Denizens Brewing
1115 East-West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD, 20910
Denizens Brewing Menu
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Sandwiches
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Picnic Plates
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Sauces
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Chili
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Sweets
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Side Dishes
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Beer
Diabetics at Denny's
Diabetics need to monitor the intake of carbohydrates to control the blood sugar levels. Diabetics can surely enjoy at Denny's Diner as most foods offered on the menu contain less sugar or no sugar at all. However, you need to be careful with the carbohydrates content and sodium intake while dining at Denny's.
Foods to Avoid at Denny's for Diabetics:
Most foods served at Denny's are low in sugar but also high in sodium. Be careful while ordering food at Denny's and keep a check on both sugar and sodium levels if you're a diabetic. Avoid desserts totally at Denny's to avoid sugar spike. In the dinner section, avoid Bourbon Chicken Sizzlin' Skillet to limit your sugar intake.
Also, skip the Boneless Chicken Wings at Denny's as they can also spike your sugar levels. Besides plain coffee, different types of tea, diet coke, and tomato juice; every other drink available on Denny's menu is a big no for diabetics.
Food Suggestions for Diabetics at Denny's:
Fit Slam (15 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 430 calories, 12g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2.5g), 860mg sodium, 56g carbs, 22g sugar, 4g fiber, 27g Protein
Hearty 9-Grain Pancake Breakfast (2 units)
Nutritional Facts: 410 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4g), 860mg sodium, 68g carbs, 21g sugar, 5g fiber, 10g Protein
House Salad (10 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 190 calories, 9g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2.5g), 340mg sodium, 19g carbs, 6g sugar, 3g fiber, 9g Protein
55+ Fit Fare Loaded Veggie Omelette (19 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 430 calories, 9g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4.5g), 530mg sodium, 60g carbs, 25g sugar, 6g fiber, 27g Protein
55+ Grilled Chicken (5 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 200 calories, 9g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2g), 330mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 29g Protein
55+ Grilled Haddock (6 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 290 calories, 14g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2.5g), 420mg sodium, 2g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 40g Protein
Healthy Meal suggestions for Denizens Brewing
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Sandwiches
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Picnic Plates
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Sauces
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Chili
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Sweets
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Side Dishes
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Beer
High Blood Pressure at Denny's
Denny's offers low-sodium options on their menu for people with high blood pressure. You can also order low-sodium foods or specifically ask the chef to add less salt in their orders.
Foods to Avoid at Denny's for High Blood Pressure
Most foods at Denny's are high in sodium content. Ensure to skip any food item which has over 600 or 700 mg sodium on Denny's Menu. Most burgers and breakfast dishes are high in sodium on Denny's menu. Stay away from items that are offered with extra cheese and sauce at Denny's to limit your sodium intake. Most salads are also high in sodium content and you must be cautious while ordering one at Denny's.
Food Suggestions for High Blood Pressure at Dennys
Wild Alaska Salmon (7 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 310 calories, 19g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4g), 490mg sodium, 2g carbs, 1g sugar, 1g fiber, 31g Protein
Belgian Waffle Slam (7 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 380 calories, 19g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 10g), 640mg sodium, 43g carbs, 1g sugar, 1g fiber, 7g Protein
55+ Grilled Chicken (5 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 200 calories, 9g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2g), 330mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 29g Protein
55+ Grilled Haddock (6 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 290 calories, 14g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2.5g), 420mg sodium, 2g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 40g Protein
House Salad (10 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 190 calories, 9g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2.5g), 340mg sodium, 19g carbs, 6g sugar, 3g fiber, 9g Protein
55+ Fit Fare Loaded Veggie Omelette (19 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 430 calories, 9g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4.5g), 530mg sodium, 60g carbs, 25g sugar, 6g fiber, 27g Protein
Visit below restaurant in Silver Spring for healthy meals suggestion.
High Cholesterol at Denny's
Just like low-sodium foods, you can also order low fat or low cholesterol meals at Denny's. If you are concerned for your cholesterol levels, then you can try food items from Fit Fare or 55+ menu at Denny's. Most food items offered under Fit Fare and 55+ category rais low in cholesterol and very healthy.
Foods to Avoid at Denny's for High Cholesterol
Denny's breakfast and dinner menu are loaded with fatty food sources such as steak, pancakes, cheeseburgers, etc. Ensure that you keep a check on the cholesterol content on each food item you order at Denny's to control your cholesterol levels. Avoid fried and scrambled eggs to keep your cholesterol in check at Denny's.
Also, skip food items served with Nachos as they are also loaded with high cholesterol. Almost every regular sandwich offered at Denny's is high in cholesterol. It is recommended to skip them at Denny's. While the salads are healthy, you must skip Cobb Salad as they are high in cholesterol. Similarly, keep the burgers at bay as well while dining in Denny's.
Food Suggestions to Maintain Cholesterol Level at Dennys
Double Berry Banana Pancake Breakfast (2 units) – Only 1 unit recommended.
Nutritional Facts: 540 calories, 10g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4g), 1360mg sodium, 103g carbs, 36g sugar, 8g fiber, 12g Protein
55+ Fit Fare Loaded Veggie Omelette (19 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 430 calories, 9g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4.5g), 530mg sodium, 60g carbs, 25g sugar, 6g fiber, 27g Protein
Fit Fare Veggie Sizzlin' Skillet (18 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 390 calories, 16g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 3g), 1270mg sodium, 40g carbs, 6g sugar, 7g fiber, 22g Protein
Everyday Value Slam (2 cakes)
Nutritional Facts: 450 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 3.5g), 1390mg sodium, 77g carbs, 20g sugar, 2g fiber, 10g Protein
House Salad (10 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 190 calories, 9g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2.5g), 340mg sodium, 19g carbs, 6g sugar, 3g fiber, 9g Protein
55+ Grilled Cheese Sandwich & Soup (5 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 440 calories, 25g (Tans. Fat 0.5g & Sat. Fat 11g), 1250mg sodium, 39g carbs, 3g sugar, 1g fiber, 14g Protein
55+ Grilled Chicken (5 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 200 calories, 9g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2g), 330mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 29g Protein
55+ Grilled Haddock (6 oz.)
Nutritional Facts: 290 calories, 14g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2.5g), 420mg sodium, 2g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 40g Protein
Visit below restaurant in Silver Spring for healthy meals suggestion.
Q & A on Denny's
Where's Denny's located?
Denny's is in 1600 different locations across the United States. You can easily find a Denny's nearby using our Restaurants Listings directory.
Does Denny's offer vegan items on the menu?
Yes, Denny's offers a wide variety of vegan items on the menu in all categories including breakfast, skillets, sides, etc.
When did Denny's open?
Denny's started in 1953 in Lakewood, California, United States?
When does Denny's open and close?
Denny's is open 24 hours a day and you can visit the diner anytime to enjoy some great food.
Are Denny's pancakes gluten-free?
Denny's restaurants are not set up as a strictly gluten-free environment. You can find gluten-free options on the menu labeled as "GF".
What's the 55+ menu at Denny's Diner?
Denny's offers a $2 discount on each item on the 55+ menu to the customers over the age of 55 years.
What's Fit Fare menu at Denny's Diner?
If you're health conscious, then opt for Fit Fare menu at Denny's. The Fit Fare menu offers food items loaded with organic produce and proteins.
Does Denny's take EBT?
Yes! However, Denny's accepts EBT in the areas that indulge in the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP). Denny's accepts EBT only from certain qualifying individuals.
Denny's
Denny's initially started as a coffee shop known as Danny's Donuts. Denny's gained popularity across the globe as round the clock diner. At Denny's diner, you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner even on holidays and throughout the night. Denny's was initially spelled as Danny's but later it was changed to Denny's to avoid any confusion with Los Angeles based coffee chain Coffee Dan. The main USP of Denny's diner is that the diner stays open round the clock and serves food even on holidays. Today, Denny's franchise outlets are operational in 1700 locations, mainly in the United States and other parts of the world.
Denny's expanded its operations across the United States after Pilot Flying J opened Denny's at their Truck Stop locations across the United States. Tying up with Pilot Flying J helped Denny's gain exposure and popularity across the United States as one of the best diners near freeway exits. Denny's is also among the healthiest diners in the United States. It recorded the fewest health inspection violations in a Dateline NBC segment called "Dirty Dining."
Healthy Food Options at Denny's Diner
Denny's diner offers a wide range of healthy dining options. Most of the menu items available at Denny's serves lean protein, seafood, beans, lean meats, and eggs. You can easily choose the best meal based on your health preferences by counting the calories and nutritional fact available on the menu card.
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Address :
1115 East-West Hwy
Silver Spring, MD, 20910 - Phone (301) 557-9818
- Website https://denizensbrewingco.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :4:00 pm - 11:00pm
Specialities
- Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Parking : Garage, Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
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Shauna A.
The beer and food at this hot spot in downtown Silver Spring is exactly what we need. I like the variety of local beers and the quick service at the bar! Adam took care of me with a smile even though it was super busy on a Sunday evening. The one downside to the bar was one of the owners. I observed Emily exhibit poor customer service to the party sitting next to me at the bar. The party of three ask to place an order with Emily/owner. I watched the party of three show their ID to the guy working the bar. Emily's response in a matter of fact way was"I did not see your ID". I could not believe the lack of customer service she displayed. The situation could have been handled in a more customer friendly manner. I hope Emily remains in the office running the business and not in front of the customers if she would like to please the customers.
(3)Jonathan M.
Great outdoor patio. They are brewing soon downstairs which will improve the beer only selection. Nice staff. Great BBQ from BBQ Bus using the kitchen downstairs. Best new Silver Spring spot!
(4)Casey M.
Great addition to Silver Spring. Relaxed atmosphere with people of all ages, dogs, and space heaters for chilly nights. Solid BBQ and great beers. The staff is friendly and I've seen a couple great musicians play. I think its a TAD pricey for what it offers. But that doesn't stop me from going.
(5)Ed N.
I may make this my second home.
(5)Jennifer D.
Its a very cute place with easy access to the metro. The outdoor area is the main seating location with long tables surrounded by propane heat lamps when it's cold. Music was fun and lively - early 90s hip hop while we were there - but low enough that it really was background noise. Service was prompt and friendly. The only problem is that the beer and BBQ are bland. Not bad, not good, just average and unexciting.
(2)Bex G.
Dogs are allowed on the patio and they have rotating food trucks! I love the patio and the staff are really nice.
(4)Paul L.
I stopped by this place when it first opened up and can see there is a lot of potential. The beer selection was a little limited but good. Also the outdoor patio is second to none. There was no food being served by the restaurant but there was a food truck parked on site. I'm not the biggest fan of this idea but it does provide something to eat.
(3)Lina N.
