This place is LOCALS ONLY. The beer selection is great and I'm told so is the food. However, the staff is happy to help the personal next to you and behind you if they don't know you. I heard such hype about this place that after a 24hr fast this was to be my first food/drink in over 24hrs and there is nothing else for miles - yet I still left. Service was THAT bad. Go with a local, or don't go at all.
(1)
Bryan R.
Pizza and cold subs here are great, as is the selection of 100+ beers. Tried a cheese-steak last time and was underwhelmed - too dry and not much flavor in the meat. Bad thing about the beer - no tasting - you have to pay for a small glass.
(4)
Karen W.
Beer selection great. Fun idea. Service was rude. Hopefully it was just one person working there, but there are too many choices to go to for establishments to treat people rudely. Update-rudeness was not centralized to just one employee and the food got more terrible as the night went on. Isn't food supposed to get better as you drink more :/
(1)
Joe D.
I really like the new location and building they are in. I'm not a beer snob but enjoy trying something new and different. I always get the Italian mini boli which is the best I've ever had.
(4)
Tim W.
Your beer, pizza and subs are great, but you need to pump up the volume on your crab chowder. The portion is fine, flavor very good, spiced well, but the signature ingredient "The Crab" is hard to find. Pump up the volume with more crab back fin so it's not the mediocre 3rd cousin on your menu. I'd pay 50% more if you did!
(4)
Ryan S.
Ate here after paintball. Good pizza and beer. Very busy so obviously well like for the area.
(4)
Jeremy L.
I thought my last few visits necessitated an update: I've been in a few times recently during non-peak hours, which allowed for confirmation of my previous assumption. The shortness of the staff in the evening really has nothing to do with their personalties, but it's just a slightly unfortunate side effect of efficiency. Every member of the staff was extremely pleasant these last few visits, and I actually received some of the best customer service that I can recall. Also, the last few Pizza Boy Brewing brews that I tried have been fantastic. The Holy-F Nugget IPA and Pappy BA Imperial Stout are both really delicious. There has been a noticeable improvement to the quality of the house beers, and it makes me really excited for the opening of the new location this year. Keep up the good work!
(4)
Mohun K.
Review for the new location on Millennium Way: tons of beer on tap, ample seating, tons of parking, good Al's experience!! Drinks and appetizers on 4/30/13.
(4)
Scott R. D.
Al's is a go-to place for a good meal over lunch or after work with a large selection of draft choices including their own Pizza Boy Brewing Co's brews. Mix-A-Six is a can't lose on your way out the door or while picking up pizza for the night.
(4)
Christian P.
There are no other contenders for best beer location in central PA by a million miles. Truly you go here for awesome beer. The proprietor is a beer connoisseur and crafter, and staff can make good recommendations. You can get flights (tasters, not sure if they call them flights). You can ask questions and learn about the beer. They have a constantly changing electronic board (not dissimilar to a flight departure arrival screen at an airport - but with far more useful reliable information about beer instead!). You don't come here just to get some ho hum ubiquitous light beer by the pitcher - you come here for phenomenal beer selection chosen and served by true Masters of the trade. The food is also very good - pizza, wings, etc. Do not let the outside appearance fool you, you will love it. Warning to newcomers - It is near impossible to see the entrance road at night if you ar unfamiliar with the area so look carefully.
(5)
Tina S.
This place is amazing!!!! Pizza boy beer is insane! Clients told me about this place months ago. Finally made the trip over about two months ago. Well, I think my wife and I have been there every other night since. Just check it out!! Lots of great beer selections and awesome pizza.
(5)
Brandon S.
If you just want a beer and care about nothing else than this is the place for you. If you don't want to drink in a warehouse that is owned by the biggest jerk that's ever owned a brewery, then go somewhere else. Whether it is social media or being rude in person, costumers are treated like total crap. If you ask for a draft by name of the beer rather than the number, you'll get yelled at. (He has even gone on social media to yell about this). If ask about flights or samples, you will get yelled at. (again he's berated people online about this). I've witnessed people try and order beers that had just kicked (mind you these are beers that are never rotated out) and rather than offer to put a new keg on, the owner has told them to pick something else and walked away. His staff has zero knowledge of beer. If you stand in line at the wrong spot the owner will also yell at you. If you try and have a reasonable conversation with them on social media, don't expect mature responses. On facebook he has berated other brewers about their products. All in all expect not to be treated well here and the costumer is never right.
(1)
V S.
First Impression - High tech beer warehouse. They got more than 100 beers on tap and all displayed on multiple TV monitors. Reminds me of a train station ... Second - One of the best pizza in town. Overall - Good Beer + Good Pizza = Awesome Combination Recommendation - Some kind of exercise before or next day :) Suggestion - Add more TV monitors for sports :)
(5)
Carl M.
Unfortunately, I think this place has gotten too big for the servers to keep up. Their unique system just doesn't work anymore... Have had three pretty bad experiences in a row. Wrong orders, long waits, and no apology or accommodations from the staff. I might still pick up a beer here there but I don't think we'll be going back for the food or to eat-in anytime soon.
(1)
Alan K.
Think Soup Nazi. Stand patiently in line for each beer. No pitchers No table service. One beer per person - strictly enforced. Servers aren't exactly thrilled to see you.Takes the fun out of having a beer.
(1)
Ed S.
I go here because there isn't much else around. That's it. Beer selection is great. Beer prices are ok. I do think it's absurd that they charge what they do for the Pizza Boy beers. These are average beers, yet they expect you to pay the same as you would for an established microbrew beer? No thanks. Try out Anthony's downtown (happy hour from 4-6). It's also ridiculous that you can't sample beers. They used to allow that at the old place. I'll gladly pay a dollar or two to try something before I pay for it. It really discourages trying new beers (which seems like what they're trying to promote). The carry out beers are considerably more expensive than wegmans. But I still swing by for a six pack when I don't feel like going for a drive to the pike. The food is pretty good. Pizza is more expensive than most places, but if you go on a Thursday (and I think Monday) pizza is half price. Cheesesteaks are good too. I would like the meatball subs if their marinara sauce was different. The worst part about this place is the couple people I regularly see behind the register. I almost feel like I'm bothering them when I place an order. Especially the guy with the shaved head and tattoos. Every time I've brought someone new here, they've said the same thing. The bartenders are fairly friendly and helpful, however. Make sure you have cash to tip them since you can't on your credit card. I wish this place was a little more welcoming. I was hoping it could become my new go-to place, but I just don't get a friendly vibe.
(3)
Jason F.
This place is an absolute joke. Well maybe it's just the owner. A group of 5 of us sit down at a table to order some food and drinks with only 3 of the 5 ever being here before. Before I could even order a beer, my friend gets flagged because he laughed too loud and he questioned the owner as to how that was too loud. He then proceeded to flag the entire table because we were all in disbelief and questioned him. He then walked away and stood at the bar with his back toward us and wouldn't even look over to see if we were still there. I spoke with the manager and he said it was the owner's call, which is absolutely true. What he failed to recognize was that he just flagged 5 people because of 1 person's laugh and these 5 people will not be back. To top it off, word of mouth goes a long way in this world and I sure hope it won't just stop at us 5. Unfortunately, they do have a very nice beer selection, however I will never get to experience it. Again, this was caused by one laugh. What a shame.
(1)
Faith S.
First of all, I think it is very strange that all the bad reviews (and there are alot of them!) of this place are 'filtered'! I will be checking to see if mine gets filtered.... Anyway, the other thing that is strange is that people act like it is hard to find 'craft' beer in this area, which it is not!!! In fact, Al's Pizza and Subs (a totally different place, about 2 miles from this spot) has more beers on tap and bottles, and many types of craft beer. Not to mention the other gazillion bars and restaurants in this area that specialize in beer...smh... but i digress... The main problems with this place are: THE SERVICE is HORRIBLE! the couple of guys who run it are huge assholes with attitudes who think they are the only people in the world who love beer or who love small batch beers, it is really, sincerely, totally RIDICULOUS! These guys are way out of touch and act like they are doing you some kind of favor to take your order at the freaking counter, like you are at Mcdonald's! And expect to get tipped too! Oh and then they call out what you ordered when it is ready, hey thanks! Awful... And then there are the PRICES! Also ridiculous! The food is mediocre, i mean come on, it is pizza and wings. But again, they think they are doing you some kind of favor, so the prices are ridiculous. Oh and the BEER PRICES! Again, they should get out more and they would see that they are NOT the only place in town with a great variety of beer... And, as even the people who seem to like this place (apparently other people who should get out more) admit, a huge problem here is that there are like 7 tables in the whole joint, literally. So if you want to enjoy your overpriced food and craft beers sitting down, get there early or go on a Tuesday afternoon, otherwise you will be standing. We tried this place a few times, thinking we got them on a bad day or maybe we ordered the wrong things, but after the third time or so, we realized there are many other places nearby that offer better EVERYTHING. And my mom and her husband (both big beer snobs) have had the same complaints from their couple of visits here. I advise everyone to ALWAYS check the 'filtered' reviews of places on Yelp, but ESPECIALLY for this place!
(1)
Mike I.
Beyond great beer selection...food is pretty good too. Owners are great...and they do a steady business... Only real downside is the location and size of the place. WAY too cramped, hard to know how seating/ordering works. There's no hostess, but there's a wait list at the counter if the tables are taken...but you can hardly get to the counter. There are folks getting take out, buying 6 packs to go, filling growlers, ordering food & beverage to stay...it's a bit chaotic...but in an uncomfortable way. Always feel rushed and crowded. Outdoor seating would be awesome too...hope they can add that to thier license. Supposedly they have plans to move to a larger space...and it can't happen soon enough!
(4)
Dan C.
Truiy incredible pizza and beer. Honest, the pizza is absolutely top notch, and the beer is prime. Al - no, this is not a chain - takes great pride in doing it right. He's often behind the counter, and always personable, too. Do not miss this one.
(5)
Mathew G.
Went to Al's last night. Met friends for drinks. New location in business park. Weird & hard to find. Big, loud space. Very impressive beer selection. Had Ace pear cider on tap. Right temp & decent prices. Todd tends bar on Sat in summer. Nicest guy ever. Will probably be back for pizza & beer w family.
(4)
Samiam H.
Made my first visit to the new place. Poor signage, it is not visible from Valley so be sure you know exactly where it is, about 300 yards from the old Al's. The place is large factory style with grey concrete flooring . Lots of keg beer sorted by name not style, so the beer board takes a lot of reading to decide what you want. Biggest disappointment is no real ale, cask conditioned beer. Apparently they sometimes open a firkin and pour straight from the wood. Unless it is perfectly brew beer from the wood can be flat and not as cool as I like. The beer engine pump is still at the old Al's. I am not sure if they offered draft cider and perry The menu is the same I had a slice of pizza which was almost $5, it was OK. Other food looks a little expensive. Fries $4.15 and they were frozen not even fresh cut. Fried zucchini $5.45., this is a tremendous mark up. I think the most expensive item on menu for dinner was $13.20 for spaghetti and meatballs or sausage, so this is more casual snack food than go out for dinner place. The bread for sandwiches is made on premises and looked quite good. I like the mix your own 6 pack which gives you a chance to try different brews inexpensively. There is a lot of development in this are and Al's is going to do well even with high beer prices and an uninspired food menu.
(2)
Brian V.
Most extensive list of quality craft beers I've ever seen at one establishment! Food was very good and delivered quickly even though the place was packed! I would recommend this place to anyone, but if you enjoy craft beers its a must! The local brewery (Pizza Boy Brewing) has many excellent offerings also! Great selection of six pack and 22oz craft beers also!
(5)
Dan J.
I really want this place to be awesome, but it's just not. In fact.. It's terrible. I love craft beer, and I love discussing it. I try to engage the staff (after all.. This is supposed to be a brewery... ) and they simply ignore me. The pizza is overpriced. The restaurant is drab and void of any atmosphere whatsoever. They staff seem absolutely not interested in customers whatsoever. Furthermore, it seems like when I do get someone's attention, they'd rather not answer my question or take my money or do anything at all. I feel like I bothering them! I would rather spend my money at buffalo freakin wild wings. They need to get their stuff together at AL's of Hampden.. Cuz word is spreading. And it's not good.
(1)
Matt N.
I stopped in last night for a couple pints and ordered a Chicken Cheesesteak grinder. I had an Imperial Spruce Pumpkin Stout from Rock Art and Chinkookie IPA from Full Pint. The cheesesteak was cooked perfectly and was piping hot when I got it with a nice amount of cheese, sauce and meat. I love the fresh baked bread it is served on. This place is a serious beer location for me, but the food is so tempting, you can't pass up one of their specials. Last night the had eggplant parmesan. I want to come back on Monday for some Wings which is when they are on special. There were 2 cask ales on tap and they were serving Founders Nemesis 2010 an excellent barleywine. Every time I visit it makes me want to return even more.
(5)
Paul W.
Awesome selection of beers! Great service! Nice place! Oh, and they have food too!
(5)
Amy G.
