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| - I really like this place!
The beer is tasty, the food is pretty good, the service is good, the atmosphere is fun, and the space is amazing!
The Beer - I've been to Market Garden twice and enjoyed a couple of the brews. The Pearl Street Double Wheat is refreshing, very tasty and, thanks to it's 8% ABV, sneaks up on you if you're not paying attention. The Forest City Brown Ale is also very tasty. Malty, dark, but not too bitter nor heavy. You could easily have 4-5 pints and not feel full or bloated as you could with other dark beers.
The Food - On my two trips, I enjoyed the food very much. It's good, not great, but very tasty. I've had the Currywurst, which, for those of you not lucky enough to be German, is a plate of (very tasty) fries, with a tasty bratwurst cut into slices and placed atop the fries. Then, the whole thing is covered in a house-made tomato-based red curry sauce. It's a staple of pub grub in Germany, and MGB does a pretty darn good version.
I also had one of their Scotch Eggs, which, was pretty good, but 2 improvements would make it great! First, Scotch Eggs are rolled in breadcrumbs and deep fried. MGB's version is not breaded and is cooked on the flattop grill. Second, while I love Stadium Mustard, it really should be served with Coleman's English Mustard. It didn't stop me from eating it, mind you...just was expecting a traditional Scotch Egg.
The Service - Both visits to MGB we had great servers! Friendly, offering solid drink advice. They were very knowledgeable about the beers and offered some pairing suggestions with out meals. The bartenders were also very friendly, offering suggestions and kept my glass full!
The Space - The layout of the MGB is initially deceiving. From the street, it looks like a nice medium-sized storefront pub. Then, you walk in and turn to your left and see this huge space that goes a loooong way back. As you walk back, you quickly notice the huge patio that looks out onto the vegetable stalls of the West Side Market. And then, as you walk back towards the restrooms, you notice the stairs to the basement, leading to another huge dining space and bar.
I am a big fan of the Market Garden Brewery. I've heard that the owners are trying to get brewers down there with them and Great Lakes to turn the area in to a "Cleveland Brewery District," as in the days of yore. Let's all hope that this is a dream that comes true.
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