BattleMage Brewing Company

BattleMage is certainly one of a kind. It’s the only brewery that specifically caters to gamers and nerds of all kinds that I’m aware of. They also have Dungeons & Dragons game nights here, I believe on Mondays and/or Tuesdays. The beer is themed around fantasy characters and concepts, yielding some truly unique and fun titles. It’s also really solid stuff! From the stout to the amber to the IPA selection, it’s all a tasty and thoughtful showcase of small brewing prowess. Prices are also very reasonable, with $7 pints, and flights and half-pints available. They also tend to have food trucks or food vendors outside most days. There are a couple different ones, but the BBQ vendor is pretty good! Each of the rotating vendors have at least one or two great dishes available, though. Definitely check out BattleMage, whether you’re a craft beer lover, into games like MTG or D&D, or are just looking for a chill spot to have a drink with friends in north county.

Fantastic spot for some good beer and a game of D&D. Easily the best nerd bar this side of Scum & Villainy in LA. Inside is a little small and it can get busy, however the vibe is always very mellow and it never gets too loud. The MtG card wall and collection of dead player characters from thier running D&D campaign are excellent touches. Can't recommend enough.

This place is fantastic. Good beer. Close taco stand. Great atmosphere

What can I say an about BattleMage. This place is for nerds, by Nerds. From life size DrizztD’urden overlooking the bar, to the many D&D deceased character sheet adorning their walls. This place rocks. Not only do the Beers have with names like Perception Czech and White Wolf IPA, but the brews are darn good. The white wolf in particular is an incredibly flavorful beer in all the right ways. Staff here is friendly. They sell small snacks like chocolate bars and bags of popcorn, but food is BYO for the most part. There’s seating for about 15-17 people in there. Wish they had a bigger space, but maybe in the future. My D&D group met up there for a game this past weekend and it was great. Reserve a table if you can because seating is scarce. Even the bathroom has nerdy accoutrements. They have a vip club you can join and get invited to events throughout the year as well. I’ll be back for sure BattleMage

A really cool brewery with good beer, fun atmosphere, and nice staff. Came in on a Saturday night and it was pretty busy, but we still had a place to sit and enjoy the beer. They have tons of games to play, and the decor is pretty great including a wall of magic cards. Beer was very tasty and you can’t beat the price. $5 for a pint? Come on, that’s awesome! Stop by and enjoy all it has to offer.

This place is great, even if you're not a DND need, there are board games to curb that lively spirit. The ambience and beer which is 100% delicious is awesome. Add the low prices of $6 a punt who can beat that. It's a little out of the way but it's worth it. If you live board games or anything in that realm plus delicious tasting beer and a great staff wholly recommend this place.

This brewery is epic! Summon Ifrit is one of the best, if not the best amber I’ve ever tried. The staff is super friendly and welcoming, and the patrons at the bar are all wonderful people. If you like beer and you’re a D&D nerd (or even if you just like beer), definitely check this place out!

TL;DR: This is an amazing spot that's worth the trip whether you're local or just visiting town for a few days! The theme runs through everything there. The crowd is chill. The food trucks are always on point. Take on the gauntlet of tasting the entire beer menu if you're brave. Perfect spot to visit with a small group of close friends!

The ultimate nerd themed brewery in North County. As soon as you walk through the doors you're teleported to a quaint space with ample seating and standing space depending on your preference, and barkeeps who will keep those tankards (or glasses) full. I have been several times, as well as joined their guild membership which is absolutely worth the $99 annual cost for upgraded beer steins, annual members party and updates for any early tastes of new brews coming to tap. D&D campaigns and magic drafts regularly occur on-site as well as a variety of markets and live music. They don't have a kitchen on site but regularly have food stands/trucks come out to feed travelers. They're extremely dog friendly and regularly see four legged companions lounging.

Good brew and good games. Definitely a good chill hangout spot. Flights are priced pretty good. Check it out if you're in the area.

