Karl Strauss Brewing Company

A really solid brewery that delivers on what matters most — good beer. The selection is broad enough that pretty much anyone who enjoys beer can find a flavor that fits their taste, whether you’re into something light and crisp or bold and hoppy. Everything felt well-crafted and balanced. The food was a pleasant surprise too. It’s definitely more on the upscale bar food side — elevated takes on classics, quality ingredients, and well-executed dishes that go perfectly with the beer. Overall, a great spot to grab drinks, enjoy solid food, and spend a relaxed evening.

Went here for lunch on a Saturday and it was surprisingly empty. We were greeted by the friendly bartender and the waitress arrived soon after to take our orders. We ordered a salad and the ahi nachos. The nachos arrived and looked sort of disappointingly plain but I end up really enjoying it. The sauce and fresh ahi tuna was delicious.

After walking the beach for 7 miles, this spot was exactly what I needed. The vibe is unbeatable, cozy booths, tables, and a bartop with string lights against wood-and-brick walls. TVs are everywhere, not just at the bar, so I could catch multiple games at once. It felt so comfortable that I could easily see this becoming my go-to hangout: perfect for grabbing a beer, meeting friends, or even bringing the kids. Now, the food… WOW. The fish and chips with coleslaw were on another level. The truffle parmesan fries? Hands down the best I’ve ever had. The mac and cheese was rich and delicious, and the pork chops with mashed potatoes and green beans hit the spot—the glaze was perfect. I even took dessert home, and it was just as amazing. Limitless vibes, incredible food, and a welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommend!

We ordered the salmon salad, the black bean burger, a zero proof beer, and the guava kombucha, and finished with the beeramisu (tiramisu). The salmon salad came with a very generous portion and tasted great with no fishy flavor at all, which you sometimes get when the fish is not fresh. The black bean burger was also good and came with perfectly cooked fries. There was a Parmesan style sauce that I ended up using on both the burger and the fries, which was a nice touch. The guava kombucha was okay. I usually prefer hard kombuchas where the fruit flavor is stronger, and this one was lighter and more subtle. Even though we were already full, we made the necessary sacrifice and saved room for the beeramisu, and honestly that is the reason I am writing this review. Go try the beeramisu. The only photo I took was of it half bitten, because it was the best part of the meal. It does taste like a tiramisu, but the mascarpone layer has a slightly different hint of flavor that is hard to describe. All I can say is go try it.

Great place to come for a few beers and good food. They have a really good selection of beers to try and also limited edition beers, which I enjoyed. I also ate here and the Mac and cheese is highly recommended alongside the good service.

I had an absolutely wonderful experience at Karl Strauss. From the moment we arrived, the service was exceptional. Taylor went above and beyond to ensure I could enjoy a meal safely despite my numerous health and allergy concerns. Taylor called me multiple times to clarify what could and could not be done, demonstrating incredible care and professionalism. The chef also deserves huge praise for going out of their way to create safer, delicious food. My friend enjoyed a perfectly cooked ribeye — tender, juicy, and full of flavor. I was able to savor fresh zucchini and green beans, both crisp and perfectly prepared. My friend told me that the fries were outstanding — golden, crispy, and perfectly seasoned. A big thank you to everyone who helped, including those whose names I don’t know. Your attention to detail and genuine care made our meal not only safe but truly enjoyable. The combination of thoughtful service and high-quality, delicious food made this a dining experience we won’t forget.

My husband and I stopped in on a Saturday to cool off and grab a quick bite after the farmers market. The place had a good vibe—several patrons, but not overly packed. We ordered a cold Red Trolley and snacked on the duck fat pretzel bites. Both were excellent! Our server was fast, fun, and attentive. The beer hit the spot, and the appetizer came out hot and delicious. This location is one of our favorites, and I love that Red Trolley is always on tap! We also highly recommend their Burger & Beer special—just $20 and a great deal. Plus, daily happy hour from 3–5 PM is a big bonus!

Great place for lunch and sampling local brews! We were staying right around the corner and came here for lunch. It was a great day outside so we sat out front on their patio. They have a great selection of local beers and the staff were all very knowledgeable about them all which was super helpful. I went with a pog seltzer and my wife ordered a shandy - both were extremely good! The food menu also featured a wide variety of bites but I only had eyes for their burger, and it did not disappoint. The flavor was great and the fries were perfectly cooked. We had a great experience overall and we’ll certainly be back!

