We walked down to Imperial Beach and heard that the locals like to hang out at Mike Hess Brewing of San Diego. Great relaxed environment close to the pier. We went before there was much happening. There was only a sprinkle of folks there. One 4 top had two smiling golden retrievers there. I was told they were regulars. The corn hole game is set up and lights are draped around the patio area. You order at the counter and take a number. However, a really nice fella came over to ask if we wanted any additional items. Very personable and engaging. And of course we ordered more items. BTW-Good luck with your band! I had a glass of rosé. It was a mighty pour and summer was in each sip. The guys had a beer or two. I ordered the Mike Hess Fish Taco and the Tropical Salmon. The tropical salmon did not seem as fresh as the others. However, the Mike Hess Fish Taco was delicious. I ordered a second one because it was so good. My husband's favorite was the spicy shrimp taco and the osso bucco taco. I sampled them and agreed they are worth the chew. I had a side of Frijoles de la Olla which rounded out the meal nicely. So many great salsas and sauces created an added level of tasty fun. We all had a great relaxing time together. read more

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"I can take you at this register," said the cashier...then, he proceeded to leave to go outside and do some work out there. I stood there, confused. When he FINALLY returned, he stood there-waiting for me to order. Well, I ordered the French Toast (which specifically states on the menu that it comes with MAPLE SYRUP). The mediocre French Toast was served with imitation syrup. When I asked about the Maple Syrup, I was told that "Oh, that's just for marketing." Okay... I also ordered a Breakfast Burrito which was by far the WORST I've ever had! Not only was it filled mostly with eggs, but the French Fries were dry, cold, and tasted old. For the meat, I replaced cthe bacon and sausage for chicken-YUCK! The chicken was undercooked and tasted like rubber. I spat out my Burrito THREE TIMES... I kept hoping for a better bite. The last bite had the distinct taste of "food poisoning," so I was DONE! I tried to get the taste out of my mouth with the "sour, old" tasting OJ. Needless to add: I will NEVER return to eat here... read more

Had a great experience here and it keeps getting better every time we come back. Esther and Jessica are always on it. Super attentive, quick, and you can tell they really care about making sure everything runs smooth. They've honestly become people we look forward to seeing when we come in. They take care of everyone the right way and keep the energy up without it ever feeling forced. Shoutout to Mike Hess as well for putting together a solid team and overall great experience. Good service, good vibes, and just consistently a place we enjoy coming back to because of them. read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

First...such a great collaborative spot with coffee and a huge outdoor seating area! The staff was friendly. The fish tacos were really good! Great beer selection also. read more

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We love it here. We don't frequent IB but when we do Mike Hess is a non-negotiable stop for us. Great staff, awesome outdoor seating, lawn games, fire pits, kid and pet friendly.... Can't ask for more! OH! AND the beers and cocktails and super cool coffee cart are super cold and refreshing. WAIT THERES MORE... the tacos * chefs kiss * the food is great. We've never had a bad meal here. Don't miss out. Don't go anywhere else... Mike Hess is a non negotiable stop in IB :) read more

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Mike Hess Brewery, Imperial Beach, CA location right by the beach is always a fun hangout. This brewery is outdoors only with enough seating for large groups and heating lamps, fire pits perfect for the chilly nights after the sunsets. We enjoyed their beer "Micheladas," (Mexican beer Bloody Mary) and their IPA beers. You can order delicious tacos with homemade corn tortillas and recommend the following: *Carnitas tacos (pork) *Surf and turf tacos *Mike Hess Fish tacos *Chicali Tacos (steak) *Mexican sweet churros They offer breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30am-11:30am. Bingo is available on certain nights. You can take a walk on the beach afterwards towards Mexico during the day. There are some hotels, shops, restaurants and desserts near Mike Hess. It's very close to the Imperial Beach Pier. We had great service. Check it out when in the area! Happy Yelping :) read more

