The wait is finally over - Guinness Open Gate Brewery in London has flung open its doors, after years of tantalizing anticipation. The multi-million-pound brewery, situated in the heart of Covent Garden's poshest real estate, boasts an impressive array of amenities including tours, a gift shop, and dining options.
While it's understandable that bringing such a massive project to fruition would be a daunting task, one can't help but feel underwhelmed by what lies within. Rather than a sprawling Willy Wonka-esque wonderland, Open Gate is instead spread across several streets, with a mix of shops, restaurants, and street stalls scattered about.
The brewery itself appears to be focused on small-batch ales, although it's unclear how much emphasis will be placed on selling these. The Porter's Table restaurant, in particular, seems underwhelming, lacking the dark, sleek ambiance one might expect from a Guinness establishment.
The food offerings, too, were somewhat unremarkable, with the exception of the Guinness soda bread, served in an unusual iron safe. While not bad by any means, it was hard to muster much enthusiasm for the meal as a whole.
A few small pleasures did emerge, however - the "lyrical lager beer frickles" and porter & Paxton's cheese on brioche were pleasant enough. And while the service might have been a tad lacking in its efforts to flog Guinness, at least the toilets were well-organized.
Ultimately, it seems that Open Gate Brewery has managed to create an experience that is decidedly, if quietly, subtle. But will this be enough to win over tourists and enthusiasts alike? The answer, for now, remains a resounding "maybe." For those looking for a more substantial Guinness experience, perhaps Madame Tussauds might still hold the crown.
In short, while Open Gate Brewery has finally arrived in London, it's difficult to shake off the feeling that something - or someone - has been missed along the way.
While it's understandable that bringing such a massive project to fruition would be a daunting task, one can't help but feel underwhelmed by what lies within. Rather than a sprawling Willy Wonka-esque wonderland, Open Gate is instead spread across several streets, with a mix of shops, restaurants, and street stalls scattered about.
The brewery itself appears to be focused on small-batch ales, although it's unclear how much emphasis will be placed on selling these. The Porter's Table restaurant, in particular, seems underwhelming, lacking the dark, sleek ambiance one might expect from a Guinness establishment.
The food offerings, too, were somewhat unremarkable, with the exception of the Guinness soda bread, served in an unusual iron safe. While not bad by any means, it was hard to muster much enthusiasm for the meal as a whole.
A few small pleasures did emerge, however - the "lyrical lager beer frickles" and porter & Paxton's cheese on brioche were pleasant enough. And while the service might have been a tad lacking in its efforts to flog Guinness, at least the toilets were well-organized.
Ultimately, it seems that Open Gate Brewery has managed to create an experience that is decidedly, if quietly, subtle. But will this be enough to win over tourists and enthusiasts alike? The answer, for now, remains a resounding "maybe." For those looking for a more substantial Guinness experience, perhaps Madame Tussauds might still hold the crown.
In short, while Open Gate Brewery has finally arrived in London, it's difficult to shake off the feeling that something - or someone - has been missed along the way.
open gate brewery is defo a cool spot to grab a pint and some grub, but its just a bit... underwhelming yeah? i mean, dont get me wrong, the food wasnt terrible and thats gotta be said, but porter's table restaurant is like something stevie nicks would wear on stage - all dark and mystical but also kinda bland? and the beer selection is pretty standard, i mean, theyre doing small-batch ales and all that but its not like theres anything revolutionary about it 
i mean its not bad but its def not worth travelin all da way from abroad for it i did try da lyral lager beer frickles tho and that was pretty lit 
maybe theyll step up da game next but 4 now its just a cool little brewery vibe 
just heard about this new Guinness brewery in London and honestly, I'm underwhelmed 
it's like they took all the magic out of the experience and left us with a bunch of shops & restaurants scattered around 
don't get me wrong, their small-batch ales sound nice 
porter's table restaurant is a total letdown 
and those food options? 
meh. at least they have some tasty beer frickles 
but overall, it just doesn't seem like enough to win over tourists & beer enthusiasts 
. I mean, can you imagine all that hype and anticipation leading up to this moment... only to be underwhelmed by what's inside? 
️. And I'm glad they included some fun snacks like the lyrical lager beer frickles. But overall, I think they need to step up their game if they want to compete with other tourist attractions in London.
it sounds like the brewery is really nice but not entirely what ur expected from a guinness spot. small-batch ales are cool but maybe they should focus more on selling them? 
and yeah, the food was pretty meh too... except for that soda bread thingy! 
It felt like they prioritized all the right things, but didn't quite bring it all together.
the food was pretty meh too, i mean the soda bread was okay but that's about it 
. I don't know if they'll be able to compete with other tourist spots in london like madame tussauds or something 
! The soda bread iron safe was a nice surprise too 
. Maybe I just didn't get the vibe they were going for? I'd wanna check out more reviews and see if others share my sentiment before making up their minds about it