Glad someone finally found a good use for this space. Large outdoor area with plenty of seating. Unfortunately didn't have one of their own beers, but the Brewers Art Resurrection was good. Friends had the house Southside Rye IPA and they seemed to be happy with them - too hoppy for me though. The only thing I didn't get about this place is that you can't actually order beer at the outside "bar" but have to be seated and helped by a server.
(4)T R.
Nice way to spend a weekend afternoon. It will be nice to see how this place evolves with time and the seasons. The beer. I tried the two that they had available the IPA and the ESB. The IPA will not knock your socks off with hops, but that is a good change of pace for the segment as it lets you appreciate other details of the beer. It was an easy drinking IPA with good citrus notes which is also nice on a hot summer day. The ESB takes me back to the pubs of London. You get that dark caramel taste but perhaps with decent malt/hop balance. Someone else can tell me if the carbonation was on par with the segment but I liked it. The internet says a Pils on the the way. That is something I think will be a good balance to their current lineup so far. We sat outside and you are served by a small army of sunburnt staff. We appreciated they didn't wimp out and use plastic containers outside, that said you will probably want to bring good shoes. Dogs, bikes, babies, children all were welcome. I will wait and see how the food situation evolves, hopefully they will have hearty vegan friendly options given the BBQ joint moving in downstairs, otherwise I might need to pre-eat. One minus. Outside the tables and benches (both lighter than they look, be careful sitting down) despite their size could not sit more than a few people comfortably in the much needed shade. It was the function of the time of day and the sunny conditions to be sure. But it did effect the atmosphere a bit. It is probably one of those things that the owners will have to think creatively about next summer. I look forward to coming when it is a bit cooler in the fall. Also the price per pint at 6.50 was about a 1.50 more than I was hoping for when I consider what most other breweries charge for their own creations. But perhaps they need to make back some capital in the expensive DC region.
(4)Brian N.
I did a tour here with some friends and had some additional brews at the bar after. Everything was great! Loved every beer we tried and the tour was very informative. Way better than commercialized tours at a major brewery. The tour is a great value too. For $10 you get a lot of beer plus learning about how they brew. Highly recommend checking this place out and supporting them by buying their brews in local restaurants and shops.
(5)Mark F.
Great spot. Chill setting outside patio with apartments in the background. Barbecue and home made sauces are delicious. $6.50 for pints, but very good local brewed beer. I will be coming back for dinner and drinks again.
(4)John W.
Really wanted to love Denizens. Came with the family and it was crowded but we got a table outside. Then we waited and waited and then flagged down a waiter to send over our waiter. The beer we ordered was very good, Allagash White and Red Ale. The Pilsner was also excellent. We ordered BBQ pork and Brisket. The food was fine but it took 50 minutes to arrive all at once after we requested small plates before entrees. Hey, I am pretty easy going about food service since I was about as pitiful a waiter as could be in my day but our waitress insisted there was nothing she could do about the wait. Sorry but there is always something you can do to make the customer happy. Thank goodness the iPhone was fully charged or my daughter would have gone nuts. I will give Denizens a second shot for the beer -- but I won't be back on a Friday night -- hopefully they'll have fixed the service issues.
(2)B K.
I've been going to Denizens weekly since it opened two months ago. Back in "those days" it was BYOF (food) before the BBQ Bus showed up. That was fun, too. In fact, I've lured friends here from DC and from New Jersey. Everyone has loved it. I think the BBQ is perfect compliment to the beer. As of September they have started serving a "Red" beer that I am fond of. For my taste, though, a lot of their brewing tends to the bitter which I don't like, but oh well. They are only two blocks from my apartment. For the person who commented about exceeding slow service - well, I haven't see it. I have gotten beer and food quite quickly, even on busy evenings. I think Denizens is already a huge success. Before winter hits they will open the downstairs inside space where the brewery is located, so there will be more shelter in the bad weather when the cool outdoor beer garden won't be functioning. Rumor has it they will also expand the menu. It's definitely becoming the neighborhood hangout for a wide range of folks: singles, families, seniors, LGBT, you get the picture! Looking forward to Octoberfest!
(5)Zelda P.
Have you ever had an out-of-body experience at a restaurant? You've brought your whole family to a place that you enjoyed previously, you've parked a tolerable hike away, you're hungry, and you're eyeing that fantastic patio on a beautiful spring day ... and yet you cannot believe that you are handing over your credit card to pay for a meal that you've just ordered via the most rude and unfriendly bartender ever? Nearly a year after opening, Denizens is seemingly still figuring out how to provide good service to those who would like to order food and beer and sit on their patio. We arrived on a not-so-busy afternoon and were guided to the bar to place our order for the patio. However, when it was our turn, we were told we needed to have a seat before we could place an order. We were really confused, having been told to order at the bar then the bartender telling us that we could not order before having a seat. The woman taking our order even pointed out a table that was available, but refused to take our order before half our party went out to claim the spot! We quickly conferred, half the party left as instructed, then I recited the entire order for our party. After I'd rattled off the order for six people, the woman behind the bar turned around to get a piece of paper to write down the order ... "Now you wanted what??" It didn't get better from there, and the entire ordering experience was so shockingly rude and out of touch with any other customer service experience I've ever had ... days later, I still cannot believe that I didn't walk away and take our party elsewhere. I'm actually glad that the other half of our party was so curtly marched off to the table and didn't witness the humiliating transaction. And it wasn't just me: the woman behind the bar was extraordinarily rude to others behind me, and I talked with two other parties who left the restaurant rather than deal with her. While the beer was great, the BBQ couldn't redeem the experience. My kids will anything, but Denizen's modus operandi seems to be to use hot spicing and salt in lieu of actual flavor. And the whole part of needing to be seated before we could order? We watched our food be offered to about eight tables before it found our way to us. It really is a shame, as the Silver Spring / Takoma Park area is so in need of great, family-friendly restaurants with good food and outdoor seating. Great beer and an amazing patio is a gift; not-so-awesome food is forgivable. With Denizen's extremely very poor service, we'll never, ever be back.
(1)Erin M.
Lovely place, have a cool outdoor patio with large tables. The menu is good, I had the bbq bus sampler plate and all the meats were tasty. They have various bbq and other sauces avialable. Nice casual place with good food, highly recommend.
(5)Abby R.
We were really excited to try this place out based on the reviews, but were sorely disappointed. Two of the beers in our beer flights were decent. The barbecue looked amazing, but upon eating it we were once again disappointed. The layout was extremely awkward with stools and a variety of table heights- not conducive with my boyfriend's 6'7" height. The waitress was a poor communicator and seemed annoyed when we asked for water (every barbecue sauce was extremely spicy). We planned on staying for a few hours, but wound up getting out of there as fast as we could. We definitely won't be going back.
(2)Maynard M.
Not just the ideal local place for beer and BBQ, but a destination place, especially in warm weather. Their first two beers (IPA & ESB) are both spectacular. As good as Dogfish Head, and fresher. Many more to come. Waited 8 years for a place like this in SS and my high hopes were all realized. You'll want to make this a frequent stop!
(5)Jeremy P.
Denizens is a really great place and I'm excited its open right here in Silver Spring. Finally a real craft brewery in the neighborhood. We had our kids with us and had no trouble at all enjoying ourselves. We visited on a Sunday afternoon and had a great experience. The biergarten is huge with tons of space and very nice atmosphere. Again, we were there on a Sunday afternoon and it had a nice crowd. I think this will be a favorite for both the young professional set and beer lovers looking for a regular neighborhood spot. The house brewed Rye IPA that is on tap is really superior and worth a few glasses at least. I want to get back and try some of the other brews they are introducing. They do also have some other popular regional brews on tap for variety. FYI - Parking was easy, there is a public parking lot right around the corner at the Knesset St garage and its only a 1 block walk and some side street parking.
(5)Tim G.
Enjoyed very much our first stay at the brew pub. The choice of beers was very good.
(5)Mar H.
We have visited Denizens a few times, and have had a few rough experiences (un-attentive servers, bartender forgetting our drink order, etc...) but nothing compares to our most recent experience. We went to Denizens on a Saturday night hoping to sit outside. It was pretty crowded, so we waited by the entrance for a table to become available. After 5-10 minutes, we saw a few people leave and we walked over to an empty table. 5-10 minutes after that a staff member (Julie) finally came over, and we were excited to order our drinks. However, Julie told us that "she has to kick us out because members have arrived and want a table." We couldn't understand what was happening, we were not allowed to sit at an available table because we weren't "members"? We have visited Denizens a bunch of times and have never heard of this ridiculous rule. Julie told us we had to get up again, with no offer to help us find another table, so we just got up and walked out. It was extremely humiliating, and I don't see us ever coming back to a place that treats their customers like this.
(1)Robert Z.
Not slamming the beers but the service. This is my first yelp review and not trying to act all entitled, just speaking having worked many years in the service industry. This place is only about a year old but their service and system certainly needs a lot of improvement to be functioning better. Been twice, once when it was slow on a Sun and another when it was busy on a Fri night. Bartenders are either visibly stressed or can't keep up with a low to moderate number of people ordering drinks at the bar. Every time food comes out of the kitchen a server will come up asking if you've ordered the item and each time I hadn't. Servers have been blatantly rude on more than one occasion. If there is table service at a standing only table literally right next to the bar and a server is pissed since you ordered one beer at the bar then perhaps a host with set seating is more appropriate. It was a cluster F of confusion on a Fri night and there's no reason for a server to have a derisive tone when the restaurant system is a mess. A table numbering system seems to be appropriate since no one can understand where food orders came from. Poor showing compared to any number of other DC bars, both new and old, that have their service game down. Would like this place to succeed considering I'm a Takoma Park local but Denizens seriously needs to up their management game. I'll come next time strictly for the beer.
(2)Mike M.
subtracting a few stars because they won't give you your $5 back when you want to return one of their growlers. we don't need them and we paid $5 for each and they clearly weren't new when we got them and they can clearly be used again. they made it seem like a deposit. not a good practice, guys!!!
(3)D L.