BattleMage is a total gamer brewery that does an excellent job sticking to the theme. From the stained glass-esque ceiling lighting fixtures to the Iron Throne to the battle axe tasting flight board, BattleMage doesn't stray from it's fantastical roots. My group and I got two flights and played a few rounds of Exploding Kittens. The beers were all pretty good. They seem to brew up some creative beers, for instance they offer a chocolate hef. I would return with friends to play a game from their large collection and try another flight, especially for their affordable $10 flight and $7 pint prices.

Great brew and place to hang and talk games, watch games or just chill. Owners are super cool. Great spot.

I'm not big into beer never really found one I liked tell my husband and I went to battlemage. I like the hooded assassin and divine light. And the atmosphere was very good also, all the staff members have been very nice also.

Really cool brewery with excellent prices! We ordered a flight which was only $10! Gets pretty loud and crowded on Friday nights but definitely a fun place to hang out with friends. The bar tenders were super friendly and attentive. Will stop by again when in the area!

What's up: Ending our drive around breweries, we ended up at BattleMage. We've been here once before on a previous visit and we enjoyed the theme and decor. It's actually really unique and different compared to other places I've been to. If you like fantasy and games, this is the place to visit. Parking: Parking was packed! They had a shared lot with a portion of it blocked off for the food truck. We actually went across the street and parked at the car tint shop since they were closed and everyone else was parking there. Environment: Walking in, you'll see all the cool decor. Lights are decorated, there's a wall full of magic cards, even the restroom has these awesome looking toilet paper holders. When you get to the order counter, you'll see the list of beer with very creative names. The Iron Throne is also in the corner where you can take a seat and take pics. Tons of games are available on a shelf near the restroom. The place was packed so we had to sit outside near the food truck. That just meant we had to get tacos with our beer! What was ordered: - The Beer is Dark and Full of Terror (good!) Yay/Nay/Meh: Yay. The theme and ambiance was really nice. Staff members were friendly and the place was fairly busy. If you're into the gaming and fantasy vibe, this is a fun place to be! Credit cards are accepted.

Always exciting to come how to Poway with so much excellent craft beer from O-side to San Diego. Today started at a larger craft brewery in San Marcos but finished up at BattleMage. It brought back memories from the early 80s with the Dungeons & Dragons motif. It was truly epic! As I heard every Monday evening they play the game in the brewery. How f-ing cool!!! Didn't know what to expect as I'd never heard of this micro before my buddy told me about it. But that's the great thing about craft, sometimes those small micro craft breweries end up being...EPIC! BM is one of those. A diverse menu, I did t know where to start so I went with a flight plus two, giving me a good idea what BM had to offer minus the lure of D&D. Prices were acceptable and the flight came on a battle axe shaped flight paddle, very cool! I started off with a sampling across the board from lager and English town to IPA and double with a hazy and milk stout tossed in. Even walked away with some swag, a $25 BM hat. The guy behind the bar, going to assume it was the brewer answered all my questions about what I was drinking and referenced Julia, how had started the cookbook. The beer was excellent, Lowes the different styles and flavors I sampled while killing a few orca and hours enjoying quality micro brewed beer. Not difficult to find, tucked back in an industrial park (seems to be the norm these days), there was a steady flow of customers into the establishment. Even a few I saw at another local place. Excited to grab some quality beer I walked out satisfied and thrilled to have connected with another local brewery in San Diego. Will I return? Hell yea! Love the atmosphere of the place from the D&D characters who'd been killed to the throne and motif that took me back to my D & D days. Thanks for great beer and a great experience.

Decor, vibes and service 10/10! They also have board games and a gaming stream that goes on so plenty to do if you go with a couple of friends or significant other. But i wouldn't come with a large group as it's a bit small, definitely more of a tasting room kind of vibe. Hopefully one day they can expand, as I can tell D&D sessions would be amazing, especially if a large gaming table was added!! Personally liked the lighter beers more but nothing was too unique when it came to taste.

My first visit here. It was small but nerdy cool. Had 2 beers. A hazy IPA that was super hoppy and a brown ale that was great.

