Its a solid place for City Walk. Their Red Trolley beer is good and their hummus is addictive! And there's tons of it! If anything they need to just provide more pita which I always have to pay extra to have more. I really need to just order that only instead of also still getting an Entree. Their burgers are good and the Mac n Cheeses with meat are pretty good too. I don't know if I would go to this place if it was outside City Walk but the food is good and its basically the only place I eat at when I'm here.
(4)
J P.
asked for a burger as rare as possible. burger came well done and then some. Service was good tho.
(2)
Daniel B.
Off the rails, double red trolley is great. Shrimp Po-boy also delicious.
(4)
Ritika T.
I was pretty impressed with this bar. My bf and I stopped by before a movie at Citywalk and it was perfect for us. Weirdly enough the bar was full of couples as well. It was quiet enough to converse yet still lively. The bartender was pretty smart--he pointed at me and only carded me and not my bf. Sly, underhanded compliment. Earned his tip. I asked him for a fun martini, and he made me a melon one and added his own touch of watermelon extra. It was delicious! He got one of their house beers and couldn't stop raving. Try it out!
(5)
Michael D.
Came here for '14 Super Bowl, it was pretty chill. I suggest ordering the seasonal beer, then buying the souvenir cup all for $10, then every draft beer after that is $4, definitely worth it! It's pretty much your average theme park restaurant, but good service overall.
(3)
Loosey B.
The Mac and Cheese is awesome, the beer selection is pretty good and the service SUCKS. Went here early evening when the restaurant was empty (a few people were sitting at the bar) and it took the waitress forever to take our order and bring us water. After the meal was done, she took FOREVER to bring us the bill and then even longer to bring us back the recipt. I would rather eat mediocre food at a restaurant that has an emphasis on customer service. Next time I'm at the Citywalk I'll be eating dinner elsewhere.
(2)
Jewel N.
Total fan! Had a great time here before heading to our Walking Dead themed night at Universal Studios. They had a great selection of beers to choose from. The waiter was funny and knowledgeable. The food was good, but a little overpriced in my opinion. BUT - happy hour pricing is great and the beer prices made up for the entree prices. All in all, we left very satisfied. We now enjoy 22oz. beers from our local craft beer stores and look forward to coming back when we are in town. CHEERS!
(4)
Jenna L.
After looking at all the places to eat on Citywalk, we finally decided on this place. It's a local chain, and SD-based, so gotta support, plus everything on the menu looked pretty great. We had to wait a few minutes, but it really wasn't too bad considering it was a weekend at dinnertime. What really caught my eye on the menu was their selection of mac & cheese. Yes, selection. And they all sound amazingly delicious. I decided on the "Piggy Bank", and it was super good. I would definitely get it again. Everything else my buddies got was good too, but my mac and cheese was the best :) though I may be biased. I will say that I think some of the dishes portions were a little small, but the mac and cheese was not. Also, if any of the dishes you order have 'California' in the name, that probably just means it'll come with avocado. hahhaha - they may have gone a little overboard with the avocado, as it even came in our cioppino!
(4)
Lead F.
Awesome food, awesome-er beers! When visiting Universal City Walk (which I do every other month), this place is a must visit.
(4)
David S.
Came here a few days ago and got the farmhouse burger (egg, pork strips, beef patty, lettuce, tomato, etc) and also got the beer flight/sampler. Food here is a little sub-par but the beer is definitely delicious. The hefe, red trolley, and pintail pale ale were very good. Burger was just too dry and inconveniently too big to eat, and especially if you've tried the Counter or Slaters, your burger standards should be very high. Good place to get beer if you want to take a breather from Universal studios.
(3)
Chris C.
Located in the upper deck in Universal City Walk, entrance is right next to the water fountain. Great place for beers. They had beers from San Diego yesterday when I went. Waitress hooked us up with 4 free beers, so I definitely love it lol.
(4)
Vinh B.
This place is awful. I dislike Universal City Walk in general, because there literally is nothing of quality here besides the IMAX theatre and you've guessed it, we were there to see an IMAX movie in 3D. So we have some time to kill before the movie and we were walking around, checking out places to eat. Someone had the idea of going upstairs to check out the official food court. Trash. Absolute trash. Just gross, greasy, fast food. We walk back downstairs and pass the candy store that looks like porn store, it's call "It'sugar," get it? So clever, they got rid of an "s." Diabetes has an "s." It literally looks like a porn shop. Classy. In desperation, we decided on Karl Strauss (it's a German name, get it? Because it's also a brewery!) Karl Strauss seemed okay enough. Didn't realize it was a chain of restaurants. Why the world needs more than one Karl Strauss Brewing Company is beyond the realm of men. I ordered some sort of steak, medium rare. It was well done, only slightly pink and basically a hocky puck, with pepper corns that felt like sand paper. The potatoes were horrible and the vegetables bland. We also ordered the macaroni and cheese, the one with bacon and ham. Sounds good, no? It was awful. It was sort of dry and the ham tasted like spam. As to the bacon, there were a few flakes here and there. It's like the people who designed this place read the cliff notes on these dishes and proceeded to cook in the same way, barely passing the grade as food. I don't know if there's any good food at Universal City Walk, but there seems to be none at the Karl Strauss Brewing Company. They get 2 stars because the hostess and the service were both really friendly and nice.
(2)
Jenna J.
At first, we were a bit surprised by the 3 star review. The child's chicken fingers, the boneless buffalo wings and beer were all pretty tasty and promising. Then the problems began. My friend ordered a salad and had to send it back twice bc they put blue cheese on it, when he specifically asked for no blue cheese. Twice. Then, our burgers came out. All 4 of us split 2 farmhouse burgers. The one I ordered was supposed to come out medium and it came out well done. The patty was quite small also, on both of them. I sent mine back bc it was so over-cooked and asked that it come out medium (the way it was originally supposed to). When it came back it was very rare, and also took about 10 extra minutes than they said it would...I do have to say that the one my other friends ordered was cooked just the way they asked. Was a pretty mediocre experience and if we come back it will only be for beer and appetizers.
(3)
Jeffrey F.
THE NOISIEST RESTAURANT I'VE EVER BEEN TO! Didn't even try to have a conversation. There are no bone-in chicken wings so you get tenders called "boneless". Service was very cheery. Food selection marvelous. BUT THE NOISE WAS JUST PLAIN TOO MUCH! Oh, and if you stay over 4 hours by seeing a movie too, expect to drop $25.00 to park.
(2)
JENN K.
came to city walk randomly with a couple of friends and after walking up and down the strip we decided to check this place out. seating was a bit confusing since no host at the podium but the menu has a lot of different kind of options. of course the recipes are infused with beer .. can't go wrong with that idea .. mmmmm beer **homer Simpson. so I tried the cioppino N the hot wings.. delicious!! the portion size here is good not too much food but at the same time not too little food. we didn't have room for desserts but I'm sure it's as good as the meals. check this place out if you ever visit universal studios.
(4)
Meghan R.
The service was great here. They must deal with a vast array of tourists here and still manage to deliver service with a smile. The food was pretty bland and bleh though. We got the Macaroni & Cheese & the Fondue (cheesefest) and it was dry mac and pretty much mild queso dip for the fondue. Just wasn't our bag.
(2)
Andrew S.
Came here after a long day at Universal Studios. Very odd seating arrangement. Ordered a few different beers and was surprised that they did not have cold glasses ?! This is a Brewery and they serve beer in warm glasses. Horrible. Food was decent, but nothing out of this world. Had a macaroni and cheese dish and pork chops. Pork chops came out cold the first time, but the manager quickly fixed the problem.
(2)
Wil R.
A craft beer for every taste. Especially recommend the wreck alley for lovers of stouts. Sit at the bar. If Sarah is there you will be well taken care of.
(5)
Flora H.
We happened upon this place by default after walking all around CityWalk looking for an open restaurant, and finding that this (and Bubba Gump) were the only places open after 8 pm. It makes no sense to me that all the restaurants would close so early (okay fine, it was a Tuesday night, but still) and that the parking is still $10 after 8 pm when nothing is open any more. But anyways, on to the restaurant... We were all starving by the point we got there, so our expectations were pretty low. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of things on the menu that called out to me and had a few things I was deciding between. I opted for the Turkey Bleus burger (knowing that my friends were ordering the mac and cheese on tap and I could have a bite). My burger was delish.. nothing too complicated, a turkey burger with blue cheese, but it was really good and I have nothing too complain about. Well, except maybe that the bun was too dry, but that didn't stop me at all from enjoying it. All in all, everyone was satisfied with their food. The mac and cheese was okay.. really just pasta with meat and some cheese more than what I think of when I think of "mac and cheese". Service was also okay... I liked that they refilled our diet cokes without asking, but they weren't that prompt about bringing us our drinks or taking our order.. but it wasn't bad service by any means. A solid 3 star restaurant.
(3)
Megan J.
When you're visiting City Walk, there is a plethora of restaurants to choose from. Hubby and I decided to try Karl's because of all the different kinds of beer and just that yummy pub food style. Got there around 630pm on a Wednesday night (in town for No Doubt concert at Gibson) and they had the inside closed due to a private gathering. But, the outside was open, the heaters on full blast and 20 minute wait. We figured why not and waited. We waited the full 20 minutes and got sat right next to a heater (YAY!). I ordered the mac n cheese with bacon, ham and some other meat. Wow. So good and filling and perfect for a cold fall night. Had a Red Trolley Beer and it went well with it. Service was okay. We ordered a side salad and some soup before our entree and they brought it out. Seriously not even 2 minutes later, our food came out. Ugh. Don't like that at all!! But, we just dealt with it. Overall, I would come back and try something else. Beer and food.
(4)
Andy J.
slow service...bland food...and pricey!! you need to drink their beer to make it more palatable!!
(1)
David A.
Love their beer. Love the new Double IPA. Hate that they have discontinued the 7 day a week Happy Hour!!! Why??? I am so writing a strongly worded email to the originator of this abomination. Care to join? Otherwise... My favorite haunt in Universal City Walk.
(2)
Kevin N.
(Imitates Homer Simpson).... BEEEERRRR... As you can tell this place has amazing choices in alcohol especially the IPA and lagers. As for the food, I ordered the big beer burger, where basically everything was sauteed or marinated with a different type of beer. The burger was juicy, and flavorful. Also the garlic fries were heavenly. So for $13, it filled me up quite well.
(4)
Viktor P.
This place is hands down the best place at Citywalk! From great crafted beers to delicious appetizers. Amongst their beers I suggest the "Amber Ale" or the "Red Trolley" both are smooth and delightful thirst quinchers. Their Happy Hour is between 3-6pm Mon-Fri. Beers are $4 and appitizers are $5, can't beat that! The Sweet Potato Fries are amazing! They make a good combination with any of their beers. Overall this place has it all. Fantastic one of a kind beverages and great tasting food accompanied by a comforting atmosphere with outdoor as well as indoor seating. Good place for any occasion but made for the after work hangout spot or a night out with friends. So if your on Citywalk and looking for a place to lounge and relax, look no further than upstairs at Karl Strauss.
Note: Group of non-beer drinking vegetarians :) We really enjoyed ourselves last night. We were out at City Walk to go and see Bridesmaids(HILARIOUS btw) and wanted to try something diff besides mexican or italian food. The guy on the walk handed us a menu and it looked interesting so we stepped inside. We ordered: Black Bean Soup: Tasty and comes w/ a roll and butter. Really liked it. Portobello Fritta- TASTY! the dip was great! My veggie friend is a Calamari fan and this was a great replacement. Treehugger mac n' cheese-MAYJAH mac n' cheese fan, but not of this one. It was okay. Veggie Burger- Good, but squishy. WE LIKE FIRM.(My boyfirends are gay btw so that goes for all of us). Portobello Sandwich- My friend said it was actually really good. Bread Pudding- MEH. I am a BP snob and this was junk. Sorry. The staff is super friendly and the service was good.
(3)
Coleen R.
Decided to stop in during Happy Hour and before heading into the park for Halloween Horror Nights (no booze allowed in the park unless you're VIP). Anyway, our waitress, Vanessa, was awesome! Wasn't sure where to start on the beer menu, so she suggested Ocktoberfest. Excellent! Also tried the Red Trolley, Windansea Wheat and finished off with a Wreck Alley Imperial Stout (that was my "dessert"). Excellent Happy Hour menu. We were most impressed with the hummus which is also served with olives, red peppers and onions. The calamari was just okay, but we also enjoyed the sweet potato lime fries. Each item was only $5! Sit outside and enjoy people watching. FYI ladies - try not to break the seal as long as you can! I took off one star since there are only two stalls in the ladies' room!! Thanks to Vanessa who saved my buddy from leaving without her jacket :)
(4)
Krn K.
Food was good, service was AWFUL!!!
(2)
Larae H.
Back again! I ordered a flight again, and this time it was Red Trolley Ale, Fullsuit Belgian Brown Ale, Pintail Pale Ale and Tower 10 IPA (same one as last time). My friend got a glass of the Fullsuit Belgain Brown Ale. This time the Red Trolley Ale was my favorite out of the four, and once again I liked the tower 10 the least (I'm just not one for really hopp-y beer). I ordered a veggie cheddar burger that was served with lettuce, tomato, onion, a pickle and fries. My friend got the short rib torta which was beer-braised with smoked Gouda, caramelized onions, mango-jalapeño jam and fries. First off, I gotta say that I really like their fries. They're thin and crispy yet tender at the same time. They have an excellent flavor and you don't really need ketchup for them (unless you happen to be a ketchup fiend). My veggie burger was good - one of the better veggie patties I've had. Although it could have used some seasoning and the bun was too much bread - it totally smothered the burger. My friend said that his sandwich was awesome. Crispy on the outside, the meat was intensely flavorful. But he felt that the mango salsa didn't really go with the sandwich. It's smeared on the plate, and apparently you're supposed to drag the sandwich in it before taking a bite. (I tasted the salsa, and it should really go with a light pork or chicken dish) It took a little longer to get our food this time around, but it was still very good. Definitely one of my favorite places on City Walk!
(4)
Saina K.
I give it 4 stars for the service. I made myself memorize my waitress' name but, as it happens with words/names that I MUST remember, my brain is now drawing a blank. Needless to say, my waitress was the best. She was extremely competent - if I had my own restaurant, I'd steal her away. That's how good she was. She noticed I didn't like the light beer I had and replaced it with a better one, at no charge. Then, being the fickle woman that I am, I made last minute food order changes and she took care of those as well. Spinach dip was a'ight, Ceasar Salad NOT alright (the dressing tasted funky) but their fries are delicious. I WAS also going to get a cheeseburger but the salad was so huge I knew I couldn't eat both so I cancelled the order. To the management: Maybe make your portions smaller?? I mean, when I order a salad as an appetizer, I'm not expecting a huge meal. Out of all the restaraunts at the Citywalk, I do prefer this one.
(4)
Amelia S.
I came here prior to attending an event at the Gibson. Excellent friendly service, comfortable dining room, and great beer. Our waiter allowed me to sample a few of their beers before committing to an entire glass. I wish more restaurants offered tastings like this! The menu offers a wide variety of options, so there's something for everyone. For dinner, I landed on the Gouda burger. The beef patty was very large, and I had to eat the burger with a fork and knife. It had a great mix of flavors, but the patty was cooked a bit too well-done for my taste, and the bun was on the bland side. Fries were very good. So, I would have given Karl Strauss 4 stars if the meal were a bit better. Overall, I would gladly come back, and this is probably one of the better places to eat at CityWalk.
(3)
Criselle O.
I've been to a different Karl Strauss near my house but never got a chance to write a review so I guess this will be it. This location isn't as nice as the one in Mira Mesa but I guess it'll do since it's on the Universal City Walk strip. Barely anyone was here but maybe it's because we ate here during lunch on a friday afternoon? Hmm. Anyway, we got seated pretty fast, menu's in hand and our waitress asked us what we wanted to drink. She returned with the drinks and took our orders. We kinda waited awhile to get our food which was weird because nobody was in there!? Meh. So, we finally get our food. I LOVED the ahi poke but I wish it wasn't $11. Maybe if it was happy hour I would've been happier since it's half off but we we're too early for HH so whatevs. The boyfriend ordered the portobello burger. He didn't really like it as much and thought it was kinda meh but he was hungry so he ate it all. Haha. Yea.. I don't know about this location. Kinda awkward and weird at the same time. Maybe if there were more people inside I wouldn't feel this way.
(2)
Carrie M.
The visit started out on a positive note - we were quick to get seated and our order was taken quickly. Then it just went down hill from there. Food was slow to get to the table. While the chicken sandwich was cooked well and was juicy, both burgers were completely overdone. The wrong side was brought with my dad's sandwich. They did get the right side, and it was obtained somewhat quick. After that, service became slow and felt inattentive. My glass was taken for refill, but didn't come back for several minutes, and it took as long to get extra napkins. We had to ask for our bill multiple times. All in all it felt like once our waiter took our order he just didn't care about our table anymore. As for the food, it was just so-so. I mentioned, the burgers were overcooked and the patties themselves had no real flavor to them. There was supposed to be white cheddar on mine, but while there was cheese the cheese had little flavor to it either. Overall, there was little to recommend this experience. We would skip this place next time.
(2)
Cynthia W.
Okay, I honestly don't remember much else besides the nachos and the service because I came here 2 years ago. But the service was so friendly and the nachos so huge and delicious that I still remember them to this day. And I came back after all this time to yelp this place so that when I become of age, I will remember it and come back here to try beers to go along with my amazing nachos and enjoy their wonderful service once again. :)
I have usually had good luck with brewery restaruant's in the past but my first experience here didn't go so well. the restaurant almost feels like it is closed around 11pm on a friday night. Kinda weriod I think. We came in, noone was there to great us or direct us to where to go. It was almost empty on a friday night. finally someone walks by and asks if we need help. The good thing so far about this place though is they have $5 sampler which is 4 beers sample for $5. They have a really good Red something. Decent place. Probably gonna have to come back and try again to really compare and maybe order some food. I feel as if because they are at Universal Citywalk they don't try as hard to impress. Which is kinda of a disappointing. Turns the place into a tourist trap.
(3)
Amanda G.
We stopped in for lunch here while pretending to be tourists. An employee handed us a 10% coupon as we walked in the door..... good start KS! Let's be honest, we were just there to try their beer. We ordered two samplers and tried 8. We left off the double IPA and the cask. The rest were delicious. The oktoberfest was my favorite. All of their sandwiches also come with homemade potato chips and trust me, they are worth trying.
(4)
Erika S.
Seriously just forget all the other restaurants on Universal Citywalk, do yourself a favor and go straight to this place. Their food was amazing, the portions were bigger than I expected, the drinks are fantastic and the service was wonderful! They have monthly featured brews, recommended pairings, and flights! Their Asada Fries are the best I've had anywhere. Located upstairs.
(5)
Meredith B.
My boyfriend and I ate here after seeing a movie. He loves beer and we love good food. The beer was good at Karl Strauss, but the food was not. Maybe we ordered wrong in comparison to the other reviews, but we just felt the food lacked soul. The Brussels Sprouts were undercooked and seemed thrown together with a balsamic drizzle on top. Nothing to write home about. We also ordered the Mosaic Chicken. The chicken was dark meat, which I don't eat, and it was very bland. And the vegetables that came with it needed salt. Finally, we got the Mac and Cheese. This was definitely not worth the overpriced $14.50. It was a little bland and needed more cream. For that price, it should knock your socks off. It definitely did not. On the plus side, our server was great. She was attentive and even brought us a free ice cream sundae with a candle to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday. So, overall I would not recommend eating food here. It wasn't bad.... But it wasn't good. Just come for the tasty beers.
(2)
Luis G.
The only reason I'm giving this place one star is because I can't give it zero stars! Don't expect the waiters to even notice you. I came here with my fwiend and sat at my table for 20-25 minutes and no one ever came to take our order so we walked right out. Not to mention, at least 4 or 5 different waiters kept walking by to wait on other tables and no one even considered to ask if we had ordered anything yet. Talk about bad customer service... BTW we went to Tony romas right next door and were told it would take about 20-25 mins to be seated. Long story short we were seated literally in 5 minutes and I food came out in 10. Moral of the story is go to Tony romas instead.
(1)
Nikki V.
This place is a must try on your visit to citywalk. In the past, I have usually stuck to family favorites like Forrest Gump or Tony roma's but this is probably one of my new favorite places to eat at citywalk up there next to saddle ranch. The seating host was friendly and we were seated right away on Sunday evening for an early dinner. The host Lindsey was amazing!!! She got our drinks really quickly and came up with more samples to pair with our food. It was great!!! All the beer flavors were good.... my favorites include the tank tap, endless summer and the Pintail pale ale. I also ordered the lamb sliders which were good and the chili lime fries. The sliders were amazing. The fries had a definite kick to them so be ready. Overall it was a great experience and I know I'll be coming back!!!!
(5)
Aj A.
Stopped here with my daughter for father's day wanting to have few beers since it was hot day. Honestly speaking, the only thing I really liked here was the service by our lovely server GG. The brew and the food was not enough to make me want to come back again. We sampled some of the beer they have and for some reason the beer taste did not do it for me. I like dark ale beer similar to "Guinness" and all the choices they had were not as good, they were lacking that kick to WOW me, honestly. The food was not any better at all. Hamburger===Even mine was cooked medium rare as requested, still lacked flavors, not juicy but kind of dry. Also the bun was dry, old and stale. Cheese Macaroni===Well, my daughter had few bites and I had one bite. I read reviews with many compliment about this Mac and Cheese being so good. Today, it was not. It was tasteless and watered-down cheese. That shitty 7/11 Nacho cheese is way much better than this. Bread fondue===Bread was burnt. the flavors tasted funny. Still was OK. I normally never complain and same goes with my daughter, we just eat and leave. But I since our server GG asked us what is wrong I decided to tell her the truth. She took the Bread Fondue of the bill.
(2)
Steve E.
WOW!!! Service was above and beyond my expectations! Lindsey was our server, and man did she remind me why I like yelp reviews! Ordered the Big Beer burger and was happily delighted to taste a savory burger with some fine beer! Enjoyed every minute of it! Highly recommend to all my friends and fellow Yelpers! :)
(5)
Bill S.
We were looking for a place to grab some eats and have a beer before heading into USH. I've been to this restaurant before for only beer, but decided to try their food offerings this time around. Our group ordered the pasta, burger, asada fries, and of course some beers! Everyone liked their food, nothing awe inspiring, but was good. Would I come back? Of course! It's a great place to hangout and have some food and beer.
(3)
Mitch A.
We eat out a lot and we haven't had a meal this good in a long time. I had the sirloin and my wife had the pork chops. Absolutely delicious!!
(5)
Ruben M.
I came here with a group of 4 for some drinks and appetizers. The beers were delicious and so were the apps!!! I had a wheat beer and some buffalo wings. I like the outdoor seating that overlooks city walk. I will come back again for another round & maybe some dinner!
It's been many years, since I've been to Universal Citywalk. After spending several hours at Universal Studios, we decided to have dinner on a Friday night before heading home. The options are all pretty much the same at Citywalk; big national chains with average food (Bucca, Tony Roma's, Bubba Gump, etc). Our group of 5 chose Karl Strauss because it had a solid beer selection & a varied menu. Its up the stairs, across from the Jurassic Parking structure. We walked up and there was one group in front of us. They had inside & outside seating. We only had to wait a few minutes for a booth on a Friday night at 7pm on Friday. Nice. Ambiance was typical for big chains: Loud, booth seating, tvs (with no sound). Server showed up quickly to take our drink order. Several in our party opted for beers; however, they had a decent wine selection and I had a nice chardonnay. Foods tried: Spicy Hummus: Good. Spicy and Flat Bread was crispy on the edges. Black Garlic Fondue: Good, but unhealthy. As if the Fondue wasn't unhealthy enough, the grilled bread that comes with it, is covered in buttered. Zoe's Salami Chop: I thought this was good; a little too much dressing so I would ask for it on the side or go light on the dressing Husband said he was upset with his options: Beer Pretzels & Korean BBQ Pupusa. I didn't try, but order at your own risk. Service was very good, despite the crowds. Bar was a little slow at first getting drinks to us, but quickly caught up. An A-OK recommendation given the area.
(3)
John M.
I feel like Karl Strauss should get a gold star for at least trying to stand out with quality food and beer in the morass that is Universal CityWalk. I'd last visited back in my Orange County days, when it seemed pretty good, and it's still that, pretty good, but I've had better burgers and beer since. There are just too many hipster pub-brewery-burgeries that have stepped up the game over the last several years, and the prices are about the same. Service was friendly, so I'd say this might be your joint if you're stuck here.
(3)
Alyssa C.
Best restaurant near Universal studios! We wanted some good food and walking around Universal City all we could find was fast food. We wanted some real, good food and beer. My husband and I both ordered a sampler or beer and our waiter brought us additional samples throughout our dining experience. She was very nice and attentive. We ordered the farmhouse burger (beef patty, avocado, pork belly and fried egg) = AMAZING
(4)
Will G.
This place is amazing. They have great dishes and the chef amazes me with the beautifully crafted plates. I always want to take a picture but the minute my food shows up I just eat it because the presentation is so good!! Thank you.
(5)
Sil V.
We got there with no idea for the place or their beer selection so the waiter brought us some samplers. Can't really say We didn't like it since we chose it...clever tactic! The place is inside universal city walk so you get to do a lot of people watching (if you're into that kind of stuff ;) Service was ok.
(4)
Dustin C.
Karl Strauss is simply the best restaurant at CityWalk and it isn't close! Between the beer, the food, and the service, this place can't be beat after a nice day at Universal. Always end up getting Daniel as our server & the guy is awesome. Really gets to know you, makes great conversation, and has an understanding of the menu like only the best servers do. He's great! When it comes to food, they have amazing appetizers (squid pro quo, asada fries, etc), great burgers (the big beer burger), and their Mac and cheese is to die for (roll with the Piggy Bank)! Their beer selection is extensive and will satisfy you whether you like a light lager or a strong double IPA. My personal favorites are the Tower 10 IPA and the Windansea Wheat. To sum things up, if you're at CityWalk or hungry/thirsty after leaving Universal... Karl Strauss is the place to go!
(5)
Lee L.
I wanted to like this one as much as their chain in La Jolla but for some reason, I didn't. This is a good restaurant at city walk for beers and apps. There are a lot of options but this menu is one of those that has something for everyone. We had beers and they were cold and perfect after a long day at universal. For our meals, we had the cioppino (don't get it), grilled pork (very meh) and the burger (super heavy).
(3)
shellz w.
I was here a few Sundays ago.. Food and beer pairings were on point. Our server/bartender Val (or Vickie?) was awesome as far as knowledge of which beers pair with which appetizer/burger. Faves: Tower 10 IPA Boneless Buffalo Wings: great flavor with red trolley or IPA Big Beer Burger: burger was cooked perfectly- juicy! Wish I had room to try more food and beer pairings. Def recommend !!
(5)
Norah R.
Decent food, beer was yummy...Wreck Alley stout was chocolatey, loved it. Dining companion and I enjoyed their rendition of the black garlic fondue...hot melty deliciousness with a slab of cambozola (blue cheese combined with a french triple cream) in the middle and served with grilled bread. I had the fish tacos, they were decent but not fantastic - I like to taste fish, these were quite mild but the mango was a nice touch. He had the ahi poke and wished it was spicier. Tasted okay, not fantastic. Probably wouldn't seek this place out again, but would visit if the only other food choices are corporate food.
(3)
Natalie S.
I live in the area and only go to City Walk when I'm going to the Raider Image or if I'm brining someone from out of town. And then, only during the week. This is the second time I've even been to Karl Stauss and this time was great. Our waiter was very, very knowledgable of both the food and beverage menu. So much so that he was even offering variations to selected items. My friend who was in town from Norway just wanted a beer and to try a pastrami sandwich. He was impressed with the pastrami. I myself am like a moth to a flame if there's Mac n Cheese on any menu, and I went for it. I got the Piggy Bank Mac n Cheese (incl Black Forrest ham, beer brined bacon and andouille sausage.). So , so, so good! Great weeknight atmosphere that's not too busy, so you're not feeling rushed.
(4)
E J.
Pass!! Just pass ... ;"((( Food quality poor ... Like cafeteria food not to mention service what horrible as well ,,. The place wasn't event crowded and we had to eat and wait forever to get our drinks .. Spent over 100 therefor my daughters graduation ,., disappointed and not worth it! Seems to be that beer is their priority ;"(
(2)
Kelly T.
By far the best thing on the menu is both the mac and cheese and the buffalo boneless wings they also come with blue cheese sauce which is to die for, the quality of the chicken is the bees knees and it is hands down better then buffalo wild wings. You have to also try their french fries and the asada fries! delicious! and the quality of the potatoes are the bomb dot com!!! The bartenders are all friendly and make sure you are getting top notch service. Plenty of beer selections and other drinks such as wine and liquor..don't be shy ask the bartender! Busy nights are always Fridays and Saturdays. Best seats in the house are at the bar!!! Yes it is a bit on the pricey side but it very well worth your time & money.
(5)
Timothy D.
Best option on City Walk if you want real food, good service and a menu of options. Squid pro quo was delish. Gouda burger was amazing. Kung poa lettuce wraps were fun. Beer never disappoints. Only miss - and a big one - was the fish and chips. They handled.it perfectly taking it off the bill. Service was great - even gave us some beer samples we didn't request of beers we were considering.
(4)
Jenn T.
Having lived in San Diego previously, I was very excited to find a Karl Strauss in LA. Though this location isn't ideal with parking and such, it was still a must check out. We got seated pretty fast as it was fairly early on a Friday. They have happy hour from 3-6pm on weekdays and we happened to catch the last of it. They have $4 beers on tap and a short list of $5 appetizers. We got a few drinks and the spicy hummus that was really good. I tried the drunken seafood mixture which was very delicious! Had a hint of spice with mussels, scallops, squid, and shrimp. Great flavor and the avocado went well with the sauce. The service was great here, had a great waiter Daniel who helped us get in happy hour orders just before 6! Parking is in the nearby lots. Hope they open more locations around LA soon!
(4)
Tamara M.
3-1/2 stars - Our fam of 5 ate here after a full day at universal studios. Love that they offered samples of their beer when we were indecisive. Great wings for $5 happy hour. Also for $5 happy hour... Sweet potatoe lime chili fries... Uh, can you say yum? And my kids typically aren't sweet potatoe fry fans, but these they loved. Burgers were large, as were the chicken sandwiches. All quite tasty. Seared ahi salad was good, but I've had better. It wasn't bad, just not my fave. Prices were reasonable $9-15/ entree. Right outside park gates, too, so very convenient in the City Walk. Terrific service. And the place was empty on a Tuesday evening for dinner.
(4)
Akshay A.
