Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant
Brewery · Eastside ·

Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant

Brewery · Eastside ·

Killer beer and tasty eats like wings, pizza, burgers

smash burger
pizza
beer
friendly staff
wings
fries
ipa
great patio
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant by null

Information

817 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 Get directions

$$

Order delivery
See Menu
Credit card accepted
Debit card accepted
Contactless accepted
Free street parking
Free Wi-Fi

Information

Static Map

817 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 Get directions

+1 530 709 0329
gilmanbrew.com
@gilmanbrewingpleasanton
𝕏
@gilman_brewing

$$ · Menu

Features

•Credit card accepted
•Debit card accepted
•Contactless accepted
•Free street parking
•Free Wi-Fi
•Bar
•LGBTQ friendly
•Trans safe

Last updated

Dec 31, 2025

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@eater
391,688 Postcards · 10,991 Cities

These 12 Favorite San Francisco Restaurants and Bars Just Became Part of the Legacy Business Registry | Eater SF

"Quietly open for a few months, I observed that Gilman Brewing’s new Santa Cruz taproom at 817 Soquel Avenue is now grand opening-ready with its food menu and beers officially prepared for regular service." - Dianne de Guzman

https://sf.eater.com/2023/6/30/23779988/new-san-francisco-restaurants-bars-legacy-businesses
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant
@eater
391,688 Postcards · 10,991 Cities

Berkeley’s Gilman Brewing Company Opens Taproom and Restaurant in Santa Cruz | Eater SF

"Debuting in December at 817 Soquel Avenue in midtown Santa Cruz, Gilman Brewing Company's fourth location spent six months dialing things in and now opens a 2,500-square-foot taproom plus a 1,500-square-foot weather-proofed beer garden. The beer lineup mirrors the West Berkeley brewhouse with several IPAs, three saisons, a pilsner, a porter, and a lager. This Santa Cruz spot will be the only one of the brewery’s four locations to serve its own food menu and is intended as the flagship for the restaurant; expect Neapolitan-inspired pizzas, a smash burger, dogs, brats, pretzels, and — most notably — a Nashville hot chicken sandwich that co-owner Sean Wells calls “my baby” and says is as close as he’s yet had to what you get in Nashville. Weekend brunch (including the hot chicken sandwich) is planned eventually, and the expansion down toward Monterey Bay has been personal for Wells, who moved to the beach city with his family in 2020." - Lauren Saria

https://sf.eater.com/2023/6/29/23778515/gilman-brewing-santa-cruz-open
Gilman Brewing Santa Cruz Taproom Brewpub Gastropub Restaurant

Christy J.

Google
This place is great! The best IPAs I’ve had in like a 25 miles radius! (Ok there is one other brewery within the radius also with great beers if you want to get technical, but anyways…) If you do a tiny tiny amount of sleuthing, you can find the “secret” corner that takes you the more inviting outdoor seating area!!

Caitlin R. P.

Google
The food, beer and the environment are all excellent! If you want a great neighborhood vibe and no wait time, this is your spot. Chef Jeremy does a crust in the pizza you don’t wanna miss!

Adam R.

Google
I had lunch here a group of 8. Its not a big menu but the pizza is very tasty and the crust perfect.

Jonathan R.

Google
This is the best beer I've had in Santa Cruz, bar none. I'd say it rivals many more well known breweries in terms of both creativity and execution. The food is also great. The Nashville hot sandwich is about as close to perfect as I've had. The truffle fries beg for a good aoili to pair with, but I find it hard to complain with their flavor. Highly recommend Fuzzy Dice IPA for it's clean, dry hops and orange zest finish.

Christopher B.

Google
I want to like Gilman but I've tried to eat there 4 times. *Tried*. First time, had a nice meal. Enjoyed the cauliflower "wings". My son really liked the pizza. Second time, kitchen was closed despite it being an hour from closing. Next two times, no pizza dough left despite it being early evening (like 6:30). Also, they do not have a soda fountain so you'll be paying a few dollars for a can of diet coke. Staff is friendly and food is solid, if they have it available.

Jennifer Kelly (.

Google
Chef Jeremy made this pizza & the fries were sizzling'!.. it was so delish it's almost gone! Great brew too 😎

Julie M.

Google
Wild Mushroom pizza was uniquely delicious, with crispy fries as a side. We also enjoyed the hard cider and kombucha. Excellent, local laid back service.

