Review The Public Brewery - Croydon

First and foremost, the Beer is excellent and the staff are lovely. Food is severely disappointing. The $28 Parma is basically a big chicken nugget with a smear of sauce and some cheese. The chorizo pizza was okay but pretty bland.

Had a great dinner tonight. Really great gluten free food range. The manager decided that he wasn’t happy with how long we waited for our drinks (it wasn’t that long, but probably longer than what they aim for) and gave us free dessert. The hospitality and service was excellent. Highly recommend. Trivia night is also a bit of fun!

Pleasantly surprised with this local joint. Bottomless dinner on a Saturday night after lockdown was a great hit! Communication was great, we got a call to say they had gotten power back and to confirm booking. Food exceeded expectations and staff was friendly and great help! Great selections of beer & wine. Would defs be returning!

Fantastic lunch today. Service was excellent! Doing a great job post lockdown! Well done team! Food, drink and service was fantastic!!!

Third time visitor. Very nice brew pub. Friendly Staff, very good service, nice and warm on a winters day with great fire place. Try the lamb pizza and the Red ale ( Red Falcon) both are superb.

Initially I was a bit disappointed, a lousy poor of my beer(too much head and was a tad shy from full). Then my burger came out with no sauce and a patty that was quite thin and no where near 200g as described in the menu. I mentioned my concern about the burger to the waitress(laura), who promptly assured me that she understood and took back my meal. Bringing me a burger that was much better and fit the menu description. Two thumbs up for the waitress for making sure I was happy with my meal and the service. 👍👍

Great afternoon by the fire, delicious food and a good selection of wines for us to choose from. Special thanks to Tim....we were well looked after by him today and he arranged a taxi for us (as ours didn't show). Great personality and a nice bloke!

Great vibe! Love their Trivia night. Best beers 🍺

Calamari itself was cooked okay, however the crumb was super bready, felt like it could've done with longer in the fryer. Service was good though.

Have celebrated a few birthday here at this local brewery! Great food and great selection of beer and wine. Great atmosphere on a Friday night gets busy but it's always fun

Visited here with a group of friends for dinner and everything was great. The waitress took the time to mark out the gluten free and dairy free options on the menu which was really appreciated! The location is good but it’s just a little too noisy inside.. the rooftop area is nice for a drink in summer!

⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️ <br/>We came here on a Saturday for a wine because wine not! Whilst we were here, they had a tempting menu and as foodies we are always hungry so therefore ordered some appetizers. <br/><br/>What we ordered:<br/>Mushroom arancini<br/>Nacho bowl<br/>Fries w/ aioli <br/>Crispy Chicken Wings w/ hot sauce <br/><br/>For bar food, we thought it was quite good quality! The hot sauce on the chicken was rather hot so if you’re not one to enjoy a bit of spice, best to avoid! The mushroom arancini was on the salty side but still rather enjoyable with the basil sauce. The nacho bowl looked fab but there was just too much topping for the amount of corn chips. As always, fries is always a winner!

I once went here every Thursday night 76 Thursday’s in a row. It was good but after that many weeks I just needed a break. I can’t remember the last time I went there but it was sometime in the second half of last year. Might of actually been this year.

Ate from the weeknight bar menu, which is a selection of their entree sized items that can be purchased for $8 each, or $7 when three or more are purchased. Had the Edamame beans, which seasoned well and plentiful. Paired with the Fried Chicken which was very decent in size and cooked very juicy with full flavour. And finally, the Falafel Sliders which were adequate for what they were. Wouldn't hesitate to eat again, best suited to sharing and the menu provides a fair amount of variety.

GREAT ATMOSPHERE! Friendly staff and huge selection of beer and wines! <br/>Great place for a drink and nibbles with friends on a nice day! Have really enjoyed each tile we have come here 🙂

It is very much a blink and you’ll miss it if you’re driving past but I absolutely love the warehouse vibe of this place. We had booked the private dining section which can seat about 12-14 people. You can even watch them conducting brewery tours through the windows. The service was quick but unfortunately the food was way too salty hence the 2 star rating. I understand that drinks are what they want to sell and therefore this is why they made their food incredibly salty. Such a shame as I really wanted to like this place.

What a pity.  Great concept, great potential. But over-reached, dismal service. Beers that our party tried were expensive for what they were.  But we were spoilt for choice as long as you choose ale. Lagers? One, I think. Light beer?  One, and that ran out shortly after we arrived at 7pm (clearly because, quite sensibly, everyone was choosing it! D'oh!).Food?  Well, minimalist menu, with two offerings already run out as we ordered. 45 mins later we notcied the chef finishing up - and were advised that our order "hadn't been sent through". Practiced and trite apology readily forthcomming - clearly they'd completely forgotton customers regularly. Most dishes off the menu by now. Were they serious about reopening the kitchen just for us? - I doubt it! Refund easily enough, and we left, frustrated, annoyed and of course - hungry.Won't be back. Probably quite a good venue if there are only one or two people there. Otherwise . . . "good luck".

