Notch Brewing Review

Cute little beer garden, bratwurst was amazing, and the beer was top notch ;)

Bouncer is ridiculously rude. But he's been doing it for 35 years so it's ok.

Lager Perfection. We regularly drive the 2 hours from Northampton to Salem for Notch. In my mind, this is the perfect taproom.

Good beer great place for atmosphere really cool pictures on the tracking

I have been drinking hefe weisse all over the world, this is one of the best.

Awesome beers and super friendly staff! Loved how they set up the place during the pandemic and made you feel comfortable and safe! Only wish they had a pumpkin beer for the season but otherwise would definitely come back!

Weak beer, uncomfortable seating, and nothing to munch on but pretzels.

Chill place that does get a bit busy at times. Dog accepting, beer loving, snack munching folks! Good pallet range of beers and comfortable venue. Definitely coming back when I have time

Staying near by and decided to check this place out. Cool place with great session beers! I'm glad I checked this place out. Highly recommend you check it out!

I ordered the table ipa and the stout. Both had GREAT flavor and I was truly taken back by the quality of the beers.

They also serve some food options to pair with your brew!

A fine place to drink beer. Looks like a great place to hang out with the kiddies. They have some fun games. It is not a bar but a taphouse.

My wife and I went this past weekend and did not enjoy our experience. Staff were not particularly friendly, not mean but not inviting, and we felt like the customer experience was not being thoughtfully considered by the staff. We were required to book online even though they clearly had the ability to book us at the front; I guess they want to do as little to help the customer as possible. The beer was ok.

Response to owner: COVID is not a scapegoat for poor customer service. For example, it brings down the mood when your employees yell table numbers repeatedly in a clearly frustrated tone when customers do not pick up their order when staff are able to drop it off. Or, when you still have 10 minutes left at your table and you are asked multiple times by front of house to finish off your drink and leave. On top of all that, you are expected to bus your own table. The fact that you attacked my review instead of apologizing clearly supports my point that the customer experience is not a priority. I have the utmost respect for small businesses during the pandemic which is why I visited your establishment in the first place. If you had chosen a more respectful way to respond to my post, I might have been inclined to remove my one star review, but now I stick by it.

Good beer, nice staff. Big place with a dog friendly beer garden!

Incredible beers! Just as a heads-up, this is not one of those places with the tiny orders of beer of like 4-8 ounces a serving. The smallest here is the half-liter, so plan ahead to come with others if you want to try a lot of different beers in one trip. With that out of the way, the beer is great and there's a good variety of different styles so everyone can find something they'd like. It can get a little busy, but the line moves right along. It's a great casual place to hang out and have a couple of drinks and a must-see for craft beer enthusiasts.

If you like beer, a must visit in Salem or really all of New England. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the beer menu has something for everyone (ales and lagers). They do half or full pours (no flights), and you can take home quart-sized cans of anything on tap. The offerings are different than what they package and distribute. The space is big but very cozy. Bring quarters for a game of skee ball!

Notch is a great beer hall. Nice selection of beers. Very casual, comfortable, friendly atmosphere. Nice outdoor patio.

Great venue, even greater beer. Amazing atmosphere and professional staff.

1 year old location, the brewing setup is well thought and the guys geared up asa dream brewery.

Beer options are decent, not to many, just enough. Beer quality is on the spot,they brew lighter than stronger beers. The paleAle and the standard are 2great choices for beer enthusiasts.

Decor and location is awesome. Patio offers good seating for group discussions.

Kids and dogs friendly.

Great versions of classic Czech and German style session beers in a comfortable atmosphere.

Honestly best brewery I have been too. Top to bottom it was out of sight! Go here and drink their beer.

Great beer, knowledgable staff and did I mention good beer?

Crafted Session (light) beers are the specialties of this great microbrewery. The beers are well-balanced and the brewer respect beer style.

The Standard is amazingly well done and taste exactly what is typically served in Eastern Europe.

The place is nice and well lighten. I can't wait to go back in the future.

Fun little place in a perfect spot. The beer was all very delicious!