Debbie P.

Google
Well it was a new place so had to try. Service was very nice people. Seating in side was plenty. Was not till later saw the side outside seating which might have been a little more fun even though your view is a car dealership. Food was ok. Fries were good, little pricey. Pizza had a good crust but fir the price only 5 shrimp on whole pizza. The pepperoni one was very greasy. Ok the beer, oh no. I did 2 + flights with my friends of all different ones. I only could drink 2 out of 15. Not sure if they make there. It might help if they put a discussion of the taste or type of beer besides just the name. Interesting names- frog on a bicycle, dad's pants, swamp and others tell it all. Sorry. Ok update it's been a while so 8 decided to try again. Staff as always was really personable. Had a dark beer Fell on Black that was really good. We had the smash burger and another special burger time. Both were good , smash was better. Thank you Aaron and Coa!
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Athonia C.

Yelp
there's so much right at this place. 1st off the Buffalo cauliflower wings are actually vegan, not counting buffalo sauce. but the team here actually made me custom sauce for my wings. tiiiiiiight. Now that's a good service. The tables here are made with imperfect wood pieces which has a lot of charm in my opinion. They also have hooks under some of the tables, which is great for hitching your bitches. but its alsogood for hitching your male dogs too. I suppose somebody with a purse could actually hang up there too, nice. Ambiance:There are Tesla superchargers you can see out the window. but if you go across the street to the parking lot for the Diversity Center, you'll find a free level two charger for your electric vehicle you will also find a solar powered blink charger. so why not enjoy a dark saison (french beer made with wine yeast!!) while you E up? Just be sure to say saison like you are a snobby French person. It helps to make like a hand gesture of some sort. ok, The rest of this review revolves around the EV chargers that are nearby: this of course has nothing to do with Gilman brewing, but it was just my experience that that charging station sucked and you had to put in a really super long serial number into the blink app to start charging. It's supposed to have a QR code, but these minimum to maintain their stations and I always recoil whenever I pull up to the charging station and all they have is blank. There is actually another one there that is provided by the city, which is free. I believe I saw cars plugged into it. I'm guessing it works! simmary: This is a great place while away your time while you wait for slow chargers to goose your EVs electrons
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Sheena M.

Yelp
Stopped here with my daughter, we had a gift card. It's a cute building in the Whole Foods parking lot, pretty dark inside when you walk in. But you can see the menu just fine. Super friendly service. But they do get busy. We ordered a Caesar salad with chicken and french fries...soo good! I love a crispy thin fry, and these are that. I also got a sour beer, I forgot to photograph, but was also very yummy. They have options for a small pour and I love that to be able to try different ones. They have some games as well outside and trivia night on Wednesdays. Would definitely go back again.
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Ryan E.

Yelp
Food was great and the beer was tasty, friendly staff and a comfortable atmosphere. They have a large patio as well
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James F.

Yelp
Gilman is a good, solid brewery (as far as breweries go). The beer is good beer. I haven't had anything super memorable, though, until my last visit when I tried the black IPA. Now, that was a good beer. They're closed on Monday and Tuesday, which sometimes makes me sad. They have a great patio space- even though it's on a busy street, part of it is secluded. They have a good amount of seating inside and the service is always friendly. I hadn't eaten here until recently. Even so, we only had an order of fries. Which, even though they sat long enough to cool down before they finally brought them to our table, magically retained a lukewarm crispiness. We wistfully (and out loud to one another) imagined how amazing those fries would have been had they made it to us hot. Overall, Gilman is a good place to add to your regular rotation of breweries in the area (just not on Monday or Tuesday). They have a nice vibe, decent beer, lots of parking, plenty of patio space, and cornhole. I'll let someone else here review the food, for now.

Steve F.

Yelp
Falafel smash burger and fries was very good! I enjoyed the hoppy pills. Back patio was a nice atmosphere to relax in.
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Sarah M.

Yelp
Food is always a hit or miss. Depending on who's in the kitchen. All new staff there this Sunday night. Not sure if they have a big turnaround with staff. We went there last night around 6 to get 2 smash burgers and an order of Brussel sprouts. The burgers were both burnt to a crisp and barely edible. The Brussels were with a balsamic glaze. Grilled and they were way too much sauce. Will be checking who's in the kitchen before ordering again. Sometimes the food is amazing! Like when they first opens. Big portions of fry's and the burgers were amazing. Now not so much.
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Sarah C.

