Ambitious Ales is a great beer hall in Bixby Knolls, Long Beach. They have plenty of seating, they have a solid rotation of food vendors (including Thunderbolt Pizza next door), and they have creative beers with unique flavors. On the day that I went, they had a mariscos vendor that sold delicious ceviches. Note that during peak dinner hours, the wait times for pizza from Thunderbolt can be close to 30 minutes. I went with Ambitious Ale's Central Perk, which was a blonde ale with madagascar vanilla and guatemalan coffee notes, and these flavors were surprisingly present and not subtle. They had tons of unique flavor options here and I definitely would love to come back to try some cold ones with some pizza. Their fruity options were pretty popular with my work group. Their Jollibeer (inspired by the Peach and Mango pies at Jollibee) was a lager with mango and peach puree. The beers I had were crisp, full flavored, and ice cold. Perfect at the end of a work week! It's really nice that they have a nice space in the back to host a group of two or a group of twenty. This is a great pillar in the Bixby Knolls neighborhood. read more

Ambitious Ales - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

My friend was visiting town tonight and I decided to take him to Ambitious Ales. The beer was solid but we needed some food. We decided to order food from Thunderbolt. We had the food delivered in 3 separate instances. In one instance the staff member delivered an order of wings. When I told him the order was incomplete, I was questioned and asked for a receipt. When I showed him the receipt, he moved to another table and removed an order of wings from other patrons and handed it to us. It is unsanitary to give food to strangers and then take it back and give it to me. I asked him if that's how they operate, giving food to others, later taking it back, and giving it to the right table. A couple of minutes later, I had gestapo managers Taylor and Christy searching for me. When I identified myself, they questioned if I had called their staff a "ret@rd." They did not let up. My friend and I were shocked. I described the situation and exactly what I said. The food being mishandled and then being falsely accused of using a slur, such a wild and awkward experience. I noticed Ambitious Ales now provides a disclaimer when ordering from Thunderbolt via QR code. Now it all makes sense. Regardless, you can't have restaurant managers coming over to your business and making wild accusations. Completely unacceptable. read more

My family went in yesterday to grab some drinks and a couple of things were wrong. 1. The lady behind the bar last night was so extremely rude. She looked like she didn't wanna be there and I thought I was the only one who caught it but my whole family did. I asked her about tasting the slushies yesterday and she replied "ones a diet coke and ones fruit punch so if you know what those two taste like, there you go " I've been here before and got one of the slushies and it was way too bitter for my liking so that's why I had asked to taste them. She was so annoyed that I asked. 2. This place needs air conditioning. Like bad. Maybe that's why homegirl was so unpleasant yesterday. Other than that, the beer was good but please, work on your staff or get them some fans to cool off. read more

Stopped by after pizza next door for another cold & refreshing pint of good beer. Still the same since I was here last time over a year ago...so glad I stopped by. Still a great place, with plenty of great choices and with great staff & great service. The only thing is not cool is the place is WARM, too warm since it's over 90s outside but glad that cold beer make up for it. Til next time. read more

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Visited this brewery with some friends. It was my first time and it was very enjoyable. Kind of like a backyard bbq family function vibe. Pets allowed. I tried their berry and it was amazing! I couldn't remember the names of my friends drinks. I'm sorry! Lol. read more

Ambitious Ales - Berry - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

Came back again on a Sunday to try the 3 other beers that I couldn't last time. This time paired it with the great pizza from Thunderbolt next door. Got 3 smalls to make a flight (Calamansi Corner [fruited gose for $4.50], Positano Pils [Italian Pilsner for $4.50], and a Bohemian Spaceman [Czech Dark Lager for $4.50 which I really liked]), along with a Full of Gandalf the Crisp [New Zealand Pilsner for $7 which I didn't like as much]). The Calamansi Corner we had before, and is the one my wife likes a lot. I saw my mother-in-law sip that same beer TWICE in one sitting, which I've never seen her do before for any beer. Like daughter like mother? My favorite last time was the Baktuns Imperial Stout which I was really looking forward trying with fresh pizza. Alas, they were out and it wasn't available to take home either...need to remember that: if I really like a special edition beer from Ambitious, need to enjoy it as much as possible. Did get 3 four packs of their Grandpapa Kolsch as gifts ($16 each) to spread the word. A good a reason as any to force me to check some bags on our next trip. read more

Ambitious Ales - 4/26/2026: port a potty - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

