Simply delicioussssss. The beer...the food...takes you to a different place. We had the chorizo pizza, surf and turf burger, and ceasar melt sandwich. I am so glad I gave it a try!!!! I'm coming backkkkkkkk!!!' read more

Max is a great bartender! Food is good. My only complaint is that it can get really hot in the summer.

I played outside the Encinitas Ale House as part of the Encinitas Street Fair. The burgers were good and the beer variety was awesome! Good stuff. read more

Stopped in for a burger and beer with 2 friends. Very delicious burger!! We all had a different burger and everyone liked theirs. Service was very good. Lot of patrons brought their dogs- very dog friendly! read more

Honestly this place has the best burgers in all of Encinitas. My only regret is that I'm posting this and everyone else will find out

Burger was great!!!... The place was small, personal and had a great staff. My girlfriend and I ordered the beer sampler and then picked the two we liked for a glass from that. Our server was super nice and knew the beers. The spinach pizza was good as well. We will be going back. read more

The food is really good but they need to buy an air conditioner and have more attentive staff! Our food came 15 minutes after the table next to us who got there. 15 minutes after we ordered. read more

Always a treat to stop into this little gem when traversing between San Clemente and San Diego. Phenomenal beer list and food is spectacular. read more

Really cool space, small and compact and no pretty views, but don't let that discourage you! The beer menu is huge and the draft beers are really good. Ours was a party of 9 - every meal was out within 15 minutes and was delicious. Excellent service, friendly and fun. read more

I was very excited when I saw grilled cheese (with 3 kinds of cheeses) and sweet potato fries on the menu. However, it was 4:15pm and they don't serve sandwiches after 4pm. Strike #1. Strike #2: The food runner was at the bar hitting on two girls, when another customer asked for a new burger and fries because they were overcooked. Strike #3: Beware of the baja shrimp tacos with "jumbo" shrimp. You only get two pieces of regular sized shrimp per taco, which is covered with mayonaise. Is that baja style? I think not. You're out! There was an uncooked sausage buried in the side salad. But not to worry because we were told "it was cooked, then frozen prior to falling in the salad." Luckily, the beer selection is great and they comped the meal with the frozen sausage. I'll still give it another shot, but just won't order the salad or tacos! read more

How do you explain the success of the Encinitas Ale House?? Well I guess it has to do with the customers, they don't give a damn. Which would be par for the course, cause the servers at EAH don't give a damn either. Full of the usual Flipflop wearing out of touch yahoos that hug the coast. They make up the servers and customers, not much hope for a decent dinning experience. It starts when you, the customer, have to ask for service. Hey shlub!! Can I get some water here?? Of course 3-4 servers are just standing around chatting, so you know it's can only go down hill from here, and it does!! Food is average at best, the turducken burger is good, but the EAH chicken tacos are awful. Over cooked chicken and dry tortillas at least 4 days old make for a, why is this the house special, question. Finally we come to the biggest insult. You pay the check and wait for your change. When it arrives, you've been shorted. If you happen to drive the 101, keep going as you pass the Encinitas Ale House. There is NO reason stop stop for poor food, bad service and be cheated out of your $$$. The Truth The Whole Truth Nothing but the Truth The Complete Snob I'm sorry yelp insists on giving a star, one star is too many. read more

I've been to this Ale House twice. If you want some geat Belgian beer and good food you cant miss going here. The staff is friendly and fast concidering it was always crowded. Great atmosphere! read more

Best place in Encinitas. Period. Delicious. Small though - could use some more seats - always packed.