I was immediately recognized by my people as the one and true queen and heir to the thrown! this spot had my throne ready and presented me with complimentary treats at the bar while I ordered my servants... I mean my humans.... beers. what a great ambience with several tables playing D&D with epic masters DMing, great people watching again... did I mention the throne? the beer was so refreshing! the Divine light strawberry was yummy so was the Shroud of mist as relayed to me by the human and the spare human. we will absolutely be back so that my people can be with their one and true queen!

Always have fun when I go to battle mage. The atmosphere is very DnD fantasy, and the beers are as creative as the names. They even made a mana potion purple beer which incorperated butterfly pea flowers. Super cool. Currently enjoying a can Misnomenclature which is a great cold IPA. They are keeping up with the trends very well. Also these guys throw a fun anniversay party which is coming up soon.

This small brewery is quirky and pleasant and he beer is very good. Style choices are fairly limited but the quality is very good.

Beer so good it makes you wanna slap yo mama. The services rendered were excellent. Really though, I come for the ambiance. They really know how to serve up a good time.

This is one of my favorites. It's one if of the coolest micro breweries. There's always something good on tap. Food is usually a truck or pop up outside. I'd call ahead to find out what's available, especially if you're hungry.

Cool themed brewery... if you like the fantasy world like GOT or LOTR. They even have the iron throne for you to sit on. The beers were good. I enjoyed the hazy IPA. There was a strawberry one which was pretty good too. When we came it was pretty packed, they do have a small private room. Dog friendly. Chill brewery.

Came here with my boyfriend on a trip down to San Diego since he has a soft spot for tabletop RPGs and got really excited by the names of the drinks. They have a small selection, but overall they were pretty good, but the highlight of the place is the atmosphere. They've got a little bit of nerd-dom for everyone, and don't forget to look up if you walk in! My boyfriend and I split a flight, which was served to us on a battle axe platter. You could do either sampler sizes or taste everything with 3 flights max. I picked out the stout (The Beer is Dark and Full of Terrors) and a light ale (Divine Light with Strawberry), and my boyfriend picked out the hazy IPA (Shroud of Mist) and a special called the Goblin King that was aged in a whiskey barrel. While everything was good, nothing stood out either, but our favorites were the Goblin King and the Shroud of Mist (even though I'm not a huge IPA drinker). This is def a place to hit up and kill time or just hangout for a few hours, but worth skipping if you're looking to do brewery hopping or tastings.

This brewery is all in on the gaming side of things, yet they make the place very welcoming for all beer lovers. I knew it would be a great adventure as soon as we walked in to begin our quest. My group was met by one of the owners who was kind and very knowledgeable about the beers. We all decided on tasters (4 beers for $5.00) which is an amazing deal to start with and may be the best deal you will find in San Diego! I chose wisely and went with the following: Dark Machinations (6% ABV) Ale w/cold brew coffee. The one was Divine Light with the coffee and made a nice, coffee forward ale. Very drinkable and not super high for alcohol content. I could have easily gotten a pint. Divine Light w/Boysenberry (4.8%) Light Ale. They crushed it with the boysenberry flavor. Great beer for anyone that likes a fruit based beer, that is still a beer! The Beer is Dark and Full of Caffeine (6.3%) Milk Stout w/toasted cocoa nibs and Cold Brew Coffee. Awesome stout. Not overly toasted, with the right combination of coffee and cocoa. Another winner! Blood of the Old Gods (12.1%) Imperial Stout. So good. Yes it was a higher alcohol content. No that's not a bad thing! This was a great way to finish an already amazing flight. If you want a place to enjoy good beer, with a fun theme and nice people, this is the place!

Cool, fun and chill. Come with friends and a play a game from the game shelf while sipping a great craft beer. Lots of regulars. Only disappointment was the loss of outside seating which was a CITY thing.

Always fun to stop in for a beer at BattleMage Brewing, the gaming/fantasy decor and atmosphere are amazing, especially the iron throne. They had a good selection of beers, I enjoyed the Chocobo Hef which had a nice hint of chocolate and Misnomenclature IPA. Great service too.

