sunday's so we traveled about 30 minutes to get here because it had good reviews. It was worth it! The view alone was worth it. It was beautiful and overlooks Seneca lake. We were greeted right away and told we could sit anywhere we wanted (inside and out is dog friendly!) and they showed us where the dog bowl station was (how cute!). We grabbed a great spot, ordered the hot and honey pizza (my bf loved it), Buffalo chicken sandwich (this wasn't my favorite style of buffalo chicken but it was good), and a Bavarian pretzel (good). My bf also got a beer flight that he enjoyed and I got a sour that was ok. They had tons of outdoor seating and games. We saw kids playing soccer down the hill. Overall it was a great experience and I definitely recommend it.

After visiting a few wineries in the area we decided we needed some food to wash down the wine. This brewery has a cool vibe and lots of beers to select from. Gives a change from the countless wine offerings in area. The food was also very good and views amazing. If you're in the area stop in!

Beautiful stunning view(all they have) , nice building. Almost no staff, rediculous. Service sucks. Beer was nasty, tried six different ones. Tasted like old dish water. Not going back. Too bad, their 50% there.

This is a fantastic place and one of my favorites. Plenty of space. Plenty of options. Gorgeous views. Great staff. If you're in the area, this is a must.

My wife and I decided to come here. The view was absolutely beautiful. We wanted to try out their beer and aslo we were hungry. I decided to get the chicken bacon sandwich, and it was okay. My wife decided to get the mac and cheese with chicken, and her meal was very delicious. We decided to order beer. I ordered the sour beer and I thought that beer was very expensive. It is $9 a beer. Overall I thought the place was really good.

What's not to love about a place with great beer and great food. A stunning location with ample outdoor seating, that is super pup friendly.

My wife and I stopped here while we were touring wineries and breweries. I ordered their double IPA, and she got the seasonal pumpkin ale. We went back two nights later and had more. The beer was very good, and they had a great variety. We ordered food on both visits. It isn't remarkable food like you get at some gastropubs, but it was good. The building is very large so there's plenty of room for a crowd, and the ambiance is what you would expect in a large brewery (not quiet). The service was very friendly and very fast. We had a great time there both times we went and can't wait to go back.

Awesome time with an amazing view. We went during the pumpkin festival, had perfect weather and took family with us. The brewery was at the bottom of the hill and the festival at the top. They had a few food trucks, games and lots of local craft vendors. The pumpkin catapult and keg toss were out favorite activities. After seeing everything at the festival, we went to the brewery. It was super busy but I liked the set up and loved the outdoor areas. We bought a couple items and beers then sat outside since the inside had an hour wait. Our beers were good but like some other yelpers mentioned, their selection is limited. It's odd because it's a large brewery with an even larger following. We were very bummed that the complimentary glasses were gone in an hour. After about 2 hours, food at the festival began to run out. Hopefully next year they will plan for the large crowd. Overall we were glad we made the drive. We all found something each of us enjoyed, but everyone loved the view from the hillside. One of the best ideas ever, a Yelp discount at check-in for a free high-five!

The pizza and fries with brisket were very delicious. I enjoy places that offer flights, and they nailed the options here. The various options for seating were nice. And it was cool to have ability to watch some soccer. You have to order everything at the bar, so be prepared to know what you want so you're not waiting too long.

Another one of our stops on our tour of the wineries, breweries, and distilleries in the area. We came here ready for some food! I would say their food was solid, nothing special but just solid food. Another great place with a nice view. It was crowded but didn't need to wait too long for a seat outside. We sat outside on the patio with a gorgeous view and did a flight tasting of their beer. Our favorite was definitely their pumpkin ale. You could actually taste the pumpkin! The staff were all very nice, and wore masks at all times. The tables were sanitized very well in between each table. We stepped away from our table for a minute to order food but left our number up which indicates that you are still there. Another couple randomly took the table when they had their own. No idea why. We told the staff and they immediately handled it very professionally. We appreciated how kind they were. Would definitely come back on our next trip to the Finger Lakes!

Insane view. Yard games and great beer. The cocktails and wine options were a great touch. We didn't try the food but it smelled sooooo good!

Great atmosphere. We came on a day with live music and the performers and all the workers were so nice. My group tried almost all of the beers, local sodas, and food options - all were great. We didn't mind the wait because of the great view and vibes.

We went on a Saturday night, there was a live band called friend zone and they were great! The beer was great I mostly drank the Mimosa style lager they had and it was best! We got pizza for our group but the hot and honey pizza was amazing! 10/10 Overall I liked the vibe and how they operate better then other breweries on 414. The staff was great, friendly and helpful. It's a great place and good location and beautiful sunset!

