Gordon Biersch Brewery   

Despite a weak link in the kitchen, it remains the hot pick for Brickell area lunching and happy hours. Part of a chain of Northern California-based microbrewery-restaurants, this sprawling space also leaves a bit to be desired in terms of design originality and, for that matter, comfort. The stainless tanks of Gordon Biersch's house brews are central to the theme of the restaurant, surrounded by a dynamic crowd of Miami professionals, beer aficionados and their colleagues, most of who appear to be more concerned with networking than in reveling in Gordon Biersch's truly tasty lagers. Don't let this fool you into thinking that getting a table in the 250-seat restaurant is easy -- it's often three-deep at the bar, and no one seems to mind the compromised cuisine. While ales are the mainstay of most brewpubs, Gordon Biersch concentrates on smooth, aged lagers. Try the pale Golden Export or a full-bodied, dark-brown Dunkles. The menu lacks the same ingenuity as the decor, unfortunately, offering a prosaic fusion of international dishes, bar- friendly finger foods, artsy (but not recommendable) pizzas, and nothing you couldn't find easily elsewhere, at the same price, served in pretty much the same way.