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M. Special Brewing Company

4.3 (178 reviews)
ModerateBreweries
Closed 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM
Updated over 3 months ago

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"Sabado Tarde" Craft Beer from M. Special
Celina O.

We loved the fun ambiance at M. Special .. this location in Goleta is both pet and kid friendly. We loved the selection of quality craft beer, the service was attentive and knowledgeable. This is a great spot for both a fun time on a night out or to stop by with the family. They have corn hole and the art work is awesome! We'll be back again!

Tangerine Ale
Shelby S.

I love M. Special! It's such a fun spot to hang, super family friendly, and they have great beer! This location offers lots of parking plus both indoor and outdoor seating options. They often have live music and food trucks. I have also seen games to keep the kids entertained. Their bar is lengthy and it's easy to get the attention of their staff when ordering a drink. I always have the best time hanging here. Definitely a great spot- highly recommend!

The place to be on Friday night
Sarah S.

This hidden location of M. Special within the Tech Park of Santa Barbara/Goleta is a fan favorite! We walked up at 5:45 to meet some friends and we're blown away by how poppin' this place was! It was full of laughing people having a great time. The vibe was immediately welcoming and exciting. We got our beers and sat down at one of the picnic tables outside. Soon after, the totally rocking, glam metal, hair wiping band "Ransom Note" started to play and knocked it out of the park. The entertainment, the company, the drinks and the Friday night Woodstock's pizza truck were all great! Bonuses of this place are there are usually a bunch of kids for your young king to play with just outside the beer garden, in sight. And, if you're a dog lover, like me, there are a plethora a the cutest dogs here and everyone is friendly so you get to meet and pet every one :) The atmosphere here is great. It's the perfect mix of hanging lights, hanging plants, picnic tables, umbrellas and chic storage container decor vibes. The design here is right on for the vibe and they nailed the service aspect by having table cleaners casually meandering around collecting finished glasses on their trays. They keep it nice and cleaned up. I don't think I saw one piece of trash on the floor and that's impressive for a bar. I'm so glad we found this place and know where we will go on nights out to have a good time.

Wooden bar
Ann D.

The service here was great. I only had to wait one minute to get help. The bar here is actually nicer than the one downtown. The ambiance is clean with nice surfboards on the wall. There is merchandise for sale. There is only food here from the outdoor food trucks on specific days. There is also live music going on outside.

Burrito
Audrey R.

A group of my friends and I went to M Special for a weekday night out. At first glance the outdoor seating was adorable, with abundant heaters, and a fun food truck (rotates every few days)! However, the seating was not too ideal as it was, awkwardly silent, with 0 music outside. The beers were decently priced (7ish dollars) and we tried a decent variety. Farmhouse Saison was good (slightly weird aftertaste), Great Land, G Town, Doubba Bubba (the favorite), and Lazy Eye. No major complaints on the brews or the M Special service. The truck was Disfrutas, run by an incredibly nice woman So absolutely no shade to her. She recommended the Asada but it was so spicy a few of my friends (who even like a bunch of spicy food) could not enjoy it. The pastor was the same. If there was sour cream, more cheese, or avocado then at least SOMETHING would cut the spice. The burrito was a decent size and enjoyed a bit more than the quesadillas. Chips were clearly fresh ....and by that I mean very oily....but that does not mean they were not delicious.

Krystle G.

Excellent brews and staff is friendly and attentive. Definitely a must if you're in the area.

Have to buy food with your drink
Diana S.

I'll start off with that the customer service was great! The staff was very friendly and worked quick. The atmosphere was also a cool vibe with plenty of outdoor seating. Unfortunately my boyfriend and I really did not like the beers. We got the Dozer special and Greatland special and had to push ourselves to finish it so as to not waste a buzz but we did not like it. Maybe other beers are worth a shot but not these for us. Again great place but very unimpressed with the beers.

During the 2018 @Buellton_Brew festival in Buellton, Ca
Tony H.

M. Special has a lot of the good things you want in a great local craft brewery. Good beer, friends staff, and a fun environment. The inside is average size with TVs and board games to keep you entertained, the outside patio is pretty large with a stage for live entertainment, and a spot for food trucks. The atmosphere when it's busy is lively & loud. During the week the have various trivia nights, and other events going on. This is a brewery that has a local feel to it, but it's worth stopping in if you're from out of town to check out there beers they have.

