Formerly called Brew Moon, Rock Bottom is a chain of 27 pubs across the US. The official changing of hands at the King of Prussia location occurred back in October 2001. We always liked Brew Moon, so we figured we give the new tenant a shot

To appeal to families and pub goers alike, they separate the bar (they call it the lounge) and the restaurant areas. Understandably, they place the restaurant area towards the mall entrance and make the lounge area accessible from the street. Who wants to meander through Sear's or Pottery Barn when you've got beer on the mind?

The orange-cream colored walls are largely open and free from kitschy bric-a-brac that you might find in your local TGI Fridays. It seems that nowadays you can't enter an upscale food chain without things hanging on the walls. At Rock Bottom they go absolutely nuts with pictures of rock formations that look like their straight out of Arizona. These southwestern looking picts reflect the southwestern themed menu. Examples of what you'll find on the menu are Tenderloin with Roasted Garlic, Nachos, Toothpicks Appetizer (chicken rolled in flautas served with various sauces), Beer Bread, Asiago Cheese Dip  and Brown Ale Chicken.

Our food order took about an hour to get to our table. Patrons who had been seated after us were getting their food while we were left gnawing on our napkins. When the food finally did come, the portions were small. I ordered the Brown Ale Chicken. It was good but the bigger-than-my-head clump of mashed potatoes obscured the few meager slices of chicken that I paid $12.95 for. The ultimate stiffy came when the bill arrived. The reason we went to this place on a Thursday was for the $1 drafts. Well, lo and behold, this special didn't apply to the dining room. This is ridiculous. Even the bottom of the bill promoted the $1 draft Thursdays but mentioned nothing about being a "Bar Only" special.

After dinner we sauntered over to the bar area where we found out that the Scotch Ale and Imperial Stout were not included on the $1 Draft special. This place is ridiculous!

In the lounge area there are sketches of famous K of P landmarks: Gerry's Tavern, Route 202, the Schuylkill Expressway, "the high tech highway" - (yeah Philly is the next  Silicon Valley - ha!) and Valley Forge. About 5 overhead TV's are mounted all over the lounge area  so no matter where you sit you'll catch a shot of some sporting event.  

The creamy maple bar is a site to behold. The structure, lit overhead by lanterns, lies directly between the restaurant and lounge. Behind the taps and humidor are beer vats where the golden elixir resides until it's poured into your pint glass. All brews served are brewed right on-site so you know it's fresh. Their selections vary with the seasons, but on the cold winter night that we visited they had the following on tap: Lumpy Dog, Munich Gold, Double Barrel IPA, North Star Amber, Imperial Stout, Scotch Ale, & Checkmate Pilsner.

The brews had no complaints form anyone at our table. All were finely crafted, very enjoyable and didn't have that aftertaste (and headache) that often exists from a microbrew.

The crowd at Rock Bottom ranges from families in the dining room area to people in their 20's, 30's and 40's in the lounge. The lounge is built for groups and is roomy enough to congregate if you're stuck standing. Booths line the perimeter, while 3 long, tall tables line up in the center of the room. These large butcher-block tables can fit about 8 people. Sitting at these tables provides the perfect vantage point for enjoying the live acoustic acts that perform in the corner of the room.

If you're in the mood for a good microbrew and you've just finished a marathon shopping session at The Court and The Plaza, saunter over to Rock Bottom and throw a couple back.  But be prepared to wait and you'll probably be disappointed.