Yelp
All around good stuff. They have a great selection of styles of beer. We tried two IPAs and one Pale Ale and all were solid. Food was really good too. Fries were nice and crispy. Chicken tenders where actually tender and not dried out. The Spicy Chicken Sandwich was good - but could have been spicier. The wings were crispy and good buffalo sauce. I liked their ranch. It's not on the menu but apparently they do a chicken tender/fry plate for kids. Or can do plain cheese pizza. I look forward to coming back to try the pizza. It got really hopping about 7:15 on Wednesday for their trivia - so yeah, if you can be out past kid bedtime, that looked really fun. Order at the counter. Food came out pretty quickly.
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Suri M.

Yelp
I am very happy with the porter, the stout and even the dark lager they have on tap. All excellent, and the servers are kind and friendly. I was underwhelmed by the Buffalo cauliflower wings. Some members of our group were also disappointed that we were told that the kitchen was open until x time, and when we tried to order a few minutes before that, we were told they'd already closed and gone home. Hello? No last call? That said, it's a great venue with lots of indoor and outdoor seating, and occasionally they have live music. Fun!
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Ana J.

Yelp
Great local spot. Flights are the way to go to taste some of the wonderful flavors they have. Buffalo tenders and shoe string fries were bomb! The ranch was the best I have ever had! Limited seating inside but nice tall tables in the patio with string lights.
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William C.

Yelp
Good beer and solid food. My only issue is that fries are an extra charge? Really? Just give a handful of basic fries to go with your 15.00 burger then charge an extra 3 for a larger amount or something special like garlic fries. The staff is always kind and that's the biggest thing that keeps me coming back. The outside eating area is quite nice and feels like a little retreat in the middle of the city.
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Katie R.

Yelp
I've been a huge Gilman fan since first visiting their Berkeley location a couple years back. Was super excited when I heard one was opening up closer in SC! They had 19 beers on tap during our visit as well as a cold case of cans that you could get a four pack from or even build your own four pack. We went with a flight of 6 beers which went for $18 before tax & tip. Exactly what a beer flight should cost IMO. This location seemed to have fewer beer options than they do at the Berkeley location, but more than the Pleasanton one did when I went. They still had a nice variety of light, hazy, and funky beers available. My personal favorite thing about Gilman is their sours. Unfortunately they only had one sour when I came in, but they did have two saisons to balance the menu out. They also had a pretty good sized menu of snacks, apps, and pizzas. We didn't get any food but saw some fries that looked damn good. The vibe here wasn't as lively as the other locations I've been to. Seemed much more low key and laid back, perfect for Santa Cruz. There was plenty of parking in the massive lot that serves them and Whole Foods. They're also dog friendly!
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Jojo H.

Yelp
Pizza was good, tastes like homemade. Beer is good as well. Not a fan of buffalo chicken was okay, the pretzel is very small for the prize. Good to watch sports.
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Mark F.

Yelp
Interesting that this place just opened up, they are now the second brewery from out of town that has opened a taphouse in the area (Faultline is SV also just opened). I was in Berkeley a while back and recognized the name. I got a chance to stop in here the other night and I loved it! It used to be a pizza place and I believe they also serve food but my quick stop was for just a beer. I will update this review when I've had a chance to try it all! They seemed very well staffed with at least 4 or 5 people floating around in a medium sized space. We were able to walk up to the counter and order right away. My buddy got a sampler while I just asked for a taste and just dove straight into a double hazy that was awesome! I forget the name but again, it was awesome! That's all I have for now but I need to get back there to try all the beers (the list was long!) Definitely give them a shot!
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Vanessa S.

Yelp
Really good craft beers and food. Burgers and pizza were delicious! Anti freeze, autoshop and cats in space were great ipa's! Service was fast and staff was knowledgeable and friendly. Will definitely come back!
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Robert B.

Yelp
Very friendly place, nice big space. Nothing really stands out as far as the brews. Big drawback for me...people who think this is daycare with beer. I love kids, but I dont want to see or hear them out of control while Im having a beer... Worth your time, though & I urge locals to stop by
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K J.