We decided to try this place because we went online and fooled by the four-star restaurant ratings. The entire experience was hands-down, horrible...let's start from the beginning. We stepped in around 6:30 pm to see if there was a wait, but no one greeted us for about two minutes. After minutes of looking confused, we decided to ask the bartender how to get a seat-he merely pointed to the wall where we had to sign ourselves in, though there was nothing to write with. After waiting for only a few minutes, we were seated in the back of the restaurant, and here is where the experience worsens. Our waitress greeted us, if you want to call dropping menus and walking away a "greeting." After leaving us be for several minutes, she came back to take our drink order. The beer menu is extensive and we let her know this was our first time here, but she still did not offer any input or direction-we were rushed into our order. On to the food.. Again, our waitress offered us no input on the menu, so we asked our own questions. We were told all of the burgers are great and the garlic shoestring fries were excellent. So, each of us ordered a different burger and ordered a basket of garlic fries to start-big mistake! The garlic fries were merely plain shoestring fries with globs of jarred garlic tossed in top with three or four shreds of partially melted cheese. The garlic was almost indelible. This made my friend nervous since her ordered the garlic burger, but yet we all remained positive. Again, big mistake... When the burgers arrived, they were dropped down on the table-that was the last time we saw our waitress for the remaining thirty minutes of our dining experience. I understand if you are a waitress and you're in the weeds, she did have many tables and seemed busy. Though, ignoring the table all together is not the right solution. If she had stopped by and quickly let us know she was a little busy, it would have been absolutely fine. The fact that she walked by our table several times without acknowledging us was disappointing. As far as the food goes, the burgers were very large in portion but bland in flavor. My friend's garlic burger was indelible because it was so packed with raw garlic. The burger, smothered with garlic in the patty, in the cheese and on the bun, was overwhelming in flavor and spice; after getting through about 2/3 of a half of the burger, he was unable to go on. The food just did not live up to the yelp hype....very disappointing. Overall, the experience was poor in service and food. The place is a great location with a great deal of potential, but until the owners do a major overhaul, i urge you to stay away. read more

I've been here several times. The drinks are good. The food, however, is another story. Burgers are consistently undercooked. My husband ordered a cheeseburger well-done, only to receive a medium-rare burger. I made the mistake of ordering a medium burger, only to receive a grossly undercooked/very rare burger. I told my waitress, who was anything but nice and had a rather haughty attitude. She took my burger back to be cooked longer (or microwaved, who really knows). It was returned to me 20 minutes later (on a slow night) incredibly greasy, with wilted lettuce, and cooked no more than it was when I received it. Meanwhile, the rest of my party had already finished their meals. Though I may return for a drink now and again, be assured I will never order food from them again. read more

Service is usually slow and inattentive. Almost comically bad because they don't seem to care much. I feel like I'm in Paris. On the other hand, best food in Encinitas. Incredible and eclectic. I would go a lot if the bartenders worked harder. The service at the tables on the other hand is quite good. read more

Good beer, good food, and always a fun experience. The place is always pretty crowded since its a small venue but the wait is never too bad. I've had the same server every time I've been there and he is so great; he will always steer you in the right direction of a good beer choice. I also really enjoy how their beer menu is always changing, that way I get to try something new and different every time. For the food, I have never regretted getting the steak bruschetta and splitting one of their burgers with a friend. Or if your not that hungry they have mini sliders which can hit the spot in place of a huge burger. As it goes for the Encinitas 101 this is probably my favorite spot to for a casual dinner and drinks with friends. read more

Went here to catch the charger game. That was fun... EXCEPT the sea food was awful and my poor husband got food poisoning.

Party of two around 2:00pm on the 4th of July (2015). Sat in the back, with a nice view of one of three TVs that was playing the Word cup. Our server was attentive and was just the right amount of nice. The menu is pub fair with a fun twist, well organized and not to overwhelming. Ordered the wedge salad and the Wagyu burger, they were kind enough to do an even split, with extra fries which was a very pleasant surprise. Great atmosphere as the lighting was someone dim. The food was good, not spectacular but solid. Unbelievable selection of beer, maybe the best in all of SD. Story: There were two dudes and a chic ( all 30ish) who stumbled in; all pretty hammered. They weren't causing a scene but were clearly shitfaced. The bartenders served the chic who was the most sober of the group. They were acting a little sloppy, bumbling around, when they were eventually asked to leave. I was very impressed to see the bartender follow them out to the car which was a good 1/8 of a mile and discouraged them not to get in it. It appeared that the dude was talked to his senses as he climbed in and out from behind the wheel eventually out. They would have definitely hurt someone had they drove off. Great awareness and good looking out for the community. read more