Came here for lunch after reading the reviews and was underwhelmed by the food. We got the dip，the meat platter，and the chicken burger and chips， and everything was just really bland and lacking in flavour.

Been here a few times over the years, and after every visit I'm unsure as to why I don't come here more often. It's a hidden gem! Set in the industrial back blocks of Croydon, this place would fit in quite nicely in the Brunswick St/Smith St/Getrude St area of Fitzroy. Great range of beers brewed on site, a heap of bottled beers and ciders from other small producers, as well as wines and spirits. The food is typical bar fare- delicious, and perfect for soaking up alcohol. Staff are knowledgeable and friendly. Make sure you book for a group, or at busier times. Highly recommend!

Spicy chicken burger was great. Good food and good beer!<br/><br/>Staff were very friendly. Look forward to trying more on their menu as I was only able to grab a quick bite to eat.

Been a couple times. Not a big fan of places that get crowded and noisy which this does, if I’m going to eat there.<br/>Foods nice I’ve only had a few snack each time I’ve been but the beer is great!!<br/><br/>Would prefer an area away from all the drinkers and loud chit chat to enjoy a meal there.<br/>The menu changes from time to time but the options are good.

It's a fun spot. Winter is great for a glass of wine near the fireplace. Food is bar food really well done, not fine dining because it is a bar, so I'm not sure why they don't score higher on that front. Gets a bit loud and crowded on a weekend night because it's the only place like it in the area.

Went waith a group of friends so we shared the pork, the lamb, the fried chicken, calamari and chilli fries. Highly recommend everything as it w<br/>as all delicious! Staff were friendly and very knowledgeable about their drinks. We live an hour away but would make the effort to drive to come back!

Having recently moved into the vicinity, I was all ears when a friend recommended the Public Brewery in Croydon! Honestly I was also relieved to know that the outer east isn't completely devoid of some trendier spots. We made a booking for a Friday night and were running approx 5 mins late, but that was no matter- we were invited into the cellar door at the entry of the restaurant to try an assortment of alcoholic ginger beers. This place has the nicest staff ever! It's an industrialy space with polished concrete floors and lots of plants. Food is good but not amazing- it's a side note for the drinks. Worth a try, especially instead of trekking into Collingwood for.

This really neess to be a 4.5! Stopped here for lunch during a quick work lunchbreak. We preordered and the food was served promptly. Absolutely beaut food and the portions are generous as well! Staff are friendly and it has a very relaxed atmosphere! Perfect place to stop for great beer and food! An awesome gem to have tucked away in the quieter eastern suburbs!

We preordered over the phone for fast table service on a quick work lunch break and the staff were very accommodating!! Great service and the food is divine! Awesome to have something like this tucked away out East.<br/>Menu has changed though so I suggest check online first.

Certainly a unique place tucked away in Croydon's industrial area.<br/><br/>The perfect place for anyone who loves beer - although I must say the food was also spot on. I had the baked pumpkin - I'm not a vegetarian but I didn't even miss the meat!<br/><br/>We were here for lunch but note it's open for lunch from 12pm on a Friday only.<br/>A good place for an after work drink otherwise!

Love a boutique brewery tucked away in a old warehouse, always good food and beer. Reminiscent of Bridge Road Brewers in Beechworth, this brewery is top notch. Excellent, well cooked and fresh food in a great setting. Order at the bar, food came out within 15 minutes and was excellent. Large range of top quality beer and wine on the drinks list and in the bottle shop for travellers. Tends to be a bit noisy when busy, otherwise very very good, well worth a visit.

Beautiful local beers and wines. Yummy burgers and nibbles. <br/><br/>Always busy, but great space to catch up with a small group and support local producers

I visit the Brewery with mates fairly regularly either for a few beers or trivia on Wednesday. <br/>Have a really good selection of local craft beers on tap but although it’s strange to say, the best thing about this brewery isn’t the beer but the southern fried chicken on the menu. <br/>Either as a snack or in a burger, it could be the greatest chicken of all time.

A really nice venue. Great to enjoy a few drinks with friends after a hard day at it or before you hit somewhere else. Though on the down side, it is pretty pricey on some as pects of it.

Went in on a Wednesday afternoon to catch up with an overseas visitor. We had a light snack and a glass of wine . The roaring fire and the relaxed atmosphere made our late afternoon/ early evening a great one . The Calamari was lovely and soft , well seasoned and the spicy aioli was very pleasant.