Yelp
The margarita pizza was bad. Like really bad. It reminded me of pizzas I made as a kid using chef boy r de sauce. Yes, that's bad. The big salted pretzel was ok. Nothing special which is a shame given their excellent beer selection and nice location in midtown. Alas, all wasted.
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William M.

Yelp
Very solid company with good people. Been a fan of them since they first opened in Berkeley! Their new spot in Santa Cruz has their signature line of solid beers, both new school and old. Their recent food upgrade makes them a real go to spot for all occasions, especially games considering they have plenty of tubes! You can definitely just avoid long pointless lines at many other places on hype pizza, smash burgs and beers, and pop in here for the same caliber pizza, burgers, and brews instead! If you like spicy fried chicken, def scope the Nashville Hot Chicken Sando!! Best fried chicken sando in town!
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Amy B.

Yelp
Tried this place for the first time today after seeing Gilman at a beer festival. Plenty of parking and they allow dogs inside and out. The patio and deck are spacious and pleasant with shade and umbrellas. They have a good beer selection that includes a variety of styles. The staff at the counter was friendly and prompt. The only thing we didn't love was the food situation. (After reading some other reviews, I'm glad we didn't order pizza, at least - ha ha.) We ordered sandwiches (a falafel smash burger and a hot chicken). We waited quite a long time for the order to come up. When it did, it was only the falafel burger and not both sandwiches. A while later, a fairly significant while, we got the chicken one as well. The sandwiches were pretty good, though a little pedestrian and a bit dry. Annoying that you have to pay extra for the chips or fries to go with it. Overall, I'd go again for the beer for sure. I probably wouldn't eat here again, though.
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Bradley K.

Yelp
The service was okay but the guy working behind the register asked us to eat faster so he could close. This is not the first time we have had an experience where the staff was rushing patrons to finish and leave. They don't care about building a good clientele in Santa Cruz. Not going there ever again.

Sarah B.

Yelp
fat guy with the backwards hat working the cashier was really rude to me and my group, tables were sticky and dirty, overall never coming back. beer and food was ok though
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Sunil R.

Yelp
Stopped off here for some beer and pizza. It was surprisingly empty on a Sunday evening. The beer was refreshing and the pizza was A-OK. I am a fan and would come here often if I lived close by.
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Jill M.

Yelp
This is a great local spot! I've been here many times and the beer and food are consistently good. The chop salad is great and lately my husband and I ordered the smash burger-yum! It had the amazing crispy edges and juicy center. Great outdoor patio to watch the world go by.
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Rick C.

Yelp
I wasn't familiar with this brewery, but I bookmarked it on here to remind myself to pop in if we were nearby. When I was in Santa Cruz and had 30 min away from the old lady n the rugratpack, i popped in for a quick flight. It was like 4 minute drive from our air bnb so it was good location. All the beers were tasty, so I would definitely go back to this taphouse/restraunt. I didn't eat, so I can't comment on the food, but everyone around seemed to be enjoying their food. The server was cool and laid back. All around good experience. It was about to rain when I popped in so it was dead at first which was even better because I wanted to relax and sit in peace, but it started to fill up towards the end of the flight
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Kelly G.

Yelp
This brewery is pretty good! It feel more like a locals spot. They had a good selection of beers and a decent food menu too. There's a nice patio with a few small tables and one big one. Good for grabbing a quick beer and bite!
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Sandra R.

Yelp
Stopped by for dinner around 6ish and the place is as mostly empty with tons of seating indoors and outdoors. They have a two outdoor spaces, a small one by the shade and a larger area that gets a ton more sun. Indoors, multiple tvs playing sports. Ordering is done two ways, you can choose a table and scan the QR code OR you can go to the front and place your order. We chose the QR code which made it super simple and fast! Beers - for myself I chose the guava sour which was good, sour forsure with very low hints of guava. My partner got the black lager which tasted like a porter notes with a smooth and light finish of a lager. For the beer selection though, they were out of many beers. Food wise, we ordered fries as a shared appetizer, the Nashville burger and wings. The fries were super crispy and seasoned perfectly - they also gave a good amount of fries. The burger wasn't great but also not bad. More breading than chicken but had a good taste and decent amount of spice. Now the wings, BOMBBBBBBBBBB! Our favorite dish! They were large and meaty, full of flavor, the Buffalo sauce had a kick that was perfect, and the amount of wings was also a perk! Recommending these wings forsure! Overall, we definitely enjoyed trying a new place here in town. Food menu is very limited but good beer food options, hopefully beer menu is up and available next time. Also, prices were decent for what you're getting. We forsure have discovered an addition to our regular places to stop by!
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Adrianne A.