Strange place. I dig it, but I'm not sure what demographic they are aiming for. Is this place is a creepy dive bar, a hipster hangout, or a foodie hole in the wall? Maybe that's what makes it my kinda place. I didn't eat anything but the food looks outstanding. Don't pass up the killer beer selection either. read more

Chose this place on a whim, while walking down the 101. Good reviews brought us in and the menu was decent. Got the steak salad. Awful. Mixed greens, sliced tomatoes and a slab of thin "tri tip" meat with a balsamic-y dressing. So boring. Nothing to it. And for $12.50. My friend got the buffalo chicken salad and it was swimming in buffalo sauce. Mimosa's were good though. Perhaps we should have tried a burger or sandwich. Staff was friendly, however.. I'm sure most of these reviews are for the beer and bar scene. No doubt its probably a good place for that.. but not for salads! read more

Went here tonight (Thursday) with a few friends. There were several bartenders but it took a long time before someone came over to help us. I do have to say they had quite an impressive selection of beer. I ended up getting a Lucifer Belgium Golden Ale (loved the name). The bartender rang in up and came back with my "bill" of $8.38. First, 8 bucks for a beer is pretty outrageous, but what really pissed me off was the $.38 of tax they charged. Of all the beers I've ordered in my life, I can't remember ever paying tax in a bar. The beer was decent but not worth it. Won't be coming back to this place again. :( read more

If you are a bar person and like beer, read the other reviews. I went in for dinner because there was a football game going on and I felt like trying a place I haven't been to before... was by myself so was in the mood to sit at a bar. The service was mostly but not 100% friendly. I had onion rings that are still making me dizzy from their greasiness (I love good onion rings) and had a tap-water-flavored root beer. Didn't order dinner. Oh well, my fault for going to a bar, not wanting to drink and drive, and expecting a good experience. read more

We've been to the Encinitas Ale House many times and always have an enjoyable meal and brew. Last night was special. The place was crowded, as usual, however we found one open table in the back. We were immediately greeted by Austin. Let me say, this young man is exceptional. We discussed our taste preferences in beer and he quickly told us he had just the right one for us - and he was right as they were perfect. All during our meal, Austin was attentive and charming. What is usually a satisfactory dining experience became truly outstanding because of Austin. read more

Service is slow......painfully each time....food is pretty tasty.....fan of the sweet potato fries and really nice beer selection ......place is really small and it can get packed very quickly read more

Small and gets crowded, but great Belgian beer. I hope they can make it bigger. Staff was nice. Chorizo pizza was awesome.

Love this place:-) Great food and cold beer, what could be any better! Had a double IPA, the Santana Burger (with Jalapeño) and the mac and cheese....wow, it was to die for:-) If your looking for great food, beer and the game, this is a great place. read more

Best place for beer in North County (they actually won best beer bar in Draft magazine). The food sets it apart from other various beer bars in the area and is to die for! Try the KOBE or LAMB burger, you will NOT regret it! Servers are helpful in trying to get you sat & started with a beer since there's always a wait, but it is SO well worth it! The staff is beyond knowledgable and will assist you with picking out the perfect beer since they're always rotating drafts and have over 500 bottled beers to choose from! Sign up for the 80 in 80 club and feel a sense of belonging to this very special beer bar. Once you finish you're eligable for prizes and even entered into a raffle for a trip to an awesome brewery!! The staff knows what they're talking about and is a great place for a date night or if you're craving that special awesome burger you can't get anywhere else... KANGAROO, CAMEL, or ALLIGATOR ANYONE?? I'll be coming back again and again! read more

Best selection of on-tap beers in north county. The food is a bit heavy and on the greasy side, which doesn't bother me but may bother some. Good burgers (the rest of the menu is so-so). Good happy hour. We had pretty good service on our one visit. I like beer, so I'll be back. read more

I'm not a huge beer drinker, but enough to appreciate this place. It used to be the Luxus Bistro, blah, so we decided to give it another shot and see what the Ale House was all about. It was packed on a Saturday night but we managed to find a seat at the bar.They have so many beers it was hard to decide but the bartender steered me toward a yummy Belgian selection. It's cozy and nice inside with a few flat screen TV's. They did a great job turning it around, hope it lasts! Also they had a really unique menu that I'd like to check out next time. read more

