Charlie and Jake's Brewery and Barbecue Review

On my quest to try all the Space Coast breweries, I have finally visited Charlie and Jake’s Brewery Grille. This is a low key spot in Suntree that offers half a dozen house-brewed beers and a variety of barbecue food.

We came here for happy hour one day and gave the whole selection a try. While I have tried their beer before at the Rocky Water Brew Fest, visiting the actual restaurant gave me a greater appreciation for this brewery. It definitely fits in well in the Melbourne community and has something for everyone.

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Location and Atmosphere

Like many Florida breweries, you can find Charlie and Jake’s Brewery in a strip mall. This is in the Suntree area of Melbourne, nearby Viera and the Pineda Causeway.

Don’t confuse this brewery and restaurant with the other barbecue spot of the same name! There are actually two Charlie and Jake’s BBQ restaurants in Melbourne, with the other one being beachside. Apparently they used to have the same owner, but when he sold it, he promised both buyers the right to the name. This has caused a lot of confusion and I do have to say I personally prefer the beachside one for food. However, this Charlie and Jake’s has better beer!

Inside, you will find a typical barbecue restaurant. There’s plenty of booths and tables for people to dine at. However, if you prefer, there’s a large bar and some high tops around it as well. You can even find a few tables outside, but we opted for the bar area when we went.

Beer Menu at Charlie and Jake’s Brewery

Charlie and Jake’s Brewery has five core beers and usually two or three seasonal beers on tap. They have been brewing since the 90’s so they have definitely perfected some of their classic styles! You won’t find hoppy or sour beers here, as they tend to stick with traditional beer flavors. Here’s what was on tap when we visited:

Anniversary Ale – 6.9% ABV Pale Ale
Oktoberfest – 4.9% ABV Marzen
Pumpkin Spice- 6% ABV Lager
Indian River Red – 6% ABV Red Ale
Brown Bottom Ale – 4.3% ABV Brown Ale
Harbor City Gold- 6.3% ABV Pilsner
Last Launch Light – 3.9% ABV Pale Lager

The beer is very cheap though with pints going for $5 and a flight of six beers going for $6. You can get a dollar off if you come at happy hour too! FYI, this isn’t the type of place that does growler pours or cans, so you can’t get your beer to go.

They also offer a bunch of domestic beer options for those not in the mood for craft beer. Since it’s a sports bar like restaurant, you can get any kind of drink you want including cocktails and wine. This makes it a good spot for visiting with those not into-craft beer or family.

Charlie and Jake’s Brewery Food

A whole menu of barbecue options is available at Charlie and Jake’s Brewery. It is almost more of a restaurant first. You can find pretty much anything you would expect from a barbecue spot. This includes sandwiches and platters of pulled pork, ribs, brisket and smoked turkey, as well as all the sides.

There’s plenty of entrees that aren’t barbecue as well. I did not expect to see seafood like Baja Fish Tacos and Grilled Mahi on the menu, and even Cajun Chicken Pasta. Burgers are pretty popular here and they even offer the Impossible Burger for vegetarians.

Charlie and Jake’s Brewery has a wide range of options, so everyone can find something they like. However, I find that restaurants with such large menus like this one, have few things to love on the menu. The food here is pretty average in my opinion, but at least there are a lot more unique options than a Chili’s or other chain restaurants.

Our Experience

We went around 5 PM on a weekday and found the place to be pretty quiet with the exception of the bar. We sat there along with what seemed like a few regulars. The bartender quickly got us a flight so I could try six of the seven beers on tap.

Andrew and I tried each and both deemed the Anniversary Ale to be the favorite. This one has even won awards and had a strong pale ale flavor. This was the beer with the most hops on the menu and it is also the most distinctive.

The seasonal beers are also a big hit with us. We were impressed by both the Oktoberfest Lager and the Pumpkin Spice Ale. These two were some of the best we had all season and stayed true to their flavors!

We did end up trying all seven beers including the Indian River Red, the Brown Bottom Ale, the Gold Lager and the Last Launch. The red and the brown were solids options but the Gold and the Last Launch were way too weak in my opinion. These would be good introductions to craft beer for people who drink Bud Light. If you are a big brewery fan though, they are nothing special. Still, for such a small operation, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed half of the beer menu! They were out of their other core beer Wickham Wheat, so I will have to try that next time.

For food, we decided to get the Garbage Can Nachos with Pulled Pork and some Chicken Wings. Both took a very long time to be brought out and by the time they did, we started eating before I could get pictures! Sadly, I was not very satisfied with the food. The nachos were seriously lacking cheese and the pork was pretty bland. The wings were pretty basic too and on the greasy side.

I haven’t heard good things about the food here and that was part of the reason I was putting off this review. However, if you are a local, I still think it’s worth stopping by for a brew and a snack for the right circumstance.

Know Before You Go: Charlie and Jake’s Brewery

If you are looking for a brewery to take the whole family too, Charlie and Jake’s is an excellent option. There are beer and food options for any preference! The brewery tends to play it safe with classic beer styles, but we think the seasonal options are the biggest stand outs. Here’s everything to know for your visit.

The hours for Charlie and Jake’s Brewery Grille are 11 AM – 9 PM Monday and Tuesday, 11 AM – 10 PM Wednesday and Thursday, 11 AM – 11 PM Friday and Saturday and noon to 9 PM on Sunday.
The restaurant serves lunch and dinner and has the same menu all day.
There’s a variety of food for any appetite or diet, including vegan and gluten-free options. There are also a variety of beverages besides beer available.
Parking is free and plentiful.
You do not need reservations and you can call ahead for take-out.
There is open air seating and dogs are welcome on the patio.

I tend to prefer breweries that just stick to beer instead of food as well, but this brewery restaurant had a few gems. Have you ever been to Charlie and Jake’s Brewery before? Let me know if you have in the comments and check out my brewery page for reviews for local breweries like Dirty Oar Brewing and more!