Belching Beaver Brewery Tavern and Grill (Downtown Vista)

My wife and I have eaten here many times. Went here for my son’s 21st birthday recently, perfect vibe. The food is delicious and has a great variety. For the beer, I am a big fan of the Peanut Butter Milk Stout on Nitro. So good, so smooth! And check out the old bank vault that is now a space for small groups.

Great First Date Spot: Belching Beaver Restaurant (Downtown Vista) Looking for a relaxed and inviting spot for a date or casual meal in Downtown Vista? Belching Beaver Restaurant might just be it! We came here for a first date and were immediately seated outside in their incredibly cozy backyard-like setting. The ambiance was perfect for conversation and getting to know each other. Our server was prompt and attentive, quickly taking our drink orders. Since we were both opting for non-alcoholic beverages, we appreciated the readily available water with lemon and iced tea. My date recommended we try a couple of their appetizers, and they were fantastic choices. The Bavarian Style Seasoned Pretzel was a real treat, served with not one, but three delicious dipping sauces: a classic beer cheese, a spicy beer cheese for a little kick, and a flavorful smoked mustard. We also ordered the Fried Brussel Sprouts, which were an explosion of flavors and textures. The cherry balsamic glaze offered a touch of sweetness, balanced by the tart dried cherries and creamy blue cheese crumbles, all enhanced by the crunch of almonds and the savory bacon. We were both very satisfied with these dishes. The outdoor seating area truly stood out. It had a wonderful, inviting ambiance, and the multiple fire pits scattered around kept the space warm and comfortable despite the cooler weather trying to creep in. It was also lovely to see that the restaurant is pet-friendly, with several other customers enjoying the evening with their dogs. Overall, we had a great experience at Belching Beaver Restaurant in Downtown Vista. The atmosphere was perfect, the food was delicious, and the service was attentive. I'm definitely looking forward to coming back again!

Consistently delicious food and friendly service. The wedge salad chopped is a must try. The layers of flavor in this nacho dish is legit!

Visited June 7th 2025 at 3:00 Pm - I’m giving a 2.5 based not on my previous 4 experiences, today was a 1 for food and a 5 for service so it’s a 3 overall - Two completely easy items. First was the pretzel that I usually order. It was so dry and tasted like it had hung around the headlamp for a day ! I was hungry so ate half. Then let’s get to the wedge it was watery - maybe because I had it chopped and that tasted a little off. I have ordered the steak medium to avoid bloody steak on the salad (Lloyd suggested a separate plate) I have ordered before but this time it was rare way rare! Sent it back only to have it re-fired on one side in a flat top and it came back greasy and tasted of other grilled items. Not sure maybe a hamburger. Oh and video is of the nice long black hair left on the table that the an employee begrudgingly removed. It must have been a kitchen service turnover. Oyvey such a bummer. I won’t be back for the food :( service was excellent though. I did not ask for any compensation or reduction in my bill. I’m not sure what has happened but I am surely bummed!

We haven’t been here in a long time. The patio area is where we desired to sit with our grandkids after our soulful reminder of what this area had transformed into. The patio area is still the same except, there are no games, as the host had let us believe as he handed us 3 kids menus and three golf score-card pencils. The kids drawing menu didn’t seem appropriate given the BB name and how the logo came to be. Hmmm 🤨 Service was good and food was just as good…and interesting. I had a good hot dog and the wife a standard fish taco with side salad and kids had the chicken fingers of sort with plenty of good fries. A nice walk through Vista, discovering stores that had been here for 25 years; we’ve just never been in ‘em. New stuff - stores everywhere and the same good ones hold on. BB’s been here for a long time too and we’ve seen it morph into a local attraction. Do stop in to this Vista, if you can find the sign, location as it has long been a mainstay of the downtown boardwalk scene. Now, just without a sign. Dicks

The food is delicious, service is top notch, and the environment is comfortable. This is a good place to eat good food and relax with friends/family or have a business meeting.

First time having dinner here and didn't disappoint. Service was cordial and fast and food was great! Had the bourbon burger and the flavors were amazing! Would highly recommend.

Brewery with an awesome outdoor area with fire rings and seats arranged around campfire style. Staff were super friendly and gave great recommendations. Dog friendly!