Had reservations for a group of 20. We were seated promptly during lunch on a Thursday. I tried a few appetizers including the ahi poke and boneless chicken wings. The boneless wings were surprisingly tasty, as normally I prefer bone-in. The poke was good, but had a bit too much going on. There was also too much onion, which detracted from the poke flavor. I ordered the Zoe's Salami Chop salad with a side of seared ahi. The salad was solid - maybe a bit light on the dressing, but the salami was good, the Red Dragon cheese was great, and the portion size was filling. It was nice having the peppadew peppers in it as well to give it that contrast of sweetness. I'm a seared ahi nut, so I had it on the side and with bites without salami. Weird combo, I know. The ahi was decent - a bit peppery, but the quality seemed to be good. Service was thorough and prompt. Overall, I'd recommend Karl Strauss. I've also had their beer before at a different location, which had a nice variety of options as well.
(4)
Cherie P.
We came here to hang out because our friend had hurt himself jumping over a rope to get to the front of the line at a Universal Studios ride (don't ask). The decor was pretty and we were sat at a window booth that overlooked the front of the restaurant. The noise level wasn't too loud either. We weren't really going to order anything but alcohol because we had a dinner reservation elsewhere, but some of us (like me!) were hungry. One of my friends got buffalo wings for everyone to share. I decided to go in the opposite direction and ordered a dessert. It was a brownie with ice cream. Our food did not take long to come to us and we began to dig in. Both the buffalo wings and dessert was delicious, especially the dessert. In fact, a few of us wanted to lick the plate to get the last bit of it. It is too bad that we didn't do real dinner here, but if I am ever in the area, I want to come back and try out this place for real.
(4)
Valerie S.
After a day visiting the Theme Park, we wanted to save our appetite for something a bit better than what was offered inside the park. We decided on Karl Strauss. Being sat wasn't a problem, friendly and quick. Drink order was quick...but that's about where the attention stopped. Don't get me wrong, the food was decent, but overpriced. **Ahi Salad** - Good portion, good flavor, but a lot going on. I think there are 2 different dressings/sauces on the salad and it just made it way overdressed and overpowered the fish. Good flavor, but my suggestion is to get the dressing on the side. **Cioppino** - BF like it, had no complaints **Kids grilled chicken, fried and broccoli** - Chicken was very very small portion, and it was super thin which made it hard and dry. Our server was nice, but he definitely left us sitting with no napkins for most of the meal, no refills, forgot our appetizer..... The place was empty so we expected a bit more for what we were paying.
(2)
Blair T.
Beers were great, awesome atmosphere. Lots of stuff going on and great for people watching. Great for a casual dinner or meal. We shared the big beer burger and it was really good. Lots of flavor! We also shared the pretzel as well. Thought it was gonna be a dry old pretzel from wetzels pretzel but is was nice and fluffy and moist. Great dipping sauces: beer cheese sauce and a spicy wasabi mustard type. Both were great! Kinda pricey for what it was but what do you expect for a tourist trap like this.
(4)
carissa w.
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVED the food and the service. I didn't get to drink any of their beers because I'm pregnant but the boyfriend did...and had a flight and LOVED the Pintail something. We had some of their apps and a desert...pretzels, lettuce wraps, and the caramel cheesecake...all of which were amazing!! The service we got from Thomas and Shay was outstanding. Thomas even helped us print tickets to to a soccer game that we were attending that night (we left our originals at our hotel about an hour away with traffic). Thank you thank you thank you guys!! The only sad part is that there is none here in the Bay Area...I guess we'll have to hit up Universal City more often when vacationing! Please please open one in the Bay Area!
(5)
Jennifer C.
I really didn't have high hopes for dining anywhere near a theme park. However, Karl Strauss was a pleasant surprise. We had about two hours in between our Universal day trip, and Halloween Horror Nights. It wasn't enough time for us to leave and grab food outside the Universal area, so we decided to give this place a try; their beer inspired menu intrigued us. We shared the Piggy Bank mac and cheese (with bacon, Andouille sausage and ham, ~$17). The husband ordered the prime rib (~$24) and I had the Big Beer Burger (~$13). The mac and cheese was full of smoky goodness from the pork bits. I enjoyed it, but I did find it a bit more liquidy than I am used to. I tried the prime rib, and they cooked it perfectly. The steak sauce on the side was a zingy Asian sauce; I can't say I loved it, but it was interesting. My burger was a bit overcooked and pretty standard. The beer-brined bacon was good though, and made the burger a bit more standout. Portions were massive for what you pay...I only was able to eat half my burger. Service wise, our waitress was attentive, and helpful. She gave us her preferences on beer and food, and we were appreciative of her suggestions. They even gave my friends free beer samples (not much, but it was a sweet effort).
(4)
Jay B.
Amazing place great place for brews and great food. We had the boneless wing suggested by our server Michael Snyder and mac n cheese and mosaic chicken we tried the beer and had a Mai tai everything was perfect and I mean perfect our server Michael Snyder so helpful friendly and attentive thank you for a great experience it's a must try you should come and we will be back
(5)
Aric L.
Keep in mind I can only speak for happy hour here..3-6 mon - Fri but goddam it's on point. 5 awesome starters for 5 bucks. Tap beers for 4..my only regret is that I don't have more room to try other food. Plating and portions were also far nicer then I expected. Will be back.
(5)
J X.
As I was writing this review, my rating kept going up because of the way the restaurant handled everything. I ordered a burger cooked medium and the patty was way too over cooked and dry. One of the most unsatisfying burgers I've had in a while. The side of zucchini was good and the best part of my meal. Why the 4 stars? Exceptional customer service. The staff was very friendly and offered to trade out my meal, but I've heard horror stories of chefs at restaurants getting upset and messing with the food, so I declined. At the end, I was surprised that they took the burger off the bill, so that was a very nice gesture. I'd consider coming back but would probably avoid getting a burger here.
(4)
Branton C.
The food and beer here is really good, I would even give it a notch up compared to similar restaurant/breweries. However, I was torn between giving them 3 or 4 stars. The service was poor, out waiter couldn't have cared less that we were there, the table across the way received their drinks and ordered food event though they were seated 10 min after us before we could event order our drinks. I figure it wasn't fair to rate them on one server, ultimate with even just a little bit better service it would easily have been a 4, so that is what I'm giving them.
(4)
Jason H.
Hands down the best restaurant in Citywalk... And arguably the rest of LA as well. I've been here at least a dozen times and the beer, service and food is always off the charts! Once being a server myself, I've never seen service this impeccable in Los Angeles at all. A definite must try!!!!
(5)
Ray A.
I have been here 5 times always good. Try Drunken Cioppino and the Mediterranean salad with grilled chicken added. Omari suggested a wonderful beer with banana hops. I thought he was joking, but the beer did have a banana taste! Really nice. Great food and great service. Tower 10 IPA is a good bet, too!!!!
(5)
Kart P.
We stopped by this location when we were looking to grab a lunch during our trip to Universal Studios. Their menu caught our attention when we were comparing restaurants in the area. Service was pretty good for 12PM. When we walked in, it seemed like that we were the first few to get a table. We ordered fondue plate for our appetizer. Which was cheese and mushrooms sauce made with their house beer. It was served with garlic bread. This was pretty good, $13/plate its pretty fulfilling, but obviously not too healthy. I ordered their special Gouda burger with fig sauce. The burger was delicious, and the cheese was very flavorful. It added a rich creamy flavor to the burger. This is an amazing contender for an Asian fusion type of burger. The fig sauce adds sweetness and tartness to the burger. This flavor combo is a perfect blend with the creaminess that you get from the cheese and the juiciness of the burger. I tried my gf's chicken pasta, but I would only come back for their burger.
(4)
Kim H.
After a long day at Universal Studios I came here with my boyfriend to get some much needed food. We got the black garlic fondue, ribeye steake frite, and el jardin (veggie burger). For the most part everything was good, service and food. The only thing that really bothered me was the fact that the huge chunk of lettuce had a dead bug on it. So they clearly did not wash it well enough before serving it. I don't even understand why they give you half of a head of lettuce anyways. Who wants to cut up their own salad at a restaurant or eat lettuce like an apple? They just need to cut it up and wash it as much as possible to to remove all insects. Anyways, other than the odd salad problem it is a good place to go to.
(3)
Britanni Marie D.
The restaurant was near empty on a Friday night. We were only seated after asking if we could be seated. The server was condescending, although I made it clear he was being rude and he then proceeded to over compensate the rest of the night. We ordered Mac & Cheese, it was decent, certainly not worth the price, $18. I ordered the pulled pork bbq sandwich, also decent, nothing amazing, definitely not worth the price which wasn't even that bad, $14. My sister's meal however was definitely not okay at all. She asked for her steak medium, it was brought to the table rare. Her mashed potatoes tasted zesty and we asked if they added any citrus to the mash, they explained the recipe, nothing special, and we came to the conclusion that they must have used sour milk to make the mash, they really tasted sour. Her coleslaw was below average, they compensated her poor meal with truffle Parmesan fries, they were luke warm, you could barely taste the truffle flavor at all. All of that, definitely not worth the price at $25! All in all, abismal. The server did us the favor of taking the fries off the bill and taking 10% off because they could see how awful our experience was, that's what the extra star is for, otherwise I would have given them 1 or none if possible.
(2)
Lore G.
Server Alex was very rude. Went in 07/14/15 and we had a suggestion on a margarita and he rudely interrupted and said "can you stick to taking food orders" the whole table could not believe he was so rude. He left after the food order and returned minutes later and asked about the margarita and asked about the drink I told him not to worry I was going to drink it. I also ordered an iced tea and the cup stayed empty for more then 20 minutes and did not refill once and I paid $3.95ish for it. Margarita was $10.
(1)
Jeremy H.
Well.... Warm beer and Cold food. That about sums it up....
(2)
Julia S.
I am giving Karl Strauss Brewing Co 2 stars because of their horrific service. When we came to be seated three servers looked at us, didn't smile and then proceeded to walk away. We were only asked if we would like to be seated after I asked if the fourth server could do so. With a sour face a woman asked if we would like to be seated inside or outside, which then she said we actually couldn't sit outside because it would be a 20 minute wait even though we could see plenty of open tables (we are a party of three). Finally we were seated inside where we were served by a waiter and his trainee. My boyfriend had to ask 5 times for his beer before it ever showed up and once it did it was after he finished his meal. Food was average. My friend had the Mac and cheese and he approved. I had the grilled romaine salad which was nothing to write home about, but for a vegetarian it was decent. Wish tourist attractions had better places to eat that actually make you feel wanted. Customer service should be a main priority, please learn Karl Strauss.
(2)
Zach Q.
Stopped in last week before heading to a taping of Conan. I had never been to a Karl Strauss but I usually go for any place with the word brewery in the name. This place was cool, and I enjoyed the atmosphere (sat outside) being right in the middle of the Universal City Walk. The beer I had was good and my fish tacos were great. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in the area.
(4)
Erin Y.
After the initial hiccup of not getting service at the host station for around 10 minutes (ok everyone walking past us...don't you see that we clearly are ready to spend money...we only have like 3,000 Universal bags in our hands), the meal could only go uphill. And uphill it went. First, the appetizer and beers. Oh the heavenly beer selection, and so good! FYI for those of you going on Disney/Universal vacay, this is the same beer that they have at Disneyland, but you HAVE to go to California Adventure under the pier. This is the only alcohol serving place, as we found after numerous hours searching. We had the spinach dip, which was really good, but not unlike it everywhere else. The beer. ***** I had the salmon. Ohhh an amazing experience. With feta cheese and a lemon cream sauce, this salmon was THE highlight of my trip and by far the best cooked and flavored salmon of my life. Hands down. Period. I ate the entire thing, then scraped my plate with my fork. He had the steak something or other - which was highly recommended by our server. He actually told the server that it was the best steak he had ever eaten. And not even prepared by a steakhouse! Perfectly medium rare. Perfectly seasoned. I actually contemplated driving back up to LA from Anaheim in order to get another of these salmon, but the hour drive is rather lengthy after a full day of Disney. This is an amazing brewery that just happens to serve kickass food.
(4)
Lana L.
The food was good and the service was excellent. Hopefully everyone can sit in Christine's section, because she is the best!!
(5)
Suzane C.
Juicy Ribeye and beer flights on tap!! If you are in the area and want to eat a great meal with all types of different beers then I suggest you stop by here. It's a very chill place and very comfortable. The staff here is very nice and the prices are decent. The food is very good most of the time. I've been here a few times and I've always thought this place was pretty good. But recently I tried their Ribeye and the price is about $25 and it was definitely mind blowing. I don't know why I never got the ribeye here before but it definitely exceeded my expectations. The ribeye steak had a generous portion and it was cooked to perfection. I asked for medium rare and it was not bloody but very juicy and soft. They also put this slab of garlic butter on top where it melts on the steak, you can take it off if you prefer but it tastes so good! They also have a house steak sauce that goes so well with it. It doesn't taste like A-1, it's actually better. It also comes with a garlic truffle fries which goes well with the steak. This was definitely my favorite dish from the place. Love their beers and you can always get a sample to try out first. I always get the lighter beers like the amber is one of my faves and the trolley one. They're all good and have different flavors for different tastes. Love getting their beer flights to get different combination beers for $6. I tried the firecracker sirloin strips as appetizers and it was really good as well. The beef strips were pretty generous and it tasted a lot like those shaking beefs but better with less batter. Tried the ahi tuna poke and those are generally always good at all restaurants. It has a very standard taste. Tried the fish and chips and that was good if you are into that. The fish has a very strong presence with less batter which I always prefer. Tried the other steak plate which is just ok. I really just recommend getting the ribeye here. Everything else is good but not mind blowing. But this place gets 5 stars because the staff is very good and very attentive. If you are celebrating a bday they give you a cup and a bday beer or ice cream so that is always an added bonus.
(5)
Monica C.
They do featured beer flights every month and they can pair it with food. Karl Strauss sells some really good beers and you can tell that they're passionate about the beers they make. I have been here a few times and this last time was just a little disappointing. First, the service was sub-par especially for the second problem, the prices. An appetizer was anywhere from $10-$20 and were not good enough or large enough to justify the price. $16 for mac and cheese? You're a bar. Seriously. However, you can do worse at City Walk.
(3)
Tidus Y.
Me and my girlfriend have been to this Karl Strauss restaurant several times every time we've visited Universal Studios, but every time we've came, the food and service was always just "so-so". We decided to give it one more try as we both were wanting alcohol and a little something to snack on. We stopped by around 4:00 after wandering Universal Studios. We sat in the patio area and we were served by "David". Our server was extremely friendly, knowledgeable and made sure we were taken care of at all times. The chef even came out several times to make sure our food met our expectations which it did. David did a terrific job at serving us and kudos to the chef who made our nachos and peri peri wings! We will definitely be back!
(4)
Alex B.
Try the pretzels. The mustard is awesome! Has horseradish in it, so if you don't mind a little kick you won't be disappointed. Excellent!!!
(5)
John B.
After spending several days at Disneyland, and then finishing our vacation with a day of Universal Studios, I needed a freakin' beer! Thankfully my honey spotted Karl Strauss located among all the Universal City Walk chain restaurants. This is a brewpub with onsite brewing facilities. I was shocked by that as I noticed while walking to the bathroom. Before we entered, I thought it was just a run of the mill suburban restaurant with good beer. Little did I know they actually brew some, if not maybe all of their beers here. On a rather chilly night, we sat outside under the heat lamps. If you're worried it might not be warm enough, you won't be for long before you start melting under their intensity. The service was great. I could tell from the moment we told our waitress that we were only ordering a beer sampler and fries. She didn't get offended as is often the reaction you receive from other places when you don't order "enough". They feature 10 or so beers on tap plus a few beers available in 22oz Bombers. Since we were looking for a flight, I was bummed that the Tower 20 DIPA wasn't on tap. That was until the waitress told us what the rotating brewer's choice tap was. Yep, Tower 20! This is one excellent IPA style beer. Their Wreck Alley is amazing if you're a stout fan. I usually grab it when I see it on sale, but to get it on tap is so much better. It's an Imperial Stout without the alcohol aftertaste that some Imperial Stouts tend to get. Especially impressive given it's 9.5% ABV. I was actually impressed with all of their "Imperial Series" beers. Something I have never tried before, Off the Rails, is a double version of their Red Trolley Ale. An Imperial Red Ale, if you will. This turned out to be one of my favorite beers in the sampler, furthering my growing affection for Karl Strauss' beer. It may appear to be just another chain restaurant, but at least they serve some excellent beer, even if the food isn't great, which I 'll never know. The fries were actually pretty good, just wish they had more V3gan options.
(4)
Meredith S.
I hardly ever write reviews but I just had to mention what a great time I had at this place with my friends. I wasn't expecting such wonderful food and service at a brewery but we had a terrific experience. Our server Stephanie was awesome the whole table loved her- she explained all the beers to us and she reccommended the pork chops ( which were delicious!) and the red trolley which I was also impressed by and would reccommend to others. The perfect spot to go to after a movie I will definitely be returning all summer :)
(5)
Mimi P.
Good spot for happy hour... they have lots of beer on tap and you can do the beer samplings 6 beers for $6.95 which isn't bad... They have good appetizers and the portions are very very generous...Their garlic parm fries are delicious...The nacho stack is good for sharing...The ahi poke is very fresh and delicious... And the chicken hef herb has a lot of flavor...
(3)
John G.
good food, good beer and ... WIFI. Quiet handy as Starbucks nearby does not have it.
(5)
Janella B.
Located upstairs overlook CityWalk it was at first something the boyfriend and I didn't really know if we should try or not. I had the Seared Ahi Salad and that was so good I was disappointed when I saw my fork hitting the bottom of the plate lol! Different beer selections if you're a drinker! Sitting on the patio was nice and you can eat inside too. The waitress was nice and turned on the heating lamps too.
(4)
Bunny H.
I went here for lunch. Beers are great! The dirty martini or two were off the hook. Ordered my food and was satisfied.....up until I got the bill. You know I don't mind paying for great service and food, but when I ask for something extra like salsa or somen' why the F&^%$ do you charge for some'n like that??? And I was not even told that extras will be charged to the bill. I can understand if I asked for a big bowl of stuff, but this was a cough drop cup size. Ridiculous!!! Bite me!
(2)
Jenn C.
I was originally going to give this restaurant three stars, but then I remembered that I don't like alcohol because it tastes disgusting, but I managed to finish my beer and finish the sample that was given to me and my boyfriend. now THATS something. The endless summer light beer was perfect for me, not too strong and not too watered down and it had a pleasant aftertaste. Pair these with the garlic fries (which is spicy because thats how fresh the garlic is) and the mac and cheese and you have a masterpiece. The mac and cheese (i got mine plain with bread crumbs) was a little watery so I would definitely recommend getting chicken or shrimp in it. The noodles were cooked perfectly and cheese sauce wasn't too salty. My boyfriend got the ahi salad... It was OK. I would stick to the fried and unhealthy foods because... beer is really good with that kinda of cuisine. But other than the greens, the beer was great and the food was awesome and the experience was priceless (I drank beer and finished it!!!).
(4)
Justin K.
Came to this place with some of my friends from out of town and wanted to sit outside. The hostess tells us its a 10 min wait I said thats was fine. The one thing no one in my party could figure out is why we had to wait they had over 10 empty tabels outside but we were not in a hurry. When or waitress came to the table my friend asked if she could tell us how this brewery came to be and her response was classic. " Uuumm Like two dudes knew some guy who made good beer and they bought this place" I was in tears. The appetizers we had were the spicy buffalo wings and calamari which both were tasty, the beer was good. I liked being able to look over onto the city walk while having my drinks it was quite nice and relaxing.
(3)
H C.
Good beer, good food. Finally, a burger that does NOT taste like chicken. If we are ever at Citywalk again we'll only eat there.
(5)
Liz C.
This is a great place to grab a couple beers and just c h i l l and that's exactly what I did. A friend of mine briefly took a look at the menu before we had dinner at a 1-star Brazilian Buffet nearby (ha ha) and decided to come here afterwards for the $5 Sampler. Fortunately for us, they were out of the sampler size cups and the bartender was a great dude, so we got regular sized beers for the same price after being able to sample some on the list. 5+ stars for knowing how to take care of your customers! My favorite was the Endless Summer Light. After a bad dinner like the one I had, I needed a good beer, and this one made my night. Light and crisp just the way I like it.
(5)
Eddie G.
First let me start by saying, this place has a great happy hour. $4 flights and $4 pints of their delicious beer! How can you go wrong! If you had yourself a long stressful week, come here between the hours of 3pm and 6pm for their Happy Hour. It's great!
(5)
Sean W.
Funny, the only thing I didn't like about this place was the beer. We started with the Rollos Locos which is a deep fat fried, crispy roll of goodness with some lovely tasting sauces to dip it into. They were lacking in spice so I ordered up some hot sauce to enhance the heat level. This completed the dish. For our meal, my date and I split an order of the pork chops. They were amazingly tender and so utterly tasty that we devoured these in no time. We were thoroughly impressed by these. Because this was our first time here and didn't know any of the beers, we ordered a flight of beer to sample. This came with four beers. Two were overly hopped, bitter beers. The Berliner Weisse was intolerably sweet and so much so that I almost spit it out onto the table upon first taste. The Red Trolley Ale was the only drinkable one in the bunch. I know it is summer and everybody seems to want light colored beers in the summer but I'm always in the mood for a dark, malty beer. I like a hoppy beer but I don't care for the ones that are just all about the hops like the Whistler Imperial Pils and Pintail Pail Ale are. I've been to India. I've had Indian beer. I've never had an "India Pale Ale" that tasted like anything I've ever had in India. Our waitress was entertaining and friendly but not very knowledgeable about the food nor the drinks. She responded quickly to quirky requests and always with a smile on her face. The one thing I can recommend is that the restaurant spend a little more time training their wait staff on the actual food and drinks they serve. The location is inside a glorified shopping mall and is nothing special. No great views and nothing to write home about. If you are in Universal City then this is definitely a place to try but do try to drink something other than their beer. I'll be back here next time I'm in the area.
(3)
Shannon C.
I don't think I'd ever seen a Karl Strauss restaurant before. I've been a fan of their graphic design for awhile, though. Came here on a Sunday afternoon and sat on the shaded patio. They have a solid Hefeweizen ($5.50 for a large glass) and yummy garlic parmesan fries ($4.95, a slightly small portion). While I was eyeing the Tree Hugger Mac & Cheese (typical!), the BF and I decided to split the Portobello Mushroom Sandwich ($11.95, a portobello mushroom grilled and basted with an amber lager marinade, topped with red roasted peppers, grilled onions, pepper jack cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and chili aioli, served with homemade potato chips). The sandwich sounded delicious, but really fell short. The onions were not grilled, and while I saw a little sauce on the sandwich, I didn't taste any. The "red roasted peppers" was more like a strip of a roasted pepper, and the portobello mushroom was a little too chewy. Come for the beer and appetizers only.
(3)
Stephanie K.
First time here and had a great experience! Was helped by a super friendly guy named Aaron who was also very entertaining. He recommended some great choices. I love Red Trolley!
(5)
Vadim P.
This place was great! didn't try the food, was only there for beer and appetizers... had the garlic fries which are a MUST!! they are amazing!! tried just about every beer on the menu :) they were all good in their own way. our waitress was very friendly and attentive! definitely a fan! :)
(4)
Jennifer C.
Came for dinner after a long but fun day at Universal Studios and it was a very nice meal. Our server, Brad, was cheerful, prompt, and knowledgeable - when he brought over the flight of 4 samples ($5!) he named and described them all in order. He was even able to differentiate between two of them (similar colors in the dim lighting) just by smell. The featured sweet potato fries with duck confit poutine was a delicious mix of textures and savory/sweet flavor to start off the meal. Hubby really liked his Creole-style shrimp and sausage, which had a good spicy kick. I had the piggy bank mac 'n cheese, which was rich and filling but could use a couple refinements. The pasta was slightly undercooked, and I think it would be better if the meats were cut to similar bite size pieces like the ham - the sausage chunks were too overpowering for a mouthful of macaroni and I could barely taste the crumbled bacon bits. Overall would give 4.5 stars if possible.
(4)
JENNIFER T.
Avoid this establishment!!!!! Food was nothing special, in fact, kind of lousy! We ordered a seared Ahi salad and the Ahi came well done. YUCK! Someone in the kitchen should take a class and learn how to sear Ahi. Even the lettuce was wilted and mushy. For apps the table ordered hummus and calamari. Calamari was decent, but hummus was tasteless. Truly, it had a smooth consistency but had no taste what -so- ever. If I had been blindfolded, I would have not been able to discern what on earth I was being fed! My daughter ordered a kids burger, it was simply gross. Her school cafeteria serves a better burger. Chicken tenders were safer, deep fried probably a Sysco product, but at least not gross! This place seems to cater to the tourist and probably does not count on repeat patronage. Bar area has nice atmosphere so if you must go in, drink, don't eat!
(1)
Melissa O.
I was just on a vacation in CA. My boyfriend and I spent a couple of days at Universal Studios. Of course that was a blast, but what really made our day was when we stumbled across Karl Strauss Brewing Company! We both love craft beer and this place was fantastic! Both the beer and the food were wonderful! Not to mention the incredible staff! While we were there the manager stopped by our table to check on us and we ended up talking to him for like ten minutes about all of the different kinds of beer! My boyfriend and I were amazed by his extensive knowledge of brewing. It was such a great night that we ended up going back there the second night! If only there was a Karl Strauss back on the East Coast! Needless to say, we will definitely be back anytime we visit Cali!
(5)
Amanda G.
All things considered, Karl Strauss is one of the better eating establishments at City Walk. They have a great selection of soups, salads and sammies - my new favorite is their Beef Dip. The highlight of coming to Karl Strauss has to be the plethora of beers on tap. There's so much to choose from that it can be hard deciding which beer to go with; thankfully, you can ask your waiter to sample the flavors - highly suggest it! After much debate, I settled on their seasonal beer, Saison, and fell head over heals in lust with the crisp lemon and pepper flavors. Located on the second level, Karl Strauss has outdoor seating which is perfect for people watching. It's a little pricey, but you definitely get what you pay for.
(3)
Benjamin S.
I've walked by Karl Strauss about a hundred thousand times and never really given it the time of day; or night, for that matter. But, I was feeling goosey and couldn't handle another night of drunken tortilla chip snacking down at Camancho's so I opted for Karl's. The 3 stars is somewhat deceiving, perhaps a 4 would be closer to accurate. We opted to sit outside on the open-aired heated-patio because the inside looked like a dark-toned version of a Denny's with what appeared to be a weak attempt at a bar. I mean, it's a brewery, so I would have expected a bit more 'umph' for the bar section but no, that didn't happen. I ordered the bavarian wheat; it was a delicious blend of yummy wheat-hop beery' awesomeness with what appeared to be a melted banana runt. I had a few of those, they got better every time. The temperature was interesting to me; maybe they were brought out late? (warm beer is a bit too German, even for me, und Ich bin Deutsch). I ordered the Big Beer Burger; it was big and juicy, but not exactly distinct in flavor. I would say this is comparable to a western burger at Carls Jr (not in a bad way, those are good). The garlic fries I ordered off menu were tasty but a bit soggy, that's what I get for ordering off menu. Waitress was really friendly and on her game, all around a great waitress who understands timing and service. I'd go back, but probably just for the beer. 4 star beer, 3 star food, 2 star interior decor.
(3)
Jessica R.
At Universal City Walk there are lots of choices for food, but I am beer-minded so me and my friend Lauren selected Karl Strauss's for lunch. I had the turkey burger with blue cheese and Lauren had the avocado burger with the veggie patty. The turkey burger was messy but good. I would have put less cheese on there. We ordered the hummus appetizer, but it barely made it out before the main entree. Also, I asked for coleslaw as my side, but received fries. The server was very nice and attentive, and even offered Lauren tasters to help make her decision on what beer to have. She had the Red Trolley (5.8% ABV) and I choose the American Craft Beer Week Rye IPA (7.6%ABV) which was lovely. The flavor was strong and complex. The combination of rye and IPA caused a bit of dry-mouth but nothing I couldn't handle. Overall I would have given this place four stars but I couldn't ignore the appetizer coming out with the entree and the side mess-up. I didn't make them change my order, I just rolled with it. I would come back again if I was at the City Walk.
(3)
Ej S.
Well while the establishment is pretty poppin' at night, Lunch was no different. The service was attentative and very informative with food a drink options. The food was just what our hunger needed and how can you not like the birds eye view of the city walk on a beautiful day. I had the the beer sampler and the rolled tacos or (whatever they're called on the menu) to start my meal. Then I conquered their massive 1pound cojito turkey burger. It was delicious but the bun was the size of Texas and there's nothing wrong with that but damn it soon became a messy production trying to keep that puppy in check. My friends had the full rack of ribs and to my surprise they were very delicious! Flavorful and tender they just peeled off the bone which was a huge plus in my book. Overall I thoroughly enjoy KS and will be back to try their excellent beers in weeks to come
(5)
Aaron F.
I had my cousin visiting from out of town and we were hungry while walking around City walk. I obviously try to avoid this area in terms of food because it is all chains so I literally had no choice. We were craving some type of brewery and found Karl Strauss. It is a bit hard to find the place since it is on the second floor with little signage. We were seated outside on the patio since it was a nice sunny day but that may have neglected the not so good service we had. It took awhile for almost everything we ordered or simply being checked on. My cousin loves nachos and decided to order the Nacho Stack. I kid you not this was a giant heap of Tortilla strips, black beans, pepper jack and cheddar cheese, cilantro, fire-roasted salsa, diced tomato, and chipotle sour cream. It was alright but the mere size of it made us quite full. The cheese tasted fake but whatever, we were hungry. Of course since it was a brewery we had to buy beer. I ordered the famous Red Trolley ale with a good toffee flavor to it. It was quite good and went well with my food. For my meal that I barely could eat because of the damn nachos was the Red Trolley BBQ burger with white cheddar, onion rings, Red Trolley BBQ sauce, lettuce, tomato, and fries. The burger was a freaking mess. I had to use so many napkins to wipe myself down. I couldn't really taste anything else besides the heavy use of BBQ sauce. I never understand why restaurants make such huge, messy burgers. You really cannot enjoy it since most of the burger ends up in your lap.... Our server was hit and miss. He never refilled our waters but did ask if we wanted another beer... In total we almost paid close to 70 bucks for all our food. It was damn expensive. one burger, one order of nachos, one salad and two beers equals that much? no thanks!
(2)
Dana T.
This was a nice restaurant to sit down in after a nice day at Universal Studios and Universal City Walk. The ambiance is nice. Waiters are very attentive and the service is pretty quick. There are plenty of TVs and seating around, so the place would be nice for groups and watching the game. We sampled their flights and my favorite was the Black's Beach Lager. We also paired it with the Piggy Bank macaroni and cheese to do a taste comparison with the Mac & Beer Cheese at the Stone Brewery in San Diego. Stone's mac & cheese won hands down. Overall good experience. I will definitely come back again whenever I'm around Universal City Walk. Yay for an annual pass!
(4)
Tracey W.