Well, my review is really a tale of two visits. First time my wife and 1 year old son went with friends who also brought their young child. The beer and food were excellent and the best feature was the beer garden with lots of families hanging out and kids interacting. This made sense given the significant amount of picnic table seating and the cornhole sets off to one side of the patio. It was a great atmosphere, reminiscent of west coast breweries like Odell Brewing in Fort Collins, CO and Stone Brewing in Escondito, CA with young children playing while adults can hang out (albeit much more modest in scale and context). We thought it was great and unique for the DC area in particular. What a great place to compete with more progressive craft beer establishments in DC and Arlington! So, we just went for our second trip today and were informed that they've implemented a new policy requiring all children to be seated at all times. No playing quietly in the aisle; no walking around; no hanging out near the cornhole set. We were there just for beers and to enjoy a beautiful afternoon and our son would definitely take being seated in a high chair as a sign that food was coming. The server didn't make a big stink when we said we'd be sure to keep our son, who's barely walking, well supervised and next to us. But then the manager came over after we placed our order to insist we couldn't let our son be on the ground, citing concerns about broken glass and needing to keep the aisles open. We didn't press the issue to insist our son would be fine, so I don't know if they'd tell us to leave if we didn't comply. We just left. Well, this policy is clearly the proprietor's prerogative, but this basically makes it impossible for families with young children to enjoy the great outdoor space except for the duration of your child's meal. Just eat quick, and drink up, chop chop! What a shame that a place serving great beer that at first seemed so outstandingly welcoming to families and relaxed about kids decided to make it difficult for us to enjoy except under the narrowest of circumstances. And what a missed opportunity (can't some establishment with a patio figure this out?). My great hope at this point is perhaps Denizens will find a way to create a space where parents can let kids enjoy the patio under supervision without interfering with service. But until then, if you take your family, be sure to tell those kids to keep their butts firmly planted in their seats or else you're been warned you'll wear out your welcome. For our part, we won't be returning any time soon. Better atmosphere for our son in our backyard I think.
(2)Jay F.
A great place to hang outside and have a few beers but there are some frustrations. What I don't understand is the bar in the biergarten that's only for the waitstaff, who are usually overloaded and unable to keep up with the demand. So after waiting 15 minutes for someone to take your order it's a little annoying that you can't just walk up to the bar and get a beer. It's a weird and inefficient way of doing business, and I hope it's only temporary as they spin up. Regardless, the staff is really friendly and it's a great atmosphere. The happy hour prices (and limited selection) don't compete very well with nearby bars but the outdoor seating is a big plus (though gets a little hot). I've been several times and plan to keep going back. Hopefully they'll iron out these problems by October...
(3)Alex C.
For a brand new brewery, Denizens is brewing some respectable beers off the bat. I've been here now around 12-15 times. The ESB shines among the other offerings. It is nicely balanced with perfect bitterness and aroma. The Southside Rye is tasty and for while was all they had. Southside though seems quite heavy bodied and not enough IBUs to balance. The pumpkin porter, red ale, and tripel are all misses. The bohemian pils has potential, though the current hop levels seem a bit off too. The good: The ESB -They are totally cool and accommodating with BYOF. People order pizza and Chinese food to have delivered to their patio table here. The patio space - usually crowded, but laid back, friendly, and as others have noted, really has a community feel. The BBQ bus - the bbq is really good when it comes out hot, sauces and sides are great. Overall though the food prices are quite steep for what you get. The owners seem likely really nice people and go the extra mile for their customers. The not so good: -Pints are comparatively expensive. -The service is a hit or miss. Some days the orders come out quickly and correctly and your bill is correctly tabulated. Other days, it can take forever to get a beer, you might get the wrong order and often, their ipad based POS system gets your bill wrong. They are new so I'm mostly giving them a break on this area. -Growler fills - cost $22-25. That is way to high for a brand new brewery with no real beer cred yet. All the other breweries in the area charge much less to fill a growler and their beers are generally solid - ie Jailbreak, DC brau, Three Stars, Right Proper.. -The server with the beard - this guy is a total jerk and is extraordinarily rude. On numerous occasions he has said really rude things to my friends, my wife, my infant son, and me. Others I know have reported simliar encounters with him when they've gone to Denizens. He has served our table about 4-5 times and on most occasions get the order wrong and then offers up snide remarks and a hussy hussy attitude. -The first really bad experience with him was when Beardo chastised me for bottle feeding my 5 month old son. He claimed that "it was filthy filthy baby and how dare I feed him in public." Seriously!?!? WTF!?! Other human guests were eating food... how is it that a baby eating is unacceptable to Beardo? My baby was NOT crying, not making noises, and not in in any way causing a scene. The patio is generally a welcoming, community, even family vibe. FURTHER, on another occasion about a month later we had another run in with him (and this takes the cake and should really be a reason not go back) . I didn't know that there was a diaper changing station in the men's room (it's inside the stall). In fact most places don't offer diaper changing stations in men's restrooms. I was at fault...I changed my baby's diaper in about 15 seconds on the ground in an unoccupied corner of the patio (away from all the other customers), on a changing pad, wrapped up the wet diaper and put it in our diaper bag. All is well with the world. Well, Beardo comes over about 15 minutes later and starts harassing me and my friends about my quick diaper changing. He said that "your filthy nasty baby and his diapers have no right to be on the patio. Use the bathroom for god's sake" He said "how dare I do such a thing." I asked what he was talking about. He said, "Oh does your baby have invisible diapers??" THEN, he starts spraying sanitizer on our table, on our food, in our beer, on the benches, and on us, while we were sitting there. At that point, we asked for our check and left, leaving unfinished beer and food. Again, the patio has bird shit on it, there are loud children running around, dogs walking/peeing about, is all together casual environment, and is outside. I'm not sure how a quick diaper change is such an earth shattering horrible event. No one saw it except for apparently Beardo. I didn't leave poop or pee or soiled things behind for him to clean up. I'm sorry I changed a diaper at your establishment. But, seriously that is no way to treat your paying customers, especially ones who would really like to see your brewery do well.
(2)Kiaira B.
I planned a work party at this place and has BBQ BUS do the catering. It was awesome!!!! The BBQ food was really good and I was even able to get vegetarian and vegan options for my co-workers with dietary restrictions. I have been here other times and the beer selection is great. Only down fall is that they ONLY serve Beers and Ciders so not cocktails here my friends. There is also a huge outdoor area which draws a crowd when the weather is nice. Some people bring their dogs. There is corn hole. This is definitely A nice place to go and chill.
(4)Lisa S.
We came here on a Friday late afternoon (~4/5pm). We loved the outdoor seating- although it was a little hot for us to stay outside, it would be perfect on a somewhat cooler day. When you sit outside, you order at a table in the back, pick up your beer there, and then head back to your table. The woman taking the orders wasn't too friendly and I was confused a few times because while they had signs (e.g., credit cards only), you couldn't see them when you were in line. We also found it odd that although some of their beers were sours, they weren't listed as such on the menu, so we had a surprise or two along the way. We ended up moving inside, which was pretty quiet, although it was getting somewhat more crowded when we left. There was a bar inside, as well as a good number of tables and couches for seating. The inside also had table service, which was somewhat sporadic, but our waitress was friendly. We ended up ordering some fries, which were pretty good, ordering some beer flights, and playing cards (we brought our own). We had a blast, and the only reason I gave this place 3 stars was because we didn't love a lot of the beers. I found one or two that I enjoyed, but we were a bit disappointed overall. Even with the three different beer flights (seasonal, malty, hoppy), several beers overlapped across the list. We were trading beers by the end ("I'll drink your super lemony beer if you drink my soapy beer"). That being said, we each liked one or two beers, and we managed to have a lot of fun regardless!
(3)Chu F.
My first time coming to Denizens was a pleasant surprise. I'm not a huge beer drinker but the knowledge the bartender Tim has about the beer they brew is astounding!! His enthusiasm and great customer service is a wonderful addition. I learned so much about beer and history of what an IPA is I can't ezpewss the level of excitement of learning something new. I've never drank a beer so slow. ... but then again 9.4'/, abv ... no joke! I started feeling it after two sips!!! Cheri
(5)Annie G.
Denizens is an awesome space with everything you'd need from a brewery-- corn hole, BBQ, and of course good beer. They also offer live music and tours, but it sounded like tours max out at 10 people which might be a good thing as large tour groups can be distracting and loud. We were a group of about 20 celebrating a birthday, and it did not feel crowded at all. People brought their dogs and were eating these awesome fried pickles (they looked like French fries, but you'd bite into them then realize they're pickles) and huge brisket plates. Can you ask for more on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in August? The beers are moderately priced ($6.50 per regular pour), and the selection is quite large with about a dozen to choose from. The majority of the seasonal a when I visited were sours, which was pretty unfortunate for me, but the tripel is a heavy hitter and possibly the best abv/ cost value. If you've got nothing to do and want to brave the metro on a weekend, I'd highly recommend Denizens for good beer, good conversations, and great BBQ.
(4)Melissa M.
I rarely give five stars but when I do, my experience was foodgasmic! Where do I start? My hubby and I went here at 4pm and it was dead. We worried for nothing because the service was amazing. Friendly staff all willing to give you recommendations on food and beer. Let me stop here and go straight to food. This isn't your typical bar food served on the side. They take pride in their barbecue and damn was it good. The meat fell right off the ribs and oh so tender. Teach me how to cook ribs, please? The French fries, yes fries, were awesome. I loved the seasoning! I also loved dipping them in the ranch sauce that came with the wings. The wings were perfect along with #5 sauce....I'm sorry, I can't type out a grunt in happiness. And then there were tacos, yes we ate a lot. They do not go cheap on the fillings. The black beans were tender and the pulled pork was flavorful. Add extra #5 and you'll enjoy it more. I don't know how we were able to eat four small plates of food on top of a beer flight, and three pints but we conquered the meal. I had the seasonal beer flight. My favorite was the anniversary and third party. I can't remember what they were made of but I believe one of them had candied pears. I also had the big red norm. I wasn't a fan of this but my husband enjoyed finishing it for me. My husband enjoyed the trainspotting and did not like the bohemian. We swapped beers at the end. We paid around $60 including tip and it was worth every penny. I don't know why it took us so long to visit, but we will be back and with a group of friends. I can't wait to sit outside and enjoy a nice cold beer. Service: A Food: A Beer: B Environment: A (bring a sweater)
(5)Lia M.
Really, really enjoyed Denizens. It's got a huge outdoor area, plus two floors inside. Friendly staff, tasty brews, and delicious BBQ in a relaxed setting makes it the perfect place to unwind. I only had time for one beer--the saison--due to a prior engagement. But I had a few tastes before deciding on that one, and I like a few others that I aim to try. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with fries. Eats are from the BBQ Bus, of which I'm a fan. And BBQ definitely hits the spot with the beer. Happy hour is offered, and most of the beer were brewed in-house, except for the cider. I love breweries and I hope to return often to Denizens.
(5)Megan B.
I'm a fan. Good crowd (really spans the age, but all the cool people of each generation). Good background music. Good beers. Good food (both you can order and an awesome BBQ food truck). They have drinking games for the State of the Union and trivia on Tuesdays at 8. Very little street parking. Only other option is to walk or park in a nearby garage. Staff is alright. Not overly friendly but they get the job done. If the patio isn't open, the place is pretty small. If you think it's going to be a busy night, I'd get there early to grab a space.