It's the second time we've been to Belching Beaver in Vista. It's a great casual option in the very walkable Vista Village. The waiter was friendly. The food and beer were good. The restaurant is quite spacious with indoor and outdoor seating. We came with friends and sat on the back partially-shaded patio. We parked in the free public lot next to the restaurant. What's not to like? I'm sure we'll visit again sometime when we're in the area. Note: The restaurant building is in a former bank. Ask to see the 'vault' room, used for small parties/functions.

We came here to eat! They do have good food... but man, this inflation is killing us! We got a burger, wings, and a chicken wrap with 2 beers for $90. Not a cheap dinner anymore. Just gotta deal with the new norm now. The burger came with tots or fries and it's delicious! Their chicken tenders are also delicious but don't come with fries or tots anymore at this location at least. The pub still does! The wings were plentiful. The item that blew us away was the chicken Caesar salad wrap. That was oddly delicious. We started making it at home because it's so simple. Food still good. And I think they have a full bar now. Haven't been here in so long.

We've always loved belching beaver beer and food, we've been fans since they started out in North Park. We went tonight with our young son, and the food took almost an hour to come out. At which point our son was completely unraveling, and we could No longer enjoy our meal out. The waiter claimed that his tablet was not working properly, and he had tried to put in the food order 5 times. We will likely not be back anytime soon.

Everyone was so nice. Wait was not long at all. It was a little loud for me and my son - but that's just our preference. I've been to places that are way louder. Food tasted good - but everything was served lukewarm at best. Just a little off putting. Would highly recommend adding a peanut butter whisky to the selections of liquor - that mixed with the PB stout is SO good. All in all not horrible

There were lots of parking lots around belching beaver brewery. It is a standalone building with a variety of indoor and outdoor seating. We were seated immediately. Probably because it was a work day in the week, it was empty. We usually visit on the weekends, and it is crazy busy. We had my mom in law with us. They usually had a little fire pit running down the restaurant, and they turned it on just for us. We ordered some drinks and a variety of food to share. We ordered crab and artichoke dip and chips, brussel sprouts and a greek salad. Food was fantastic and our server was fantastic too. She kept checking on us to make sure we were well taken care of. We love this. And we will be back again!

This was an amazing spot to find. The pictures of this place does not do it justice. The front of the place, seems a little tight, that front patio, nice but not as cozy as the back. The whole restaurant part is huge and lots of space and the back was soo adorable! Families can come, animals are allowed, the heating lamps are scattered, the fire pits are going, plenty of picnic tables and overhangs. The whole vibe was just chill and everyone wanting to come, have some good food a beer and relax. I loved this place.

We were in the area and stopped by for lunch and were seated right away. Service was fantastic and prompt. Tried a couple of burgers, sandwiches, salad and dessert - all were delicious. Wish we had more locations closer to home.

Belching Beaver is our go-to for food in our neighborhood. Not only is the beer great (I love the peanut butter stout!) but the menu offers really great food and salads (big filling salads!)-- we love the French dip as well. The backyard is a really cool and big spot to bring dogs or kids and offers fire pits outside. Inside has a really cool vibe as well with steam "fire" pit counter you can sit at and the bar is made to look like a beaver dam--that's damn cute!

Always a fun time out in the back patio. Love the fire pits and the chairs to sit and relax. Always plenty of beer on tap with several of their award winning IPAs along with wine and mixed drinks. If you are outside or in you can always order food from their menu.

I love this place! Always friendly and the beer is usually great. We did a flight And found 2 out of 4 this time. There seemed to be more geared to IPAs than the Stouts. But still the PB on nitrogen is awsome! Great good!great ambiance!

Food: 5/5 Drinks: 5/5 Portions: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Customer service Speed: 5/5 Price: 5/5 Outdoor seating: Yes, large patio ADA access: yes Restrooms: yes- M/F Dogs: yes, outside Vegetarian options? Yes Vegan options? No Pros: affordable, fast service, great beer, friendly staff, clean restroom Cons: few vegan options, if any

Impressive. My uncle is a Washingtonian with a great love of Belching Beaver's PB stout and wanted to visit their brewery. This place is perfect for larger groups, outdoor seating, and a nice meal. Their food was impeccable. From their dam tots, salads, and bavarian pretzel. I don't think you can be disappointed with their menu. The tater tots were crispy underneath the gravy, the pretzel was a great pairing with my Stoopid ale, and the salad dressings were a favorite. Our server was attentive and was able to give recommendations when we asked.