Beer selection is the reason to go. The pizza is good. The other food item quality depends on what you're ordering. I give the beer selection 5 stars and the food a solid 3.5. Some food items are wonderful and some of their pizzas are great. You just have to try different things. My daughter loves the soups. I like the "unique" pizza options. My son loves the cheeze and pepperoni pizzas. My hubby likes the hoppy beers. :) My complaint? So little seating. We keep trying to go there and ending up leaving since there's no place to sit. We now go to Al's in Enola since they now serve beer and there is a lot more space. If you go, be willing to consider taking your beer and pizza to go since on busy nights at rush time there's nary a free table in the joint. They have TV to watch (always sports when I'm in there). My kids love sitting at the high tables on the very tall chairs, munching on pizza (a favorite food), and watching sports. That being said, many nights there's a bunch of guys in there drinking beer and using bad lauguage. It's taking on more of a sports bar feel than a restaurant feel.
(4)
Jayson W.
In the asinine law-scape that is PA's liquor laws, I appreciate businesses like this that are fighting for broader consumer choices. Their beer selection, especially for the size of the place, is awesome. The one oddity (that I'm sure is state-mandated) is the requirement to REGISTER as a person that buys beer in that restaurant before you can build your own six-pack. Friggin weird. These laws are one of the (many) reasons why I have no desire to ever move back to PA, but I'm glad for Al's and what they're doing to help the connoisseurs out.
(5)
Maria A.
This place is amazing! The pizza and steak subs are delicious. The homemade bread is so good and makes this place special. I come to this place very often.
(5)
Brian R.
3 stars for the food and 5 stars for the beer selection! Dan's review sums up nicely what's on the menu but I was much more interested in what they have on tap and bottles. Craft beers galore! Who would have thought this random pizza shop would have such a great selection? They've got maybe 10 micro brews on tap and a few hundred bottles, you can make your own six pack too - very cool spot. Wasn't too crazy about the food but I would definitely go back to try some rare brews.
(4)
dave w.
Awesome selection of beer! The best variety I've found in the Susquehanna Valley. About 40 on tap, bring your growler. I'm a big beer fan and about 1/2 the taps were new beers for me, not a common experience. Tried the mozzarella, spinach pizza and found it to be quite tasty. I've had the wings highly recommended, but I'm saving them for the next trip. Sits down off the road a bit and the signage is kind of hard to notice, so make sure you have good directions the first time you try to find it, is off the beaten path a bit, Quite a large selection of carry out bottles available, also.
(5)
Dave P.
OK, everyone I know agrees that you go to Al's for the beer selection. You just happen to eat something while you are there. Al's food is what you expect a pizza joints food to be. Subs, pizza, wings. All OK. Not bad, not great, just middle of the road. For everyone that has complained about it always being crowded because its so small, hang in there as he will be moving to a new building soon. So on to the beer. Something like 26 to 30 micros on tap. My only complaint is Al himself is a hop head and usually about 22 to 25 of said beers on tap are really hoppy. Guess that's OK if you like that, but I am more of a porter, brown ale, stout type drinker. Less selections for the rest of us. Oh yeah, forget about getting your shit bud light, girls light, miller lite garbage here. He might have some stuffed in the cooler to go, but not on tap. Al has also started brewing his own beers. Pizza Boy Brewing. I have tasted most of them. Some were really good, some were just OK. I'm glad he is doing this and I hope it works well for him! He is a friendly guy and is usually there waiting on you. He also has a great selection of micros to go. I like Al's. It not fancy. The foods not 5 star. The beer selection is nothing short of impressive. Go for the beer and if you want something to eat, just remember,it is a pizza place! Gotta go. I'm heading over for a 9% Southern Tier PumKing. Well, maybe two, or three!
(3)
Zachary M.
There's no question that this little place has an excellent beer selection. What I've had of the food, however, has been average. I've tried many of their subs and some of their pizza, and haven't been impressed yet (it's not terrible food, just nothing special). If you're thirsty, look no further than Al's. If you just need some food, you can find better options in the area.
(3)
Travis M.
Last night was my first adventure to Al's. I was amazed at the amount of fantastic beers on tap. Wow, I want to know how they get access to those kinds of brews! I enjoyed beers from so many different genres, and had the stuffed steak and 4 cheese pizza. It was fantastic! The food and beer combination here has gotten myself and others that joined me thinking about opening a place like this back in KC. Look out KC, the culinary delights may be coming to an awesome bar near you!
(4)
Brandon S.
I absolutely love the pizza, and the beer selection is also great. Best pizza in the area. I highly recommend this place and eat there at least once a week.
(5)
Al Y.
If you just happen to be in Enola, PA, area it's a great beer joint with a great selection of micro brews. As for the food, I was not impressed. Large portions, but everything lacked seasoning............if it's late and I'm hungry....maybe I'll visit again.
(2)
Lawrence N.
For beer lovers and amateurs alike. This place is fantastic, from the most pretentious beer snob to the beer virgin, you will find something you'll like here. The digital menu displayed on the wall hanging LCD's provide fantastic information about each beer, my favorite is the rating for each beer from beeradvocate.com
(4)
Dan R.
Al's is a local pizza place in the greater harrisburg area, they make pizza, subs, wings and a few other things. The staff is very friendly and whenever you place an order to pick-up they just ask for your name. When you open the door to the shop the first thing that catches your attention is the smell, its like youre transported to italy or something! they have vintage horse racing pictures on the wall, and the interior is nicely decorated with a large tv, several coolers, a bar, and a dozen or so tables. they have a kids menu, along with the standard pizza parlor food. the cheese is really the greatest. Dont ask me why, I normally hate plain cheese pizza, but it really isnt bad here. I work in the area and decided to give it a try, otehrwise i would probably never have stopped here.
(3)
John M.
Great beer choices. Good Pizza. Nice staff. Generally a clean and friendly place. I only wish that the place was a bit bigger. People were standing to eat and drink on a Sunday night!
(5)
Keith N.
Good selection of beers, but you pay an unnecessary premium. Used to love the pizza, but it has slipped lately IMO. Seating is lacking... bright lights and no atmosphere are the one constant. I got scolded once for letting my 13 year old son look at an empty bottle of Belgium craft beer that I had purchased and consumed. The bottle and label was interesting and we enjoyed talking about it - but the scolding was unnecessary and ticked me off. The bottle was empty and its a pizza shop for Pete's sake.
(2)
Marc T.
Best pizza in Harrisburg. Not hard to say that because pizza in central PA is pretty mundane to horrible. But Al's pizza is definitely a cut above the rest. I've been trying different pizza places in the area for over 30 years and this is the best. And do not confuse Al's of Hampden with the other Al's pizza places....different owner and businesses. This restaurant is far better than the other pizza joints with the similar name. Beer selection is also one of the best in the areas; both on tap and for take out. I've also tried their grinders and stromboli and both are well above average. I've always had good service and the staff, although a little harried because of all the customers, was always polite and efficient. Ignore the one or two stupid one/two star reviews. Either they are competing businesses or people with a grudge. There is a reason why this place is packed and busy Thursday through Sunday. Stopped by on a Tuesday night and it was fairly busy then also. The primary negative is the place is incredibly small and space is cramped if you want to eat in. Good news is that I read in the Patriot News that Al's is planning a much larger restaurant nearby that should be opened in the coming year. This place started as pretty much a hole in the wall with no customers and thanks to great food and a huge beer selections, this place has way out grown it's current location. Congratulations to a successful local business!
(4)
Matthew L.
Amazing beer selection. Pizza Boy is the beer brewed there (not sure if it's all on site, but it's the resident brewery's name...you know what I'm getting at). We're usually there on Thursdays, for half price wings and pizza...which is a GREAT deal.
(5)
Ted C.
I read quite a bit about Al's on Yelp, Beer Advocate and from local ratings. After the numerous positive feedback from customers, I decided to give it a try. This place is located outside of Harrisburg off Valley Road, next to I-81. If you are approaching from either the interstate or coming on Valley, you have to look quickly for the entrance or you will miss it. The establishment is located in a small strip of stores downhill from the entrance. Upon entering, you are immediately greeted with the pleasant smell of pizzas baking and subs. The six pack selection is on one wall, and the single bottles are on the other. Numerous taps of goodness line the wall behind the food counter. The main seating area consists of some high and low tables and a few TVs on the wall. You must place your order at the counter, as there is no table service here. However, they will call your food order when it is done and bring it to you. You can choose your beer from the overhead electronic menu, and your beer is dispensed at the counter and placed at the other end for you to pick up. You can also bring your growler to fill, and I believe they have them for sale on site. I had both the Pikeland Pils from Slyfox and the Marzen from Penn brewing. Both were enjoyable and if I weren't driving, I definitely would have tried a few more other brands and styles. The selection of stouts, wheat beers and IPAs here are amazing. Al's is definitely unique for the area. My only gripe was with the seating, which is cramped and limited. Then again, I went on a Saturday, so if you go on off hours, you have a better choice of tables. Overall, the atmosphere is pleasant and was a mix of families, young people watching March Madness and some elderly folks just eating and enjoying beer. The staff is friendly and efficient, and if you were a first-timer like me, were very patient as I was a bit overwhelmed by the choices. I definitely will stop back when I am up that way and highly recommend Al's to veteran beer drinkers and rookies alike.
(4)
Ian W.
Epic beer selection, great cheeseteaks and specialty pizzas. I strongly suggest you try the California fries or original potato wedges
(5)
Ryan K.
Great beer list, with a number of their Pizza Boy beers along with other breweries. Pizza was good too. Would recommend for any beer drinker.
(4)
Jenny W.
Great beer. Terrible, bland, poorly made food. Terrible service. No flavor. As if the food was made the cheapest ingredients, but charges an arm an a leg. Don't eat there sober. Go there- get drunk on their great beers and THEN order food- it all tastes like paper.
(2)
Laura B.
Food is consistent and pretty good. We have had their pizza and wings only. We have had the food delivered and have not eaten at the restaurant itself.
(3)
GT W.
This used to be a tiny pizza parlor with a big case of craft beer. Fast forward and they upgraded to an enormous new space and built their own custom brewery with the brand name Pizza Boy. Interior is cavernous, stainless steel and white. A larger than expected brewing system is exposed to the dining hall. A massive bar on the opposite side points to multiple LCD screens of a mega 50 or so tap list with a good 10 or so Pizza Boy house beer concoctions. Not on tap, but in 750mL bottles to drink on premise, are some of Pizza Boy's special release sours. Beer quality here is very high from rockstar brewer Terry Hawbaker. Sours and Brett saisons seem to be the strong suit here along with some amazing coffee imperial stouts like Sunny Side Up. Service was good. Place was packed. Per PA state law you cannot have more than a certain number of beer glasses on your table at once. We went wild on the tap list (multiple tasting samples per person) and the bartender obliged. Welp, we went over the limit so some of our pours had to be hidden away for legal reasons and then brought back to us once other beers were finished. Love this state. Pizza we thought was in the good range along with the sandwiches. The food menu certainly leaves something to be desired especially if you are watching calories. Overall, a secluded venue...but world-class beer makes up for it.
(4)
Mark A.
Only been here once, but I think I get the gist of it. "Soft" service, solid food, good beer selection in a casual atmosphere. Great selection of beers, to be sure, though perhaps a little high-priced considering they're all on tap. The server behind the counter was pleasant and helped describe the beers we were considering, but the beer menu is so extensive, I'd really recommend you bone up a little on types of beer (including "sours," which I've seldom seen before but which seem to be featured repeatedly on the list). The main dining room is large and spacious, but even without a lot of patrons and low volume on the several TVs, it was still fairly loud, so we moved out to the plain and unadorned outdoor space. We ordered a big plate of "California Fries" (bacon, cheese, and Ranch dressing) which was nicely done -- decent fries underneath, and not completely drowned in toppings. The side salad was strange -- iceberg lettuce only, and mostly pickled vegetables from a jar. The White Veggie Pizza was solid -- nice toppings, decent crust (not perfect, but not too soft or too crispy). The rest of the menu seems to be standard pizza and subs fare, though with decent variety. You order at the counter, then go to your table with your order number and wait. Service was prompt and the servers kind, but not very personable. Once your food arrives, don't count on servers checking up on you too often, and you're on your own for fountain beverages, etc. They don't seem to expect tips, and I wouldn't expect to offer much of one. They do offer an extensive selection of craft beer six-packs for takeout, so that's a nice plus. Overall a nice place to hang out, good if uneventful food, a "low-maintenance" joint for a low-maintenance crowd. Nice to know it's there in an otherwise out-of-the-way location.
(3)
Rebecca P.