This is a hidden gem in San Diego! Karl Strauss offers both indoor and outdoor seating and has a gorgeous koi pond. I stumbled upon this restaurant due to its proximity to my hotel. I was able to enjoy the French fries and the salmon Caesar salad. I left no crumbs, so I can attest the food is delicious. Now onto their name sack, the beer. I enjoyed their Oktoberfest brew. It was a perfectly balanced beer and I would recommend grabbing it if you're visiting during the season. The bartenders provided impeccable service by recommending both beer and food options. Go check this place out and let me know what beer I should try next !

The wings are always a must. Tried mahi tacos for first time, and are pretty tasty. No sides come with dish so ordered coleslaw. It ended up being too much food. Karl Strauss never disappoints!

Seasonal schnitzel slider - HARD PASS! Pretzel bun was extremely stale. The schnitzel was just meh. No flavor, dry af. Just a complete FAIL! I keep trying KS because it's near the court. But man, have you no pride Karl Srauss?! I wouldn't even give this to the homeless people around the courthouse. Don't do it. Blech.

I definitely eat at Karl Strauss more times than I'd like to admit! It's probably one of the best places to have a quick bite to eat in core Columbia area during the middle of a busy day! Last week my friend and I went for happy hour for the first time though and it did not disappoint. Their apps were only like ten bucks, they have an amazing beer selection and their service is so personable and quaint! Thank you Joanna, Charlie, and Chava!!

This place is meh. Got seated right away. Took 15 mins to get a menu. And another 5 to get waters. Only had beer, it was okay. Nothing special. People's food around us didn't look or smell good around us, so we held back from ordering. The place itself, however, is nice inside.

This place is definitely a brewery! Lots of local beers on tap and a very nice mix of IPAs. The food was amazing! I ordered the Fish and Chips and they were delicious with the garlicky tartar sauce. My wife ordered a burger and it was massive! The server was magnificent and paid attention to our table even though the place started to get busy. Very cool spot being right around the corner from our hotel.

Group of my buddies get together monthly at a local brew pub, and this joint was a hit! Ordered the pork chops, and was glad I did... perfectly cooked, and served with garlic mashed potatoes and string beans.. all was wonderful, and the portion was huge! I did order the butter cake, and was underwhelmed by the size and the lack of ice cream. Ambiance is backwoods beer hall, service was prompt and friendly, and prices are in line with expectations. Loved the food, and there are several beers I like here, so I'll definitely be back...

Rico was awesome! Super friendly, on top of everything, and made sure we had a great time. He gave solid recommendations, kept our drinks filled, and just had a great vibe overall. If you're at Karl Strauss, hope you get Rico!

We never visit San Diego without a stop at Karl Strauss. We enjoy the ambiance of this place. It is never busy in the evening - they seem to do most of their business from the surrounding businesses. I had a lovely salmon dish. My husband had tacos. The beer was also delicious. Our server was very pleasant and helpful with some of my dietary restrictions. My only complaint is the menu is not as sophisticated as it was in the past. More pub fare. But the pluses definitely make it a worthwhile visit!

This brewery was close to our hotel and we decided to check it out for its convenience. The beer and service were good, but I wouldn't come back for food. They do have tvs for football or sports. We sat at the bar. I ordered the wings which come only boneless. The chicken was not fully cut able/chewable and was doused in sauce. The celery and carrots were not fresh either. We also got Brussels sprouts which were decent. The Mac and cheese was so salty. Overall our server was attentive, it is a big space, but def not a fan of the food

Steve and I got to try Karl Strauss again and from the experience before to this experience it remained a good, solid one. On this particular beer outing we had the Aurora Hoppyalis IPA which we liked quite a bit. It also seemed to be approximate appropriate timing after much of the country received the Aurora Bourealis in the recently. Flavors to look for with this IPA are hoppy, tropical and fruity. The beer is light bodied and very smooth to drink which is always a very good thing for Steve and me as heavier beers can be a bit much for us sometimes.

Service was amazing !! It's chill not to mention Dog Friendly a plus !!! Food was delicious really great flavors . The beer flights so delicious. Definitely would come back to dine in !!!

Came here for lunch with my coworkers and it was so good. The service was great. Staff was super friendly. Our food came out super quick too. Love their salads and their buffalo wings and their chili lime fries. Love how they also have an outside seating area. Super big on the inside as well with plenty of seating.

Food was great. We had Uber eats deliver to our hotel, I wish we had visited it in person while on our trip. The burger and sweet potato fries were perfect.

You have to stop by Karl Strauss when you're a beer drinker in San Diego, right? Typical food, burgers and salads and fries. They have a long list of beers and ciders for all different palettes. Easy to find something for everyone.