Food and drinks absolutely delicious! We've come here many times and the service is always hit or miss in any area that you sit in so come with some patience. I'm giving 4 stars because the food is really that good. They have a large outdoor patio with TVs and fire pits (dog friendly), inside bar with TVs, and an inside dining room. Belching Beaver has a lot of great beers, but my favorite is Phantom Bride IPA. If you like hops this is a good beer for you. I have noticed the past couple times they've added a drink runner so drinks come out super quick, but the servers definitely need to be more attentive to their tables.

Great brewery with amazing food. One of the local spots that I frequent. Belching Beaver has a great selection of beer and this location has a full bar with an excellent bourbon selection. The service is always great and you can walk around downtown Vista when you get done. Enjoy!!!

I'm updating my review because I gave this place a second chance! After speaking to the general manager about my past experience he gave me a gift card and an invite to come back with a group of my friends. They absolutely made up for last time. The service, food, and drinks were great. I really appreciate that they wanted to fix what had happened on birthday. Thank you for making it up to us and thank you for the great service tonight. My friends and I had a great time.

Amazing service, our waitress was fantastic, accommodating and helpful! Great food! I loved the southwest salad. Now that I've had it once I know it's giant and to order it with dressing on the side and take home half! I'm looking already forward to my next visit the next time I'm in the area!

Ahhhh, I finally was able to come here with the family. I'm such a fan, I bought a t-shirt. My favorite beer is the honey blonde. You can actually taste the honey flavor! The staff is very nice and we love sitting outside with the kids. We brought games and the littles kept themselves occupied with the kids' menu as well. I love the atmosphere and I even talked to the owner, he told me how they came up with the name of their establishment. Must order: Giant soft pretzel with the dipping sauces (the cheese one is the best) Beer Fish and chips Burgers

Absolutely loved my experience at Belching Beaver Tavern! Despite the place buzzing with energy and being a tad loud due to its popularity, the atmosphere was electric and added to the vibrant experience. Our server was the epitome of kindness and sweetness, making us feel incredibly welcome from the moment we sat down.The highlight of the evening started right from the appetizer - the Brussels sprouts were out of this world! For my main course, I opted for the wok salmon, and let me tell you, it was perfection on a plate. Cooked flawlessly, every bite was a delight.But the cherry on top was the surprise brownie a la mode for my birthday. Thanks to a little birdie (my friend), the staff made sure to celebrate my day in the most delicious way possible. The brownie was not just decadent; it was enormous! So big, in fact, that the whole table got to partake in the joy.A huge thank you to the team at Belching Beaver Tavern for making my birthday not just memorable but absolutely fantastic. I can't wait to come back!

A great place in Vista for a beer and good burger! Close to my home ... great indoor and outdoor seating (fire pits and Adirondack chairs) Great food options and a variety of good beer.. Highly recommend !!

Belching beaver beers are to die for! The restraint is also pretty good if you get the right thing. We have definitely had a range of food from good just okay. Some nights they have live music and it's always busy! The service is good and waiters are knowledgable on the menu!

My husband and I like to come here occasionally for a couple of beers and some snacks. We usually bring our dog for some outdoor seating which was in the parking lot at the height of the pandemic and is now back to their lovely patios. Beer selection: great. I'd skip the cocktails to be completely honest as we have tried multiple and they usually disappoint. (Read old fashioneds too sweet as an example). Stick to their strength and that's beer. Good: tasty. Recommend the pretzel, tater tot beaver dam is my husbands fav. Sometimes it's super busy but we always have managed to get a table.

