Gilman Brewing is on Gilman in Berkeley, they have a small parking lot and there's usually street…read moreparking on the side streets. I've had their beers a few times, ranging from lights to darks, from IPAs to ciders and I haven't been disappointed by any of them. They usually let you sample before committing and the staff are friendly about helping you make a choice the fits your want. I've mainly gone when my wife's organization, Vets in Vans, has hosted events there. Apparently the owners of Gilman Brewing are veterinarians/former veterinarians so they continue to support a lot of causes including animal welfare causes.

The good: for me:: the apple cider on tap--I love that I could get delicious alcoholic cider fresh…read morefrom the tap, 5 stars. However, my experience of food was disappointing. I ordered a Cesar salad. The Romain lettuce must have been cut several days prior to me getting their salad.--see photo-- the edges that had been cut or bent--was orange colored. I went to show their server/order taker. He asked what I would like? I told him Brussels sprouts. He gave me an order for "free", but they were so charred that they were inedible (for me). I didn't eat them. Next time I will only drink here.

Fieldwork.... Day after day…read moreYear after year You continue to amaze me You put me in a haze Those were the days Now I am out of that phase And trying a variety of your IPAs....

Love how many beer options they have here -- great variety and generous pours. It's really fun to…read moretry different styles, and I definitely found a few I liked that I'd never had before. The pizza was surprisingly good. The kale pizza stood out with lots of garlicky pesto on top. The Fireball was spicier than expected -- the shishito peppers actually gave off quite a bit of heat. The dough is fluffy and the cheesy crust was excellent. Really liked trying Detroit-style pizza for the first time, and it paired well with the drinks. The space itself is very nice -- people come here to work, relax, or just grab a drink and a snack. It's family-friendly and they also have games, which made it fun to hang out and play a few rounds with friends after finishing our food and drinks.

The first time I went to Cellarmaker I was post-ride -- the particular kind of hungry and…read moredehydrated that makes any beer taste like the best beer you've ever had, which is why I don't fully trust that first impression. But the West Coast IPA was good, genuinely good, and the pizzas coming out of the kitchen to the tables around me looked like pizzas made by people who cared about pizza, and the outdoor area was the kind of setup that welcomes bikes and dogs without making a production of it. I made a mental note: come back sometime for food. "Sometime" turned out to be yesterday, which is how it always works, the places you mean to return to in a week take three months, and the ones you expect to take three months surprise you on a random afternoon when you're starving and nearby and out of excuses. We'd taken the dogs on a long hike through Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, which if you haven't done it is one of those East Bay hikes that makes you briefly forget you live in an urban area -- redwoods and eucalyptus and creek crossings and the kind of quiet that resets whatever the week did to you. By the end of it we were the specific kind of famished where menu deliberation is impossible and you just point at things and hope. We sat outside and pointed at things and everything we pointed at was excellent. The baked sweet potato--a Japanese sweet potato under miso butter, chili crème fraîche, bacon bits, crispy onions, scallions, and pea tendrils--is the kind of dish that sounds like it was assembled by a committee of trendy adjectives but actually works as a coherent thing you want to eat. The miso butter does the heavy lifting, that sweet-savory bridge that makes Japanese sweet potatoes sing, and the chili crème fraîche keeps it from tipping into cloying territory. Fifteen dollars for a side dish at a brewery is a number that would normally make me flinch, but the portion was generous and the execution was real. The summer squash tostadas--roasted zucchini, cherry tomatoes, avocado, pickled red onion, salsa macha, queso fresco, cilantro--were bright and crunchy and exactly the kind of thing you want after four hours in the woods. The salsa macha brought a nutty, smoky heat that elevated what could have been a forgettable veggie tostada into something I'd actually order again on purpose. And then there were the pickled vegetables. Cauliflower, fennel, zucchini, carrots. Seven dollars. Who pickles zucchini? Cellarmaker pickles zucchini, and it's delicious, and I'm annoyed that I now have to rethink my entire understanding of what belongs in a pickle jar. I had the Diamonds & Gasoline, a West Coast IPA with Nelson Sauvin and Cascade Cryo hops. The menu copy promises white wine and gooseberry and diesel-y grapefruit funk. What I'd tell you is that it's dank. Good dank. The kind of resinous, piney, vaguely illicit West Coast IPA that California does better than anywhere and that Northern California in particular has turned into a regional art form. I drank it and thought about the fact that I've started using the word "dank" to describe beer unironically and that I voluntarily hiked through redwoods on a Sunday afternoon and that I'm sitting outside a brewery in Berkeley with two dogs at my feet eating a Japanese sweet potato with miso butter on it. I am becoming a Northern Californian. This is happening. I lament nothing. The pizza will have to wait for the third visit. Wednesday, maybe -- they do a $12 slice-and-beer special that sounds like exactly the kind of deal that accelerates the conversion.