Wow! Not only is this an amazing brewing company offers such bright beer choices, but the food is also outstanding! Super chill atmosphere - not overly crowded. Very well priced beers, flights and food. I ordered a mixed flight with 2 sours (friends of Karl) and 2 beers - unique wine barrelled beer and hefenweisen ($13.5). We started off with a ahi tuna poke nachos - amongst the best we ever had - so fresh abd flavorful and slightly addicting. I ordered a turkey burger with a side of seasoned watermelon. Who could resist. The turkey burger was so filling I had to take half of it back to our hotel! It was so juicy and meaty, I couldn't wait to have the leftovers. My husband had the classic flight and fish tacos abd loved it. The waiter accidentally threw out his last taco he asked to take home (again since they are so hearty and delicious) and ended up making up a whole new order! Such great customer service - we shared it at the hotel the next day and it was great. I wonder why the local bars/hotels don't collab more! Such a great brewery!

Stopped in to have a quiet late dinner - then were seated by Rico... his energy and personality turned the evening into an experience filled with great conversations and recommendations. This guy isn't just waitstaff, he is a top-notch brand representative as he shared insight into everything on the menu! When you visit this place, you'll be impressed with every bite. Remember the name Rico (don't call him Elliott).

Came here for dinner on a weeknight. Great beers on tap and good happy hour deals. Food was fine, and good service. Came with three kids and the restaurant and servers were friendly and accommodating. Kids portions were huge. They could have shared if you have small eaters. Street parking wasn't terrible but maybe because we're were there on the earlier side.

It was Emily's last day at Karl Strauss so we had to stop in and offer our good-byes and well wishes. We also had lunch, of course. Pub Burger Fresh ground steak trim beef patty, two slices Tillamook aged cheddar, LTO, chipotle ale mayo. Seved with fries. One of Becky's favorite burgers. Cooked to a perfect medium as requested. The doubling up on Tillamook cheddar is an added bonus. Chipotle mayo adds just the right kick. KS fries are always on point. Beer Sausages Crafted locally at San Luis Sausage Co. using our award-winning beers. Grilled cheddar brat, chili-chicken link, sweet potato fries, grilled zucchini, pickled onions, spicy honey-sriracha mustard. I loved this meal. I might ask for two cheddar brats next time. The chili chicken link was really good, but the brat was out of bounds! The honey Sriracha mustard was great, but I asked for a side of their spicy mustard and it was the perfect addition. It was spicaaay! The sweet potato fries were excellent. I surprised myself by actually eating and liking the grilled zucchini. Service from Emily and Sal was awesome as usual. We'll miss you Emily! (KS - Please bring back the Amber Lager)

Always a good time when I come to Karl's Strauss San Diego. Always ask for Rico he will always make sure you have a good time.

This Karl Strauss location was pretty close to our hotel so we decided to go for lunch. The service was impeccable!! Everyone here was so nice, friendly and helpful. When you walk in you order at the front counter and take a number so they can bring you your food and drinks. The place is pretty big and very spacious. While we waited for our food, one of the servers brought us a flight to try to see if we wanted to try and other beers. We ordered the pastrami sandwich based on a recommendation and it was soooo good! The ahi poke nachos were good but I probably wouldn't order them again. The beers were great and we even grabbed some to take home.

What a nice and chill brewpub in downtown! Not overly expensive for the area either. The service was good and generally helpful. You can tell people like working here which is always a plus. The blackened ahi tuna nachos were delicious and some of the best nachos we've ever had anywhere- period! They are a must try in San Diego. So fresh-tasting, unlike so many other nachos dishes you can order elsewhere! I also loved the blackened fish tacos. The icons beer flight (all of their classics) tasted great after a hot summer day too. I particularly enjoyed the Aurora Hoppyalis IPA and Trolley Red Ale. I'm really glad we ate here during our trip.

Rico was our server and he was amazing. His recommendations were great. My favorite was the brussel sprouts.

What a cool neighborhood hangout we just discovered. There is a small patio out front that is dog friendly with heaters, inside you find dark wood tones and a welcoming staff. It is nice when the bartenders know their product and make suggestions along with pouring samples based on your taste. We had a happy hour here with the boneless chicken wings, lightly battered and tangy buffalo sauce. This might be a new hangout for fresh brews.

The food was excellent with good vegan options. Really great service as well. Great vibes- everyone seemed to enjoy being there.

Charlie was amazing!!! He was very personable and he kept the beers coming!! We loved his attitude. The food was great as well. Highly recommended place.