We came for lunch on a Sunday. It wasn't a busy day and we were seated right away. I don't drink beer so I chose this restaurant because of the reviews and the fact that is close to home and across the street from Handel's Ice Cream shop. LOL Our waitress greeted us with a smile and was patient while we took our time looking over the menu. I ordered the pork pozole to start. It was very good. Lots of flavor and a little bit of a kick. For my entree I ordered the passion pear salad with salmon. My salmon was cooked just right and my salad was fresh and crisp. It was a delicious flavor combination. My husband ordered the Baja Beaver Dog. It didn't look very appetizing and he was disappointed with the flavors. I forgot to take pictures unfortunately. I know I rely on the photos from other reviews to help me decide on a restaurant. I was very happy with my meal and would eat here again. the service was good and I love the location.

What a great first-time visit to the tavern! Not too crowded for a weekday lunch during a mini staycation. My husband and I loved chatting with Ken at the host stand, he was so friendly and talked to us about the annual car show held at the tavern. Table service was excellent, selection of brews on tap were awesome, and food was delicious.

Great spot! Good atmosphere, beer and food. Full bar! Service was great Phatom Bridge is delicious..

First time visiting this brewery and we really enjoyed it. The peanut butter stout was amazing! We sat on the back patio and enjoyed our lunch and drinks. A nice ambience for casual dining. We all wanted to try the beaver tot dam so we shared it amongst the 5 of us. It did not disappoint as it was really good. We also ordered the passion pear salad with salmon and the southwestern salad with mahi mahi and the Bavarian pretzel. The passion pear salad was delicious ! The lilikoi dressing was light and tasty and the salmon was prepared perfectly. Definitely a hit in my opinion. My husband ordered the southwestern salad. He said the mahi mahi was dry and overcooked and the lettuce was drowning in the dressing so this was the only "miss" for the table. If you don't like a lot of dressing you should order the dressing on the side. Service was very attentive. We would definitely return here!

I am writing to express my gratitude towards the team at BB for putting together an unprecededented whiskey tasting for my birthday. I very rarely celebrate my birthday and recently had a death in the family and was really looking forward to blowing off some steam and trying some amazing bourbons. In particular, Justin went above and beyond by custom-tailoring a whiskey flight menu to accommodate all needs from basic and good to rare and amazing. I can't thank him more for the effort he put in and the fun my 15 or so friends and I had. I also got to taste some hard-to-find bourbons that I'd been hunting for quite some time. We chose to get appetizers and they were all delicious: two dips, Brussels sprouts, two kinds of wings, and a bunch of other stuff. Many folks elected to buy meals as well and we were all easily accommodated with separate checks. Basically Justin and his team made this event super memorable and blew our minds. If you are a fan of great bourbons and tequilas as well as great food, this is arguably the biggest hidden gem in North County and my friends from Orange County all the way down to south SD county can't wait to come back. Props should be given to Ralph for being the other half of the whiskey team and making me aware of their offerings. Justin and Ralph's expertise makes this place one-of-a-kind I'm my area. Cheers!

The food here is really good, as are the drinks! The star of the show was the Basil Parm Crusted Chicken, the crust on the chicken was nice and crispy and the dish had really good flavor. The Tavern Burger was really good and the fries were excellent! We also had the Iceberg Wedge and it came with two large pieces of iceberg and lots of yummy toppings. The PB Stout and Buenos Tiempos were great options on tap. We had the Dragonfruit Margarita and it was really tasty. Zach our server was great and accommodating! We sat out on the patio on a December night and it was actually really nice and not too cold. I would definitely come back if I'm in the area!

We always visit this place when we're in the area! I personally love their seltzers but all of their drinks are good, the real winner here is the food though. This location has the best options, the cauliflower is absolutely delicious I've never had anything like it! I prefer to sit outside here. We did inside once and it wasn't as charming or laid back. The outside patio has cute campy lounge chairs and fireplaces, and picnic benches. It's very cozy and homely. The service is good but honestly nothing to really write home about. It's average and that's totally fine.

Haven't been here in a while...had a great time on a Saturday afternoon. Best skinny margarita I've had in years. Shout out to Ralph and Casamigos for making that happen for me. I had a couple of the beers and they were world class as always! I think the only complaint I have is the outside area is dirt and I think turf would really brighten up the outside and make it feel more like a comfortable backyard/have a SD vibe. Can we start a petition for turf?? We will be back.