Kelly A.

Goleta M Special is definitely a hidden gem! Hidden behind the Hilton you will find this amazing brewery that's filled with great vibes and amazing beer. Sabado Tarde is definitely my all time favorite along with The Greatland and G town! Nothing is better than a nice cold glass on a Friday night after a long week of work. The bartenders are so attentive and welcoming, it gravitates you to keep coming back! Special thanks to Manager John and my favorite bartender Cole! Live music on Friday nights and The Food Connection's Pastor nachos make this the perfect spot to start your weekend. Better yet, M Special offers you with 4 large TV sets where you can enjoy your favorite sport games. If you haven't stopped by, this is your sign to give them a visit. You won't be disappointed!

Bombers deal
Dani N.

Basketball, Cornhole, Food Trucks, Music, Laughter... I love the spacious environment of M Special! When looking for a good brewery I research their IPAs, business ethic and how they treat employees, and if the space is large enough to host a solid group of fun people with games and activities for us to play. M Special covers all of those categories. When M Special popped up in Goleta a couple years back it really changed the community, especially for working professionals. Everyone I knew was talking about the new brewery in town, how awesome the staff were, and all the cool events they were planning in the future. To this day that's still how they are portrayed, if not even more so. Everyone loves them and whenever I'm asked to "meet up and grab a beer" the first suggestion is most commonly "at M Special." Personally, I've worked with M Special on multiple occasions the past couple years and always had a generous and excited reaction from Chris (the owner) and Addison, the tasting room manager. They are fun people who know how to be professional when they need to be, and their passion for their business shines in all they do. I know what you're thinking, GET TO THE BEERS! Alright, my favorite is usually an IPA or something Hoppy. But, I actually love their light beer here which is the Sabado Tarde Special Tangerine Ale. It's light, citrusy and very refreshing when you're out on the patio in an intense cornhole tournament! As mentioned above, they have a wide variety of food trucks pretty much every night of the week here. You can check their Facebook or Instagram (I believe) to see the schedule. They brew their beers in house, switching out seasonal flavor but keeping the ones the public are most fond of. They have cornhole, a basketball hoop, music, lights on the patio, bar seating inside, and brewery tour opportunities every once and a while. Would definitely recommend trying to tourists and locals alike! There's something for everyone, OH and if you have a dog bring it!! Patio is dog friendly, parking lot is huge, and it does not back up to a busy street - safe for kids and dogs. Check it out!

Greasy greasy pulled pork

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1 year ago

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10 months ago

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10 months ago

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2 months ago

Cool vibes, good drinks. They do not serve food. They have food trucks that do come often.

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2 months ago

These guys were great! Had a lovely experience at this brewery. Good vibes. Nice atmosphere. Cool people.

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

Been going here for a few years. It's always a hit. Great beer and venue for live music!

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1 year ago

Great taco truck, service was good. Pet friendly with a great ambiance with a live band.

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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6 years ago

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7 years ago

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3 years ago

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5 years ago

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4 years ago

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8 years ago

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6 years ago

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2 years ago

John is the best, he is very helpful and patient. He always helps you figure out what the best beer is for your liking.

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

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7 years ago

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2 years ago

It was first time for me. So, I needed to have advice from him when I ordered. His recommendations was so nice!! Thank you.

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3 years ago

Ambiance was special. The service was spectacular. The beer was perfectly priced and tasty.

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5 years ago

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10 years ago

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2 years ago

Great bar and great environment. John provided us with outstanding service and fantastic beer! Definitely recommend!

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7 years ago

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10 years ago

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Page 1 of 5

Ask the Community - M. Special Brewing Company

Do they have non beer options like the SB location? Like kombucha?

Do they serve food?

Beast Taqueria is inside M. Special and their food is really good.

Are there any gluten free options?

Do they serve pitchers of beer? or just glasses?