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This was my second time here with friends and let me say, it was quite the night to be here. The place was packed with people out and about. Also they had the baseball game showing, another big factor to it. There's parking in the lot next to it but it's very small and share it with a few other businesses. Probably easier to find street parking along the front or the neighborhood. There's patio seating along the front, the main bar area with some seating and then there's the massive backyard area which everyone was. I don't know how often but they have food vendor on hand but tonight they were serving BBQ. Beside that, you could also order from the pizza shop next door with the QR code on the table and they'll deliver it to you. We ordered a couple of beers to start which you could also sample some to see which one you like. Pricewise is decent. Pretty much similar to other breweries nearby. There was also loads of family with kids enjoying their night. The back patio was packed but we got lucky with someone leaving the table. I did want a snack but trying to get the menu from the QR code wasn't quite cooperating so I had to go next door to the pizza place to order. That was an ordeal as it packed and it took forever to get the food. Anyways, we also ordered some of the bbq from the vendor which was quite tasty. The platter came with two sides which they ran out of everything besides the mac and cheese. Double that and with brisket, chicken and rib, toast, chimichurri sauce and pickled veggies. By the time we received the plate, we were quite full so only had a bite of the brisket and chicken. I'm not sure how often they have food vendors on site or if it's only a weekend thing. The place was quite fun. It's a big family friendly place so everyone is out and about. Their beer on tap choices are quite nice as well as bottled beer in the fridge. Staff are all friendly and sweet. Majority of the people were outside as it's a bigger spot. A fun place for a gathering over beer and food. read more

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Look at this combination right here in this picture. It is perfect. The beer, the vibe, the community this place brings, the partnership with Thunderbolt Pizza and how they just deliver the perfect pizza in Long Beach right to your table-- perfection. Bring your friends. Or not. Go alone. Bring your laptop and do some work. It's that kind of place. read more

Ambitious Ales - (L to R) Gandalf the Crisp, Sweet & Spicy , Central Perk - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

5/5 Came here recently and wow -- everything hit perfectly. The pizza was next-level -- crispy crust, the right amount of chew, and that fig jam and feta was superb. It added this sweet-savory balance that tied everything together, especially with the salty cheese and bacon bits. You can tell the ingredients are fresh and thought-out. We also ordered the fried zucchini sticks, which came out hot, crispy, and seasoned just right with a little parmesan on top. The dipping sauce was refreshing and paired perfectly with a cold beer. The outdoor setup made it even better -- chill vibe, good music, friendly staff, and overall just a great spot to unwind and eat quality food. Highly recommend this place if you want something flavorful and a bit different from your usual pizza joint. read more

Ambitious Ales - Zucchini Sticks - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

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It seems I'm doing more reminiscing these days, now that I don't live in Long Beach. I still frequent this brewery with coworkers after work whenever we have time and this brewery makes some great beer. My wife and I used to come here a lot during the summers when the sun would set because it's a great spot to people watch. They have a great front patio facing Atlantic avenue so there's tons of cars driving by and people walking. It's very clean inside and usually a good amount of beers to choose from. They used to sell pizza from a pizza shop next door called thunderbolt and it was tasty as well. Nearby this brewery there's a lot of bars and restaurants you can walk to if you want a stiffer drink or a proper meal but if you're in the area I would check it out. Parking is hit or miss, but there's plenty of residential parking around the corner or by the temple If the lot is full. Cheers! read more

Ambitious Ales - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

For a quick and casual beer with friends this is a great place to stop by. Like most breweries it's cold as heck indoor and outdoor lol. Dress warm on colder days! Otherwise the berry beer (forgot the actual name) was popular with our group. I wouldn't recommend coming hungry however in case the pizza place nearby is busy. We unfortunately came at a busy time Saturday night and didn't think the skewers in the back were worth the money. We tried to order pizza for delivery but they were too busy. We ended up walking over to order but the pizza was an hour 15 wait. Ambitious Ales does also hose quite a few events for the community. Keep an eye out for their events~ read more

Well, this review is late but I'm now just getting around to it. What a great little brewery. I'm a sour beer type of guy and they have a delicious sour on tap as of 2/1/26. I had 4 or 5 of them in the course of 4 hours. It has very reasonable prices. If you're hungry, at least every time I've gone they have a food guy in the back patio but if you don't fancy that they do allow outside food. If you're in the area and looking for a fun little spot to hangout and have a cold brew this place is a must try. Truly one of my fav in LB read more

Ambitious Ales - My delicious sour as of 2/1/26 - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