Fresh, good food. Nice portions. Great indie music. Only knock is that there are too many single-use plastics, though: cups and utensils. Would like to see that change.

Notch has the nicest staff, the best patio and indoor area, and some of my favorite beer in the area. I love Salem because of places like this. They have worked so hard to turn their brewery into a place locals and visitors alike can enjoy during this insane Covid pandemic. They setup an awesome system where they can keep their staff and guests safe- I have never had an issue getting a seat, orders come fast and the snacks (that are new and required by law for Mass breweries to provide in what seemed like only a few day turnaround) are perfect. I love their enthusiasm during it all and their consistent dedication to such quality beer and atmosphere.

Great service. Awesome place to chill. I even brought my daughter in the afternoon
because we were on vacation. Awesome beers. You need to pass by.

I m more of a cider guy myself, but the beer and the crew are some of the best in the business. I ve enjoyed every brew I ve tried from them, and have never had a bad encounter with any of the crew, or anyone in a Notch shirt. It s a wicked bummer the taproom is closed for now, but you gotta play the hand your dealt and make the best of it: which is as New England as it gets. Can t wait until you guys open up again, stay safe! Cheers!

Beat the covid-19 stress... Go to the notch and drink beer

Very nice location. Is something hidden. But it's worth looking for. Always have different beers in the tap. So make sure you stop by.

A neat little brewery with delicious beer selections. Nice outside area for sipping and river views. Had a tasty Belgian Wheat.

Beer was good. But we had to pick a snack to being able to drink, pickled boiled egg was the smallest item. Seriously?! Try a little harder with the snack options if we have to order something to eat.

Fantastic beers and skeet ball, who can as for more.

A great spot to hang out in Salem. Chris and his wife have created a place for beer lovers. The patio is great on warm days and my wife and I love to come here with our lab. Liz the manager and the rest of the Notch tap room crew are super welcoming and have made this our favorite spot in Salem.

The space is great but the owner chris and his staff are really rude- specifically the men. There's a ton of other places in salem that are a lot more friendly and welcoming.

Top notch y all. What a cool and epic brewery. Plenty of seating with an excellent patio facing some water. They have skee ball too! Woo! They have some small bites and you can bring outside food in. Got the pickled plate and the pretzel. They offer a beer cheese as well but it had some funk to it probably like a blue cheese it was ok. I wouldn t order again. Keep it simple and stick to the mustard. Pickle plate was ok. I would just get the pretzel. They have an assortment of beers and I absolutely loved the Dog & Pony show which is their New England style pale ale! Yummmm. EXCELLENT!! Less hops and really easy to drink! Plenty of options in pour sizes which I appreciated. But .5 liter (pint) and 1 liter (big daddy) are the standard sizes. Staff was really friendly and gave excellent recommendations for us out of towners looking for similar breweries. Cheers Notch!

Such an awesome brewery!! Highly recommended. The servers are very friendly and knowledgeable. Very reasonable prices and great selections. They offer food service, have a nice outside patio and a good amount of seating.

Good beer and quite relaxed environment on a weekday. Expected tour hours but tours are on a scheduled basis. Would definitely visit again!

Nice outdoor seating area. Dog friendly. Good vibes.

Great knowledgeable bartenders, awesome selection of beer

Let me tell u about the notch brewery
First
It's the only beer I stock in my house when my home brew runs out
Second
The left of the dial is super hoppy
I can taste the citra hop in every sip
It's affordable compared to other craft breweries and best of all it's sessionable
Low alcohol beers are awesome
Keep brewing those amazing beers
The brewery itself is cool they have games to play, the staff is super friendly and it's in Salem one of the best places near Boston to eat great food

Decent beers. Liked the relaxed setting and low-key style. Fine.

I have been coming to Notch for years and it ranks up there as one of my all time favorites. Do not come here looking for those trendy "juicy" IPAs (although their VollProjekt does a great one that they have pretty regularly), this place focuses on and obsesses over session beers from Germany, the Czech Republic, England, Scotland, Belgium, etc. the quality is absolutely amazing. They've got great snacks too (do yourself a favor and indulge in the pretzel with obatzda), and the Biergarten is a beautiful spot to relax with friends.