I've only been here twice and I honestly can't remember my first experience since it's been YEARS now. However, my second time here, about a couple of weeks ago, was good! It wasn't too crowded considering it was prime time for dinner at Citywalk but I'm not complaining because we got seated right away on the patio. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful with her beer and food recommendations. I ordered the Red Trolley Ale which is a medium-bodied malt beer. It had a little sweetness too it so it wasn't bitter at all. So far it's my favorite one there! My friend ordered their hef which was also good as well (typical hef). As for food, I ordered the Piggy Bank Mac and Cheese and added some broccoli (per our waitress's recommendation)! All the yummy ham, bacon, sausage, and cheesy goodness! The portion was good size and it was delicious! My friend got the BBQ ribs that were good too but not the best ribs I've ever had... I would come back from some more Trolley Ale and mac/cheese!
(4)
Dietrich S.
It's hard to find good food (if you're a "foodie" for lack of a better term) at a place like Universal City Walk. Restaurants at tourist traps like this cater to the lowest common denominator. That is not necessarily the problem here at Karl Strauss. The problem with this place is that they charge four star prices for three star food. And based on my math (Trust me, I took college algebra 4 times) that adds up to a two-star rating. I got some sort of starter salad, which was pretty good although I stared at it for two minutes until somebody brought me a fork. Then I got the Piggy Bank mac and cheese, which was just some decent mac and cheese with little bits of bacon and ham in it. It was supposed to have sausage too, but it must have been microscopic because I didn't see it. The portion wasn't even all that big. And that was $16.95??? Seriously? Wow. That's some gross profit right there. That piece of crap dish had $2.74 worth of ingredients in it. Hey, good money if you can get it from a knucklehead like me. If it were like $3 cheaper, I'd give this place three stars. But it wasn't. I guess go to Bubba Gump's Shrimp??
(2)
Jose C.
Service sucks towards minorities. Got seated and waited for fifteen minutes on a slow day until my wife went to ask for help.
(1)
Dorothy L.
After a pleasant experience at the Karl Strauss in Costa Mesa, I was inclined to dine at their location at City Walk before hitting up a concert at the Gibson. (I know the other chain restaurants there to be quite mediocre, so it wasn't that hard of a choice to pick one that at least you know has good brews!) The trippel was my favorite last time, but the waitress mentioned a new beer (and IPA at that!) that I hadn't heard of before, so of course I had to try that. It was their special brew for that location, the City Walk IPA (or a name very similar). It was fantastic! And powerful! That also was a 9%-er... We got too many appetizers for four people... Those bad boys are as big as a meal themselves! I highly recommend their spicy hummus appetizer... I could have just eaten that myself and been a happy camper. Don't worry - I didn't pass up the stinky gorgonzola sweet potato fries though! (That would just be wrong.) This place isn't cheap, but really anywhere at City Walk is the same - overpriced. So for the options available, Karl Strauss is a good choice! And you'll walk away feeling good. ;)
(4)
Tom H.
Not a bad place to come to unwind after a long days walk at Universal Studios. Came here on Friday evening and the bar was decently packed but they were still some table available. Food was passable........mostly burgers and sandwiches. Beer selection is great, a poor man's Yardhouse.
(3)
Amber R.
The beer is amazing. The service is great. Best crab cakes I've ever had. Highly recommend this place.
(5)
Lily K.
How surprisingly nice this place is! My expectations are low for places in high profile or popular locations. When I walked in, I expected mediocre service and mediocre beer while paying for the location. BUT this place was awesome. Our server was so informative, helpful and pleasant. We tried many beers. My favorite was the tower 10 pale ale, just enough bite but oh so smooth. In second was the ipa, very bitter so not for the weak. The interesting one was the oatmeal stout. It had hints of coffee and chocolate. Delicious but not my kind of beer.
(5)
Popular L.
Worst service, I think the wait staff is drunk on there extensive beer list. Failed to mention happy hour specials, 10% off if you have an annual pass to universal studios, brought our drinks and appetizer 20 minutes after the main course and never offered to refil water. Home girl had 2 other tables, not like she was slammed. When I told what i think was the manager (maybe he was bald with a button down) he made excuses for all my complaints instead of addressing them in a polite customer service way. I'm gonna get my grub on at tony romas across the way next time
(1)
Veronica M.
I give it a 5 BC their banana beer is delicious along w the pork chops tortilla soup and calamari!
(5)
Courtney B.
Great service, AMAZING food + a delicious beer selection! The only thing that was missing was a CIDER, I am still in shock that a brewery did not have Cider but besides that everything else was FABULOUS! This restaurant is great for families because they have something for everyone, even your vegan cousin! Our server had tons of great recommendations for us + suggested a blonde brew that had me ordering seconds!
(5)
Gabe P.
Great beer, love Endless Summer Light! It's in the middle of the action at the Universal City Walk, sit outside and you can see some magicians or other entertainers outside. Nice place to have your lunch/dinner while enjoying the Park or the Walk, although is not the cheapest one around.
(4)
Jimmy W.
Food was above expectation for a chain. Our family came in after spending the day at Universal. Food was good and portion was generous, I had the Chippino which was quite good. Service was attentive but not over bearing, don't eat inside the park, just go to Karl Strauss.
(4)
Patrick P.
Came here for dinner after spending the day at the neighboring theme park. Despite being a [Monday] summer evening, I was surprised to see the restaurant itself was rather empty. So getting a table for our party of 5 proved to have minimal waiting time. Ordered the Cotija Avocado Turkey Burger ($11.95), and the first thing I thought when it came to the table... Why do the tortilla chips, the side that comes with the burger, not come with any salsa or dipping sauce? But as I began to consume the burger, it literally hit me. Wow, that sauce inside the burger is potent! You need the chips to dilute the flavor. While others may think that as a negative, I found that offering the chips compensated for it, and that the patty and overall burger preparation provided a satisfactory meal. Also got to sample a little bit of the "On Empty" mac and cheese ($12.95). Portion-wise, it was rather plentiful. Flavor was pretty good, though nothing extraordinary. Can't say much about the bar, as I'm not an alcohol drinker, but thought that my dining experience there was pleasant enough.
(4)
J M.
Came here for drinks and apetizers on Thursday. Was told by waitress it was " Happy Hour" time by our waitress. We ordered two apetizers and drinks. Our waitress wasn't overly friendly or even smiled once at us. Not used to that kind of service anywhere in restaurants so it seemed odd. Food was good, not too crazy about the beer. Food took forever to arrive. A family of four recieved their food before us and they arrived much later that we did: And all of our food wasn't suppost to be cooked, So what was the deal? When we got out bill, the blond waitress didn't give us the happy hour price. We told her about it and she said; Well, when I put in the orders it rang up as regular price. We told her, "You were the one who told us it was "HAPPY HOUR". She said, she will ask someone about it. Well, she better because she's the one who told us about it. Unbelievable! Never had a waitress so dumb. Will probably go back for food but I hope I get another waitress.
(2)
Chris T.
Stopped in for a light dinner and drinks. Wait staff were friendly and helpful even though we were not going to be the biggest order of her night. We ordered appetizers on their $5 happy hour deal, and they were tasty! She offered beer tastings and walked us through some of the home brew options. When my daughter didn't like her chicken wings seasoning the waitress quickly offered to switch it out for her. Excellent customer service and good food!
(5)
Wilson L.
Asade fried and big beef burger. Asade frues were kinda small 4 wat u pay 4. The big beef burger was good. The portion was big. I had the red amber, and the ipa. They were both good.
(4)
Jim G.
I've been to better micro-brews, but the location and friendly staff pushed them up to 3 stars. Went during happy hour. Check out their website for details. Basically $3.50 pints and slightly discounted appetizers. Their Endless Summer Nights brew was ok. If you are looking for little flavor and an easy drinking beer then go for this one. Their India Pale Lager kicks it up a few notches. This one isn't for the faint of heart - strong and bold flavor with a kick at the end. Appetizers were mediocre. Spicy boneless wings really weren't spicy at all. I would probably go with an entree if i went again, they looked better than what we ended up getting. I probably wouldn't go back, but I'm not a fan of Universal City Walk either. A few (or is that 10,000?) too many tourists for me!
(3)
Sarah S.
I was not expecting to like this place as much as I did. I'll be back for sure next time I visit Universal. Everyone ordered beer flights, the beers were decent enough. They were out of Octoberfest so the waitress let us substitute whatever we wanted. My friend made up his own flight, which wasn't a problem. I got the flatbread pizza (Sunday Special) which was delicious! Their menu was pretty interesting. They even have Banh Mi! Our waitress was great, very knowledgeable & attentive.
(4)
Leo M.
I really enjoyed this place and definitely give it a solid 4 star. I tried the Big Beer Burger, which is (basted with KS Amber Lager, topped with Red Trolley Ale onions, IPA mushrooms, Woodie Gold-brined bacon, gruyere, tomato, lettuce, and fries. Served with IPA steak sauce) The burger was gourmet and delicious, and despite being called a "beer burger" it didn't taste nasty or like beer at all.The bacon on the burger especially stood out and was very tasty! Like most better burgers, you could really taste the individual ingredients instead of feeling like you're biting into just one juicy mass. Don't get me started on the cheese :) I also tried the Beer-a-misu for dessert, which made me laugh when I read it. I had to try it since I am a fan of Tiramisu. It was much better than I had expected! There wasn't too much of a difference between it and it's rum counterpart. It was sweet and satisfying. It wasn't anything out of this world, but it was without a doubt, yummy. The only downside was the fries. A little too much salt? Maybe just a business tactic, since this place is a brewery. If they added parmesan cheese instead it would have been perfect, but o well. Maybe a little garlic too. mmm... Big plus for our server, Aimee :) Great service! Definitely made the experience that much more enjoyable. Also, I think since it's summer, the place is open a bit later than posted here, until 11pm. I'm not a big fan of the citywalk, but it was really nice sitting outside on the balcony, overlooking all the neon lights and sights below. Much better here on a weeknight than on a weekend! I blame all the crazy locals. Definitely recommend the outdoor seats, as it's kind of a waste to sit inside. They have a whole row of heatlamps, so it's fine even on a colder night :)
(4)
Smellee the Great O.
Happy hour was awesome!! Beer for $4 and cheep food! The spinach dip was delicious! Buffalo wings were great. Our server was super nice and very helpful.
(5)
Lemmy J.
Seeing that Karl Strauss is a brewery, I figured they would have a decent bar to hang out in. You know, to drink those beers they make. Wrong. The bar is basically a crappy waiting area for getting a table in the restaurant with really harsh flourescent lighting. Great job! Not somewhere I'd want to plunk down money or spend time in. It'd be 1 star but they do make good beers.
(2)
Hue N.
Happy Hour from 4-6:30pm on weeknights! It was really nice to enjoy Universal, come out for some drinks and food, and then go back in for some more fun! Beers for $4 and appetizers for $5. We had the calamari, buffalo wings, bbq wings, sweet and stinky fries, and sweet chili lime fries. If you had to pick between the two types of fries, I recommend the sweet chili lime. Beer, food, and friends. Good times!
(4)
Robert P.
Why do food portions have to be so bloody big, seriously? Why can't it be just normal for a human being? So I had a co-worker visiting from overseas and after a long afternoon of touring Hollywood by foot we developed quite the appetite. The hostess at the front was approaching patrons as they walked by and as soon as I heard her say $3.50 pints for the next couple of hours, me brain just goes "Sold" Now going back to the appetite we were pretty hungry and we all decided to share a side of nachos as they were half price and each ordered a burger. The nachos were absolutely ridiculous it was enough to feed a whole family. I was not expecting as much as they served. Needless to say we took most of it home. As for the taste, it was o.k., nothing spectacular but it wasn't tostitos with velveeta either. I went with some kind of jalapeno burger thing, that too was alright. Barely tickled my tongue though. Not as spicy as I was expecting. That was crazy big too, took half of it home. No for the part that makes me giddy, the beer. For $3.50 for a pint it was a pretty good deal. I went with their red trolley ale, some cross of a hefeweisen and porter and the creme of the crop the IPA. Now this IPA is around 7.5 % APV so for $3.50, two or three of these and you'll be in a pretty good mood. All in all it was o.k., portions a little crazy, beer was great. The important thing is the European I had with me enjoyed it. Great view of the city walk from the outside seating. Service was terrific.
(3)
Valerie D.
HAPPY HOUR 4-6pm I know this is not a conventional time to get hammered but come on, this is at the city walk which is usually full of people bumping into each other. If you've got a buzz going you can handle it ;) The appetizers are discount during that time as well and it's so worth it. THIS IS NOT HEALTHY FOOD but beer food hehe
(4)
Nicks L.
There beer was great! Food.. Terrible quality for the price. I had to send my food back twice because it was cold.
(2)
Alyssa A.
I should start this Yelp review in defense of the Karl Srauss staff who, I'm sure, are exhausted and less than enthused of serving tourists day after day. Our waiter/bartender seemed so at least. After working at a tourist restaurant myself, I understand their pain, however feel no remorse for this less than pleasant review. Telling a paying customer that your drink order is "the bottom of the barrel" is not the most respectful comment, neither is slamming our glasses down on the table. You should be in no hurry by the looks of the empty bar, and if it were, you should still not express that you are in a hurry. I've heard the beer is above average, but lets try to complement that with better service...
(1)
Nicole B.
Went back before a movie again. Our server was awesome. Brought over a ton of samples of beer and really enjoyed his job. The food was better this time. Had the Gouda burger, the boyfriend had the po boy sammy. I think they have improved there service and food. I'm a fan now.
(4)
Kristie R.
The one star is for a great host staff and great food. The other star is for the manager fixing the issue. The 3 blank stars is for the waitress who was very rude and was fixated on my fiance. She would not look at me when I wanted to order. And was very short with me when I had a question. It was disrespectful. I would go back to Karl Strauss, but a different location.
(2)
Jon P.
Sat on the patio before a concert on Sunday night and had a great time while it "snowed" on us. Their Menage holiday beer was excellent and went really well with our spicy hummus. I hadn't been to a Karl Strauss in a while, but we had a good time and the price was very reasonable. I think I'll try the one in Costa Mesa again when we're in the area.
(4)
Baylor B.
Absolutely love the food and the patio ambience even more! Yes the food is a little pricey, but the brewery offers great tap beer choices and the steak dinners are amazing. The sauces are unique and tasty; the rolls are hot and fresh and again I can't say enough about the patio seating with heat lamps overlooking the main circle hub of city walk complete with live music, water fountains for kids to run through, fire breathing dragon adjacent to the patio & a cornucopia of treats for the senses: sweet dessert smells and neon lights plus palms covered in twinkly lights. Great romantic spot for first time dates or to spice up your normal routine. Also I suggest going during a week night and the people watching from above is fun too :) summary: great food, a tad pricey but the ambience makes it all worth it!!!
(4)
Dave B.
Pretty good. Seems like the best option available at Universal Citywalk if you want something resembling a real meal. The beer selection was indeed impressive, they give lots of info so aficionados can select what they really want and people who know less about the differences between beers can make an informed choice, too. Food's pretty good, nothing to stop the presses about. I had the beer-brined pork chops. Very tasty and filling, only complaint is that they weren't uniform thickness so they weren't cooked entirely evenly. The chef came out and checked on us, which I appreciated. The Sweet and Stinky Fries (sweet potato fries w/Gorgonzola cheese) are AMAZING.
(3)
Angelica C.
Omg beer so good, wings so good...our server was on top of his game...totally coming back
(5)
Andrew G.
Amazing brews, amazing food, amazing people, and in case you missed it the first time, amazing brews. You can buy many of these beers at liquor stores, but it's worth it to try them fresh out of the tap. The Tower 20 is worth going to prison for. If you're lucky enough to have Parrot In The Palm Tree on the menu, DO NOT PASS IT UP. It will change your life. The waiters/waitresses are very cool, and the bartenders are as friendly as they come. This establishment will always hold a special place in my heart.
(5)
Lissa G.
maybe 3.5 stars Stopped here on my way to see No Doubt at the Gibson. We were here in time for happy hour, which allowed for cheaper pitchers and pints, as well as appetizer specials. Appetizers aren't half off as some have said, but discounted by a few bucks. The Endless Summer Light was a light lager with a citrusy feel. Husband also had some of the India Pale Lager. Whooo! Too strong for me--not alcohol content, the taste! Firecracker Boneless Wings aren't bad, but where's the heat? I mean, they're called firecracker! The chicken quality was good though. Chicken Quesadilla was a nice take on a traditional dish. Inside the warm tortilla was black bean puree, chicken, cilantro, and a mix of peppers. Also had some fries. We wanted a 50/50 split of the Cajun Fries and the Garlic Parmesan. They can't do that, but they did mix all the ingredients together. Not too bad, although I would've liked a little more cajun flavor. Bartender, who was also our waitress in the bar area, hooked up the happy hour price even though our last beer order was after the 6:30 deadline. =) Pretty good way to start off the night.
(3)
Kim H.
Food is below average. The beer selection is ok but there are much better micro breweries out there. You are trapped in Universal and if you don't want the cheasy Saddle Ranch than this place is ok. Nice interior...nice outdoor seating....great place to watch people....but that is about it.
(2)
Mathew R.
Went here before a show at the Jon Lovit's Comedy Club and had a few drinks with my friends. The bartender's were very friendly and had us laughing. The beer selection they have is pretty nice as well, I had the Octoberfest they had that was made by them, good taste that's for sure. We were only in here for about 15 minutes, but we had a great time!
(4)
Jane K.
maybe I should've gotten beer to make this review legit...but I didn't came here after a long day at universal studios we ordered the mediterranean salad and nachos for our meal the salad portion was pretty small...it came out on a big plate and it looked big but it was really flat...so it wasn't that much the nachos...there wasn't much cheese on it....but there was some other sauce...not sure what it was...probably would've tasted better if we had added chicken...eh...oh well...there were beans....forgot what else....it wasn't that good and the utensils...well a fork was REALLY dirty...GROSS -____- asked for lemon for our water, but our waitress forgot and we had to ask again...but she was REALLY nice!! that's why this place got even 2 stars I remember going to karl strauss in san diego...I don't remember it tasting so bad...oh well...
(2)
Richard D.
This was our experience over NYE. We got so tired of fighting through the crowds and super long lines at these restaurants to go eat, so we just decided to come here. 10$ cover to eat here? and there is a time limit? Oh wait, thats just for eating on the balcony. Anyway, the food was okay. Nothing spectacular. I had a good time here. My gf and I went here for New years eve, instead of some club, and it kinda nice. Its a big change from the days of getting wasted at some crowded ass club. We sat there talking about how dumb NYE was, and when it hit midnight we didn't even kiss. Just to stick it to the man, and the establishment. But then we did kiss, and then dumped everything off the dining table and had hot, wild monkey sex. Wait, never mind, that didn't happen. Anyway, the food here is like any other chain brewery. Not spectacular, but it is not terrible either. The mass micro brews aren't bad either. So expect similar crap from what you would find at a Rock Bottom, or Gordon Biersch.
(3)
Mz Kat d.
The food here is fantastic. The service is impeccable. And the beer is delicious. Everything about this restaurant is worth dealing with all the clueless tourists as Universal Citywalk. I look forward to eating my next meal here almost as soon as I've taken my last bite while still sitting at the restaurant. The servers are very knowledgable and friendly. They share their knowledge of beer without hesitation. They chat you up about sports. The managers are frequently making the rounds in the dining room, making sure everything is up to standard. One of the managers (I'm assuming she's a manager) named Stephanie went out of her way to take my boyfriend's contact information so that we could pick up a seasonal poster when it was time to take them down. And then there's the beer. Oh the beer. I love me some beer. The Red Trolley will always be my go-to beer if I can't make up my mind. But most of the time, the servers will bring by a few samples of recommendations without us even asking. Like I said, Universal Citywalk is a nightmare. Parking is way too expensive and the people who flood the place are a bunch of clueless tourists and overly anxious teenagers. This has never stopped me from enjoying a meal at Karl Strauss. Did I mention that I want to get a cat and name him Karl? Yup. Love me some Strauss. Especially the Oktoberfest.
(5)
Ben M.
the one place we all agreed on the food was great, but beer was even better....this is going to be a short and sweet review, but my only disappointment was we only found this on the second trip to LA, and we could have eaten there many more times the sweet and stinky fries as well as the boneless wings were excellent bar food... the piggy bank and bar be que chix mac and cheese were excellent as well as my grilled fish tacos every beer we tried ranged from above average to darn near excellent cant wait to revisit this place, it was the unexpected food highlight of our last trip which included Vegas, LA and Phoenix
(5)
Monica M.
I thought that their garlic fries satisfied my craving for the time being, and their light beers are pretty tasty. I forgot what I even ate when I was there, if that helps one decide the quality of food.
(3)
Artie T.
Karl Strauss at universal walk awesome place to visit, had dinner with the family as we started with ahi poke and the crab cakes and were very taste full, we decided to order the calamari and was another great pick, as we moved on to dinner the salmon was my pick for the night and must say it was delicious with a pint of endless summer light. The desert selections are great had the bread pudding with a pint of red trolley. Overall I love this place great people and a menu with great selections.
(4)
Javier J.
You're in City walk.. if there was ever a time to drink it's after you realize you just paid HOW MUCH for parking to what should be considered a strip mall with a lot of flashing neon lights. Yes. You need to swallow as much alcohol in order for this place to start being entertaining. At least this way the stupid kids running in the water fountains will become slightly amusing instead of just annoying sacks of loud noises and tears. Karl Stauss has some semi decent pricing. They have a pretty good happy hour going on which gets you the beer cheaper but I wouldn't bother with the food at all. It's bad bar food at best. They got some decent garlic fries and I guess that's all you really need when your chugging down their beers. You want to be laughing at the stupid people down below.. not eventually be one of them in your drunken stupor. Their IPA does pack a pretty mean bitter punch, but then again, it's an IPA. What did you expect? Most any IPA that is in the West will be kicking your butt. I like their Belgian style Saison brew. It does go down smooth and has that authentic taste. Over all, probably one of the better places to eat in City Walk. Which isn't saying much.
(3)
Brian B.
If I had the choice I would not have chosen this place. And after eating here I would choose ANY other place in CityWalk to eat. Eat being the key word, I don't drink beer so this place was a waste of time for me. The service was slow and less than pleasant. Food was bland and uninspired. And the selections were so slim, I really like to have decent choices when I go out and there were only a couple real dinner options, and I ain't paying $9 for a burger. From what I heard the beers were good, so skip the food and have a drink while you are waiting to get into a real restaurant.
(2)
Amy P.
Ok so I remember really liking this place, maybe I was just too sauced to remember? The beer is great, very tasty I will give you that. I mean be real it's what they are known for yes? I love me some good grubby bar appetizers, but uh no not so much. The spinich-artichoke dip was flavorless and the Thai skewers were not good. We hardly ate any of our food. The waitresses were great. One ran after me with a " to go" box I had left on purpose, God love her. The hostess? Christ, she was r-u-d-e. I know it was a busy Saturday night, but honey? If ya hate your job, quit. I would skip this one unless you want to get 'cho phat buzz on and munch something generic like maybe fries?
(2)
David G.
Being in Universal Studios and thirsty for a beer, your options are kind of limited, but it's great to have a brewery on the list when making your decision. Their beers aren't the greatest, but they have a pretty good IPA. Of course their prices suck being in City Walk, that's kind of a given though.
(3)
Brian A.
Craft beer is always better than Bud. This is just a nice location to hangout, both indoors and outdoors. The food is getting better each time we go.
(3)
Evan B.
If I had enough money to buy this company or even this restaurant I would do it in a heartbeat. I have been coming here every couple weeks for a year. I really love the food and their beer is amazing. Out of every beer I have tried, including the regulars, the cask selection (only on Thursdays beginning at 4pm) and the monthly changing brews, I have only ever disliked one of them. My favorite is the Oktoberfest but unfortunately it won't be around for much longer. The food is great and the Mac On Tap is really wonderful. I hate cheese and am not a fan of much that is cheese-heavy but I could eat this every day of my life. Everything I've eaten has been awesome and tastes delicious and the moment I leave, as full or beer and food as I am, I wish I was coming back for dinner or a late night snack. The very best part about this restaurant is the service. Like I said, I've been coming here every couple weeks for a year and I have only had 1 negative experience with a server. This company teaches their servers about beer and they will tell you all you want to know. They will occasionally bring you tasters based on what you order so that you can see how a particular beer will compliment the food. A server even mixed beers for me once to create something really great when i couldn't decide what to order and it tasted great. The management is really amazing and will walk around and ask how everything is and even bring tasters like the servers do. There is a manager named STEPHANIE and I told her what a big fan of the Oktoberfest beer I am and offered to buy the official poster that they put up advertising that the beer is available. She took my name and number and ended up calling me 2 weeks after telling me to come by and pick it up. If I wasn't already a huge fan of this place and told everyone to go based on beer, food, and service quality, this would have put me over the top.
(5)
David O.
So we got here about 6:45 PM on Wednesday. We were going to see Van Morrison at the Gibson Amphitheatre and we wanted to grab some dinner and a couple of drinks before the show. As did, apparently, the other 6,000 people who were going to see Van. Talk about packed? This place was absolutely hopping! The waitress said it would be about 45 minutes until we could get seated, which wouldn't help us out much considering that's when the show was starting. We asked if we could eat at the bar and she started laughing hysterically... Yeah right, good luck and all! Who should I write as next of kin? We head over to the bar and see exactly what she means... Some 50 or so crazed patrons are congregated around the bar. The two bartenders, in their early 20s both, looked terrified and thanked God for the bar separating them from the pack of hungry psychotics on the other side. Picture 50 coyotes who haven't eaten in 2 weeks. Now drop a couple of cute and fat bunny rabbits. Yes... the imagery *is* dead on. Anyway, we managed to grab a chair and my wife went to fight her way through to try to grab the bartender's attention. She eventually managed to score us each 2 drinks (smart gal, she is, ordered 2 drinks directly so we wouldn't have to flag him down again) and some food: calamari & fish and chips. Now this makes it sound easy... I think that it was probably 7:15 by the time we had our drinks and food. My wife had gotten me two martinis, and the bartender was way generous with the pour, so let's just say I was pretty lit by the time we went to see Van Morrison. The food, however, was absolutely delicious. The fish was insanely fresh and way good. Breaded just so, with plenty of tartar sauce. I was in heaven. I recall the calamari being quite tasty as well. The place was dead by 7:32PM. We actually decided to stay a while longer and we missed the first 20 minutes of the show. The bartenders were way cool and the service was impeccable, despite the fact that these poor bastards were seriously understaffed. I don't know if they realize how close they came to death that night, but they stood brave and faced a group of psychotic hippies and... well good for us, because Karl Strauss would lose some seriously great people if it had lost these two.
(5)
Clara C.
FOOD IS GOOD! Went this past saturday, with another couple for dinner, and man...was their food good! I ordered the Cotija Turkey Burger and replaced the tortilla chips it came with, with a green salad and it was GINORMOUS! Ate the whole thing, and picked out of my bf's Spicy Cajun Pasta dish (I eat alot) and that was good too. The plates are big and the portions are too, and that's what's great, cuz you're getting your filling and money's worth. I ordered the Karl Strauss Amber Lager, mmm Mmm. Only thing, beer could have been a little more cold, but that's ok, beer is beer. As long as it wasn't room temp, or I woulda slapped a b*tch. Anyway, the couple we were with ordered the Mac & Cheese and the Wedge Salad (of course I was eyeing everyone else's food) hehe.. and it all looked good. The check came out to 6 dollars away from 100, I think that was a LIIIITTLE too much, but all in all, it was worth it. It could have been cool to substitute for free the tortilla chips with the salad, but they charged an additional $1.75 I believe, to replace it. Wanted to order more drinks, but didn't want to be the one seeing double at the end of the night, but if we do happen to be around the area again, I'll definitely try a bigger selection. Their beers looked tempting..
(4)
Kealoha V.
I've been here about three times now and I've been satisfied by what I've had to eat and drink here. The place has been usually busy, but that makes total sense considering where it's located. Yet with that said, I don't recall ever having bad service. In fact our last server, Ferin, was very nice. Complimented my girlfriend more than once. A little touchy on my shoulder. Yeah, she pretty much wanted both us. (Kidding of course.) She never left us waiting too long for anything and at the same time wasn't one of those people who stopped by every five minutes to ask "How are things?"/ "Can I get you anything else?" I hate that. Make a pass, if we look like we're bored or what have you, then ask. Thankfully she knew when to stop by and when not to. So let's talk about the food. I wish I could recall how the food was the first two times, but it's been a number of years. So I can only really comment on my most current meal. I shared the Black Garlic Fondue with my girlfriend and a friend. I had never had black garlic before and after trying it, in it's soft and warm state. I never want to have regular old white garlic again. It was so sweet and just amazing. That's really where my love for the appetizer ends. The Red Trolley sauce was bland. The bread was too charred and the Cambozola cheese, although great on it's own. Really made no sense here. I guess it all just didn't work together for me. I was hoping for something more like a typical fondue. This wasn't that. I could see each part going well on it's own when paired with something that compliments it. Nothing here seemed to work together. My main dish was the "Piggy Bank". Which is a Mac N' Cheese with bacon, black forrest ham and kolbasa (or should it have said "kielbasa" ?) sausage. The meal itself was pretty big. Even if I hadn't had one of their 22 year old anniversary stouts or the fondue, I still think I would have had a hard time finishing it. There was quite a bit of mac n' cheese. Sadly, just like the fondue. This was alright for me. It had nothing to do with the type of mac n' cheese I ordered. From the plain to one of the other varieties, I would have come to the same problem. "Cheese sauce" as it is labeled in their menu. The cheese was more liquid than a solid. Which bugged me. I wanted ooey and gooey. Not something "watered down". This was a sad mac n' cheese. I've had better microwave mac n' cheese from Trader Joe's. Even at one of my favorite local restaurants, I can get it cheaper and better tasting. You figure they could do better than that for what they are charging. But I guess they need to make rent somehow. Finally, their beer. I like their beer. I've tried a couple while here as well as what they sell in stores and I've enjoyed it. That's the only reason I am not giving this place a two star rating. If I had written this a few years ago. I would be giving them a four star rating. However I can't honestly do so this time around. Am I going back a fourth time? It's possibly, but with their being other choices for lunch or dinner. It won't be anytime soon.
(3)
Barbara W.
Great selection of beer. Food and service were very good. A must visit if only for the beer.
(4)
Adriana R.
Let me start off by saying, the main reason I came to a brewery restaurant when I myself am not a fan of beer at all, was because they were the only restaurant at City Walk playing Game 6 of the NBA Finals with audio. Now with that being said, the place was pretty empty. Our waitress was a tad slow on service, but not horrible. I would have given them 2 stars for the food, because I made a rookie mistake by ordering pasta at a brewery (I know I know, I just had a craving for pesto) and honestly the pesto was like that guy you go on a date that seems great on paper and then you realize there is that X factor missing. The chicken seemed like it was frozen and there was not enough flavor. Nevertheless, they get 3 stars because my friend ordered a Burger with Fries (what I should've ordered) and I had a bite and it was pretty darn good. Also had their chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream for dessert and that was amazing. At the end of the night our waitress brought us a free sample of this espresso chocolate beer. It was a nice gesture, yet for a chocolate lover like myself, I was unfortunately not a fan of the beer.
(3)
Sam A.
I ate here for the first time tonight and couldn't have been more pleased. The beer selection was large and cheaply priced. I ordered the BBQ pork sandwich and loved it. The two people I was with had the steak and were extremely pleased. I will be returning here very soon.