Love everything about this spot! They have great beer and sours, the staff are very down to earth and the vibe is laid back. You can sit outside (front or back) they also have inside seating available. We come here often for game nights with friends. read more

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Excellent and innovative brews! This place has been on my radar for a while and finally got to check them out a few months ago. Great space with a spacious backyard patio, lively crowd during the weekend, and helpful and friendly staff to guide you through their brews. read more

Ambitious Ales - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

BEVERAGE- cant go wrong with any of my choices or yours. However, my favorite is the Baktun. Nice, dark and delicious. Only need one or two and I'm in heaven. Be warned, ABV is high. This dark, gorgeous and delightful nectar will sneak up on you when you least expect it. However, this time i was drawn by a tall and mysterious purple slush that I couldn't resist from a far. Sweet on the lips and made my tongue thirst for more. Service- excellent yet to be disappointed Cleanliness- goo parking - street parking. Parking lot next door.is not for.the brewery. read more

Ambitious Ales - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

This is one of my favorite breweries in Long Beach! The beer is so good, and I love that you can order food from Thunderbolt Pizza for delivery to your seat at Ambitious Ales. Also, it's dog friendly which I'm always thankful for! Two huge screens to watch the game(s). read more

Ambitious Ales - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

Absolutely my favorite brewery in the LA/OC/LBC area! Yes, I know there's a lot of breweries in these large areas but this one hits different. They have all type of beer but my faves are their Westcoast IPAs. I'm a huge fan of Mosaic hops and they use it consistently on a lot of their beers, especially Westcoast IPAs. Their latest release is Nice Guy Eddie, Westcoast IPA made with Mosaic, Citra, and Simcoe at 6.5%. Delicious, smooth, and refreshing. Ambiance is super chill, welcoming, family and dog friendly. Servers are always nice. Chopped it up with Matt today and I appreciated the conversation about brews and health. And to top things off, they have killer pop up vendors that have really good food. But my fave is their next door pizza, Thunderbolt Pizza. They have a QR code at every table. You can order from there and they walk it right over. Super easy and convenient! Don't sleep on their lunch special EVERY DAY until 4pm, 10" pizza with up to 3 toppings for $10! I wanted to gate keep this one but I'm too nice, haha...enjoy! read more

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I'm rating this place 3 stars because of my experiences here recently. I come here often and I actually love the drinks and the atmosphere for the most part. It can get a little crowded but I've always been able to find a seat for the most part and I love that I can order thunderbolts to my table whenever I decide. I've never had a problem but lately I've had some questionable experiences with some of the staff. There was a girl with curly hair and glasses that has been sarcastic and basically rude when ordering or whenever you ask a question. Another time I came in, it was her with the glasses and another girl working, the other girl helped me. She was a brunette and middle aged, I don't remember if she had glasses or not but I believe she did and she made a passive aggressive comment towards me when I asked to taste a drink. Mind you, I only was ordering my second drink, so this was not due to being intoxicated or unruly. As someone who also works in the service industry, I totally understand having off days but now that I know it's a consistent attitude I don't sympathize with them and it's making me consider not coming back. I truly don't think it's that hard to have good customer service unless prompted otherwise, but nothing prompted them giving attitude to multiple guests I witnessed. I don't think I should go to an establishment to have a good experience and leave feeling bothered because the staff simply doesn't want to be kind. If it's too hard then maybe they shouldn't work in customer service. Anyways, be cautious when coming here! read more

The drinks are delicious. The only issue for me and my friend group had was from the female bartender with curly hair and glasses. Was super rude when I asked to sample a flavor. We came back to order a drink and because we didn't say the drink name Correctly she screamed at my husband and friend and said " That not what it's called I already told your cousin or brother whoever it is ." Then proceeded to raise her hand and make hand gestures because she was annoyed. VERY UNPROFESSIONAL!!! She needs to learn customer service, and it clearly shows in your reviews that she continues to give bad customer service. Please do better! read more

Ambitious Ales is a craft brewery / tasting room. There is indoor and patio seating. The shop is located adjacent to a shopping center on the corner of Atlantic Ave (x) E Carson St. The point of mentioning this is that there is good parking, except on busy weekends. I typically order Pilsners and IPAs; but there is a full complement of beer types. They have won various awards for their beers. This stretch of Atlantic Ave has a lot of small eateries. Ambitious Ales offers a nice place to hang out for beers; or as a place to socialize before or after shopping / eating. read more

Ambitious Ales - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

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You have one job as a brewery. Serve cold beer. Luke warm beer from a keg is so far below average I can't even read more