Yelp
I was so delighted by the wonderful service I received by Betty! She was so welcoming and greeted me with a smile! She was patient and answered all my questions about the food choices that are gluten free, sugar free, and vegan. I finally decided on the Margarita pizza and it didn't disappoint! I will come here again because Betty was so sweet and knowledgeable! She even took the time to walk my granny out to the car. Now that's service!! If only more servers were just like Betty!
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Justin R.

Yelp
Been coming to this place since they opened. Beer is awesome and the service is great! We bring our kids here and the patio is perfect for them to run around safely. My biggest complaint is them trying to sell a 'Bavarian pretzel' that is clearly from Costco frozen section for $8. The rest of their food is awesome...the pizza the salads everything else. Don't cheapen yourself to make something that's 700% margin.
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Luda F.

Yelp
Based on one visit I won't try again. The IPA is ok but nothing more and the Farmhouse was not a hit with my friend. Eat before you come the food is terrible. TERRIBLE.

Jackie B.

Yelp
Horrible place. Koa the manager is hortible. He offered my family member a job and we were so excited then the night before he sends a text saying " my co worker wanted more shifts so i no longer need you". Totally lame and unexscusable. I think this place has bad management. You really should not treat people so bad koa.
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Kenny B.

Yelp
First time here, a pretty good spot, relaxed vibe. Ordered the Wings and side of fries, both were good. Wings were perfectly spiced and the fries were hot and crispy. For the Brews, being from Missouri ordered the "Missouri Lean", was very good and the "Dad Pants" cause I am one was a basic Hazy IPA but still good. Overall pretty good but will echo a previous review with there being "energetic kids" running around being the only negative. Will try again and sampling their extensive list of brews

Mark L.

Yelp
The worst burgers we've ever had. $50 down the drain. Dry, unseasoned, paper thin patties that arrived at room temp. So disappointed. The fries were hot a yummy though. Never going back.
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Sarah E.

Yelp
Friendly staff, great patio, tasty food, and very kid-friendly! We'll definitely be back.

Ron M.

Yelp
Great all around vibe, beers are terrific (as is the food). Not to be missed/support local business
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pH N.

Yelp
This establishment is primarily a brewery with food options (pizza, chicken wings, burgers and fries). There are two burger options: a 4 ounce burger for $12 and a kid's burger for $10, French fries are $6. You can see the drink and food prices on their website. The beer quality is not as good as Sante Adarius (just up the street), but has more food choices. Some of the previous reviews seem a bit biased and inaccurate; Gilman's does have a number of locations, including Berkeley, Daly City and Pleasanton, but is no more of a commercial establishment than Beer Thirty (imminently opening up another location across the street). Personally, I'm happy to see more dining and drinking options in midtown.
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Milk B.

Yelp
Great local place, the service is great beer selection is awesome the calzone was great highly recommend will be back for triva Wednesday nights
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Ann F.

Yelp
We are here right now and I am anxious to recommend this great new place in town. We live here and love beer and love having new places to go! The beer is very good( had their flight of 6 so can vouch for how good they are) and we enjoyed the smash burgers. The staff is super friendly. Great new place and high recommend it.

Ashley D.

Yelp
If you're looking for just beers... sure. Their beers good. But if you want food too... you'll be highly disappointed. It's trash. I ordered their nachos with got cold chili on it. Not worth it honestly.
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Erik L.