(4)
Christina B.
After a long fun day at Universal Studios, my husband and I went in to Karl Strauss for a beer (him) and a snack (me). I had the jalapeno hummus dip with flat bread. So yummy!! It has some fire to it so be careful and order water with it! My husband said he just wanted "a bite" and we both ended up scraping the plate! That was my first time there, but will definitely be back!
(4)
dc l.
We had dinner there last night and I must say it was such a treat!! Although it was located in the same complex at Universal Studios, the food was high quality and inexpensive -- two adjectives one normally would not associate theme park food with. The beers were delish!!! The variety was awesome and we got to sample quite a few for free as well. As for food, we had the boneless buffalo/bbq chicken combo, a shirmp dish, and a thail chicken wrap. Maybe we had too long of a day from hanging out at the theme park, but everything tasted awesome with and without the beers!! Service was good as well. We are definitely coming back!!
(5)
Matt B.
Karl Strauss Brewing Company: What can I NOT say about this AWESOME place with killer grub, killer beers and killer service!!!!
(5)
Orly S.
Been going to Karl Strauss for a few years. The Red Trolly Irish Red Ale is my favorite. I also love the Chipotle Pastrami Sandwich. It can get crowded in there during the summer. So we often belly up to the Bar. The service is great and the atmosphere is fun.
(4)
Jirier M.
Probably the best location in so cal. The food is good...staff is attentive..drinks are great! What more can you ask for? Ask to be seated outside....people watch...and catch a good buzz.
(4)
Monica A.
Love their beer! I can never decide which one to get so most of the time i just order a flight and try 4 of what ever they recommend. Love their Mac&Cheese! Excellent burgers as well. Don't know why anyone would have a problem with this place.
(5)
Jesse T.
I suppose all restaurants have their moments, we had a decent time going to this Karl's. I've been to the one down in San Diego, which is easily twice the size if not larger. I'm not a social drinker of the beer, but on occasion I'll have a brew. I love their red trolley car ale. It went great with my beer brined pork chops. My gf had the drunken shrimp, which I think we both liked, however in really needed a pasta base, they opted for a mashed potato base under this penne ala vodka like sauce. Our service was fairly decent, the girl liked her job, she took care of us, it was busy, but she didn't forget us. The food was cooked properly, we got it in a timely manner, and best of all, we got to go to Universal Haunted horror Nights after words (see my review). When I return here, I plan on getting one of those huge Whimpy destroying Hamburgers that look like they could feed half of California. I don't eat burgers that often for health reasons, so I pick my burgers carefully, being its a treat. These look like they can fit the bill. By the way, I was here on a Saturday night, middle of Halloween Haunted Horror Nights, the scene was busy, just so you know, they were on top of things, during a rush.
(4)
Wolf L.
Cruised around Citywalk after watching Avatar at the IMAX. We didn't eat breakfast, so Girlfriend and I had co-rumbling tummies. Everything at Citywalk is made for tourists--which means high prices and sub-par quality. We saw the sign for Karl Strauss and the place was empty at 1:00 PM. They have beer. Why the hell not? The service was pretty decent, which I would expect since we had to be the waiter's only table. I got a Saison brew, which is the Strauss version of a Belgian ale. Not too bad. For lunch, I ordered the Big Beer Burger and Girlfriend got the Fish and Chips. Both came with fries. I opted for the Cajun and Girlfriend, apparently not interested in smooching on the way home, got the garlic fries with her order. Peeee-yoooo! HUGE portions. My gawd. We could have easily shared either order. I almost finished mine, buy Girlfriend needed a box. The entrees were well-prepared and quite tasty. Karl Strauss has quite an austere, rather antiseptic decor. Not very friendly or inviting inside, but I guess if they want to just move the tourists through the place, it's the perfect look and feel.
(3)
Nikki I.
Came here ages ago and remember getting a free sample of their Amber Lager, which had to be one of the best beers I've tried, even to this day. There was a really nice quality to it that I favored over any other beer (and I'm not a beer fan). I ended up buying a glass! My friend and I ordered chicken salads, both of which were really tasty. Made for a nice light and healthy lunch before our night out exploring CityWalk. :)
(4)
Jr A.
I was out with friends at universal studios...we had decided after the park closed we were gonna find a place in the city walk to watch the big game (Lakers vs. Celtics) btw Lakers won!! We were approached by one of their employees outside the restaurant about happy hour specials...we just had one question do they have tvs to watch the game...he said yes and we were sold. The service was great ordered a few beers ($3.50 pints) on a wide selection of beers, and a few typical bar foods for happy hour. Decided on the Nachos first off to snack along with a red trolley beer to start off the game. And let me tell you that the size of the nacho plate was beyond enormous....I should of stopped there....we finished the nachos n beers by half time....i was already full, but thought to myself that there's another half to watch...so ordered the en fuego burger which was pretty spicy but rather good....also sampled their piggy mac n cheese which was good also. Again the service was great....even managed to get more free samples of their different types of beers....our waitress wasn't that bad on the eyes either...lol Would i come back sure...I thought it was going to be crowded during the big game, but it felt like i was at home with a few friends watching the game. I would have given this establishment one more star if the food wasn't so expensive for what you get....maybe next time i'll just got the nachos and try out what else is on tap.
(3)
Tara M.
I have been here twice, both times before concerts at the Gibson. The first time had me craving to come again. House wheat beer on tap, just set me up with an IV drip, I am not a big drinker, but I could knock these back all day..... except for the part where they have to carry me out. Ahi Poke appetizer chucks of fresh fish, cucumber, tomato all nicely seasoned and served with fresh fried won tons, soo sooo good, I could order this as a meal. April special is a Korean BBQ sandwich .... toasty hoagie roll stuffed with daikon, cucumber, tender pork smothered in delicious spicy bbq sauce, I was full but it was so good. Our waiter was friendly and attentive, we sat on the patio so we got dinner and a show LOL. I do love this place, dinner for 2 with appetizers and drinks 66.00 - not to shabby. Impatiently awaiting my next pre-show dinner.
(5)
Ocee D.
3 Stars Service was real cool. Calamari was good but the dipping sauce could be improved (or they could add more options) The drink I ordered (Long Beach Ice Tea) tasted ok, but was way too weak.
(3)
Dana B.
One of the best places to eat when you are walking around on city walk! This place is oozing with Great service, delicious food and great atmosphere! I would recommend the drunken shrimp, mm has to be my favorite by far! Its a bit pricey but its oh so worth it! The desert is to die for! This is a great experience to try at least once. You can sit inside with a bunch of life and atmosphere excites you or on the patio/deck area, where you can over see universal city walk! A must try in my book!
(4)
Tai F.
The wait for this place was absurd. Especially because it wasn't any big deal in my book. But since the restaurant options at Citywalk are so limited we chose to stick it out here. My mom and I ordered very similar drinks which the waiter didn't keep track of and we ended up with the wrong drinks. No big deal. I ordered the ahi tuna appetizer and it was delicious. There was a perfect avocado to tuna ratio that I really appreciated. Though it was a bit spicy (warns you in the menu). My mom's wedge salad was also very good but the macaroni and cheese that they are so proud of was only okay. We left much of it behind which was disappointing. However, if stranded at Citywalk again I would probably eat here before anywhere else.
(3)
Mario G.
Carl Strauss Red Trolley!!!!! Food gets 2, beer 4 stars... Can't write to much about this place, if your at city walk for a movie or comedy show or just ending your trip to universal, the choices are not great so check this place out. Just know your not getting SUPERIOR quality grub
(3)
Jake M.
GREAT Local Microbrewery! BOMB Eats . . . KILLER Location! Fresh and tasty local brews . . . Unique food with a beer/wine twist. Nice way to get away from the kids at Universal.
(5)
Amy L.
Beer......BEER!! This place has awesome beer. I have always shunned the Universal City Walk because I...HATE...IT but wonder of wonders, there IS a reason to come to this god forsaken hodgepodge of desparate sun-beat tourists and overpriced garbage-retail. It's Karl Strauss. What to order? Um...beer? Yes, beer. The sampler---just go for it. Also of note is the hummus. It comes with awesome bread and the hummus is tasty but even better...it comes with olives and peppers to go on top. Delectable. I am astounded that UCW has a restaurant that I like...but there you have it.
(4)
Jenn A.
Love Red Trolley and the Tower 10 IPA! Disneyland's Californa Adventure has a Karl Strauss Stand and I couldn't be happier that they do!
(5)
Maryann R.
Very decent IPA and Red Trolley ale. I was looking forward to their famous mac n cheese, but was disappointed in the watery sauce. Flavor was ok, but still not Trader Joe's in the freezer isle. Plus: great service.
(3)
Brittany S.
A group of friends and I were in the Universal area for New Year's weekend and did not rent a car, leaving us limited primarily to CityWalk unless we could justify the expensive cab rides elsewhere. We found oruselves at Karl Strauss when on our first night in town, ravenous from 8 hours of travel. They easily accomodated all seven of us and we found the service to be very good. None of us had any complaints about the food-- the mac and cheese dishes were all fantastic. Aside from that specialty, however, it was standard bar food. Our lack of foresight brought us back here New Year's Eve since we had not made reservations elsewhere nor were we willing to pay a cover for other restaurants in the area. We just ordered drinks for the night and again the service was good but it wouldn't have been our first choice. While our experiences were all positive, it isn't a "must-visit" restaurant in the area... but given that CityWalk is designed for tourists I don't think there is much that reaches that "must-see" status.
(3)
Jessica C.
From the service to the food/ drinks this place was miserable. Out of four of us, one sandwich tasted good that is the only reason this place even gets one star. The soda was not carbonated, the calamari was mediocre, the entrees were nothing more than edible at best and in addition to the over 2 inches of head, the beer was room temp. Being in the service industry, we gave the server the benefit of the doubt and asked if the beer was supposed to be served at that degree, to which she responded "you must not be used to micro brews, there not like Coors light, they're meant to be that warm" - Bullshit. 2 of us are bartenders and none of us are dumb. she didn't even offer a replacement beer. Then when asked about dressing options, our server told us they had a dressing that they didn't have. Instead of correcting it, she brought me a ranch. i tried to exchange the ranch for the original choice and she said we don't have that, then acted like she never told us they did. Finally when we were done picking at our food we grabbed the bill and waited 30 minutes before having to take it up to the bar and hand it to our server, who was chatting with two other employees. i would never go back.
(1)
Cody Q.
The food and beer is AMAZING! You can't beat the environment. The staff is extremely friendly and they make sure you enjoy your time. Attentive and on top of their game. I'm a clutz and spilled my fresh beer and the staff quickly helped me clean it up and gave me a new beer.
(5)
Elle T.
I've only been here once; it was a short visit as we just went in for a drink. We ended up ordering the tasting menu of beer, which consists of 6 (~2 oz.) shot glasses of beers. I can't remember the names of them, or what they tasted like, except that a few of them were too heavy for me. I guess that doesn't tell you much about the beer... Anyway, most of the beers were brewed on location, from what i remember. Service was ok. Nothing too memorable about this place; I guess it's nice that they have an outdoor patio and you can see across the way of Citywalk, to the food court.
(3)
Jack S.
I have worked next to this place for years and never gone here before. So this lunch break I decided be brave and try it out. When I first bellied up to the bar I realized they are a brewery so none of my favorite beers were anywhere to be found. Then the bartender came up with a great idea... Would you like to sample our beers until you find one you like? Oh hell yeah! So after sucking down a whole lot of 2 oz beer shots I picked my favorite. Keep in they have A LOT of choices some with up to 8.5 APV. So by the time I got my glass I was feeling pretty good. There Woodie was one of favorites but it was a hot day and wanted a light so I went with the Endless Summer. It was really flavorful for a light, a little more aromatic and hoppy than I'm used to. But flavor is never a bad thing in fact it I like it a lot. Um... I mean drinking on lunch break? Never! I only had an appetizer I believe it was called an Ahi Poke. I would compare it to a spicy tuna tar-tar (tuna, tomato, avocado, and cabbage) but it was tossed with a teriyaki type sauce. It was very tasty but very sweet. Which is fine with me because I love the flavor. It came with the crispy wonton chips for dipping. Almost like an Asian salsa plate. I will be sure to come back and get an entree next time. Their burgers looked so good and the guy across from me was eating one of the biggest club sandwiches I have ever seen. Why did I have to eat so much on coffee break?
(4)
Glenn K.
This place sucks big hairy nuts. The restaurant has the vibe of a dental office. An ok choice if you just want to try some local brew and happen to be stuck in the Citywalk but the beers here are just C grade. The food is way overpriced for the quality you get. I thought I would give it another chance before reviewing and stopped by for a drink and appetizer and came to the 1 star conclusion. It was barely a 2 but the service this time around was very unpleasant. And so was the 2 bomb my brother left for them in the bathroom.
(1)
Robert S.
This is a large chain brew pub based restaurant in Universal City. French Fry Review: They served fair tasting fries, seasoned well but not fresh and not crispy. They seemed prepackaged and frozen. Don't waste time or money on these fries when there are several other similar restaurants that do a good job such as Yard House or any of the Hillstone Group.
(2)
Courtenay S.
Service was slow and TERRIBLE. Food took FOREVER to come out, and when it did it was all cold (table of 5). Bathrooms were crowded and very dirty. I got the fish tacos which were really good, and two others at my table got the tuna which they said was excellent (but cold). I would not go back if given the choice.
(2)
Aniket P.
one of my fav place to hang out with my friends, I love the location of this place. I used to come here at least once a week, but since I have moved out of LA I go here whenever I get a chance. Every time I have been here I have always ordered a pitcher for Red Trolley, my fav beer and spicy chicken wings and some garlic fries...WoW....a very special place for me...:)
(5)
Antonio A.
Went to Karl Strauss for dinner recently with some friends from the office. It was a nice summer evening, so the outdoor seating ambiance was really nice, and it was good to be in the company of good people. I ordered the lemon chicken with artichokes, based on another Yelper's review, which said it was good. WRONG! It tasted pretty wack to me. The lemon and artichoke sauce blended together, creating an overpowering taste. Not a fan. It was like they drenched the chicken with the sauce from the marinated artichoke bottle. also, i didn't realize it was going to be marinated artichokes... i thought for some reason that they might be fresh artichokes. wrong again. I also ordered an Arnold Palmer, which was served with a smile. The waitress was nice and friendly. However, they couldn't get the mixture right on the Arnold Palmer... I just don't understand why 50/50 is a difficult concept to grasp. Man I think I sound like a complaining little beyatch with this review, but honestly I think they should have done better. I really WANTED to like Karl Strauss. I liked their service, so I wouldn't mind going back again as long as I was in the company of good friends.... next time, I'm ordering something else though!
(3)
Rebecca S.
After my last time here was a pleasant surprise, I suggested it again over the weekend. This time, I just hit it during regular lunch on a holiday weekend. The food was fine, normal upscale bar food, but the service was kind of meh. We sat outside in a corner table and just everything seemed to be moving kind of slow. The waitress was as nice as could be and kept us in the loop, but there was a mistake in the kitchen in regards to a salad and it took a little longer then usual. Then when we got the bill, the waitress said she was going to take the salad off, because of the wait, but when looking at the bill, we realized the mistake was that someone put on 2 salads and that is why it took so long and they only took one salad off the bill (of course, as we didn't order it) but left another one on. They did take off the more expensive one (by like 70cents, and actually the one that was ordered) but we still had to pay for it. Not the best experience, not the worst. Just meh. I still stand by my happy hour review!!!
(3)
Christine R.
Flat iron steak is delicious! Good service and a nice atmosphere
(5)
Anonymous C.
This is your best bet on city walk. I used to work for Universal for years and this is the only place I'd go (I've been to all the restaurants/bars). The ranking is low because there are so many better spots in LA, but for city walk also know as shity walk it's the best option. There ipa and Woodi gold are my fav!
(3)
Aaron D.
After a day at Universal this is a great place to kick back with some friends. The beer is good. The food is tasty. Lots of comfort food and beer. They have a beer called Endless Summer light that is fantastic. Phenomenal!!! In my opinion its great alone or with Seafood. Not necessarily a rich meat beer - but great with appetizers or fish. The location here is beautiful. Out on the deck with a heater watching the Universal crowd is a fun place to be. The mac and cheese is tasty here. The calamari is ok but not memorable. The Salmon is very good - well seasoned, well cooked, and a gorgeous delivery. You have to keep in mind that its not wild though. Farmed Salmon are bad for the environment and bad for Salmon. I wish everywhere was required to put on the menu whether fish are farmed or not. But, that's just me. So, the service was amazing. The hostess was fun. Even the guy clearing tables was funny. This place reminds me quite a lot of Sudwerks in Davis CA. It reminds me of some other breweries as well. I believe it's just owned by a brewery though - I dont think they brew here. But, the desserts were also fantastic. So, flavor wise I think you can really count on the salmon, the fish and chips, and the fish tacos. On my next trip i will definitely try out the Pepper seared Ahi. I apparently did not see it on the menu on my last trip or I would have gotten it then. So, I recommend. Go - eat, drink, and be merry. And the beer is good too.
(4)
Joe Bob S.
Despite trying to find something redeeming about this place, I can't. The ambience is cafeteria-like, the service was slow and amateurish, and the food was average at best and inedible at worst. I do give kudos to the manager who responded promptly to my complaint email. While I have no intention of going back, hopefully things improve. Until then, you're better off at CityWalk going to Wolfgang Puck or Saddle Ranch.
(1)
betty b.
I went with Fiance here for the day before Valentines day this year and we just wen tonight also! overall very good experience and the bartenders are awesome and I would definitely recommend the oatmeal stout and the Red Trolley beer (all of the beers are great) They have happy hour 7 DAYS A WEEK FROM 4pm-6:30pm and that is so great and we had the calamari the Ahi tuna appetizer that I would recommend. Also we have had the Baramundi fish dish WOW best fish I have ever had!! This is our place now and we are going there at least 2 times a month or more, since the beer is awesome and brewed in house.
(5)
Viv S.
We were on our way to a show at the Gibson that night. The wait was about 20 minutes for a table on a Saturday night. Not sure how many tables our waitress was covering but everything took a long time...drinks, entree, anything. I would give the food four stars but the service was just slow. Around the table we got a Mac n cheese, seared tuna with broccoli n rice, and a burger. The seared tuna was the best. Fresh and flavorful.
(3)
Zach W.
The beer was good and for a microbrewery it was pretty good prices ($5.50 or $6 a beer) but the service was atrocious. If you do go, the house Amber Lager was smooth and flavorful. It was a perfectly balanced brew, it just didn't make up for the service. I was routinely ignored by our waitress and once we finally did get our order in for the second round of drinks, they never showed up. We had a table of about 14 people, none of whom got their second beer. However the check showed up with all the charges for these beers. After we pointed it out she basically called is liars. Then she went to one end and blamed the other end saying that we'd gotten our second round even though they hadn't. In the end we had to pay for three beers that never arrived. If we hadn't been rushing to a movie (which we told the waitress early in the evening) I would have gotten the manager out but it wasn't worth missing our movie and losing more money already spent. In summary: good beers but hope for a better waitress than we got.
(2)
Jaqui C.
Great Beers and Great food...what more can you ask for?? If you're into beer tasting, definitely get the sampler. It comes with 9 different samples, all very tasty! As for food, we shared the nachos (HUGE!!) and the stinky sweet potato fries....stinky for the gorgonzola they put in it. Sounds weird, but it's DELICIOUS! This is a great place to stop at if you're enjoying a day at Universal Studios or around the city walk. I'd suggest sitting outside in their beer garden, but expect it to be very loud! Parking isn't too cheap either. Expect to pay about $10 for parking. Overall great experience!
(4)
Ike E.
Beer me! Beer selection was about 10-15 beers with an added roation of microbrews on thursdays. I went on a Friday night and wa surprised that there was no wait to be seated for dinner. The ambience is fine, it's casual and feels like any other brewery/chain. The wait staff was not on point at all. i had to ask more than once for a couple basic items (glass of water, silverware). The waitress bragged that they had a full bar, so I ordered a french connection. She then came back and told me that they don't have brandy. (Ummm but there isn't brandy in that drink.) I gave up at that point and ordered another beer. I had a trippel, which was good but had a really bitter flavor and sort of a aftertaste like a merlot. The other beer I tried was the oktoberfest house brew. Very good beer! Light orange in color with a citrus flavor to match, dry finish. I ordered the big beer burger which was just ok. The bun was strange, the meat was cooked perfectly, the bacon was cripsy, the mushrooms were a little burnt. It was good and bad, so I'm giving it a "meh".
(3)
Elizabeth A.
This place was good. Their cajun fries and garlic parm fries are sooo yummy! Their spinach dip is so-so. Their red trolley and hef beers are good too!!
(4)
Dan F.
So good that you should not go there so I don't have to wait in line behind you!!!
(5)
Angie I.
After cruising around Universal City Walk, we ended up at Karl Strauss for an early dinner, around 7:00....we sat outside since I like to people watch and there were a few performers out that day. We were seated promptly and the service was good. We ordered the boneless buffalo wings which were good, typical buffalo wings, nothing to further elaborate on. I'm not a beer drinker so I ordered ice-tea, but my hubby ordered a beer, can't recall what it was and he seemed to like it. So I guess they have good beer, one would hope since it is a brewery. =) When I scanned the menu, ding ding ding.....mac'n cheese! lol Of course I ordered that! The mac'n cheese comes with a salad so that sealed the deal for me! When my mac'n cheese came out, it was HUGE, I only ate 1/4 or so if it and my hubby helped eat some of it too...still I left over 1/2 the plate of mac'n cheese....so if you get this, recommend sharing or expect left overs. Was the mac'n cheese good? Yup! Have I had better? Yup! I know...mac'n cheese is mac'n cheese right? But when you've had as many variations as I have....I'm a bit of a mac'n cheese snob! Although, I give every mac'n cheese a chance! I don't discriminate! haha My hubby ordered the lemon chicken which had mashed potatoes and artichokes and his meal was huge! I had a few bites of his meal and it was delicious! The chicken was tender and the artichokes were sooOooo good! I've had meals at a few other places on Universal and usually was disappointed but Karl Strauss pleasantly surprised me for a fun-food joint. The only downside was the overall inside of the restaurant is small and the bar area is a bit small. Oh...and my hubby was disappointed the bar area didnt have that many TV's and they weren't playing the UFC fight that night....oh the humanity!
(4)
Shanay J.
The best thing about this place is the beer. The service here is very very slow. No matter how many people are actually dinning here there is always a lag with service. So if you have the time this place isnt too bad for drinks but if you're the type of person who likes to get served in a descent amount of time this is not the place for you. Also their menu is not that great either I mean there are some decent items but its very pricey and unless there is really nothing else on citywalk that appeals to then I guess you have no option but to got here.
(2)
Christian M.
Mmmmmmm! This place has some really good microbrews and some especially delicious food. We waited just under ten minutes for a table on a Saturday night and our server was on the ball, very attentive and in a surprisingly good mood throughout the whole dining experience. I ordered the pork chop dinner which came with mashed potatoes and string beans sauteed in garlic and olive oil. I was happy to see that this plate came with two 8 oz. pork chops as opposed to only one which I've gotten in other restaurants. I ordered their Octoberfest pint and it was excellent. My other two friends ordered the flight which is a sample of four beers for $5. I liked that idea too, but I don't regret my decision. The only pitfall about this place is it's undesirable location inside Universal City Walk. Ugh.....The only reason I'll come back this way again is for Karl Strauss....until they open up a location somewhere else. All in all, a really good place to wine and dine...or in this case....beer.
(4)
Nicole M.
Woodie Gold is the SHIZ. If I'm ever at City Walk, I have got to stop in an have a glass. The boneless buffalo wings are kickass, and the burgers are pretty decent too, and I've had a few good desserts, but seriously, the beer alone is good enough to warrant a stop in for the brews. Also, I've always had excellent service, with friendly staff and generous samples of the different beers (even though I always opt for the Woodie Gold.)
(4)
Adam B.
I was in need of a good drink and a good burger. I came to the right place. My friends and I were welcomed by a friendly young girl once we made our way into the restaurant. She walked us to booth and explained the beer process to us. They have a sampler and such so it was explained in detail. We all decided to drink. I have 4 beers total. The Windansea Wheat Hefeweizen, Red Trolley Ale, Karl Strauss Amber Lager and the Endless Summer Light. All four beers were great. Ok, I lied. I had a 5th beer. It was a Karl Strauss Wheat Wine and it was so good, I had two. So six beers total and they were well worth if for my tummy. The dinner was good too! I had the BBQ Cheeseburger. At $10.50, it was expensive for a Cheeseburger but really good. I wasnt paying so I really didnt care too much :) The dinner was great and was very happy with good service on the Universal Walk. It seems as though many of the places on the Walk seem to care less about quality and more about quantity. I was very pleased.
(4)
Mot Y.
Came here last night to get some 8% + beers in me before a show at the Gibson. Luckily it was happy hour and the 10th tap was a Belgium Trippel. Their Tower IPA is pretty decent, but I'm not going out of my way to get one. We had some food here as well. It was just ok, but I don't think you have a lot of choices regarding beer at the CityWalk. I knew once we got inside it was Heineken. Ughh.
(3)
Chris D.
Arrived on a Thursday night and ducked in to chow down before the Morrissey concert. I'd been to the one in O.C. and it was good. Let's break it down: 1. Friendly employees - check 2. Beer - check 3. Sloooow service - check 4. Bad food - check 5. Dirty bathrooms - check 6. Over priced - check I'll never do it again.
(1)
Shelley M.
I went to this restaurant on Halloween before going to see a show at the Gibson Ampitheatre. It was surprisingly good! I've been to these kinds of brewery restaurants and, usually, they are kind of bland. But, the food here was really good and it was very well priced. The sweet potato fries with the spicy ranch sauce were yummy, the beer was great and the sandwiches were awesome! Nothing fancy, certainly, but very tasty. And being served by a tall waiter in a Spiderman suit was quite an experience.
(4)
DJ M.
Well what can i say about this place i only come here when I'm going to watch a movie... come here to drink and have their appetizers... there happy hour is from 4-6:30PM a pitcher go's for about $9 for happy hour and their pints are $3.50. there appetizers are half off and i would suggest red Trolley Ale BBQ Boneless wings and for beers 3 of my favorites are (Red Trolley, Double IPA, Woodie Gold) and I have to try their new tower 10 IPA.. Cheers!!
(4)
Steve B.
I have always wanted to come here and I'm glad I finally did! My buddy encouraged my to try the Red Trolley Beer and it is one of the best tasting beers I ever had! There is some richness to that beer. I had like 8 that night :) The food was decent and luckily we arrived early for happy hour and got to sit outside. It got packed real quick after happy hour. I am definately coming back to this place to drink when Im in that area.
(4)
Shannon K.
We loved the food. We ordered the French Dip and Boneless Wings. The service though is HORRIBLE! Our waiter was incredibly sarcastic and rude. The service ruined our entire experience there. The servers there are apparently not trained to be nice to customers.
(1)
Maryann R.
Went in for a beer and to watch the Alabama LSU game. The place was noisy, but we were able to watch. Pretty good IPA, but the "legendary" mac and cheese was watery and sort of tasteless. Our server was great.
(3)
Ron M.
I really wanted to hate this place. I don't know why maybe because it's in the City Walk, but I got nothin but love for this place. It is a little on the pricey side, but what isn't at the City Walk. The way I see it, you have two choices Karl Strauss or Saddle Ranch. I am definitely not choosing Saddle Ranch. The BBQ chicken salad I had was really good except maybe for the large pieces of peppers. But the reason you come to Karl Strauss is for the beer. I had a glass of the endless summer light and a glass of the Woodie gold, which I got for free because Mickey the bartender is mad cool. I liked the summer light the best, but when you get beer for free that always has to be your favorite. I will definitely be back!
(4)
Anita A.
This place was hidden and now I know why. Located on the second floor you could easily never know this place existed. We decided to sit at the bar because we really just wanted a beer coming out of universal studios. The selection was decent but I probably should have just ordered a coke. I wanted the beer to wow me and besides the red trolly which you can find at bevmo I didn't care for the other selections after 5 tasters. This was probably the first time I didn't finish my pint and no beer deserves that... We got the sweet potato fries which were interesting, not bad... Just interesting. My husband ordered the Mac n cheese... Well he thought he did. Instead he received a soupy mess with more than chewy noodles and a minimal amount of lenguisa. I had to try this for myself and I have to say that a Kraft has better Mac than this place. No to mention the $17 price tag... Yes I know we are in a tourist area, but come on! I had the pulled pork sandwich and although it didn't taste as horrible as my husbands I was not impressed. The BBQ lacked any flavor, the bun was flimsy and bland. I wish I would have ate somewhere else... I'm not going to say don't ever come here... Maybe it was a fluke, a bad night, but try it for yourself... I'm over it
(1)
J M.
The service here is VERY VERY slow. The food is just OK. They are known for their beers. But its still nothing special. They had a very delicious chicken sandwhich but they change the recipe so now it sucks! Twitter: JFIZZLE76
(2)
Alicia C.
Very pleasantly surprised with this place! I was expecting bland, boring, dry food but it was pretty good! I was totally needing some fish and chips and a beer so I got that and Daniel got the Turkey Buffalo burger that had gorgonzola cheese smothered all over it!! yummy! We also did the mini beer tasting, which was pretty cool...the majority of their beers served here are great! Overall, I would come here again!
(4)
Chris K.
The food was way overpriced for what you got. I think this place charges so much because they're in Citywalk. I'm not saying the food is bad. Just average. But expensive for average food. Cool experience though. Sitting outside. Watching millions of people go by in the most extravagant mall known to man. Universal Citywalk is... gaudy.
(3)
Jun V.
Isaac.. Best bar tender!
(3)
Aja Y.
Beer is so great! They have the best Mac-n-cheese ever! It had ham, Linguica, and bacon in it. The boneless chicken wings were great too. Great service had a great time.
(4)
Alex D.
Worst place ever!! Went there on a weekend with 4 friends. The waitress took 20 minutes to ask for our order (we were the only ones there, no joke). It took her an hour to come back and she brought us the check, and no food!!! She was embarrassed, and 40 minutes later we finally got our food. Of course the staff was already cleaning and putting the chairs up and everything... When she brought the check again (we asked to have the check divided in two cards), she charged the whole amount in one and half of the total in the other one. We were upset and asked for at least one of the plates to be discounted for their horrible service, but they wouldn't do it. We should've just walked out of the restaurant without paying. Worst restaurant ever!!
(1)
Claudia D.
The beer is the only thing good here. I ordered the black n bleu steak medium done and it was overcooked and hard to chew! My partner ordered the sirloin medium done and it was overcooked as well. Both steaks lacked flavor! The price is ridiculous for the crappy food they serve. Even the green beans were overcooked! If you come here, come only for the beer.
(1)
Rodolfo S V.