(4)Sharon W.
For a non-beer drinking, pollo-pescetarian (me) to give a brewery/bbq restaurant 4 stars is quite a compliment. We arrived shortly after they opened on a Sunday and because of the heat opted to sit inside. It was quiet when we arrived, but slowly the outside patio began to fill up with couples, groups, and their canine companions. It was fun watching the action on the patio with such a positive vibe. My husband loves beer so he ordered a sampler. I found a nice Riesling on the wine menu. For lunch we both ordered the one meat platters. Neither husband nor I eat much meat, but he'll make an exception if sausage/kielbasa is on the menu, so he made the exception at Denizens. For his sides he had the potato chips (delicious) and greens. I had the pulled chicken with fries and greens. The chicken had a very smoky taste I wasn't sure I was thrilled with but husband, who finished my portion, loved the smokiness. The greens were fresh and good. The crinkle cut fries were a very pleasant surprise. I'm usually not crazy about crinkle cut but these were crisp and hot and had a wonderful dusting of spice. I'll order them again! All of the staff were friendly and helpful. As we were finishing our meal an employee came to our table to tell us that as a salute to Father's Day, they were offering free tours of the brewery. Since we had been one of the first to arrive we were finished eating and ready for the first tour. Most other diners were still in the middle of their meals so we got a private tour. Our tour host was very informative, quite personable, and answered my unending questions with good humor. It was really a nice touch to a pleasant meal. We will go back. Lots of things on the menu I'm looking forward to trying and I love the atmosphere.
(4)Kevin S.
The barbecue was good and we found a nice outdoor area downstairs away from the beer garden crowd upstairs where we can enjoy our beer & barbecue. I loved the 3rd Party Tripel.
(4)Sarah M.
I hosted a gathering here last week, and it was OK. The food was definitely not the best BBQ I've had in this area, but it was passable. I got the pulled pork tacos and they were only lukewarm. Nonetheless, since it was an appetizer portion, I ate it all anyways :) The beer selection was pretty good, and the cider looked extremely appetizing. The people I was with really enjoyed their beers. I look forward to the Cider Tap Takeover in February!
(3)Matthew K.
This place is one of my favorites. The outdoor bier garden with community seating is great for mingling and is a fun yet laid back atmosphere. The food is tasty pairing well with the large selection of beer that they have on tap. Overall a great place to come chill on a Sunday afternoon and have a beer (or 3) with friends and meet some new ones.
(5)Crystabel R.
I absolutely love this place and I'm so sad because moving away from Silver Spring means I'll be seeing less of it. This place is the perfect hangout on a Saturday night with a bunch of friends, or it's a sweet romantic date spot when it's emptying out of a Sunday night. The ambience is A plus plus with pretty string lights and foliage between the benches. My favorite is the Third Party Belgian Style Tripel...lemme tell ya....that stuff is lethal! It drinks so easy to for being 9.4% After just one glass, I'm done for the night with a happy buzz. My boyfriend and I have also tried one of the BBQ platters, which had pulled pork, pulled chicken, corn and black bean salad, and collard greens. I thought that the pulled pork was pretty fatty, but the other items were pretty decent. I don't recommend the lone corn muffin on top though, it just didn't taste that good to me. I thought that the corn and black bean salad was a unique addition to a classic barbecue menu and enjoyed that. Aside from the delicious beer, I also love that they have free snyders pretzel bags to snack on. They got cinnamon sugar and salted caramel flavored pretzel bits mmm...What's better than beer and pretzels? Nothing that's what.
(4)Liz N.
This would probably be a more awesome place if it wasn't so far from the district. We came on a sunday after dim sum across the street. They had the patio filled with gleaming mom and dads watching their children rock out in School of Rock concert. The kids were AWESOME. Their tasting flights were $10 for 4 pours, I found that a little over priced. Their choices of flights were seasonal, malty, and hoppy. There wasn't any beer that was super memorable. There were some very nice seasonal summer beers with a nice balance of crisp and hops without being over powering. All in all, I can't imagine ever giving a brewery less than 4 stars... a cold local beer is a good beer!
(4)Carson H.
Happy Hour +(2)third party + my girlfriend +our dog =happiness!!! Food is cool., kinda wish they had a rotating food truck or something though! Happy birthday guys!
(4)Monique M.
Great atmosphere and patio. The beer garden is definitely worth the trip here. Pros: the south side IPA, dog friendly patio, and food available. Cons: the entire organization of food delivery. You get a number for your order but have to watch a table for a physical sign of your number. This is hard to see especially at night unless you are directly in front of that table on the far right. Not sure why a BBQ platter take 20 minutes to prepare. Also flights of beer are not allowed to be ordered outside, which is a bummer. It was great to have food but I wish there was a better way to know when it's ready. But will go again.
(4)Austen G.
One of the best outdoor beer gardens I've seen! Grab one of their fantastic beers and order some BBQ. You can't go wrong. Dogs are welcome, though it can be packed on a popular night.
(4)Michelle B.
Anybody who knows me knows that I don't drink beer. When I walked in, the bartender knew that I don't drink beer. She intuitively knew this by looking at my face, so I proceeded to ask her, " do you have anything that's fruity". She was like," would you like some wine"? So I'm standing there like...I will not be defeated. I told her to give me a beer. She gave me some citrusy beer, and I sat there and drank it like it didn't taste like poison. I'm sure it is probably wonderful to a real beer drinker. I really like Denizens. I love the open air atmosphere and the cool vibe that you get when you arrive. I stayed away previously because I knew that they specialized in beer. As I sat there, I decided to order the sampler barbecue plate with greens and coleslaw to go. This turned out to be tasty when I got it home. Well anyway, I finished that bitter beer and walked my tipsy tail down the street...belching as I strolled along. 4 Stars!
(4)Dan H.
Great outdoor seating and outdoor beer service. Outdoor benches could be a little more stable. Very good beers with good selection. Prices are reasonable, food is OK. They serve this horrible tasting flavored iced tea, when they could easily brew some good tea or at least sell Lipton iced tea in the bottle. Gotta take better care of my designated driver!
(4)Erin S.
I love this bar! It's a great neighborhood bar with a wonderful vibe, especially during the summertime. Big Red Norm is a great beer to drink with BBQ. I also love many of their rotating drafts they've had this summer, especially the gose. The atmosphere outside is wonderful. The garden is open seating, and you order at the bar. There isn't table service outside, but the set up makes this pretty clear. It feels like one big block party! Dogs and families are welcome!
(5)Andrew M.
AWESOME barbeque! Went last night and got the small plates of bbq wings, pulled pork & chicken sliders, and bbq ribs! The three small plates were actually decent portions and shared nicely between two of us. Meats were moist, tender, and flavorful! The beer is good, though seems a tiny bit over-priced (?). I especially enjoyed their Tripel. Their quadrupel is quite sweet, but complex; a great slow-sipping seasonal beer. They had 'big red norman' on special for St. Patty's day... and it was ok, but was a shock (bitter) after the other beers. I'll definitely be back... bbq and a beer and I can't wait until the weather is nice enough to sit outside. Main downside is -- happy hour ends at 6. I can barely make it there before then. Not on happy hour... the beers feel expensive. Secondly, parking is a pain and the location is somewhat awkward seeming. Also, just a thought, but if they're going to give small pours of beer for certain types, would be better to have the appropriate (small) size of glasses, rather than just half-filling the large glasses... and may want to make a note of it on the menu/board as to what size of beer you are actually ordering.
(4)Jean Ann F.
Having just relocated to the DMV from the Hop Highway (Carlsbad,CA), my husband and I are on a journey for good beer. We stumbled into this place and found great beers plus an awesome Southern menu! This place has great BBQ, cornbread and well...you guessed it-BEER!
(4)Mike B.
There's one more huge reason that Bethesda has to be jealous of Silver Spring. Entrez Vous Denizens Brewing Co. There is really one word to describe Denizens, and that's community. Run by community residents, founded by community, laws pushed through by community support. This place is special. I luckily had a chance to visit the Brewery a day after it opened for a networking happy hour. Everyone has been SO excited about it opening. Let me tell you, the Bier Garten ( or however you want to spell it) is larger than you think. You can't see more than half of it from the road when your driving by.. especially headed towards Georgia on East West. I got a taste of the beer and it was very tasty. Very fresh tasting. So, this place is just filled with small world instances. 1. Take a look at the bar stools on the first floor. Those are from Peg Leg Vintage: yelp.com/biz/peg-leg-vin… . Krisi and Chad met Emily (one of the owners) when she just happened upon the sore. The bottoms are cast iron. Yeah... they are heavy as all get up. 2. I bumped into an old co worker of mine who was enjoying a late night brew there. Hey JANEL! 3. I ran into Reemberto! Unofficial mayor of Silver Spring! 4. The list goes on. Go enjoy the multiple different types of seating in the garden on a nice night, the people that work there are super friendly, and they are soon to get the BBQ bus in the kitchen to do their food. Can't wait. Many nights will be enjoyed at Denizens... trust.
(5)Ihita K.
As someone who's lived in DTSS for nearly a decade (geez, time flies!), I've seen quite a few business come into the space and subsequently also seen them fail (I'm looking at you Gallery, Babe's, and Fajita Coast!). Of all of them though, Denizens is my favorite and I really hope it is successful and here to stay. Denizens is all about community - it is meant to be a neighborhood gem that is owned by locals. The prices are reasonable, with a variety of craft brews to choose from, as well as a bbq truck with munchies. I haven't tried the bbq yet (I'm not a huge fan of bbq - yes, blasphemous, I know) but can attest to the bevvies being yummy and the service being on point. The space itself is sprawling - there's the outside patio, upstairs lounge, and the downstairs sports bar with additional seating. So if biergartens are your thing, bring all your friends, a grab a table under an umbrella or bask in the sunshine (spring, you're out there, right?), kick up your feet, and be prepared to have a good time.
(3)Cullen E.
We were in the DC area and decided to check this place out. We ended up sitting in the downstairs area, which has its own bar and table seating. We had very friendly staff that seemed very knowledgeable on their beer selection. We chose to get a flight of all their beers and were not disappointed. Food was also great!
(5)Christie W.
Um this place equals pure = AWESOMENESS!! and yes that's a word and yes I started a sentence with "and"! Anyways, what more could you ask for on a lovely Summer (Spring, yes I know) evening? Beer Garden. #yesplease Awesome craft brews enough said. Need I mention the amazing bbq? Yup. Dare I mention you can bring your effin dog!? Yup. Do I need to add on the DJ and the awesome music? Yup. Do yourself a favor and visit you can thank me later!
(5)Andrew J.
Beer is alright but they charge you a gratuity and then try to trick you into tipping on top of that.
