Fun place but parking is awful. The neighborhood is a bit unsavory. Their food truck game needs work. The two previous times I went, the food wasn't that great. Other than that, it's a good time. The beer is alright. You can get pony growlers and regular growlers of what they brew. There's yoga and trivia on Sunday. read more

If you don't like MacLeod ale brewing, you don't like real beer. It's simple. You can go wherever you want in the world, and I promise you, this spot will stack up to the best of them. MacLeods is an unapologetic purveyor of fine British and Scottish ale. They go to extreme lengths to pursue the quality and authenticity of real ale. The cask conditioned ale served here transcends the everyday concept of "having a beer" while still maintaining an approachable atmosphere that sets itself apart from a "craft brewery". ESB, porter, ales, and stouts on a regularly rotating schedule. There is literally no aspect not to love here. It's worth the trek. It's worth any journey. Best of luck. read more

Macleod Ale Brewing - Joe don't dent the bus, extra special bitter. Not bitter at all. But it is special. - Breweries Near Me - Van Nuys, California

The Vegan Pizza is delicious!! I had to review because of a dining experience I just had. Just ate vegan pizza at a vegan pizzeria on Hollywood Blvd. The entire time my friends and I were talking about how much better MacLeod's pizza was. And Macleods pizza was way less pricey, not to mention it has the best beer in LA to accompany it. I think that says a lot. read more

With some time to kill between our drive back from King's Canyon and dinner, we stopped in to have a couple beers and hang out. The first thing the bartender did was offer us free food (some tasty roasted brussel sprouts that the food truck had given away before leaving for the day). That is pretty much the definition of starting off on the right foot. And the service was super friendly and helpful for the rest of our visit as well. Plus, there are lots of tables to enjoy your beer and play board games with your friends (our selection: 90s Trivial Pursuit). But of course, a review of a brewery wouldn't be complete without some discussion of the beer. They're making British-style cask ale, naturally carbonated, and served at cellar temperature. In other words, their beer would not turn those mountains on the Coors Light cold-activated can from white to blue. (But needless to say, it tastes a hell of a lot better than Coors Light. And are they even still making that can/advertising gimmick?) I like British styles of beer--which are generally a bit maltier than the typical American craft brew in addition to having a tighter foam from the cask and a warmer serving temperature--so I was a fan of most of the beers they had on tap when we visited. Admittedly, a couple of the beers didn't tickle my fancy (one was particularly watery for instance), but at $2 for a rather generous sample, it was worth trying them all before picking a pint. read more

This is a rather fun taproom in an appropriately industrial-ish corner of Van Nuys, with live music on the evening I was there. I especially liked the 60 shilling ale (aka the King's Taxes), which had a slightly funky note to it. The Cutting Bracken brown was nice and smooth, for those who would like a simpler flavor, but still rich and malty. The bartenders are pleasant, and the crowd very typical for taprooms - relaxed and happy. Definitely worth trying, especially considering it's just about the only place to get British Real Ale cask beers in town. read more

Love that Van Nuys has a local brewery, and not only that, but it's insanely cool! Great staff, great vibe, and pretty decent beer. Personally, I love their stouts. Their hand cranked nitro makes them especially cool! It's a bummer that they don't have food, but they'll have a food truck out front on certain nights, which is cool. I've also seen people get food delivered which is a great idea too. Personally, I think it's a good excuse to visit Outlaws burgers, which is around the corner and has an amazing burger.. but no beer. Luckily MacLeod's filled that gap! read more

Great beer, great prices, great atmosphere. Love how close it is to my place, and it's great to be able to bring your own food and board game it up. I hope this place is open forever. read more

I give this place a 5 star review, but let's start with the only negative I can think of: Parking - Unfortunately it's scarce 'round these parts. What makes it worse is the tax hungry city we live in, who has no problem handing out $95 parking tickets if you park on a close street nearby. (Just pay attention, like I should have and you'll be fine.) Okay - That's out of the way and the rant is over. MacLeod's is a fucking awesome place! The beer is delicious, they always have a great variety on tap. They also bring in guest taps and bottles, so hey, there are plenty of options. MacLeod's is doing a lot to build up a community through various beer and non-beer related activities: Saturday Yoga. Drawing classes. You name it! The Food Trucks are good. The place is Dog friendly, which rocks. Every person I've interacted with who works there is down to earth and totally awesome. I'm really glad this place exists! read more