The drinks are delicious, the back outside area has a comfy feeling. It's closed in by a tent so not too cold but not stuffy at all ONLY ISSUE...BEWARE of the female bartender w curly hair and Glasses . Is rude and judges your order. I sampled something new and she's like those are two completely different flavors....I know; I wanted to try something new. She just doesn't seem to like letting customers sample brews. NOT a nice woman. read more

Ambitious Ales - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

Bollocks! This review is a 4 star because I only had the opportunity to try the "Ube Bay" beverage. It was real refreshing and I'd be willing to come back to try more options... read more

Ambitious Ales - Ube Bay is refreshing! Light and crisp - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

Everything was great! Service people ambiance are was nice. I'll do it again if o in in area! Great prices $$$$$$$$$$

This brewery is huge and doesn't look like it until you go inside and walk around. If you walk down the side where the restrooms are, you can head out back to the huge patio they have. There are tents for shade which is a plus on those hot summer days. You can also go to the other side of building where there are numerous barrels where you can use for your drink when chatting it up with friends. Front of the brewery has more barrels and tables where you can also lounge and enjoy your time spent. We have been here a couple of times but knew we needed a nice date night. We ate nearby and decided to enjoy a couple of great drinks before we headed home. Apparently, the Lobsterdamus truck was here but they sold out so by the time we stopped by, they were gone. Luckily, you can order food from Thunderbolt Pizza which is next door if you need a quick meal to add with your beer. On this trip, I ordered the Ube Bay and the Berry Shower. I really enjoyed both. I was hesitant about ordering an ube flavored beer because most often the taste isn't there but it def was there when I took my first sip. The other drink I got, Berry Shower, was a sour and it was delicious. Sometimes sours have a weird after taste but this one didn't so made it that much better. Because we enjoy the staff and the service they provided, we ended up going home with a few stickers and a 4-pack of Berry Shower. We enjoy all the beers they come up with so looking forward to there new stuff. NOTE TO OWNER: Please bring back your calimansi beer! It was so refreshing and one of my favorites. i was sad to not see it on the menu anymore. read more

Easily our fave brewery in long beach, lots of seating, family friendly, different really good food vendors almost daily, you can order pizza next door, sports aired on tv, nice crowd and most importantly....good beer!!!! My fave is the coffee blonde. Good service! Friendly staff read more

Ambitious Ales - Perfect for the long weekend! Best ube beer I have had so far and I'm picky about my ube things. - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

Great vibe and good adult beverages. We met a group of friends and ordered food from some surrounding restaurants to eat with our drinks. Kid friendly with supervision. The Thai and Pizza place next door will deliver to the patio of you let them know you are sitting the the Ambitious Ales' patio. We saw a few well mannered furfriends on the patio as well. No pressure to clear out the table after beverages consumed. It was a nice meet up. There was a graduation party (Congratulations Class of 2025) next to us. They brought in catered food and decorated a reserved section. Even with their large party and our large party, there was still plenty of space for others. read more

I got the sour beer which was pretty unique. It was a good beer but would be better if seltzer's non beer options for those who don't drink beer but overall good service and nice little spot. read more

Ambitious Ales - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

I came here for one of their pop-up events with a live dj and different vendors selling art, plants, books and food. The brewery is bright and cheery with huge windows, bringing in natural light. There is outdoor seating but with this event, many people were lounging and talking or dancing to the DJ sets. The vendors were set up along the side of the building leading you to the back eating area where more seating was available. At night, the vibe is just right for hanging out with friends and family. Because this is a family-friendly brewery, there ample children there. I will definitely be coming back to try the rest of the menu. In this particular visit, friends bought me drinks and food so I wasn't mindful of what was being served to me. I was too busy having fun. =) read more

Really great beer, kind staff, & an inviting atmosphere. Check out Ambitious Ales if you want a cold beer. read more

Ambitious Ales - Beer - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

Came here with some co-workers for a happy hour. Parking can be a little difficult but I was lucky enough to get a spot in the small parking lot next to it. There's ample seating and tables inside and outside to hangout with a large party. They have many beers on tap and reasonably priced. If you're not a huge fan of beer like I am, they do have some non-beer alcoholic drinks as well! I got the Lit Lemonade which was a refreshing slushie drink. My co-workers got the various beers on tap and they all liked them. We also ordered some pizzas for the table, and they are partnered with Thunderbolt Pizza next door so you can order some items from their menu. The pizza and appetizers went well with the beers and drinks! Good vibes, drinks, and food - will definitely be back! read more

Ambitious Ales - Lit Lemonade and BBQ Chicken Pizza from Thunderbolt Pizza - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

The place is chill, the beer selection is great and the staff is friendly. They even have the cans to go. Definitely a place to try!