If I were rating this on beer alone, I would be giving this a strong 4.5/5. This is a beer lover's mecca. And, if you're from around the eastern PA area, you probably know that Pizza Boy makes some amazing fermented suds. However, their goods can be a bit tough to find in stores, so should you find yourself in the Harrisburg region, make it a point to come in and stock up. They sell "crowlers" (growler cans), so you can get about anything on tap in a BIG OL' can to go. Aside from their own beers (which I really advocate getting since you have come here already and they can be hard to track down further from Harrisburg, as noted above), Al's/Pizza Boy has an impressive selection of other beers, especially from Eastern PA. As someone who loves collaboration (rather than competition) in the beer world, I love to see breweries supporting other regional players. Okay, star docking comes from the food: if you are hoping for tasty NY/NJ-style pizza, this isn't happening here. The sandwiches, while okay, aren't amazing. That said, your motivation for coming should be the beer, and the food is definitely palatable enough to support your imbibing. The scene inside is cool and delightfully informal with an open warehouse sort of vibe where the brewery, the bars and the food ordering areas all sort of run together. So while you probably wouldn't want to come here on a romantic date (okay, so maybe I would), it would be a great place to come with a group of friends where you can pony up to a picnic table. Pro Tip: if you love coffee stouts, do not miss the Sunny Side Up if they have it on draft. Clocks in at almost 10% ABV, so you may want to appoint a driver...
(4)
Lina K.
Food is so so, but amazing beer selection. There is an outdoor space and they place has a neat industrial feel.
(3)
Korey M.
Cheap and damn good beer. Crazy beer selection, with tons of their own brews, which are fantastic. Very laid back atmosphere, and great food for a quick/cheaper italian spot. Don't expect fine dining, but it will be a good meal. Truly a gem of a place.
(5)
Thomas M.
Written as someone who loves craft beer, i cant imagine this place being less than 5 stars. Especially given that this is located near nothing else. Central PA has rarely impressed me with eateries, but this takes the cake. They have 99 taps, most of which are for growler fills to go (or crowlers). the beer made here ranges from meh to very decent. Their selection of beers to go are great, very representative of the entire east coast area. Ill give you the staff is mildly aloof, and i could see any sort of line being crazy. But when we were there i was always served promptly. Its a little weird that you can only have one beer at a time, but whatever Finally, the pizza is great. Im shocked people dont like it. Its very decently priced and i thought it was very reminiscent of NY/North east pizza. Great stuff People complaining about the staff have never been to any other hipster breweries clearly (try tired hands in philly, those are some slackers). And the interior isnt nice, but who cares, its a brewery and a pizza place, not a freaking french bistro Overall, come for the beer, and have some pizza while your at it, you wont be disappointed
(5)
Janet C.
A.k.a. Pizza Boy Brewing. Over 100 beers on tap from Pizza Boy Brewing and other guest beers. These are craft beers, not your Bud, Miller Light, etc. variety. Complete beer nirvana for the craft beer enthusiast. Stick with the 8 oz pours to sample more beers or go for a large pour of your favorite or take home more in a growler. The location is a large warehouse with seating and large screen TVs for your game viewing pleasure. In addition to the large selection of beer, there is yummy pizza and other bar fare to enjoy. Sunday's even offer specials on large pizzas and wings! Weekday lunch specials available if you are in the area (which unfortunately we are not). If this place was closer to us, we would be regulars for sure.
(5)
Allison H.
I ordered Al's for Delivery. This is based solely on a delivery experience. I was a little disappointing. I imagine, pizza is much better as a sit down customer. The taste was OK. Still they messed up my order. Big NO NO for a first time customer. Other than that, I am willing to give this place a try in person. As far as delivery goes, I wasn't very pleased. I am one to support local, as opposed to ordering Pappa Johns or Pizza Hut. They definitely compare to them as far as quality (for delivery) and price, so please support your local economy. I will re-visit this review after I go in person.
(3)
Alex R.
Great beer selection, the wings were average... the food seems as if it's an afterthought. Unusual ordering/seating arrangements, not sure if it's set up like this because it's party brewery. When I went to the line to order, my seat was taken. Definitely need to stake your claim. Excellent place for drinks.
(3)
Erik G.
so i used to really like al's. i would go on sundays with a bunch of friends, sit outside on the patio and eat a pizza while enjoying some beers with good company. after a few bad experiences i decided to give it a rest. yesterday we decided to try it again. what a mistake. we ordered our food, got drinks and went out back to the patio to wait for our order. first off, they put in even more taps for their own brew: pizzaboy. while i don't dislike their beer on a whole, i think it all tastes the same and leaves a weird taste in the back of my throat. there are only so many hopped up citrus flavored IPAs one can enjoy. most of our food came out immediately, except for a few slices of already made pizza that my girlfriend ordered. we finished our sandwiches and wings and her slices hadn't come out yet. finally, after about a half hour she went in to check on it and they said they'd have them right out. the slices came out cold and rubbery. what a shitty disappointment. she doesn't want to make waves or cause a fuss (cause she's worked food service, ya know?), but i will--cause i've also worked food service and i know that this shit isn't hard to master. all in all, we won't be back. **EDIT: not to forget the childish social media actions of the owner, who will publicly call you out on facebook if you post a negative review. if you check out their FB page there is no reviews tab. curious...**
(1)
Ruth B.
Let me start by saying I REALLY wanted to like this place and was so excited to check it out. I had recently come across some Pizza Boy beers around Harrisburg and was very impressed, so I was excited to go to the brewery itself and try some more. I love craft beer and pizza, so I figured what could be better? Beer: To start on a positive note, the beer list was impressive. I was not expecting for them to serve beers from so many other breweries. The to-go section was pretty average, but at least they allow growler fills of almost anything they have on tap. I enjoyed both of the Pizza Boy IPAs that I tried. I was disappointed that they did not serve flights though, because I would have liked to sample more beers. Food: The food was grossly disappointing. At our table we ordered a pizza, a calzone and two of the hot subs. The pizza was incredibly mediocre. The sauce was good but the crust and toppings were bland. The calzone was barely passable for even qualifying as a calzone. It barely looked like a calzone and was very bland. The eggplant parm sub was the best food at our table, but wasn't anything to write home about. The buffalo chicken sub was so bland that my friend had to doctor it up himself with any sauce he could find to make it edible. Service/Ambiance: Service was fine. No complaints there. The building has so much potential. I like the big industrial warehouse feel, but the way that it is decorated just made it feel kinda cheesy and cheap. I will likely not be going back, as the food was so bad and the ambiance was just mediocre. There are several other places in town with a big craft beer selection with better food and ambiance, so it would just be hard to justify. Sorry Pizza Boy Brewing/Als of Hampden - I really wanted to love your place, but I still love your beer!
(3)
Brian S.
Oh Als...So upfront I'm writing this review as a beer advocate/enthusiast, and is the basis for my revirew. The food aspect alone and the fact they offer so many beers would give this a 4 easily. However like stated in so many other reviews the fact they offer no samples or flights is a huge issue. People come to places like this to try as many beers as they can while there. For a local its a non issue because they can come back, however for us out of towners it's a disappointment. The fact you can't get a sample or flight of some beers you want to buy 64 or 32 oz growlers of is borderline asinine. Of the 30+ breweries/beer gardens I've been to this has never been the case. It seems like it's brought up all the time and the owner seems to send smart ass tweets and emails to customers who bring it up...Overall, poor customer service on their part for that. Now for the beer...Delicious! I a growler of the hop tart(was skeptical because I don't really like sowers). Thankfully I thought it was delicious! Enough hops that I drank the whole growler. I also had a glass of the sunny side up little amps which was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend it. Tons of chocolate and coffee notes. The pizza was good. Nice and greasy. We ordered the porky and it was plenty for the two of us. Overall great beer and good food, just wish they'd do a little better in listening to their customers.
(3)
David M.
HUGE beer selection. Food is okay. Be nice if they did more of a gastropub menu! Did I mention the huge beer selection?
(4)
Bill G.
I visited Al's with some locals. I point that out because I doubt I would have bothered with its remote location without people I knew vouching for it. That said, Al's was doing pretty good business with locals even at lunch time when we arrived. The interior looks cheap. Very industrial with poured concrete floors, exposed ceiling beams, and equipment in plain view. Then again, that style is all the rage today. They probably spent a lot of money to look this cheap. As for the food? Well, we had some pizza, pub grub, and a sandwich or two. The food gets the job done but it's nothing to write home about. (Tip on the pizza: it would be better with less sauce. Too much sauce causes the cheese to float and slide off.) As for the beer? Well, beer should be the main reason you come here. The food's there so you don't have to fill up on just beer. (That'd be alcoholism, see?) The 100+ choices on tap can be intimidating. The beertender I met wasn't the most friendly person. He blew off my questions about the beers and pressed me to make up my mind quickly, as if I were dawdling with a huge line behind me when in fact I was the only person at the bar. That said, the beers are GOOD, just don't expect to get friendly service with them. But, hey, that helps keep the price down because NO TIP for jackass service.
(3)
Chloe A.
Food is so overpriced for what you get. Great beer selection but will not waste my money eating here ever again.
(1)
Drew K.
Poor customer service, rude employees and poor quality food. Do not waste your time. Overpriced food and staff that will argue with the customers. This place is overrated and there are better places with better customer service.
(1)
Maggie D.
Always a good choice for beer lovers. Solid food, typically good service, and one of the largest tap selections in the area. I like taking out-of-towners here. Prices are reasonable, too. I don't eat meat, but I've heard their wings are great! Pizza has been good when I've gotten it, as have the appetizers (mozzarella sticks, fried zucchini, etc.). The outdoor area is nice as well, when the weather permits.
(4)
Tina K.
This is my 2nd time here, worth the hour drive. Wings were hot lots of fresh garlic and grated parm! Meatball sub shared with my other half more than enough. This time we did a pie w/ 5 toppings of r choice. The pie was hot and toppings plentiful, an ease up on the olive oil that they top the pie with would be my only suggestion.
(4)
Sandy C.
... Wish they had table side service! Super nice daytime bartender helps with beer selection. Nice big salad fresh!!! Music in daytime would make a fun atmosphere!!! Nice experience!
(3)
Anthony S.
Checked out Al's with a few buddies of mine in March, because we were fans of the Pizza Boy beer we had previously tried. Went on a Saturday, and it was VERY busy. I would say we were lucky to find a table, so just be prepared for that if you plan to go with a large group! We tried the bacon cheeseburger pizza, and some Parmesan Garlic Boneless Wings. The food was VERY good! We were all happy with the beer we tried. Over 100 beers on tap! Overall a great experience!
(4)
Kristy K.
I love Al's of Hampden. Whenever I am home visiting my family, I make it a priority to stop by. Since they have moved to their new location where they brew their own beer, it is even more tempting to get over there. Their tap list is incredible. They also brew their own beer, Pizza Boy Brewing. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to try it. Next time Al's also offers a great selection of 6 packs and bombers to go. I am a huge fan of their cheese steak stuffed pizza. I have been getting this stuff since high school and it is wildly addicting. I have gotten so many people hooked on this pizza. Give it a try next time you are at Al's! If you are in the area and are looking for good beer, Al's of Hampden is your spot. Go support this awesome joint!
(4)
Bryce T.
Easily the best tap selection in Central PA. 10-15 taps are dedicated to in-house brewery Pizza Boy Brewing Co that always has unique selections. Food offerings are exactly what you need to pair with all these world-class beers!
(5)
David H.
Beer selection is fantastic, food is great, service is always attentive and friendly. Not much more to say here. I drive an hour one way to enjoy this joint!
(5)
Marissa B.
Highly recommended for craft beer lovers! Al is the man and knows what he's doing when it comes to creating some amazing and creative brews. He's friendly and proud of what he does- it's nice when you get a chance to speak with him about his beer. The food is exactly what I'm looking for when I'm drinking- pizza, hoagies, wings...yum! I have read some negative reviews and am so confused by them. I say if you have a bad experience here it's you, not them and this place is not for you. Cheers, Al!! Keep up the good work!
(5)
Lauren B.
If you are looking for a brewery with an awesome selection of its own beers as well as lots of PA-based breweries, do not miss this place. Close to 100 beers on tap with 27+ of their own brews, including some collaboration beers, cask beers, and a few on nitro. Food is decent enough,but the beer is the reason to drop by. I had their Vanilla Bean porter which was awesome as well as a Springhouse chocolate peanut butter porter on cask which was equally great. The name here is misleading since pizza is one element of their fare, but you are really visiting for Pizza Boy Brewing Company. Yum!
(5)
Sean O.
Amazing pizza! Amazing micro-brews! With 100+ beers on tap how could you go wrong! They have a great selection of micros and bottles you can't find elsewhere but there blue collar lager is great! You also need to try the vegetarian dream pizza - delicious!
(5)
Philip A.
Amazing! Just go, trust me. Possibly the best brew pub in pennsylvania. Very experimental, great execution.. Tons of other beer on tap besides their own. Mostly known for their pizza which is excellent. They have a very large food menu.. Take out bottles and six packs to go. This place has it all. Just go! Try all of Al's beer!
(5)
Tammi T.
Long time customer. Disappointed in my pizza today. Ordered a XLG pizza when I got it home it was 14". Almost $20 for a medium sized one topping pizza? Don't skimp Al.
(3)
Mike B.