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After a long day, our larger family was able to eat and partake in trivia night. Our food was prepared quickly and server was pleasant, despite our later arrival (just before last call for food orders). With the fire pits going, small clusters of patrons enjoyed their food and the music. We ordered the beer flight and I scored the glass to take home. I had two Ossobucco tacos, which were hearty with a tender meat and all the fixings. The kids had tacos, a hot dog, and fish and chips. The adults also ordered a tuna tower and a variety of tacos. The prices are reasonable - we just yearned for them to stay open a bit longer. read more

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This place is a go-to for me -- I'm here a few times every month, whether it's with family or meeting up with friends. The beer is great, the tacos are seriously delicious (my favorite is the crunchy shrimp!), and the atmosphere is always a good time. I also really like that you can order individually and keep your own tab -- it makes it super easy to just pay for your own stuff without having to split a bill. It's also a great spot for families since there's enough space for kids to run around a bit. The only downside is the ordering setup can be confusing. Sometimes there are servers, and other times you have to get up and order at the counter -- and on those days, the line can get really long. It's especially confusing if you're new, and even as a regular I'm not always sure what to expect. That said, I keep coming back, all of the time, because the food, drinks, and vibe are worth it. read more

Stopped in early afternoon for some tacos--and of course a beer. The vibe is super cool, with outdoor seating right by the beach, making it a great place to relax. The beer was solid, the food was delicious--what more could you ask for? Definitely a perfect spot to hang out with friends! read more

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Oh, this is a chain also. I don't normally review large chains, but if it's small enough for me to be unsure, then it's probably fair game. Got three tacos. I think it was the ossobucco, Hawaiian chorizo, and fish taco. They......errrr, they're not great. And with how easy it is to get good tacos around here, I don't think this quite passes. Out of the three, I would say the ossobucco was probably the best, between the meat, cilantro, and spicy green salsa. Even then, calling this "osso bucco" is......courageous. The chorizo was alright. The fish taco was probably the worst, slightly chewy fish with iceberg lettuce and tomato. Yum. I would review my drink, but I can't quite remember what I ordered. I can say that it was sour and has not much alcohol in it. read more

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Great food and beer with a great view. Walking distance to petco for a great pre game meal and drinks

Very dis appointed in food. Also service is not like it was couple years ago on our visit. Outdoor patio is nice. About it. For the price, it was very disappointing . read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Swimming in canned cheese. Not very pleased with food . Service from couple years ago has dropped to terrible. - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

One of the best fish tacos I've ever had...tortilla was warm and had a little crunch, while the fish was battered and deep fried to be light & airy with a perfect crispy coating. The dressing and cabbage were also just the right amount with creamy flavor. We went back another night before we had to head home to the Bay. Wish they'd open up a spot in the Bay Area too! read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - 3 Fish Tacos and 1 Surf & Turf...all delicious! - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

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by far my favorite restaurant in IB! Always consistent, always friendly, and fast service. I switch off between the tacos depending on what I'm feeling, but every single taco I've tried has been amazing. The birria is by far my favorite! 1 order comes with 2 tacos, so in this picture, we accidentally ordered 7 (3 for me, 4 for the other person) and left with 14 tacos Not complaining Can get busy on the weekends! If you don't mind a more relax, casual spot, this is it! read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

Got a taco and beers here well the Carne asada taco was Drowning In juice seriously wtf? It's an ok spot by the pier I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

Large restaurant with tons of outside seating a block from the beach. You order at the counter and they'll bring your food to your table. We ordered the fish, crunchy shrink, and spicy shrimp tacos. They were all good and loaded with toppings therefore more filling than they look. I really like the fluffy soft flour tortillas that they use. Tastes freshly made! read more

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Awesome as always. This is a must stop destination when visiting IB. Great selection of beers and the line cider blueberry pomegranate was amazing. Go. read more

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I didn't order food here just a strawberry lemonade! It was frozen slushy. Visit 12/10/24 Love the location. The seaport village is a beautiful one stop spot for San Diego Visitors. The bartender/cashier was nice. He made sure I stayed connected with my crowd when we all split. My teammates ordered lunch here. The tacos and chips looked yummy! They all seemed to enjoy their food read more