(3)Nikkia G.
This place has it all. I went for a late night stroll on Friday night and ended up at this place for a night cap. I opted for the patio since its October and I won't be sitting outdoors for much longer this year. I was pleasantly surprised with the music selection- Biggie, Bone Thugs and Harmony, Ice Cube- I thought dang, this place has some unexpected flavor. Highlights : 1) Walking distance from the house in downtown Silver Spring 2) Good beers 3) Good wine 4) Outdoor seating (w/heat lamps for fall temps) 5) Good bbq 6) Friendly staff 7) Spacious- indoors or outdoors there's plenty of room and you don't feel like you're squeezing into a closet to have a drink GREAT addition to the neighborhood
(4)Christina M.
Denizens is a fantastic space, sorely needed in Silver Spring, with good people and a great vibe. With that said, I'm not sure they've settled into a good pace yet - and it almost feels like they're trying to be too many things at once. The beer selection is good, though the sour beers seem to really be a house specialty. The rotating seasonal beers ensure there's always something new (and hilariously named) on tap to try, and they're pretty good about making sure you find something you like before you place a full order. The food is also pretty solid, though there isn't a huge selection, particularly for the vegetarian set. The happy hour specials aren't amazing, but that's to be expected of a relatively young place. The staff is also awesome, happy to chat and explain the beers, the food, and answer any questions you have. I'd say the biggest draw is the large beirgarten, which has music, games, and other frequent events. The biggest downside is that it seems like there's always just a little too much going on at once (games, sports, music, and trivia - at the same time!), and it taxes the staff.
(3)William R.
I called up a local friend and she told me to meet her here as she had heard about this place but haven't been yet so this was a perfect opportunity to check it out. This is a smaller place but has multiple levels and what looks to be an awesome outside seating area. Parking was horrific as I am not for the area. Bring quarters and part in the lot down the street (parking is free after 7pm M-F). I followed the sign for the brewery parking and it took me right there. The beer menu was slightly outdated but that's to be expected as kegs kill. I had the Belgian Quad which was pretty tasty. I would love to try other beers if I can get back there. You can order food from BBQ Bus and as I stated in my review of that place... DAMN!!! If you haven't been here, you gotta try it out.
(4)Tami B.
I got a picnic plate. The baby back ribs were good. The sides (slaw, mashed potatoes) were good but small portions for the price. The cornbread was sweet (prefer it not sweet) and my friend's corn was also too sweet and had a taste like cinnamon. The beer was good! The outside patio seating makes the evening seem festive.
(3)Maureen Y.
Denizens has a good selection of craft beers, all with distinct flavor profiles. The prizes are very reasonable ($6.50/pint) during regular hours and $5 during happy hour. I haven't personally been to any of their events at the brewery, but they seem to have a good variety of social events. I took off one star, because their service is hit or miss there. I have been there at times when I have had great servers, and other times where their servers are only semi attentive, and other times servers were completely absent minded. For example, I went there last night, which was my fourth or fifth time there, and the waitress completely forgot my bf's beer until he mentioned it to her after about 10-15 min waiting after she brought mine and our dinner. This was after an extensive discussion about the type of beer he was looking for and having tried samplers and deciding on one, so it's hard to understand how she completely forgot.
(4)E B.
I've been here many times and always loved it, but I particularly want to write this review about the rehearsal dinner we had here two Fridays ago: We hosted our 30-person rehearsal dinner for our wedding in the downstairs of Denizens and it was absolutely perfect! I couldn't believe that Taylor (one of the owners of the bar) and Che (one of the owners of the BBQ bus) were there for the entire event making sure things went as planned and that we had everything we needed! The food (we did a buffet) was amazing, and we received word that the bourbon cheesecake was the best cheesecake some of our guests had ever had! The beer (as always) was fabulous, and Taylor passed around trays of samplers so that guests could try out a bunch of the different beers. It was the ideal fun, affordable, unique venue, and we could not have asked for a more enjoyable event!
(5)Libby F.
I've only been twice (once was day two, then the following week), and both times it was still BYOF[ood]. BBQ Bus was not on board yet. That was fine by us. We had hummus and crackers on their patio, or Biergarten as it may be called. My friend had the IPA, and I had the Lowest Lord Extra Special Bitter. (I had to put my review on draft while I looked up that name!). It reminded me of the beers I drank while teaching in England. I'm not a true beer aficionado, so I can't ramble on about the nuisances of the hops or malt features. All I can say is "I liked it." What I really liked was sitting outside, and discovering that they are dog friendly! I wish my little one was more social and wouldn't beg me to take her home, or we'd be here all the time. Heck, I could walk the 1.5 miles here when the weather and humidity dies down. I just hope this place survives this location. The other three places I recall being here weren't so lucky. It's a half mile walk from Metro. Don't park in the Veridan Apartment garage as it has 24 hour fees (I believe) at $2.00/hr. Park in the public garage next to the Bennington Apartments. There it is just a buck an hour and free after seven/weekends.
(5)Anteneh T.
First, the lady who waited on our table asked me to give her my credit card to keep an open tab when she took our orders. I found it odd & I didn't see her do that with the neighboring tables :( We had the pilsner after we tasted few others. The beer was ok. We had the barbecue sampler with the beer, it was just ok. The place looks nice and simplicitic. Nothing fancy. I am not that enthusiastic to go back, but wouldn't mind going either.
(3)Dustin G.
First let me say we have been here many times and I really really want to like and support these guys because i love local microbrews and am obsessed with bbq...but... This is mediocre overpriced BBQ in an uncomfortable self serve beer garden with too many rules. Pulled pork is decent but ribs and brisket are wildly inconsistent. Fried pickles are a southern favorite but done an injustice here by too-thick breading that falls off in clumps when bitten. Beer has gotten much better and much more consistent since they opened but are still heavy handed flavor-wise and often suffer from cloyingly sweet aftertastes. Bottom line: almost good, but disappointing when the bill comes...
(2)Simon B.
Brilliant night out. This place has been open a while but we've never quite made it there until now. It turned out to be a real treat. They have 2 seating areas, a main open space and an upstairs cozier area. We sat upstairs by the bar there and had a great time. The drinks were excellent and there are several to choose from. Service was excellent and most importantly on a Saturday night we had space, we could hear ourselves talk and there was a good vibe as it was busy. A perfect place to go on Saturday. We'll be back more often.
(5)C P.
Denizens was a let down. I expected more. I have frequented the BBQ Bus and think very highly of them. Hence I was very open to finally visiting Denizens. The issue we had was with what the online menu said was there, and what the actual menu says is there. I ordered the smoked mozzarella quesadilla, only to be told that on the menu in the restaurant it is actually smoked provolone. Some people may say 'cheese is cheese'. This is not true. You should not advertise one type of cheese and then pull a bait and switch once the customer is there. Does it really take that much effort to update your online menu? My wife then wanted to order meat by the pound. Which again, is on the online menu. The person taking our order outside had to call in the floor manager because he did not know how to input that. She then explained that we could only order meat by the pound inside. Which made no sense because the food is brought from the inside to the outside where we wanted to sit. A big deal was made of how they could start and keep a tab in whichever part of the restaurant we wanted. But apparently the food distribution is limited. While any other dish can be brought outside, meat by the pound can not. That makes no sense. So instead we had to order two side plates of pulled pork (which if we weighed it probably would have been close to half a pound). Insult to injury I specified with my quesadilla (I went ahead and ordered it because we were trying to make a movie) pickled jalapenos on the side, and they never came. Not even inside the quesadilla. I think the service has issues and the emphasis would seem to be to charge you but not really serve you. The bus does excellent service but I had higher expectations for the restaurant. They were not met. Total let down.
(2)kevin c.
A great outdoor space. Much needed in Silver Spring. The BBQ Bus does the food for them and it is very good. I really like the pork, but have had the brisket and chicken and they are good as well. Sides are well made too. A little small though. Beer is good and selection is nice. Denizens makes several good beers and has fresh selections often. Service is good and friendly.
(4)Evan P.
Yet another hidden gem in downtown Silver Spring. Admittedly, I do not venture out of the District often enough, but Denizens drew me out. It's a quick 5 minute walk from the Silver Spring stop and certainly has a lot to offer. The food was fantastic - I really enjoyed the BBQ brisket and the sauces for the food were all fantastic. I sampled both their beers and especially enjoyed the IPA. They also have several other local microbrews. The biergarten is a great place to lounge - spacious, with picnic tables, cornhole, and a great crowd of people. They had a dj playing some 90s favorites (many I had not heard for years and definitely appreciated) and a live band. Our servers - Ramona and Fiona - were both extremely friendly, fun, and despite it being busy, they were on point providing waters, food, and offering some excellent recommendations. Inside they have a decent space for sitting and lounging. They could use a few more tvs for football season (apparently the tvs are coming) and they will be opening a downstairs area soon. I'm looking forward to coming back and checking this place out. It's already a great spot and keeps looking to improve.
(5)Andrew C.
This place made my heart glad and my waistline sad. Sadly I didn't come home in time for the temperature outdoors to allow patio seating. I guess the place will seem more spacious. Denizens has a cool ambiance. It was a little packed inside the couple times I've been, but I managed to find a spot both times. Their operation had six or seven brews on tap, all delicious. American and Belgian IPA's, the stout and even the boozy pumpkin ale were great, and that last one thankfully didn't come with the sugar-frosted rim business. These all had fantastic balance, and they seem to turn over taps pretty quickly here so in spite of the smallish brew selection, you'll see new things pretty regularly from them. Food was pretty good too. I haven't explored beyond ribs and bratwurst, but it all looked rock solid from what I could gather. My favorite thing about the place, though, is the bartenders, companionable and prompt each time I've been, always up for a good chat. This, and the live music. Good going, Silver Spring, seriously. This place can definitely hold its own with DC Brau or Right Proper and I'd rather make a simple trip down East-West than try and find parking in DC. I'm excited to see how this place matures.
(4)Brian S.
Do you like drinking outdoors? Do you like delicious, reasonably priced food? Well then Denizen's is a place you should walk/bike/metro/drive to. Tried 4 of their beers and enjoyed them all, especially the ESB (I like craft beer but I'm not beer snob). They have also have lots of other local beers on tap. The BBQ was solid. Decent portions and reasonably priced. On a busy Saturday night the staff was attentive. The atmosphere in the beer garden was great. Families, older people, younger people, and dogs. I didn't go inside but I will certainly be back when drinking indoors is a necessity.
(5)Lauren Y.