Now, a note to those of you leaving negative reviews. This team (and all other breweries and restaurants) are doing the absolute best that they can. There are regulations and protocols changing DAILY. Do your research and know what you are in for, and PLEASE show some respect. Service industry workers are anxious, stressed, and scared yet they are still out there everyday SERVING YOU and your selfishness is not welcome.

What a great spot to grab a craft beer with your dog. Yes, your dog can join you in the outside beer garden. The staff, the fellow dog lovers and the waterview make this brewery an excellent choice.

Pretzel was really salty, if you enjoy that type of thing.

Awesome brewery. We stopped in while visiting the area and definitely do not regret it. The outside seating was great with an awesome view of the water. There was ski ball for the kids to play, and maybe the adults too, haha. The staff was very welcoming and were top notch. I can't wait for my next visit.

We are visiting and just wanted to try one beer. But you can t buy one because they come in a 4 pack. Makes no sense for tourists that just want to try it out and it s beer to go!!

Beer is phenomenal, wish more was carried at retailers or if I could just tap a keg into my kitchen faucet.

Also, the staff is pretty neat.

Also-also they always have me buying their merch.... I'm wearing it now .

Also-also-also, can I just set up a cot and move in?

Thank you guys!

Subtlety and honest love of beer dominate the entire room in this wonderful destination.

Amazing veriety of high quality European style beers, quick service, nice clean interior with a comfortable parking. No seats in the bar, but it's okay too. Serving in wet and sticky glasses due to foam splash is by design, not bartender's fault

Amazing brewery. My wife and I planned our Mini-moon around this place, and we were not disappointed. Colleen, the brewer, and the entire tasting room staff were great. The beers were excellent and everyone was so friendly. If you re looking for a communal place with beers to style, then this is the place to go. We can not recommend this place enough, and will definitely be coming back.

Some of the highest quality beer in Greater Boston. Worth a visit since they have some brewery-exclusive options you can't find among their distributed offerings. Well-designed taproom, too. Best on a warm sunny day when you can enjoy the spacious patio area.

Very cool place with a nice outdoor patio on the water. Ski ball inside! Decent variety of beers but I was hoping for some darker varieties like stouts, porters, or even malty brown ales. They also have cold coffee available for purchase and some bar food. We got a pretzel which was fluffy and delicious after our long drive to Salem.

Cool interior but very boring beer selection. No flights. Over priced beers ($14 a glass). Staff not super friendly. The pretzel was good.. but probably won t come back.

Loved the environment of Notch. Perfect spot to grab a patio table and enjoy the weather. Good beer, nice people.

Really good fresh beer. Session beer so you won't get wasted. Light snacks available and I think you can bring your own food as well.

This is the best brewery in the area. Beer is awesome, staff is awesome. What more could you want??

Hoarfrost omg had me at quaff :) BTW its a tap room no frills just great beer.

Great beer, great environment. A little pricey, but worth the visit!

This place is awesome. The beer is great and the staff are awesome too. Chris is great people. Can't wait for summer great place . You must check it out.

Super nice staff with a great location. I tried two beer while I was there, and they were good but not different. Just kind of tasted like a typical brew I could pick up anywhere. Maybe I just didn t try the right ones. If I am in the area, I would go back.

If they have it on tap the Left Of Dial is a refreshing choice for outdoor beer garden enjoyment.

Car camping near Salem town. Many witches and pirates here getting on their shadow selves, me thinks. I found an excellent Biergarten, NOTCH.
Brewpubs, my Shadow , yeah !
(5 stars)

THE. BEST. Now.

It's own parking lot, which is great in busy Salem. Sizeable space. Indoor and outdoor seating. Numerous beer choices done in particular styles, with no more than 6% alcohol but with bold taste. Didn't eat but had cool interesting small menu. Ski ball game in corner.

Focus on low ABV beers (low alcohol content). Smaller cup size is half a liter. Brejas very well executed. To eat, few options. Pretzel very soft. Worth the visit

Notch Brewery has killer beer selection, awesome atmosphere and just the kind of people I want to hang out with!