Beer: They have a solid range of beer & some of the best, most competitive pricing I've seen in North County. They have a nice outdoor setup with benches & heaters. There's also a food vendor shared with Henebery Spirits. I've always been able to find vegetarian options, no matter which vendor. Prior to COVID & when you're not sipping brews outside, BattleMage Brewing Company's indoor space is ideal for gamers & those of us who like certain niches - full board game/card game corner & the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones. Service: Service is always friendly. If you have a question about a beer, they will answer. Final Thoughts: Great beer, great price, great service. They have a full-on outdoor seating area & food.

Love the theme. The British brown is drinkable and memorable. Staff is friendly and the atmosphere is fun. Tabletop games and RPGs. Would love to find a D&D group to play here.

TL;DR: This is an amazing spot that's worth the trip whether you're local or just visiting town for a few days! The theme runs through everything there. The crowd is chill. The food trucks are always on point. Take on the gauntlet of tasting the entire beer menu if you're brave. Perfect spot to visit with a small group of close friends!

I highly recommend this brewery. I just love beer but I'm picky about returning to certain breweries because there are so many to visit in SDC. This will be on the return list! Beer: I slayed the dragon! Meaning I drank all twelve of their brews on tap. Ten of the twelve were highly drinkable any day of the week for me. Dark Machinations was delicious. Hooded Assassin was unique. I drooled over Divine Light with Boysenberry & Shroud of Mist (I took a growler of this home.). Service: While I didn't catch the bartender's name, she was extremely polite and accommodating! Atmosphere: This place is great for a group and we definitely made the most of it. My partner and I took out "Blokus" from the stack of games and learned a new fun strategy game! We had a blast and since he was DD, I was happy that he wasn't sitting around bored while I drank. Best: beer & games Worst: the hangover the next day from all the dragon slaying...

The look of the place is awesome! Definitely wanna come here again! Lots of games to play with friends. They have d&d monday nights.

Very nice decor loved the sword on the wall good selection of board games and even a super Mario brothers chess set

Everyone there is super cool the beer is great the prices are awesome. Definitely recommend this place to everyone I know that's looking for a chill place with good beer.

This brewery is adorable. I never played Magic, but did experience a summer of addiction to Diablo II, so I can somewhat relate. Anyway, the decor is unique, quirky, and fun. The beers are awesome. I had a couple of hazy IPA's which tasted quite similar to me, and were both excellent. Husband's flight included a dark beer that was Belgian-ish in profile, with raisins and warm spices (Dark Machinations maybe?) This was also very good. Beers are reasonably priced. Also features an iron throne replica for your enjoyment. I live fairly close by and plan on a return visit shortly.

Fun little brewery with some unique looking decor and furniture. Let the pictures speak for themselves. They have a wide selection of beers for a variety of palates... from crisp to hoppy to stouts. $5 for a flight of 4 beers served in a cool axe wooden tray. We ended up getting one of each and doubling on the Hopdouken. I really wanted to try their cocoa vanilla version of one of their beers but they were out- next time. I liked their lighter beers the best but hubby liked Hopdouken. Plenty of card and board games to pass the time, including a foosball table. Plenty of parking, located in an industrial part of vista. As you approach the brewery, look for the signs. The brewery is family friendly. I could definitely see myself coming back! Thanks!

I had this bookmarked after seeing Ashley's check-ins and was intrigued by the fantasy theme. My sons play Magic and D&D. It reminds me a geeky frat house. They have a stack of games including Cards Against Humanity. There's a separate room with a foosball table and TV (cable, Netflix, etc.). The wall across from the bathroom is decorated in Magic cards. The fantasy theme continues in the bathroom with dragon toilet paper rolls and a small treasure chest. Flight paddles are axes and their logo is a wizard - how cool is that? Since it's two doors down from Henebery I popped in along with several other Elites to come for an impromptu after party. Since then I've been back a few times because the customer service is phenomenal. Chris, one of the owners, recognized me after my first visit. Given that there's been a steady flow of customers since they opened, that says a lot about his character. Plus on our second visit, they had bought Costco chocolate chip cookies and were giving them out with the beer. I've tried both stouts: The beer is dark and full of terrors milk stout and the beer is dark and full of caffeine. Both were bold, flavorful, and creamy. As a good stout should be. Overall, it's a small brewery. So when it's packed it's standing room only, literally. But it's a cool, casual place to hang with friends and enjoy good beer and great service. Plus Leucadia Pizzeria delivers so you can pretty much hang out for hours. :)

