Surly Goat Encino

My wife and I visited the Encino location during a recent vacation. We arrived later in the evening on a Sunday. We were warmly welcomed and patiently walked through the beverage selection. The bartenders were attentive, helpful and friendly throughout our stay. The selection of craft beers was diverse and found the prices reasonable. The staff walked us through our tastes to help us make selections. We will be back next time we are local and are grateful for the warm welcome and gracious hospitality.

want to bring to your attention a poor experience that my wife and I had this past Saturday night 7/6, at your establishment in Encino. My wife and I patron your establishment about once a month for drinks when we are kids free for an evening. Especially since we live up the street on Louise. Saturday was an experience that I never had before and it was quite unsettling. My wife and I came in around 8p, grabbed some drinks, and headed out to the patio. We sat far coner to enjoy a cocktail and a smoke, which we always do. A little before 9pm we watched your security team park across the street and walk over. The same individuals that we have seen each time we come in. Around 9pm a bouncer came over and told me that sandals are not allowed, and asked if I had shoes. I said no, and that I always wear Birkenstocks when I'm here. He said their not allowed and that someone may say something. I said that's fine, I'll remember for next time. Again this has never been said to me in the past as I typically wear them. He then walked away. At around 9:40p, the head bouncer, big big guy, tall, loud and deep voice walked over. He puts his hand on the table, inches from my wife and I. In an angry tone and demeanor, ask if I have shoes. I said no, but that I would rember for next time. He then told me that I have to leave and that I should have been kicked out a long time ago. I let him know that I wear my Birkenstocks all the time. He then said angrlerly " then you haven't been here in over 10 years. I replied, not true as I was here just a few weeks prior, plus you have seen me many times. He went into a random story on how a women almost lost her toe a few weeks back. Then said that it's OK for my wife to wear them but I can't. Funny thing is my wife was wearing the same sandals. How's it OK for her and not me was my major question, especially after the scenario he gave. All of it felt targeted at this point. He then proced to use foul language, which had no place in the conversation or his tone towards me. This was at 9:45 and we were told to finish our drinks and be out at 10pm. 10pm came, we got up, walked into the bar to pay our tab. I was standing, if facing the bar on the far left. He followed us in and as I was explaining the situation to the bar tender, he stood there arms crossed, and yelled "what did I tell you". Attempting to intimidate me. After explaining the situation to the manager on duty and the one who always serves us, who seemed blown away by the situation, apologized and said we could stay. We are chill people just wanting to have a quiet night together and some drinks for a few hours. There were even three older gentleman outside at the big table with us, smoking cigars, who were dumbfounded but what took place outside. Needless to say we stayed for one more drink, but everything that took place and the way we were treated just ruined our evening. There's more to this but I've gone on long enough.

The decor of the Pub is quite Quirky, but don't let that put you off. It has a great selection of Beer (I didn't try the food), friendly and quick service, lots of seats/tables/space 👍

Lots of seating. Good patios on the front and back. Overpriced barfood.

Another deceiving building lol. Very big on the inside! Super spacious bar. And there is an adorable green lush patio area. My favorite part. 4 stars because the menu is whatever. But still a good bar/chill spot.

I like the atmosphere and friendly bartenders. But I would personally like to see Miller, Coors & Bud on the beer menu. Plenty of free parking in the rear after 6.

Be careful with what they charge you. Check the receipt. The bartender charged me the same drink more than the first one. Stop being greedy. Waste of money. Terrible place to take your date there. No music. Only showing football.

Trivia night is so fun. Food is okay. Drinks are great! Service tonight was terrible..the man at the bar assisting the main bar tender had attitude, was rude and kept rolling his eyes. Not a great night for service except for the guy running trivia. He was great as usual.

