Mike Hess Brewing, North Park

Fits the North Park vibe. Nice space on the small side, about half of which is taken up by the tanks and equipment. Bar area has snacks and cans to-go with plenty of draft options. Food is order-in or a truck out front. Wish the outdoor seating was larger but they’re limited and it’s on the shady east side anyway. Easily walkable from the main business districts of NP and the surrounding neighborhoods. As far as the quality of the beer, it leans corporate chain with plenty of acceptable options but nothing outstanding. Skews hoppy but there were a few lagers and more traditional styles (brown ale was solid).

Paid for two flights, beer was disappointing and honestly just tasted terrible. We took sips of each beer and left all 10. Not quality beer. There are plenty of other breweries don’t waste your money here.

This Mike Hess location is in a good location in North Park with plenty of parking surrounding the brewery. Huge selection of hand crafted beers. We stopped in on Taco Tuesday and very much enjoyed the food truck serving up an amazing selection of food. Overall, great beer, good location and a friendly atmosphere. Highly recommended!

Great atmosphere and location. Outside seating is cool and is perfect for people watching. Watch your favorite games here with your doggie. 🐕 Treats sold just for them. Great selection of beer. Open layout with plenty of seating. Chill for sure. We ordered food and they did inform us it would be delivered. We had wings, a mushroom burger and mussels and chorizo. Wings were delivered partially cold. Mussels didn't have much taste. The burger was bomb though. Not enough napkins and eating out of a box was every disappointing. They should at least offer plates and extra napkins. I'll be back but won't come hungry. Wonderful service, staff was very pleasant. #Clydeafornia

Edited after Mr. Hess thoughtful reply* Amazed this place is still open considering the quality of their beers. Proves that anybody can get lucky winning “4 major” awards for brewing. To be completely fair the World Beer Cup is actually impressive, but that was almost a decade ago. Awesome locations nonetheless. What is most wild is that I found this written in a SanDiegoVille article (not my words): “He was an ass to his employees during Covid and complaining. He received a 480k loan that was forgiven during Covid. I bet he isn’t complaining about this." Could this free bailout Mike Hess didn’t have to pay back have anything to do with his ability to continue to open new awesome locations? Who knows?

Great Beer For Sure! Our favorite was Hop Cloud DELICIOUS 100% When you arrive you won't see a sign above the entrance just a blue top above the patio. Don't skip the brewery thinking it's no longer there. Atmosphere is great put this way this past Sunday we visited Mike Hess (NP) they hosted a wedding reception. Party was lit full of joy if the newly wedds are ready this congratulations! One thing I noticed not to talk bad I totally understand you need to know what you want, what you like the bartender's aren't going to walk you through the types of beers they have on tap. they'll give you a card the size of a business card. You'll have you write down your selections (figure it out). Now this Brewery is very busy as I was making my selection I turn back huge line I had to get behind of again. I totally understand but for new people try craft beer this will be a turn off. Mike Hess is Dog friendly if you bring your pup get a dog treat Momma Squirrel biscuits Bruno (My Dog) love them. They also have dog Merchandise for all sizes. Promos im not sure if it was a one time thing or only when you buy flights, but when we purchased 3 flights they gave 3 tokens. At the end of your visit trade your tokens for collectible cups awesome deal! Parking street parking is competitive so good luck. You will find a ($) parking lot between Mike Hess and Target rates are displayed on kiosk I hope you guys enjoy your visit at Mike Hess ✌️

Weird vibe at this place. 3rd time trying it and will never go back. Wife doesn't like it at all but me, being a beer junkie, thought it was OK. This last visit though was enough to say, NO MORE. Beer has never been my favorite, not enough classic style belgium, reds or browns. I love IPA'S too but so many other tastier choices in the area. The way we were treated, like they didn't have time for us, was the last straw. Never felt so unwanted at an establishment, fine, we will never be back for your, average at best, beer.

Great brewery in North Park, San Diego. Varied menu, friendly staff, and spacious venue. Lots of cute lights inside. Flight of beer comes with a free glass to take home. They have two dart boards inside too, which are fun to watch or play. Beers are decent.