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Good tacos. So good been there twice in 2 nights in a row. 2 persons. Plenty of food. Night 1 $30 1 Crispy Shrimp 1 MH Fish 1 Surf & Turf 1 Holy-Viche. Came in a cup with good chips. Night 2 didn't do the viche again, it was good but didn't feel the need to repeat. $30 1 Crispy Shrimp 1 MH Fish 2 Surf & Turf 1 iced Tea Order at the kiosk. If you want water, you also need to ask for it then and there. They hand you a number. Self serve salsa bar has a red, green, onions, cilantro, and a few other options. Nothing to fret. Utensils are also there. Take a seat. Oh, when they flip the screen be ready for it starting at 18%. There is the "other" option. Amd on to-go orders you need to grab your own napkins. Pro tip - don't eat at the tables by the stairs up to the 2nd deck. The flies will kill you. read more

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Superb tacos and superb beer. First time visiting this location but I would say that the open concept by the beach is perfect on sunny days. It will get a little cold even with the space heaters so if you're staying past sunset bring something warm. Staff seemed to be very connected to the customers and were mingling and having a good time. As a visitor I could feel the strong local energy here and would definitely stop by when I'm around next time! read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Fish taco and Ossobucco - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

If you like Tex Mex, this is your spot, if you like seasoned food, keep it movin'. So bummed, this use to be a fav ! Maybe they forgot to order salt in their last restaurant depot order? read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Basic Birria - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

I came here for a work event on a Friday around noon. I love that you can order coffee or beer at the bar because I was certainly in a coffee mood however, a lot of my coworkers opted for the beer. You order the tacos a La carte so you can try a couple if you want. Service is quick you order at the counter and then they bring the food out to your table. The vibe is great. They have plenty of seating and games for kids to play and it's a really nice atmosphere. read more

Beautiful location however, terrible food presentation. Food was bad. I ended up throwing it out and going somewhere else. Not worth the value. Sunday, March 1st. 11:15AM. read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Beautiful location however, horrible food presentation. Not worth the value. Sunday, March 1st. 11:15am. - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

Birria tacos are 0/10 and shrimp tacos 0/10 Quality has gone down. Which is usual for a business once they get popular. Food has downgraded forsure . read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

Ate two salmon tacos and threw up. Even though we are by the ocean this salmon was not fresh. It could have been the green salsa from the salsa bar. Either way don't risk it. read more

Not sure what is going on with the food here. We've been here quite a few times and loved the food...then...went this past weekend and got my usual surf and turf tacos...there were 2 very tiny shrimp that were mushy in both my tacos...what happened to the nice size fresh shrimps with a crunch? Got the chips and guacamole and we got the bottom of the bag of chips...maybe had about 7 whole chips covering a bunch of crushed chips at the bottom...and the guacamole was lacking in flavor where I had to add some salt to make it palatable. Also got margaritas to go with our tacos and they were the worst margaritas I've ever had...they were so watered down and I don't believe there was any tequila in it at all. It's a shame because we used to love the food there. I gave it 2 stars because our service was good. read more

Such an awesome spot! Outdoor patio, pet friendly, great food & beers with a diverse selection. There's options for wine too. Trivia nights on Mondays @ 7pm are a lot of fun. Lead/manager Eric is great, he's Very attentive, helpful & really goes above & beyond for guests. Thank you Eric! read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Trivia night... (ft our mascot, experiment 626) - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

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Amazing food & fabulous beer- with friends & family! Serving some of the best beer! Service is amazing and family friendly! love it! read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Fantastic time - with friends & family! Great beer next to the amazing beach! Perfection! - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

Love love love this place! We drive 4 hours to this place and they never disappoint! Great spot to visit. Service is great and food is good too. read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

Service was okay. Nothing to complain about. The food though, was awful. I spent 50$ on 3 quesadillas, two of which were supposed to be hand made corn tortillas as described in the menu. Also ordered the tuna tower but really it was 2 ounces of tuna and 2 ounces of cucumber . No tower I tried to get a refund but the line was extremely long and I couldn't get anyone's attention since it was so packed. Again for 50$ I expected the quality to be a lot better. read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Part of the small portion of the tuna tower. They served me the nerves/ hard to chew. - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