Come for the fun... stay for the Surly! I've been coming to the Goat off and on since 2014 when my buddy Andrew, a regular, and I would come in after a shift at BevMo down the street. I've seen live music, enjoyed the djs and even some okay eats here - glad the vegan and vegetarian options are more present - do try the Sweet Potato Tots + burgers. Very impressive craft brew list in the forms of cans, bottles and on tap - gastropub meets spacious neo modern rustic dive bar. Definitely appreciate a good deal like their shot + beer special (similar to the buddy deal/system at Idle Hour). Happy Hour daily from 5PM to 7PM - and includes most of their wine (solid selection), well drinks and beers. Open every day at 5PM so the fun and happy starts when the doors open. Love the service when I can swim through the sea of patrons during those epic event nights. Did not make it out to "Goatchella" this year, but hopefully to the next (lots of local artists). Note this place gets packed, but there's plenty of parking in their lot. You could easily drive by this place in a blink if you're not looking for it, especially when it's dark.

The Surly Goat is exactly what you would think of when you think of a bar. I went on a Wednesday night and it was pretty empty, except for the few people playing trivia. The bartender, Dwight, was super friendly to us when we arrived. We sat at the bar and drinks came quickly. The old fashioned I ordered was solid, nothing super special. They have some drink specials for cocktails and a whole lot of beer on tap. They have a fair amount of booths for seating and stools at the bar. They have a couple shuffleboards too. It's a pretty spacious bar overall. I've been here before on weekends when it's crowded but it never felt too claustrophobic. There's a parking lot in the back, but it's not super well lit in places. I would park in Ventura Blvd. The surly goat wouldn't be my first choice of location for a night out, but it's one of those spots I find myself at after I've already gone somewhere else. It's a very straightforward bar so if that's your vibe, you'd love it! My only complaint was that the bar was a little sticky when I sat down.

A fun, laid back spot on Ventura Blvd near the Target, Shake Shack and Starbucks plazas. Food is .... Okay. The churro dessert is bomb dot com. The fries are okay, sliders and burgers are okay. Beer selection is top notch. I love me a good stout. I love the trivia and pool here, too. Karaoke is avail one night a week, if that's your thing. Service is okay, it can get busy so ordering drinks can take a little while. Parking is in the back or on the street - don't forget to pay your meter.

Came here once and it was history. I think this has been the spot now. Came here with a friend on a Friday or Saturday night, I can't remember. We got there at a good time, but once the DJ came, IT WAS POPPIN!!! So many people were there, it was packed. Some people didn't wear deodorant so I lowkey left shortly after it got crowded cause it started to smell bad. I also came on Thursday which is Karaoke night, and y'all, ITS A VIBE!!! It was so fun. I stayed till the bar closed and that never happens to me anymore. Just tried trivia night last night and my friend and I won second place out of 6!!! It is family feud style so you answer with what you think the most popular is. It was so much fun! Another plus is there is a whole parking lot! So parking is never an issue. And the STAFF IS AMAZING!!! They're truly the best. The bartenders, security, DJs. All amazing people. I can't believe it has taken me this long to see how great this place is. See you there! Haha

The only time we're actually here is when it's Pliney time! If you're a true lover of a great beer from Russian River Brewing then head over to the Surly Goat in Encino! But, when we're here we always have a great time with friends celebrating beer! The ambiance is a typical bar, it's loud, got some interesting people from Encino and surrounding areas. Love the women's bathroom, it's a giant chalkboard with chalk so they want you to leave your messages! Plenty of seating, inside and out. Parking lot is in the back. No parking in front because it is on Ventura Blvd (which can be very busy during the day). It's a great neighborhood sports bar with plenty of televisions, tables and seats. A pool table. Kitchen (though it wasn't operating tonight), it usually serves the typical "Pub Grub". All of the employees are nice and friendly.

This place was okay, but we probably won't be back. There is plenty of parking in a lot behind them. We had to enter the building from the back. My purse was checked and I had to show my ID before I entered. The employees were nice, but the house white wine was probably the worst glass of wine I ever had. I didn't realize wine could taste that bad. I joked that I could've bought a whole bottle of wine for cheaper at Trader Joe's that would've tasted much better. At least they had a free water tank with plastic cups so I could get something decent to drink.