This was my second time visiting this location and I really enjoyed it! They have a large outdoor area that is dog friendly. Lots of benches, lounge seating, and fire pits. We ordered the pretzel to start and it was very good and came with 3 dipping sauces. I ordered the buenos temps burger and it was perfectly cooked! We also ordered the philly cheesesteak which had great flavor, but was a little light on the meat and too wet. The tots were fire. Our friend for the chicken fettuccini alfredo and said it was good! Our waiter was very nice and attentive. I would definitely stop by the outdoor area if you are in the area.

Tater tothot dam, Parmesan, crusted, chicken, That green sauce on the Parmesan crusted chicken is amazing and the Parmesan crusted chicken is perfectly crispy fried and oily. Tater tot, hot Dam was our second healthy of the night. So I feel like the hot damn needed a second egg.

Parking lot is usually full but across the street is a huge space to park. Usually come during happy hour as it tends to get pretty busy after 6pm. Food is good. Full bar too. Patio is great for family and that includes your fur baby's too!

Belching Beaver is one of the must go places in San Diego County. The Vista Brewery and Grill is roomy and I am a big fan of the large outdoor patio and fire pits. Today we ordered the wok grilled salmon and the crispy brussel sprouts with bacon and both were delicious. The portions were big so we got to take some home with us as well. It was a special night out for us and the staff treated us like VIPs. Well done!

The food was not hot or not even warm. We sent back our tots and it came back hotter and saltier. The sprout was ok and the service was great. The portion is big. I enjoyed the atmosphere and PB beer. Not so much into the food taste.

Went here on a group date before the movies and Belchin Beaver is always a good time! Our server was really nice and patient as we were waiting for a few more of a friends to come. We even ran into a few other people while here too (on a Tuesday!) -- I guess Belching Beaver is the spot!! I don't drink alcohol so I got a pasta LOL (the chicken cutlet and pasta) and it was actually really good LOL. And 2 people in our group ordered the Homily Soup and they both said it was surprisingly good and that they wish they could have more! The food, while good, are a bit pricey though ($20 for my pasta plate and $9 for a small bowl of soup). The drinks are standard prices (about $9/glass). So for 2 people our bill was about $50 ($20 pasta, $9 soup, and two $9 drinks). But all in all, it's a nice brewery to hang at! The singer that night was also busting out a lot of classics~

The menu of food here is very good for everyone. Everyone can find something on their menu. The waitress is was very knowledgeable and gave great advice on food and drinks. There is an outdoor patio which is great. It has a great Southern California vibe to enjoy eating and drinking.

Usually love this place! I hadn't been in a while, and this last time it was definitely different. Beer is good. I got the grilled mahi mahi burrito, but the fish was very fishy. And the caesar salad was not cold. Service was okay, but got slow at the end. Server asked if we wanted boxes and she brought them but then took another 10 minutes to ask if we needed anything else. We were sitting there with empty glasses and plates stacked just waiting for the check.

Talk about great atmosphere! We arrived after a 6 hour drive from Arizona. The patio is fantastic. We sat on the Adirondack chairs around a fire pit. I ordered a Buenos Tiempos burger with no bun and it was DELICIOUS. My husband loved his Tavern Burger and beer. I'm not much of a beer drinker so I opted for the Dragonfruit margarita. INCREDIBLE. We will come back in the evening to enjoy the fire pit later this week! Service was top notch too!!

After a not so great first visit we came back. A friend came to town and she wanted tots. We were seated quickly at the high tops by the bar. Drink orders were taken and delivered quickly. I tried the dragonfruit hard seltzer and it was delicious. Our waiter kept our waters filled which I always appreciate. Between the 3 of us we ordered the tater tot dam and the California strip steak. The tots were crispy and perfectly salty and loaded with meat, cheese curds and a delicious gravy. The steak was cooked to medium rare and was flavorful. The spinach salad was fresh. I thought the highlight of the plate was the portobello mushroom, yum! Service was great and the food was very good. Looking forward to coming back to try more of their dishes and to drink more of the tasty brews

Salmon entree is bomb, sandwich's/ burgers are bomb.. fries.. everything is good. Enjoy the atmosphere. We love eating here.