Notch was one of the first craft breweries in the country to brew all session beers. Now they are a part of the rebirth of Derby Street Salem! Notch beers look great with many having pleasant hop aromas. Highlights are the hop wheat- Infinite Jest and Any German/Czech lagers on the right column of the menu. They are served from signature side pull flow adjustable taps. Hang out in the Beer Garden with your pup and friends on the canal waterfront. Try your fav in a full liter German monster stein glass! Beer lovers, the quality of this brew is at the highest levels in Mass. Enjoy!

Great atmosphere, cool outdoor area, and good beer. The service was terrible though. Quick to rush people out and make you feel like an idiot if you order a 'pitcher' accidentally instead of a 'liter'. The staff really needs to chill out and not take themselves so seriously.

Love it. Great beers, GREAT beers, awesome atmosphere, incredible people. Salem is lucky to have 'em.

Love this place. Year round dog friendly biergarten is clutch!

An absolute delight to visit. There was a large selection of beer for everyone to enjoy. The bar was very tidy and there was always some around cleaning up tables. We ended up outside on the dog friendly patio. Everyone who was there was very nice and friendly and helped us out figuring out the area. I will definitely come back next time!

I live a few blocks away from Notch, and they've been consistently great- in fact they're one of the reasons my fiance and I picked Salem to move to! During normal times the interior brewery is spacious and has a cool atmosphere as a rehabbed warehouse building- the type of vibe your average new brewery tries to copy with lots of faux-industrial decor.
Their mainline beers are often smaller percentage session type IPAs, but they also have a lot of other less commonly seen styles.
We came a few times during the pandemic, and they have a good system set up. Unfortunately October in Salem during a pandemic is an especially crazy times and we've been oversaturated with visitors who don't think the rules should apply to them, as you can read elsewhere...see you in November!

What a great place. The beer is good, sessionable beer that won't smack you in the head when you stand up to go. It has a great patio that is going to make you want to stay for a long time. It has friendly, personable employees that will make your visit even more pleasant. My only ding, the pretzels. They aren't really pretzely (my made up word) they are more bread. That said, go, enjoy the setting, enjoy the beer, and bring a bag of pretzels. I'll be back next time I want to take a road trip north of Boston. Oh, if you take the commuter rail, like we did, wicked easy walk from the train station.

Excellent beer. Very load but charming brewing and tap room. You can taste the beer there or purchase it too.

Good beer and live music. Little tricky to see. The parking garage is a good landmark. Then look down the alley.

Only two quick samplings of beers, both German styles that were rather off the mark, one being a rotbier, which would have been a fine Hefeweiss. Food truck so no serving of obatzda and pretzel, another big disappoint. Nonethess, a very good vibe, good tunes not loud, friendly and clean restrooms.

Great beers, with a fun vibe, skee-ball, and a bunch of outdoor seating. Perfect place for a summer evening

Decent, but smaller, selection of beer. Changes often which is awesome but you can get stuck with a less than stellar selection once in a while. Outdoor area is great on a sunny day and dog friendly!

Good beer. Left of the Dial is a solid go-to beer. Lots of other quality selections. All their beers are sessions so the ABV is low on all of them. They have 25 cent skeeball and warm pretzels. Family friendly, and beer garden vibe. Great hang out.

A variety of great beers in many styles. The majority are under 5% alcohol, but full of flavor, well balanced and drinkable. They have some hazy IPA offerings, but it's such a welcome change to have options. Really good space, spend a great evening in the beer garden overlooking the canal and part of Derby Warf. Looking forward to returning.

Beer was great but wasn t super impressed by the customer service or the bouncer who over scrutinized our IDs upon entry. Felt super over the top....especially considering it wasn t a busy night and we are in our late twenties. We felt much more welcome at other bars and breweries in town on our visit.

Absolutely nailed it with the brewery vibe. Chill spot and great service. Oh and fantastic beer too.

Amazing beer garden. Amazing beer, good small snacks, pickled veggies, pretzel. One of my favorite breweries around.

If you want the best lager in the state then go to Jack s Abby, don t get out of your car and drive about an hour out to Notch. World class