I've been here twice and twice it was ok. Came during the cool summer nights and sat in a shared table with other local folks. Beer selection is good. The BBQ truck is okay. The only thing is that the staff were super overwhelmed. Once they came to give us water we ordered as fast as we could because we knew it would take them another 15 min to return. One a recent visit on a Friday night, we met up with some people who were already getting their drink on. The group turned from 6 to 12 so the waitress suggested we go downstairs. And down the stairs we went where others were enjoying their drink. We went straight to the tables towards the back and as I pulled out the chair, the manager comes out and tells us this area is closed. We told him that the lady upstairs told us to come down and he said she must have made a mistake. He didn't say sorry because I guess it wasn't his fault but I thought he could've been a little nicer about it. We went back upstairs and sat back down where we just were and the lady was surprised we were back. Um, the mAnager shoo'd is back up here. After moving up and down, I finally got my beer. It was good but I just wish I could've just ordered and enjoy it the first time. Will I return? Certainly. Maybe at a more obscure hour and with a smaller group.
(3)Abraham S.
This place is what other breweries should aspire to be. The beer, the only real thing to judge a brew-pub by I guess is superb. While I'm no beer expert, I've had three of their beers that were among the best I've ever had. Their Pumpkin Porter is a beer I will proudly admit is either one of the, but more likely the best beer I've ever had. A good beer is wasted if you can't share it with friends, and Denizens provides some amazing space. Small and intimate, if the weather is anything other than very cold or rainy, being outside will make your day. Under the umbrellas, next to where you can play a very Maryland game of corn hole, is the perfect place to spend some time with friends. When it's a beautiful day outside, it's impossible to not enjoy their patio. Their service has to be mentioned as well, since so often you can have a great product ruined by poor service. The staff at Denizens understands this and provides incredible service. You never have to wait long to order a round, even when it's busy. Yet I never once felt like they were interrupting a conversation. Finally, it's located just minutes walking from the Metro, and just minutes from downtown Silver Spring. I love being able to meet friends their for a planned happy hour or one that's spur of the moment. I will share one tip: Go when they open on a beautiful day, enjoy a beer while working on your laptop. I did this more than once and look forward to the spring to do it even more. I go whenever I can, I'm sure this puts me in the majority of opinions.
(5)Michael F.
Overall the place is okay, but improvement in the service area is needed. The Pros: - Big area for large groups - Proper food truck BBQ food - Nice locally sourced brews The Cons: - Poor service (incompetent food carriers not knowing which tables the ordered items go to; our table was asked over 6 times for things that weren't ours) The Food: - Fried Pickles: These were great. This was great pub food to accompany the beer. - Pulled Pork Tacos: The pork was tender but was a little over sauced. Overall, the tacos would have best with less sauce and a corn or wheat tortilla instead of flour.
(3)Jenn B.
I'm so happy that it is starting to warm up so I can spend all my evenings outside on Denizens huge patio. They have tons of seating outside including big top tables for 8-10 and smaller tables for 2 and 4. They are still finishing up some work on the outside bar, but I've been told it will be up and going for the summer. In terms of food and beverages, the beer selection is good. Though I would be happier paying $5 or $6 a beer instead of $7 or $8. It's worth it though for the outside patio and delicious bbq. I've enjoyed every beer I've tried, and the staff is always friendly and helpful. I love this place, and I've gotten most of my friends in thenarea obsessed with it as well
(5)Katie M.
My friends and I had the worst experience here. We went on a Friday night around 8 and sat on the patio. It (surprisingly) wasn't very crowded and were able to snag a table right away. We sat for 25 minutes before someone came over and asked if we had been waited on - we told him no - and he said "OK let me get someone"...15 minutes later someone finally takes our beer orders. I kid you not - we were at denizens for a full 60 minutes before we received our beers. During the wait, we stopped a waitress and asked if everything was OK with our order - she told us "yea everything is fine - the beers just take awhile to come out" ---- WHAT BAR TAKES 60 MINUTES TO BRING YOU A BEER?!?!? We really wanted to like denizens but everything about the experience was terrible. The servers were rude, unhelpful and snobby. Don't waste your time on this place.
(1)Kevin A.
The outdoor patio is great, and the food is better than the norm at a pub. However, I think the beer is only okay, and it's overpriced. I picked up a growler there last weekend, and it was $24, including tax. I brought my own growler, and I didn't order an exotic, expensive beer, just the red ale. A growler in the $20s is a surprise to me, unless it's a special beer.
(3)Jessica P.
Manager contacted me about the pint and made good on their offer. Yet another reason why you need to try this place out, amazing customer service!
(5)Brittany B.
Phenomenal place. The beer is great and there are options for everyone, the food (bbq) is amazing. The best part, though, is the seating. There's tons of outdoor seating that can accommodate groups and inside seating as well. Just a great place.
(5)Brian G.
Welcome to the neighborhood. Great beer, dog friendly. BBQ is good. The wheat beer is great. However, you desperately need to offer beer snacks. You're running a beer garden - you should offer free salty snacks or authentic pretzels for sale. Also, consider adding brats or sausages to your menu. BBQ will not sustain your business through the winter when your customers will want to move in doors.
(4)Jason R.
Notice that I went BEFORE they had a regular food option. In nice weather this place will be fantastic, but the limited indoor seating might make it tight fit come February, especially if the beer continues to be this good. It is great and the flight of several beers is a great way to sample several, get a nice little buzz, and be happy.
(4)Li D.
Went to Denizens on Sunday, with family friends, and we had a great time. We arrived few minutes before the bar opened, and a very friendly waitress invited us to sit on the picnic tables outside the restaurant. She was wiping the picnic tables, and getting the restaurant ready to open, but said we could have a seat until they opened. (They have a HUGE outdoor space, but more on that later). When the restaurant opened, we ordered our beers and food. I originally ordered the pilsner, but didn't like the flavor. I then tried the . . . [I don't remember its name, but it was similar to a Flemish sour ale. It had a very slight pickle-y flavor.] It was WONDERFUL! I'm not a beer connoisseur, so I'm sure more sophisticated beer palates can speak to the ale's nuances. Suffice to say that I really enjoyed the ale. The bartender was incredibly friendly and patient. We also ordered food. I ordered a bunch of sides, while everyone else ordered burgers. Everyone liked their burgers. I had the chips with barbecue sauce and the roasted corn (thankfully they take it off the cob). Both were okay (not great . . . just okay). I thought the chips were a bit pricey for the portion size, but it wasn't egregious. I wish they would improve the food - if they did, I would have no hesitation in giving them 4 stars. As it is, Denizens can best be described as a great bar that offers food, rather than a great restaurant that has great beers. [Partner and I are more restaurant-types, than bar-types.] We live within walking distance of the bar, and as so many other Yelp reviewers have stated, we are happy that this space is being used again. Not only used again, but we hope Denizens will thrive! There have been so many different restaurants in this space, and none seemed to last very long. We walked past on a Friday night, and it was packed, which is very nice to see. We will definitely be going back, especially when it gets warmer. They have a large outdoor space, with rows of picnic tables, and an indoor seating area (which is considerably smaller).
(3)Sweet B.
It's a great space and the beer is good, but when I heard that the stein I had just ordered was $11.99, I was one-and-done with this place.
(3)AJ F.
The local Hash group ended trail and had their celebratory "On After" at this place. We missed the trail but couldn't pass up a chance to meet some Hashers at Denizens since it was so close to the hotel we are staying at until our stuff arrives. Great place! We got the Malty beer flight and pinpointed a couple delicious brews. We followed up with full pints of course. I thought the Russian Imperial Stout was great. It had a very slight sweet undertone and it went very well with our pulled pork and beef brisket dinner. The food was way better than any brewery I've eaten at. The staff was extremely friendly. And seriously, cleanest restrooms I've ever seen in a brewery, complete with a photo of Erik "Ponch" Estrada in a bath towel near the sink. We will be back for growlers and grub soon for sure.
(4)EJ K.
Amazing food and atmosphere! The beer garden is fun and lively - and everyone is so friendly!
(5)Thomas M.
Have been here several times now and feel I can honestly say that this place is now one of my favorite places in Downtown Silver Spring. The biergarten is almost as huge a draw for me as the beer itself, which is excellent. What makes this place special is the way the patio becomes a community gathering spot. The last time we were there, we had conversations with several people we'd never met before as well as the owners who are about the friendliest people you're ever going to meet. The beers they have that they brew themselves currently are the Southside IPA and the Lowest Lord ESB, both of which are excellent. I'm not sure if they were brewing on the premises yet but if they aren't yet, they will be very soon. Either way, it's great beer. Another attraction for me with this place is that they've partnered with the BBQ Bus which will bring something back to Silver Spring we've been missing for years: Ribs! I actually haven't had their food yet, but that's only because the times I've been to Denizens, they've had other food trucks such as CapMac and the Fish Taco truck. How could I pass that up? I expect I'll be there for the BBQ pretty soon. I look forward to seeing this place thrive, and am glad to have it as part of my home.
(5)Jim C.
The long-awaited update! (Well, maybe only I felt the pressing need to update. But, I do because I really want Denizens to succeed in a big way.) So, let's get down to it. Based on my conversations with bartenders and servers, the issue with excessively long wait times between ordering food and receiving food has been resolved. Whatever BBQ Bus is doing now, it is the way to do it. Total elapsed time between our orders (two BBQ sampler plates) was 15 minutes with an appetizer order of potato chips coming arrving just a few minutes after the order was placed. Well done BBQ Bus kitchen staff! I'll state plainly that BBQ Bus food is decent 'Q. It's not in the DMV's Top 10, but it's serviceable. What is outstanding are Denizen's beers. Truly high quality, well made brews. Last night, it was the Born Bohemian Czech-style pilsner and the Big Red Norm American red ale. Simply awesome. Service at the bar was welcoming and warm. I can't wait for the warm weather and beer garden drinking!
(4)Clifton B.
I've been here several times, and the beer and barbecue are great. What is not so great is the service. Most times I've been there, service has been very, very slow. The last time I was there is what prompted me to finally write this review. After arriving, I tried to order a drink from the bar and was told to get a table where someone would attend me. 15 minutes later, the bartender came up, apologized, and got my drink order. My friend arrived and he too waited a while for beer. When we ordered food and a second round, the food arrived, but no beer. When we finally were able to flag down the waitress, she had forgotten to put the beer order in! When time came to cash out, they had mixed up our orders. I think they definitely need to hire more servers and either train them better or rethink procedures or something!
(2)Carrie A.
I want to love this place, the beers are great, the bbq is good and they allow dogs! What's awful is there are NO SERVERS! If you want a drink or food you have to order it inside and wait in an insanely long line for one of the two "bartenders" to take your order while one guy pours beers on the side. Your food is outside where you have to hand someone your number and wait, nobody will bring it to you. If you want water you can help yourself to a red solo cup and a big orange cooler of cool water. If they hired servers i would be there once a week but it's too much work if you want to have a relaxing evening in the beer garden. I don't know if I'll be back here which is a real shame considering its walking distance.