Have always enjoyed coming here in any season. Patio is always fun. Dogs, humans, beers and the sunshine! What more do you want!? Maybe good food?! Come on down! This trip we had the pozole. Very tasty on this cool breeze winter day. Next we shared the Hopstickers. Very good as well with a delicious sauce. For the finale, spicy buffalo chicken dip. Dip was very tasty, full of that tangy vinegar. However the chips were almost the ones at the bottom of the warmer. We let the bartender know and he had the chef's make up some fresh ones for us. Our server was Zach, an attentive and pleasant human. He had great suggestions and his table side manners were wonderful. The bartender had a great idea of ponchos for the patio! Let's go management! ! We'd buy with your logo on them!! Looking forward to always returning.

Came for an casual lunch, and was surprised by the fair prices and quality of food and drinks! Our server Ralph was attentive and awesome! We will definitely be back!

Came here for dinner on a Saturday night. The food was just OK. I sort of get the impression that their A-game is more their appetizers and brews than it is their mains. It's a pretty loud scene at this time which is to be expected for a Saturday at a brewery (no complaint there, just be aware). Service was good enough, they were pretty busy and honestly all of our needs were met. Was a bit disappointed by the food to be honest: Brussel sprouts; pretty decent. I do think blue cheese is a little strong on them but in fairness it was ordered w/o bacon and even then they weren't bad. Blue cheese burger; pretty good. Stronger point of what I tasted. That said, I ordered a caesar as a side and while I have a low bar for most caesars this one was pretty sad. It came out warm, pretty floated in dressing which itself was nothing to write home about. Mahi sandwich; incredibly mid. It's a pet peeve of mine when fish sandwiches come with the same cut that they plate for mains because it makes it very difficult to eat but we'll ignore that. It's very common. Fish was dry. It came with iceberg lettuce, pickled ginger and cucumbers. The ginger was just a big wad of ginger slapped onto the fish. Wouldn't order this again. Maybe we came in at the wrong time. All in all, I'll give this place another try if I'm in the area. I'll stick to the apps & beer though. Will update my review when I do.

I've been wanting to try this place for YEARS because I love all of their drinks. They were already closed at 5:30 PM for Halloween, so I came back today (December 27, 2022). It's happy hour! The swag chain is a bit more on the non-sweet side, but I still like it. The pork sandwich is quite tasty (a little too sweet for my liking, but that's expected), and they definitely deliver on the portioning for the tater tots. I was hungry, but I ended up taking half of it to-go (which I later finished outside). The bramble is worth it! It's life-changing, and the atmosphere is definitely one-of-a-kind. I loved the interior and the exterior; I will have to return!

Nice service and people, good ambiance. Fun time. Food was excellent. Great place to sit outdoors and enjoy the weather

Patio is DOG friendly, love that. Met our friends there for dinner as we both like it here. Always great & friendly service. Nice inside and out. Shared the loaded tots and it was huge. Enough for the 4 of us. We also shared the pot stickers and those are really good too. I got the fish tacos which have lots of good flavor and my wife's wings were good too and meaty. My wife ordered the side salad with her wings and it was really fresh - she loved the vinaigrette salad dressing. It was different then we've ever had. It was so good, I would have bought some to take home! This was our 2nd time here and it's now one of our favorite places to go.

Food and service are consistent and amazing! Can't go wrong with anything on the food or beer menu. The patio area is also very nice to enjoy the outside, but it's just as nice inside. Don't skip on getting dessert!

Best burger and beer we've ever had! Dog friendly, great outdoor area. Amazing service!

Came for early family dinner on Friday evening. The Beaver was starting to get busy at 5pm. The decor is nice, my son enjoyed the faux flames next to the booth. Got a flight of Beaver brews, liked the Hazejuice and the Texifornia the best. Tots are great, if you love them fry the Beaver Dam. I've been craving a steak, so I had the ribeye, medium rare, with garlic mashed potatoes, skinny asparagus, and really tasty horseradish sauce. Everything was great, and I took home half a steak that I'll enjoy today. Wife had fish tacos - one grilled, one fried - and my son had a burger. I think my steak was the best. I've also had their classic cocktails - the old fashioned and the Sazerac were perfectly done.

The food was awful. The service was equally bad. Server ignored us that I literally had to get up and find her to get our bill. The only good thing there is the beer. Otherwise it sucks; don't go!