Encinitas Ale House fills the need in downtown Encinitas for a chill, craft beer-laden place with great burgers. The Ale House has a huge tap list with a lot of rare, special batch local beers. I'm not sure there's a place nearby with more taps actually. Maybe Sublime Ale House. Regardless, it's a place that's serious about its beer. It's not often I can find a place that has two saisons on tap, but this place had it. We've stopped in a few times, and this place is always jam packed. And it's not very big. There are a couple tables in the bar area, and maybe 5 or 6 tables in the back. Granted, the bar is long, and probably can seat 25 people. But it's tough to snag a spot at the bar, or a table in general. It's a location that's begging for double the square footage, so hopefully the busyness and success leads to that down the line. They offer two for one burgers on Tuesday which is awesome, especially when taking into account how delicious their burgers are. I had the Santana on my last visit, covered in ancho mayo, avo, and poblanos. It tasted great, the patty was well formed and loosely packed, and there was plenty of juiciness. Almost too much, as the bun pretty much disintegrated. Still, for 2 for 1, you can't do much better. Especially when you're washing it down with outstanding suds. If it was possible to consistently get a seat at Encinitas Ale House in the evenings, I'd rank this joint at the top of the downtown Encinitas options. As it is, it's great to swing by for some brews, and hope that you luck into a table. read more

This was my first time going here and I loved it! They have so much beer to choose from it is insane. I stuck with the Nitro Beer-Murphy's Irish Stout-AMAZING. I love nitro beer it is so hard to find. I had the beer battered chicken tenders with fries which was delicious!. The service was also awesome! They have this interesting contest called 80 Beers in 80 Days. You can win some pretty cool stuff if you complete it. The place itself is long and narrow which doesnt make it that easy to move in when it is really busy but it is not a big deal. Great atmosphere, selection, food/menu, and service! read more

Short: Excellent beer bar with extensive selection. Food portions are over the top and flavors were not up to par. Long: For a beer place this is 88-90/100. They have a massive tap list with a focus on local craft beer with an affinity for local brewery Acoustic Ales. This is good and bad as Acoustic Ales takes up 50% of the tap list but their beers are below average. Bottle list is extensive and has many hard to find rarities. Prices on the bottles are high but normally high for the quality of beer offered. Food menu is extensive with lots of burgers, pizzas, salads. A bit overextended in my opinion. I've eaten here twice and the food has been underwhelming both times. Burgers that are hyped up are too big and you should not finish them or you'll feel ill. Patties are not seasoned. I've ordered burgers rare here twice and they came out both medium rare. Fries good, but not crispy, rather wilting. Wife had the chorizo pizza and it was soggy, had to be eaten with a fork, and was so spicy no one could eat it and we frequent Thai restaurants and make Thai food at home. Service is a bit spotty, not really on the ball as this is first and foremost a beer bar over a restaurant. The ambiance is way too loud and cramped to really have dinner here. You can do beer tasting flights here, but they aren't cheap at $2.50 per sample. So on the one hand it is an awesome beer bar that needs to work on its tap list. On the other hand, it is a very average dining solution with menu and preparation issues. Good For: Craft beer ordered and drank at the bar Bad For: Dinner, groups, hearing your own voice read more

I've been here twice. Had a blast each time. I hear they have a cellar of brews from all over. I had a French Canadian beer, Dernière Volonté. In English it's Last Will, it was a nebulous color between amber and brown, it went down well. If you ask for the specials they will tell you about two burgers that are not on the menu. When I arrived they had the Trio and another. I remember the Trio because I ordered it with onion rings. The burger and rings were extraordinary as well as the beers you can find here. The place is small so keep that in mind, the first time I went a year or two ago was during March Madness. It was a 45 minute wait, not bad. read more