(1)Heike Y.
What a great change to the old location! We met some friends at the beer garden, a lovely out door space in between Georgia and East West Highway - a little oasis. Our server was super friendly and read the beer menu twice to me, as I was a little overwhelmed with all the yummy micro brew choices. He asked what kind of beer I liked in general and the choice he recommended was perfect. The BBQ was delicious as well: meat tender, yummy sauces, nice little side dishes, portions just about right. Services was fast and friendly through out. The waiter told us they have enough room during the winter inside and will be able to enjoy Denizens during the winter as well. We will be back and I hope they continue to grow their business. Well done Denizens!
(4)Pablo G.
The wife and I have been looking for a place like this in the DC area for years. The beer is excellent. We had a few Southside Rye IPAs and loved it. Also enjoyed samplers of their double IPA and some stout. Loved the small plate menu, the baby backs, bacon mashed potatoes, and fries were awesome. The sauces are quite good and enough variety to satisfy whatever bbq style you prefer (Memphis, KC, NC). Not cheap, but not too expensive either. The wait staff were friendly and attentive. This place is definitely now in the regular rotation.
(5)Michelle Q.
The brewery has a nice indoor bar if you are looking for low light and AC, and communal 'Biergarten' style tables outside if you are looking for some dog and kid friendly vitamin D. Requisite food trucks on the weekend. Definitely has potential, however only one style of Denizen's beer on tap while we were there. (There will probably be more with time...) Some sort of live music wouldn't be unwelcome, either (maybe next time we'll bring a Bluetooth speaker). Street parking is a bit of a bear, though that's not Denizen's fault. Paid garage parking is plentiful and in the same block.
(4)Alexandra K.
Played trivia here with some friends after dinner at Scion. The trivia was fun, competitive and challenging. The atmosphere was just right. We also each sampled some pumpkin cheesecake. Didn't need it, but it was totally worth it after a light dinner. The presentation was cute, and the pricing totally fair.
(5)Bryony B.
I'm so excited that they have opened in Silver Spring. Their location is awesome and the outside bieer garden is really cool for hanging out The fact that they have partnered with BBQ Bus was a great idea. The pulled pork sliders are delish and though I'm not normally a coleslaw fan, I really like their version - kind of pickled vinegar and fresh. Normally I would even say I'm not a fan of pickling much, but they did it well! It's also awesome they offer more than beer for those who don't drink (my hubby). We both love that they have MaineRoot Organic sodas and a few kinds of sweet teas - mmmmm. Denizens, I hope you stay around for a long time to come! We weill certainly be visiting you again.
(5)Chi Z.
Ambiance alone gets 4 stars. BBQ was a nice surprise too. Pulled pork and brisket were our favorites but everything on menu is solid....and yes, we've had everything. The menu is simple but perfect. Tribe Called Quest playing multiple Friday nights is always a plus too.
(4)Dan S.
Im giving this place 3 stars because of the potential this place has. My experience on friday 8/8/14 was mediocre at best. Facility: The outside patio was really nice. The option of corn-hole on one side and a bar on the other. (by bar, I mean a place where drinks are poured for the wait staff to pick up only) The inside was very nicely lit and seemed very chill. Whether you want quiet and low key or a biergarten atmosphere they nailed this IMO. Service: Hmmmmm, Well this one is tricky. This day happened to be the first friday where their kitchen was fully functional. So I think the underestimated the turnout that they had. It was slow. Like really slow. It took 15 minutes for our waiter to come to our table. Another 15 minutes for him to bring us our beers. Once we ordered our food that came super quick though. Checking up on our table didnt happen during our meal. And it took us a couple times asking to get some water. I really have to pin this on the management. They were seriously understaffed. Food: The flavors were amazing in the BBQ that we ordered. However, it was cold, despite getting it quickly. The corn was over cooked. And we asked for mashed potatoes only to be told they were out. Well the party to our left, that ordered after us, got mashed potatoes. I asked for a manager to share my experience and the owner, I think her name was Lauren seemed to take everything on board and got the kitchen manager to talk to me. He seemed very receptive as well and offered a discount or free dessert. I will go back because as I said, it really does have potential.
(3)Jessica C.
This place is awesome and such a treat to have in silver spring. Love the dog friendly patio. The bbq is on point and the beer is tasty as well. Service is always great.
(5)Nathan F.
The good: the food was pretty solid and reasonably priced. I got the jalapeno pulled chicken, very solid sandwich. Their pilsner was top notch, one of the better versions of an oft forgotten style in this craft beer craze. The mediocre: the service. Our primary waitress was very nice and responsive, but the others that circulated around were awkward and non-personable. The bad: the patio which has received many rave reviews was not open, though not sure on what account. It wasn't raining, nor was it supposed to. It was chilly out, but I presume that's what the army of space heaters was out there for. Seems to me like a lack of effort on a Saturday night and pretty disappointing. That being said, the inner bar layout is pretty terrible. A completely disjointed space that doesn't make any sense. Beer lovers beware: Their other beers are pretty underwhelming. The IPA lacks body and feels like they've missed the boat on hop strategy. The trippel really needs bottle conditioning to be effective. The pumpkin porter was really over spiced and seemed like they were trying too hard. Bottom line = good food, but a lot of work to be done in terms of beer, service, and ambiance. I might be pretty tough on this review but I expect more from a meal and 3 beers that cost 50 dollars.
(2)Rich G.
A welcome addition to Silver Spring! My wife and I had beer and dinner there on a recent Tuesday evening. It wasn't very crowded and the downstairs was closed, so I didn't really get the full experience. But the service was friendly and prompt, food was good and the beer was great. They have these sampler trays (flights) that let you taste five beers. After sampling I had the Russian stout and it was good, but served in a brandy-style glass, which I hate. Prices were OK, but some of the beers are 8 oz. pours so maybe not such a good deal. But I think the smaller glasses are a welcome change for people who don't want full pints. Actually, there was a time in this country when the 8 oz. beer glass was standard. But I digress - I highly recommend Denizens and will be a regular. BTW - I had the BBQ beef brisket with collard greens and corn. Loved it.
(5)Eric J.
Nice cosy little spot in Silver Spring! Too bad the large outdoor seating can't be used in a little bit of rain or cold. maybe a large overhead sheet could be used with fire pits standing around when it gets chilly.
(4)Ling W.
This place is way bigger and nicer than you might expect, given the area and given the other reviews. There's a large outdoor patio, plenty of indoor seating, and more indoor seating downstairs (where the brewing happens) that they plan on opening soon. They server several of their own beers as well as other East Coast craft beers. Food was delicious, and they they make their own sauces! We had the chili (vegetarian), cole slaw, and baked beans (vegetarian) -- a perfect meal for two.
(5)Michael S.
Great beer. A bit pricey (but not outrageous), but it's well worth the cost. The BBQ is fantastic too. Definitely worth a visit!
(5)Justin M.
Full disclosure, I am in the business I don't know any owners here but my bias will always be in favor of a restaurant/bar. I don't give five stars just because nothing is perfect. Anyway, my wife and I met another couple there on the spur of the moment on one of the nicest Saturday nights all summer. We arrived at the height of a huge rush, it was super busy. The beer garden is a terrific setting and it is so nice to have this in Silver Spring. The beer was excellent, I tried the trippel and a pils I also tasted my wife's saison (there were two, I forget which one) service was very good given the fact that they were slammed. Parking is super easy and free in the county lot about two blocks away. Street parking is available but slim pickings and I think you have to pay the meter on the weekends. Wide range of people there from twenty something hipsters to 50ish couples like us. Dog friendly which is good in my book but some folks might not like that. It is not just a neighborhood hangout. It is worth driving here from anywhere in the DC area.
(4)Hannah M.
Denizen's is great! The patio is really pleasant when the weather is nice. They have a good beer selection and I've had 3 or 4 of their IPAs and been impressed by all. The BBQ is quite good, too. The pulled pork and pulled chicken are both delicious and I'd order them again. Though it's a brewery, I've seen families too as there are games and good food on the patio.
(5)Michael S.
Very interesting place....I will say it is a weird layout on the main floor-and there are footstools to sit on? um, tripping hazard and not very comfortable for any period of time-esp if you are over 5 feet tall-high top tables would have been a much nicer choice. The beer was pretty good-better than that. Happy hour is over at 6pm? The BBQ was, ah, OK. I wish the portions were bigger yes, small-even the inexpensive to produce mashed potatoes and fries-and perhaps a bit cheaper for what you actually get. \ The staff was fine-Jack did a good job patrolling the dining area servicing the tables. The parking is less than convenient but shouldn't be a deterrent (it's a block away)... The outdoor area looks awesome-can't wait for spring, it's GOT to be a great local hang out! Will try again in the spring and report back! (or earlier of they call me back regarding my previously emailed party and tour request)
(3)Ali M.
Great place! Beers are delicious - and they will let you try different beers before ordering. Staff has always been friendly, flexible, and helpful. Parking garage is one block away. When the weather picks up, the patio will be amazing. The BBQ pulled pork and fries (boardwalk fries!) are delicious. Happy hour runs from 4-6 with $1 off all apps and $5 beers. Will definitely be back. Great addition to Silver Spring!
(4)Angie R.
I've been three times since it has opened and it gets better and better each time. Their beers (an IPA and ESB) are great as well as the ones they have on guest taps. You can bring your own food or buy food from rotating food trucks. The atmosphere is great, friendly and very welcoming, and the staff is knowledgeable. What's not to like?!?
(5)Tatenay M.