Pretty good brew pub in Long Beach....good selection of beers to choose from.:::selected the award winning IPA, was good but have had better...service is good, place is large and has an outdoor patio area in the back...ambiance is okay, a few tv sets and some music playing over the speaker system...would consider going back but have definitely had better beers than this in past so tread at your own risk.... read more

The good: next to a great pizza place and you can have it delivered to you. Beers are pretty good, just not amazing. The bad: on a not too busy Tuesday, it seems the staff is more interested in talking to themselves rather than the customers. Literally 4 of them with their back towards me when I am ready to order another beer. The ugly: parking. Thunderbolt pizza might be better option since I had a better experience with the people that brought my food over then the staff here. Ambiance not bad though. Always looking for a silver lining. read more

PSA: 2024 Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal Winner: Professional Human Being (Best Juicy/Hazy IPA) This was the reason for my visit. I wanted to get a taste of this year's "best hazy IPA" in the USA. Along with their gold-medal winning hazy, I wanted try one of the Filipino-inspired brews. I went with their Ube Bay brewed with ube halaya because it was about to be tapped out. Both beers were delicious and easy drinkers. I could have ordered more of them. If it was not too late in the evening, I would have ordered more to try. The Ube Bay wasn't too sweet. My friend mentioned that their slushie version was way too sweet. Upon sniffing you cannot ignore the strong aroma of coconut in this beer. The Professional Human Being hazy IPA is easier to drink than a West Coast IPA. If you're a fan of hazys, a visit to Ambitious Ales is a must. Across the parking lot, you will find a permanent fixture for food delivery at your table from Thunderbird Pizza. I wanted to try the simplest pizza so I went with a cheese pizza. This is how I judge pizza -- either the plain cheese or a margherita pizza. They didn't have any pizzas by the slice available to order. Pizza is the best pairing with beer so having a pizza restaurant across the parking lot is perfect. To order, you scan from a QR code at your table so they know where you are seated. Order immediately as it took a while to get our pizza. If you love sourdough pizza, I recommend ordering this pizza immediately once you find a table. There are some food pop ups (barbecue) as an alternative option on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The beertenders are very helpful and friendly which I find as the norm while visiting California breweries except the one brewery I visited in NYC which was like pulling teeth to get service and a smile out of them. I love California. Being that that the restrooms are gender neutral and the brewery seemes to be busy, they were not the cleanest restrooms compared to other breweries I have visited. Mens restrooms/shared restrooms seem to be the most filthy/unkempt (to be honest). There is a port-a-potty available in the patio if there is a line going. Their shared parking lot is small so there might be issues finding parking during the weekend. There were other GABF medal winners in the LBC, so I would suggest doing a Long Beach beer crawl if you're up for it. read more

Ambitious Ales - Winner: Gold (Hazy IPA) at Great American Beer Festival 2024 - "Professional Human Being" and Ube Bay - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

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There's a bomb pizza spot next door and they paired with ambitious ales to scan a QR code in the brewery to have your food delivered straight to you! The pizza was delicious and who doesn't like draft cold beer with it? read more

I always enjoy Ambitious Ales. Interior is bright and clean, but I love the outside area. Front patio is nice and a large back area give you plentiful seating. There are frequently pop-ups, but you can also order food from Thunderbolt pizza and they will deliver to you. There is always a nice selection of beer with fun names. We enjoyed the Batman Rapids & Robin Falls. read more

Ambitious Ales - Batman Rapids & Robin Falls - - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

Crazy good beer list with great vibes!!! Everything is so chill and parking on the street is easy! I tried the Gandalf drink and WOW! YOU SHALL ENJOY THIS DRINK! They also have plenty of TVs to chill and watch some soccer! I can't believe I never came sooner! Can't wait to be back. read more

Ambitious Ales - Beer list - Breweries Near Me - Long Beach, California

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One of the best if not the best brewery in Long Beach. They have great ownership and employees. The variety of drinks is great and you never tire of your go tos. read more

Tasty beer selection, good vibes and order good pizza n fried zucchini n cauliflower wings from thunderbolt pizza next door right from the comfort of wherever you're seated at the brewery. They play sports indoor and outdoor read more