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M. Special Brewing Company

4.3 (181 reviews)
ModerateBreweries
Open • 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM
Updated over 3 months ago

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Glass half full or half empty?
Jenner B.

Beer is great. Service is great! And it's a locally grown and based business. The bar tender told me that the founders were alumni of University of California, Santa Barbara. And that Jack Johnson (singer) was also an investor. So the ambience of this place was pretty cool and gives the local vibes. Food is not served here but they invite food trucks to sell food. They also welcome door dash deliveries of food. I'll be back the next time I'm in town!

Harrison T.

I was only in Goleta for the day, accompanying my SO on a business trip, but man what a beautiful place with a great vibe. After a long day at the beach playing in the water with the doggo, I decided to spend the final hours here at M. Special. It has a great central location that's still got a tucked-away feel and ample seating and there were a lot of other friendly patrons and dogs there. The staff was friendly and polite and the beer was great. I didn't get to spend a ton of time here, but it's definitely on the list of places to visit again!

Today's selections.
James H.

Great beer and great service! Apparently my review requires 85 characters to post.

"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

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7 days ago

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20 days ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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7 months ago

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

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7 months ago

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

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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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4 years ago

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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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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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3 years ago

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5 years ago

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6 years ago

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3 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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5 years ago

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7 years ago

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11 years ago

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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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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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11 years ago

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8 years ago

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3 years ago

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

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8 years ago

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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.

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Goleta Red Distilling Company

Goleta Red Distilling Company

4.9(30 reviews)
0.4 mi

The very definition of a hidden gem! Yelp CM Richie brought me here and it was the perfect spot to…read moregrab a quiet drink and catch up. Michael is a sweetheart and really knows his stuff when it comes to distilling! He's won a bunch of awards and has a great selection of spirits. They offer samples of anything you'd like to try and make bespoke cocktails to your tastes. I had a lemony gin cocktail -- similar to a gimlet -- made with their barrel aged gin. I'm a bit gin fan and have attended a lot of gin tastings so I have some firm favorites. This one is up there with the best. It's a really cozy space with room to hang out and chat at the bar or a high or low top. They also have a pool table. It was great to see some local art on the walls. At $10 a cocktail it's totally reasonable too. Pay them a visit!

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!

Photos
Goleta Red Distilling Company - This is Beauty- our 240 Gallon hybrid still and our workhorse

This is Beauty- our 240 Gallon hybrid still and our workhorse

Goleta Red Distilling Company - Mojito with an illegal straw

Mojito with an illegal straw

Goleta Red Distilling Company - Solid Gold before labeling

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Solid Gold before labeling

The Imperial - White negroni and 2 hot toddy's

The Imperial

4.5(205 reviews)
2.8 mi
•$$

I am lame and didn't make much conversation, but the bartenders made great drinks. I stopped in for…read moreone and left after my third. Good jazz music playing, dark, clean. Great bar!

What an amazing hidden gem in Goleta!…read more While visiting the town, we were looking for a lounge walking distance from our hotel. We found this cool spot via yelp. A for atmosphere. You are transformed into a tiki/tropical/ vintage/bohemian not sure what to call it atmosphere. Super mellow and chill. We sat at a corner couch across from the bar. Comfy and relaxing, and dim lighting. Drink menu was diverse. Great selection. From cocktails to all types of alcohol. With an average price range of $15. Bartender knew his craft. All drinks ordered were great! C for service. The service dept needs some help, and I get it, with one person serving 15+ people. It is impossible to provide a5 star service. Initially service was great with a smile when we first arrived @ 6 pm. But soon after the bar became super busy. The wait was 20-30 minutes for an order. It was time to leave. We asked for our check and it came non-itemized. If it was 2 or 4 drinks that would be fine, but we were party of 3 with over 10 drinks. Then we had to wait again after asking for an itemized check. Waiter stated they need to hand write as their "machine" was not working. That took more time than needed. Ahhhhhh.... Ah well.. you can't get it all. Hence the 3.5 stars. I recommend, to sit at the bar and maybe pay cash to avoid hurdles I experienced.

Photos
The Imperial
The Imperial - First Wednesday--yes, it's a thing.

First Wednesday--yes, it's a thing.

The Imperial

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Santa Barbara Cider Company - Cider! Traditional apple!

Santa Barbara Cider Company

4.7(121 reviews)
2.4 mi
•$$

Come out and support your local cider company in Goleta! This place is a gem if you are a cider…read morefan! Especially if you are looking for ciders that are dry rather than sweet! Plus they always have a rotating list of ciders. Great to see what's on tap every time I visit! When visiting this cidery they sometimes have entertainment. We visited on a Saturday night and were treated by a guitarist. He entertained us for several hours with a smile. Plus we always appreciate the games available! This cidery is hidden a bit. Located in Goleta in an industrial park behind a paint store. Sign on the street leads the path to the Santa Barbara Cider Company.

This Cidery is super cute! It's located in an industrial area of Santa Barbara near the airport and…read moreUCSB. I love the way it feels here, it's super casual and nicely decorated, it's a cozy vibe. Service was awesome! We couldn't decide on what we wanted so we sampled a few different ones before deciding on our choices. I love the names! Their processing of the ciders are on not on the sweet end. Resting Beach Face - Hibiscus Berry Tea - This was one of the sweeter ones and it was good. It wasn't as sweet as expected. BOT - Blood Orange Tea - this was pretty good, but the blood Orange flavor didn't really stand out. I had originally wanted to try the Apple Pie Cider because it sounds amazing but they didn't have it at the time we were there. Parking can be limited. The night we were there, they had a taco truck. Super convenient! Recommended!

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Santa Barbara Cider Company - Santa Barbara Cider Company interior

Santa Barbara Cider Company interior

Santa Barbara Cider Company - Interior

Interior

Santa Barbara Cider Company - Watermelon Cider

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Watermelon Cider

Keg N Bottle - exclusive 4 loko flavors

Keg N Bottle

3.2(38 reviews)
1.5 mi
•$$

I shop here for beer. I'm a big craft beer fan and always on the lookout for new types to try as…read morewell as my old favorites. Keg'n'Bottle's has plenty of both. The selection impressed me from the first time I walked in. Really, it was better than I expected for the tiny college eating/drinking/shopping/services area that is Isla Vista, even knowing there would be a large number of beer aficionados here. There is an entire aisle of refrigerator cases stocked with four- and six-packs of beer, and another aisle is half cold case, half unrefrigerated beer in cans and mostly large-format bottles. The breadth of brewing companies and styles presents beers from many countries and likely has something for every palate. I see a few one-star reviews and I can't speak to the experiences those people had. I can say that I have never felt I was treated rudely. Perhaps this is because I'm a graduate student, though that really shouldn't have anything to do with it. I also haven't had cause to ask any questions about selection, because I let the beers give me all the info I need. But I do make smalltalk with the employees while at the register, and it's always been fine. There's also an impressively large selection of other types of liquors, liqueurs, and mixers, and some snacks as well. I've seen quite a few interesting looking bottles I'd be interested in trying, if I had more time to drink (grad student) and more money (yeah, grad student). I hope this store survives the Covid-19 pandemic. For those who stay in IV, drinking may be a pretty appealing activity, so I expect it will.

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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Keg N Bottle
Keg N Bottle
Keg N Bottle

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M. Special Brewing Company - breweries - Updated October 2026

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