A fun newer spot to Santa Barbara, this brewery offers awesome beer, great food, friendly service, and a nice atmosphere. This spot continues to bring me back for all of these reasons. I have tried multiple items on the menu and they are all fantastic. The buffalo cauliflower is especially great. Their variety in beer is refreshing without being overwhelming. A nice touch is their walk in cooler that has a number of nonalcoholic options and other fun drink options. This spot has something for everyone with an outdoor area with bags, and a tv wall with many options to watch sports. Whether you are a visitor or local, this spot is a must see. read more

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We had a delicious fresh pretzel for October fest! The chicken sando spicy or grilled is delicious!

WOW!!? We came for the beer, but we got was entertainment from a local band (I believe they were from UCSB) called Mind Funk! Great music, great food (even though we only had the appetizers (tater tots and cauliflower with blue cheese) we had some very tasty beers. We might have been the oldest people there, we actually fit in. Lol read more

This is my new favorite place in SB. Great drinks, great food, great vibe, great concept. Bartenders were on top of it. Could stay there all day. 10/10 read more

Solid beer variety. Great taste. Burger was great. Love the indoor/outdoor space. Would totally come back. read more

Validation Ale - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

These guys know beers. Love the whole vibe and what they are doing. 10/10. Nothing like any other brewery

This is one of my new favorite bars in town! I'm always on the hunt for breweries with corn hole and this one has two sets! I was surprised that there weren't too many people playing but we were able to get a little tournament going. They also had a great selection of beers, even kombucha beer. The bathrooms were all gender neutral and kept clean with fancy Dyson hand washing stations. I highly recommend stopping by if you're in the area. read more

Validation Ale - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I usually go to Figueroa Mountain on Friday & Saturday nights between 7-10 pm, due to their great live music, & even more importantly, the exceptionally kind & courteous staff & owner...not only toward me, but my beloved canine companion. 2 weeks ago, during the band's break between sets, I went out to walk around the block with my dog, when she decided to lead me into Validation Ale, which is only a block away. I'd been there before, briefly, where the staff had been very nice toward both of us...but they had live music this time, so we stayed longer than I'd intended. The band was good, but too loud, for which we were already prepared with our earplugs from when we were at Fig Mtn, where it's also too loud. Being in the health care industry, I can't fathom why they turn it up so loud, & unlike us, most patrons don't protect their ears at all, exposing themselves to life-long hearing loss & tinnitus. This was when my dog went toward one of the servers, who was so smitten, she went to get her camera, by which time my dog had already been lured by someone else, so I let her know I'll make sure she gets a photo later. Soon, 2 very nice Canadian tourists sat at my table, & started asking me questions about my dog's exceptional behavior, & living in SB. As I was telling them how amazing & especially dog-friendly SB is, a man approached me, yelling over the loud music, rudely interrupting my conversation with the tourists, telling me that the music was too loud for my dog, & that she's clearly not happy. Stunned by his assumptions (& arrogance), I calmly & curiously asked him how did he conclude that? He said because her tail is tucked. This dumbfounded me even more, so I told him a) she was laying down & almost asleep, b) that's her tail's normal position, & c) I know my dog's behavior better than him (or anyone), & she's totally fine. As he walked away in a huff, this surprised the tourists immensely, not only because of what he'd done, but because of what I'd been telling them when he came over. I told them what they'd just witnessed was highly unusual, & not to judge the establishment nor SB by it...when the same server who wanted the photo earlier, came over & tersely interrupted us as well, telling me, point blank, that we had to leave the building, because I'm hurting my dog with their loud music. I didn't (& still don't) know what the connection was between these 2 people, but as I stared at her with my mouth agape, she added that I could sit outside if I want (where it was so utterly cold, not one person was there). But by this time, I'd had enough of this joint, & I told her calmly but firmly that I had NO intention of staying there another minute...nor would I EVER come in there again. Period. As I left, I told the tourists I was going back to Fig Mtn (which I appreciated even more than before), where they came shortly after, & we danced & had infinitely more fun than anyone ever could at Validation Ale. read more

Had a Mo Frosty cold IPA. Fresh, friendly, fun game spot outdoor or inside. Great place for Saturday night pop in and out

Came here with a friend and we both enjoyed it. Ordered the Karaage nuggets and they were so good, definitely ordering them again next time. My friend ordered the truffalo cauliflower and she liked them. The mexi-lime lager was 10/10 too. Service was great. We sat by their big windows facing the lucky penny and it was entertaining to people watch. We went there to catch up and it was a bit hard to hear because they were hosting a trivia night I think, but it wasn't crazy loud. read more

Validation Ale - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

In the funk zone... friendly and attentive staff. I had the mead which I really liked. My fiancé had a flight that he enjoyed. Loved people and dog watching! read more

Validation Ale - Beer flight - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Very friendly staff they'll come in and check on you to see if you need anything else . They are able to take your order directly or at the counter. It's a super dog friendly place with plenty of room. read more

Validation Ale - Great place for the pups. Lots of open space and artificial grass rest area. The staff is very friendly. - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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This place is a must go when in this area. Not only are their beers amazing, their lobster roll was perfection. Ladies working were sweet, but they were none stop working. Will return to Santa Barbara for this place. read more