Out of all the borderline nasty restaurants at CityWalk, Karl Strauss became the restaurant I grew to like. I've never eaten at a microbrewery restaurant before so I thought I should give it a try. I tried two of their beers, the Red Trolley Ale and their Amber Lager. I ended up liking their Amber better since the Red Trolley turned out to be a little too bitter. Their food wasn't bad either; I ordered their Turkey Bleus Burger and really liked it. Ask for the Buffalo sauce, it makes the burger taste really good! Overall, this place was decent, waiting staff was friendly, and the food was satisfying. I will definitely come here again.
(4)
Ray C.
What's there not to like about a micro brewery?! I'd say Karl Strauss is probably one of the better choices to get good food and beer in the City Walk complex. The hostess was very friendly and sat us promptly, but it was in a section that no body else was sitting in and there was quite a delay in getting a server. Once our server arrived, he apologized for the confusion and service was very good! I had the Steak and Cheese sandwich minus mushrooms. Served very hot and quite tasty! The fries are pretty darn good too. Now, the best part, the micro brews! First, the Doppelbock.. dark, rich warms the heart! A little sweeter than my favorite Doppelbock, it was still quite tasty. One 22 ouncer is plenty as Doppelbocks are quite high in alcohol content. I probably should have started with a pint! Next was the IPA... I'm quite partial to the hoppiest beers around, and Karl Strauss' is no exception. Bitter and full of hops, love it! If you haven't been, check Karl Strauss out... good food, service and beer!
(4)
Chris B.
I actually enjoyed my first visit to this place. I wasn't expecting much, since this was on the CityWalk (a notorious tourist-trap location), but I couldn't pass up the chance to taste a microbrewery - and I was pleasantly surprised. I happened to be there during happy-hour, which meant cheap pints and cheap appetizers. Drinking their Pin Tail pale ale made me an immediate fan - enough to quickly order another. I had the Poke Ahi app (which tasted great with the beer), and the cajon fries. Yummy to both. Plus, this is an excellent location for people watching...which kinda depressed me this time, since they aforementioned people were also crazy tourist - scary!
(4)
Nathan Z.
This place got a one because the service sucks!!!!!!! Server is rude and can't get the food order right for nothing!!!! Beer is good and so is the food! Better place !!! Ps stone is looking a lot better in my eyes now that I have been here!!!
(1)
Nikhil S.
As far as the Citywalk goes, this is the cream of the crop. You got the best people watching spot on Citywalk when you sit on the terrace, and believe me, you see all sorts o crazy fools on the Citywalk. Food, all in all, very very satisfying: Ginger Salmon, Mac and Cheese, Pork Chops, All Burgers/ sandwiches. but its all about the beer really. Always have 10 different beers on tap, rotating at least 4 every month. All styles they have are Quality. If you are a beer fan and havent been here you are a fool my friend. Happy Hour, 4-7 daily, sweet deals on apps and $4.25 22 oz beer.
(5)
S. M.
Beers were just OK. I was drinking the Porter all night long. It wasn't bad, but not really that good either. Throughout the evening, the waiter kept bringing us shot-glass sized samples of other beers, nothing really tasted that good. The porter was probably the best tasting of all of them. The burgers were ok as well. They suffered from a problem that I think too many restaurants have...That problem is being TOO much. What I mean by that, is that the bun is huge, the beef patty is huge and they put too much cheese on it. Normally, big portions are a good thing, but I am a firm believer that overdoing a burger truly ruins the burger. You take a couple of bites and you feel like you can't breathe and because of that, you can't enjoy any of the flavors. The best things about this place was the service and the fact that we got seated immediately on a Friday night that was also a Halloween Horror Night. I might give this place another try, but I'm rarely at City Walk, so it is unlikely.
(3)
orlando G.
This place is located inside Universal City Walk. Its a nice bar and grill with tons of different beer to chose from. This place brews their own beer. Good food. Good servers. Good location. I recommend this place for a bite to eat and head on over and enjoy the rest of your night at City Walk.
(4)
Linda C.
For being in the sterile touristy capital that is known as CityWalk (aka Shittywalk) this place really surprised me. Walking up the windy stairs, I thought it would be a standard run of the mill kinda place with standard food and standard service... ...HOWEVER... Service was sweet, chatty, and smiley and pretty quick. Food was surprisingly good! Boneless Buffalo Wings - I am officially a fan of boneless wings! Whenever I eat wings I hate getting my fingers dirty (I am NOT a princess, Okayyy!?) because its just annoying having oil all over your hands. The sauce on these wings were very very interesting, but good. A nice spicy kick, but the aftertaste wasn't burning. Yummy! Chopped Salad - Mmmm, chicken, bacon, leaves, low fat dressing. What more to ask for on a hot day? Steak Sandwich - Meaty for the man! Men will like this sandwich because its MEATY. 'Nuff said, HomieG. :D Iced Tea - Iced Tea is just TEA. Iced. We sat outside and the day was warm and the patio location was good, overlooking the center of CityWalk so we could people watch, although there wasn't too much to see except tourists! :) All in all, we had a greta time and our tummies were filled! :) Four stars for yummy food, good service, and good people watching.
(4)
Huei T.
The beer sampler is a great way to experience different beers.
(4)
Cristian C.
I think between here and the Saddle Ranch, I'd definitely choose this place! When I went with a few co-workers, the service was great! We had some chicken wangs and various other meats. Combined with their flight of beers, this definitely hit the spot! I'd recommend trying it out if you're in the area and wanted to try something new. Especially if you're a fan of different types of beers.
(4)
Tim W.
Great location if you get a window seat and people watch. San Diego locations are better. Only brewery on City Walk as far as I know.
(3)
TC W.
I went to Karl Strauss, having had it plenty of times before. This time I wanted to try something new, so I steered the waiter in the direction of the types of foods I like to which he recommended the Cotija Avocado Turkey Burger. This was probably one of the best burgers I think I have EVER had. Seriously. Maybe it was the timing or the kitchen that day, but whoa! Great Ca taste with the avocado, but it was all about the cotija cheese. Simply delicious. And I tried a beer float afterwards (Felt very full). I'm sure it was a billion calories but sofreakinwhat... It was worth it! If I get the same greatness on another occasion, I'll have to give it 5 stars.
(4)
Jeffrey E.
This place is located inside Universal CityWalk on the 2nd floor above Camacho's Mexican Cantina. The times I've been to CityWalk I always forget this place was there because I usually would see Tony Roma's or Camachos before even considering this place. One night my wife and I decided to check this place out. This place reminds me exactly of BJ's Brewery. It's a restaurant with a microbrewery. I'm not a huge beer drinker, but one sample at dessert impressed me. But first, the food... My wife got the ahi poke which was amazing! She's usually a picky eater, but when she had this for dinner, she ordered a second round! The ahi was fresh and flavorful. The wonton chips were a great compliment to the ahi! I got the fish & chips, and it was a decent sized meal that satisfied me. The fries were thin cut and crispy, and the cole slaw was great. The table server (I can't remember her name) was friendly and kept introducing us to regular rounds of beer samples. My wife was having a blast with it, and I gotta say the samples were tasty. It was the last samples she brought for us that were my favorite, it was a chocolate beer that went great with a sweet dessert. You didn't taste the chocolate until after the sip - genius! Karl Strauss is a great alternative to BJs if you happen to be at CityWalk.
(4)
Roxanne S.
We went to a fan event held on citiwalk and decided to stop in there to try the beers and get a drink. Waitress had an attitude because we didnt order anything to eat. Guess we wont be back
(1)
Jenn P.
After a day at Universal, we were on the hunt for dinner. Having heard of KSB Co., we decided to give them a shot. Decent 2nd floor location with the option to sit inside or out. Since it was cold we choose the inside. Our waiter, a younger guy, was super friendly but seemed a little overwhelmed. I think he was the only person serving at the time. It took him a while to come by, and a while to deliver our drinks. We each decided to get the tomato soup to start, which was really good, and served with a side of garlic bread. Following that, I had the salmon salad, and my friend had tacos. I believe they were fish but I am blanking since I lagged on the review. Both dishes were really good. The salad was huge, I ended u taking more than half home. My friend enjoyed her tacos as well. Overall it was a nice spot. Decent menu options and food. Friendly service. We would return
(4)
Jenni R.
The hostesses were joyful. Our waitress Christine was super on top of everything. The food was too die for!!! Highly recommended.
(5)
E L.
Amazing food and beer here! Great IPA and Stouts. Their fish and chips are one of the best I've tasted anywhere, and service was fast and friendly!
(5)
Jaramy N.
Stopped by one evening after visiting Universal Studios. The restaurant was practically deserted yet it took quite some time (10 min probably) for our waiter to even do his initial check-in and introduction. We ordered a couple of appetizers to split which were mediocre at best - chili lime fries & spinach dip. What was even more disappointing was the beer I ordered. I love IPA's and really hoppy beers so I ordered the NZ PACIFICA SESSION IPA based on the description "the resulting brew is intensely hopped"...this beer really lacked hops...tasted like a generic beer I could've picked up a 12 pack of for $4 at Circle K. karlstrauss.com/beer/pac… We wrapped up our meal and sat...and waited...and waited...and waited. Noticing that our waiter was just chatting up one of the other waitresses. Finally he came back and asked if I'd like another beer which I declined but did ask for more water. He left and again we waited and waited and waited. Finally one of the bussers came by to clear the table and we asked him if he could get our waiter to bring the bill. Another member of the staff, not our waiter came a bit after that with the bill. This is one of the few times I have not left a tip. The service was absolutely horrible, especially considering the place was empty. The waiter never bothered checking back to see how things were, etc. Only the one time to ask if I wanted another beer...and then failed to return with the water we asked for. I don't get all the 4 & 5 star reviews and people that rave about the service here. Maybe I am just used to a different level of service coming from Phoenix...maybe this is the norm and acceptable in LA? If so that is sad. If I could give zero stars I would.
(1)
Rachel L.
I believe this is one of the few places in City Walk offering a happy hour. What I liked about this happy hour is that the food portions are still large, unlike some places that offer a small version at a lower price. The menu was a bit unimaginative to me. I don't think I would eat here other than some cheap happy hour eats. The beer on tap is impressive, though. They also bring you other samples of beer without asking, so that is always fun. I got the blonde ale, it was the lowest in alchohol percentage and very very light. I like light beer, but it was so light it was similiar to being watered down.
(3)
Brian S.
I don't usually give 5-star reviews to chain restaurants... but check this out: "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" From initial greeting to the kind departure words... a class act. Great service, great environment, and great food. Huge portions, broad menu, yummy offerings, trendy butnot too trendy, and freshly prepared exactly as requested. Oh... and beer samplers for the indecisive! What more could one want?
(5)
Dave H.
Great Happy Hour - $4 beers, $5 Appetizers. Chili Lime and Garlic Fries are tasty to keep your thirsty for the amber, ale or stouts here. Great selection of their own house brews. They have empanadas right now so get down and fill your belly! Menu is your typical brew house menu but the garlic fries are good, as well as the ahi poke and fish tacos. Don't forget about their Mac & Cheese which is really good too but heart stopping. Great Burgers as well. One of the best turkey burgers around town. Finish with the Beeramisu......Finish with the Beeramisu.....how many beers are in that? Good Happy Ending to the meal...and always great friendly service. Sit on the patio and people watch on Citywalk!
(4)
Scott G.
Excellent food, excellent beer and the scenery from the outdoor patio!!! Our Server Christine was top notch. Ask for her by name!!!
(5)
Dan S.
Had a great time at Karl Strauss. Great beer, great food, great atmosphere and a great server. Thanks Omari!
(5)
Derrick E.
This Karl Strauss is located on the second level smack dab in the middle of the famed Universal City Walk. This particular night we were a tad early for a birthday party being held at "Howl At The Moon" piano bar next door so we decided to head here for a pre-party drink. I've only been here a handful of times & really can't tell you much about the food I've had in the past as it was unmemorible, but I like their beers just fine, especially the Tower 20 IIPA & their Wreck Alley (bourbon oaked) which I sampled on "cask" night. Its truly unfortunate the interior of this particular establisment is much to be desired. Their mirrored walls are dated & reflects the unattractiveness the spot & flourecent lighting gives off. Its much too bright in here. Probably not a good idea to come here on a first date. The 2 wall mounted flatscreens in the small oval-like bar area are somewhat "misplaced" and probably not meant for viewing sports events. In which case, don't come here for a sporting event. If anything, Its an okay place to sit (at the bar or balcony patio) & have one or two of their signature beers or a glass of wine before hoppin' around the City Walk. I'd usually give a place where the food wasn't particularly memorible or didn't spark my tastebud's interest, about a 2 star rating. I'm going to add a star for KS' delicious homebrew, especially my go-to, Tower 10 IPA & add another star for our bartender's (I wished I'd remembered his name) attentiveness & sparkling personality. As a retired bartender myself, I can see how hard it can be to serve at a joint where you'd hardly ever see the same face on a regular basis. To keep up a good attitude & smile night after night says a lot. Drink responsibly. This has been a PSA. deez® out.
(4)
A. P.
I came here with low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised! This place has a good drink menu (well, obviously. it IS a brewing company) You can pretty much find any kind of beer your heart desires. The fish and chips were awesome and the chicken nachos were delicious. The prices are average. The only con to this place is that the service is a bit slow, but I came here with friends so I didn't care too much. If it didn't take forever to get the bill and refills then I would give it another star! All in all, this is a good place to come to if you're around Citywalk and want a place to drink a beer at and relax.
(3)
Megen H.
The Mac n cheese is bomb, and my server Omari was very helpful, he made me the BEST lemonade!
(5)
Emily G.
By far best experience at K.S. so far! Our waiter, Omari, was amazingly helpful and very knowledgeable. Rob was hilarious and had a great time helping me and my party laugh! what a fun crew. PROPS FRIENDS!!
(5)
Heather J.
Omari is THE BEST server! He suggested great beer pairings and was on it with our drinks! Happy to have came here and enjoyed his service! Thank you!
(5)
Christine G.
My sister and I went in for dinner on Monday night and Daniel was our server. Wow! He gave us such great service, all while training and he had the whole restaurant to take care of! And the food was amazing!! I got the nachos and my sister got the Asada fries = our favorites!! Thank you Daniel for taking care of us!
(5)
Michael S.
Not only is Universal Citywalk a tourist mecca, it is also a place you are going to have to take your out-of-town guests. They'll like the bright lights and "glamour", but at some point you are going to want a drink. Karl Strauss fits in with the other one-visit restaurants perfectly and beckons with the promises of a micro-brew. We recently stopped by for some late night beers. I opted for a pint of hop-loaded Big Barrel Double IPA. At 9% alcohol by volume, it delivered the kick I so desperately needed with lots of hops, some nice maltiness, and just a dash of citrus. Wasn't really special, but it took the edge off. Olivia went with a Vodka Martini that satisfied. Service was fine. Because the place was really busy, we didn't get much service, but, honestly, I didn't expect more. After 4 visits over a few years, it seems Karl Strauss is what it is: 3-stars which is a good "A-ok" place.
(3)
anne r.
Let's start with: I don't really like to drink beer, but my friend does, so up the stairs we went. It could have been a ho-hum night, but our server Shaye just turned that idea around. She suggested I sample the doppelbock and it was one of the best beers I have ever had. It was all I needed, I still opted for my Kettle, but I ended up buying a growler for my husband's birthday this weekend. She knew everything about every beer and menu item. My ahi salad was perfect, the kettle nice and cold, and my friend got her flight of fancy beers. Shaye is one of the kindest and happiest servers I've come across in a while, and I should mention this was a random Tuesday night. We were there on business so it was nice to escape for an evening. Thanks!
(5)
Christina C.
My starving boyfriend and I just came in here for a quick bite before our movie. When we came in, there were a total of 2 tables occupied and a couple at the bar; the place was dead on a mid-Saturday. We were seated with menus by a friendly hostess very quickly. We watched as 2 servers walk back and forth past our table with no acknowledgement. Eventually one stopped at the table next to us, stared right at us for a good few seconds..and walked away. 5 minutes later, another party of 4 were seated in our section and a server immediately went to take their drink orders. We promptly walked out to Bubba Gump's. Never coming back to this place again. (We were really looking forward to trying their beers and food :( )
(1)
Lorenzo B.
Get the farmhouse burger with the full suit beer excellent combo I found my new favorite beer and will travel to get it
(5)
Kelly D.
Food was great with plenty of choice. They have gourmet beers(which for a non beer drinker) were very drinkable. Staff were very friendly and attentive and prices were reasonable. We went there for lunch twice in 2 days.
(4)
Nicole F.
Tried some new things and they lost a star because when you pay 13 bucks for fondue and they want to charge you an additional $3 for extra bread...that's just cheeky. So I was holding out for surely some bread to accompany my cioppino but low and behold nada. The waitress kept wanting to take away the fondue but finally there was a small bit of pita that came with an order of salad so we used that for the remaining fondue. The kids liked the mac and cheese but it's a fairly small portion for 16 bucks. The cioppino was ok, not sure I would order that again. I think the best bet is to stick with burgers and bar food. But when you are paying well over 100 for 4 people, can't you spare a square of bread?!
(3)
Frank B.
Sat in the bar hoping to get a quick beer while i waited for my coworker to get off her shift. Only 2 other people were inside the bar and the bartender was having a conversation with the 2 ladies. Seems like he was writing something down for them. So i waited for about 10 minutes and didn't get acknowledge by any employees that walk by me and the bartender never turned around to offer me a drink or any service. Definitely won't be going back into that bar. Expected more from an establishment that is located next to my job. Talk about great customer service. I just decided to leave and take my business else where.
(1)
Ann Q.
Great selection of beers. My server was very informative and knew each beer in detail. Tried a few samples of recommended beers from the server, and they were all yummy. Nachos were pretty good too.
(4)
Barinder D.
Spontaneously decided to go here since the wait for Camachos was too long. Got the hummus, mediterranean salad, and calamari. Everything was so good. Can't wait to come back and try more stuff. Very flavorful and def will be back.
(5)
Juliana C.
Came here for lunch on Saturday and it wasn't busy. Pretty much got seated right away. Of course they have there own beer on tap. I love the beer burger. It's juicy with such good flavor. The only complaint I would have is the bun can get soggy so maybe they should change the bun. We also ordered the nachos with guac and chicken. There wasn't much chicken but it went well with the beers so I wasn't complaining at all. Will be back for the beers and other stuff on the menu.
(5)
Janet L.
Nothing crazy about this location. Just another decent bar to grab a drink at amongst a few others in CityWalk. Usually catch a beer here before I watch a movie at the AMC.
(3)
T Lee S.
Food was okay. Lots of seating inside and out. Not a very crowded restaurant, not sure if it had to do with the pricing or the other restaurant options within Citywalk. Employees were friendly. Very cool selection of beers and they have beer flights. That was helpful and fun.
(3)
Jennifer C.
When you arrive they will ask do you want to sit inside or on the patio. Do not be afraid to sit on the patio because they are more than willing to turn on the patio heat lamp. Service is extremely inviting and friendly. It compliments the relaxed atmosphere of the place very well. Spicy Hummus: $10.95 comes with pita chips which u can ask for more of...it was good but it wasn't spicy Brick Chicken: $16.95 wow!! this chicken has really good flavor...savor it because there is a depth to this dish that i've not had in any other chicken dish. It comes with black beans & cilantro rice which is nothing special...portions of the sides are generous but the chicken is on the smaller side Black Garlic Fondue: $12.50 i like that there's a piece of softened cheese in the middle to add to the cheesiness but there is not a hint of garlic in here...the bread that came with it was mostly burnt...while it taste good it is not garlic like in any way. Beeramisu: $6 hello new fave dessert. Beer in dessert is usually a good idea as it lends a complexity to the dish. My friends and i ordered this to share but honestly i ate like 80% of it. The sweet drizzle and the coffee compliments it perfectly. I highly recommend ordering this. Every thursday they have cask night where they open one and all beers from that cask are $4. Def get their beers here since they are a brewery. We had quite a few and all of them were very good. At the end of the meal they gave us samplers of an upcoming brew. Their menu also changes about every month or so. Theirs beers are constantly rotating as is the food to compliment their new brews.
(4)
Genell H.
Best turkey burger I've ever had! Favorite beer was the hefeweizen.
(4)
Lianne O.
This is a small nice restaurant and the patio area is small as well. The food is good but doesn't quite match it's price. I didn't try any of there beers which I'll have to do the next time I'm there. There food is a bit pricey, so I might eat somewhere else but definitely get a drink there.
(4)
Conchita L.
We were pleased with food but service unfortunately not good. Mac and cheese was great! I had the piggy bank order my son had the Norm, both were very good. Hubby and daughter also liked their choices. I have no complaints about the food but the lack of friendly customer service made it hard to leave a generous tip. All businesses benefit from service with a smile, I hope they can improve in this area because I would reconsider a visit based on the tasty food.
(3)
Michelle O.
Came here on a Friday night after work around 6. I actually expected this place to have a more of a bar vibe, but it was more like a family vibe. They do have plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. They have decent happy hour, $4 beers and great appetizer deals. We started off with the Chili Lime Fries and the Ahi Poke. The fries are spicy and perfect! The ahi was okay, I have had better ahi poke, but it got the job done. They have more than just beers, you can't actually see it at the bar and there really isn't a menu, so you just have to ask. The service was very good, no complaints there. The menu is a decent size. I ended up getting: Pastrami Chipotle Sandwich: $12.95 Pepper jack cheese, beer onions, chipotle-ale mayo, ciabatta bread, and fries. This was pretty much like eating a grilled cheese, there was not enough mayo and the mayo was on the side. I would give this sandwich a 3/5. Overall, I would try this place one more time to really decide is this is a keeper or not.
(3)
Aaron L.
Came for Happy Hour while waiting for the concert to start. 4$ beers and 5$ appetizers. Beers were awesome but I'd stay away from their Hef and stick with their award winning Red Trolley Ale. Appetizers are standard bar cuisine but their hummus plate is worth it due to their abundant pita strips!
(4)
Patricia D.
Great Food. Our server Omari was super friendly and cute. I had the pork belly banh....excellent. my daughter had the macaroni and cheese also awesome.
(4)
Seanzii R.
What a great night at the brewery. Our server Omari was super helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. Making it easy to pick my flight of beers to pair up nicely with a Ribeye Steak. Friendly as can be this Brewery is a delicious spot to eat and have some great brews.
(5)
Kathy S.
Horrible service at the bar.. Bartender never acknowledged us and after 20 minutes we left. First time here.. So not a very good first impression. I get that she was busy and they were short staffed obviously... There was a customer who even said to her that we were waiting a long time.. And she replied that everyone was waiting a long time and proceeded to help someone who just walked up.... Nice... Will never come back to this location again.
(1)
Kristi K.
Outstanding! When you think your only choices at Universal are Tony Roma's or Bubba Gump... It's a bummer. Then we found Karl's Brewing. Welcoming from moment one. Great service (Daniel was amazing), delicious food, tasty beer, no line... It's the best kept secret. Kid friendly... But a more adult experience. It's where you want to be at City Walk. Thank you, Daniel!
(5)
Mother Of 3 C.
Great service and great Food. The Chicken Nachos were amazing and so was the Beer Burger. I Love that we were able to sit outside on the patio and watch the scenery as we are
(5)
Ryosuke U.
Wasn't expecting a craft beer brew pub right by Universal so i was pleasantly surprised. Got a flight of beer and a burger and ate outside from the patio as people walked by towards the amusement park. If you like good beer and dont want to drink overpriced generic brand beer in the amusement park, load up here then go. :-) Fortunately, Universal doesn't have many roller coasters so you won't get sick. The service was good and no complaints on the food. I'll be back if i go back to Universal studios. Good to take friends, coworkers, family, and date.
(4)
Elizabeth L.
Looove the beer and the food here! Double Barrel IPA is the best in my opinion! It's not too strong, as IPA's are known to be and very well rounded in flavor. It's lighter than a lot of other IPA's also. I had the Chicken Philly Cheesesteak here once, and it was UNBELIEVABLE! I've had a few burgers, which were all great. The pork chops were suuper delicious. The only thing I haven't liked very much was the Ahi Poke...but I'm a bit picky when it comes to ahi because I get it often and various restaurants. Could've been a fluke too since you never know with fish.
(5)
Tiffany T.
Hands down the best place to come and unwind and have food, energy the company of others, and have drinks. This place makes every other bar/restaurant on citywalk look like garbage. If you are a tourist and can't figure out where to go on a break from the park or before a movie, come to Karl Strauss! Customer service is great, food is great, atmosphere is awesome! Hope this review helps! :)
(5)
Vinny M.
Very good! I had the Shrimp and Grits.... And let me tell u this was heaven in a bowl. Tiger shrimp sitting on a bed of cheesy grits with red peppers, cilantro and avocado....it was soooo good! The grits were smooth and creamy and literally a party in your mouth with all the different elements of this dish! We also had the carne asada fries. It was fries topped with carne asada, jalapeño nacho cheese, cilantro chimichurri sauce, Gorgonzola, avocado, chipotle ketchup and sweet pickled onions... Also a big party in your mouth! For desert with the cheesecake rollos... Cheesecake and cranberry filling wrapped in some kind of fried pastry and cut into lil egg roll shaped cylinders and accompanied by some raspberry sauce and mango sauce...very yum! Definitely will be back here if I'm in the area!
(4)
Amy T.
This review is for Tracey! She is by far the nicest bartender I have ever met. She kept the conversation going the whole time and kept our beers full.
(5)
Matthew H.
Off the rails, great beer , really strong. Ate the brick chicken was #excellent. Service was great and view did not disappoint.
(4)
Daniel C.
Always great food and drinks at Karl Strauss! What I liked most was the service. They were very friendly and our server, Brad, was very hospitable. He made sure everything was up to par for us and had some great suggestions.
(5)
Cristobal C.
Great beer, and nice view! The appetizers were good and the beer was cold. Excellent food, and great service. This is the best beer spot at the city view...
Stopped by here for the first time after a long day at universal studios theme park. I ordered the asada fries. Fries served with carne asada, jalapeño nacho cheese, cilantro chimichurri, Gorgonzola crumbles and a side of chipotle ketchup. These fries were so good I cleaned my Plate. The service was great as well. Our waitress was pleasant and took the time to explain the menu options. Will definitely stop by again in the near future.
(4)
Anders M.
The beer is fine, but under no circumstances ever eat the food, because it's god awful. I had the rib eye and though it was cooked to order it tasted nothing but burnt garlic and oil. The "truffle infused" fries just meant that they had been drenched in truffle oil and consequently tasted mostly like after shave. The zucchini had, at the most, been placed near a pan but never actually in one. I almost broke a tooth on it, it was that raw. The service was excellent though, so the failure of this establishment is all in the kitchen.
(1)
Ruth W.
The manager was very rude to our party and did not even attempt to make us happy. The food was very bland and we will not return. There are better places to eat at city walk.
(1)
Curtis A.
Excellent! The food was amazing, our server awesome and great selection of custom tap beers. I got the seared ahi salad, excellent. What more could one ask for.
(5)
Claudia M.
It has become a tradition of mine to get beers here when in LA for work. The bartenders are awesome! Wish they worked at my local hangout in Maine. Every meal I've gotten there has been tasty. The hummus and pita was hands gone amazing! Can't wait to be back in two weeks.
The atmosphere on the patio is the best thing about this place. Otherwise it's just average beer for 6-8 bucks a 16 ounce glass. I had some mango chicken with tasteless rice and tasteless black beans. Chicken was overcooked so they did it again. Second time it was even more tasteless but what are you gonna do? Just say it's fine pay and leave. Lesson learned and note to self do not go back here unless you plan on sitting on patio drinking $8 dollar beers otherwise it's just eh
(3)
Svetlana S.
Located on the second floor of Universal Citywalk across from Howl at the Moon and Infusion. My group and I put our names down and went to grab a drink at the bar. Didn't get any kind of vibe from the bartenders, they just poured our drinks and moved on. We all got midori sours and they all tasted completely differently and sucked! Mine tasted like pure sugar, no alcohol, whereas my friend's tasted like pure alcohol. WTH! We were then taken to a table outside within about 15 minutes. The tables outside had heaters and overlooked Citywalk which was really nice. We all got appetizers: boneless buffalo wings, spinach and artichoke dip, crab cakes and pirri pirri boneless wings. Honestly, those were some of the best buffalo wings I've ever had. The sauce was just perfect and the spinach and artichoke dip was also very good. I didn't try the two others, so I can't really comment on them. Our waitress was also great, friendly and helpful. Best thing about Karl Strauss is that they don't charge taxes on their drinks, no idea why, and they give you free passes to Howl at the Moon if you ask. Overall, I wouldn't make this my first choice for dinner, but it definitely wouldn't be my last. Maybe if I try some of their beers and their main courses, I'd be happier.
(3)
john h.
We had an excellent experience. Considering the location we weren't expecting much more than the standard tourist trap. Christine, our server was spot on! Friendly, concerned and boy does the wait staff hustle! They do team service at its best. They offer beer tasting to complement your selections at no cost. Pretty smart in my book. I want to go back for the Wreck Alley Imperial Stout. We will return.
(5)
Christopher J.
The brew served to my guest and I lacked flavor and quality, which isn't how I remembered it through my experience at the San Diego location. Bad job Universal City Karl Strauss.. Not impressed. Except for the seasonal Double IPA which did have distinct flavors and was actually very enjoyable, the Amber Lager, Tower 10 IPA, and flight my friend ordered all lacked.. Yeah I know I should've said something, oh well.. On the other hand, the food we ordered tasted very good, just like I remembered.. We ordered the Calamari, the Chipotle Pastrami Sandwich, and the Dirty Mac N' Cheese. Everything tasted exceptional. The Calamari was crisp, the pastrami in the chipotle sandwich was juicy and filling, and last but not least the Dirty Mac N' Cheese was probably the highlight of our dinner feast lol... The grilled chicken and mushroom combination inside the Mac N' cheese was flawless.. Our visit was on a Wednesday evening so It wasn't busy at all, nevertheless, we received great service from start to beginning.
(3)
Aron H.
Karl Strauss Brewing is a Fantastic place to go. First the location of this place is perfect. Right outside of Universal Studios in their shopping complex. I like how the restaurant is upstairs overlooking the courtyard of the shopping center. They have plenty of outdoor seating. I think my favorite part is that their menu not only has great food for decent prices, but they pair your meal with a beer. I chose the Big Beer Burger where pretty much every thing on the burger was cooked in a different type of beer. The quality and quantity of this burger was awesome. I had the Karl Strauss Heffaweizen and it was one of the better Heffaweizens I have had from a restaurant. I will definitely go back here when I get the chance.
(5)
Dixon S.
First time here and have to say what a treat all the way around. Sat on the upstairs patio on a beautiful SoCal Saturday and watched the happenings at City Walk. The waiter, Stephanie, was awesome as she knew her beer very well, as well as the food. Her suggestion, since we wanted to have an appetizer and then share an entree, was to try the Beer Brined Pork Chops. We had the Rollos Pollos appetizer which were great. Chicken, cheese and peppers in a flaky crusty with sauce; very tasty. I tried the Pintail Pale Ale and my wife had the seasonal Oktoberfest beer and both were expertly crafted and went well with both the appetizer and the entree. The Beer Brinded Pork Chops have to be one of the best pork chop dished I have ever had. You get (2) bone on pork chops that are cooked perfectly, very tasty and juicy, not dry at all. The dish also came with really good Garlic Mashed Potatoes and some veggies. Stephanie also brought us each a little sample glass of 2 other beers that were really good also. All in all, a first class operation with skilled staff and killer food and drink. I would come here more often if it didn't cost $15 to park at City Walk.