Traditional cask conditioned ale! Appreciate all the innovation in beer brewing over the past few decades but when you want an inspired, perfectly executed traditional ale, MacLeod's is a godsend. read more

Brew has FINALLY made it's way to the 818! We've been waiting over a year for this little frosty startup and it finally arrived, with a kilt-wearing flourish. Huge trepadation on our part - I'll admit my husband Ty and I are beer snobs. No palate for wine ...but beer? You bet your hops. We rolled in on a weeknight and laughed because lately it seems all the best brewers in L.A. are opening in "transitional" neighborhood. MacLeod's shares the street with auto repair and other industrial neighbors. But I digress. The most important thing is their beer. A-MAZ-ING! Best stout for miles. British style brews with a rustic character. Try a flight to find your favorite. Nice owners, family feel. Totally unpretentious. Winner winner, we're having beer for dinner. Why 4 out of 5 stars? Make sure to check their website before heading over - we tried it once without looking online and found out they'd run out of beer. It's a good news/bad news kind of thing. Oh and one last thing. Don't tell anyone about MacLeod's. Let it remain our little secret. JUST KIDDING!! ;-) read more

Amazing Cask Ale! Exceptional vibes! If you're thinking of checking it out, go on a Monday night. Monday's the pints are $4!!! They also have a promotion going, where you pay a one time fee of $449, and you receive unlimited pours for a year. It's called the "Punters" club. Look it up and join, worth every penny!! They also have homemade food, and a great selection of food trucks, and caterers to enjoy while having a pint. This is a 5 star place, with 5 star beer!!!!! read more

Delicious beers, friendly vibe, and a great space. Not the closest brewery for me, but I'll definitely be back.

I don't always drink beer, but when I do it has to be from Macleod! I love the homey feel, everyone is always so kind and welcoming. No matter what beer I try, I love it! Dog friendly. Board games, darts, you name it they have it! They even have awesome merch!!! Oh, And to top it all off they have my favorite food truck Holy Moly every so often. This place is just Awesome. read more

Came here with a bunch of friends on Friday and it was quite busy! The area outside of the brewery is a bit residential so I thought I was given the wrong address but no I wasnt! They play lots of different music at the same time (including bag pipes!). They allow pets and children and they have many board games! I forgot what beer I got but I liked it a lot. There was a BBQ food truck out in the parking lot. There is not much parking around this area so you might have to go 2-3 blocks area from the brewery. read more

The neighborhood gem. This place has the best crowd and honestly there is always some sort of cool food place show casing there appetizers. It feels like family because if you come here a few times you will see the place filled with regulars and everyone is very easy to talk to and inviting read more

Macleod Ale Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Van Nuys, California

A hidden Oasis's in the Valley....A must if you are visiting Southern Cal. or passing through the Valley. A Great Safe & friendly environment, the beers are out of this world. Awesome place to go on a date, hang out, chili with family, or celebrate with your team mates or friends. Thanks for the first class service JC and I can't wait to get back to southern cal. or please bring MacLead to Hawaii. Oh by the way the little pig roaming around pretending his friendly lol will make a great Luau next time. I am just saying :) read more

This is the most homey brewery I've visited. We went on a Saturday afternoon and it was full and lively. Tons of special events every day from darts league to yoga to drawing classes. They have free peanuts and it's the kind of place where you can just toss them on the floor. The bartenders were helpful and friendly. There was a sausage stand with vegetarian/vegan options too- a plus for me! Overall a really awesome experience. Not to forget the beer, I got a flight and everything I had was good. Nothing stood out to me but I enjoyed it. The con: parking can be difficult and it's not in a nice neighborhood. read more

This is our favorite neighborhood spot. The beer is always good, the servers are friendly, and the lines move fast. They have food trucks every day, and recently they've started serving their own pizza! We had the haggis pizza last time and were very satisfied. The parking isn't great, so I recommend taking an Uber over. Especially good for Scottish events like Tartan Day. My favorite beer here has to be the Two Pints of Heavy, aged in Laphroaig barrels. 10/10 would recommend the beer and the bar. read more

My favorite brewery in Los Angeles! They have the best stout and brown ale. Lots of breweries in LA do not brew browns and they do and it's so good. They also have the best pizza that I just tried yesterday. Everyone is so friendly and the music is always good. Parking sucks but it's okay; we will always come here for the beer anyway. :) read more

