Halfway Crooks Beer

"This was one of our favorite stops during our vacation to Atlanta. Quality beer, great food and a lovely atmosphere including good tunes. The design is great too, reminds me of my time in Europe."

"Please forgive my forgetfulness. This photo was taken by me during the day at an unknown time. A small house that looked so quiet during the day turned into a carnival at night. I particularly like the beer here. Look, what a great beer! I recommend all of you to come"

"Times visited: twice, there probably won't be a third time. This was a tough review to write, as I don't think I've had such conflicted feelings about a venue in years.  Halfway Crooks gets so many things beautifully correct and so many bizarrely wrong that it feels like two entities with utterly different visions are fighting over what your drinking experience should be. The beer - primarily delicate lower abv lagers - is very good, and occasionally some of the best in Atlanta.  Pilsners, Helles, seasonal German styles - with appropriate hops I might add - all well crafted.  No adjuncts here, what you get is fermented grain (malt) and characterful, expressive hops.  Real care has been taken to brew these beers and most that I have tried are quite moreish, that is, you could quickly have another and enjoy it even more than the first.  That's great and one would think Halfway Crooks would be an immediate easy recommendation to any beer lover. The aesthetic is trying real hard, possibly too hard, to lean into the ASCII art, dot-matrix printer era, punch-card candle-wrap, soft yellow light, large windows & exposed beams, wooden chair and fascinating tile art hipster vibe.  It is clean and airy.  Philip K Dick, Charles Babbage and various science types get name-dropped.  I ordered a beer at the bar and was given a 3.5" (1.44MB) floppy disk with a number written on it to take to my table.  I heard Julee Cruz in the downstairs bathroom; who doesn't love Julee? Then it all starts to go wrong. For starters, there is an advertised, mandatory 21% 'service fee' added to your bill. This is almost unforgivable when the beers begin at $6 and spiral up towards $8. Yes, $7.50 for a 4.0% abv Radler as of early August 2023.  On checking out on the digital POS system you are prompted to add an additional tip, even for to-go beer only (which I bought) which is absurd and borderline offensive given the - - inattentive service.  The servers and bartenders, both times I've visited, look like they would rather be anywhere else.  You have to flag the staff down too, they are quite uninterested in trying to sell you beer.  Remember that floppy disk foodservice table number?  Yeah, it took several minutes to get a drink, even with all of 3 people at the bar.  The flies found me before my servers did.  The errors pile up, the tractor feed is running along the floor... There's an upstairs bar that shows soccer matches (football) - nice, but you can't transfer tabs between upstairs and down.  In 2023. The glassware is obviously curated and appropriate for the style, but no mention of glassware style or even pour volume is listed on the menu. Halfway serves food!  But the kitchen clatter bleeds into the bar.  The meal prices are obnoxiously listed in both Euros and USD on the menu, a bold choice by the management that only serves to remind me that mandatory 21% 'service fees' don't exist in the EU. Biggie's "Hypnotize" is playing at a less than affable volume.  The N-word grates in my ear as I attempt to enjoy a fantastic Kolsch-style (Farina).  If you're unfamiliar, google the lyrics and make up your own mind if this song belongs in an environment with analog trappings, dried flowers, and wallpaper that would not be out of place in your Oma's parlor.  A subsequent song was using an offensive slur for gay men. Look, I get it, the kitchen staff likes this music and it aids them in the dish-pit, but it's all too crass, too push-pull for the bewildered customer who is just trying to drink a fine beer in a comfortable, cheerful space. If this brewery in the midst of a severe identity crisis sounds intriguing, I hesitantly suggest a visit to Halfway Crooks to see it firsthand.  The good news is that it is easier to fix these complaints than it is to start brewing excellent beer, and grace must be given for establishments to evolve over time.  3 stars therefore seems appropriate and I will certainly continue to promote and drink delicious Halfway Crooks beer - just not from the source."

"Very nice little brewpub with strong German influence. Their lager selection was plentiful and they had some classic German staples (currywurst!) on the menu. It’s a cozy space and welcoming, with friendly staff. Love the little details, like the menu centerpieces at each table and even a European exit sign. Would love to visit again when I’m in Atlanta."

"I was very happy I visited Halfway Crooks on the recommendation of a bartender. Their beer selection is light in color but very good. I enjoyed the unique pours and menu items. I don't remember the names but it was interesting how they poured beers different ways. Food was good and the company at the bar was a great crowd. Also I loved the changing table in the men's room!"