No pitchers only by the glass.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Wow. Talk about a hidden GEM. Finding and entering this place feels like its own adventure. I'd…read morenever been to a distillery so I wasn't sure what to expect the first time I came. There was a very small bar/lounge area tucked away in this industrial building, Michael the owner warmly greeted our group of three and made us some cocktails with his handcrafted spirits. Proudly displayed along the walls were all of the awards his spirits have won in various contests. He gave us a tour of the distillery and all of the machines he uses and explained the processing for each spirit. It's really clear that this is a passionate artist who has honed his craft and enjoys sharing his excitement and art with others. You can tell that the end result is a high quality product. Gin is certainly the specialty here and it's pretty outstanding stuff. Usually if I sniff any old bottle of gin, it's not a pleasant experience but one whiff of this gin makes me want to inhale again. It's probably the only spirits I would bring to a fancy party or make craft cocktails at home with. I'm so glad to see Goleta Red spirits in local bars like the Goodland, I'd recommend any local or tourist to stop by for a tasting or try a craft cocktail for a real local experience!

This tiny distillery, which definitely gave me speakeasy vibes is not a place to miss out on!…read moreThe owner was very friendly as he told us about his passion, why he is in the business and how he loves to put his heart & soul into making every drink! He made me a custom daiquiri that was super tasty along with two other drinks that were given to my friends. Though this is place is small, it has a lot of might and a great atmosphere!

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As a beer snob (ahem...chasing 5k unique beer check-ins on Untappd, the Yelp of beer) I have to say…read morethis place is great. Great service, met the owner, nice guy, well curated beers on tap (I think they generally have 16 on tap) ranging from a few from overseas if you are in to Belgians or what have you and then a well chosen selection of great beers from all over - maybe a bit California heavy but there is a helluva lot of great beer in California. I hate going in to a so-called taproom and I can't find anything I have never had on tap. Why go to a place with a bunch of variety of there is nothing new? Typical corporate or beer-illiterate taproom: "Well we have this great IPA from Lagunitas, its their IPA have you heard of Lagunitas? What about Sam Adams? Oh and we have Guinness if you are into *throws finger quotes* dark beers. Oh we also have Sierra Nevada Pale I think it comes all the way from NorCal!" Ugh. Again - great rotating selection here...and a bonus couple of coolers where you can score some cans and bottles to go of some more great craft beer. Ambiance is local bar/brewery, they have food some nights (had a great smashburger from Goodland Grillers tonight) and trivia on Thursdays. There I included the word ambiance are you happy Yelp? Cheers.

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Samsara winery is located about 10-15 minutes away from Santa Barbara, and tucked away off Los…read moreCarneros Rd. I love checking out new wineries I haven't been to, and came across this one on Tik Tok. There's ample parking here with other small businesses in this little plaza. Such as Captain Fatty's Brewery and Green Star coffee. The winery itself is located around the corner once you drive in. Look for the signage directing you towards the back. They have a nice outdoor patio area, but I chose to sit inside on my visit. I was the only person there most likely because it was a weekday. I decided to do a tasting of the reds. It was $30, which seemed a little high but the wine is from the Santa Rita Hills region. Anyone who knows about STA. is aware that they have the best Pinots. I enjoyed each tasting and Julie was really good at explaining each pour. The Pinot and Syrah/Grenache/Mourvèdre were my favorites. I also appreciate that I didn't get a headache after sampling the wines. That's a huge plus! Overall, I had a nice experience here. I would love to come back and try their wine specials and listen to live music on a Sunday Funday afternoon.

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Santa Barbara Cider Company - Cider! Traditional apple!

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there's lots of cool alcohol choices. I give them that but the service is absolutely terrible. The…read moreman who help me at the front was an absolute asshole. My card wasn't working because I had just signed out of my iCloud so I had to re-sign in and he told me that, if I couldn't get my card ready, he wasn't gonna ring me up again. From the minute I walked in he was being completely rude to me. This was my first time ever coming here and I never wanna come back because of the way this guy treated me. When I got my card ready he ignored me and I asked him if he could ring me up please and he said all right if you're ready in a sarcastic tone. After rang me up , I asked him if he was the manager bc the only send allowed to treat people like that would be the business owner he told me he "wasn't the manager, if he was, he wouldn't be there on a Sunday night", For the dude who had this interaction with me. If you see this message, I hope you go find another job and stop being an asshole to people. I literally came in with a good attitude. I usually don't let these type of people get me down, but this guy was extremely rude and he just continued to be rude throughout this whole experience. The place is also very clean and well put together. They need to find better workers here if they want to stay in business.

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M. Special Brewing Company - breweries - Updated May 2026

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