Al's gets 3 stars out of 5 and 7 stars out of 5 for beer. That averages out to 5 stars out of 5. Make sense? I've been 20+ times in 6 months of working in the Harrisburg area. Suffice to say I enjoy it. Beer's incredible. 100 taps, 20 or so in-house. There is something for every palate. The homegrown stuff is outstanding, and I've had little reason to go beyond Al's offerings. 2 niggles: On growler fills, Al's is the only place I've ever seen that charges $3 for a replacement cap. Kinda pisses me off, but I can forgive them. Also, in addition to the taps, Al's offers several bottled beers for in-house consumption, and while I've found prices for pours/growler fills from the taps to be very good, the prices for the bottled beers to be out of line. Granted, these are hard to make, hard to find beers which are better than the tap beers (if you like the unique styles you'll find bottled, that is), so a premium's expected, but paying 3-4x more per ounce is whack. Fortunately, unless you're a 39th level Beer Mason who really love sours, you'll find plenty of well-priced beer on the tap list which will make you happy. Of the Capitol Region breweries, Al's makes the best beer and has the most diverse offerings, and on this second point it's not even close. Food is merely OK. I would classify the pizza as average. The crust is doughy, which some regard as a big plus, or a big minus. Same with the hoagies. I think the wings are sneakily underrated. Some have complained about truculent, unfriendly service. Never seen it. Fast and friendly enough in my opinion. If you're looking for beer with your meal, there's a number of choices in the Capitol region: Al's, Troeg's, Appalachian, Lancaster, and any number of bars. My recommendation are as follows: If you are looking for great beer and just-good-enough food, Al's is for you. If you're looking for good beer and awesome food, that would be Troeg's, where the tap list is smaller and the beer's a titch behind.
(5)
Lacy S.
I don't know how this place has any good reviews?? It is like eating in a stinky warehouse. You walk in and it is overwhelming with chaos and noise. You have to find you own table (good luck finding a clean one), then try to figure out what to do next. There is no one to help you with anything. Luckily the table next to us explained the process. Everything is self serve. You order your food and get a number. Then you have to go get your own drink, silverware, and condiments from a messy sticky area in the corner near the bathrooms. Our food came out quickly but only because it was not cooked through. Our stromboli was cooked on the outside but cold and not melted in the inside. It was all together one of the worst dining experiences i have ever experienced.
(1)
John W.
Food is good for this type of establishment. Beer choice is okay. The problem with this place is the service. I have been there s few times and it has been horrible each time. I can't stand fight with customers to get a table. You should not have to hover around a table so someone else will not take it. A little patients and smile would go a long way.
(2)
Jay R.
If you were at Al's more than a year ago, this is a whole different joint today. They moved across Valley Road to a warehouse-type of building on Milennium Way in which they house their brewery in addition to their pub. And what a pub it is. There must be 100 microbrews on tap, and that is no exaggeration. I'm not one for heavy brews, but I had to try their house chocolate mint stout one recent day, and it was delicious. They have about 15 of their own Pizza Boy brands along with just about anything else you can think of. (And if you're not adventurous, all the old standards are in the case inside the door.) Even with the expanded digs, it's a zoo, especially on the late Saturday afternoon I stopped in. But you can order your food and if you can find a seat at the bar, have a brew while you wait. You can get a draft, or 1-liter and 2-liter quantities. And they'll put your food and drink together on one tab for you. The food? Still pretty good, and lots of it. If you're by yourself, don't order anything larger than a small stromboli. Excellent variety for a "pizza place," which, of course, it's more than now. EDIT: One thing I have to add. They really should provide a sampling option. Charge for it if you need to. But there are a lot of beer rookies who would like to see what something tastes like before committing to a $5 draft.
(3)
Erik W.
I'll admit up front: I'm biased. I love having a lot to choose from when it comes to beers, and this place is the BOMB. I think there's 100 taps here, and all quality micro-brew stuff, too. Even their own home-brew beer (Pizza Boy) is solid. At first, I thought maybe they were just trying to capitalize on all those taps by doing their own, and maybe sucker in a few people who didn't know any better, but I've only had a rare Pizza Boy offering I didn't like. Most are fantastic. DEFINITELY worth trying. When you order from the board, be sure to note the shape of the glasses next to the price. Not everything comes in a pint glass, so this is helpful in determining whether you're getting a good bang for your buck. Growler prices are about what you'd expect, although they have some real high-end stuff in there that's obnoxiously-priced. One good thing about the Pizza Boy selections...all their growler refills are reasonably-priced. They sell bombers and six-packs as well for carry-out. The bombers seem reasonably-priced, but the six-packs are a little more expensive than you find at Wegman's (as another user pointed out). But what about the food? Fortunately, the handful of times i've gotten food there, it's been pretty good. I've heard gripes about their pizza prices, but they have $10.99 specialty pizzas on Sundays. We order the all-meat "Porky" when we go, and we're practically licking the crumbs off the pie plate once the last bite's taken. I've also had stromboli in there, opting for the more-expensive 14-incher, but lemme tell ya...the thing was AMAZING. It was worth it. I've had the bacon ranch burger lunch special as well. The burger was big and juicy, loaded with toppings, and the plate weighted down with a ton of fries. So, although some items on their menu may seem a tad pricy, you can usually find a good special to go with. If you're looking for something upscale, then avoid this place. But if you're looking for food that's a couple notches up from standard bar fare, and a beer selection that'll have you dancing around like Willy Wonka in his chocolate factory, this is a slam-dunk. GO. NOW.
(5)
Steven B.
If you've been to Central PA before, you know that Enola is not a hot spot for having and adult libation or two or three. However if you are a beer aficionado you should make the trip. I was in a hotel nearby and my Yelp Mobile App said go, so off I went. This is a weird, quirky, little place that's hard to describe. It is crazy busy and the parking lot is small. In addition, many of the parking spots are on an incline which can be a challenge for some. GPS alert- My high-end Garmin model tried to send me to a nearby street that didn't exist but I could see this place so I worked it out. You walk in the door and, as others have said, its chaos. There are ten four-tops placed close together and that's it. This place is tiny. You've got people trying to place to-go orders and then wait for them. It turns out that if you are eating in, you place your order at the counter and they bring it out to you. So you add these folks to the mix. Then you've got a bunch of folks trying to make their own six packs by selecting from the many coolers with hundreds of choices. Add this all together and you are talking a wild and crazy crowd! So is it worth it? Mostly yes! If you are a beer geek it is definitely yes. Just the bottle selection is 350 strong with about 35 Belgians! We haven't even talked about the two dozen taps and even hand pumps. I tried a few and definitely had a smile on my face. There are lots of hard-to-find beers and I found the prices to be competitive. I was spending about five bucks each. So what about the food? I tried the regular size Sausage Stromboli ($11.20). It was out quickly and looked very nice. It tasted fine but nothing special. It was definitely over priced for its size. I also had a chance to taste the Bacon Cheeseburger Sub ($8.40). They use house made rolls here which is a nice touch. Once again it tasted just fine but nothing special. So for me the beer is 5 stars and the food is a 3. I'll split the difference and go for 4 stars.
(4)
Michael E.
I've been to Als on 3 occasions and the first time i thought maybe I just got the staff on a bad day, so I gave them the benefit of the doubt. The second time was not much better and shame on me for giving them a third try. Do they have a good beer selection? Yes. Great? Yes. But so does Wegmans. The Pizza Boy offerings are consistently decent, but nothing to write home about. There are people who would say their beers are amazing, but those folks must not get out much and have simply embraced their local craft beer stop. I'm sure if this place was located within a 10 mile radius of Troegs they would have a hard time getting people in the door. The owner is extremely rude, sometimes childish and its no wonder that it rubs off on the employees. I've actually mentioned this place to other beer drinkers and they have come back saying the same thing. Great selection. Rude service. Even the owners facebook page has the occasional immature rant and I did my self a favor and stopped following them and will never step foot in or purchase anything associated with Pizza Boy. Do your self a favor, make the Trek to Troegs. Even if you're on the West Shore and have to drive the 25 minutes, at least you will be met with enthusiastic employees who are excited about what they are serving you and willing to discuss the product. Good craft beer is everywhere, why pay for the beer that comes with rude service?
(1)
Rocio R.
Maybe it's because we prefer establishments with a more cozy or personal feel to them, but this place really wasn't our cup of tea. Place was packed on a Saturday evening. Beer selection both on tap and on six packs was incredibly large which was pretty cool. 102 beers on tap I believe I read on a sign. We both tried Pizza Boy beers, since those are the house brews. I remember I got a peach beer that was nice, but I can't remember what J got. Bartender was rude, questioning J why his credit card had a middle name initial and his license didn't and he kept peering at both cards and at J suspiciously and it really seemed like he was going to turn us around even though I explained middle names are extremely common where we're from. Anyway, if you like that sort of thing then go. We'll stick to other places instead.
(3)
Patrick B.
Fun place, for what it is. I think the folks who are Giving negative reviews must not realize that this is just a pizza and beer place, and they do it well, cement floors and all. Decent pizza, good wings and a great selection of beer. Their system works well, even though it's a bit chaotic.
(4)
Victor M.
Well I used to go there buy the some of the staff needs classes on the different types of beer they had. But if you don't mind telling the servers the differences between beers thane that is ok. My Facebook post was taken down due to my review. If the owner can't not posted them all then maybe he shouldn't post any at all. I asked for my wings crispy they came out chewy and alittle pink in the middle. And god forbid you tell the staff that. They are NEVER wrong. I wasn't asking for my money back just wanted the right wings. And please don't snatch things out of my hand again. Sorry to bother you while you stand there and talk to people about nothing.
(1)
Chris G.
Great Pizza and Great Beer. Love the Pizza Boys.
(5)
J P.
After hearing about this place at the Great American Beer Fest I made it a point to visit during a trip back to Harrisburg. After confirming via twitter that they would have the Steeler game on we showed up an hour early to claim our spots. Just before kickoff they moved the Steeler TV to a tiny tv in the corner that we couldn't see. We left and went to a bar down the road to watch our game. The staff didn't really seem to care. On top of this no flights, no samples, and over priced 8 oz pours. The "draft" is also 12 ounces but priced like a 16 ounce. Very disappointing.
(1)
Margy C.
I love this place. It's beer Mecca and the food is very tasty as well. I like IPAs and the selection is large. They could turn down the fluorescent lights a bit, but that's my only criticism.
(5)
Yo Y.
Service is mediocre Pizza is definitely the best thing they offer The California fries are a good choice But That's where it ends. Wings are horrible. Not even close to the same quality of say, Pizza Hut. Tried 3 kinds, all crap. Over cooked and they just pour/drizzle the sauce on. If they tossed them like normal places that serve wings the might be a little better.
(2)
T W.
This is for the new Pizza Boy location on Millenium Way. Is it called Al's of Hampden or Pizza Boy?? Tried the new "brew pub". Not impressed. Beer on the pricey side. Food still frustratingly mediocre. Atmosphere of a large unfinished cement bunker. Won't be rushing back. And you can't put the tip on a credit card for some asinine reason, you can only tip in cash. So if you just have a card and no cash.....they get no tip! What a stupid thing for them! I emailed the owner about this and he did not even respond. What in the world is up with this terrible place?
(1)
B C.
Basically a big open warehouse/cafeteria feel. Food is decent, nothing really stands out other than the canoli's are pretty good. Go for the 100 tap beer selection.
(4)
Quintin P.
Al's never disappoints. I can go on and on and give a glowing review but I won't it speaks for itself. This place is hands-down one of the best pizza places we've ever been to and they deliver, plus they have the beer and the selection for an enjoyable time!
(5)
dan e.
Been going here every couple of months and always a treat! The dough for the pizza and subs is incredible! Then there is the beers that really is what got me here. I try to stick with just the PIzza Boy brews and they nail all the styles. IPAs, stouts, sours are all stellar!! I just wish they sold their bottles to go like permasmile. They just never submitted labels to the ttb so understood. Prices for beers are very reasonable too.
(5)
Johnathan R.
Selection of beers is pretty amazing. Food is good too. Not sure of the atmosphere, but its always very busy and very clean. Nice to get a table outdoors before it fills up. The location makes it a little tricky to find if you aren't familiar with the area.
(4)
Mark B.
If you like the taste of excrement, try the home brew beer at Al's. The greasy food will neutralize your palate.
(2)
Michael C.
This place is really hard to rate. I've been here about 5-6 times and am finally trying to do it justice. First, the beer. That is probably why you'll come and is really the only reason to unless you live in the neighborhood. 102 on tap, many of them are their own brews. Several sour beers, which I love, are typically available. They have some weird "rules" like no tasters (paid or free), no tips on credit cards, and a complete section of the bar that gets no bartender service - you have to walk to a different section of the bar 6-12 ft away to get served. The food - typical PA pizza shop with strombolis, calzones, wings, and subs; decent execution but nothing notably special. The service? Never a real problem but these folks aren't friendly. Maybe it's the tip thing? They really don't seem to give a sh!t at all. Don't try to engage them on the beers too much, just shut up and order so they can move on. This combined with the industrial / warehouse ambience of the place is what takes it from 5 to 3 stars for me. (Oh, and the outdoor patio is non-smoking. There goes my beer-and-cigar idea.) I'll be back, thanks to those taps. But I won't love it.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Happy Hour : No Best Nights : Fri, Sat, Sun Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : No Caters : No
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Ron S.