The employees are very nice and bartenders make great drinks! Always get perfectly portioned Henny n Coke, they aren't running your pockets trying to get you to get 5 drinks to feel something. My only complaint about this place is the music TO ME sucks, it's always the same 2000s songs and that's not really my style

This is the first time I'm going to this location. Went on a Saturday afternoon. The ambiance seems pretty cool. Big bar top, pool table, and phone charging station. Beer and wine list seems pretty solid after going through the menu. Wasn't there for food so didn't look over food offerings. I ordered a glass of red wine while I was watching the game on TV. What sucks is that my sweater was stained all along the front as a result of leaning up against the bar top. Not sure if it's because of the old wood or whatever the case may be but the result is my stained clothes (posted photo below). I show the bartender my sweater and ask if I'm the first person that this has happened to and he said to his knowledge yes and he did say sorry but the exchange was short. I'm not a big complainer and my help is proof of that but in my situation I feel like the establishment needs to make it right. Not even an offer to cover my 1 single drink or offer a free pour is not a good look imo. My clothes are stained only because I sat down at the bar.

This place is a solid 3/5. Walked in last Wednesday night at around 630pm because my boyfriend and I wanted to grab a drink/food while we waited for traffic to die down. The place was nearly empty when we arrived- we were 2 out of maybe 6 total patrons, at most. There were 2 servers behind the bar. We were greeted fairly quick and placed an order for 2 beers and some fries. Fries were great, exactly what you would want - hot, crispy, salty & fresh. Our beers were good too. My boyfriend finished his beer and was given a refill. I finished mine a few minutes after he did but no one ever came back to check on us. After about 15 minutes of sitting with an empty glass (while both servers were behind the counter on their phones) I asked my bf to ask them for some water and an order of their churro bites. The churro bites were okay. Not great, not bad. When we were ready to leave, both servers had disappeared. My bf went around the bar to track them down so we could pay and get out of there. I loved how peaceful it was at that hour with hardly any other customers. It was a great place to unwind after work. However, there's really no excuse for poor service when you have less than 6 people to attend to with two servers who could absolutely manage but chose not to.

Omg!!! this bar is it ! Went on a thursday night with 4 friends and it was a great time! they have karoke thursday nights and it wasn't super crowded with people. We arrived around 11p and i was still able to order food! The wings were Wet af and the fries came with a jalapeño ranch to die for, I didn't take a pic i dived right in lol we sat at the bar and our bar tender kate was On it ! So helpful she would inquire if we wanted salt/ sugar on every single drink. She never assumed , once we asked for shots again she asked if we wanted them chilled straight with lemon or salt. All these things are important to me. I am big foodie and customer service is a must. i will definitely be coming back again!

I actually really liked this bar. It was a chill Friday night and me and a friend wanted a place to just enjoy a couple drinks and a night out. There's a pool table u can use but you gotta pay $1.50 per game, which honestly isn't bad. You need quarters and sometimes the machine jams a little so you gotta really push the coin slot fyi. I got fries, a drink and u can put the pool game on your tab and they give you quarters and it came out to like $20. not bad. Staff was nice. They also have a photo booth , and the bathroom has chalk stalls which people can write with chalk. It's pretty clean and just a nice vibe overall. I think they have kaeroke on thursday nights? Definitely would go back.

5 yrs ago this place was IT. Total fall off and totally unsafe. Someone was shot inside recently. And security is 5'5 ! Bartenders are always cool sucks this place fell off. Bring back jaden..he had the bar running well

This is officially an American outlaws soccer club place to catch the USA World Cup games. Club has been having raffles for every match for all attendees. Service is a little slow with food but ambiance and space is great. Typical bar food chicken tenders and burgers. A great variety of beers on tap.