(5)
Bryan W.
Karl Strauss offers 5 star beers, but has only has a decent 3 star menu. The main reason I'm giving it 4 stars is to encourage people already at Universal Studio Hollywood to temporarily leave the park to enjoy a lunch at the Universal City Walk CityLofts Karl Strauss location. You will be rewarded with a beer list way better than any you will be find in the park, you can eat outside (and some tables have a view of the children and drunken adults playing in the automated floor fountain), and you won't have to hear any references to Forrest Gump from the wait-staff. However, if you decide to eat al fresca you will be forced to stare at a bunch of Bubba Gump hype across the courtyard. The Red Trolley is an award winning Irish Red, but since you can find that in grocery stores now that the San Diego micro-brewery/brew-pub has retail distribution go for some of their lesser available or seasonal offerings. I enjoyed Pintail Pale Ale and Tower 20 IPA.
(4)
Candice K.
Even though this "mall" place is sensory overload, this was a GREAT place to get away from the psycho neon lights. Good food, even though the server thought the roll on the po boy was "too much" don't listen to that broad, it was perfect, spicy and crispy and perfect. Some times I think these LA people want to eat sandwiches on a cracker. Cask beer Thursdays $4
(4)
Ham R.
If your aim is some of the some of the best locally made beers in America and good food then Karl Strauss is your go-to stop. I have patronized their original location in downtown San Diego since it opened over 20 years ago and the Universal Citywalk location serves beer to that same high standard. The weather can be hot on the hill and Endless Summer Light is a good choice. Those with more adventuresome palates will enjoy their standard Red Trolley Ale or any one of 10-12 beers available and rotated throughout the year. One person in our party ordered the chipotle pastrami sandwich with fries and raved about it. I had the cheeseburger and it arrived to my order, quite tasty. Karl Strauss is a great sanity break from the bustle of Universal Studios next door.
(4)
Anne C.
Wednesday's Meatloaf! We love coming here when we are feeling a little commercial.
(4)
Bob M.
The best beer place there is in SoCal they let you sample every beer on tap and the location is ideal for anyone. My only thing is that I can't remember my servers name but what appeared to be a food runner or busser I think his name was Jason he was great he made sure my table stayed clean and he refilled the tables drinks numerous times. Whenever I am in the area again I will be stopping by I hate that I live far from this wonderful place. Also ehren the manager was great he also made sure we were in good hands
(5)
Jeannette G.
You think brewery eatery - yay! Ehh, not so. The beer is great and the service is good; but, like may BCs they are not in the business of making food - so, food can be a hit or miss. I like to pair ceviche with a beer; it just brings me back to this one great summer in Cancun. So, seeing ceviche in the menu I ordered it. Well, I wish i hadn't - chips and salsa would have been better, you really can't mess that up. This ceviche had a twist to it, it had diced watermelon. Now, that sounded promising, except the flavors did not meld. There was something off in the seasoning...it almost seemed like the lime juice used was not the real deal, but rather that stuff that comes in the bottle. In addition, I think they forgot to salt it. Disappointed...completely, especially because it was a $12 dish.
(3)
Elio V.
Best beers in the world. I recommend the red trolley and hef. And the big beer burger
(5)
Aprocks S.
I have always enjoyed their beers and now i can say that i also enjoy their food! After foolishly trying to order their Wednesday meatloaf on a Saturday i decided upon the Portobello Chicken Philly, paring it with their Red Trolly Ale. The sandwich is made with Mesquite chicken, Portobello mushrooms, poblanos, onions, pepper jack, goat cheese, pea shoots, harissa spread and comes with their salt 'n vinegar fries on the side. The sandwich was delicious, but started to fall apart as i ate it and the salt 'n vinegar fries complimented the sandwich well. I would definately go back again!
(4)
Tasty Inspection S.
We visited Karl Strauss before we went to the movies last night and it was so yummy. We got a couple of drinks and the Sweet potato chili fries. The fries were so crispy, fresh and had a lot of flavor, which balanced out theTower 20 IPA. My new favorite red ale is their Off the Rails bomber. Delicious!
(4)
Bridget F.
I always love going to Karl Strauss. Awesome food, great beer, above and beyond service.
(5)
Stephanie U.
I was just here this evening with my bf! We were looking around for a decent place for dinner, and since we've had good luck thus far with brewery fare we thought we'd give Karl Strauss a shot. Our beers were great; he had a red ale while I had a pale one (the banana and clove beer!)... can't remember the names, but mine went down smooth and easy (and I don't easily drink beer). My mac n' cheese (the Tree Hugger) was delicious, too. Plus our server was just such a nice guy. It was a great way to escape the Sunday hubbub at the City Walk, you know? So yes - thumbs up from me!
(4)
Matt S.
One Liner: One of the better places to eat at CityWalk with great beer and good food, but don't expect to be amazed. Upstairs at City Walk which gives you a chance to get away from the army of tourists. The beer here really gives the place its character. There are all kinds to choose from listed from darkest to lightest and each one is delightful in its one hoppy-induced way. Service was decent. The waitress was nice, but not really friendly. Asked her how she liked the food and a few things and she kinda sounded a little unenthusiastic. I don't blame her though. It was a Sunday night and I'm sure it wasn't the beginning of her day. She was attentive and did not make mistakes. That definitely gets you out of the starting gate on a good foot. Anyway, service wasn't bad at all so I'm not really going to write about it anymore. On to the grub. I had the porkchops with mashed potatoes and my other two friends ate a burger each. I highly suggest pairing a good beer with whatever you get. It will really bring the food there to a nice smooth melody. The porkchops were very good and everything was cooked well. It being a franchise and all, I didn't feel like it was a chef inspired creation. I tried the burgers and they were above average compared to other burgers. Can't go wrong with beer and beef. Overall, I would definitely go back again especially since Universal Pass Holders get 10% off. Score! Next time you're at City Walk, Karl Strauss is definitely worth a gander.
Had some trouble on our previous visit but on our second visit it was spectacular. Food was delicious, staff was very attentive. Would definitely recommend to friends and family. Food was excellent, cooked to perfection and our waiter kept recommending the best pairing beer for our meal. Excellent service.
(5)
Rachel G.
The Black Belt BBQ burger was mediocre, but the Windansea Wheat Hefeweizen.. OMG! Probably one of my new favorite beers! Definitely a beer you have to check out if you like beers like Blue Moon and Hoegaarden! :D The 4 stars is only for the beers and ambience! My friend and I sat outside on the patio overlooking the Citywalk! Beautiful at night! (:
(4)
Bryce U.
Love Karl Strauss brewery. Great selection of their own draft beers. Stopped by this location after taking a little break from Universal Studios to grab some food and a couple beers. I started out with the Off The Rails Imperial Red Ale. It was very robust, tons of flavor as expected from a red, but it had a much stronger finish and great after taste. A bit too much flavor to drink a whole 22oz bomber but nonetheless delicious. After that I switched to the Tower 20 Double IPA. Now we're talking! I picked this cause I love IPAs but the grapefruit addition to this one inticed me. It was delicious, very strong as well coming in at 9.5% abv. It didn't taste overly strong though for how high of a content it was. The citrus/grapefruit tastes were amazing and I can definitely say this is one of my new favorite beers. As far as food I went with the Piri Piri Wings. They were alright, good portion size, but at $10.95 a bit pricey (maybe that's just because it's right outside universal studios). The sipping sauce that came with them was delicious, almost like a tangy vinegar sauce. Our bartender was very friendly and talkative, she acted or was genuinely interested in our day and our mini-vacation we were on. Overall a great dining and drinking experience, definitely will keep my eye out for the Tower 20 IIPA in the future!
(4)
Tina-Marie L.
Food, ambiance, and drink... 5 stars. Odd mishap with their restroom facilities drops it a star. (We'll get to that later.) Going out with the favorite marrieds to City Walk we decided to try Karl Strauss for dinner before heading out to party at Saddle Ranch. Wait time on a Saturday night about 8:30 was pretty minimal, less than 10 minutes. We sat outside since it had a nice view and the heaters were on so it wasn't that chilly out there. We all decided to have their Woodie Gold beer which was really good because they ran out of Hef. It was light, crisp, but at the same time had a spiciness to it. After ordering our drinks, us ladies went to the restroom to wash our hands. Well, we walk in and there is a huge steak knife right there in between the two sinks. REALLY, REALLY odd. Was somebody planning on shanking a bitch in the restroom? Who knows. Well, as we walk out, I tell the closest staff about the knife in the women's restroom. He looks a little freaked out and says, "Thank you for letting me know. I'll get someone to take care of that." As we walk back to our table, and I feel great for saving some unknown woman, we pass a table of people eating the Top Sirloin and it looks so good that I know that THAT is what I am having for dinner. Getting back to the table, our waiter was bringing us our beer. The boys had decided to get the Fish and Chips and the Beer-Brined Pork Chops. My girlfriend wanted Fish and Chips as well. The wait for our food didn't seem too bad because we had Howl at the Moon across the way and the Conga Room and pretty much just were able to sit and people-watch. When our food arrived, it was awesome! My Top Sirloin... media1.px.yelpcdn.com/bp… The mashed potatoes were great and the veggies had a little crispiness to them, which I love. The steak itself was cooked perfectly and melted in my mouth. Hubby's Fish and Chips... media1.px.yelpcdn.com/bp… He loved them and I tried it and really liked it as well. Which is saying a lot because I am not a fish person. Our friend really liked her F &C plate too. Our compadre ordered the Beer-Brined Pork Chops... media1.px.yelpcdn.com/bp… When asked how it was he could say only one word... "Bangin'!" Right before we left, us ladies had to visit the facilities... OF COURSE. Well, we walk in and what do we see? That darn steak knife! Hmmmmph!
(4)
Emily B.
I've eaten here twice now and both times I leave absolutely shocked at how good the food is! I always walk in expecting for the food to be on par with BJs--tasteless and greasy, but both plates that have been put in front of me have been outstanding. If you go in and just order a burger, sure, it's not going to compare to Father's Office or Rustic Canyon or other famous LA burgers, but I think you'll be surprised at how non-terrible the rest of the menu is. The first time I came I had a French Dip and, let me tell you, this was the last place I expected to have one of the best French Dip Sandwiches of my life. The bread is the part that makes or breaks a French Dip for me and this bread absolutely made this sandwich. It was the perfect crunchy yet soft texture and had a delicious yeasty flavor. The meat was tender and just the right amount of rare, and of course the horseradish is vital. Last night I had the Pescado Poblano, a filet of sole coated in bread crumbs and covered in poblano cream sauce. I got this only because I guess the French Dip is on a seasonal menu and wasn't available and I expected the fish to be mediocre at best (I just wasn't in the mood for a burger). Much to my astonishment, this was some of the most perfectly cooked fish I have had the pleasure of eating. Sure the sauce was a bit overly salty (the good spicy kick to it helped me ignore the salt), but I didn't really care because the fish itself was so tender. The Red Trolley BBQ boneless wings were also a nice departure from the standard "brewery" mediocre wings. Instead of chicken made up mostly of fried outer coating, these were meaty and juicy with an outstanding bbq sauce on them. When I happen to be at CityWalk (99% of the time it's with someone from out of town), this will forever be my go to choice for dining. Don't be fooled into thinking that it's along the same overpriced crappy lines as Bucca di Beppo and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
(4)
Mithra Marie B.
Came here for my 6 year anniversary... My boyfriend got the brick chicken. The mango salsa and chicken were really good. However, the beans and rice on the dish were terrible. The rice was undercooked and lacked MAJOR flavor. The black beans were pretty much liquid, and again.. Would a little salt help?! I got the chicken pesto pasta... I had to add salt to my dish because again it was very bland.. Pasta could have used an extra 3 min cooking cause the center was still a tad bit hard. You also couldn't really taste the arugula pesto... The appetizers on the other hand were pretty bomb! We for the spinach and artichoke dip and the chili lime fries! They were both delicious, we finished both dishes! Would I come back again? Probably not... But then again I do live 60 miles away and came to Check it out to be spontaneous for our anniversary. But you know...
(3)
Reyna S.
I really wish I could give this place no stars but I don't have that choice so 1 will have to do. My husband and I came here for dinner and were looking forward to our date night! I ordered the bbq burger and my husband the steak and mash potatoes. We both love Mac and cheese so we ordered it to share before our meal. When the Mac and cheese came we thought it was yummy! Then mid way through enjoying the Mac and cheese I bite down on something and it's hard! And I mean HARD like a rock! I spit out all the food in my mouth and I see a wire type metal rode!!! OMG I was so shocked never in my life had I had this type of experience at a restaurant ever! We told the waiter and he apologized and then the manger came to our table and all he offered us was that he would comp our Mac and cheese. Really?!? Comp the Mac and cheese?! What a joke! My burger came I had two bites and I couldn't eat it. I was in fear of finding something else in my food. So please beware when you come to this place, if they fuck up all they will do is comp one item!! This place sucks!
(1)
Rex L.
Decent brewery/restaurant with good beer and food. Came here after trying out iFly for a school outing. Their short coming was service. The place was pretty empty but for some reason we still had to wait to get seated. The waitress made herself scarce the entire time we were there. Had to get up and hunt her down to get the check.
(2)
Sarah A.
So my boyfriend and I bought some combo tix to see Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie and get into the Halloween Horror Nights. We were looking around online to see where we would eat before the show. My boyfriend came across Karl Strauss AMB and we decided based on the menu and the specials to check it out. I am so glad we did. On Thursdays, they have this special beer tasting from 4 to whenever the select beers run out and each beer is $3.50. That was the main reason we went. We got there before the rush and got an excellent booth looking out over the walkway. My boyfriend was more stoked about the beer than I was because I don't drink. That said, they had some incredibly tasty craft beers. Since we had scoped out the menu before, we had an idea of what we wanted to order. I went with the Beef Dip sans horseradish cream (I just don't like horseradish) and my boyfriend ordered the Big Beer Burger. I'll be honest, the Beef Dip wasn't all that great. Maybe the horseradish cream would have made it better, but it was very average and plain. The beef was delicious and the beer au jous was some of the best ever. The Big Beer Burger, however, raised the bar on what a good burger should be. Nearly every component had been soaked in a different type of beer and everything came together to make your tastebuds happily high long after the food is gone. It is just incredible and I heartily recommend it. It IS big, unlike a lot of burgers that claim the same title. My boyfriend, who isn't quite the image of an Abercrombie model and can eat a fair amount of food couldn't even finish it - he didn't even touch the fries (which, the plain ones are pretty bleh too. The parmesan garlic fries smelled incredible. Our waitress was very sweet and was the best waitress - not too clingy but always there when we needed something. Even the general manager, Ken came by all the tables and chatted with us for a while. I've eaten in a lot of places, but I've never had the manager treat us like we were important enough to see how we were doing (maybe it's just us). Since we were also celebrating my birthday, they gave me a very delicious sundae and a Karl Strauss pint glass (which I thought was awesome because my boyfriend and I collect beer glassware) I would totally recommend coming here. We are definitely coming here when we come back for the Halloween Horror Nights. The food was great, the service and hospitality can't be beat, and the atmosphere is wonderful.
(5)
Dominique S.
a little overpriced but the Heff and Stinky Fries make up for it.
(3)
Maria C.
pretty good beer (had the banana-y hef), selection was ok, and appetizers were decent. i fell off the stool somehow and they were nice to me! thanks.
(3)
AKA A.
It's about a 3.5 but gave them a 4 for great service!!!
(4)
Stuart M.
Pretty good selection of micro brews - the sampler is a good intro. Excellent burgers - beef and turkey. The best sweet potato fries on the west coast! Server was ultra-friendly - really knew the food and beer. It was a week-day afternoon so no problem with seating or parking. Not sure if I'd try City Walk on a weekend.
(4)
Cat T.
I'm sure I should be saying something about the beer. But I only had one sip of the Red Trolley and it was gross... cuz... to me... it tasted like BEER... ick... was I surprised it tasted like beer? Why do I keep taking that dreaded sip. Had the ginger salmon in firecracker sauce. It was a very interested combination I must say. There was a bed of spinach on a bed of brocolli with the salmon on top and a slice of avocado on top of that. Interesting... The most cracky thing about that firecracker sauce was that um... well nothing... it was terriyaki sauce with some black sesame seeds in it... Asked the server for some jalapenos which he brought out a teeny cup of roasted ones and charges us a dollar for it. Lame. But it was a good and healthy (ish) meal I would say.
(4)
Caitlyn L.
The best beer I have ever had was their 21st Anniversary Ale. The service was amazing and the food was excellent. The atmosphere is hip, laid back, and just all around awesome. If you are in Universal City Walk I highly recommend it. Oh, and get your fries Cajun style ;-)
(5)
Tracy S.
Came here the night of a concert at Universal Ampitheater. We weren't part of that crowd but certainly fell victim to the influx of the clientele. Reservation wait time was promised at no more than 20 minutes. That soon became 40 minutes with a bunch of irrational excuses lined up. Ordered crabcakes that came 20 minutes later, cold in the middle and five minutes before our entrees. I was so hungry I ate the cold crabcakes and dealt with it. I agree with another reviewer here that nine dollars is a high price for a mediocore burger served on a stale bun and forget the cheese burger. I could barely locate the cheese or taste it. On the up swing the garlic-parmesean fries has manage to keep the vampires away.
(3)
Ryan H.
My girlfriend and I stopped here on the way out of Universal Studios. I only wanted a snack, so I got the boneless buffalo wings, which were pretty good, but the real reason to go to Karl Strauss is for the beer. We shared the Taster 6, which is a sampling of 6 different beers. Ours included the Woodie Gold, the Windansea Wheat Hefeweizen, the Amber Lager, the Red Trolley Ale, the Tower 10 IPA and the Endless Summer Light. All 6 were quite good, especially the Red Trolley, which was a great, well balanced red. A great spot for bar food and good beer after a long day at the park.
(4)
Jennifer C.
I was very disappointed in the portion sizes. My friend order a large mixed salad. It cost $7.50 and much larger than the Mediterranean Salad I order, which cost $9.50. His was in a bowl, mine on a flat plate. I asked the waitress if mine was small and she said no, that is the size of your salad. Please think twice before ordering any of the salads here.
(1)
Natalie A.
For my boyfriend's birthday, I got us tickets to a show at Gibson Amphitheatre on Saturday 11/06/10. We showed up to CityWalk early, with time to grab dinner and drinks first. After considering our dining options, we decided to try Karl Strauss. They told us it would be a 20-minute wait, but they called us in only 5 minutes. We were seated at a high-top table in the bar. The place was packed and bustling, but we were served pretty quickly. I ordered the beer-battered fish and chips, and the BF had the No Frills cheeseburger. We both opted for the garlic-parmesan fries. So much food! The plates were huge, and they were piled with food. We could have just ordered one dinner and shared it. The 1/3-lb. burger was so big, he had to cut it in half to be able to eat it comfortably. And he said it was cooked just right, not a big ol' dry meatball, but meaty and juicy and done right. The six fish filets were big and crusted in a light, crisp coating, served atop a large bed of fries. The fish was flakey and delicious. I didn't care for the coleslaw that came on the side. I normally like coleslaw, but this one had a weird flavor I could not identify. The fries were shoestring-style, with a generous topping of freshly grated parmesan, LOTS of garlic and parsley sprinkled on top. The cheese was all melty -- it was like cheese fries. Yum. I could only eat half of my dinner, so I took the rest to-go. It made for a tasty midnight munchie for us later, reheated in a warm oven at home. Our server, who was also a bartender, was attentive and friendly. She even brought us out a couple of rounds of free beer samples so we could try their some of their specialty brews. Also, the manager came out to check on us to make sure that we were enjoying our dinner. The atmosphere was a little noisy for us to talk comfortably, but if we wanted intimate we should've just dined somewhere near home. This was a Saturday night after all, and we were sitting in a bar, and at CityWalk. All in all, we left with a favorable impression of this restaurant. The food was satisfying and delicious, and it was a good value: Our total bill was $46, not bad considering the portion sizes of the two large entrees (plus the midnight snack later), a round of potent rum and cokes, the bonus free beer samples, and fast, courteous service. I don't see why we wouldn't go back the next time we are at CityWalk. Thank you, Karl Strauss. I'm going to be thinking about those garlic-parmesan fries for a long time. Yum ..........
(4)
Ami T.
Nice atmosphere. Cozy. Try the Red Trolley Beer. The garlic fries are good and its huge! too huge. Good food. Nice people. Away from the hustle bustle of the huge crowd below
(4)
Matthew F.
This is about one of the only oasis of safety in the City Walk. Its on the second floor, so that helps it out considerably, tourists that have to walk stairs prefer ground floor feeding troughs. What makes this place is the staff. The bartender was pretty cool, and the brewmaster is pretty cool too. We happened to be the first customers of the day, when we were there, so we chatted with everyone. Menu is decent, and the food is respectable, portion sizes are a little big and perfect for that whale gut that most tourists have. Can't give it 4 stars due to its location.... sorry Karl Strauss. Staff is what earned the three, if not for them, would have given them two.
(3)
Ida C.
This place is good I've never sat inside it looks to small and more family style and I've never been there with a group larger than 4 and I enjoy sitting outside there is a nice view of everything and they have heat lamps to keep me nice and warm. The beer here is good I had the light beer I forget what it's called. I have eaten here a few times never the samething twice the food is pretty good the mac n cheese is nothing special and i probably wouldn't recommend it but I will recommend the salad that came with it I was mixed greens and walnuts and raspberry dressing it was good. Another time I had a burger i think it was a cajun chicken burger of some sort but that was the best. and the last time we went we had just appetizers the buffalo chicken strips we excellent and the fries never disappoint except when there parmesean then there terrible. and we had the ahi tuna and wonton chips with avacodo and they were really good. I have always had delightful time here.
(4)
JenZac T.
Did Universal Studios always closed their park at 6pm? Hmmm... Zac & I strolled down the whole CityWalk to see what our options were for dinner. Nothing caught our eyes except for Karl Strauss as the other choices are big chain restaurants easily found back at home. Also, how can you pass up on the opportunity to sample some potentially good beer? We sat outside and people watched while we chugged and sipped away. Zac got to sample several of their beer on tap and did not hear of any complaints from him. I, on the other hand, felt like having a Cadillac margarita on the rocks. OK, I had two ;0)... Couldn't pass up on the Ahi Poke appetizer, which was excellent for the price of about 10 bucks. We both did not let that sit too long under the starlit ceiling. Zac had the Top Sirloin, while I had the Lemon Hef Chicken. For the price and atmosphere, this meal was unbeatable by any of the other restaurants in the vicinity...Will most likely visit again if in the area!
(4)
Ezet M.
Went their for a date night with my husband. Friendly staff. Mickey at the bar was great!!!!!!!!!!! My margarita(not beer) lol was nice and strong. My husband had 2 different beers and he liked one over the other. Oh well. The ginger crusted salmon was the most AMAZING fish I have ever had. My husband had steak and he liked it. We also had Beeramisu for desert and it sooooooo hit the spot. Definetly will bring our friends here for a night out. MICKEY ure the best!!!!!! Keep up the good work!
(4)
Sonnie L.
Whenever i'm at Universal I like to stop in for their Red Trolley Beer. They have the best hummus for happy hour that I've ever had. Burgers and fries are good. It's fun to eat on the balcony and people watch.
(4)
Laura R.
I love this place! Our bartender was so awesome and down to earth. We had questions and he answered our questions and gave us good food recommendations! The food was delish! We're definitely coming back soon!
(5)
samantha s.
So, I don't get the hype... We (the boyfriend, a friend, and myself) were lured by a very flattering guy at a random table at the foot of the steps. He schmoozed my lush (the natural soap store) friend by recognizing her lotion scent. Then he schmoozed me with the idea of great beer for 4$. So, up the stairs we went. We met the hostess, who we told "WE'RE HERE FOR HAPPY HOUR! The guy down stairs said beers were 4$!" We were promptly seated with a good people-watching view on the balcony. I was regretfully informed they had no dark stout type beer. Bummer number 1, I don't like light beer. Oh well, I ordered a red, the friend a heff, and the bf sweet potato fries. All off the happy hour menu(some of you see where I'm going already). The beer was not good! Granted I'm a dark-beer-kinda-girl, I still can taste quality. It tasted cheap! Bj's and Lazy Dog blow this place out of the water. The sweet potato fries were flavorless, hell, they need to take a tip from El Pollo Loco. We also got charged full price. Asked the waitress.what's the deal? She was able to give us the beers for happy hour but charged us full price for the fries. Granted it wasn't much more, the attitude she gave us was uncalled for. She said "actually happy hour is over and I had to just talk with my manager to give you the beers", with condescending tone and matter-of-fact smirk. Well, when we arrived, we all told you we were here for happy hour and the guy down stairs told is it was happy hour. Not to mention, you handed us all happy hour menus. I mean sheesh woman, you had plenty of opportunities to tell us it was over. So, service was disappointing as was the food and beer. Will not be visiting again.
(1)
Jennifer N.
I can't review the food because our food never came. We decided to eat here because of the happy hour menu. Well, we ordered some beer & a burger, which I was really looking forward to eating. After waiting probably more than 30 mins, we asked our waiter if the food was coming soon, his response was "you had the nachos, right?" WRONG. We ordered a burger, then I saw him frantically typing something into their computer, but he never came over & said anything. My suspicions were correct when we stopped a food runner and asked her about it. She said our waiter just put the order in about a minute ago. So, then we just asked for the bill. When the bill came, the burger was on there. Long story short, we got free beer and walked out frustrated.
(1)
Tiffany G.
Delicious food, great beer, friendly service, big restaurant, cool location on the second floor. (yay! people watching from the balcony while I eat) Definitely one of the better places to eat on city walk!!
(5)
B c.
Awful!!! After not seeing a waiter for 20 min we finally had to ask the seater for water and drinks. The wattress came 10 minutes later to take our drink order and apoligized that she was the only person working (it was 5:30pm on Saturday). After another 15 min. we recieved half our drinks. Another 15 min past and we went to the bar to get the rest of the drinks. 3 of our 8 meals came out after another 20 min. Then 2 more meals came out 10 min later. The final food (2 salads & 1 appertizer) came another 15 min later after we asked about them twice. The chicken salads had barely a 1/4 breast of meat in them. The other food ok. I would never recommend this place!
(1)
Denise E.
great beer, great waitress, great food, great night
(5)
Scott A.
What a terrible brewhouse/restaurant. It's been such a long time since I've been here, but when I saw it on yelp I just wanted to warn everyone NOT to go there! The food was terrible and the service was terrible! Probably the worst restaurant at Citywalk.
(2)
M and M.
Good place to go on the way to a concert at the Gibson. The food is hit or miss. The nachos hit. Everything else missed (we had mac and cheese and salad too). Very slow service but decent atmosphere. Would stop in for those nachos again but skip the rest.
(3)
Kristopher C.
great beer selection as always. decent happy hour, quaint little patio that gets hot in the afternoons. great location/ smack dab in the middle of city walk. host was very assertive, but the servers were kinda non existent for the most part. garlic fries and beer
(3)
Macaela J.
If I could give this place a zero I would. There seems to be a consitent trend among all the reviews. Number one being bad service and number two being SLOW or no food service. Just so you know, I am a server as well, so the details matter just as it should to everyone. This was our night: 3:30 Arrive at hostess stand 3:35 Seated at a table that had not been set and was still damp 3:45 Someone finally makes an apperance at our table takes a beer and starter/appetizer order 3:55 App. Came and began to eat Yummy.. So far so good. . Here's where it goes bad 4:00 App. done... No server to take our main order. . However our server is taking the order of a group behind us that JUST sat down.. they recieve there drinks and her attention in the next 5 minutes. 4:05 I make eye contact and flag someone over 4:15 No food 4:20 Boyfriend goes to the Broom.. Still No food 4:30 Noo food and now the table behind us is starting to look at desserts and the manager and server had been there to chat with them.. and no one has talked to us since... 4:00 4:40.. Our food finally comes.. and it was WRONG. I asked for fries instead of cole slaw and the runner looks at me and says ' oh yeah, I think I do remember seeing that.. I'll just bring you some fries' 4:42 I wave over the manager and tell him that it took over a half an hour for our food and it was wrong! He looked concerned and said "sure. let me look into that" 4:45 She brings the fries, then our server comes over and says " Oh sorry about the wait guys, I kept trying to tell 'em" and walks off. Then We eat. The manager comes by and tells us he comped our appetizer. . And we thank him. Then the server comes over and says " Oh! I got my manager to comp. you appetizer" trying to redeem herself. We get our check.. and she runs my boyfriends card. AS HE IS SIGNING THE CHECK... she comes to our table not to apollogize again but only to say " Again guys, I have no control over the kitchen sorry about the wait." Ok, now my Bf and I are pissed at this whole situation because 1. Our server barely acknowledges us and only tries to please us when she knows that is is going to affect her tip and 2. The food was just OK. All in all, We will not go back here. . and def. not reccomend this to anyone.
(1)
Dave D.
Only got stars for the service. Everything tasted like it came from the freezer and was deep fried.
(2)
Imelda M.
So I haven't been to LA in about 8 years and I forgot how much I enjoy going to Universal Studios' City Walk! We were hungry and thirsty and a brewery is always the answer in my mind. The weather was great so we sat outside. Good people watching perspective since it's on the second floor on one end of the upstairs food court and had outdoor terrace seating. Food was tasty, we ordered the bbq turkey burger with cajun fries (nice and a bit spicy) and the steak burger with mushrooms. All was served promptly and hot. Service was attentive. Never had their beer before and it was well worth the visit. My friend and I love beer and microbreweries and really enjoyed the Windansea Wheat and the Strausstout. They really hit the spot! Beers were pretty expensive tho at about $6.50 or more a 22 oz. So the bill for two burgers and 2-3 beers came to about $60. That's a bit much for burgers and beer...
(4)
Dennis T.
The only reason I would be at city walk is for Karl Strauss. They're food is f-n fantastic, especially the bbq chicken salad. By far the highlight of this place is obviously the beer. I LOVE the downtown after dark and the red trolley. If you are as big a beer fan as me, try those two beers out!
(4)
Noelle B.