I stopped in last week with a group of Yelper Elite friends for an after party pint or two. Somehow got caught up in a game of Cards Against Humanity, which I won! Wow! Anyway, to the BattleMage Brewing Company...This is one of Vista's better micros. The beer is tasty, the staff is friendly, and they have those aforementioned games (like Cards against Humanity) to keep your mind occupied as you order another pint. Because I had been drinking whiskey at Henebery's next door, I ordered just one - the Dark and Full of Terrors Milk Stout. This was great - flavorful and not too much coffee taste. I am a fan! I recommend this place next time you have a hankering for a pint or two. Or anytime you just want to hang out with friends and play some games. I know I will be back next time I am in the area!

This place has a great atmosphere and some really nice people. I had a terrific IPA. The flight was also fun.

I was rather impressed with this brewery! I'm a huge fan of beer so whenever I can find a small, local, and affordable place to sip some suds, it excites me. BM knows their shit as their beers are very drinkable yet with a medium to high ABV, I'd say that that ratio was very balanced. Huge fan of this place and will totally bring my friends and family back. Keep it up!

Great beer. I like their tabletop game roots. On Friday and Monday they have a food truck outside.

Awsome brewery in the industry center of Vista! Gamers paradise. One of the walls is covered with Magic cards. They have the Iron Throne. They have a ton of board games & they even host game nights. Not only do they serve delicious beer, but their beers are named after gaming references & favorite TV shows like "The night is dark & full of terrors" in honor of GoT!

Randomly went here to kill time on a Saturday afternoon. Their decor definitely caters to people into dungeons and dragons and they have a solid selection of popular board games. It's a pretty small place, but cozy!

Nice place, good beer, great staff. I was there for the Brell's Blessed Stout release party. A delicious stout. They play D&D here. I may have found a new home. :) It was also the 20th anniversary of the Everquest launch. I also tried the Blood & Guts of the Gods Imperial Stout. The best! There are several other beers that I have to go back to try. As I stated before, they play D&D, I'll be back for that as soon as I find my old books. They're deep in a cavern somewhere. The only detractor was the size of the room. It could be larger, but this is my first time there. It may be large enough for their normal traffic. Also, I don't know what their upcoming plans are. Personally, I'd like to an outside seating area; I like to enjoy a cigar with a stout. Maybe sometime in the future.

Cool themed brewery right next to Henebery. Nice staff, too. We will be back! Super dog friendly.

The atmosphere here is different (a gamers' dream) which is nice in a location where there's tons of other brewery options nearby. Lots of games available and they have an Iron Throne from Game of Thrones! Beer is great too, many different options to choose from and they are all on theme!

Heard about Battlemage Brewing Co. through a couple of FB groups. At first glance, it looks like a no-frills, fantasy themed micro-brewery. However, after spending a little time talking to the bartender and patrons, the place is very rich in the fantasy game culture. From board games, card games to online MMOs, these guys are doing it right, and the atmosphere is rich with lore. There's even a separate room for gamers to gather and indulge in their favorite game, though I hear it rolls over to the other tables in the pub as well. The brews seem exceptional although I stayed with the "Beer is Dark and full of Terrors", I was yearning to try others. This is a place I'll frequent again and I highly recommend it as an alternative destination to any other brewery. Definitely a brewery where you can get your geek on and know that you're surrounded by friends!