I'm born and raised in the San Fernando Valley and let me tell you that I've been on a brewery mission throughout So. Cal and this lil gem in Van Nuys is amazing. Good prices, good ambiance, and even though I didn't order food, it looked amazing. I recommend this place highly if your on the east side of the valle and want to get a good Ale, IPA, hazy, or a light lager. The only thing is seating is first come, first serve or your in the standing room read more

So this place is super cool! My friend and I went on a Monday evening and the vibe "naturally" was pretty chill. But I loved the place because they had a wonderful selection of beers from sours (my favourite) to IPA's. Also, if you're into playing darts and giant Jenga with your mates then this is definitely a spot to check out! Did I mention the free beer gift wall?! read more

Cool local brewery. Nutty Broon and the Tar were good brews. Allistar is a good dude as well. Really relaxed atmosphere. Board games and free peanuts. read more

Macleod Ale Brewing - My Tar and some peanuts. - Breweries Near Me - Van Nuys, California

This place is an amazing oasis of great beer in an unusual setting. The folks who pour the wonderful lagers, ales and stouts that are Brewer in house are friendly and witty. There is one gentleman who hangs out there is like an old time beatnik philosopher. He knows more relevant, yet trivial, information than you can shake a stick at. Get there before it gets too popular. read more

I was ecstatic to find a place that serves cask ales but was treated like complete and utter shit. We had ONE ROUND of beers, were not being obnoxious whatsoever, and then got cut off as we were ordering our second round. I will happily admit when I'm being a drunken ass and I can honestly say that my friends and I were not being inappropriate or misbehaving at all. For the life of me I cannot fathom why we got cut off and then kicked out. If being in a good mood gets you kicked out of a bar then I guess I'll be a somber, bitter bore who brings my baby to watch me get drunk (every other patron there). FYI we went to another bar afterwards and were served for HOURS so yeah, apparently we really deserved to be cut off after one beer. read more

Im more of a rum drinker i stumbled in here after a photoshoot. The bartender recommended the "wee heavy" excellent choice and one of the investors gave me 2$ off my next beer!! You need to stop by if you're in the area great kabob truck outside too read more

Macleod Ale Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Really cool spot in the valley. They only serve beer, sparkling drinks, and peanuts. However there's a food vendor every day. Aaaand if you ask the workers, they'll hand you a folder filled with menus of nearby restaurants so you can have food delivered. I didn't drink because I was recovering from a dental procedure and I was told to stay off alcohol. So I feasted on the peanuts and cheese from the vendor of the day. The atmosphere is awesome! Everything is chill and laid back. There's plenty of board games available. You can throw your peanut shells on the ground. Will def be coming over here more of read more

Loved the place and had a great time with friends. The pizza is good, the beer is good - my only complaint is parking. Parking is hell.

A gem in an industrial area of Van Nuys, it feels like you're walking into someone's garage to hang out, drink some brews and listen to some good music on the stereo. MacLeod's specializes in the "True" British Ales, getting the cask treatment. I got the King's Taxes (Scottish 60) and Jackie Tar (Brown Stout) and both were delicious. Really cool that you can get actual pints and even half pints as well. Bartenders were fun, helpful dudes. I will be coming back here again and again for sure. Not much in the way of food here, but they will sell you crackers (at least four different varieties) if you want to bring your own cheese. They also will have food trucks outside if you get hungry though. read more

We went recently to here a fiddle player from Cape Breton. It can be a bit challenging to find parking, but the owner directed us to a spot in front of a business across the street. The music was great. Everyone was friendly. I don't drink, so I cannot speak to the beer, but a friend liked it so much the got some to take to their Thanksgiving dinner. read more

Best Beer EVER! I have never had a favorite drinking spot, but MacLeod's takes the prize!! The place could not be any more inviting!! It's far from the standard bar! The vibe reminds me of the awesome coffee houses that existed before Starbucks ruined them all. FLIGHTS, FLIGHTS, FLIGHTS (Some know these as sampler platters). You can't do any better!! The beer here is so good that you'll wonder why you ever drank anywhere else!! I think its all their own brews. I met the owner, an incredibly nice guy who has clearly poured his blood, sweat, and tears into creating a unique tavern experience. He hit a grand slam with this place!! I LOVE IT!! It does get super crowded, and neighborhood parking sucks, but its totally worth the experience! read more