Always good times here! Staff is super friendly and accommodating. Beer is good and there is something for every beer drinker. Prices are average for the area ($8.50 - $10) Great atmosphere to relax in with a fun vibe. As for parking, well, you may have to walk a little ways if not taking a pay for transport service.

Terrible, warm beer that tastes like skunk. Slow, rude beertenders, and no AC. Awful product, awful service, and awful atmosphere.

Terrible beer and people. No idea how this place is still in business. Luckily north park is full of amazing inclusive spots to drink great beer. This dinosaur ain't it.

At long last I can mark Mike Hess Brewing off of my "to try" list. I wasn't disappointed with this beer drinking experience when the opportunity arose to try it. On this particular experience Steve and I had two IPA's. One was the Into the Sunset Blood Orange IPA. This IPA had elements of bitterness, citrus, hoppiness, fruitiness and sweetness. With all that going on one could think the beer flavor was "too busy" but it wasn't and it was a nicely balanced IPA that we both liked. The other IPA was the Solis West Coast IPA. This one was well balanced as well (I think we liked the Blood Orange beer just a little bit more) with bitterness, dry element and hoppiness. It is light bodied and smooth which we both like to experience and it was a solid IPA all the way around.

During my four-day stay in San Diego, I actually stopped by Mike Hess Brewing twice because I enjoyed their Vietnamese Double Pastry Coffee Stout so much. At 12.3%, it's a strong beer, but tastes like liquid dessert. The space remained pretty empty throughout the two afternoons that I visited. I think it's cool how the space is arranged with the brewing section in front right when you walk in. The smell of roasted hops hit your senses right away as you enter the door. I brought some outside food from a spot around the corner to enjoy and nobody seemed to mind. Definitely would stop by again given their large variety of delicious beers.

They have friendly staff, quick service and they have wonderful swag and art for sell here. Popped in for a quick drink while waiting for a nearby dinner rezy. The sour called My Other Vice POG was delicious. They've got great music and lots of seating available. Great spot!

mid beer & awful vibe here. There are much better places to spend your $$ in SD. The craft beer bar is high & hess falls short

Theres better beer in town. Not bad, not great either. Would only go if friends are there there tbh.

The worst beer and food. The beer is so bad. With the prices right now. Please make sure You spend your hard earned money elsewhere.

The staff were rude during the MLB playoffs. I was wearing a Dodgers hat, go figure haha. I would stick to their tasting room at Seaport. Better views and vibes for sure.

Mike Hess has been around for a long time now. They make decent IPAs but also always have a bunch of other beer styles. Some of them are pretty hit and miss for me, but I always find something I like. When you walk through the entrance you walk on a platform that is above the brewery in order to get to the tasing room. It's pretty unique and very cool. The night we went was very loud inside, and I really only enjoyed one of the 5 beers I sampled, I think it was the St Nick but it may have been the Xmas bonus.. But I have been here before and they do make some good stuff, I just thought I would explore some other styles a bit. We got a free glasss as part of a promotion which was pretty cool. The promotion was from shirts on tap, and they honored the coupon which was years old!

I love supporting local breweries, especially those that give back to the community. My husband and I were running a few errands in North Park, and decided to stop in for a beverage. I LOVE the sangria spritzer - very light, refreshing, and flavorful.. Hoping to visit the Seaport Village location for the Next Steps Service Dogs fundraiser next week. A friend of ours has a service dog through this organization.

No food Great Service and if you live in North Park you know the ambiance. Nice selection of beers. will I go back, of course.

Great brewery in North Park, San Diego. They have a varied menu, friendly staff, and spacious venue. Our flight of beer came with a free collective glass to take home, the beers here were decent, but the neighborhood has much better options around.

Staff is rude and unwelcoming. Seaport Village location and staff blow this one out of the water. Won't be back.