Very friendly and fun environment! If you like board games, you're in the right place! Such a cool vibe and the beer was great too. Dogs are allowed inside which made the experience even better :)

Having discovered BattleMage Brewing after a yelp event, it only felt right to go back with more yelpers! The staff here is friendly and my beertender remembered my order from the week prior. I have NO idea how that happened, but he looked at me and remembered. That's service for you! BattleMage only has two stouts on tap... The Beer is Dark and Full of Terrors The Beer is Dark and Full of Caffeine I've had the 'Full of Terrors'. That's really amazing. Very smooth. The brewery is on the smaller side (bar seating, a separate room with foosball, and a main area) but it encourages people to make friends. I'll be back!

Oh man. Awesome place. Met Chris, one of the owners/founders/brewers/taphouse bartenders, and not only is he seriously cool, so are the beers. Fun names, creative flavors, and delicious brews. White, stout, amber, brown, IPA... and more. And it's a gaming nerd's paradise. D&D on Mondays and Tuesdays plus plenty of decor and atmosphere to satisfy your ancestral bloodlust. I live in LA and will be back time and time again. Can't say enough about how price/authenticity/quality/design are just tops here.

The was a fun spot. Board games and good vibes. There are a ton of breweries in SD, but this one is one of the top ones. The service was very nice, the energy was good, and beer was delicious. Highly recommend.

Nerdy paradise! If the name wasn't a give away enough this place is awesome! Wall to wall shoutouts to magic and all thing geek. Good beer with a little something for everyone. Lots of games to play as well. Nice outdoor or indoor seating.

Beer hopping in Vista is easy, all too easy. Which explains how my partner in crime & I ended up at BattleMage Brewing Company on a Sunday night. We met up here with a couple friends after the nearby Beaver shut down for the night. Once upon a time, being a kid who was a total D&D/ RPG/ strategy board game & LOTR/ fantasy/ sci-fi nerd, BattleMage's theme was reminiscent of far too much of a misspent youth in friends' parents' garages pursuing make-believe adventure & conquest. The 1 thing missing back then, turns out to be the most important thing: beer. & hey, I may be all grown-up now, but I can still play games. Although not as fantastical, the group of us got into a spirited round of Cards Against Humanity while enjoying BattleMage's elixirs. The place is tiny & there were only about a 1/2 dozen beers on tap. Of those, I had the Hopdouken (West Coast IPA) & the Beer is Dark and Full of Terrors (Milk Stout w/toasted cocoa nibs). Both were quite good for the styles, excellent & delicious. I'm sure if it was a gaming night, I would've had a great many more rounds of both. But, alas, I hung up my +5 Vorpal Mace of Blunt-force Beheadings eons ago in another lifetime. Who knows, though, if I'm back at BattleMage enough, I may give the old d20 another throw.

Easily one of the best breweries I've ever been to. If you're any sort of geek (gaming, D&D, or beer!) this place has got you covered. The brewers are *insanely* passionate about their craft, and it shows. They come up with some really innovative beers and keep excellent standards (Hooded Assassin, Hopdouken, Shroud of Mist) available year round. Add to the mix incredibly fun decor (when we're allowed to be inside again :/), a bright and welcoming staff (Maddie is the best!), and some of the nicest regulars around - this place is the absolute best in the area.

Magic dragons anyone?! Okay joking aside it's a cool place! Very interesting abs you can tell the owner has a passion for fantasy magic card game and i love that. I liked 2 out of 4 but just not my fancy and can't say they aren't good. A different experience everyone should try once. I love beer.

In an area full of great breweries, this is one of my absolute favorites. As much as I appreciate all the amazing IPAs that can be found around here, finding a brewery that offers malt forward beers is a welcome change. Sure, they still have some IPAs - nice ones! - but there's a lot more. "Summon Ifrit", a hoppy amber, is my favorite of the bunch. I think it's perfectly balanced between malt and hop flavors, and is probably of my all time favorite local beers. "Hooded Assassin" is and English style old ale, 10% abv, which has the kick of a double IPA but again much more balanced in its flavors. They also offer many other styles including a Pilsner, brown ale, stout, hefeweizen and of course IPAs. The other thing about them is their fantasy / Dungeons & Dragons theme. That's where the unusual beer names come from. They have gaming nights weekly, swords on the walls, a replica Iron Throne (from Game of Thrones) and their taster flights are served on battle axes. Love it!