Nothing like having a beer before dinner…read more This is a place for a beer before dinner or a place to go for dinner/beers. The beer I had was tasty. The pizza smells from the kitchen were delicious. There were tables inside and outside to sit. Server was very friendly and willing to give samples. Don't forget about the arcade games! Bring your change or don't, they have a quarter machine. **protip: they have their own parking lot! Definitely recommend.

I've passed this place on my AM bike rides for many moons, yesterday was the opportunity to stop by…read morefor lunch. Heck yeah. This place checks all the (my) boxes... Nice folks. Really nice little oasis ambiance. Solid smashburger/fries. Plus? There was a sweetheart little dog (Remy), that added a little canine love to the equation. Thank you HB, I look forward to returning, and sharing a little space in the future.

Headland Brewing has a lot going for it - Beers were good, atmosphere was wonderful. The outdoor…read moreseating is spacious and pet friendly making it a great place to hang out with friends. The food, however, was a letdown. My friend had the pulled pork sandwich which he said was difficult to tell what kind of meat it actually was. The texture or the taste was not appealing at all. The pretzel itself was fresh and tasty but the mustard and cheese dipping sauces missed the mark and were not very enjoyable. The chicken sandwich was just ok - too much bread and not enough chicken. I'd come back for the beer and ambiance but skip the food.

As many craft beer aficionados are aware, Trumer will unfortunately be closing at the end of May…read more2026. While their iconic pilsner will live on through Firestone Walker, the Berkeley location and brewery are about to become a piece of local history. Setting aside the state of the industry, I want to pay tribute to a brewery that always paved its own way. They championed lagers long before they were considered "fashionable" by the craft mainstream. Although this was my first--and likely last--visit to the taproom, I'll truly miss having them as an option in Berkeley. I much appreciate the staff for staying in such good spirits and handling this difficult transition so stoically. I've attended many beer fests here (particularly CCBAs) long before the taproom even existed, and it feels like the end of an era. They still have plenty of beer, so if you're reading this in time, head over to support the crew. Grab some merch as a souvenir of what was a brave and historic project. Trumer, you will be missed.

My friends and I stopped by Trumer Brewery on a Saturday afternoon and the brewery was fairly…read moreempty. Prior to my visit, I've actually never had a non-Pilsner beer from Trumer. I was surprised to see so many different kinds of beers on their brewery menu; there's honestly a beer for everyone here. Although we didn't grab any food, we got a variety of different beers during our visit. My favorite beer that I ordered was a 8% high ABV coffee stout. Many coffee stouts tend to lean on the sweet side and have too subtle of a coffee flavor. However, I felt like the one from Trumer was well-balanced, and the coffee flavor was strong and distinct. I would happily order this beer again. The outdoor patio is great for large groups and anyone visiting with their dogs. Meanwhile, the inside is bright -- with multiple large TVs around the room broadcasting sport games, with plenty of seating and clean bathrooms. The staff we interacted with were super friendly and offered to give us samples of any beers we wanted to try out before ordering. As the afternoon got chilly, a staff member even stopped by where we were sitting and helped us get the fire pit running. If you're looking for a chill brewery to hang out at with refreshing, quality beers, Trumer Brewery is a great spot for that. I'll have to stop by again to try out some of their food.