Trivia night mid week... way too much fun. They've got a great food menu and everything is served piping hot n fresh. Drink menu is extensive with some nice top shelf options

Saturday night There's girls There's dudes There's drinks And then there's DJ JayVGold making sure nobody vibes with his shit music video mixes Dude how about being an actual DJ guys playing No Scrubs right before the lights go on DJ is supposed to be everybody's wing man this guy wrecks the plane every 30-60 seconds

Parking--HUGE lot for parking! Super convenient! Ambience-- The Surly Goat is awesome because it has bar front seating if you are feeling street vibes, indoor couch & high table seating if you are feeling cozy kick back vibes and outdoor patio seating if you are feeling low key fresh air vibes. Drinks-- I have had the Paloma, Jalapeno Margarita, and Minchelada. The Jalapeno Margarita is definately a winner for the bf and I. Dustin the bartender makes it perfect. Spicy, strong, and refreshing! Food-- To be honest, I have not tried the food yet because I end up pregaming here before sushi across the street, but next time I will :) P.s. The security guard who works Saturday nights is super respectful and professional!

I like that they check your bag when you arrive, because it makes me feel safer being in a place that's super packed! Despite being super busy, body to body, the bartenders all have a great attitude about it and are not rude at all, even though they have tons of people in their face demanding drinks and it probably gets tiring. My friend and I ordered green beers on St. Patrick's Day, it was a good time for sure.

Service is exceptional ! I love this place. Perfect bar in the middle of Woodland Hills and Sherman oaks. They have pool, board games and shuffleboard! Drink and food are great!

Nice bar atmosphere in Encino. Pretty spacious. Parking is very easy and they have some decent food as well. Nice local watering hole!!!

Food was delicious Staff and bar tenders friendly and Great environment %100 recommended

Great fun neighborhood bar. Burgers are good. Cocktails are decent. They have a dog friendly outside patio.

They need a new dj I'm over listening to the same music every time and not being able to dance to it like I can't fist pump the whole night

Terrible service, a gay waiter was demanding a big tip from me just for serving me a few drinks and he was racist and indifferent

I was there for a short period of time on a Thursday night, The place was very empty and I was sitting at the bar.beer Selection is great and the prices are good. they are only getting four stars because I was greeted by a not so friendly male bartender, The female bartender was great and the service was fine

Cool place to bring a small group together, simple bar food menu but nicely done, plenty of staff to help you enjoy a night out, shuffle board tables are a plus, karaoke night brings out some regulars with some real talent, including the staff!

Kate, you recently responded to my review and yes, the charges were unauthorized and yes it was someone at your business because it was from Amazon, Home Depot, etc, totaling in 500 dollars worth of charges over the 2 days I couldn't return to get my card. I have called up there over 10x and no one has answered for me to talk to someone nor can I leave a message.

I love the beer selection here! Thank you beer gods this is my heaven. Craft beer and good craft beer

In a period when restaurants are struggling, I'm not sure why any gastropub would have a 21 only evening mid-week, during dinner hours, when a whole family of four (including two young kids) would like to come in and eat. Never get in the way of people trying to give you their money.

I'm just doing my part to add photos of the current 2021 menu for restaurants and bars because no current menus are listed anywhere. Also, no more trivia Thursdays currently.

My husband and I just showed up the surely goat after dinner to grab a night cap. We were trying to figure out the entrance because the front gate on Ventura. The door man just yelled at me in front of everyone for asking where the entrance was. We haven't been there before. It was so rude and patronizing. Like honestly what a dick. K bye goat. Your door people suck.

Stumbled upon this place after gym session last year and I still think about their amazing burgers. Vibe is hip salt-of-the-earth millennial bar with subtle goat decor. It's fun! The service is a bit tricky since customers order at the bar. But if you go mid-week when the bar isn't packed with fratty dudes, I think you'll enjoy it! You won't have to compete for the bartender's attention. That said, the staff is cool and nice. They just get really busy to the point that security pats you down.