Been here 2 or 3 times now and I'm pretty happy with the place.<br/><br/>Not a great amount of vegetarian options, but the 2 dishes I've had have been good.<br/>But then I largely go here to cater to the other half that loves the look of everything on the menu, and loves his beer. I'd be happy nibbling on the VERY tasty hot chips while he is basically dining at his idea of heaven. <br/><br/>The jars of chilli nuts for sale are pretty damn tasty to nibble on while waiting for mains to arrive.<br/><br/>I've had both the gnocchi and the falafel burger now.<br/>The falafel burger was very filling with the side of chips. I couldn't finish it.<br/>The gnocchi was nice but I remember still feeling peckish and ordered some chips as well. Hardly devastating when I realised how nice the chips were.<br/><br/>Last time we went for my partners birthday his whole family had the same thing (brewery cheeseburger) and they all seemed to enjoy it<br/><br/>I'm not a beer person but was tempted by a sample at the bar and ended up liking a Japanese style beer of some sort. <br/><br/>The suburbs have been crying out for places like this for so long.<br/>So pleasing to have a place of this calibre so close to home. <br/>Makes it easy to support local when the local is this good.

The open mic nights are good fun, the food's excellent and the beer's even better (Y) I love how much local produce is used too. If you plan on coming on a Friday night, you usually need to get there early for a table.

Yeh nice little place with some good food. Very limited operating times. And early closing. Good for a quick drop in but don't plan a big night.

Great place to catch up with a group of friends. Busy, loud...this place is buzzing. This venue has lots going on...brewery, cafe, bands, bottles shop. <br/>Staff are laid back but friendly. Food service was slow, very slow but my salt and pepper calamari was fresh and tender. The Sauvignon Blanc was really enjoyable too. <br/>Criticisms: no cutlery given to us to eat our food with. And I think water should be available on the table as going up to the bar through the throngs of people can be problematic. <br/>I probably would go back if it was a group catch up.

Really enjoyed this little micro brewery! and only about 15 mins from home! set up is cool. walk through the bottleshop to get to the brewing vats and restaurant/bar. went on a cold Thurs night and was still busy in the restaurant. <br/>Staff are very friendly and laid back. awesome selection in the bottleshop and behind the bar. Just went with a Pinot Noir and it was very nice. Definitely need a beer session though.<br/>friend had gone a few times so she said we had to try the Fried Chicken at least. that was so tasty! perfect crunch outside and moist inside. also tried the Calamari. also very nice but not outstanding (ive had a lot in my time) My friend got the Gnocchi. not a bad serving, but it was presented really nicely. i went with the Pork Schnitzel and German potato salad. umm yummmmm potato salad! Schnitz wasnt amazing but still good.<br/>Will absolutely go back for a day session!

love coming here! the antipasto platter is amazing and their wine selection is also amazing! Great little place for some Friday afternoon drinks, staff and service is really impressive

I'm a big fan of the Public Brewery. The food is great - decent serves of fresh and tasty food and the alcohol selection is tops with some great beers. Plus it's only a 15 minute uber from home. What more could you ask for!?

Booked a table at the Public Brewery to celebrate a girlfriend's birthday. Took a cake along and wanted to order coffees with the cake but we're told they'd run out of milk. Not sure how such an establishment located in Croydon so close to so many supermarkets can run out of milk. A not so nice ending to a lovely dinner with friends.

Firstly, this place is awesome...nice staff etc. Now before I go in with hammer and tongs at the beer issue I have. The establishment has a brilliant vibe and food....onto the beer...I am not one for the tootie fruitie beers cause I am a simple man. Please give a simple man a less complex beer...visit this establishment it won't disappoint especially if you like tootie fruitie beer. I still go regularly and nurture a locally brewed pilsner which is tasty

Boutique beer .... outer Eastern suburb<br/><br/>What a relaxing and enjoyable place this is.<br/><br/>They brewed their own beer and also sell others plus wines.<br/><br/>Great atmosphere, needs more diversity.<br/><br/>Good food and service.

A little gem in the 'burbs this boutique brewery has an ambience and charm not expected in this locale. A gorgeous brick building with long communal tables and bar stools, overhead heaters (can get chilly because it is in the brewery) and a back beer garden for warmer months. Closes at 10pm weekend nights and 9pm other nights. Great range of beers and ciders and classy food like crab tortillas and pulled pork sliders. Portions could be larger for dinner but if in doubt get the hand cut chips. I hear there is live music on Thursday nights now. Staff are very friendly. Must get back there soon.

Our favourite local. Friendly staff, great atmosphere and ever changing range of beers on tap. Gets very loud because of the acoustics when it's busy. The recent movie night with 'Golden Ale Class' or bean bag seating was fun.