This place is LOCALS ONLY. The beer selection is great and I'm told so is the food. However, the staff is happy to help the personal next to you and behind you if they don't know you. I heard such hype about this place that after a 24hr fast this was to be my first food/drink in over 24hrs and there is nothing else for miles - yet I still left. Service was THAT bad. Go with a local, or don't go at all.
(1)Bryan R.
Pizza and cold subs here are great, as is the selection of 100+ beers. Tried a cheese-steak last time and was underwhelmed - too dry and not much flavor in the meat. Bad thing about the beer - no tasting - you have to pay for a small glass.
(4)Karen W.
Beer selection great. Fun idea. Service was rude. Hopefully it was just one person working there, but there are too many choices to go to for establishments to treat people rudely. Update-rudeness was not centralized to just one employee and the food got more terrible as the night went on. Isn't food supposed to get better as you drink more :/
(1)Joe D.
I really like the new location and building they are in. I'm not a beer snob but enjoy trying something new and different. I always get the Italian mini boli which is the best I've ever had.
(4)Tim W.
Your beer, pizza and subs are great, but you need to pump up the volume on your crab chowder. The portion is fine, flavor very good, spiced well, but the signature ingredient "The Crab" is hard to find. Pump up the volume with more crab back fin so it's not the mediocre 3rd cousin on your menu. I'd pay 50% more if you did!
(4)Ryan S.
Ate here after paintball. Good pizza and beer. Very busy so obviously well like for the area.
(4)Jeremy L.
I thought my last few visits necessitated an update: I've been in a few times recently during non-peak hours, which allowed for confirmation of my previous assumption. The shortness of the staff in the evening really has nothing to do with their personalties, but it's just a slightly unfortunate side effect of efficiency. Every member of the staff was extremely pleasant these last few visits, and I actually received some of the best customer service that I can recall. Also, the last few Pizza Boy Brewing brews that I tried have been fantastic. The Holy-F Nugget IPA and Pappy BA Imperial Stout are both really delicious. There has been a noticeable improvement to the quality of the house beers, and it makes me really excited for the opening of the new location this year. Keep up the good work!
(4)Mohun K.
Review for the new location on Millennium Way: tons of beer on tap, ample seating, tons of parking, good Al's experience!! Drinks and appetizers on 4/30/13.
(4)Scott R. D.
Al's is a go-to place for a good meal over lunch or after work with a large selection of draft choices including their own Pizza Boy Brewing Co's brews. Mix-A-Six is a can't lose on your way out the door or while picking up pizza for the night.
(4)Christian P.
There are no other contenders for best beer location in central PA by a million miles. Truly you go here for awesome beer. The proprietor is a beer connoisseur and crafter, and staff can make good recommendations. You can get flights (tasters, not sure if they call them flights). You can ask questions and learn about the beer. They have a constantly changing electronic board (not dissimilar to a flight departure arrival screen at an airport - but with far more useful reliable information about beer instead!). You don't come here just to get some ho hum ubiquitous light beer by the pitcher - you come here for phenomenal beer selection chosen and served by true Masters of the trade. The food is also very good - pizza, wings, etc. Do not let the outside appearance fool you, you will love it. Warning to newcomers - It is near impossible to see the entrance road at night if you ar unfamiliar with the area so look carefully.
(5)Tina S.
This place is amazing!!!! Pizza boy beer is insane! Clients told me about this place months ago. Finally made the trip over about two months ago. Well, I think my wife and I have been there every other night since. Just check it out!! Lots of great beer selections and awesome pizza.
(5)Brandon S.
If you just want a beer and care about nothing else than this is the place for you. If you don't want to drink in a warehouse that is owned by the biggest jerk that's ever owned a brewery, then go somewhere else. Whether it is social media or being rude in person, costumers are treated like total crap. If you ask for a draft by name of the beer rather than the number, you'll get yelled at. (He has even gone on social media to yell about this). If ask about flights or samples, you will get yelled at. (again he's berated people online about this). I've witnessed people try and order beers that had just kicked (mind you these are beers that are never rotated out) and rather than offer to put a new keg on, the owner has told them to pick something else and walked away. His staff has zero knowledge of beer. If you stand in line at the wrong spot the owner will also yell at you. If you try and have a reasonable conversation with them on social media, don't expect mature responses. On facebook he has berated other brewers about their products. All in all expect not to be treated well here and the costumer is never right.
(1)V S.
First Impression - High tech beer warehouse. They got more than 100 beers on tap and all displayed on multiple TV monitors. Reminds me of a train station ... Second - One of the best pizza in town. Overall - Good Beer + Good Pizza = Awesome Combination Recommendation - Some kind of exercise before or next day :) Suggestion - Add more TV monitors for sports :)
(5)Carl M.
Unfortunately, I think this place has gotten too big for the servers to keep up. Their unique system just doesn't work anymore... Have had three pretty bad experiences in a row. Wrong orders, long waits, and no apology or accommodations from the staff. I might still pick up a beer here there but I don't think we'll be going back for the food or to eat-in anytime soon.
(1)Alan K.
Think Soup Nazi. Stand patiently in line for each beer. No pitchers No table service. One beer per person - strictly enforced. Servers aren't exactly thrilled to see you.Takes the fun out of having a beer.
(1)Ed S.
I go here because there isn't much else around. That's it. Beer selection is great. Beer prices are ok. I do think it's absurd that they charge what they do for the Pizza Boy beers. These are average beers, yet they expect you to pay the same as you would for an established microbrew beer? No thanks. Try out Anthony's downtown (happy hour from 4-6). It's also ridiculous that you can't sample beers. They used to allow that at the old place. I'll gladly pay a dollar or two to try something before I pay for it. It really discourages trying new beers (which seems like what they're trying to promote). The carry out beers are considerably more expensive than wegmans. But I still swing by for a six pack when I don't feel like going for a drive to the pike. The food is pretty good. Pizza is more expensive than most places, but if you go on a Thursday (and I think Monday) pizza is half price. Cheesesteaks are good too. I would like the meatball subs if their marinara sauce was different. The worst part about this place is the couple people I regularly see behind the register. I almost feel like I'm bothering them when I place an order. Especially the guy with the shaved head and tattoos. Every time I've brought someone new here, they've said the same thing. The bartenders are fairly friendly and helpful, however. Make sure you have cash to tip them since you can't on your credit card. I wish this place was a little more welcoming. I was hoping it could become my new go-to place, but I just don't get a friendly vibe.
(3)Jason F.
This place is an absolute joke. Well maybe it's just the owner. A group of 5 of us sit down at a table to order some food and drinks with only 3 of the 5 ever being here before. Before I could even order a beer, my friend gets flagged because he laughed too loud and he questioned the owner as to how that was too loud. He then proceeded to flag the entire table because we were all in disbelief and questioned him. He then walked away and stood at the bar with his back toward us and wouldn't even look over to see if we were still there. I spoke with the manager and he said it was the owner's call, which is absolutely true. What he failed to recognize was that he just flagged 5 people because of 1 person's laugh and these 5 people will not be back. To top it off, word of mouth goes a long way in this world and I sure hope it won't just stop at us 5. Unfortunately, they do have a very nice beer selection, however I will never get to experience it. Again, this was caused by one laugh. What a shame.
(1)Faith S.
First of all, I think it is very strange that all the bad reviews (and there are alot of them!) of this place are 'filtered'! I will be checking to see if mine gets filtered.... Anyway, the other thing that is strange is that people act like it is hard to find 'craft' beer in this area, which it is not!!! In fact, Al's Pizza and Subs (a totally different place, about 2 miles from this spot) has more beers on tap and bottles, and many types of craft beer. Not to mention the other gazillion bars and restaurants in this area that specialize in beer...smh... but i digress... The main problems with this place are: THE SERVICE is HORRIBLE! the couple of guys who run it are huge assholes with attitudes who think they are the only people in the world who love beer or who love small batch beers, it is really, sincerely, totally RIDICULOUS! These guys are way out of touch and act like they are doing you some kind of favor to take your order at the freaking counter, like you are at Mcdonald's! And expect to get tipped too! Oh and then they call out what you ordered when it is ready, hey thanks! Awful... And then there are the PRICES! Also ridiculous! The food is mediocre, i mean come on, it is pizza and wings. But again, they think they are doing you some kind of favor, so the prices are ridiculous. Oh and the BEER PRICES! Again, they should get out more and they would see that they are NOT the only place in town with a great variety of beer... And, as even the people who seem to like this place (apparently other people who should get out more) admit, a huge problem here is that there are like 7 tables in the whole joint, literally. So if you want to enjoy your overpriced food and craft beers sitting down, get there early or go on a Tuesday afternoon, otherwise you will be standing. We tried this place a few times, thinking we got them on a bad day or maybe we ordered the wrong things, but after the third time or so, we realized there are many other places nearby that offer better EVERYTHING. And my mom and her husband (both big beer snobs) have had the same complaints from their couple of visits here. I advise everyone to ALWAYS check the 'filtered' reviews of places on Yelp, but ESPECIALLY for this place!
(1)Mike I.
Beyond great beer selection...food is pretty good too. Owners are great...and they do a steady business... Only real downside is the location and size of the place. WAY too cramped, hard to know how seating/ordering works. There's no hostess, but there's a wait list at the counter if the tables are taken...but you can hardly get to the counter. There are folks getting take out, buying 6 packs to go, filling growlers, ordering food & beverage to stay...it's a bit chaotic...but in an uncomfortable way. Always feel rushed and crowded. Outdoor seating would be awesome too...hope they can add that to thier license. Supposedly they have plans to move to a larger space...and it can't happen soon enough!
(4)Dan C.
Truiy incredible pizza and beer. Honest, the pizza is absolutely top notch, and the beer is prime. Al - no, this is not a chain - takes great pride in doing it right. He's often behind the counter, and always personable, too. Do not miss this one.
(5)Mathew G.
Went to Al's last night. Met friends for drinks. New location in business park. Weird & hard to find. Big, loud space. Very impressive beer selection. Had Ace pear cider on tap. Right temp & decent prices. Todd tends bar on Sat in summer. Nicest guy ever. Will probably be back for pizza & beer w family.
(4)Samiam H.
Made my first visit to the new place. Poor signage, it is not visible from Valley so be sure you know exactly where it is, about 300 yards from the old Al's. The place is large factory style with grey concrete flooring . Lots of keg beer sorted by name not style, so the beer board takes a lot of reading to decide what you want. Biggest disappointment is no real ale, cask conditioned beer. Apparently they sometimes open a firkin and pour straight from the wood. Unless it is perfectly brew beer from the wood can be flat and not as cool as I like. The beer engine pump is still at the old Al's. I am not sure if they offered draft cider and perry The menu is the same I had a slice of pizza which was almost $5, it was OK. Other food looks a little expensive. Fries $4.15 and they were frozen not even fresh cut. Fried zucchini $5.45., this is a tremendous mark up. I think the most expensive item on menu for dinner was $13.20 for spaghetti and meatballs or sausage, so this is more casual snack food than go out for dinner place. The bread for sandwiches is made on premises and looked quite good. I like the mix your own 6 pack which gives you a chance to try different brews inexpensively. There is a lot of development in this are and Al's is going to do well even with high beer prices and an uninspired food menu.
(2)Brian V.
Most extensive list of quality craft beers I've ever seen at one establishment! Food was very good and delivered quickly even though the place was packed! I would recommend this place to anyone, but if you enjoy craft beers its a must! The local brewery (Pizza Boy Brewing) has many excellent offerings also! Great selection of six pack and 22oz craft beers also!
(5)Dan J.
I really want this place to be awesome, but it's just not. In fact.. It's terrible. I love craft beer, and I love discussing it. I try to engage the staff (after all.. This is supposed to be a brewery... ) and they simply ignore me. The pizza is overpriced. The restaurant is drab and void of any atmosphere whatsoever. They staff seem absolutely not interested in customers whatsoever. Furthermore, it seems like when I do get someone's attention, they'd rather not answer my question or take my money or do anything at all. I feel like I bothering them! I would rather spend my money at buffalo freakin wild wings. They need to get their stuff together at AL's of Hampden.. Cuz word is spreading. And it's not good.
(1)Matt N.
I stopped in last night for a couple pints and ordered a Chicken Cheesesteak grinder. I had an Imperial Spruce Pumpkin Stout from Rock Art and Chinkookie IPA from Full Pint. The cheesesteak was cooked perfectly and was piping hot when I got it with a nice amount of cheese, sauce and meat. I love the fresh baked bread it is served on. This place is a serious beer location for me, but the food is so tempting, you can't pass up one of their specials. Last night the had eggplant parmesan. I want to come back on Monday for some Wings which is when they are on special. There were 2 cask ales on tap and they were serving Founders Nemesis 2010 an excellent barleywine. Every time I visit it makes me want to return even more.
(5)Paul W.
Awesome selection of beers! Great service! Nice place! Oh, and they have food too!