Selection of beers and other options was large so there's something for everyone. The food truck outside had some of the best vegan tacos I've ever had. Tad pricy but so worth it for how much flavor is in the tacos! Would recommend checking out this place. The people were super friendly and it overall had a very welcoming vibe.

Great place to grab drinks and hang out! There are board games and tvs too and they have food trucks outside. We came on a Friday evening so it was pretty busy but lots of fun! There is a parking lot nearby but you do have to pay. Beer is good and has a large selection!

stopped by while in north park. while i wish there were food options, i must say the wide array of beers was very satisfying! i also appreciate that they allow you to bring outside food since they have none. right off the bat, i noticed how lively it was inside. good mix of music, lots of people chatting and hanging out. the only con was that it was very warm inside since the brewing vats are right next to the tables. that being said, that's exactly what adds the charm of being inside of a place that brews its own beer. we had the flight of the month listed on the menu and it came at a discounted price that night, which was a nice surprise! good variety: pilsner, mexican lager, pale ale, hazy, imperial stout. everything was tasty enough. i'm actually not a big fan of pilsners, but this particular one had a refreshing, crisp flavor. i think my favorites were the mexican lager and the imperial stout. the servers were kind and efficient. my friends and i left with a free collector's cup as well. overall, i think it was a solid 4. i've had more memorable beers and there's lots of competition in san diego, particularly north park.

I love Hess brewery for several reasons. It's really an unassuming place, huge stainless steel tanks as you walk in - it has that working class trendy feel to it. Just an awesome place to bring your friends/pup and enjoy some great beer. The selection is huge - ranging from iPA's to Lagers to the dark malty stuff. You can not go wrong with one of their flights. And get the glass - they have some incredible artwork on their labels. They also have a decent selection of Food trucks - a great pairing with any brew. Arthur gives two paws up for the 'Beer Bites' cookies at the bar - it's far better for him than having alcohol - because I can't control his licker.

What a perfect brewery! This location is really unmatched if your looking for an" intimate tour" feel. Your greeted by big tanks when you walk in, it feels really industrial but welcoming. The space is huge, with new art by local artist every visit. I love their brews and branding as well. They do a keep the pint night on Wednesday and Trivia on Thursdays. Every visit is a great time!

Great vibes. Good selection of beer, kombucha, and hard cider. Recommendation: Whalebird (San Luis Obispo) - Kokomo

Not very good beer but the atmosphere is nice. There was nothing over a 3 on a five point scale. The staff are nice and there are dart boards to play on. All very safe beers which isn't bad but just .... Ok.

This place is huge, friendly staff, and a great beer selection! Lots of swag to buy, and the place is clean and so inviting!

Great drinks, food and services.... Hooyah!! Wish I can stay stay there more...

This was an unplanned stop for us while we were in San Diego but I'm glad we happened onto it. My husband and I each did a flight which came with a branded pint glass and the option to purchase a shirt for half price. While my drink selections won't go down in history as anything remarkable, my husband really enjoyed his. Part of that is influenced by the fact that their menu is weighted towards IPAs and I'm just not an IPA person. But the experience was fun and the value was solid.

This place has an excellent selection of IPA's. I always like the grapefruit solis, but get it from the grocery store enough that I wanted to try something different. Went with a flight of different stuff, including the original solis, a hazy, and stout, and raspberry sour weissbier. All were pretty good. Husband had a Vietnamese coffee stout that was REALLY good. We sat outside on the picnic tables and enjoyed some live street music that happened to be playing. Highlights included The Nutcracker Suite on keyboard, and a roller skating performance. I don't know what was going on or what the occasion was, but it was fun. After enjoying a pretty solid flight, I noticed that they had a pitcher special of a seasonal hazy for $15, which is pretty awesome. Will have to indulge in that next time.

I think 1 beer out of the 6 samples I got I liked. I have never left a brewery without finishing beers before and I just couldn't drink it. I did like the place it was very cool and the people working there were awesome.

Went there awhile back, small spot. Just ok craft beer with all the other chooses in San Diego.

