It is no secret that Santa Barbara is known for its vibrant beer and dining culture, and its breweries have played a significant role in cementing this reputation.
Its breweries have cemented this culture by serving travelers and locals a variety of housemade, appetizing beers and food.
From bars decades old with a modern twist, to family-run restaurants that arrived on the scene less than a decade ago, these breweries reflect the city’s commitment to remaining the go-to for homemade taps and unforgettable dinners.
Here Are the Must-Visit Breweries in Santa Barbara for the Perfect Craft Pint
(In no specific order)
10. Third Window Brewing Co.
Third Window Brewing is a brewhouse, barrel room, taproom, and restaurant all in one. After winning a bronze medal at the 2026 World Beer Cup, the brewery has a tap list featuring 27 drinks in rotation, and beer is only where they begin.
The tap list includes their self-titled ‘The Third Window,’ an abbey-style dubbel ale, alongside a variety of lagers, beers, and liquor.
The brewery also offers an all-American food menu, where visitors can find its signature Wagyu smash burger, which has won awards.
Third Window Brewing Co. opened its doors a decade ago in May 2016. Even ten years later, the brewery staff appears to remain as passionate about their community as they started.
“The members of Third Window are on a journey of continuous improvement,” the mission statement on their website reads. “We are inspired by our surroundings. We are dedicated to the cultivation of local ingredients, our community, and each other.”
9. M. Special Brewing Company
634 State St.and 6860 Cortona Drive
“Good beer every time” is what the front page of M. Special’s website says.
Being named the best of Santa Barbara by the Santa Barbara Independent in 2016 and 2022, and wanting the Readers’ Choice Award at Santa Barbara News-Press in 2018 and 2019, it’s clear locals feel they’ve kept their promise.
Serving an assortment of kombuchas, beers, ciders, and nonalcoholic beers, the family-friendly, dog-friendly spot has something for everybody.
Aside from their drinks, folks stop by the location to treat themselves to M. Special’s queso birria tacos or guac smash or to listen to the local band or DJ who’s probably there that night.
8. Figueroa Mountain Brewing
Figueroa Mountain Brewing prides itself on its craft beer selection, but the team is acutely aware that everyone’s tastes are different. So they present a wide variety for guests to taste.
One that stands out is their original Hoppy Poppy IPA, which won eight gold medals in eleven years. The beer is a pale ale that tastes like citrus and floral.
But if that is not up your alley, the brewery has other original beers available, several of which are also award-winning.
The taproom itself, meanwhile, welcomes both beer enjoyers and their families, including their pets. The brewery features live music and an outdoor patio for the family dog to run around.
7. Night Lizard Brewing Company
Night Lizard seamlessly blends good beer with environmental activism.
Their featured fruity Gnatcatcher IPA, for instance, offers visitors appetizing flavors like citrus, Mosaic, and Idaho 7, yet the can bears a painting of the endangered Gnatcatcher.
Each brew gets its name from California’s Central Coast’s endangered species. Additionally, a portion of the brewery’s profits is used to fund environmental research.
Night Lizard Brewing Company was finally opened in 2018 by a husband and wife duo after years of effort. The brewery is dog-friendly, both inside and out, even offering biscuits and dog bowls to their furry guests.
The taproom further features live music nights and a comfortable outdoor patio.
6. The Brewhouse
The Brewhouse is a brewery and bistro that promises on its website that “you’ll never leave hungry, thirsty, disappointed, or unamused.”
Their signature schnitzel, filet mignon enchiladas, and warm goat cheese salad remain favorites among their guests years after their introductions. Originally opening in 1998, its current owners have honored their predecessors’ contributions while adding their own unique twist.
Apart from food, The Brewhouse offers a diverse selection of IPAs, pale ales, pilsners, and more. A special beer they serve is their Rum & Rye Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, which features a rich barrel taste and aroma.
The brewery (and bistro) also hosts frequent specials and events throughout the year for occasions like ‘National Cheese Day’ and ‘National Martini Day,’ among many others. It also encourages guests to book their own at the dine-in.
5. Draughtsman Aleworks
1131 State St.and 53 Santa Felicia Drive
Open seven days a week, Draughtsman Aleworks offers guests a space to unwind.
Every Monday and Wednesday night, the brewery hosts yoga classes by rotation of instructors, offering a familiar yet new approach to the practice week by week.
After the exercise, students treat themselves to one of Draughtsmen’s many beers, wines, ciders, or hopped teas.
Their ‘core’ beers, as the website calls them, include drinks like Severance IPA or Meat & Potatoes porter.
The brewery also hosts frequent live music nights and games of trivia.
4. Validation Ale
102 E Yanonali St.and 2840 De La Vina St.
With two spots, one location in the Funk Zone and another uptown, it doesn’t take a genius to see that Validation Ale is a favorite among locals. Their locally brewed beer draws crowds.
But guests don’t only attend for the beer. Validation Ale is a hot spot for local bands of all genres to play shows in Santa Barbara. It is also a go-to for sports fans on NFL Sundays, a day set aside strictly for brunch, sports, and beer.
