First stop from the airport was Penn Brewery. My bestie McGee is a big brewpub fan, and he had been planning to bring me here since he discovered it upon his moving to the North Side.
It's a great place! Any spot where you can saddle up to the bar and strike up a conversation with locals, get to know the story behind the place, sample some local specialties- the appeal factor for me is unforgettable. The staff were a friendly bunch, all happy to share suggestions and let me sample some seasonal offerings. The food did not disappoint either. We had Pierogis (Polish dumplings) and Potato Pancake to share. Pierogis are not a typical West Coast specialty, so in my humble opinion, all I can say is they were good, and went well with the beer.
I'd say this place is good for an out of towner looking for some direction on what local brews are worth your time. Even though we sampled some smaller bits from the menu, I'd also venture to say the mains are probably worth a shot too.
I am sure I'll be back at the Penn Brewery just as soon as I breeze back through my favorite drinking city on the map.