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Came here for the first time the other evening with a large group and I'm surprised it took so long for me to visit--as a micro-influencer you'd think I'd seek out Validation in all situations! Jokes aside, it seemed like a cool place to check out. We were happy there were multiple places for parties of 10, and that we could easily order AND pay via a QR code on the table. So, despite some downfalls I do suggest coming here if you have a big party who all wants to pay separately. Another highlight was definitely the beer. I'm not big on IPAs but I was able to build a full flight that avoided them entirely. I loved each beer in the flight and will definitely be back for more! I also love the idea of the available list being based on popularity--a cute nod to the theme of "Validation." Where they truly lost points was the food. Nearly everyone was disappointed in their meal, some leaving entire plates of food behind. Here were the dishes I remembered: Buffalo Cauliflower: These were desperate for some breading. They were soft and limp and didn't hold the sauce well at all. PLEASE bread your buffalo cauliflower! Kale Salad: The kale was totally dry with just a drizzle of dressing. Kale is bitter when plain, you really need to massage in the dressing for it to be palatable. My friend who got it with salmon said the salmon saved it, so something to consider. Fried chicken sandwich: My friend took one bite and was done. Chicken was dry and the breading was flavorless. He said he needed too much water to get it down. Shrimp and chips: This was fine! Crisp and not too rubbery, cooked well. The sauce was key though, as this suffered from the same breading issue as the fried chicken. Truffle Fries: Small portion with nothing to dunk it in. It was fine, but pretty plain. Tots: the best thing we got. Perfectly crisp and golden brown. Definitely prefer this to the fries! For a simple snack with a beer, it's not the worst. But overall pretty plain and dry. I'll be back for beer, but I think the kitchen needs more time to get its sea legs. Excited to see this place evolve and I'll update my review if future visits yield better results on the food front. read more

The service was good. I went with a friend to eat something since they were having a 2 year celebration and they had roasted 2 pigs. It was 20 dollars per ticket which ended up being very overpriced with what you were given. The only thing I enjoyed was the chicharron. The pork sandwiches were not good at all. If this was supposed to be something special I think they probably should have cooked something else or got a professional to do this since I have had much better pork sandwiches elsewhere. The Mac and cheese was also horrible my fiancé did not eat more than 2 bites. read more

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4.5 stars rounded to 5. We got a beer, tater tots and fries pickles. Beer was great. Their live gaming system is unique and great. Selection is awesome w different types. Service was good and pricing was reasonable. Vibes (ambiance) was on point. Great place to chill and hang on a nice evening or hot summer day. Tater tots were great but the pickles were terrible. It was a bit too sweet and they were just nasty oily. Definitely worth a visit for brews and vibes. Food could be hit/miss. Some days they have live music but they did not on the Friday night that we went. read more

Awesome beer sopes and service! Would go again and again. It's a nice way to end the day! read more

Truly enjoyed the Cold IPA! Refreshing and hoppy with a few flowery notes. This was a great stop for a quick beer on our way home. We'll have to come back and try the food, but the beer and enjoying the window into Santa Barbara was a great way to end our day. read more

Validation Ale - Cold IPA - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Beer is mediocre, and the cost is astounding. I know that place is expensive to lease, but 10 bucks a beer??? Nah, man.

Fun family friendly brewery in the funk zone. Did not eat but the menu looked very solid. Friendly and helpful staff.

Met a few friends here for an impromptu drink around 5 on a Friday. It's a really nice space and the servers are friendly. You can order from your phone while sitting at the table and both food and drink arrive quickly. They have a walk-in where customers can grab their own cans of cider, beer, kombucha, etc. We tried the tater tot nachos and ribs and everyone was happy. The bathrooms are for all genders and very clean- I especially liked the built in hand dryer at the sink. read more

Beer was good!!! And salmon salad was great, perfectly cooked! The nacho tots were extremely salty, maybe just a bad batch, they would be great without all the salt! Will definitely come back and give it another try! read more

Validation Ale - Salmon Salad - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I only write honest reviews and I really can say after being born and raised in Santa Barbara that there is a real lack luster selection of bars and restaurants for how great our city truly is... Validation Ale is a proven exception to this for sure! 5 reasons why? 1. It's small business owned as a new career venture, and ownership is a very honest & very friendly couple who settled here in our town. They spared no expense to make this brewery world-class - through both its architecture and technology. The menu is an interactive screen playing on gamification and the the entire display of the place throughout is just truly unique. You'll have to see it for yourself. They really invested in our community so I think their definitely worth checking out! 2. I am a BIG sports guy and the owner saw me watching my broadcast on my phone - in which she immediately got to work with her staffs help to project it onto the many TVs they have on display there... they have DirecTV and paid coverage of all the sporting packages too, so it's a great place to catch a game if you don't or are visiting. 3. The place again looks amazing, the details are awesome, you're literally in the brewery, and the garage doors and videos + photos displaying the construction are all very neat for customers to see the full transformation. 4. The food is actually really good! Not common for breweries to have food nor for it to be that noteworthy but I tried the Wagyu Tri-Tip Sando and it was great!! 5. And yes, the beer is Great too!!! - great selection no matter your palette, but I will say I am a rare exception of liking darker beers, so my only "wish list" item would be adding a Porter (selfishly) read more