For whatever reason, this location hits the spot whenever my partner and I are attending a show at the Civic Theater. We usually walk from Little Italy all the way to the theater and Karl Strauss is a perfect midway point where we're able to grab a bite and a pint before we continue our night. Their beers are solid and the staff is always welcoming. They are always open to offering suggestions or helping narrow down a choice of beverage if you're unsure of what to order. I know what kind of food to expect when I dine at a brewery-focused restaurant, and it's hard to go wrong with a burger and fries. Their butter cake is light, but the butter flavor definitely shines through and they also top it with a guava/strawberry sauce. Indoor and outdoor dining available. Will certainly be coming back.

Excellent food, great beer, wonderful bartenders and waitresses! Atmosphere was very relaxing. Real chill place to hang out for dinner. Great beer as well! Would return and recommend.

Great job Hector did an awesome job he recommended all the best items Beers were on point the food was amazing

great place for a fast burger and a refreshing pint.. If you live nearby like me, the to-go option will never disappoint. Get a growler and filler up with your favorite brew too!

Food, service, and atmosphere here is so great. Waiters and waitresses were attentive and knowledgeable of the beer and food. The blonde stout was my fav!!!

Great food and beer. Our server, Rico, was very knowledgeable about the menu and made good recommendations for our dinner. We had the Blonde beer, hummus appetizer, fish and chips, and chicken chop salad. Rico was friendly, fast, and helpful. Highly recommend.

Charles!! He's such a funny GM , humble and so nice ! The food is Delicious. We are first timers to this location in SD! And we are already loving how we are treated.

In love! With food, with drinks and service ! I was too busy drinking and eating so did not take any pictures :D Food in the brewery? Emmm usually it's all the same and kinda tastes no good. This brewery is HUGE EXCLUSION ! Food was amazing ! We had an asada fries, ahi poke nachos as our appetizers it was sooooo good! Beer tastes great! In love with "Mosaic IPA". Service was great ! Thank you guys! Everything was amazing!

We were looking for something close to our hotel and found Karl Strauss. We loved that we could order online and do curbside pickup so we placed our order and headed to the restaurant. The email confirmation stated to call their number when we arrived and someone would bring our order out. We called and employee told us they we would be out in a few minutes. This turned in 15 minutes. We called again and they said someone would come right out with the food. 10 minutes later, still no food, so we walked into the restaurant and our food was just sitting on the counter. We told the employee that was our order and he just handed it to us, we told him we've been sitting in the car for 25 minutes for our order and we were told that someone was bringing it out, but he didn't care. Service gets 1 star. The food would have tasted alot better if it were fresh and hot. The Beer Pretzel was ok, the beer cheese not so much. $10.95 The double truffle fries $9.50 were cold and stale by this point. Ahi Korean Poke bowl $19.95. Warm poke is not it. Mixed organic salad $10.95 just ok. Grass fed Burger $15.50 was good. But again, cold food is not that appetizing. We definitely will not be back to this establishment. Please do not offer services like curbside pickup if employees cannot follow through and bring it out.

What an absolute great time our group had! We had about 15 of us and had plans to go somewhere before hand but it was closed, so we walked into Karl Strauss and from the minute we did the service was amazing. The staff was so friendly, accommodating to our large group, easy to work with and we had the best time celebrating our friends birthday. The GM was so friendly and always coming over to checking on us, along with the staff taking our orders. Will definitely be coming back! Thank you!!

I did not choose to eat here and I was honestly trying to go somewhere else but sometimes I'm just wrong. My fiancée was starving and basically wanted to eat at the first place we saw, which just so happened to be Karl Strauss. Off the bat, I loved the look of this place, I loved how you just grab a menu and sit down, and I definitely love scanning a barcode and ordering and paying straight from my phone. The menu here had a bunch of appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, full meals, and some specials which I just had to take advantage of. Picture this, a big bowl of macaroni and cheese with Chicken Parmesan right on top.....I knew what I was ordering right when I saw this. The order was placed on my phone and the extremely friendly staff brought out drinks right away and took care of us during our visit. The food only took about 5-10 minutes to come out and the plate looked absolutely fantastic! The macaroni and cheese was creamy while the chicken on top was covered in marinara sauce and packed white the flavourful punch. Final food verdict? Absolutely delicious. Overall, I loved my visit to Karl Strauss and would absolutely come back on my next visit to San Diego. The restaurant itself looks super cool and has a ton of seating, the staff was great, and most importantly the food was amazing. Give this place a try!

The food was great! Highly recommend the brussel sprouts! The beer was cold and paired well with the meal. However, what made this evening the best experience was the service. Rico was amazing! Truly passionate about his job and made this night memorable for us.