(5)Amy G.
Beer selection is the reason to go. The pizza is good. The other food item quality depends on what you're ordering. I give the beer selection 5 stars and the food a solid 3.5. Some food items are wonderful and some of their pizzas are great. You just have to try different things. My daughter loves the soups. I like the "unique" pizza options. My son loves the cheeze and pepperoni pizzas. My hubby likes the hoppy beers. :) My complaint? So little seating. We keep trying to go there and ending up leaving since there's no place to sit. We now go to Al's in Enola since they now serve beer and there is a lot more space. If you go, be willing to consider taking your beer and pizza to go since on busy nights at rush time there's nary a free table in the joint. They have TV to watch (always sports when I'm in there). My kids love sitting at the high tables on the very tall chairs, munching on pizza (a favorite food), and watching sports. That being said, many nights there's a bunch of guys in there drinking beer and using bad lauguage. It's taking on more of a sports bar feel than a restaurant feel.
(4)Jayson W.
In the asinine law-scape that is PA's liquor laws, I appreciate businesses like this that are fighting for broader consumer choices. Their beer selection, especially for the size of the place, is awesome. The one oddity (that I'm sure is state-mandated) is the requirement to REGISTER as a person that buys beer in that restaurant before you can build your own six-pack. Friggin weird. These laws are one of the (many) reasons why I have no desire to ever move back to PA, but I'm glad for Al's and what they're doing to help the connoisseurs out.
(5)Maria A.
This place is amazing! The pizza and steak subs are delicious. The homemade bread is so good and makes this place special. I come to this place very often.
(5)Brian R.
3 stars for the food and 5 stars for the beer selection! Dan's review sums up nicely what's on the menu but I was much more interested in what they have on tap and bottles. Craft beers galore! Who would have thought this random pizza shop would have such a great selection? They've got maybe 10 micro brews on tap and a few hundred bottles, you can make your own six pack too - very cool spot. Wasn't too crazy about the food but I would definitely go back to try some rare brews.
(4)dave w.
Awesome selection of beer! The best variety I've found in the Susquehanna Valley. About 40 on tap, bring your growler. I'm a big beer fan and about 1/2 the taps were new beers for me, not a common experience. Tried the mozzarella, spinach pizza and found it to be quite tasty. I've had the wings highly recommended, but I'm saving them for the next trip. Sits down off the road a bit and the signage is kind of hard to notice, so make sure you have good directions the first time you try to find it, is off the beaten path a bit, Quite a large selection of carry out bottles available, also.
(5)Dave P.
OK, everyone I know agrees that you go to Al's for the beer selection. You just happen to eat something while you are there. Al's food is what you expect a pizza joints food to be. Subs, pizza, wings. All OK. Not bad, not great, just middle of the road. For everyone that has complained about it always being crowded because its so small, hang in there as he will be moving to a new building soon. So on to the beer. Something like 26 to 30 micros on tap. My only complaint is Al himself is a hop head and usually about 22 to 25 of said beers on tap are really hoppy. Guess that's OK if you like that, but I am more of a porter, brown ale, stout type drinker. Less selections for the rest of us. Oh yeah, forget about getting your shit bud light, girls light, miller lite garbage here. He might have some stuffed in the cooler to go, but not on tap. Al has also started brewing his own beers. Pizza Boy Brewing. I have tasted most of them. Some were really good, some were just OK. I'm glad he is doing this and I hope it works well for him! He is a friendly guy and is usually there waiting on you. He also has a great selection of micros to go. I like Al's. It not fancy. The foods not 5 star. The beer selection is nothing short of impressive. Go for the beer and if you want something to eat, just remember,it is a pizza place! Gotta go. I'm heading over for a 9% Southern Tier PumKing. Well, maybe two, or three!
(3)Zachary M.
There's no question that this little place has an excellent beer selection. What I've had of the food, however, has been average. I've tried many of their subs and some of their pizza, and haven't been impressed yet (it's not terrible food, just nothing special). If you're thirsty, look no further than Al's. If you just need some food, you can find better options in the area.
(3)Travis M.
Last night was my first adventure to Al's. I was amazed at the amount of fantastic beers on tap. Wow, I want to know how they get access to those kinds of brews! I enjoyed beers from so many different genres, and had the stuffed steak and 4 cheese pizza. It was fantastic! The food and beer combination here has gotten myself and others that joined me thinking about opening a place like this back in KC. Look out KC, the culinary delights may be coming to an awesome bar near you!
(4)Brandon S.
I absolutely love the pizza, and the beer selection is also great. Best pizza in the area. I highly recommend this place and eat there at least once a week.
(5)Al Y.
If you just happen to be in Enola, PA, area it's a great beer joint with a great selection of micro brews. As for the food, I was not impressed. Large portions, but everything lacked seasoning............if it's late and I'm hungry....maybe I'll visit again.
(2)Lawrence N.
For beer lovers and amateurs alike. This place is fantastic, from the most pretentious beer snob to the beer virgin, you will find something you'll like here. The digital menu displayed on the wall hanging LCD's provide fantastic information about each beer, my favorite is the rating for each beer from beeradvocate.com
(4)Dan R.
Al's is a local pizza place in the greater harrisburg area, they make pizza, subs, wings and a few other things. The staff is very friendly and whenever you place an order to pick-up they just ask for your name. When you open the door to the shop the first thing that catches your attention is the smell, its like youre transported to italy or something! they have vintage horse racing pictures on the wall, and the interior is nicely decorated with a large tv, several coolers, a bar, and a dozen or so tables. they have a kids menu, along with the standard pizza parlor food. the cheese is really the greatest. Dont ask me why, I normally hate plain cheese pizza, but it really isnt bad here. I work in the area and decided to give it a try, otehrwise i would probably never have stopped here.
(3)John M.
Great beer choices. Good Pizza. Nice staff. Generally a clean and friendly place. I only wish that the place was a bit bigger. People were standing to eat and drink on a Sunday night!
(5)Keith N.
Good selection of beers, but you pay an unnecessary premium. Used to love the pizza, but it has slipped lately IMO. Seating is lacking... bright lights and no atmosphere are the one constant. I got scolded once for letting my 13 year old son look at an empty bottle of Belgium craft beer that I had purchased and consumed. The bottle and label was interesting and we enjoyed talking about it - but the scolding was unnecessary and ticked me off. The bottle was empty and its a pizza shop for Pete's sake.
(2)Marc T.
Best pizza in Harrisburg. Not hard to say that because pizza in central PA is pretty mundane to horrible. But Al's pizza is definitely a cut above the rest. I've been trying different pizza places in the area for over 30 years and this is the best. And do not confuse Al's of Hampden with the other Al's pizza places....different owner and businesses. This restaurant is far better than the other pizza joints with the similar name. Beer selection is also one of the best in the areas; both on tap and for take out. I've also tried their grinders and stromboli and both are well above average. I've always had good service and the staff, although a little harried because of all the customers, was always polite and efficient. Ignore the one or two stupid one/two star reviews. Either they are competing businesses or people with a grudge. There is a reason why this place is packed and busy Thursday through Sunday. Stopped by on a Tuesday night and it was fairly busy then also. The primary negative is the place is incredibly small and space is cramped if you want to eat in. Good news is that I read in the Patriot News that Al's is planning a much larger restaurant nearby that should be opened in the coming year. This place started as pretty much a hole in the wall with no customers and thanks to great food and a huge beer selections, this place has way out grown it's current location. Congratulations to a successful local business!
(4)Matthew L.
Amazing beer selection. Pizza Boy is the beer brewed there (not sure if it's all on site, but it's the resident brewery's name...you know what I'm getting at). We're usually there on Thursdays, for half price wings and pizza...which is a GREAT deal.
(5)Ted C.
I read quite a bit about Al's on Yelp, Beer Advocate and from local ratings. After the numerous positive feedback from customers, I decided to give it a try. This place is located outside of Harrisburg off Valley Road, next to I-81. If you are approaching from either the interstate or coming on Valley, you have to look quickly for the entrance or you will miss it. The establishment is located in a small strip of stores downhill from the entrance. Upon entering, you are immediately greeted with the pleasant smell of pizzas baking and subs. The six pack selection is on one wall, and the single bottles are on the other. Numerous taps of goodness line the wall behind the food counter. The main seating area consists of some high and low tables and a few TVs on the wall. You must place your order at the counter, as there is no table service here. However, they will call your food order when it is done and bring it to you. You can choose your beer from the overhead electronic menu, and your beer is dispensed at the counter and placed at the other end for you to pick up. You can also bring your growler to fill, and I believe they have them for sale on site. I had both the Pikeland Pils from Slyfox and the Marzen from Penn brewing. Both were enjoyable and if I weren't driving, I definitely would have tried a few more other brands and styles. The selection of stouts, wheat beers and IPAs here are amazing. Al's is definitely unique for the area. My only gripe was with the seating, which is cramped and limited. Then again, I went on a Saturday, so if you go on off hours, you have a better choice of tables. Overall, the atmosphere is pleasant and was a mix of families, young people watching March Madness and some elderly folks just eating and enjoying beer. The staff is friendly and efficient, and if you were a first-timer like me, were very patient as I was a bit overwhelmed by the choices. I definitely will stop back when I am up that way and highly recommend Al's to veteran beer drinkers and rookies alike.
(4)Ian W.
Epic beer selection, great cheeseteaks and specialty pizzas. I strongly suggest you try the California fries or original potato wedges
(5)Ryan K.
Great beer list, with a number of their Pizza Boy beers along with other breweries. Pizza was good too. Would recommend for any beer drinker.
(4)Jenny W.
Great beer. Terrible, bland, poorly made food. Terrible service. No flavor. As if the food was made the cheapest ingredients, but charges an arm an a leg. Don't eat there sober. Go there- get drunk on their great beers and THEN order food- it all tastes like paper.
(2)Laura B.
Food is consistent and pretty good. We have had their pizza and wings only. We have had the food delivered and have not eaten at the restaurant itself.
(3)GT W.
This used to be a tiny pizza parlor with a big case of craft beer. Fast forward and they upgraded to an enormous new space and built their own custom brewery with the brand name Pizza Boy. Interior is cavernous, stainless steel and white. A larger than expected brewing system is exposed to the dining hall. A massive bar on the opposite side points to multiple LCD screens of a mega 50 or so tap list with a good 10 or so Pizza Boy house beer concoctions. Not on tap, but in 750mL bottles to drink on premise, are some of Pizza Boy's special release sours. Beer quality here is very high from rockstar brewer Terry Hawbaker. Sours and Brett saisons seem to be the strong suit here along with some amazing coffee imperial stouts like Sunny Side Up. Service was good. Place was packed. Per PA state law you cannot have more than a certain number of beer glasses on your table at once. We went wild on the tap list (multiple tasting samples per person) and the bartender obliged. Welp, we went over the limit so some of our pours had to be hidden away for legal reasons and then brought back to us once other beers were finished. Love this state. Pizza we thought was in the good range along with the sandwiches. The food menu certainly leaves something to be desired especially if you are watching calories. Overall, a secluded venue...but world-class beer makes up for it.
(4)Mark A.
Only been here once, but I think I get the gist of it. "Soft" service, solid food, good beer selection in a casual atmosphere. Great selection of beers, to be sure, though perhaps a little high-priced considering they're all on tap. The server behind the counter was pleasant and helped describe the beers we were considering, but the beer menu is so extensive, I'd really recommend you bone up a little on types of beer (including "sours," which I've seldom seen before but which seem to be featured repeatedly on the list). The main dining room is large and spacious, but even without a lot of patrons and low volume on the several TVs, it was still fairly loud, so we moved out to the plain and unadorned outdoor space. We ordered a big plate of "California Fries" (bacon, cheese, and Ranch dressing) which was nicely done -- decent fries underneath, and not completely drowned in toppings. The side salad was strange -- iceberg lettuce only, and mostly pickled vegetables from a jar. The White Veggie Pizza was solid -- nice toppings, decent crust (not perfect, but not too soft or too crispy). The rest of the menu seems to be standard pizza and subs fare, though with decent variety. You order at the counter, then go to your table with your order number and wait. Service was prompt and the servers kind, but not very personable. Once your food arrives, don't count on servers checking up on you too often, and you're on your own for fountain beverages, etc. They don't seem to expect tips, and I wouldn't expect to offer much of one. They do offer an extensive selection of craft beer six-packs for takeout, so that's a nice plus. Overall a nice place to hang out, good if uneventful food, a "low-maintenance" joint for a low-maintenance crowd. Nice to know it's there in an otherwise out-of-the-way location.
(3)Rebecca P.