This was our first (and one of our favorite) stops when we got in to the Finger Lakes. We were tired from driving several hours, and starving. This place did not disappoint from start to finish! We were greeted by a friendly server who took a minute to explain the process there. The tables are self-serve, so we took a spot outside under an umbrella. When you're ready to order (food or drinks), you go up to the bar. If you ordered food, you are given a buzzer to take back to your table. My husband and I tried two beers from their menu - which are brewed on-site. I went with a berry flavored kettle sour, called That's My Jam! It was AMAZING! It is brewed with raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, & strawberry puree. It was an awesome purple color and was so refreshing on a hot day! The food menu consisted of mostly pizzas (which is fine by me!), with a couple salad options and a nachos platter option. We went with the Hot & Honey Peppeoroni Pizza. This has their signature red sauce, topped with cheese, thick-cut pepperoni, red pepper flakes, and a honey drizzle. This was a great pizza! We loved the thick-cut pepperoni, and the honey was the perfect addition to balance out the spice of everything else. We had no trouble finishing the pie by ourselves! Overall, I highly recommend checking out this brewery on tour next trip to the Finger Lakes. You will NOT be disappointed at all!

Great food and atmosphere! The beer was refreshing and the pulled pork nachos were delicious . Highly recommend taking the time to stop here the view alone was worth it!

BEAUTIFUL lake view. Quiet crowd (3p), solid background music playing. Bartender was attentive and very pleasant. Berry sour was excellent - easily top 5 of mine. I ordered the pulled pork (NC vinegar) and it was very good, full of flavor. Lots of tables, chairs at ledges by windows, outdoors and another extended area for warmer weather. Seems to be an upstairs but I didn't check it out. Pet friendly :)

Obviously the view is the main draw to this place. The food is good as well. Beer is ok but there is better in the area. Although they had a seasonal raspberry beer that was phenomenal! I don't care for the ordering style either. Such a waste of time. But the cool space, often good bands, and gorgeous view are Worth. the. stop.

Eh! Such a pretty place, ama,amazing view, but not all breweries&wineries in the finger lakes are doing the same thing when it comes to food. My husband is a beer drinker, so we decided to go here. Some places will give a "small bites" for a few bucks due to the necessary requirements. This place u have to get a full on meal, with 3 pints it was around $60. Was my mac n cheese tasty? Sure, but not like Gordon Ramsay baked it. My husband got the sausage n pepper something. The beer? Well if im going to drink 1 I want it to be loaded with flavor, the pumpkin ale didn't do it for me at all. My husband enjoyed whatever he had, unfortunately I don't remember but he had 2..so not their fault, but i can't go beer or wine hopping if im going to pay ridiculous food prices. P.S...went to 2 goats right down the road & got. $5hummus bowl..thats how it should be, juat sayn

Had some beer at Grist Iron Brewing on Friday afternoon. A good option for folks who are a little more on the fence about beer, as it has a large and diverse drink selection, good food, and a beautiful outdoor area it in. Quality: Stopped into Grist Iron Brewing after hearing about their pumpkin beer selections. Ended up with a Flight and a full pour to try out Rasp Of Ryan, That's My Jam! Berry Sour, Fippenny Apple Graff Ale, Barrel Aged Pumpkin, and Headless Hessian Pumpkin Ale. They were all bold flavors off the normal beer track, likely making this a popular spot for normal non-beer drinkers. I think the Apple Graff Ale, which was close to but not quite a cider was my favorite. Unfortunately, I did not get the hype about the two pumpkin selections, which were fine, but underwhelming. However, I wish I had come hungry, because the food they were serving up looked and smelled incredible. Quantity: Standard size in the Flight with four 5oz pours. Value: $12 for a Flight. $7-$8 for a Draft Pour. Ambiance: Grist Iron Brewing is a massive brewery located on the east side of Seneca Lake. It sits on a hill and provides a green lawn overlooking the water. The brewery space itself is very large, and set-up to be an indoor-outdoor feel. The doors open up in the space, so even the bar area inside gets some fresh air. Outside they have dozens of tables set up with umbrellas and coverings over the majority. A few lawn games were out and they were occupied by the children running around. The brewery also has a lot of personality, with gags and jokes all over the place, many with a halloween spirit. Crowd: Extremely busy on a beautiful Friday afternoon. The outdoor area was packed with people, lots of whom brought children and dogs along. Service: The hostess went through an elaborate description of how to order with us, that could have boiled down to open seating, order at the bar. They could use some rope near the bar, as no one really knew if it was wait at the counter or stand in line. Parking: Large parking lot located between the tap room and nearby lodge.

We enjoyed the most beautiful sunset ever here! Lots of seating options. Dog and kid friendly, but no kids menu. Great pub food. The soft pretzel size was a bit underwhelming, but at 2 for $15 you can't go wrong. They have a nice selection of solid quality beers and even some local wines. The pulled pork nachos were a meal on their own. A great spot for a fun night out, to watch the game, or watch the sunset. Don't skip this place!