The bartenders assume that most people have had too much to drink and will not check their credit card statements the following days after being there. I always put a round number for tip just because it is always easier for me to remember what I tipped when looking at the receipts and my credit card statements. I put $10 as a tip which I consider to be very generous considering they put a cup to the nozzle and pour beer into it. I checked my credit card statement and here it is. I assume they do this to numerous people on a daily occurrence hoping nobody double stacks what they tipped. I will never be going back to this establishm

Let me preface by saying I was here for an event for likeminded alternative ppl. I got here an hour after it opened so I was not surprised that the bar was nearly empty when I entered. I sat down on one of their larger booths thinking I would be comfortable. I sat down and I felt like I was being sucked in with no ability of escaping. The seats need so much repair. No amount of duct tape can make these seats any newer. I sat down for 10 mins an no one even greeted me or acknowledged my existence. I figured I would get better service at the bar. I sat down on their very cheap uncomfortable booths and waited another additional 10 mins before one of the bartenders came up to me. I was hungry so I decided to get their surly smash burger with a chimay. From what I see on their Yelp page everyone talked up their menu. The pretty blonde bartender (who looked like she hit the penjamin a little too hard) asked if I wanted fries when my surly smash burger, I said yes. I was given a bottle of chimay with a glass for me to pour my own beer with... *sigh* The burger arrived and it was the saddest burger I've ever seen in my life. They could have served me McDonalds and it would have tasted better than what was prepared for me. I bit into it and it was soggy and salty and the lettuce had wilted...oh and I didn't get any fries. I asked the server about my fries and he said "lol I don't know!" Nevertheless, I ate my soggy salty burger and drank my beer. After the event was picking up and people started to show up, as well as my friends, I decided to try something else from their menu. I ordered their surly loaded fries. The bartender described them like in n out animal style fries...the tone in her enthusiasm wasn't too confident to say the least. I changed it up and got myself a coke. I'm no expert but I think Coke needs to carbonated to be enjoyed. I wait for my fries and struggled to drink my flat coke. My friend had ordered after me and got their chicken tenders before me...not that it mattered because once I got those loads surly fries I was flabbergasted. I'm embarrassed that they would have compared the beloved animal style fries to the abomination of the loaded surly fries. The taste was bland and the fries were stale. I asked for ketchup to see if that would help. Nope. Lord, if you can hear me can you let John Taffer know The Surly Goat needs to be saved. The beer was the only good thing I consumed there. I think if it wasn't for the event that was going on the bar would have been empty. For being located on prime real estate like Ventura Blvd where there are so many good bars and restaurants you would think they would put some sort of effort. Bless there hearts tho.

Absolutely love coming here! They have a great selection of craft beers and cocktails. The food is good, my favorite are the sliders and tater tots ! The vibe of the place is fun and lively. I've been here with a large group of friends (15+ people) and the bartenders were able to accommodate and keep the drinks flowing. We all had a great time!

Good environment and good drinks. I enjoyed the Surly Goat Sorbet. Music was enjoyable and the Photo Booth was fun.

Came to watch the fight drink a beer and have some food. I was disappointed on all three. I do realize it was busy but it took 30 minutes to order that first beer. I had nice seats outside but the TV kept cutting out for the MAIN Fight so I ended up standing on the stairs to watch it. Worst of all my food never came. I inquired about it a couple of times but all I got was a bull shit answer. 1.5 hours later I was still burgerless and had no wings in my belly and the fight was long over. Never Again.

Hit and miss with the crowd. It's never consistent . I do like the look of the place and the staff is fabulous. My burgers are constant for the most part and tasty but some of the patrons are not always as delightful. Hit and miss.