Talk about an "experience"!!! RICO was fantastic, explaining the craft of the beers we ordered and how best to pair them with foods we were interested in. Brussels sprouts and Beer Sausages were delicious! Excellent service and a place we will be sure to revisit!

This place is garbage, how does it have such a high rating? Was forced to go here before an event at the civic center since someone in our group refused to consider anything else and had fond memories here as a solid spot. Weird. I knew it would be a disaster. If you like super impersonal automated ordering and pretty quick delivery of food...sure. If you are coming with a group and dread having to split a bill, no problem since they force you to scan QR code and order and pay by phone, individually. Its really weird, but that aspect is fine. Bad seating for groups, we were crammed in a small table. Bad location - is this just like a hot spot for jury duty people? Bad food!!! We got the ahi nachos and they were just terrible. Portion, presentation, amount of tuna to chip ratio. awful. I was so angry about being forced to go here and I will never go again. The only good Karl Strauss is the sorrento valley one with Japanese garden (looks like its closed now, not sure.) Oh, they dont even do happy hour anymore.

Great beer, but less than average food. The place is like a 1970's Sizzler. Poor atmosphere.

If you like pork chops, this is the place to come. Absolutely phenomenal!!! Kimberly (Chef) and her sister, Joanna (bartender extraordinaire). Long story short! Brilliant meal brilliant time!!

Went on a Friday afternoon after work and met some peeps. One of them is a self proclaimed beer guru. Sat near the window. Did the online web / QR code order. Very fast and efficient. Ordered the pale ale and the sausages. Nice crisp beer and good food presentation. Good for a serious stop when downtown SD. Recommended.

Customer service was great. Fish however was not good at all very oily the burger on the hand was ok but not a place that I would be come a regular

Go for the beer... not the food or the service.... We used to go to various KS locations (this one, Costa Mesa, Anaheim) whenever we were in town, but this spot has definitely dropped off. They now only do the QR table ordering thing, which is fine and many places do that great - not here. You cannot run a tab. So you order drinks and an app - close tab and pay. Order dinner - close tab and pay. Want another beer? Order-close-pay. It's just a pain. The burger was good. The Mac n cheese that used to be amazing was just meh. The kids burger looked like they pulled it out of a happy meal box and dropped it on the plate. The experience overall was just not pleasant this time. We will try the other locations again, but this one is off the list. There are just too many other options in the area to deal with this and get mediocre food in order to have a good beer. Very disappointing.

It was my second time at this location and me and my daughter came in for lunch. Even though the restaurant seemed busy, we got our drinks and food in a timely manner. The burgers were so good so props to the kitchen!! Our server (Joana) was an amazing young lady that was very attentive and kind. We enjoyed our lunch here and we will definitely be coming back.

Oh Karl Strauss....I hadn't gone in about 10 years and was really itching to go. Be wined and dined and serviced. It used to be nice, food upscale for a brewery, and just a really cool environment. Walking in, I was like...oh crap I think this is a mistake. Same tables and chairs and dirty carpet from 2005! We sit down and after a good 10 15 min (felt like forever) we asked what's up and apparently we have to order ourselves at the bar and then sit down and then we get our food. The food was good not great but the service(shall I say lack of)and ambiance ruins it all. I guess it's just what I was expecting and looking for wasn't it anymore ans it very much disappointed. I thought I was going to a restaurant not a pub or dive bar:/

Came here during lunch time to grab a bite to eat. It's self-seating and you order on your phone by scanning the QR codes located on every table (cool!) Got myself situated and ordered myself an Oktoberfest beer and the Food Truck Burger. Atmosphere is pretty cool. Sitting outside provides a great people-watching spot. Waited about 15 min before I decided to flag someone down and asked if I could get my drink while waiting for the food to be prepared. Turns out, their machine wasn't working so my order never got sent through (huge bummer since that meant I'd have to wait even longer for my food). What really sucked is that no one came to check on me during those initial 15 min so who knows how much longer I would have waited if I hadn't spoken up. Server got the machine fixed and was able to bring me my drink. Food came out about 30 min later. Burger was amazing and super juicy. Fries were nice and crispy and flavorful. Only reason I gave this a lower rating is because of the long wait time.

Went to the Columbia St location of Karl Strauss on Friday. Used to go there a lot but hadn't been in a while. The food was good - brussels sprouts, fish and chips, korean bbq beef bowl and poke nachos... Did not like the fact that with pretty expensive entrees we didn't have an opportunity to order from a person - we were told to order from an app. We had to pay and tip before we even got our food. Wasn't the experience we were hoping for.