Both locations also feature menus crafted by chefs Matt and Kaity, who know their stuff. Put together, the duo has 35 years of experience on the culinary scene. Try out their fried chicken sando or lobster rolls, or keep it simple with a grilled cheese.
3. Lama Dog
116 Santa Barbara St. and 3435 State St.
The Lama Dog also has one location in the Funk Zone and another uptown. Both spots offer 20 rotating craft beers and four wine varieties.
The brewery also lets guests take their beer home. Lama Dog has a shop with a selection of around 350 bottles of different craft beers. The assortment features beers sourced from five minutes away and from countries across the globe.
The Lama Dog refuses to remain stagnant. Their draft beer list is changing and offering something new from day-to-day.
Due to this commitment, they have been named the spot for Santa Barbara’s “Best Beer Selection” and as the town’s “Best Funk Zone Spot.”
The brewery also stands out for its ‘Beer Education Classes’ held throughout the year. The teachers educate interested locals and travelers on various ways and styles to brew their own beer.
2. Captain Fatty’s Brewing
On TripAdvisor, Captain Fatty’s is ranked 70 out of 250 top things to do in Santa Barbara, and it’s easy to see why.
The backyard homebrew-turned-award-winning brewery is a favorite among locals, and it’s not just for the beer. With line dancing lessons on Sundays, yoga on Tuesdays, and trivia on Wednesdays, you don’t have to drink at all to be a frequent face at Captain Fatty’s.
But the beer is a staple of the brewery. Their tap list features favorites like Snappa Seltzer and Siesta Fiesta, and their original Gerry from Derry, a dry stout that tastes like a combination of rich chocolate, fruit, and coffee. The combination is unique, but somehow it works.
Captain Fatty’s has a merch shop that sells hats, shirts, bags, and even coffee mugs that hundreds of customers buy from each month.
1. Brass Bear Brewing
Image credits: Brass Bear Brewing’s website
First location: 3302 McCaw Avenue & Second location: 28 Ancapa St., Suite #E
Brass Bear Brewing is a family-owned, family-friendly brewery with two locations in Santa Barbara.
Their house-crafted beer is the backbone of their business, but they also offer a generous assortment of wines, ciders, and housemade cocktails.
Their diverse food menu, featuring items like shrimp, chicken, burgers, and even shark at times, is all locally sourced.
But every detail of Brass Bear Brewing, from the food to the drinks and even the decor, was thoughtfully put together, and their name had the same level of contemplation.
“The late afternoon sun hit the bears perfectly and turned them into a beautiful brass color. They glanced our way and, with a decisive grunt, carried on. We agreed over dinner that night that ‘Brass Bear Brewing’ would be the perfect name for our own business one day, to remind us to face our fears and keep on trekking,” a statement on their website says.
Why Santa Barbara’s Brewery Scene Stands Out
It is no surprise that so many aspiring brewery owners flock to Santa Barbara to make the dream come true.
The city is home to such businesses that opened their doors yesterday or are decades old, and yet each one has room to charm locals and make itself at home.
So if you’re visiting Santa Barbara and feel overwhelmed picking your go-to spots from a list of hundreds, start with the top ten instead.
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- The Point Market is Bringing Drive-Thru Coffee Back to Goleta This Summer
Typical example of local readers never being pleased. If Topa Topa was included in this list, there would be comments saying “They’re not from SB!” Can’t please everyone.
I would swap in Institution Ale Company for Lama Dog. Institution is an actual brewery. Lama Dog is a taphouse and bottle shop. It’s really not a brewery.
Institution is good but it’s not SB based, they’re from Camarillo.
To your point, yes, Institution Ale started in Camarillo. But if I remember correctly, neither Figueroa Mountain nor Third Window started in SB either. On that basis, I feel both Institution and Topa Topa deserve spots on this list, particularly since Lama Dog isn’t a brewery at all, and The Brass Bear to best of my knowledge doesn’t brew beer in house but instead slaps their marque on product produced by actual breweries that they’ve contracted.
Third Window and Fig are in SB County. Topa is good.. but it’s still Ventura County beer. Lama Dog doesn’t brew their own stuff but they serve a ton of local beer and have the best selection. I don’t have intel about Brass Bear, their beer is just ok but they are based in SB
Fatty’s for the beers, M Special for the food and music. We’ve tried to love Draughtsmen but it always seems dead on the weekends. M Special has some great bands but Captain Fatty’s wins in my book for the beer. Great lagers, my favorite local IPA and decent selzer and wine for the non beer drinkers. They could get some better entertainment, but still our go to. Woodfire Pizza truck is awesome too! They do some great pizza and German and Irish food in October and March!
I’ve been to all and yes INSTITUTION ALE is the best of them all. They do make the beer in Camarillo but it is a Santa Barbara brewery . Best beer , pizza and pretzel you
Can find
Exhibit A
TIL Telegraph closed. Was my favorite local beer by far.