Don't usually write reviews but the experience has been bad multiple times regarding the bartenders and bathroom situation. When ordering a drink from the bartenders ( not sure if it's by the way I somehow look) it's extremely difficult to order... my experience was that I walked up to the bar some one after me got there order in. Bartender looks at me and tells me 1 more person is ahead of me, she proceeds to take 3 other peoples order in. After that I'm trying to get her attention and she glances at me. The first customer that I mention comes back and she proceeds to try to take his order again lol I yelled and asked if she just doesn't want to take my order ? She takes my order after with a mean face and gives me the drink. I tip hefty so that when I go back for my second round maybe she is a little more inclined to be helpful but nothing changes and same situation happened. Regarding the bathroom, it's always disgusting... piss all over the floor... your shoe bottom will be soaked walking 2 steps in.. people rather go outside and piss on the walls than go into the bars bathroom. I tried giving this bar a second and third chance but I guess customer service has always been consistently bad, whether it's slow or busy

Cool place for drinks and some light food. We went for drinks and were impressed with their wide beer selection. The staff and other patrons were super kind and helpful. Excellent and unexpected service and kindness. They offered to get us a board game since we were sitting there a while. Pool table and lots to do while you sit. Lots of goats on the walls.

Great music on Fridays and Saturdays and bartenders are so cool and friendly. Great atomosphere.

Amazing food and service. I've had their bean burger and pastrami sandwich. Bar food that is this impressive is changing the game.

This place is fuuuun! The bouncers are cool which is nice because some places have annoying rude ones. I ordered the Monkey Mai Tai and it was yummy and strong which I loooove. Parking is available in the back and free of charge. Plenty of room to sit inside, they have a pool table and another sliding game that I don't know the name but it was fun. The DJ was A1! Played a variety of music and all good transitions. The only downside to this place is the bathroom because it's so small. Other than that I'd definitely recommend this place for a girls night or a birthday. Vibes are so there!

Car was broken into while parked in their lot, nobody at the bar could offer surveillance footage or even an owner name. Went in for a $9 beer, left with my property stolen and a broken back window . do yourself the favor and Uber, or park at cvs across the street. The back lot is a crime zone, 3 cars had the same fate.

It's amazing. And the people are awesome. Helpful and insightful and informative in beers and craft drinks

Great people and fun staff, love the easy going service. Always serving with a smile on their faces! Plenty of tap to choose from and delicious smash burgers. Always a go to!

I am giving this place a 3 star because the food was delicious (I recommend the sweet potato fries with jalapeño ranch) also the atmosphere was really nice as it goes from night time relaxed bar to full on night club. Which I was not expecting. However, what I DO have an issue with is the staff taking complete advantage of its patrons by charging them for items that they claim are "on the house", as well as over charging folks or double charging them. They do this by slowly turning up the music until by the end of the night when everyone is checking out communication is nearly impossible and one may not spot the additional charges until the next day because of the very dark lit ambiance. I'd love to recommend this place in the future but I would advise folks to close out their tab well before the end of the evening and keep an eye on your charges the next day. Also better to close out early and if you choose to stay around until closing pay in cash.

Cool bar in Sherman Oaks, they have Trivia on Wednesdays! They definitely have the beer, burgers and fries if you're looking for a fun dive bar!

They have the best tater tots and a super generous portion! We came here for happy hour I got a glass of Cabernet and my husband got a beer and a cocktail. It's a chill environment and spacious. Definitely want to return. One of the few places that has Russian River beer.

Been driving by this place for quite awhile and we're skeptical as to whether or not this place was a bar or a restaurant. Well it is in fact a full on bar! Plenty of beers on tap which was awesome and their burgers were really delicious and fresh. Walked in during a weekday at about opening time and people started slowly trickling in. It's simple enough, walk up to the bar, place your order and your food will be brought to the table. I really liked the choice of music playing here as well, lots of 90's alternative. I'll definitely be back soon!

Imagine a dim lit bar with bar foods and a great selection of drinks and food. Now the normal thing would be to look for alcohol but if you are like me desserts constantly beckon. If so then you will try the pudding ... not my cup of tea but thanks to that I was shown the great great service they provide. I was asked how it tasted and I candidly mentioned not my cup of tea, it was promptly removed from my bill. I honestly wasn't expecting that but this has made me a loyal patron. Cant wait til nxt time, chill place with a great selection. (I didnt like the bread pudding because I dont like whipped cream and caramel ... I know STRANGE!)