Yelp
This review is based on my one and last visit on my birthday last week. I brought my 7 year old son with me to meet some friends and we went just for food. To start, the menu is one of these chic types with no prices listed - red flag. I ordered 2 burgers, 2 fries, and a Sprite for my son. That's it...$63. That was bad enough but it got waaay worse. The $15 "burger" was a complete joke and made our entire group laugh. It was maybe 1/4 lb before cooking but the burger that comes with shredded iceberg lettuce only was about the size of a 2 bite, premade Mickey D's burger, no exaggeration. My son took it down in a few bites, I tried not to cry as I ate my tasteless little disk. The $8 fries were good but again...$8??? A $15 burger should be 1) edible 2) hand made w/ a question as to how I like it cooked accompanying my order 3) come with toppings, 4) a plate, 5) utensils to cut it because it is too big for 1 hand 5)fries, 6)condiments, and 7) a smile. These burgers come in a little paper sleeve and are so small that I had no idea the server had placed it in front of me until I saw my son eating his. I thought it was a bag holding pickles or other toppings. $63 for 2 horrible excuses for burgers, 2 fries, and 1 Sprite. + then having to go eat again due to this meal being so miniscule and tasteless. I will assume that as a new business, these guys are putting their best foot forward and that makes this all that much worse. Maybe the beer is good, I don't know, but I can strongly say that I feel this establishment to borderline deceitful and shady with these extreme prices (not listed probably for obvious reasons) and incredibly small and embarrassingly tiny burgers that I would not eat for free if it not for it being my bday with my son. I left feeling taken highly advantage of. Don't even think about eating here and I would recommend checking that they don't use a sneaky 12 oz "pint" glass when pouring your drink. Make your own decision but I will NEVER EVER AGAIN return and will advise all my friends and even strangers to do the same.
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Jessica F.

Yelp
This place is another transplant brewery/restaurant that is excited to open in Santa Cruz so they can run a place with zero customer interaction. You walk in and are greeted by a sign telling you to sit down and order through the QR code. Welp, too bad the code doesn't work. No one is at the counter ordering in person, but not to worry, the staff have beers and are drinking together. I'd like a beer?! It was freezing inside and no one working there seemed to care about the business being successful, or getting tipped (no service required). We walked out. Thanks Santa Cruz, another disappointing place with no one running a business with clientele in mind. Neighborhood place fail.
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Matt B.

Yelp
Although the craft beer scene isn't my forte, my experience at Gilman Brewing has been positive. I'm writing this review to commend the staff, specifically James, who's customer service was excellent and refreshing. Thank you.

Amanda H.

Yelp
An underrated trivia spot with incredible beer and food! I have been to all of the weeknight trivia + beer around Santa Cruz and my bf and I keep coming back to Gilman's. The beer is delicious and so is the food! The standout for me has been the trivia though. There are 5 rounds with 10 questions each and they get it done in about an hour. It's super challenging and you get a gift card if you get first, second, or third. Would highly recommend this place for any night but I'm partial to trivia Wednesdays :) It gets a little loud when it fills up so make sure to get there early to get a table close to the trivia master.

Brandon K.

Yelp
Had a pretty good evening. I was aleady a bit excited to learn that we were getting another brewery in our neighborhood... and when I learned they were going to have a rotating menu and a chef, I became even more stoked. Turns out my excitement was warranted. I'll start with the beer -- it was good. Of the beers I tried, their Belgian saison with peach was easily my favorite. It was crisp and refreshing, without being overly sour.... I'm not here to review the beer though. I'm here to share my smash burger experience. It was a great burger consisting of meat, american cheese, a soft bun, pickles, lettuce, thinly sliced red onion and mayo, all wrapped in white paper, and served warm (that matters to me). I'm not afraid to admit it -- I dig a burger with lettuce and mayo. Often times when you go to a place like this and have a fancy burger, you're usually getting a burger that goes one of two directions. Direction 1: a burger that showcases the foundational ingredients. Usually you get a nice bun (often potato), some sort of well seasoned and perfectly cooked patty, American cheese, maybe some ketchup, or pickle... and that's it. Direction 2: A burger that features some really fun ingredients. The burgers can be of any size, may or may not have a potato bun, and often showcase some bold and unusual flavor profiles that really build upon one another. Naturally this is not a true dichotomy - there are exceptions to every rule... and to bunch all the types of burger you see at an upscale food joint into just two categories seems a bit heinous -- however, it serves to drive my narrative here. Gilman Brewery's smash burger is neither of these things. They added back the ingredients that others often choose to drop (namely lettuce and Mayo)... and they did so without compromising the end result. It reminds me of an elevated version of the type of burger that my family used to make growing up. It's a type of burger that is not well represented in Santa Cruz presently.... Certainly not with a smash burger patty. I don't know where I'm going with all of this. I guess I'm just trying to drive home the point that this burger is really dang good, and it fills a gap that I didn't even really know I was missing. Ohhh! Also, it appears they use a burger press and a form on their patty. I've never experienced this before, and I thought it was a bit suss at first when I saw the hard edges. I guess I was afraid that the patty had been sitting around pre-formed, and then had been grilled without ever being smashed.... Don't be fooled, it's still a smash burger... The deliciously savory crusty exterior is still there. It would appear that this cooking method involving press and form is just as good (if not superior to?) the type of smash burger patty im used to. So yeah. The burger. I liked it, and I'm super glad that this place is nearby... I hope they keep it on the menu. In addition to the burger we also had: The mahgherita pizza Neapolitana - it was good, but there are a number of other good neopolitana pizzas in SC now. Fries - these were hella good. Perfectly fried, served piping hot, actually tasted like potatoes. Shark board - a charcuterie board. It was exactly what you'd expect. Gotta say though, the gherkins and pickle were particularly yummy. Lastly, I'd be remiss if I left out the service. The staff seemed quite friendly. Chef Gavin even stopped by our table a couple of times to see what we thought of the food. My partner offered some feedback about her desire to have something fruity along with the charcuterie board. As soon as he heard that he ran off to the kitchen to rustle something up for us -- he didn't have to do that, he was just being awesome. If he keeps this kind of service up, the whole town is going to end up figuring it out, and we're never going to be able to get a table :) So yeah... in summary, the food and beer are good, the staff is friendly, and they are highly motivated to turn the old Tony and Alba's into a popping spot. Thanks for attending my TED talk.