If I were rating this on beer alone, I would be giving this a strong 4.5/5. This is a beer lover's mecca. And, if you're from around the eastern PA area, you probably know that Pizza Boy makes some amazing fermented suds. However, their goods can be a bit tough to find in stores, so should you find yourself in the Harrisburg region, make it a point to come in and stock up. They sell "crowlers" (growler cans), so you can get about anything on tap in a BIG OL' can to go. Aside from their own beers (which I really advocate getting since you have come here already and they can be hard to track down further from Harrisburg, as noted above), Al's/Pizza Boy has an impressive selection of other beers, especially from Eastern PA. As someone who loves collaboration (rather than competition) in the beer world, I love to see breweries supporting other regional players. Okay, star docking comes from the food: if you are hoping for tasty NY/NJ-style pizza, this isn't happening here. The sandwiches, while okay, aren't amazing. That said, your motivation for coming should be the beer, and the food is definitely palatable enough to support your imbibing. The scene inside is cool and delightfully informal with an open warehouse sort of vibe where the brewery, the bars and the food ordering areas all sort of run together. So while you probably wouldn't want to come here on a romantic date (okay, so maybe I would), it would be a great place to come with a group of friends where you can pony up to a picnic table. Pro Tip: if you love coffee stouts, do not miss the Sunny Side Up if they have it on draft. Clocks in at almost 10% ABV, so you may want to appoint a driver...
(4)Lina K.
Food is so so, but amazing beer selection. There is an outdoor space and they place has a neat industrial feel.
(3)Korey M.
Cheap and damn good beer. Crazy beer selection, with tons of their own brews, which are fantastic. Very laid back atmosphere, and great food for a quick/cheaper italian spot. Don't expect fine dining, but it will be a good meal. Truly a gem of a place.
(5)Thomas M.
Written as someone who loves craft beer, i cant imagine this place being less than 5 stars. Especially given that this is located near nothing else. Central PA has rarely impressed me with eateries, but this takes the cake. They have 99 taps, most of which are for growler fills to go (or crowlers). the beer made here ranges from meh to very decent. Their selection of beers to go are great, very representative of the entire east coast area. Ill give you the staff is mildly aloof, and i could see any sort of line being crazy. But when we were there i was always served promptly. Its a little weird that you can only have one beer at a time, but whatever Finally, the pizza is great. Im shocked people dont like it. Its very decently priced and i thought it was very reminiscent of NY/North east pizza. Great stuff People complaining about the staff have never been to any other hipster breweries clearly (try tired hands in philly, those are some slackers). And the interior isnt nice, but who cares, its a brewery and a pizza place, not a freaking french bistro Overall, come for the beer, and have some pizza while your at it, you wont be disappointed
(5)Janet C.
A.k.a. Pizza Boy Brewing. Over 100 beers on tap from Pizza Boy Brewing and other guest beers. These are craft beers, not your Bud, Miller Light, etc. variety. Complete beer nirvana for the craft beer enthusiast. Stick with the 8 oz pours to sample more beers or go for a large pour of your favorite or take home more in a growler. The location is a large warehouse with seating and large screen TVs for your game viewing pleasure. In addition to the large selection of beer, there is yummy pizza and other bar fare to enjoy. Sunday's even offer specials on large pizzas and wings! Weekday lunch specials available if you are in the area (which unfortunately we are not). If this place was closer to us, we would be regulars for sure.
(5)Allison H.
I ordered Al's for Delivery. This is based solely on a delivery experience. I was a little disappointing. I imagine, pizza is much better as a sit down customer. The taste was OK. Still they messed up my order. Big NO NO for a first time customer. Other than that, I am willing to give this place a try in person. As far as delivery goes, I wasn't very pleased. I am one to support local, as opposed to ordering Pappa Johns or Pizza Hut. They definitely compare to them as far as quality (for delivery) and price, so please support your local economy. I will re-visit this review after I go in person.
(3)Alex R.
Great beer selection, the wings were average... the food seems as if it's an afterthought. Unusual ordering/seating arrangements, not sure if it's set up like this because it's party brewery. When I went to the line to order, my seat was taken. Definitely need to stake your claim. Excellent place for drinks.
(3)Erik G.
so i used to really like al's. i would go on sundays with a bunch of friends, sit outside on the patio and eat a pizza while enjoying some beers with good company. after a few bad experiences i decided to give it a rest. yesterday we decided to try it again. what a mistake. we ordered our food, got drinks and went out back to the patio to wait for our order. first off, they put in even more taps for their own brew: pizzaboy. while i don't dislike their beer on a whole, i think it all tastes the same and leaves a weird taste in the back of my throat. there are only so many hopped up citrus flavored IPAs one can enjoy. most of our food came out immediately, except for a few slices of already made pizza that my girlfriend ordered. we finished our sandwiches and wings and her slices hadn't come out yet. finally, after about a half hour she went in to check on it and they said they'd have them right out. the slices came out cold and rubbery. what a shitty disappointment. she doesn't want to make waves or cause a fuss (cause she's worked food service, ya know?), but i will--cause i've also worked food service and i know that this shit isn't hard to master. all in all, we won't be back. **EDIT: not to forget the childish social media actions of the owner, who will publicly call you out on facebook if you post a negative review. if you check out their FB page there is no reviews tab. curious...**
(1)Ruth B.
Let me start by saying I REALLY wanted to like this place and was so excited to check it out. I had recently come across some Pizza Boy beers around Harrisburg and was very impressed, so I was excited to go to the brewery itself and try some more. I love craft beer and pizza, so I figured what could be better? Beer: To start on a positive note, the beer list was impressive. I was not expecting for them to serve beers from so many other breweries. The to-go section was pretty average, but at least they allow growler fills of almost anything they have on tap. I enjoyed both of the Pizza Boy IPAs that I tried. I was disappointed that they did not serve flights though, because I would have liked to sample more beers. Food: The food was grossly disappointing. At our table we ordered a pizza, a calzone and two of the hot subs. The pizza was incredibly mediocre. The sauce was good but the crust and toppings were bland. The calzone was barely passable for even qualifying as a calzone. It barely looked like a calzone and was very bland. The eggplant parm sub was the best food at our table, but wasn't anything to write home about. The buffalo chicken sub was so bland that my friend had to doctor it up himself with any sauce he could find to make it edible. Service/Ambiance: Service was fine. No complaints there. The building has so much potential. I like the big industrial warehouse feel, but the way that it is decorated just made it feel kinda cheesy and cheap. I will likely not be going back, as the food was so bad and the ambiance was just mediocre. There are several other places in town with a big craft beer selection with better food and ambiance, so it would just be hard to justify. Sorry Pizza Boy Brewing/Als of Hampden - I really wanted to love your place, but I still love your beer!
(3)Brian S.
Oh Als...So upfront I'm writing this review as a beer advocate/enthusiast, and is the basis for my revirew. The food aspect alone and the fact they offer so many beers would give this a 4 easily. However like stated in so many other reviews the fact they offer no samples or flights is a huge issue. People come to places like this to try as many beers as they can while there. For a local its a non issue because they can come back, however for us out of towners it's a disappointment. The fact you can't get a sample or flight of some beers you want to buy 64 or 32 oz growlers of is borderline asinine. Of the 30+ breweries/beer gardens I've been to this has never been the case. It seems like it's brought up all the time and the owner seems to send smart ass tweets and emails to customers who bring it up...Overall, poor customer service on their part for that. Now for the beer...Delicious! I a growler of the hop tart(was skeptical because I don't really like sowers). Thankfully I thought it was delicious! Enough hops that I drank the whole growler. I also had a glass of the sunny side up little amps which was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend it. Tons of chocolate and coffee notes. The pizza was good. Nice and greasy. We ordered the porky and it was plenty for the two of us. Overall great beer and good food, just wish they'd do a little better in listening to their customers.
(3)David M.
HUGE beer selection. Food is okay. Be nice if they did more of a gastropub menu! Did I mention the huge beer selection?
(4)Bill G.
I visited Al's with some locals. I point that out because I doubt I would have bothered with its remote location without people I knew vouching for it. That said, Al's was doing pretty good business with locals even at lunch time when we arrived. The interior looks cheap. Very industrial with poured concrete floors, exposed ceiling beams, and equipment in plain view. Then again, that style is all the rage today. They probably spent a lot of money to look this cheap. As for the food? Well, we had some pizza, pub grub, and a sandwich or two. The food gets the job done but it's nothing to write home about. (Tip on the pizza: it would be better with less sauce. Too much sauce causes the cheese to float and slide off.) As for the beer? Well, beer should be the main reason you come here. The food's there so you don't have to fill up on just beer. (That'd be alcoholism, see?) The 100+ choices on tap can be intimidating. The beertender I met wasn't the most friendly person. He blew off my questions about the beers and pressed me to make up my mind quickly, as if I were dawdling with a huge line behind me when in fact I was the only person at the bar. That said, the beers are GOOD, just don't expect to get friendly service with them. But, hey, that helps keep the price down because NO TIP for jackass service.
(3)Chloe A.
Food is so overpriced for what you get. Great beer selection but will not waste my money eating here ever again.
(1)Drew K.
Poor customer service, rude employees and poor quality food. Do not waste your time. Overpriced food and staff that will argue with the customers. This place is overrated and there are better places with better customer service.
(1)Maggie D.
Always a good choice for beer lovers. Solid food, typically good service, and one of the largest tap selections in the area. I like taking out-of-towners here. Prices are reasonable, too. I don't eat meat, but I've heard their wings are great! Pizza has been good when I've gotten it, as have the appetizers (mozzarella sticks, fried zucchini, etc.). The outdoor area is nice as well, when the weather permits.
(4)Tina K.
This is my 2nd time here, worth the hour drive. Wings were hot lots of fresh garlic and grated parm! Meatball sub shared with my other half more than enough. This time we did a pie w/ 5 toppings of r choice. The pie was hot and toppings plentiful, an ease up on the olive oil that they top the pie with would be my only suggestion.
(4)Sandy C.
... Wish they had table side service! Super nice daytime bartender helps with beer selection. Nice big salad fresh!!! Music in daytime would make a fun atmosphere!!! Nice experience!
(3)Anthony S.
Checked out Al's with a few buddies of mine in March, because we were fans of the Pizza Boy beer we had previously tried. Went on a Saturday, and it was VERY busy. I would say we were lucky to find a table, so just be prepared for that if you plan to go with a large group! We tried the bacon cheeseburger pizza, and some Parmesan Garlic Boneless Wings. The food was VERY good! We were all happy with the beer we tried. Over 100 beers on tap! Overall a great experience!
(4)Kristy K.
I love Al's of Hampden. Whenever I am home visiting my family, I make it a priority to stop by. Since they have moved to their new location where they brew their own beer, it is even more tempting to get over there. Their tap list is incredible. They also brew their own beer, Pizza Boy Brewing. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to try it. Next time Al's also offers a great selection of 6 packs and bombers to go. I am a huge fan of their cheese steak stuffed pizza. I have been getting this stuff since high school and it is wildly addicting. I have gotten so many people hooked on this pizza. Give it a try next time you are at Al's! If you are in the area and are looking for good beer, Al's of Hampden is your spot. Go support this awesome joint!
(4)Bryce T.
Easily the best tap selection in Central PA. 10-15 taps are dedicated to in-house brewery Pizza Boy Brewing Co that always has unique selections. Food offerings are exactly what you need to pair with all these world-class beers!
(5)David H.
Beer selection is fantastic, food is great, service is always attentive and friendly. Not much more to say here. I drive an hour one way to enjoy this joint!
(5)Marissa B.
Highly recommended for craft beer lovers! Al is the man and knows what he's doing when it comes to creating some amazing and creative brews. He's friendly and proud of what he does- it's nice when you get a chance to speak with him about his beer. The food is exactly what I'm looking for when I'm drinking- pizza, hoagies, wings...yum! I have read some negative reviews and am so confused by them. I say if you have a bad experience here it's you, not them and this place is not for you. Cheers, Al!! Keep up the good work!
(5)Lauren B.
If you are looking for a brewery with an awesome selection of its own beers as well as lots of PA-based breweries, do not miss this place. Close to 100 beers on tap with 27+ of their own brews, including some collaboration beers, cask beers, and a few on nitro. Food is decent enough,but the beer is the reason to drop by. I had their Vanilla Bean porter which was awesome as well as a Springhouse chocolate peanut butter porter on cask which was equally great. The name here is misleading since pizza is one element of their fare, but you are really visiting for Pizza Boy Brewing Company. Yum!
(5)Sean O.
Amazing pizza! Amazing micro-brews! With 100+ beers on tap how could you go wrong! They have a great selection of micros and bottles you can't find elsewhere but there blue collar lager is great! You also need to try the vegetarian dream pizza - delicious!
(5)Philip A.
Amazing! Just go, trust me. Possibly the best brew pub in pennsylvania. Very experimental, great execution.. Tons of other beer on tap besides their own. Mostly known for their pizza which is excellent. They have a very large food menu.. Take out bottles and six packs to go. This place has it all. Just go! Try all of Al's beer!
(5)Tammi T.
Long time customer. Disappointed in my pizza today. Ordered a XLG pizza when I got it home it was 14". Almost $20 for a medium sized one topping pizza? Don't skimp Al.
(3)Mike B.