Every time I go here, it's weird. Never have I ever left Mike Hess and been like "oh this was a great time!" It's more like "that was an ok time with ok beer, but that was convenient bc we were just a block away." Legitimately never would I ever come here if it wasn't in the heart of North Park. Beer is solid, but like ok... so are a thousand other breweries in NP. Their staff is worse than ok and their beer is ok and everything is ok. Staff is awkward and not very friendly

What an amazing fun spot! Came here in the afternoon on a Thursday, and as soon as I saw the open layout of the place, I knew I had to pop in! They had seating outside (with umbrellas - plus!) and upon walking in, I saw the brewing happen all around me! Super cool! There was plenty of seating available, and we were able to bring our pup in also. The worker was really helpful in helping me choose the right beer that I wanted to enjoy for the afternoon and it was delicious. He also brought water and gave dog treats to our pup. Super nice! Had a great visit, wonderful time. Would definitely be back with a large group or small group - space doesn't seem to be an issue, unless it's busy, which I can't see how it wouldn't be! This is a great spot. Definitely check it out if you're in the area. Cheers!

First time coming here. Walked up and tried to order the flight of the month. The employee was very intoxicated or high. He kept asking what I was trying to order and swiped my card several times. Luckily it did not get charged because the employee couldn't even log in to the system. Walked away with no drinks and a bad experience. Very bizarre and unprofessional.

This is a great little brewery to stop by in north park. It has a huge open feel. They don't have food here but you are able to bring in food from the outside. I've been here for a beer after running club, out with friends, and to show a friend around NP that was from out of town. The beers are always really good and of course can try before you buy. You can't go wrong here. You can order a flight if you can't make a decision!

Very friendly. Staff is great. Dog friendly as well. Here's my buster round enjoying his pup Burger

We're fans of their Hop Cloud and have visited one of their other locations previously but it was our first time at their North Park taproom. Loved the layout - lots of seating and cozy string lights!

One of the reasons that San Diego is America's Finest City is beer. We are truly blessed to have so many excellent local breweries. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of which ones I like best, even within walking distance of my neighborhood. That said, Mike Hess stands out as one of the best. It's hard to go wrong at Mike Hess unless you pick a beer that just isn't your style. Personally, I like to take advantage of their limited offerings when I can. I like big, bold flavors, so two of my favorites are Infinity + 1 and Mandatory Fun, both strong IPA's. I hope they bring back the Ficus, which is a Belgian strong dark fig saison. Also, Baby Oda is an American strong ale that's pretty tasty. They have a lot of great beers year round, too. If you like hazy IPA's, try Hop Cloud. My overall favorite is probably Umbrix, a rye imperial stout that boasts a 10.2% ABV but is a smooth sipper. I don't care if it's 100 degrees out, Umbrix is a must-try! MHBC-NP is dog-friendly. They let you bring in food and they often have food trucks set up in the parking lot. Yeah, that's right: parking lot! They actually have two, and they also validate parking at the North Park parking garage on 30th and North Park Way. They have cool and friendly staff, too. Right now they are featuring some COVID-19 special offerings. They are producing hand sanitizer with 19% of the profits going to pediatric cancer research. They also have some epic beer deals including filled liter growlers with any style beer for $12 and refills for only $5! Thank you, Mike Hess!

Came for trivia night with friends. A great spot for a drink, no food but there was a tent set up outside and I think I saw other people bring outside food in. Gets busy but they're quick and it's nice and clean.

Mike Hess brewing is a cool little brewery in north park. Service was great, beer flights excellent and a nice spot.

We came here around Saturday around 5pm. It's a very spacious place so it wasn't too busy. Everyone was sitting indoors, but we wanted to sit outdoors due to Covid. We got to sample some beers before we decided to do a flight. The flight comes with a free beer souvenir glass to take home. We tried some sours, hazy ipas, darks, guest taps. I loved the guest taps: Juneshine's hard kombucha prickly pear margarita and Serpentine's pineapple cider. Some hazys and sours were good too. It is dog friendly. You have to walk all the way outside of the building and around to the back to use the restroom. it's pretty dark at night so I was a bit hesitant to use the restroom.