I just love this place. I don't even know what it is about it. It's small, and I tend to like cozier places. It has a less pretentious feel, which I also like. I will admit I have only had wine here, as beer is a rare treat for my belly. But my friend and I ordered the margherita pizza without cheese and it was so good! We ate the entire thing without slowing down. I'm a fan of this place. read more

Really quite an impressive place. I stayed in Encinitas for a week but, lamentably, I only came to this venue on my last night. The draft list is solid, with lots of local stuff and in addition to some fairly obscure CA beers (picked up a one-off Almanac beer here, for one). The bottle list is also really well put together, with lots of great American beers alongside a comprehensive range of European imports. The food is also good. I had a salad but my companion had a burger, to which he gave high marks. The prices are pretty damn good on everything. The service is also very good. If you are staying in Encinitas this place is a must-visit. The location is right on the main drag, so it's easy to find. Almost a five-star place. read more

They got rid of the surf n turf burger - best thing on the menu. They used to have the best burgers in Encinitas, but now they got rid of all the unique burgers, and their menu is the same stuff you can find anywhere. Extremely disappointed. read more

Great selection of beers and solid food offering. Location is very small, so it gets packed, which can make it tough to sit and enjoy. I actually hesitate to write a good review because the last thing this cool place needs is more crowding. Well worth a visit, especially during a rare slow time when you can find a seat and enjoy. read more

The privilege of living in Encinitas is far above my pay grade (literally), but I had an opportunity to house sit for somebody who very deservedly owns a home in the area. I quickly discovered that for all its charms, Encinitas has comparatively little to offer the active, outgoing 20-something say, in comparison to North Park or Hillcrest. What Encinitas suffers from in quantity it compensates for in quality, and there's no better demonstration of that quality than the Encinitas Ale House. It's easy to miss. Driving down Encinitas' main street it's easier to keep your eyes locked on garish or old fashioned Googie architecture. But the Encinitas Ale House occupies a small, non-descript space at the end of a block. The best cue to look for might be the long. On weekday nights you'll see an eclectic mix of young bar hoppers, exhausted surfers, and white collar workers assembling for the greasy, sudsy treats inside. The burgers and fries are stellar. Massive in size and flavor, they're not elegant, but they punch with a lot of flavor, and you're certain to walk out with two hands on your bulging belly. The fries and onions both pass muster too, glistening with oil and brimming with flavor. The real draw for me is the beer selection. For being such a small and dark corner of the world, Encinitas Ale House crams in a lot of taps. New beer bars and restaurants these days can safely and proudly center their taps in the middle of the room, almost like a fireplace or a mantle. Not so with the Encinitas Ale House, which looks more like a mad scientist's underground layer. Taps are here, but also there, and sometimes they wrap around a corner, and sometimes the tap plumbing is visible, and sometimes not. Ordering one beer requires the bartender to turn around and then turn back, all on the same dime. Another order might send her hustling off to another, distant part of the restaurant. But the logistical costs of this set up are well worth it. Not only does this ale house have a large collection, but the beers are stellar, and typically rare. I have a long and studied craft beer career, and I was pleasantly surprised (maybe even shocked?) at the sorts of beers available on tap. A third feature that I think is easily overlooked is the location. San Diegans take proximity to beaches for granted, but having a place like this so close to the beach, the ocean, and miles of beautiful walking and ambulatory thinking makes this an extra special destination. Either pre-game a sunset at the beach with an Imperial IPA, or round up a long day gull chasing and people watching with a heavy beer. Cold from the wind off the water? Get an imperial stout. Still recovering from the sweltering heat of those last weeks in September? Opt for a Hefeweizen. The beer industry is finding that it can market itself to unconventional places, and I think that fits well with the Ale House. Once inside, you could be inside any other cramped, cozy beer n' brew bar. But knowing that a beautiful sunset or some surfing is within walking distance? That gives the Encinitas Ale House it's own very Californian touch on a tried and true formula for satisfying both appetite and third. read more

Enjoyed a great casual dinner with family. The White Stone Pizza was excellent, as was the Bleu Pear Salad. Of course, they feature a huge list of craft beer and I heard the burgers here are also amazing. Definitely worth visiting and I will definitely do so again next time I'm in town. read more