We first got a taste of Denizens at the DC Craft beer festival, and after one sip of their amazing Shirtless Horseman Imperial Stout, we made plans to visit them post-haste, which is how they said "with a quickness" in Olden Times. And after a few sips of their other beers during our visit there, we were already planning our next visit, because this is a great place for anyone who likes beer, craft beer, barbecue, or joy in general. There's so much good stuff about Denizens that it's tough to know where to start. Probably the beer, right? It's fantastic - really crisp, clean, well balanced beers, and they've got a bunch of different styles, meaning there's something (okay, several things) for everyone on the malty/hoppy spectrum. Everything we tried was great, but we especially loved the Junk in the Dunk dunkel, the Ponch's Patch pumpkin porter (as good as any pumpkin beer we've had, and we can't wait to try their regular porter), the aforementioned imperial stout (quite possibly the best imperial stout I've ever had, and I love/drink a lot of that style), and their wonderful Third Party Belgian-style Tripel (which we got a growler of, as it's delicious). Really, you can't go wrong here. And their upcoming beers, including a sour saison, sound similarly fantastic, so you might as well plan on being back a lot. They will fill growlers you already have, or you can buy one here. The prices to fill a growler (which vary depending on the beer you want) are a little higher than they are for some area breweries, but they're still quite reasonable, especially given how good these beers are. Denizens is also really well designed, with a really big, great outdoor beer garden area that has a relaxed, neighborhoody feel, and a nicely designed, spacious interior area with a bar (duh) and a bunch of small tables. It's also just a few blocks from the Silver Spring Metro, which is a huge plus for any place serving great drinks. Every single person working there was incredibly nice, approachable, and friendly, too. Taylor remembered us from the festival, and couldn't have been nicer, coming over to talk with us throughout the afternoon. We took a tour of the brewery with Tim, which was easily the best, most interesting brewery tour we've been on (and we go on a lot), and he was super knowledgeable and personable. The head brewer, Jeff, poured us a sample and answered a few questions we had, which was great, and the tour ended with a tasting of four of their beers at a reserved table, with Tim sitting and talking with us about the making of/ingredients in each beer. The tour is definitely worth doing - they offer them on Saturday and Sunday, and you can book them online. Finally, they also have a food truck there (BBQ bus) that serves some delicious BBQ, including several vegetarian options, like a veggie chili (that's delicious) and a falafel burger, as well as a bunch of vegetarian sides, which is wonderful (and much appreciated). For non-vegetarians, the ribs are crazy good, and when I went to pick them up via the bone, the meat fell right off, which is ideal. They even make their own sauces, and they're all delicious, as we learned from frequent sampling, er, research. This is a wonderful addition to both Silver Spring, Montgomery County, and the local craft beer scene, and we'll be back very soon!
(5)Robert B.
The new food/drink system for the beergarden is absurdly awful. There's no wait staff - kind of. You have to go inside to place a food or drink order at the bar. For beer, you then stand there and wait for the bartender to pour. Effectively, you have to spend 5 minutes standing there waiting to place an order and then pick up your beer, every single time you want a drink. We had a table of 8 people and we each were constantly getting up and disappearing for chunks of time (~40 trips total, 200 minutes wasted; beyond inefficient) - it's a huge pain in the ass that makes no sense and completely messes up actually, you know, trying to spend dinner with each other. For food, it's even more of a clusterfudge. You go in and order from the bartender, then they give you a number. When the food's ready, they bring it outside to a staff table off to the side of the beergarden. Then you're expected to realize your food is sitting at said table. Then you go to the table to pick up your food and bring it back to your seat. It makes no sense and repeatedly resulted in people at our table eventually being told by a staff member that our food was sitting up front. Some of my group got cold food (from it just sitting up front for however long) and some of us repeatedly got up to check to see if the food was out yet (I checked 4 times before eventually guessing right that my food was ready). It's such a dumb system I can't even wrap my head around what the point of it is. If a staff member has to go around telling people their food is sitting up front then why the hell wouldn't they just bring the food to me? There's another staff member whose job is literally to stand next to the food table (presumably so people don't take food that isn't theirs) - why would said staff member not simply deliver the food instead of standing next to it??? What is the point of going so far out of the way to inconvenience me? This is all on top of the high prices - $6.50/$7 for a beer, with a junky happy hour that ends earlier than everywhere else in town (6pm). Overpriced, and you don't even get a server out of it. So disappointed in how this place is being run. Edit: I'm glad Denizens bothers reading all the facebook/yelp complaints about this issue. However, adding an outside bar doesn't do anything to address the issue of having a nonsensical self-serve model for food/drinks. Sad. If/when you return to a model that makes sense, please let us know. It pains me to give Denizens less than 4 stars, but not providing table service is just a terrible idea and beyond unacceptable, especially considering the high prices. The complaints and poor reviews are sure to continue. I'll be happy to update my review if the issue is ever fixed, but, unfortunately, I'm sure plenty of other 1 or 2 star reviews will simply remain.
(2)Brianne A.
I love this place! My roommates and I love going here after work. It's best when the weather is warm, but they do have warmers. The beer, the atmosphere, the waiters, the food.... everything is great! Can't really complain about anything.
(5)Catherine S.
So let me start by saying I am not a beer drinker however I am a fan of this place. I love the Cheers type feel of it. I like the BBQ, I like the wine (and apparently the beer is good). This location has seen many reincarnations and I do hope that this one sticks around (maybe hint hint, if more night life surrounded it ?). Shout out to the bartender. I usually don't discuss them because most of the time they are pretentious or can't be bothered. So whenever I encounter a bartender that is attentive and nice I like to call attention to them. I don't know the guys name, So we will call him "cute guy with brown hair and beard". He was interactive with the customers, smiled a lot and let me try the beers and wines out since I was being all finicky. Sometimes, above all else, service makes the difference of whether a place gets repeat customers. And for a non beer drinking gal like me, this place still gets my vote of joints I would return to.
(4)Mark F.
I live in Silver Spring, so I was excited to go here. I've been to it a few times and it keeps improving. Right now I like their Red Ale. I brought a few friends to it this weekend, and they were impressed. I will keep going and see what else they come up!
(4)Tianna S.
We love the atmosphere and delightful service at Denizens. The fried pickles are awesome and so is the pulled pork. We love having beers and laughs outside on the patio.
(4)Laura K.
Pros: I absolutely loved my quesedilla with pepperjack, pulled pork, and pickled jalapenos. The crinkle fries were super crispy and with seasoning (maybe Old Bay) and those were awesome too. I left full. There were no tables when we arrived but we told a host we wanted one, then waiting in the bar area with a stand up table, and we ended up being seated in a booth before our drinks arrived form the bar! The beers sounded amazing. They have a russian imperial right now. The table next to us took home 3 growlers. A sure sign the beer is good! Cons: dont order a soda. They hand you a can to drink out of and dont even provide a glass to pour it in. It's not a fountain drink so there are no refills either. Worst fried pickles I've ever had :( didn't taste like pickles at all. Just tasted like fried breading with no tang.
(4)Jenn S.
I had the great pleasure of visiting Denizens for the first time last night before catching a comedy show in downtown Silver Spring. Fabulous beer (shared at a table with one of the owners, no less!) and the best BBQ my husband and I have had in the area. We live in Falls Church and would come up to Silver Spring just to eat and chow at Denizens again...next time with our dog, Buffy along!
(5)Ish T.
Good brews. Good atmosphere. Outdoor terrace is awesome when it's warm out. Most importantly the people are very friendly. I'm not a big fan of their food but it's just my preference. They do live music, dj and trivia nights. Good crowd. Check it out.
(4)Emily V.
Although Denizens is super far away (from the District, ok?) I managed to make it out here for a friend's birthday party. Since it was particularly chilly that night the biergarten wasn't open which is a shame because it looks like it would a great place to hang out on nicer nights. Inside was nice, we sat downstairs. For my friend's birthday they let her reserve a number of tables so we had the whole corner to ourselves and they even let her bring in a birthday cake. The one server we had for the whole 20 person party never seemed frazzled and was great about splitting up tabs, etc. I didn't try the BBQ but my NC friends were very complimentary of it. There were also a lot of chips on the side. I tried a few of their lighter beers which I enjoyed though I'm not the biggest beer fan so i can't speak to them particularly well. Overall though, this was a very relaxed and laid back place with good prices and I will definitely want to venture back when the weather is nicer and I can try out the biergarten.
(4)Christine S.
Me and my party of 8 had the worst experience I have ever encountered at a restaurant. First the positive aspects: We were seated promptly even though we were expecting to wait with such a large party and the food was really good. Then it was all downhill from there with the service. Our waitress (I forget her name, but she has a pixie short haircut) was the absolute worst. She made us feel like she was annoyed the whole time by having to wait on such a large party. Wait? Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't it your job to serve people at a restaurant? Anyways, before we started to order we asked her if we could split the checks and she rudely told us we all would have to give her our forms of payment and hold onto them while we were at the restaurant. We all were taken aback by the thought of handing over our credit/debit cards during the duration of our stay there, but we complied. It got to the point where I didn't want to even ask her for anything because of her nasty attitude. I really hoped I would like it here since it is so close to where I live. Unfortunately, I don't think I will ever go back again.
(1)Catherine F.
our second trip to Denizen's and probably our last. Chalked up the subpar service the first go-round to the fact it had just opened but visited on a recent Saturday night, sat at the bar and was even more disappointed by the poor bar service. My husband and I typically prefer to sit at the bar when we go out as we usually get more attentive service but this was not the case at Denizen. Our drink glasses sat empty while our bartender would stare outside at the beer garden or focus time on restocking glasses. The kicker was when the bartender cleaned the beer overflow off another patron's glass with a dirty bar rag.
(2)Kathy S.
We were pleasantly surprised to find this place to grab a quick dinner before seeing a movie at the AFI theater. The service is a bit confusing, since you seat yourself outside and inside, but you have to order at the counter outside. The beer selection is excellent - both the double IPA and the Belgian Trippel were delicious. The BBQ is also pretty good -- not the best in the area, but it's quick and relatively cheap, so there's nothing to complain about.
(4)Tim C.
What a welcome addition to Silver Spring. Wonderful! The selection of draft beers is decent, along with their own two brews. The rye IPA and ESB are good examples of the styles they replicate. Very quaffable. The main downside is the extortion they charge for a growler-fill. $22. Insane. For comparison, local, award winning, Maryland breweries charge between $11 and $15 for a growler fill, depending on ABV. It is shocking and disgusting to see a local brewery charge twice what a medal winning brewery charges. Breweries only charge $15 to $18 for beers in the 9% to 15% ABV, as a standard. I hope that Denizens changes their growler fill prices. While I am willing to support local breweries that charge $6.50 for a draft, I can't see that their growler fill prices are sustainable or ethical. Perhaps after some GABF gold medals are hung on their walls I could stomach an $18 fill, or bump up the ABV in a batch to 12%. Until then, happy to raise a pint.
(2)Rachel G.
Love this place. Delicious brews and some nice food options. A great place to hang out and super close to the downtown Silver Spring/metro area.
(5)Molly B.
This is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon enjoying the weather. The biergarten provides lots of seating and is dog friendly, and the crowd was very diverse. We had the pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and the pulled chicken with mashed potatoes...highly recommend both. Food was great, beer was great, service was great and we will be back again. There is a charming ice cream place right around corner to try if you want dessert.
(5)Jessica J.
This place is amazing. It's been open a week and I've been twice. It's incredibly laid back and everyone is incredibly friendly. Right now their selections are kind of limited, but they promise that it's growing and I can't wait. Everything they have on tap right now, though, it awesome. Indoor seating is good, outdoor beer garden is amazing. The sense of community here is great. I can't wait to see what the future holds for Denizen's.
(5)