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The only thing that could have made this better is a good view of the beach . I got to sample a few craft beers and then paired a beautiful Amber with my fish tacos a salsa bar good music excellent vibe the music wasn't too loud. How about that? Super love this place !!!! read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

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What a beautiful morning here at Mike Hess, Imperial Beach! It's sunny and the food is great, I highly recommend the crispy shrimp tacos 10 out of 10!!! Our server Jessica was so attentive and beautiful too! I will be back for sure! read more

Treated myself to tacos and a tasty beverage at the beach. Adrian, who took my order at the counter, was very personable, and let me sample several beverages. The. Sangria Spritzer that I love was not available at this location, so I opted for a hard blueberry lemonade, which was delicious. The gentleman who was running food brought my food up to the patio deck where I'm sitting, well, I'll never understand why runners/servers don't bus items nearby, especially when they have to go up and down a flight of stairs. But, that's not my problem, just an observation. Peaceful ambience, not crowded at 5:30 PM on Wednesday, exactly what I was looking for. I love the pint glasses. Wish those would be added to the other Mike Hess locations that I frequent in North Park and Alpine. read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

Here's the deal...as a local, I've been coming to IB Hess from the beginning, when the ground cover was decomposed granite, and the seating were picnic tables. Much improvements, with the 'sail' sunshades and artificial turf. But that is not what keeps me coming back. It's the wide range of tasty brews. Specifically AFP...assaulted by feathered pillows. The only time I've been disappointed at Hess, is when they're out of AFP. Not too hoppy, a bit hazy, and a whopping 8.0 ABV. I only wish it also came in cans for take-home purchases. Thanks for this marvelous brew, Mr. Hess! My favorite time to come is just after noon, and well before the evening, younger crowd saunters in, M-Th, when business is slower. Friday thru Sunday it can be crowded, and I avoid crowds. Popular place for folks to bring their pooches. My Golden (rip) spent her golden years woofing down plain chicken tacos. It's quite possible that her longevity (16 years) could be attributed to the food, which is pleasantly offered by a collaborative with 'Quiero Tacos' who serve a variety of delicious Mexican fare. My favorite? Frijoles Charros, with a pint of AFP read more

Casual dining spot! Loved the outdoor vibe and open air setting. Our tacos were really good!! loved being able to just order at the counter and not wait on a server. Nice hang out stop for apps or dinner when you're not feeling fancy. All the food was really good, mexi fries were delicious but not quite as elevated as the tacos and sides we ordered- more like a fair food with skinny fries and cheese sauce. Hubby said the beer was pretty good. Solid choice if staying close by! read more

Ordered the fish and chips. Fish was decent. Fries were super dry. Tried mayo and ketchup but still not adequate. Bus boy was rude.

Nice location and concept with an American version bier garden. Felt it's a 3 star join as it has some positive points and just okay points. Really liked the beer garden and setup with the corn hole. Ordering process either table via a red/red sign or at the counter. Found it a bit confusing as no one showed for about 5 minutes after we turned it to green and as I was getting up to go to the counter someone rushed over. Beer was fine, but found the selection limited. Felt had better coffee options than beer. Mexy fries with carne asada was okay. Jalapeños was nice and spicy, but the fries were a undercooked and limp. It said the cheese was ipa fondu, but tasted very bland. If they paid a little more attention to the food and service this place would me awesome! read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Beer garden - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

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I love this place and come frequently! The fish tacos are insanely good. The birria tacos amazing. The selection of beer and seltzers are great. Good location, good service, decent prices. Fun vibe. Good hours. Highly recommend Mike Hess!! read more

As a Latino from LA these tacos are amazing. My absolute favorite was the asada taco with the frijole and the fish tacos. Definitely recommend the red salsa over the green and the Vietnamese coffee stout was impeccable don't let some of these negative reviews fool you this place was great. Also Jose was an outstanding server with the great recommendations! read more

Tacos are fantastic. Beers are delish and cold. Ambiance is relaxing. All seating is outdoors and some fire pits in area. Wear warm clothing. The staff are great. Very friendly read more

Mike Hess Brewing - Imperial Beach - Chicali and fish tacos w flight - Breweries Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

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