I left this establishment wondering what the difference was between no service and bad service. It seems that I am only compelled to "yelp" when I really had a great experience or if I really had a horrible experience. Unfortunately, this was the latter. So, me and a group of 4 friends went here prior to seeing a movie. We only had one hour to eat and this place was the only place that didn't have a line (that should have been my first clue). We approached the hostess desk and asked how long the wait would be, she said they were clearing and resetting three tables right now so it would only be a moment. There was one other party waiting and they sat them immediately. Then, the hostess vanished. We waited for about 5 minutes. The hostess then reappeared but didn't acknowledge us. I approached her and asked if our table was ready, I explained that we were trying to catch a movie. She looked at me surprised as if she had forgotten all about us and said "oh yeah". We followed her to our table, she gave us menus and was off. So we all start looking at the menu and made our selections. After 10 minutes, no one had yet approached our table. After 5 more minutes, I got up and asked the hostess if she could send someone to our table. I again stated that we were trying to catch a movie. She acted surprised that no one had helped us yet and assured me that someone would be over. I sat back down. 5 more minutes, no server. I then got up and approached a server that was entering an order into their computer and asked her if she knew who our server was.... I explained again that I wasn't trying to be obnoxious, but that we had been waiting for 20 minutes and no one has been to our table to help us. She also assured me that someone would be right over. And lo and behold, someone showed up. We told her we were ready with our entire order, she took it and was off. Now, we hoped that we were on the right track and I was looking forward to drinking my nice cold beer. But alas, 10 minutes went by and no drinks. At this point, we had been at this restaurant for over a half an hour and we had no drinks and no silverware/napkins on our table. I found this last point interesting seeing that they kept us waiting out front while the re-set the table -- but then it wasn't set? So, I again rose from the table and went in search of our drinks, I saw them sitting at the bar service station. I didn't see "our" waitress, but went to the hostess again. When I had no luck with her, I went to another server. I gave a brief rundown that we had been waiting, we are trying to catch a movie....and could someone, anyone please bring us our drinks. Our waitress then finally arrives with the drinks. One of my friends ordered a blended margarita and it came on the rocks. When she brought this to the servers attention, the server said "Oh, we don't have a blender". Now, there are two interesting aspects to this response, the first being, how does a large chain restaurant with a full bar not have a blender? The second is , if they didn't have a blender, wouldn't it have been a good idea for the waitress to tell my friend that when she ORDERED the drink? Unconcerned, the waitress , again disappears. Now, as you can imagine, it's getting close to the time of our movie and still no food. One person in our party ordered a desert, as he was not that hungry. His desert arrived, but nothing else. Not even a spoon to eat it with. He asked the food runner if he could get 5 spoons so that we could all have some. The runner said sure, and disappeared. Guess what? No spoons came... surprise, surprise. At this point, we had all had enough and with no time left to eat, had no choice left but to cancel our order. I rose, again, and approached the server who was standing at the computer (not our server, but it seems to be the only place I can track down an employee). I told her that I didn't know where my waitress was but we had to cancel our order. I told her we had been waiting forever but now had to leave. Our waitress then shows up at our table surprised that we want to cancel our order. When we told her that we had been waiting and that we were trying to catch a movie, she has the audacity to respond with "Did you tell anyone that you were trying to catch a movie?" I don't know, I think we told half of the staff! I replied that yes I had - we had told the hostess upon our arrival and in addition I had gotten up numerous times to inform people. I mean, how hard am I supposed to work when I go out to dinner? I went on to say that even if we had nowhere to go, the amount of time we waited to be approached and waited for our drinks was inexcusable. I then pointed to my friend sitting there with his bread pudding with no way to eat it and told her that we couldn't even get utensils when we asked. I have to stop, yelp has a word limit, but I'm sure you get the point. Don't go here, they just don't care!
(1)
Van K.
In January, my bf and I were in down south for the Conan O'Brien show and wanted to go to the City Walk in Universal City after. We came upon this restaurant because it was the only one that had decent ratings. We wanted the outdoor seating with the view of the city walk, but the host made us wait 15mins. There were a lot of tables available and didn't see why they couldn't seat us right away. The host wasn't very welcoming because she had that stuck up attitude. Anyway, they finally seated us and we were looking over the menu. There wasn't much to choose from so i got the macaroni and cheese and my bf got the avocado turkey burger. They do their own brewery here, but we didn't order any. One of our order came with salad and it was really good. The food came out fast, about 7-10mins. The macaroni was creamy and cheesy! The turkey burger was surprisingly good too! The price was reasonable and the server was okay. He took long to get our drinks, to go boxes and check. Overall, this place was good/decent, but wasn't as exciting and memorable.
(3)
Tommy T.
Big portions of decent food, in a lively environment, with friendly service. Expect the kind of food you'd find at a Yard House, Fridays, etc. (with similar prices). Good place to go before a show at the Gibson Amphitheatre, as they take reservations.
(3)
Adam B.
I don't like going to CityWalk but if I do, this is the place to go. First off, they got WiFi and being a web design guru, that's an important feature. I started a meeting at CityWalk at a Japanese place and ended up here so we could look at sites. Second, the beers are great but what would you expect from one of the best beer cities in the country in San Diego? Food was pretty good too. Not as good as Biersch but pretty good. If they ever open a location where you don't have to pay to park, I'd be there.
(4)
bren f.
Disappointing Experience. My boyfriend and I live about an hour away and decided to have dinner at City Walk. We walked around to build up an appetite, we flipped a coin between restaurants and ended up at Karl Strauss..what a bad choice. We were seated at 9 pm in the patio. Wasn't busy at all. Our waitress took a VERY long time to take our food order. She finally came and jotted down our choices. (Steak and a Sandwich) We waited for a half hour and nothing, then when 10:45pm came around she asked how everything is going with our bill in our hand, we asked how much longer our food will take and she was clueless as to what we were talking about! She said "oh, you didn't get your salad?" UM we never ordered a salad!?!?... She dropped our bill off for our beer. I didn't want to pay a $20 bill for our drinks since we had only sipped on them as we waited for our meal and they were half full, and we were going to have to find somewhere else to eat. I tried to walk into the restaurant to ask a manager if he/she could do something about it, but our waitress blocked me and asked "what's up?". I told her how I felt, and she gave us an attitude and complained how she will have to just pay it from her own pocket. I called the manager the following day and he apologized, asked for my address..promised us a free meal to be sent in the mail..but never sent anything! Next time, we'll choose another restaurant at City Walk.. Slow service, dumb waitresses and lies.
(1)
Andrew M.
great bear great food servers were helpful piking a beer for me
(4)
hans h.
great staff, awsome foods, love the seared tuna salad, tuna tartar, mini fish tacos, garlic fries are killer, and well...enjoy
(5)
S K.
we came here for happy hour for $3.50 beer and discounted appetizers. we love breweries but karl strauss was def. not one of our favorites. we ended up not finishing our beers and left unsatisfied.
(2)
anna d.
amazing!!! i was not a beer lover until i tried a taster at this restaurant!!! all of their beers are good... my husband and i took a tasting class with them... this place is made for true beer lovers. i can only find their beers bottled and sold in a vons pavillion near my area... remember to drink your beer warm... beers that are served cold (like coors, etc) are done so because it masks the chemical taste of their beer!!!
(5)
Alana M.
Great for happy hour! I came here after Universal studios for a late lunch. It was practically empty on a Monday at 3pm. The waitress told us that it was happy hour so beers on tap were $4 and they had appetizers for $5. They have a large selection of beers. Probably 8 or 9 are on tap. I ordered the red trolly which I always love. We also ordered boneless buffalo wings and spinach dip. Buffalo wings were super delicious. The sauce they put on them is delicious. 5 stars for those. Spinach dip was just okay. I'd give it 3 stars. We really came at the perfect time since eating at universal can be pricey otherwise.
(4)
Melvin E.
One of my favorite restaurants to visit on my trip to CityWalk. Not only do they serve good food, but they serve good, and tasty beer that they brew. This place is located right in the heart of CityWalk right above the Camacho's Cantina restaurant. I like to come here and hang out with a couple buddies, sit right up in the bar and enjoy some good drinks. They have TV's so you can watch a game. The friendly staff are usually quick to take your order. They also have an outside patio for you to eat and enjoy some good scenery. If you're into great food, great beers/IPA's, and a great service, then this is your spot to come and visit!
(5)
Denise V.
If you're a tourist and you don't particularly care about food, then yes, come and be merry. Our waiter kept not hearing us and laughing it off so I never got my food boxed, and the appetizer was put in late...just shouldn't have come here.
(2)
Alexis P.
The staff was friendly. Tasted a few samples of their brews. Only had appetizers this time. The asada Fries and Brussels Sprouts with balsamic was bomb. Will try their mac n cheese next time.
(5)
Simone S.
Came here with my boyfriend on a warm Sunday evening. The servers are very attentive and give you samples of the beers to try. The roasted Brussel sprouts & the Asada fries are good.
(5)
Valentina L.
This is a newer little spot since I used to go to Citywalk EVERY weekend (bought annual). It was fun to sit high up above on the heat lmaped patin and look down at the Colors of Benetton madness! It is SERIOUSLY SENSORY OVERLOAD down below, bands, water splashing, vendors, live singers, etc. not to mention people just randomly stopping in front of you, so you slam into them while walking-HATE THAT! The prices were a little on the steep side, but for those IPA and microbrew fans, this place may very well be your dream. With a special beer rated at 10% alcohol content! It's fun, it's busy, and the waitresses are attention and well versed in finding you the beer of your choice and suggesting for you. Would I go there again? Yes, probably!
(4)
Eric R.
Most of the food is really good, try the Asada Fries, Kung Pao Lettuce Wraps or the Farmhouse Burger. Staff is awesome and friendly. Food is served quickly. Only thing is...for the love of God...please...do not order the Mosaic Chicken!! It should not be on their menu. It is the worst garbaj ever served.
(4)
Allie R.
I seriously do not get how this place has three and a half stars! I usually do not take the time to write yelp reviews, but I find it completely shocking that they aren't at 5 stars. From the moment we walked in the door, the whole staff was very friendly. They asked us if we had been there before, and I had, but my friend hadn't. Our waiter, Matthew was very nice and super attentive. We happened to be there on a Thursday and it was Cask Night. Because we told them that it was our friend's first time eating there, they let her tap the task. It was a very fun and neat idea. Their food is absolutely amazing every time I have gone, and they definitely didn't disappoint this time and of course I can't go without mentioning how amazing their beer is.
(5)
Kendal W.
Came here last night and I was not impressed. They have a big selection of their own private beers which I thought was pretty cool until I sampled about four of them. They were awful! The waitress kept bringing me samples that she thought I would like but they were horrible. To make matters worse they didn't have brand name beers or cocktails. It was just their sucky beer. Never again. Sticking to Yardhouse.
(1)
Lorilynn L.
Their service is amazing. My boyfriend got the pork chops and they were absolutely delicious. The beer had a lot of different notes of flavor. I really enjoyed the ahi poke as an appetizer. The Mosaic Chicken was okay to me. There was a lot of oil on the vegetables, so I didn't really find it enjoyable. But, otherwise, everything was fantastic!
(5)
David G.
OMG - I just had THE BEST STEAK SALAD of my life at Karl Strauss Brewing Company this afternoon!! Was looking for some healthy(ish) lunchtime options and the manager recommended the $13 tabouli and melon salad (spring mix, goat cheese, melon, strawberries, almonds, tabouli with cucumbers, onion, mint, raspberry-hazelnut vinaigrette), with flat iron steak added for an additional $8.50. Wow, wow, wow - my taste buds are still in heaven!! Can't wait to return!
(5)
Big will P.
The humus is to die for pair that with a pitcher of the Big Barrel IPA your in heaven. For those daring people try the Farmhouse Burger with a fried egg and piece of pork belly and 100% beef patty , your taste buds will explode with joy. Also they have the best buffalo wings, they are delightful and nicely spiced , trust me Karl Strauss is the best San Diego style brew houses out there.
(5)
Johnny V.
Daniel b was the best bartender I have ever came across service great food and service
(5)
Joi S.
3.5 stars rounded up. After a long day at Universal Studios, my little princess wanted to eat here. The patio has a great view of city walk. Its upstairs right before the main entrance. The service was just okay, a bit slow but our waitress was very nice. The portions of the food made up for the service. We ordered the shrimp PO boy, chicken with mango salsa, tomato bisque and my little one had the kids pasta. The PO boy was packed with big shrimp and had a bit of a Cajun flavor too it. The mango chicken was delicious. The salsa on top was fresh. My daughters pasta was dry and band though. We asked for extra sauce but it didn't make much of a difference. I don't know why most places that have kid menus aren't so great. Sometimes its just better for the kids to order off the regular menu and take home the leftovers. I really enjoyed the soup the most. It was hot and fresh and not to thin. I hate when soups are too thin or too thick, they have to be just right for me. Would i return? yea probably, but there are lots of other choices on city walk as well to have dinner. I heard the happy hour here is good so ill come for that next time.
(4)
Joe E.
Wow. Who knew that eating at a brewery would be something you have to save up for. Felt like it should have been an anniversary dinner or a special event. 13 dollar turkey bacon sandwich. Please take off the sun dried tomatoes, it overpowers the whole sandwich. 17 dollar mac & cheese. We've had quite a bit around LA. You can get a lot better for less. The best thing we ate was the chicken fingers off my son's kid's menu. Looked like house made ranch, delicious. I'm not kidding. They're good. The waitress was nice and kept checking in. I guess when you rent a big place on Universal City Walk, it gets expensive. Have to make up the cost somehow. Luckily, we had a 50 dollar gift card and only had to pay an extra 25 for our lunch. P.s. Most of your beer sucks.
(2)
Benjamin B.
After stopping and strolling through city walk, we wanted a place with beer and cold sandwiches (post Coachella). We ordered some morning mimosas followed by some very good triple IPA. We were also given some free testers and our waiter was just top notch. Maybe because it was a Monday? Either way my cold turkey club sandwich was huge and tasted awesome. I also liked the buffalo wings. Good food, Good Beer, but great service was the kicker.
(5)
Misael V.
I've been here twice, once in the day not too busy and service was good. Sat at the bar had a couple beers nothing too complicated. Came in tonight saturday 10/4 bar was full but not busy, when I finally got the bartenders attention I asked for 2 samples to try and figure out which beer I was having. Bartender (female, not the one with the glasses) turns around and ignores me and never checks to see what my decision was. The other female bartender had to ask "Chris" to help me and he was dumbfounded because he thought I had already been helped. Next time make sure you guys hire people that are actually interested in the brand and want to get the guest interested in the product. 2 stars for great beers the rest of the stars are missing because of the service that is missing.
(2)
Darlene Y.
I came here for dinner after work with a friend and we were able to grab a seat outside. It was nice because you get a really good view of the City Walk area and the live music of the vendors. I ordered the GINGER CRUST SALMON which was avocado, steamed broccoli, and firecracker sauce. The firecracker sauce was like a spicy Hoisen sauce and the texture was pretty good. Id come back again for dinner. PS: If you don't like beer, that is the only alcohol they serve there. ENJOY!
(3)
Dawn D.
Was excited when I saw this located right next to unviversal because we have one near our home in Temecula. Let me tell you, that one in Temecula is AMAZING! This one on the other hand....bummed me out! This is a Sunday afternoon the resturant is EMPTY. 3 tables with customers. It took 10 minutes to have our initial waiter greet us. They were out of endless summer ( just like budlight ) do not have tower 20 on tap. Our appetizer got to our table BEFORE our drinks. just very slow waiter service compared to how many customers were in the resturant. disappointed. Will not return here, but of course our Temecula Karl strauss!
(2)
Adrianne H.
Had a fantastic birthday celebration with my kids today at Universal Studios & we decided to eat here before taking in a movie. The food was spectacular. . & our waitress Christine was amazing. I'd recommend that anyone visiting City Walk stop in for the Tree Hugger Mac & Cheese.
(5)
Jenni E.
Our server is super helpful and friendly. Double Chocolate Wreck Alley is da bomb!! Also ordered the Grilled Romaine and Farmhouse burger. Those were excellent as well.
(5)
Jando S.
Everything along the Universal CityWalk is chain-y, so if you're going to this route, you might as well hit up Karl Strauss. It's about as much fo a brewery as Outback is a real steakhouse or authentically Aussie. There's plenty of beer and food to be had and if you're in a group of adults looking to avoid crowds, this might be one of the better spots in the entire area. If there is any reason to hit this place is up, let it be for their uber decent happy hour. Every weekday from 3-6pm, there are $4 beers to be had and $5 appetizers. At $15 a person, that covers two beers and a plate of food with a little bit left for tax and some tip. That price won't even buy you a ticket at the AMC Theater ( yelp.com/biz/amc-univers… ) down the street. This is easily one of the best deals of the area. What to order? For some strange reason, the "rollos locos" aka spring rolls filled with chicken, cheese, and avocado and is strangely popular as it is messy. I'm not always sold with spinach artichoke dip, but this version was about as good as a microwave can execute. Beware of the boneless wings, as the dipping sauce makes all the difference. Shoot for the ahi poke if you're feeling like avoiding the fried stuff. Service is about as good as I expect these places to be. Waters were refilled, orders were taken quickly, and the overall vibe was positive. Dare I say I would come back again? I've been to Citywalk a bunch of times already, but if I am forced to come back, I might duck out on the walking tour and duck out here while feeding myself and drinking copiously.
(3)
Kam H.
best waitress ever christine is awesome if you guys come here prepare for a good time brought my mom sister and brother here for my moms birthday and we love our service can't complain best day
(5)
Ruby D.
The worst meal and following bout of food poisoning ever! My sister and I ate here feb 13 and everything was just awful. My steak was rare not medium. The mash potatoes tasted like they had been made with spoiled milk. The fries they brought me to compensate for the mash were equally as awful and bland. The food here made me sick. All in all worse meal I've ever had. If i could give it no stars i would.
(1)
Renae V.
Busy night. Had high hopes for first night out. The restaurant's wait was very short which was great but our server was a little slow. The beers we were finally able to order were warm. Strike one. We ordered dinner and of course I decided to go off the board and order curry. It was a bit on the hot side but was good but of course didn't go with my beer selection. Our waiter did bring us a couple of sample beers that were also warm and not very tasty. Waiter brought us glasses of ice for our warm beer. All in all, not a terrible evening but not really a great evening. Would I come back? Maybe.
(3)
Linet O.
I have been to this restaurant twice. My first time was awesome. Very attentive waiter, great food and just overall good experience. My second time here, was a different story. My friends and I came here on Christmas day for dinner. I understand it's annoying to have to work on Christmas Day and see everyone coming in with their families, having fun and you're stuck working, but our waitress was just horrible. She basically let it be known that being there was a hassle, any time we asked for anything we got full attitude, as if we were such a burden to her. When we asked for the dessert menu she looked full on annoyed, because it was getting closer to closing time and she wanted to get outta there. I wanted their Mac N cheese dish, which they were out of. I ended up getting another pasta dish, which tasted horrible. I am going to write it off as a bad day and will come back here because they usually have good food and nice wait staff.
(3)
Joy A.
My hubby and I enjoy the Happy Hour and overall menu here. But the waiters and Customer Service at Karl Strauss at Citywalk is always top notch. We sit on the patio and get a great view and enjoy the weather and we have not had one bad waiter or waitress yet. Or latest experience was with Jason. He was over the top helpful and checked on us just enough but never gave us the vibe that he was trying to get rid of us. He was very helpful with the beer selections and always reminding us how much time we had left for Happy Hour. In short, we live 25 miles away from here and do not hesitate the drive here for our preferred Happy Hour location even when there are several options closer to us. Great Job Karl Strauss and your staff!!!
(5)
Morgan M.
Good to see the Karl Strauss empire growing. Dropped in here with some co-workers while we were up in the area. The carne asada fries are stellar, never tried them here before. Food and drink was fantastic and the service was great. If you're in the area for some fun, I recommend this joint. Especially if you're trying to get away from a spot with too many children.
(4)
Anthony P.
I ate here for my birthday and was given a free beer. The asada fries were amazing and the waitress very nice. Next time I'm in the area I'm definitely coming back.
(5)
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Address :1000 Universal Studios Blvd,Ste M-41
Universal City, CA, 91608
George K.
Its a solid place for City Walk. Their Red Trolley beer is good and their hummus is addictive! And there's tons of it! If anything they need to just provide more pita which I always have to pay extra to have more. I really need to just order that only instead of also still getting an Entree. Their burgers are good and the Mac n Cheeses with meat are pretty good too. I don't know if I would go to this place if it was outside City Walk but the food is good and its basically the only place I eat at when I'm here.
(4)J P.
asked for a burger as rare as possible. burger came well done and then some. Service was good tho.
(2)Daniel B.
Off the rails, double red trolley is great. Shrimp Po-boy also delicious.
(4)Ritika T.
I was pretty impressed with this bar. My bf and I stopped by before a movie at Citywalk and it was perfect for us. Weirdly enough the bar was full of couples as well. It was quiet enough to converse yet still lively. The bartender was pretty smart--he pointed at me and only carded me and not my bf. Sly, underhanded compliment. Earned his tip. I asked him for a fun martini, and he made me a melon one and added his own touch of watermelon extra. It was delicious! He got one of their house beers and couldn't stop raving. Try it out!
(5)Michael D.
Came here for '14 Super Bowl, it was pretty chill. I suggest ordering the seasonal beer, then buying the souvenir cup all for $10, then every draft beer after that is $4, definitely worth it! It's pretty much your average theme park restaurant, but good service overall.
(3)Loosey B.
The Mac and Cheese is awesome, the beer selection is pretty good and the service SUCKS. Went here early evening when the restaurant was empty (a few people were sitting at the bar) and it took the waitress forever to take our order and bring us water. After the meal was done, she took FOREVER to bring us the bill and then even longer to bring us back the recipt. I would rather eat mediocre food at a restaurant that has an emphasis on customer service. Next time I'm at the Citywalk I'll be eating dinner elsewhere.
(2)Jewel N.
Total fan! Had a great time here before heading to our Walking Dead themed night at Universal Studios. They had a great selection of beers to choose from. The waiter was funny and knowledgeable. The food was good, but a little overpriced in my opinion. BUT - happy hour pricing is great and the beer prices made up for the entree prices. All in all, we left very satisfied. We now enjoy 22oz. beers from our local craft beer stores and look forward to coming back when we are in town. CHEERS!
(4)Jenna L.
After looking at all the places to eat on Citywalk, we finally decided on this place. It's a local chain, and SD-based, so gotta support, plus everything on the menu looked pretty great. We had to wait a few minutes, but it really wasn't too bad considering it was a weekend at dinnertime. What really caught my eye on the menu was their selection of mac & cheese. Yes, selection. And they all sound amazingly delicious. I decided on the "Piggy Bank", and it was super good. I would definitely get it again. Everything else my buddies got was good too, but my mac and cheese was the best :) though I may be biased. I will say that I think some of the dishes portions were a little small, but the mac and cheese was not. Also, if any of the dishes you order have 'California' in the name, that probably just means it'll come with avocado. hahhaha - they may have gone a little overboard with the avocado, as it even came in our cioppino!
(4)Lead F.
Awesome food, awesome-er beers! When visiting Universal City Walk (which I do every other month), this place is a must visit.
(4)David S.
Came here a few days ago and got the farmhouse burger (egg, pork strips, beef patty, lettuce, tomato, etc) and also got the beer flight/sampler. Food here is a little sub-par but the beer is definitely delicious. The hefe, red trolley, and pintail pale ale were very good. Burger was just too dry and inconveniently too big to eat, and especially if you've tried the Counter or Slaters, your burger standards should be very high. Good place to get beer if you want to take a breather from Universal studios.
(3)Chris C.
Located in the upper deck in Universal City Walk, entrance is right next to the water fountain. Great place for beers. They had beers from San Diego yesterday when I went. Waitress hooked us up with 4 free beers, so I definitely love it lol.
(4)Vinh B.
This place is awful. I dislike Universal City Walk in general, because there literally is nothing of quality here besides the IMAX theatre and you've guessed it, we were there to see an IMAX movie in 3D. So we have some time to kill before the movie and we were walking around, checking out places to eat. Someone had the idea of going upstairs to check out the official food court. Trash. Absolute trash. Just gross, greasy, fast food. We walk back downstairs and pass the candy store that looks like porn store, it's call "It'sugar," get it? So clever, they got rid of an "s." Diabetes has an "s." It literally looks like a porn shop. Classy. In desperation, we decided on Karl Strauss (it's a German name, get it? Because it's also a brewery!) Karl Strauss seemed okay enough. Didn't realize it was a chain of restaurants. Why the world needs more than one Karl Strauss Brewing Company is beyond the realm of men. I ordered some sort of steak, medium rare. It was well done, only slightly pink and basically a hocky puck, with pepper corns that felt like sand paper. The potatoes were horrible and the vegetables bland. We also ordered the macaroni and cheese, the one with bacon and ham. Sounds good, no? It was awful. It was sort of dry and the ham tasted like spam. As to the bacon, there were a few flakes here and there. It's like the people who designed this place read the cliff notes on these dishes and proceeded to cook in the same way, barely passing the grade as food. I don't know if there's any good food at Universal City Walk, but there seems to be none at the Karl Strauss Brewing Company. They get 2 stars because the hostess and the service were both really friendly and nice.
(2)Jenna J.
At first, we were a bit surprised by the 3 star review. The child's chicken fingers, the boneless buffalo wings and beer were all pretty tasty and promising. Then the problems began. My friend ordered a salad and had to send it back twice bc they put blue cheese on it, when he specifically asked for no blue cheese. Twice. Then, our burgers came out. All 4 of us split 2 farmhouse burgers. The one I ordered was supposed to come out medium and it came out well done. The patty was quite small also, on both of them. I sent mine back bc it was so over-cooked and asked that it come out medium (the way it was originally supposed to). When it came back it was very rare, and also took about 10 extra minutes than they said it would...I do have to say that the one my other friends ordered was cooked just the way they asked. Was a pretty mediocre experience and if we come back it will only be for beer and appetizers.
(3)Jeffrey F.
THE NOISIEST RESTAURANT I'VE EVER BEEN TO! Didn't even try to have a conversation. There are no bone-in chicken wings so you get tenders called "boneless". Service was very cheery. Food selection marvelous. BUT THE NOISE WAS JUST PLAIN TOO MUCH! Oh, and if you stay over 4 hours by seeing a movie too, expect to drop $25.00 to park.
(2)JENN K.
came to city walk randomly with a couple of friends and after walking up and down the strip we decided to check this place out. seating was a bit confusing since no host at the podium but the menu has a lot of different kind of options. of course the recipes are infused with beer .. can't go wrong with that idea .. mmmmm beer **homer Simpson. so I tried the cioppino N the hot wings.. delicious!! the portion size here is good not too much food but at the same time not too little food. we didn't have room for desserts but I'm sure it's as good as the meals. check this place out if you ever visit universal studios.
(4)Meghan R.
The service was great here. They must deal with a vast array of tourists here and still manage to deliver service with a smile. The food was pretty bland and bleh though. We got the Macaroni & Cheese & the Fondue (cheesefest) and it was dry mac and pretty much mild queso dip for the fondue. Just wasn't our bag.
(2)Andrew S.
Came here after a long day at Universal Studios. Very odd seating arrangement. Ordered a few different beers and was surprised that they did not have cold glasses ?! This is a Brewery and they serve beer in warm glasses. Horrible. Food was decent, but nothing out of this world. Had a macaroni and cheese dish and pork chops. Pork chops came out cold the first time, but the manager quickly fixed the problem.
(2)Wil R.
A craft beer for every taste. Especially recommend the wreck alley for lovers of stouts. Sit at the bar. If Sarah is there you will be well taken care of.
(5)Flora H.
We happened upon this place by default after walking all around CityWalk looking for an open restaurant, and finding that this (and Bubba Gump) were the only places open after 8 pm. It makes no sense to me that all the restaurants would close so early (okay fine, it was a Tuesday night, but still) and that the parking is still $10 after 8 pm when nothing is open any more. But anyways, on to the restaurant... We were all starving by the point we got there, so our expectations were pretty low. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of things on the menu that called out to me and had a few things I was deciding between. I opted for the Turkey Bleus burger (knowing that my friends were ordering the mac and cheese on tap and I could have a bite). My burger was delish.. nothing too complicated, a turkey burger with blue cheese, but it was really good and I have nothing too complain about. Well, except maybe that the bun was too dry, but that didn't stop me at all from enjoying it. All in all, everyone was satisfied with their food. The mac and cheese was okay.. really just pasta with meat and some cheese more than what I think of when I think of "mac and cheese". Service was also okay... I liked that they refilled our diet cokes without asking, but they weren't that prompt about bringing us our drinks or taking our order.. but it wasn't bad service by any means. A solid 3 star restaurant.
(3)Megan J.
When you're visiting City Walk, there is a plethora of restaurants to choose from. Hubby and I decided to try Karl's because of all the different kinds of beer and just that yummy pub food style. Got there around 630pm on a Wednesday night (in town for No Doubt concert at Gibson) and they had the inside closed due to a private gathering. But, the outside was open, the heaters on full blast and 20 minute wait. We figured why not and waited. We waited the full 20 minutes and got sat right next to a heater (YAY!). I ordered the mac n cheese with bacon, ham and some other meat. Wow. So good and filling and perfect for a cold fall night. Had a Red Trolley Beer and it went well with it. Service was okay. We ordered a side salad and some soup before our entree and they brought it out. Seriously not even 2 minutes later, our food came out. Ugh. Don't like that at all!! But, we just dealt with it. Overall, I would come back and try something else. Beer and food.
(4)Andy J.
slow service...bland food...and pricey!! you need to drink their beer to make it more palatable!!
(1)David A.
Love their beer. Love the new Double IPA. Hate that they have discontinued the 7 day a week Happy Hour!!! Why??? I am so writing a strongly worded email to the originator of this abomination. Care to join? Otherwise... My favorite haunt in Universal City Walk.
(2)Kevin N.
(Imitates Homer Simpson).... BEEEERRRR... As you can tell this place has amazing choices in alcohol especially the IPA and lagers. As for the food, I ordered the big beer burger, where basically everything was sauteed or marinated with a different type of beer. The burger was juicy, and flavorful. Also the garlic fries were heavenly. So for $13, it filled me up quite well.
(4)Viktor P.
This place is hands down the best place at Citywalk! From great crafted beers to delicious appetizers. Amongst their beers I suggest the "Amber Ale" or the "Red Trolley" both are smooth and delightful thirst quinchers. Their Happy Hour is between 3-6pm Mon-Fri. Beers are $4 and appitizers are $5, can't beat that! The Sweet Potato Fries are amazing! They make a good combination with any of their beers. Overall this place has it all. Fantastic one of a kind beverages and great tasting food accompanied by a comforting atmosphere with outdoor as well as indoor seating. Good place for any occasion but made for the after work hangout spot or a night out with friends. So if your on Citywalk and looking for a place to lounge and relax, look no further than upstairs at Karl Strauss.
(5)Jane F.