Dinner from Birrieria Don Alvaro and a flight of beers from Hess. Outstanding combination on a Friday the 13th.

I liked this brewery a lot. Place an order by the cashier and grab any table around the vicinity. Very good variety of draft beers (as every brewery should have) and very pleasant atmosphere around. On Thursdays they host trivia night, so if you suck in it like I do, make sure to pick a different day of the week haha

Nice employees and great deals during the week. Make sure to bring back your special pint glass for discounts

It was taco Tuesday, I didn't realize that this location did not offer food. They do have a stand outside for ordering but it is not the same menu that I was hoping for from the harbor location. The wife and I had one beer and some tacos but left and went to the harbor location for the fish tacos we were craving. Beer was good, could of been colder

Really great beers and ambience. Enjoyed the other voice and Vietnamese coffee. Low IBU hop cloud was also my kind of pale ale. My wife enjoyed the claritas which was a crisp kolsch. Friendly service too... the server had just tapped the keg of one of the beers in my flight and offered to give me another one till mine was ready. Got a nifty little glass with my flight too... My only feedback would be that the $16 flight is kinda pricey

Came in to drink with friends tonight! This is always a perfect joint to meet others and have a brew. The tapa rotate often-- always something new for everyone to try! Affordable prices, many sizes. Dog friendly!

Ciro was an amazing host super nice!!! 5 stars for sure. Great people great vibes!!!.

This is one of my new favorite breweries in San Diego, and I must admit I've been to a few of them while down here several times. They have a great space -both inside and out. They also have very flavorful beers of all sorts and aren't afraid to mix them together to find new and interesting combinations for you to try. They also have great merchandise and offer discounts on it if you buy beer, which is a rare find.

Great beer, great service, great atmosphere! North park has many breweries, but Mike Hess should be on your list to visit. Very inviting as you walk in through the huge stainless tanks to the wide open area filled with plenty of seating. Plenty of brew choices, have a pint or explore with a flight of different beers. Play a game of darts or just relax and enjoy. T-shirts and glasses are for sale. Love the fact they give you a token, ask about that when you visit :)

I have been there twice since COVID started and both times have been actually kind of cool. Seems like they didn't really get affected by the city implementations.... PLOT THICKENS: then we walked over to another brewery and they saw the souvenirs that my out of state visitors got and that employee started bashing Mike Hess Brewery (MH) saying "they're a disgrace to North Park" and other things... and successfully and completely made our visit to their location awkward! And they proceeded to kind of make us feel like assholes for going to MH. So you know what we did?.... we went right back to Mike Hess and had more beers. I then went home and did some research on why the other breweries hated MH. Turns out MH got some TV time, stated their 2 cents and beliefs about the city orders, and some people over heard their employees saying basically "YOLO", and for that, unless I'm missing some more key info, they got crazy amounts of hate by the other breweries. Am I wrong? If I am please let me know to get more info. I understand other breweries are hurting too, but I know of a few others that have still been operating the same. In pirate times, you must do pirate things right? Everyone bends the rules somehow, so calling them out and making them out to be a villain when you personally know people violating them and not calling them out... then... you're a hypocrite. All I'm saying is, focus on you Boo Boo and you'll be okay. Negative spreads negative. Your negativity made me go back to MH and give them my business. In regards to the visit. It went very well and my visitors were treated nicely and professionally the beer selection was excellent and the service was spot on. And their employees were not talking crap about other breweries either. The other cool thing is that they let you bring in food from North Park small businesses. It's a win - win!

Love the grapefruit solis! Overall, I love Mike Hess beers. You have to order 5.00 worth of food from Encontro, which if you don't want to carbo load the next choice is the grilled romaine, which has parm cheese slices and a feta dressing. You could get fries or biscuits. This is during the pandemic, but you can sit inside and it is cool on this hot day. Glad to be able to drink good beer and if you have to order food during this pandemic, the cost for food is lower than some places.