There are few things that I like more than a sunny day, a cold beer, and a fun place to enjoy both, especially when the music is good.  (The music was good.  It went from Mark Morrison's classic "Return of the Mack"* to more modern R&B from Childish Gambino and Anderson .Paak.)

I was in town  for the Providence Half Marathon (great race, rolling hills, big city feel but just fun as hell) and as is my  habit, I was looking for a place with beer, food, and a patio.  Revival Brewing checked all of those boxes.  Plus it was close to my AirBNB.   Clarifying that statement a little, everything was close to my AirBNB in North  Providence.

They offer flights, so I took advantage of that.  Everything was well made.  The NEIPA was unlike any NEIPA I have ever had.  The stand out was the Nitro Strawberry Kettle Sour. It was delicious.  I came back the next day and had it again with their really great pizza.  Everything was more than drinkable. My private tasting notes are universally positive, which is not always the case when I am writing for my own consumption.

The staff was wonderful.  They were professional.  They were fun.  They looked like they were having a good time.  Even as the patrons of the Providence Comedy Bus came in. I was able to experience the patrons on both Saturday and Sunday and the Sunday show was completely different.  Not that I am going to get into it here (If you want to know, send me a message and I will share the narrative I shared with my friends.) but the name Janice will forever ring in my ears.  "The last five years have been tough, Janice..." They were also very knowledgable.  It was a good staff.  They also have tipping set up automatically, which may be a point of contention for some, but this was a top notch staff of service professionals and they deserve every dollar they make.

Before I saw the pizza and realized I had to come back the next day, I ordered the Bahn Mi Nachos.  Right? I know. I didn't know that I needed this combination either.  They were great.  Messy but great.

Everyone, even the hammered folks on the Comedy Bus, was having a good time.  Do you know how rare that is in my experience?  Quite rare.  It wasn't a fluke either.  It was both days.  It was amazing.

NB: If you are taking an Uber, please type in the address (50 Sims Avenue) as typing in Revival Brewing in the ride share app with drop you off in Cranston.  Which is not where I wanted to be but in the end it all worked out.

Would I feel comfortable here after a run?  Absolutely.  There were a number of people there after the race, still in their kit.  Are dogs allowed?  Dogs are welcome.  Some were even sitting at the bar.  They were good dogs.  There was ample street parking. There were even some adorable kids there.  It was a fun place for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.  Good food selection with GF and vegan options.  There is beer, obviously, but I did not investigate the non-alcoholic options.

*If you haven't read this piece that is essentially an oral history of "Return of the Mack", give yourself a treat.

-EWA

Revival Brewing Company