Al's gets 3 stars out of 5 and 7 stars out of 5 for beer. That averages out to 5 stars out of 5. Make sense? I've been 20+ times in 6 months of working in the Harrisburg area. Suffice to say I enjoy it. Beer's incredible. 100 taps, 20 or so in-house. There is something for every palate. The homegrown stuff is outstanding, and I've had little reason to go beyond Al's offerings. 2 niggles: On growler fills, Al's is the only place I've ever seen that charges $3 for a replacement cap. Kinda pisses me off, but I can forgive them. Also, in addition to the taps, Al's offers several bottled beers for in-house consumption, and while I've found prices for pours/growler fills from the taps to be very good, the prices for the bottled beers to be out of line. Granted, these are hard to make, hard to find beers which are better than the tap beers (if you like the unique styles you'll find bottled, that is), so a premium's expected, but paying 3-4x more per ounce is whack. Fortunately, unless you're a 39th level Beer Mason who really love sours, you'll find plenty of well-priced beer on the tap list which will make you happy. Of the Capitol Region breweries, Al's makes the best beer and has the most diverse offerings, and on this second point it's not even close. Food is merely OK. I would classify the pizza as average. The crust is doughy, which some regard as a big plus, or a big minus. Same with the hoagies. I think the wings are sneakily underrated. Some have complained about truculent, unfriendly service. Never seen it. Fast and friendly enough in my opinion. If you're looking for beer with your meal, there's a number of choices in the Capitol region: Al's, Troeg's, Appalachian, Lancaster, and any number of bars. My recommendation are as follows: If you are looking for great beer and just-good-enough food, Al's is for you. If you're looking for good beer and awesome food, that would be Troeg's, where the tap list is smaller and the beer's a titch behind.
(5)Lacy S.
I don't know how this place has any good reviews?? It is like eating in a stinky warehouse. You walk in and it is overwhelming with chaos and noise. You have to find you own table (good luck finding a clean one), then try to figure out what to do next. There is no one to help you with anything. Luckily the table next to us explained the process. Everything is self serve. You order your food and get a number. Then you have to go get your own drink, silverware, and condiments from a messy sticky area in the corner near the bathrooms. Our food came out quickly but only because it was not cooked through. Our stromboli was cooked on the outside but cold and not melted in the inside. It was all together one of the worst dining experiences i have ever experienced.
(1)John W.
Food is good for this type of establishment. Beer choice is okay. The problem with this place is the service. I have been there s few times and it has been horrible each time. I can't stand fight with customers to get a table. You should not have to hover around a table so someone else will not take it. A little patients and smile would go a long way.
(2)Jay R.
If you were at Al's more than a year ago, this is a whole different joint today. They moved across Valley Road to a warehouse-type of building on Milennium Way in which they house their brewery in addition to their pub. And what a pub it is. There must be 100 microbrews on tap, and that is no exaggeration. I'm not one for heavy brews, but I had to try their house chocolate mint stout one recent day, and it was delicious. They have about 15 of their own Pizza Boy brands along with just about anything else you can think of. (And if you're not adventurous, all the old standards are in the case inside the door.) Even with the expanded digs, it's a zoo, especially on the late Saturday afternoon I stopped in. But you can order your food and if you can find a seat at the bar, have a brew while you wait. You can get a draft, or 1-liter and 2-liter quantities. And they'll put your food and drink together on one tab for you. The food? Still pretty good, and lots of it. If you're by yourself, don't order anything larger than a small stromboli. Excellent variety for a "pizza place," which, of course, it's more than now. EDIT: One thing I have to add. They really should provide a sampling option. Charge for it if you need to. But there are a lot of beer rookies who would like to see what something tastes like before committing to a $5 draft.
(3)Erik W.
I'll admit up front: I'm biased. I love having a lot to choose from when it comes to beers, and this place is the BOMB. I think there's 100 taps here, and all quality micro-brew stuff, too. Even their own home-brew beer (Pizza Boy) is solid. At first, I thought maybe they were just trying to capitalize on all those taps by doing their own, and maybe sucker in a few people who didn't know any better, but I've only had a rare Pizza Boy offering I didn't like. Most are fantastic. DEFINITELY worth trying. When you order from the board, be sure to note the shape of the glasses next to the price. Not everything comes in a pint glass, so this is helpful in determining whether you're getting a good bang for your buck. Growler prices are about what you'd expect, although they have some real high-end stuff in there that's obnoxiously-priced. One good thing about the Pizza Boy selections...all their growler refills are reasonably-priced. They sell bombers and six-packs as well for carry-out. The bombers seem reasonably-priced, but the six-packs are a little more expensive than you find at Wegman's (as another user pointed out). But what about the food? Fortunately, the handful of times i've gotten food there, it's been pretty good. I've heard gripes about their pizza prices, but they have $10.99 specialty pizzas on Sundays. We order the all-meat "Porky" when we go, and we're practically licking the crumbs off the pie plate once the last bite's taken. I've also had stromboli in there, opting for the more-expensive 14-incher, but lemme tell ya...the thing was AMAZING. It was worth it. I've had the bacon ranch burger lunch special as well. The burger was big and juicy, loaded with toppings, and the plate weighted down with a ton of fries. So, although some items on their menu may seem a tad pricy, you can usually find a good special to go with. If you're looking for something upscale, then avoid this place. But if you're looking for food that's a couple notches up from standard bar fare, and a beer selection that'll have you dancing around like Willy Wonka in his chocolate factory, this is a slam-dunk. GO. NOW.
(5)Steven B.
If you've been to Central PA before, you know that Enola is not a hot spot for having and adult libation or two or three. However if you are a beer aficionado you should make the trip. I was in a hotel nearby and my Yelp Mobile App said go, so off I went. This is a weird, quirky, little place that's hard to describe. It is crazy busy and the parking lot is small. In addition, many of the parking spots are on an incline which can be a challenge for some. GPS alert- My high-end Garmin model tried to send me to a nearby street that didn't exist but I could see this place so I worked it out. You walk in the door and, as others have said, its chaos. There are ten four-tops placed close together and that's it. This place is tiny. You've got people trying to place to-go orders and then wait for them. It turns out that if you are eating in, you place your order at the counter and they bring it out to you. So you add these folks to the mix. Then you've got a bunch of folks trying to make their own six packs by selecting from the many coolers with hundreds of choices. Add this all together and you are talking a wild and crazy crowd! So is it worth it? Mostly yes! If you are a beer geek it is definitely yes. Just the bottle selection is 350 strong with about 35 Belgians! We haven't even talked about the two dozen taps and even hand pumps. I tried a few and definitely had a smile on my face. There are lots of hard-to-find beers and I found the prices to be competitive. I was spending about five bucks each. So what about the food? I tried the regular size Sausage Stromboli ($11.20). It was out quickly and looked very nice. It tasted fine but nothing special. It was definitely over priced for its size. I also had a chance to taste the Bacon Cheeseburger Sub ($8.40). They use house made rolls here which is a nice touch. Once again it tasted just fine but nothing special. So for me the beer is 5 stars and the food is a 3. I'll split the difference and go for 4 stars.
(4)Michael E.
I've been to Als on 3 occasions and the first time i thought maybe I just got the staff on a bad day, so I gave them the benefit of the doubt. The second time was not much better and shame on me for giving them a third try. Do they have a good beer selection? Yes. Great? Yes. But so does Wegmans. The Pizza Boy offerings are consistently decent, but nothing to write home about. There are people who would say their beers are amazing, but those folks must not get out much and have simply embraced their local craft beer stop. I'm sure if this place was located within a 10 mile radius of Troegs they would have a hard time getting people in the door. The owner is extremely rude, sometimes childish and its no wonder that it rubs off on the employees. I've actually mentioned this place to other beer drinkers and they have come back saying the same thing. Great selection. Rude service. Even the owners facebook page has the occasional immature rant and I did my self a favor and stopped following them and will never step foot in or purchase anything associated with Pizza Boy. Do your self a favor, make the Trek to Troegs. Even if you're on the West Shore and have to drive the 25 minutes, at least you will be met with enthusiastic employees who are excited about what they are serving you and willing to discuss the product. Good craft beer is everywhere, why pay for the beer that comes with rude service?
(1)Rocio R.
Maybe it's because we prefer establishments with a more cozy or personal feel to them, but this place really wasn't our cup of tea. Place was packed on a Saturday evening. Beer selection both on tap and on six packs was incredibly large which was pretty cool. 102 beers on tap I believe I read on a sign. We both tried Pizza Boy beers, since those are the house brews. I remember I got a peach beer that was nice, but I can't remember what J got. Bartender was rude, questioning J why his credit card had a middle name initial and his license didn't and he kept peering at both cards and at J suspiciously and it really seemed like he was going to turn us around even though I explained middle names are extremely common where we're from. Anyway, if you like that sort of thing then go. We'll stick to other places instead.
(3)Patrick B.
Fun place, for what it is. I think the folks who are Giving negative reviews must not realize that this is just a pizza and beer place, and they do it well, cement floors and all. Decent pizza, good wings and a great selection of beer. Their system works well, even though it's a bit chaotic.
(4)Victor M.
Well I used to go there buy the some of the staff needs classes on the different types of beer they had. But if you don't mind telling the servers the differences between beers thane that is ok. My Facebook post was taken down due to my review. If the owner can't not posted them all then maybe he shouldn't post any at all. I asked for my wings crispy they came out chewy and alittle pink in the middle. And god forbid you tell the staff that. They are NEVER wrong. I wasn't asking for my money back just wanted the right wings. And please don't snatch things out of my hand again. Sorry to bother you while you stand there and talk to people about nothing.
(1)Chris G.
Great Pizza and Great Beer. Love the Pizza Boys.
(5)J P.
After hearing about this place at the Great American Beer Fest I made it a point to visit during a trip back to Harrisburg. After confirming via twitter that they would have the Steeler game on we showed up an hour early to claim our spots. Just before kickoff they moved the Steeler TV to a tiny tv in the corner that we couldn't see. We left and went to a bar down the road to watch our game. The staff didn't really seem to care. On top of this no flights, no samples, and over priced 8 oz pours. The "draft" is also 12 ounces but priced like a 16 ounce. Very disappointing.
(1)Margy C.
I love this place. It's beer Mecca and the food is very tasty as well. I like IPAs and the selection is large. They could turn down the fluorescent lights a bit, but that's my only criticism.
(5)Yo Y.
Service is mediocre Pizza is definitely the best thing they offer The California fries are a good choice But That's where it ends. Wings are horrible. Not even close to the same quality of say, Pizza Hut. Tried 3 kinds, all crap. Over cooked and they just pour/drizzle the sauce on. If they tossed them like normal places that serve wings the might be a little better.
(2)T W.
This is for the new Pizza Boy location on Millenium Way. Is it called Al's of Hampden or Pizza Boy?? Tried the new "brew pub". Not impressed. Beer on the pricey side. Food still frustratingly mediocre. Atmosphere of a large unfinished cement bunker. Won't be rushing back. And you can't put the tip on a credit card for some asinine reason, you can only tip in cash. So if you just have a card and no cash.....they get no tip! What a stupid thing for them! I emailed the owner about this and he did not even respond. What in the world is up with this terrible place?
(1)B C.
Basically a big open warehouse/cafeteria feel. Food is decent, nothing really stands out other than the canoli's are pretty good. Go for the 100 tap beer selection.
(4)Quintin P.
Al's never disappoints. I can go on and on and give a glowing review but I won't it speaks for itself. This place is hands-down one of the best pizza places we've ever been to and they deliver, plus they have the beer and the selection for an enjoyable time!
(5)dan e.
Been going here every couple of months and always a treat! The dough for the pizza and subs is incredible! Then there is the beers that really is what got me here. I try to stick with just the PIzza Boy brews and they nail all the styles. IPAs, stouts, sours are all stellar!! I just wish they sold their bottles to go like permasmile. They just never submitted labels to the ttb so understood. Prices for beers are very reasonable too.
(5)Johnathan R.
Selection of beers is pretty amazing. Food is good too. Not sure of the atmosphere, but its always very busy and very clean. Nice to get a table outdoors before it fills up. The location makes it a little tricky to find if you aren't familiar with the area.
(4)Mark B.
If you like the taste of excrement, try the home brew beer at Al's. The greasy food will neutralize your palate.
(2)Michael C.
This place is really hard to rate. I've been here about 5-6 times and am finally trying to do it justice. First, the beer. That is probably why you'll come and is really the only reason to unless you live in the neighborhood. 102 on tap, many of them are their own brews. Several sour beers, which I love, are typically available. They have some weird "rules" like no tasters (paid or free), no tips on credit cards, and a complete section of the bar that gets no bartender service - you have to walk to a different section of the bar 6-12 ft away to get served. The food - typical PA pizza shop with strombolis, calzones, wings, and subs; decent execution but nothing notably special. The service? Never a real problem but these folks aren't friendly. Maybe it's the tip thing? They really don't seem to give a sh!t at all. Don't try to engage them on the beers too much, just shut up and order so they can move on. This combined with the industrial / warehouse ambience of the place is what takes it from 5 to 3 stars for me. (Oh, and the outdoor patio is non-smoking. There goes my beer-and-cigar idea.) I'll be back, thanks to those taps. But I won't love it.
(3)