Bill W.

Yelp
Incredibly disappointing. The pizza was borderline disgusting, sheesh it's pizza! How can it be that bad? Their beer is good, but nothing special, not in the same league as Sante Adarius or Humble Sea. BUT... the food was awful. How can you open a new place these days and think this is passable? Just a a really bad vibe with this crappy food, meh service, just finished our beer and left ASAP.

John S.

Yelp
mediocre beer and very unfriendly service every time I have gone. They act like they are doing you a huge favor serving you or answering any questions. I'll never go again. I know others who like the beer but its not for me.

John B.

Yelp
Came in with no expectations, as I hadn't heard much of it prior. Now I will be singing its praises. 1) Gavin and the other woman with him (I'm sorry I didn't catch her name) were awesome. They were friendly and beyond, helping guide us to what our tastes would be compatible with both beer and food. 2) The beer was excellent. The porter was lighter than expected but had great flavor, and the house saison was floral and balanced. Beautiful. 3) The food was great. I played it safe with the pepperoni pizza and didn't regret it but I'll be back to try the others. The crust was perfectly crispy and the rest soft and doughy, exactly as I'd hoped. The wings were also immaculately crispy on the outside and moist inside, the best wings i've had in town. The buffalo sauce was perfect but the ranch really stood out. I don't like ranch but at my partner's behest I tried it and loved it. A bit thin, so it didn't overwhelm the buffalo, but the dill really sent it home for me. All in all I loved the vibe, the food, the beer, and the really great service. We will definitely be back.
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Anthony G.

Yelp
Found Gilman while on a little walk in the neighborhood. The vibe is awesome and the brews hit the spot! Highly recommend checking out and I'll definitely be coming back!

Joe H.

Yelp
We were first time visitors to the one on Soquel Avenue last Thursday. I'm sure there is still a learning curve so here goes: we found a fairly limited selection of beers plus 3 were out of stock. The finger food items were quite limited too. We sat near the TV and would have stayed longer but the metal seats discourage it. They really are uncomfortable plus no back support. On the plus side the prices are reasonable, plenty of parking, and the staff folks very engaging.

Emanuel T.

Yelp
Whoa! This place is surprisingly good! The location is seemingly slow and no frills, but I must say; their beers are really good! Be careful they are tasty and pack a punch in the best possible way. Service is excellent with a friendly staff and great pizza. Their back patio offers a great ambiance. I've been a few times and will continue to support this neighborhood gem!

Ryan P.

Yelp
Please just go ahead and close. This place has the worst vibe ever. I'm sure the owners thought it would be a goldmine but the place needs to be supervised. Out of touch with the community, although I must admit current trends in the community seem to be firmly pointed in the direction of bad overpriced food and abysmal service. It's increasingly rare to go out anywhere in Santa Cruz these days without feeling bad about it. This new place could have been the exception, but no. A stop acting like you're doing us favors for ripping us off. If we even had the opportunity. Walked in, QR code didn't work, employees were snotty, left. Enjoy the rite aid parking lot. It's got all the good mojo.