Brilliant drinking establishment, great atmosphere with stylish decor.<br/>Beverages on tap and brewed on site. Great variety of brews to choose from.<br/>The dining experience was the only let down, I ordered 'The Public<br/>Brewry Cheese Burger' at $20, being a cheese burger I was expecting a<br/>beef patty- it was unidentifiable by appearance or taste and I was<br/>overwhelmed by the power of the onion relish. All in all, I shall defiantly return for the friendly service, variety/quality of beers, but I shall try a new menu option.

The worst burger I have ever had considering the price. I ordered a cheeseburger and chips for $20 which was pricey but I would still happily pay that for a good burger, but what I got was awful. The beef patty was about 2 inches thick and dry and flavourless, the bun was equally dry and had the consistency of a poorly baked cake, there wasn't enough sauce and the promised pickle was nowhere to be seen. The "chips", more like potato crisps, were just as bad, if not worse. For $5 or $10 this burger would have been forgivable, but for $20 I was appalled. Won't come back for the food but would go back for the beer. Never felt more betrayed by a burger.

We were so happy to find this gem near our house! Tasty food and friendly wait staff. Certainly weren't expecting such a big portion of chicken wings for that price!

Great place! Great atmosphere! Great casual food, very Fitzroy, very impressed that something like this is in Croydon out of all places! Looking forward to bringing a group of people here.

This place is my JAM. great vibes with a huge range of beer for all taste. Food is perfectly paring to the ales. The staff are friendly are happy to advise on food and beer. Only ONE downside. Place gets packed out. So a seat can be hard to find. But the stand is worth it.

Great atmosphere and delicious food -- little on the pricey side but worth it! It gets busy pretty early so if you have a big group Id recommend calling ahead

I love this place!! Friday night drinks are really nice, but I'm glad we get there before 4.30pm as it gets extremely busy, loud and crowded as there just isn't enough room. (This is exciting, but is it time to buy next door and expand?) I love having the multiple options of not the usual drinks and the food that I've tried has been quick and delish.

I am total fan for this place. Our goto pub. Great constantly changing beer. Good snacks. Great atmosphere and vibe. Staff can be a mixed bunch - some are clearly too cool to be friendly. Love that you can out the lp's on as you like

Pleasantly suprised. Came here on a Sunday afternoon for a friends birthday. The pub itself has a nice vibe-open fireplace and tall ceilings.<br/>We ordered the ribs and sides $39.00 which we thought was good value as there were 4 decent sized ribs with a side of coleslaw and fries. Randomly the ribs were SMOTHERED In cold BBQ and mayo? Bit weird and completely unessesary.<br/>We live in richmond so have le bon ton and other great american style eateries around & these didn't quite compare but for being in the burbs and at that price you can't complain.<br/>Other foods we saw/sampled.<br/>Kransky which looked good, a companion said the bun was rather hard and for a brioche bun it's not ideal-$17.00 did seem a little steep. The lamb sliders were teeny tiny and at $6 a complete rip off.<br/>Roti bread was just that-boring. <br/>Fries were gooood.<br/>Perhaps a regular burger could grace the menu sometime soon?<br/>Would I rush back, nope but if you're in the area drop by for a casual drink :-)

According to D and M, who live locally, this is the only place worth going to. Whilst I can't verify whether 'only' is justified, The Public Brewery is certainly worth going to. Its transformation from what used to be an old feed and grain warehouse into a fully functional commercial micro-brewery is entrepreneurially clever.   I imagine that it's supported by both the local foot traffic as well as tourist thoroughfare given that Croydon is very much on the way to the Yarra Valley wine region and its proximity to the Cold Stream breweries.     Hidden on a smaller road, quite a bit off the highway, the entrance to The Public Brewery is benignly obscure. All that can be seen from the street is a small room with a few cartons and bottles. It is only via another doorway to the right, that we spotted a handful of large shiny tanks and heard the buzz of a rowdy crowd. Turns out, there is a whole bar area towards the back of the venue containing small and large tables, long benches, and an outside courtyard. With its exposed beams, and corrugated iron walls, the venue looks like it could have been created by a bunch of inner city Fitzroy hipster types, or perhaps it's a sign of the gradual gentrification process that is overtaking Croydon.     T and I were starving after the post-work drive and we ordered a bunch of snacks off the menu. There are a number of familiar items such as chips, popcorn, prawn crackers, although each dish incorporates a dash or a sprinkle of impressive flavor substitution.

What a fantastic find..... Srumbled past here last sunday accidently, called in for a cold beer on a hot day.<br/>What a great vibe! <br/>The menu looks inviting. Alot of produce sourced from the vege garden growing out the front. Will be back for the atmosphere and to test drive the menu....