The Kiln Taproom

The Kiln Taproom takes its name from the hop kiln, the building Yakima Valley growers use to dry the harvest, and the name fits: the ownership group includes a hop growing family with several generations in the valley. Greg Koch, who grew up in West Valley, and his partners bought the site on South 72nd Avenue from Congdon Orchards in February 2020 and opened that October, in the middle of the pandemic. It has been family owned and family run from the start.

Thirty taps pour Pacific Northwest beer and wine, with drinks for the nondrinkers too. The kitchen leans on artisan pizza, wings, dips and cheese zombies, and the beer cheese has a following of its own. The menu names show a sense of humor, the Dad Bod pizza among them, and happy hour runs from 3 to 5 in the afternoon.

The place is built for families. There is a fireplace that serves both the inside and the patio, a kids' corner, a covered patio, TVs for game day and a half acre yard with a grassy berm for sitting, open to children and dogs. Yakima Herald readers voted it the best kid friendly restaurant and the best outdoor patio in their 2024 Readers' Choice awards. The calendar has run to live music, patio bingo, yoga on the lawn and school fundraiser nights, so check what is on before you go.