I visited Match Point Brewing on July 25, the last Saturday the taproom will be open. I've had…read moreMatch Point's beers a handful of other times before out of cans, but this was my first time at the actual taproom. The taproom had a nice variety of Asian inspired beers on tap, including a masala chai amber lager and Vietmanese coffee lager. Compared to Dokkaebier, another brewery that specializes in Asian inspired beers, I find that the beers by Match Point are much bolder in their flavors. Simon -- the owner of the brewery, and the other staff member working that day were both very friendly and knowledgeable about all the beers. The space itself is perfect for large groups. It's a real shame the brewery will no longer be around. Albany is really losing out on an incredible business.

Match Point is such a brewery gem. Simon, one of the owners, was working when I came in with my pup…read moreand was such a pleasure to speak with. I had a great time sampling the Mandarin Ale, Jasmine Lager, Vietnamese Coffee lager, season Plum, Hojicha Cream Ale, and Masala Chai Ale. I loved how fragrant and refreshing the beers were. It's also nice that it is attached to 310 Eatery , which has a variety of American and Asian dishes to enjoy with the beers. My favorite beers were definitely the Jasmine lager, Vietnamese coffee lager and hojicha cream ale. Sad they'll be closing on July 26, but glad there beers will be available at select locations in the area.

I have a personal goal to try all the beer places in the East Bay area. I've been to most of the…read morebreweries in Berkeley (Gilman, Great Notion, Fieldworks, Headlands), some in nearby cities (Match Point, East Brothers, Fraction), and I've been wanting to check out this taproom because of the good reviews online. I don't consider myself a beer connoisseur, but I like trying different beers and ciders so this place was right up my alley. I had a friend visiting Berkeley from out of town so we came here to hang out and catch up. One thing that stood out to me is this place, because it's a taproom and not a brewery, is open later than the other beer places in the East Bay. Many choices of beer and cider on tap. I tried the ginger peppercorn cider and it was very unique, I've never had a cider like this flavor, it's almost like a cross between ginger beer and cider. My friends enjoyed various beers on tap. The place is pretty small but very clean and cute. I like that you can choose from 10 oz or 16 oz pour, so people like me can try more varieties in smaller portion than just drinking one boring thing. I like variety. The all you can eat popcorn was a hit with our little group. The truffle flavor really elevates the popcorn and it goes well with beer! There's so much free parking in this area at night... super convenient... although it scared me for a minute when I couldn't find my car in the very empty street lot, before I realized I was another block farther down. This area of Berkeley feels pretty safe at night even at 11pm. Good place. I would definitely go again!

Came here for a quick little beer and it was exactly what I wanted…read more Walked in around 3:30pm on a Saturday and the place was so quiet - i loved that! It was the perfect spot to sit and think a bit before planning my next move. The bartender was great and friendly! I ended up with a delicious sour beer and sat and chilled. Cute little 20 minutes spent at Hoi Polloi. I'm sure ill be back when needing a little break from life to sip on a yummy sour.

"The Cutest Beer Garden in Northern California?"…read more I had no idea what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by this little brewery. This is a small, incredibly cute little brewery and beer garden right on San Pablo boulevard. They have a lot of nice indoor seats, as well as a large patio outside. The friendly bartender says they sometimes have live music. Today, I got a Pilsner pint for $9. Just what the doctor ordered! Check out your cute little brewery, as well as their outside seating area. There is not really an ocean view. That was the original name of this town. Thanks for adding such a wonderful feature to this town.

I wanted to get brunch and ended up here because there was no seats next door really. Ambiance…read moreinside seems cool, small patio area next to the street. They do have a coffee/ espresso machine here. Service was okay, pretty much order at the front and they bring it to you. Pay at the bar when done. Service was okay didn't feel anything special, pretty casual.