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Here is another simply fantastic small craft brewery. Don't expect to find a West Coast IPA or other hop bomb, the beers here are traditional English style ales, served at a civilized 54 degrees. Not only is the hop level restrained in these beers, but so is the alcohol level. The strongest beer was 5.4% on the day we visited. Full or half Imperial pints are poured as well as generous taster pours in the half pint glasses. Free peanuts are available to snack on, and bring along a block of Stilton, Cotswold, or Wenslydale. They have free crackers for your cheese. There is street parking only, and the competition for spots is fierce. Plan on walking a block or two. read more

I've been hearing about MacLeod's for awhile now but due to my exodus from the valley, I've never gotten around to going til this past weekend and, pretty cool! The place is in the industrial side of Van Nuys but don't let that intimidate you, they have a very friendly walk in bar with some tables and counter space, they were also grilling some bangers which were donation only for a whole meal which not sure if that's something they regularly do, was still a nice accommodation to go with their all-english style beers. But lets talk beer shall we? I ordered the flight which seemed like the logical thing to do, first time at a brewery? Try them all. They were currently serving on tap Their Session Gap Bitter, Little Spree (Yorkshire Pale Ale), King's Taxes (60/-), Jackie Tar (Brown Stout), Oak-Aged Jackie Tar, and The Crisis (English Pale Ale). All of them were very easy drinkers and low in ABV but my personal favorite was The Crisis. It had a nice citrus and tropical scent on the nose and an easy slightly hoppy taste, refreshing for the summer. They were also talking about a beer they are currently BBA'ing, their nutty broon, can't wait to try that. Anyhow as far as craft breweries in the Valley goes, this is your spot. Come on down! read more

The place you want, where everybody knows your name! San Fernando valley's first independent brewery, with a variety of beers from traditional cask ales, draft, and nitro pours! Hand crafted beers with full flavor and you can taste the appreciation that went into crafting them. The beertenders are friendly and cool to Talk to, if you have any questions about their beer just ask the staff, they are happy to explain and help you make a choice! Stop by and say hello, have a drink or two, I promise you'll be back! read more

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I can't believe that it took me almost three years to find this place! Cool atmosphere, friendly staff and good beer choices. While I am partial to hoppy IPA's and dark beers I had no problem finding some choices I liked. Parking can be a little challenging but this is why Lyft is for. The added benefit is that one can have a few more pints. Currently there are only peanuts, food trucks, or take out as food options. Can't wait for the promised Pizza options on the menu. I will be back soon and will bring my thirsty friends. Hopefully MacLeod's is the harbinger of many more of similar places in this part of town. The Valley needs it's own Funkzone! read more

Great Beers, Great People, Great Atmosphere! Luv the Peanuts & the food trucks that you can count on being there almost ever evening! Round of drinks and a fun game!!! Count me in & meet you there! read more

Super chill and friendly bar staff..loved the overall relaxed vibe and of course great tasting beers..Big thanks to Jerry for welcoming us right in for our first time and giving us those $2 off pogs..definitely a nice touch you don't see.. we look forward to paying you guys another visit! read more

Watching this establishment continue to grow has been one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had living in Van Nuys. The place is always buzzing with a positive vibe and the staff always makes you feel like home. Recently they've started serving pizza and it has to be one of the most tasty slices in all the valley. Never a bad spot weekday or weekend, a true treasure of the valley cheers! read more

Solid! 1st time back since 1st month they were open...I've stayed away because I'm not a fan of English Style beers, especially the temperature. Now they have a full set of English style as well as casks AND West Coast IPAs and porters and ales!!...$7-8/ pour is a bot bit steep from the brewery, but they gotta pay the Bill's! Definitely a place to check out in the Valley. Enjoy! read more

I really like this place! Friendly Staff and Owners, nice atmosphere, and good beer. Also, they specilaize in Casc brewing. You can bring in food! They often have a Food Truck. read more

Really, Really, Really wish this place was closer to my home. I will make the effort to drive a considerable distance to come have the beer they have on tap here. Particularly, I was happy to find a variety of cask beers on engine. The beers themselves are of the UK persuasion and there seemed to be more than a couple ex-pats wetting their whistle. I'm a big fan of the UK ale styles and I wasn't disappointed, from the dry hopped session lager to the Browns and Stout. Steady food offerings from local trucks turns this into a one-stop shop. I'll be back, it may be far but it's closer than England. read more