State 48 Rock House Brewery Restaurant Review
| Location | 2530 W Happy Valley Rd. Ste 1269 Phoenix, AZ 85085 |
| Phone Number | (623) 581-7553 |
| Hours | M-Th 11am-11pm, F-Sat 11am-1am, Sun 11am-10pm |
| Website | https://state48brewery.com/ |
State 48 Brewery is a local group of brewery restaurants with 6 locations spread across the Phoenix metro area. We had a chance to visit the northern-most outpost “State 48 Rock House” a few weeks ago.
Although no beer is brewed at the Rock House location, you can sample dozens of beers brewed at their other locations. They offer a wide variety of styles from IPA to Hefeweizen. Since they have a full menu, we decided to have lunch there while we sampled their brews.
The Place
State 48 Rock House is near Harkins Theater in the Shops at Norterra, a nice outdoor mall between I-17, W. Happy Valley Rd. and N. Norterra Dr. in north Phoenix. You won’t have any trouble finding a parking spot in the mall’s free lot.
The Rock House opened in 2020. They call each location by a place-specific name, so the one up north is the Rock House because they offer live music and the decor theme incorporates rock ‘n’ roll themes.
The whole place is made up of 6,000 square feet that can seat up to 250 people. There is also a huge covered patio out front with ping pong, cornhole and foosball games.
The inside definitely gave me the feeling of a well-loved music venue. You know how they say smell evokes the strongest memories? The Rock House immediately brought back memories of some of my favorite college campus bars.
From the black and white checkered floors to the graffiti-covered brick walls, the decor is very rock n roll. We stopped in for lunch on a weekday but the lighting level was so dark, I had to use the flashlight from my phone to read the menu. Now that’s commitment to creating an mood!
There is a stage for live music performers behind the rows of beer taps. Live music shows only happen on Friday and Saturday late nights. When we stopped in, they were playing classic rock from the 70’s and 80’s on the sound system at a reasonable volume.
The Food
To get a jump on decision-making, I checked out their menu online before we went. They offer a pretty straightforward variety of burgers, sandwiches and salads. Several of the menu items use their own beer as an ingredient.
We ordered a grilled Romaine wedge salad and a fish po’ boy sandwich. There was way too much dressing and blue cheese covering the entire head of soggy lettuce. It certainly didn’t look like what I saw on their website.
The fish sandwich was a nice, large piece of breaded fried fish on a what they call a hoagie bun with some pretty basic coleslaw. I wouldn’t call it a classic po’ boy sandwich, though. The french fries on the side were crisp, fresh and well-seasoned.
We weren’t thrilled with the food–it was just OK. The sandwich was pretty good, if somewhat uninspired. The salad tasted OK but the sloppy presentation and unbalanced proportions detracted from the dining experience.
The Beer
So enough about the food! We came mostly for the beer, anyway. And I’m happy to report that the beer was quite good. They had 29 of their own beers listed as being available when we were there.
Here are the beers we tried and our tasting notes…
Beer Reviews
| Beer-ABV/IBU | Notes |
|---|---|
| Javelina Hefeweizen 5%/12 | Deep gold, hazy; slight banana and clove aroma; lightly fruity and spicy; less fruity than some hefe’s but nice n smooth. |
| Lost Dutchman Golden Ale 5%/20 | Pale gold and clear; light/lemony aroma; crisp slightly malty flavor, light body. |
| Porter Patrol 5.6%/26 | Ruby brown and clear; aromas of coffee, chocolate and malt; flavors mocha but very little sweetness, coffee, chocolate, mod. Bitter; loved it. A favorite of the day |
| Sound of Freedom IPA 7%/70 | Medium amber color and clear; aroma of hops and sl. Malt; +++ hop flavors balanced by sweet malt; med. body. Balanced WCIPA. A favorite of the day |
| Tropical Rush NE Hazy IPA 7.1%/45 | Deep gold, hazy; fruity-pear, clean; medium body. Mouthwatering NEIPA. |
| Van Buren Blonde Belgian Ale 7.5% | Pale gold and sl. Hazy; aromas of banana and wheat; tangy fruit flavors, medium to heavy body. |
Overall Impression
The good: lots of fresh, great-tasting craft beer to please every palate. Definitely worth the trip.
The bad: the food presentation could use some refinement.
The ugly: the ambiance is a bit rougher than expected.
Additional Details
Here are a few more tips that will help you have a successful brew run to State 48 Rock House at Norterra…
- Full bar available
- Happy hour daily–3-6 pm, $2 off beers, other drinks and food specials.
- Service industry night–Mondays 8:30-close, 50% off beer and other alcoholic beverages, 50% off appetizers, live band.
- No free wifi
- Patio is dog-friendly
- Kid-friendly with a small kid’s menu and patio games
- Make it a beer crawl… Other craft breweries within 5 miles of State 48 Rock House: Front Pourch Brewing, Lake Pleasant Brewing Co. and Simple Machine Brewing Co.
Map
Sources
- Cannon,Kristine (2019, March 18). State 48 Lager House aims for experience. Scottsdale Progress. Retrieved September 3, 2022 from https://www.scottsdale.org/food_and_drinks/state-48-lager-house-aims-for-experience/article_6ea38056-49b5-11e9-9985-83265d010566.html
- Frigerio, J. (2019, August 26). State 48 Brewery owners opening brewpub, Italian restaurant in north Phoenix. KNXV. Retrieved September 4, 2022, from https://www.abc15.com/entertainment/events/state-48-brewing-owners-opening-brewpub-italian-restaurant-in-north-phoenix