This hot new spot in Santa Barbara is a brewery-lover's dream! My friend was getting married in Santa Barbara over the long weekend, and she was supposed to have her rehearsal dinner at a different spot. However, they cancelled on her with very little notice, and Validation Ale stepped in to deliver a top-notch experience. They roped off a section of the brewery for us, gave us each 2 drink tickets, and were very prompt in serving us our food. All the food was really delicious, and I especially loved the salad and wing appetizers. The staff was extremely helpful and friendly, and it is a great atmosphere with the roll up doors. The competition on the board to see which beer wins out is also very fun. I would go back in a heart beat! read more

Validation Ale - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

A fabulous addition to the Funk Zone neighborhood. From the moment I walked in my experience was stellar. Validation, your bartender Alvin is an incredible ambassador for your brand. He talked me through the concept of the brewery and let me know about all the vast options you offer. From beer to the extensive selection of hard seltzers and kombuchas, there was an option for any patron that would visit your establishment. The vibe was fantastic and the service was unparalleled in the funk zone. I had the smash burger with a lettuce wrap, which was fantastic. I was blown away by the selection of beer and non beer options. Will definitely be making this place a go to in the Funk Zone. read more

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Fabulous place one of the best in Santa Barbara! Emma made our visit so memorable and will definitely come back to ask for her!! Beer selection is great and food is excellent. Great atmosphere and they also serve hard alcohol! Highly recommend! read more

I am very impressed with this place! The spacious seating feels open and comfortable. The design and decor was done extremely well. The concept of validation of the the in-house beers was unique and cool. Essentially, the customers choose which flavor is brewed there, based on popularity. The in-house ales are fresh and consist of unique tastes, like the spiced double IPA. Furthermore, The vibe is incredibly chill. Plenty of TVs with live sports games playing. Most important the food was delicious. I recommend the smash burger and the tri tip sandwich Philly cheesesteak style. Both were full of flavor and texture. I love the sweet and spicy (mild) combination in the burger especially. My better half loved the fried pickles, made in-house with a sweet kick. The staff were all friendly and demonstrate excellent customer service. We will be happy to come back and support the business often. read more

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Great atmosphere + great beers. They also have wine selections and Kombucha on tap! Food ranges from bar food to fantastic salads. A wonderful addition to the funk zone. read more

Validation Ale - Bar area - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We are back in Santa Barbara 5 months later and this was once again our first stop. The tots with beer cheese still hit different. And there are now a few options for certified gluten free beers, including an IPA! read more

Validation Ale - Hard kombucha - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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A fun concept, with a wide variety of beers. Generally I tend to think breweries should focus on and perfect one style, but they do a good job of making several decent varietals. There's a small walk-in fridge for non beer drinkers. The food is really good! Location is awesome, right in the heart of the funk zone, stools are comfortable for people watching. Surprisingly good for a new brewery. We'll definitely be back. read more

Service was absolutely horrendous! The food came out cold and dry. Would not recommend to anyone. Might have been the worst service I've ever experienced! Do not come here. read more

Perfect location for a brewery! Good views and a nice selection of beer. What is on the flight is based off popular demand. If you don't like anything in the menu, no problem you got the refrigerator to select a different drink. Owners are super friendly and nice! In addition, they have food you can order, which is helpful when your drinking. read more

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Amazing experience. Great beers with a great concept for rotating the taps. Food was so good, especially the karaage nuggies and lobster roll. Great atmosphere and the staff have been super friendly even when it's busy. Love the roll up doors! read more

Validation Ale - Brewery - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Nice, chill, space for families. Food is on the pricey side, but very tasty. We got the burger and wings...both deliciously gourmet. read more

Validation Ale - Super family friendly... they know parents need to drink too - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Great location for this new, incredible brewery in Santa Barbara! Not only is the beer delicious (Tried two IPA's and a lager), but the atmosphere is relaxed and hopping all at the same time. The servers were friendly and helpful. I will be back! read more

Validation Ale - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Our first trip to Santa Barbara and this was our first stop and thank goodness for that! Validation Ale has the best vibes and even better service! The food was amazing!! Highly recommend! read more

Validation Ale - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Loved the imperial lager and west coast ipa! It's great that they have a full wine flight, too! We will definitely return.

Nice spacious modern brewery and tap room. I love the concept of pitting beers up against each other in a one-on-one contest for which one gets to stay on tap. read more

Validation Ale - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Beer is good. Ambiance is good. Jalapeño poppers are not. They are more like potato skins but with jalapeños (and without sour cream). Very underwhelming. read more

Validation Ale - Jalapeño poppers - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Amazing atmosphere and team! My wife and I hosted our wedding reception and dinner here and had the best time. We had a party of 50 and it was executed flawlessly. The food was universally loved and the beer was incredible. That golden coffee stout on nitro was my personal favorite. Thank you Validation Ale for being a part of our special day! Love, The Werderman Family read more