One of the aspects that makes Downtown Frederick a vibrant and entertaining city is its collection of excellent restaurants, bars, and breweries. Among them, Brewer’s Alley stands out as it combines its prime location, rich history, and lively atmosphere to truly represent the heart of downtown Frederick.
A Frederick Brewery, Bar, and Restaurant in the Heart of Downtown Frederick
The main shopping and nightlife district in Downtown Frederick is centered on North Market Street. This area begins at the southern end around East South Street and stretches north for approximately ten blocks to 7th Street.
Located almost exactly in the middle of this section is Brewer’s Alley, Frederick’s first brewery and a fixture in downtown since its opening. Today, it serves as a bustling restaurant and bar with a unique alleyway entrance. Brewer’s Alley always feels like the epicenter of downtown Frederick.
Brewers Alley: Basics
Brewers Alley resides in a building with lots of history (see below), right on North Market Street between Church and 2nd Street:
- Address: 124 N Market St, Frederick, MD 21701
- Web: Brewers-Alley.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/brewers.alley
- Phone: +1.301.631.0089
- Price Range: $$
- Reservations: link
- Menu: Brewers Alley Menu
- Online Ordering: link
A Location and Building with Plenty of History
If you casually walked into Brewers Alley for a burger and beer, you’d probably have no idea the history behind the building. It dates back to 1765 when the town needed a Town Hall. It went on to serve as a market house and an opera house.
The building has hosted many notable historical events over the years, including a memorial service for President McKinley in 1901 and an American Legion fundraiser immediately after World War I.
The actual Brewers Alley business began in another location in Frederick’s earliest days as a city but ceased in 1901 due to a fire.
The brewery was reopened in 1996 by the current owners of the current building and has thrived ever since.
The Beers at Brewers Alley
At its core, Brewer’s Alley is a brewery focused on craft beers for its restaurant and distribution. Beer production for Brewer’s Alley beers has moved off-site to its partner business, Monocacy Brewing, just north of downtown (well worth visiting as well).
The beers are solid and the beer portfolio has a standard variety of beers to choose from. The Kolsch is my personal favorite, but the Scotch Ale, IPAs, and Hefeweizen are popular.
Brewer’s Alley serves both their year-round pours but also rotates seasonal brews (for example, December New Moon Ale in winter).
The Brewer's Alley Food Menu
Brewer’s Alley is a great place to get lunch, dinner, or a meal at the bar. There are plenty of standard bar starters (wings, nachos, meatballs), and house-made soups.
The sandwiches and wood-oven pizzas are probably the best things on the menu. In fact, Brewer’s Alley has one of the best burgers in Frederick and is my go to meal when visiting.
But you can also get a proper meal at Brewer’s Alley. Steaks, salmon, pork chop, and daily specials are on the menu if you want something more formal.
The Vibe Inside Brewer's Alley and the Bar
Brewer’s Alley is interesting because the venue is broken into several sections and they each have their own vibe. The bar area at the front of the restaurant has giant windows facing Market Street of Frederick. This highlights its ideal location.
There’s plenty of seating in this bar area, as much as many downtown restaurants.
Behind this is the brewhouse, which is a recently renovated seating area that sits in front of the previously used brewing equipment.
This renovation also created what we think is the best feature and the area you should try to sit in if visiting (weather permitting): the rooftop terrace.
The Rooftop Terrace: Our Favorite Spot at Brewer's Alley!
If you really want to feel like you are in the epicenter of Frederick, head to the rooftop terrace at Brewer’s Alley.
This outdoor seating area is one of the best bars in Frederick, and has other restaurants in Frederick trying to duplicate the same vibe (for example: the new rooftop at Black Hog BBQ).
What Else You Need to Know About Brewer's Alley in Frederick
Brewer’s Alley is great for Frederick visitors who want to get a feel of downtown Frederick or locals alike. Also:
- Make a reservation, it gets crowded on weekends
- Check out the Growler Program for those who like beer memberships
- Haven’t tried it, but Brewer’s Alley does brunch on Sundays
