Belle Isle Brewery

[badfish77]

Anyone know when the rennovations upstairs are supposed to be finished?

[Easy180]

Are they adding more beer tanks?

[badfish77]

I'm not real sure but they closed the enitre upstairs and look to be doing a complete remodel. I believe its in the final stages and will be open soon, but not sure exactly when.

[bombermwc]

I thought I read in the Gazette that it was already open. Has anyone been there lately?

[warreng88]

Spoke with one of managers last night and he said they expect to be open Monday. The new area will be nonsmoking.

[Easy180]

The new area will be nonsmoking.

Great news...That was the only downside to going there

[blake]

They just added another patron. That was the only reason I never went there. Can't wait.

[warreng88]

Ok, bad news. I talked to a different manager and she said the most they are going to do keep it non-smoking is not put ashtrays on the other side of the bars. Unfortunately, that means it will remain smoking. Sorry, I guess I got some mis-information.

[Easy180]

Ok, bad news. I talked to a different manager and she said the most they are going to do keep it non-smoking is not put ashtrays on the other side of the bars. Unfortunately, that means it will remain smoking. Sorry, I guess I got some mis-information.

Sorry Warren but I just Unliked your previous post...lol

[Easy180]

Went last night and the new bar area is pretty impressive and is indeed non-smoking...Even though it isn't walled off you can definitely tell a difference smoke wise

Have plasmas all over the new bar area so they also took care of that deficiency

Waitress also told us they were adding more vats and may offer up to 10 beers

[Roadhawg]

I normally like the Belle Isle at 50 Penn but today was an exception. I went there and met up with some friends, there were several of us, and we arrived at 12:00 and finally got our order taken at 12:20 and at 1:00 when we haven't got our food yet I told the girl I had to go and cancelled my order. I don't blame the girl because she was the only person upstairs working and she was busy. I saw a supervisor walk through a couple times but's all he did. Not going back over there for a while.

[OKCisOK4me]

Cool...

[Easy180]

Hopefully just an isolated staffing issue...Never been upstairs for lunch but I'm assuming it is normally slow during the day??

[OKCMallen]

Hopefully just an isolated staffing issue...Never been upstairs for lunch but I'm assuming it is normally slow during the day??

I've never had THAT bad of an experience there, but they are almost always slightly understaffed upstairs. Always a pain.

[Roadhawg]

I went back to Belle Isle and talked to a manager and they apologized for what happened and explained they didn't expect a big crown upstairs... all's good in my book and will try them again.

[Pete]

I live nearby and thought I'd stop by tonight for a beer and maybe an appetizer. I realized I had never been in the place.

I walk in, was hit by the stench of smoke and walked out the other door.

Had no idea this was a smoking place and although now that a read upthread I see there must be a non-smoking section somewhere but I didn't see it or think to look for it.

[sooner88]

Upstairs is, downstairs isn't. Technically only a part of upstairs is, but it's enough to make the whole upstairs reek.

[OKCretro]

I live nearby and thought I'd stop by tonight for a beer and maybe an appetizer. I realized I had never been in the place.

I walk in, was hit by the stench of smoke and walked out the other door.

Had no idea this was a smoking place and although now that a read upthread I see there must be a non-smoking section somewhere but I didn't see it or think to look for it.

yea its pretty bad up there. one would think it would be ok during the day but they usually allow the office employees go into the bar and smoke during their breaks.

[Uptowner]

My best guess is it has some kind of 20-30yr option and the rent is very affordable.

[warreng88]

I worked there from 2001-2003 and still know the owners well. I was there the day the kitchen had a fire and the restaurant shut down for several months and the upstairs bar was the only spot open.

In 2006, they passed the legislation that smoking and non-smoking sections had to have separate ventilation systems and so Belle Isle, like a lot of other restaurants, had to build a glass wall from upstairs to downstairs and install another ventilation system for upstairs, separate from downstairs. I remember it wasn't cheap. I remember talking to one of the owners when they were expanding into the new space upstairs with direct access to the outside. I asked if they were going to go nonsmoking and he said they weren't because they thought they would lose too much business. I told him he is losing business because they still allow smoking, it is the reason I don't go there to listen to live music. He said the western part of the new bar will be non-smoking and the old part will still be smoking. There will be no ash trays on the new part, so people will be forced to go to the old side. I really hope, at some point in time, they will go fully non-smoking on their own, before the state, eventually, passes a law forbidding restaurants and bars from allowing smoking. They would get a lot more business that way.

[bille]

My best guess is it has some kind of 20-30yr option and the rent is very affordable.

Likely didn't miss much, the last time I was there their beers were less than stellar. I hope all of our state's brewpubs will step up their game when the laws change to allow them to brew regular strength beer but I'm not holding my breathe.

[gopokes88]

Eh. Crappy beer and reeks of smoke. Typical pre-okc bar boom type place