If you're at Universal City Walk then you are already hemorrhaging money. If you plan on eating there, plan on losing quite a bit more of that green paper life line. Since it was or fate that we'd be having dinner, we at least wanted to go to a place that we had never been. So where did the two non drinkers go you might ask ? The K.S Brewing Company. This place looked quite a bit like the generic decorating style you find in the hip brewpubs/restaurants that are springing up all over the place; streamline, modern. However, I got to sit behind a gigantic neon sign. Aw, man I swear, sometimes it's the little things. Our waitress was straight out of the movie Bring It On. This hyperactive, perky, Disney character, seems as if she could have spent the whole meal cheering for us. It was adorable watching her backpedal after she asked "So what beers am I bringing you ?! Are you ready to drink !?" Mr. Pibb for me and a Diet Coke for my companion. Simple, easy. No muss, no fuss. Don't get me wrong though, she was an excellent server. I just wanted to give her half a Zanex and pat her on the head. Since I can't speak from experience, I will say that my mum and brothers give their Red Trolly Ale thumbs up. I order the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich; "Slow roasted in Red Trolley BBQ sauce, sautéed red onions, crispy onions, and housemade slaw." Get ready to get all caveman on this mother 'cause it is messy as all get out ! There is no attractive or polite way to eat this. Make peace with this fact and dig in. Slobber all over yourself for all I care because this sandwich was completely delicious, and utterly filling. The pork was oh so very tender and sauce hearty with just a hint of sweetness. Oh yes, it comes with garlic fries as well. While they are not the most "garlic-y" of garlic fries they certainly satisfied. And I'm sorry, but if your fries aren't satisfactory, I'm done with you. Period. I suppose the roll was boring, and it would be quite an easy fix for the chef. I for one, not so humbly suggest they do it. Also, you dudes and dudettes need to lower your appetizer prices just a tick. Seriously, they're a tiny bit ridiculous. For Your Convenience : zagat.com/r/karl-strauss…
(4)Bianca W.
Note: Group of non-beer drinking vegetarians :) We really enjoyed ourselves last night. We were out at City Walk to go and see Bridesmaids(HILARIOUS btw) and wanted to try something diff besides mexican or italian food. The guy on the walk handed us a menu and it looked interesting so we stepped inside. We ordered: Black Bean Soup: Tasty and comes w/ a roll and butter. Really liked it. Portobello Fritta- TASTY! the dip was great! My veggie friend is a Calamari fan and this was a great replacement. Treehugger mac n' cheese-MAYJAH mac n' cheese fan, but not of this one. It was okay. Veggie Burger- Good, but squishy. WE LIKE FIRM.(My boyfirends are gay btw so that goes for all of us). Portobello Sandwich- My friend said it was actually really good. Bread Pudding- MEH. I am a BP snob and this was junk. Sorry. The staff is super friendly and the service was good.
(3)Coleen R.
Decided to stop in during Happy Hour and before heading into the park for Halloween Horror Nights (no booze allowed in the park unless you're VIP). Anyway, our waitress, Vanessa, was awesome! Wasn't sure where to start on the beer menu, so she suggested Ocktoberfest. Excellent! Also tried the Red Trolley, Windansea Wheat and finished off with a Wreck Alley Imperial Stout (that was my "dessert"). Excellent Happy Hour menu. We were most impressed with the hummus which is also served with olives, red peppers and onions. The calamari was just okay, but we also enjoyed the sweet potato lime fries. Each item was only $5! Sit outside and enjoy people watching. FYI ladies - try not to break the seal as long as you can! I took off one star since there are only two stalls in the ladies' room!! Thanks to Vanessa who saved my buddy from leaving without her jacket :)
(4)Krn K.
Food was good, service was AWFUL!!!
(2)Larae H.
Back again! I ordered a flight again, and this time it was Red Trolley Ale, Fullsuit Belgian Brown Ale, Pintail Pale Ale and Tower 10 IPA (same one as last time). My friend got a glass of the Fullsuit Belgain Brown Ale. This time the Red Trolley Ale was my favorite out of the four, and once again I liked the tower 10 the least (I'm just not one for really hopp-y beer). I ordered a veggie cheddar burger that was served with lettuce, tomato, onion, a pickle and fries. My friend got the short rib torta which was beer-braised with smoked Gouda, caramelized onions, mango-jalapeño jam and fries. First off, I gotta say that I really like their fries. They're thin and crispy yet tender at the same time. They have an excellent flavor and you don't really need ketchup for them (unless you happen to be a ketchup fiend). My veggie burger was good - one of the better veggie patties I've had. Although it could have used some seasoning and the bun was too much bread - it totally smothered the burger. My friend said that his sandwich was awesome. Crispy on the outside, the meat was intensely flavorful. But he felt that the mango salsa didn't really go with the sandwich. It's smeared on the plate, and apparently you're supposed to drag the sandwich in it before taking a bite. (I tasted the salsa, and it should really go with a light pork or chicken dish) It took a little longer to get our food this time around, but it was still very good. Definitely one of my favorite places on City Walk!
(4)Saina K.
I give it 4 stars for the service. I made myself memorize my waitress' name but, as it happens with words/names that I MUST remember, my brain is now drawing a blank. Needless to say, my waitress was the best. She was extremely competent - if I had my own restaurant, I'd steal her away. That's how good she was. She noticed I didn't like the light beer I had and replaced it with a better one, at no charge. Then, being the fickle woman that I am, I made last minute food order changes and she took care of those as well. Spinach dip was a'ight, Ceasar Salad NOT alright (the dressing tasted funky) but their fries are delicious. I WAS also going to get a cheeseburger but the salad was so huge I knew I couldn't eat both so I cancelled the order. To the management: Maybe make your portions smaller?? I mean, when I order a salad as an appetizer, I'm not expecting a huge meal. Out of all the restaraunts at the Citywalk, I do prefer this one.
(4)Amelia S.
I came here prior to attending an event at the Gibson. Excellent friendly service, comfortable dining room, and great beer. Our waiter allowed me to sample a few of their beers before committing to an entire glass. I wish more restaurants offered tastings like this! The menu offers a wide variety of options, so there's something for everyone. For dinner, I landed on the Gouda burger. The beef patty was very large, and I had to eat the burger with a fork and knife. It had a great mix of flavors, but the patty was cooked a bit too well-done for my taste, and the bun was on the bland side. Fries were very good. So, I would have given Karl Strauss 4 stars if the meal were a bit better. Overall, I would gladly come back, and this is probably one of the better places to eat at CityWalk.
(3)Criselle O.
I've been to a different Karl Strauss near my house but never got a chance to write a review so I guess this will be it. This location isn't as nice as the one in Mira Mesa but I guess it'll do since it's on the Universal City Walk strip. Barely anyone was here but maybe it's because we ate here during lunch on a friday afternoon? Hmm. Anyway, we got seated pretty fast, menu's in hand and our waitress asked us what we wanted to drink. She returned with the drinks and took our orders. We kinda waited awhile to get our food which was weird because nobody was in there!? Meh. So, we finally get our food. I LOVED the ahi poke but I wish it wasn't $11. Maybe if it was happy hour I would've been happier since it's half off but we we're too early for HH so whatevs. The boyfriend ordered the portobello burger. He didn't really like it as much and thought it was kinda meh but he was hungry so he ate it all. Haha. Yea.. I don't know about this location. Kinda awkward and weird at the same time. Maybe if there were more people inside I wouldn't feel this way.
(2)Carrie M.
The visit started out on a positive note - we were quick to get seated and our order was taken quickly. Then it just went down hill from there. Food was slow to get to the table. While the chicken sandwich was cooked well and was juicy, both burgers were completely overdone. The wrong side was brought with my dad's sandwich. They did get the right side, and it was obtained somewhat quick. After that, service became slow and felt inattentive. My glass was taken for refill, but didn't come back for several minutes, and it took as long to get extra napkins. We had to ask for our bill multiple times. All in all it felt like once our waiter took our order he just didn't care about our table anymore. As for the food, it was just so-so. I mentioned, the burgers were overcooked and the patties themselves had no real flavor to them. There was supposed to be white cheddar on mine, but while there was cheese the cheese had little flavor to it either. Overall, there was little to recommend this experience. We would skip this place next time.
(2)Cynthia W.
Okay, I honestly don't remember much else besides the nachos and the service because I came here 2 years ago. But the service was so friendly and the nachos so huge and delicious that I still remember them to this day. And I came back after all this time to yelp this place so that when I become of age, I will remember it and come back here to try beers to go along with my amazing nachos and enjoy their wonderful service once again. :)
(4)Sean S.
Short version...... Beer good,food sucks!
(2)Anthony P.
I came here for my 1 year anniversary as my girlfriend and I wanted to go somewhere fun instead of fancy. We were going to Universal Studios and chose this place because of their menu that includes most of the items cooked and prepared with their variety of beers. For the appetizer we ordered the Black garlic Fondue- A warm melting wedge of Cambozola cheese, black garlic cloves, roasted peppers, caramelized onions, Red Trolley Ale cream sauce, and grilled bread. This was a unique and delicious appetizer. I just wish some of the grilled bread wasn't so burnt as it affected the flavor. Other than that the appetizer was a great choice. My GF ordered the "Black N Bleu" Stip- 14 oz. Cajun spice-rubbed, Cambozola bleu cheese, roasted garlic cloves, beer onions, garlic mashed red potatoes, and sautéed green beans, and housemade IPA steak sauce. She enjoyed her meal despite the meat not being cooked to her specifications. The potatoes were good, but the real treat was the IPA steak sauce. I ordered the Drunken Cioppino- Black tiger shrimp, bay scallops, mussels, calamari, piri piri pepper-saffron broth, garlic, peppers, basil, and avocado. Mmm Mmmm Mmmm Mmm Mm! The broth had a great flavor with a nice kick to it. All the seafood was cooked properly except for 2 of the mussels wouldn't open. They even had dessert made with beer like the beerimsu or brewers float which was vanilla ice cream in their house-made Red Trolley Ale. Unfortunately we were way too full to order dessert.There is always next time! Final Thoughts: Would definitely return. The food and service were great with the exception of a few mishaps, but we still enjoyed our dining expereince!
(4)Zan O.
I have usually had good luck with brewery restaruant's in the past but my first experience here didn't go so well. the restaurant almost feels like it is closed around 11pm on a friday night. Kinda weriod I think. We came in, noone was there to great us or direct us to where to go. It was almost empty on a friday night. finally someone walks by and asks if we need help. The good thing so far about this place though is they have $5 sampler which is 4 beers sample for $5. They have a really good Red something. Decent place. Probably gonna have to come back and try again to really compare and maybe order some food. I feel as if because they are at Universal Citywalk they don't try as hard to impress. Which is kinda of a disappointing. Turns the place into a tourist trap.
(3)Amanda G.
We stopped in for lunch here while pretending to be tourists. An employee handed us a 10% coupon as we walked in the door..... good start KS! Let's be honest, we were just there to try their beer. We ordered two samplers and tried 8. We left off the double IPA and the cask. The rest were delicious. The oktoberfest was my favorite. All of their sandwiches also come with homemade potato chips and trust me, they are worth trying.
(4)Erika S.
Seriously just forget all the other restaurants on Universal Citywalk, do yourself a favor and go straight to this place. Their food was amazing, the portions were bigger than I expected, the drinks are fantastic and the service was wonderful! They have monthly featured brews, recommended pairings, and flights! Their Asada Fries are the best I've had anywhere. Located upstairs.
(5)Meredith B.
My boyfriend and I ate here after seeing a movie. He loves beer and we love good food. The beer was good at Karl Strauss, but the food was not. Maybe we ordered wrong in comparison to the other reviews, but we just felt the food lacked soul. The Brussels Sprouts were undercooked and seemed thrown together with a balsamic drizzle on top. Nothing to write home about. We also ordered the Mosaic Chicken. The chicken was dark meat, which I don't eat, and it was very bland. And the vegetables that came with it needed salt. Finally, we got the Mac and Cheese. This was definitely not worth the overpriced $14.50. It was a little bland and needed more cream. For that price, it should knock your socks off. It definitely did not. On the plus side, our server was great. She was attentive and even brought us a free ice cream sundae with a candle to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday. So, overall I would not recommend eating food here. It wasn't bad.... But it wasn't good. Just come for the tasty beers.
(2)Luis G.
The only reason I'm giving this place one star is because I can't give it zero stars! Don't expect the waiters to even notice you. I came here with my fwiend and sat at my table for 20-25 minutes and no one ever came to take our order so we walked right out. Not to mention, at least 4 or 5 different waiters kept walking by to wait on other tables and no one even considered to ask if we had ordered anything yet. Talk about bad customer service... BTW we went to Tony romas right next door and were told it would take about 20-25 mins to be seated. Long story short we were seated literally in 5 minutes and I food came out in 10. Moral of the story is go to Tony romas instead.
(1)Nikki V.
This place is a must try on your visit to citywalk. In the past, I have usually stuck to family favorites like Forrest Gump or Tony roma's but this is probably one of my new favorite places to eat at citywalk up there next to saddle ranch. The seating host was friendly and we were seated right away on Sunday evening for an early dinner. The host Lindsey was amazing!!! She got our drinks really quickly and came up with more samples to pair with our food. It was great!!! All the beer flavors were good.... my favorites include the tank tap, endless summer and the Pintail pale ale. I also ordered the lamb sliders which were good and the chili lime fries. The sliders were amazing. The fries had a definite kick to them so be ready. Overall it was a great experience and I know I'll be coming back!!!!
(5)Aj A.
Stopped here with my daughter for father's day wanting to have few beers since it was hot day. Honestly speaking, the only thing I really liked here was the service by our lovely server GG. The brew and the food was not enough to make me want to come back again. We sampled some of the beer they have and for some reason the beer taste did not do it for me. I like dark ale beer similar to "Guinness" and all the choices they had were not as good, they were lacking that kick to WOW me, honestly. The food was not any better at all. Hamburger===Even mine was cooked medium rare as requested, still lacked flavors, not juicy but kind of dry. Also the bun was dry, old and stale. Cheese Macaroni===Well, my daughter had few bites and I had one bite. I read reviews with many compliment about this Mac and Cheese being so good. Today, it was not. It was tasteless and watered-down cheese. That shitty 7/11 Nacho cheese is way much better than this. Bread fondue===Bread was burnt. the flavors tasted funny. Still was OK. I normally never complain and same goes with my daughter, we just eat and leave. But I since our server GG asked us what is wrong I decided to tell her the truth. She took the Bread Fondue of the bill.
(2)Steve E.
WOW!!! Service was above and beyond my expectations! Lindsey was our server, and man did she remind me why I like yelp reviews! Ordered the Big Beer burger and was happily delighted to taste a savory burger with some fine beer! Enjoyed every minute of it! Highly recommend to all my friends and fellow Yelpers! :)
(5)Bill S.
We were looking for a place to grab some eats and have a beer before heading into USH. I've been to this restaurant before for only beer, but decided to try their food offerings this time around. Our group ordered the pasta, burger, asada fries, and of course some beers! Everyone liked their food, nothing awe inspiring, but was good. Would I come back? Of course! It's a great place to hangout and have some food and beer.
(3)Mitch A.
We eat out a lot and we haven't had a meal this good in a long time. I had the sirloin and my wife had the pork chops. Absolutely delicious!!
(5)Ruben M.
I came here with a group of 4 for some drinks and appetizers. The beers were delicious and so were the apps!!! I had a wheat beer and some buffalo wings. I like the outdoor seating that overlooks city walk. I will come back again for another round & maybe some dinner!
(4)Ryan H.
After a long day of waiting in line for rides and shows at Universal, my fiancée and I required food and beer to recharge. It was late so we didn't have to wait at all for a table. Sat outside looking out into city walk. Good beer and good food. Definitely a good spot to stop for dinner while at Universal!
(4)Melissa L.
It's been many years, since I've been to Universal Citywalk. After spending several hours at Universal Studios, we decided to have dinner on a Friday night before heading home. The options are all pretty much the same at Citywalk; big national chains with average food (Bucca, Tony Roma's, Bubba Gump, etc). Our group of 5 chose Karl Strauss because it had a solid beer selection & a varied menu. Its up the stairs, across from the Jurassic Parking structure. We walked up and there was one group in front of us. They had inside & outside seating. We only had to wait a few minutes for a booth on a Friday night at 7pm on Friday. Nice. Ambiance was typical for big chains: Loud, booth seating, tvs (with no sound). Server showed up quickly to take our drink order. Several in our party opted for beers; however, they had a decent wine selection and I had a nice chardonnay. Foods tried: Spicy Hummus: Good. Spicy and Flat Bread was crispy on the edges. Black Garlic Fondue: Good, but unhealthy. As if the Fondue wasn't unhealthy enough, the grilled bread that comes with it, is covered in buttered. Zoe's Salami Chop: I thought this was good; a little too much dressing so I would ask for it on the side or go light on the dressing Husband said he was upset with his options: Beer Pretzels & Korean BBQ Pupusa. I didn't try, but order at your own risk. Service was very good, despite the crowds. Bar was a little slow at first getting drinks to us, but quickly caught up. An A-OK recommendation given the area.
(3)John M.
I feel like Karl Strauss should get a gold star for at least trying to stand out with quality food and beer in the morass that is Universal CityWalk. I'd last visited back in my Orange County days, when it seemed pretty good, and it's still that, pretty good, but I've had better burgers and beer since. There are just too many hipster pub-brewery-burgeries that have stepped up the game over the last several years, and the prices are about the same. Service was friendly, so I'd say this might be your joint if you're stuck here.
(3)Alyssa C.
Best restaurant near Universal studios! We wanted some good food and walking around Universal City all we could find was fast food. We wanted some real, good food and beer. My husband and I both ordered a sampler or beer and our waiter brought us additional samples throughout our dining experience. She was very nice and attentive. We ordered the farmhouse burger (beef patty, avocado, pork belly and fried egg) = AMAZING
(4)Will G.
This place is amazing. They have great dishes and the chef amazes me with the beautifully crafted plates. I always want to take a picture but the minute my food shows up I just eat it because the presentation is so good!! Thank you.
(5)Sil V.
We got there with no idea for the place or their beer selection so the waiter brought us some samplers. Can't really say We didn't like it since we chose it...clever tactic! The place is inside universal city walk so you get to do a lot of people watching (if you're into that kind of stuff ;) Service was ok.
(4)Dustin C.
Karl Strauss is simply the best restaurant at CityWalk and it isn't close! Between the beer, the food, and the service, this place can't be beat after a nice day at Universal. Always end up getting Daniel as our server & the guy is awesome. Really gets to know you, makes great conversation, and has an understanding of the menu like only the best servers do. He's great! When it comes to food, they have amazing appetizers (squid pro quo, asada fries, etc), great burgers (the big beer burger), and their Mac and cheese is to die for (roll with the Piggy Bank)! Their beer selection is extensive and will satisfy you whether you like a light lager or a strong double IPA. My personal favorites are the Tower 10 IPA and the Windansea Wheat. To sum things up, if you're at CityWalk or hungry/thirsty after leaving Universal... Karl Strauss is the place to go!
(5)Lee L.
I wanted to like this one as much as their chain in La Jolla but for some reason, I didn't. This is a good restaurant at city walk for beers and apps. There are a lot of options but this menu is one of those that has something for everyone. We had beers and they were cold and perfect after a long day at universal. For our meals, we had the cioppino (don't get it), grilled pork (very meh) and the burger (super heavy).
(3)shellz w.
I was here a few Sundays ago.. Food and beer pairings were on point. Our server/bartender Val (or Vickie?) was awesome as far as knowledge of which beers pair with which appetizer/burger. Faves: Tower 10 IPA Boneless Buffalo Wings: great flavor with red trolley or IPA Big Beer Burger: burger was cooked perfectly- juicy! Wish I had room to try more food and beer pairings. Def recommend !!
(5)Norah R.
Decent food, beer was yummy...Wreck Alley stout was chocolatey, loved it. Dining companion and I enjoyed their rendition of the black garlic fondue...hot melty deliciousness with a slab of cambozola (blue cheese combined with a french triple cream) in the middle and served with grilled bread. I had the fish tacos, they were decent but not fantastic - I like to taste fish, these were quite mild but the mango was a nice touch. He had the ahi poke and wished it was spicier. Tasted okay, not fantastic. Probably wouldn't seek this place out again, but would visit if the only other food choices are corporate food.
(3)Natalie S.
I live in the area and only go to City Walk when I'm going to the Raider Image or if I'm brining someone from out of town. And then, only during the week. This is the second time I've even been to Karl Stauss and this time was great. Our waiter was very, very knowledgable of both the food and beverage menu. So much so that he was even offering variations to selected items. My friend who was in town from Norway just wanted a beer and to try a pastrami sandwich. He was impressed with the pastrami. I myself am like a moth to a flame if there's Mac n Cheese on any menu, and I went for it. I got the Piggy Bank Mac n Cheese (incl Black Forrest ham, beer brined bacon and andouille sausage.). So , so, so good! Great weeknight atmosphere that's not too busy, so you're not feeling rushed.
(4)E J.
Pass!! Just pass ... ;"((( Food quality poor ... Like cafeteria food not to mention service what horrible as well ,,. The place wasn't event crowded and we had to eat and wait forever to get our drinks .. Spent over 100 therefor my daughters graduation ,., disappointed and not worth it! Seems to be that beer is their priority ;"(
(2)Kelly T.
By far the best thing on the menu is both the mac and cheese and the buffalo boneless wings they also come with blue cheese sauce which is to die for, the quality of the chicken is the bees knees and it is hands down better then buffalo wild wings. You have to also try their french fries and the asada fries! delicious! and the quality of the potatoes are the bomb dot com!!! The bartenders are all friendly and make sure you are getting top notch service. Plenty of beer selections and other drinks such as wine and liquor..don't be shy ask the bartender! Busy nights are always Fridays and Saturdays. Best seats in the house are at the bar!!! Yes it is a bit on the pricey side but it very well worth your time & money.
(5)Timothy D.
Best option on City Walk if you want real food, good service and a menu of options. Squid pro quo was delish. Gouda burger was amazing. Kung poa lettuce wraps were fun. Beer never disappoints. Only miss - and a big one - was the fish and chips. They handled.it perfectly taking it off the bill. Service was great - even gave us some beer samples we didn't request of beers we were considering.
(4)Jenn T.
Having lived in San Diego previously, I was very excited to find a Karl Strauss in LA. Though this location isn't ideal with parking and such, it was still a must check out. We got seated pretty fast as it was fairly early on a Friday. They have happy hour from 3-6pm on weekdays and we happened to catch the last of it. They have $4 beers on tap and a short list of $5 appetizers. We got a few drinks and the spicy hummus that was really good. I tried the drunken seafood mixture which was very delicious! Had a hint of spice with mussels, scallops, squid, and shrimp. Great flavor and the avocado went well with the sauce. The service was great here, had a great waiter Daniel who helped us get in happy hour orders just before 6! Parking is in the nearby lots. Hope they open more locations around LA soon!
(4)Tamara M.
3-1/2 stars - Our fam of 5 ate here after a full day at universal studios. Love that they offered samples of their beer when we were indecisive. Great wings for $5 happy hour. Also for $5 happy hour... Sweet potatoe lime chili fries... Uh, can you say yum? And my kids typically aren't sweet potatoe fry fans, but these they loved. Burgers were large, as were the chicken sandwiches. All quite tasty. Seared ahi salad was good, but I've had better. It wasn't bad, just not my fave. Prices were reasonable $9-15/ entree. Right outside park gates, too, so very convenient in the City Walk. Terrific service. And the place was empty on a Tuesday evening for dinner.
(4)Akshay A.
Had reservations for a group of 20. We were seated promptly during lunch on a Thursday. I tried a few appetizers including the ahi poke and boneless chicken wings. The boneless wings were surprisingly tasty, as normally I prefer bone-in. The poke was good, but had a bit too much going on. There was also too much onion, which detracted from the poke flavor. I ordered the Zoe's Salami Chop salad with a side of seared ahi. The salad was solid - maybe a bit light on the dressing, but the salami was good, the Red Dragon cheese was great, and the portion size was filling. It was nice having the peppadew peppers in it as well to give it that contrast of sweetness. I'm a seared ahi nut, so I had it on the side and with bites without salami. Weird combo, I know. The ahi was decent - a bit peppery, but the quality seemed to be good. Service was thorough and prompt. Overall, I'd recommend Karl Strauss. I've also had their beer before at a different location, which had a nice variety of options as well.
(4)Cherie P.
We came here to hang out because our friend had hurt himself jumping over a rope to get to the front of the line at a Universal Studios ride (don't ask). The decor was pretty and we were sat at a window booth that overlooked the front of the restaurant. The noise level wasn't too loud either. We weren't really going to order anything but alcohol because we had a dinner reservation elsewhere, but some of us (like me!) were hungry. One of my friends got buffalo wings for everyone to share. I decided to go in the opposite direction and ordered a dessert. It was a brownie with ice cream. Our food did not take long to come to us and we began to dig in. Both the buffalo wings and dessert was delicious, especially the dessert. In fact, a few of us wanted to lick the plate to get the last bit of it. It is too bad that we didn't do real dinner here, but if I am ever in the area, I want to come back and try out this place for real.
(4)Valerie S.
After a day visiting the Theme Park, we wanted to save our appetite for something a bit better than what was offered inside the park. We decided on Karl Strauss. Being sat wasn't a problem, friendly and quick. Drink order was quick...but that's about where the attention stopped. Don't get me wrong, the food was decent, but overpriced. **Ahi Salad** - Good portion, good flavor, but a lot going on. I think there are 2 different dressings/sauces on the salad and it just made it way overdressed and overpowered the fish. Good flavor, but my suggestion is to get the dressing on the side. **Cioppino** - BF like it, had no complaints **Kids grilled chicken, fried and broccoli** - Chicken was very very small portion, and it was super thin which made it hard and dry. Our server was nice, but he definitely left us sitting with no napkins for most of the meal, no refills, forgot our appetizer..... The place was empty so we expected a bit more for what we were paying.
(2)Blair T.
Beers were great, awesome atmosphere. Lots of stuff going on and great for people watching. Great for a casual dinner or meal. We shared the big beer burger and it was really good. Lots of flavor! We also shared the pretzel as well. Thought it was gonna be a dry old pretzel from wetzels pretzel but is was nice and fluffy and moist. Great dipping sauces: beer cheese sauce and a spicy wasabi mustard type. Both were great! Kinda pricey for what it was but what do you expect for a tourist trap like this.
(4)carissa w.
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVED the food and the service. I didn't get to drink any of their beers because I'm pregnant but the boyfriend did...and had a flight and LOVED the Pintail something. We had some of their apps and a desert...pretzels, lettuce wraps, and the caramel cheesecake...all of which were amazing!! The service we got from Thomas and Shay was outstanding. Thomas even helped us print tickets to to a soccer game that we were attending that night (we left our originals at our hotel about an hour away with traffic). Thank you thank you thank you guys!! The only sad part is that there is none here in the Bay Area...I guess we'll have to hit up Universal City more often when vacationing! Please please open one in the Bay Area!
(5)Jennifer C.
I really didn't have high hopes for dining anywhere near a theme park. However, Karl Strauss was a pleasant surprise. We had about two hours in between our Universal day trip, and Halloween Horror Nights. It wasn't enough time for us to leave and grab food outside the Universal area, so we decided to give this place a try; their beer inspired menu intrigued us. We shared the Piggy Bank mac and cheese (with bacon, Andouille sausage and ham, ~$17). The husband ordered the prime rib (~$24) and I had the Big Beer Burger (~$13). The mac and cheese was full of smoky goodness from the pork bits. I enjoyed it, but I did find it a bit more liquidy than I am used to. I tried the prime rib, and they cooked it perfectly. The steak sauce on the side was a zingy Asian sauce; I can't say I loved it, but it was interesting. My burger was a bit overcooked and pretty standard. The beer-brined bacon was good though, and made the burger a bit more standout. Portions were massive for what you pay...I only was able to eat half my burger. Service wise, our waitress was attentive, and helpful. She gave us her preferences on beer and food, and we were appreciative of her suggestions. They even gave my friends free beer samples (not much, but it was a sweet effort).
(4)Jay B.
Amazing place great place for brews and great food. We had the boneless wing suggested by our server Michael Snyder and mac n cheese and mosaic chicken we tried the beer and had a Mai tai everything was perfect and I mean perfect our server Michael Snyder so helpful friendly and attentive thank you for a great experience it's a must try you should come and we will be back
(5)Aric L.
Keep in mind I can only speak for happy hour here..3-6 mon - Fri but goddam it's on point. 5 awesome starters for 5 bucks. Tap beers for 4..my only regret is that I don't have more room to try other food. Plating and portions were also far nicer then I expected. Will be back.
(5)J X.
As I was writing this review, my rating kept going up because of the way the restaurant handled everything. I ordered a burger cooked medium and the patty was way too over cooked and dry. One of the most unsatisfying burgers I've had in a while. The side of zucchini was good and the best part of my meal. Why the 4 stars? Exceptional customer service. The staff was very friendly and offered to trade out my meal, but I've heard horror stories of chefs at restaurants getting upset and messing with the food, so I declined. At the end, I was surprised that they took the burger off the bill, so that was a very nice gesture. I'd consider coming back but would probably avoid getting a burger here.
(4)Branton C.
The food and beer here is really good, I would even give it a notch up compared to similar restaurant/breweries. However, I was torn between giving them 3 or 4 stars. The service was poor, out waiter couldn't have cared less that we were there, the table across the way received their drinks and ordered food event though they were seated 10 min after us before we could event order our drinks. I figure it wasn't fair to rate them on one server, ultimate with even just a little bit better service it would easily have been a 4, so that is what I'm giving them.
(4)Jason H.
Hands down the best restaurant in Citywalk... And arguably the rest of LA as well. I've been here at least a dozen times and the beer, service and food is always off the charts! Once being a server myself, I've never seen service this impeccable in Los Angeles at all. A definite must try!!!!
(5)Ray A.
I have been here 5 times always good. Try Drunken Cioppino and the Mediterranean salad with grilled chicken added. Omari suggested a wonderful beer with banana hops. I thought he was joking, but the beer did have a banana taste! Really nice. Great food and great service. Tower 10 IPA is a good bet, too!!!!
(5)Kart P.
We stopped by this location when we were looking to grab a lunch during our trip to Universal Studios. Their menu caught our attention when we were comparing restaurants in the area. Service was pretty good for 12PM. When we walked in, it seemed like that we were the first few to get a table. We ordered fondue plate for our appetizer. Which was cheese and mushrooms sauce made with their house beer. It was served with garlic bread. This was pretty good, $13/plate its pretty fulfilling, but obviously not too healthy. I ordered their special Gouda burger with fig sauce. The burger was delicious, and the cheese was very flavorful. It added a rich creamy flavor to the burger. This is an amazing contender for an Asian fusion type of burger. The fig sauce adds sweetness and tartness to the burger. This flavor combo is a perfect blend with the creaminess that you get from the cheese and the juiciness of the burger. I tried my gf's chicken pasta, but I would only come back for their burger.
(4)Kim H.
After a long day at Universal Studios I came here with my boyfriend to get some much needed food. We got the black garlic fondue, ribeye steake frite, and el jardin (veggie burger). For the most part everything was good, service and food. The only thing that really bothered me was the fact that the huge chunk of lettuce had a dead bug on it. So they clearly did not wash it well enough before serving it. I don't even understand why they give you half of a head of lettuce anyways. Who wants to cut up their own salad at a restaurant or eat lettuce like an apple? They just need to cut it up and wash it as much as possible to to remove all insects. Anyways, other than the odd salad problem it is a good place to go to.
(3)Britanni Marie D.
The restaurant was near empty on a Friday night. We were only seated after asking if we could be seated. The server was condescending, although I made it clear he was being rude and he then proceeded to over compensate the rest of the night. We ordered Mac & Cheese, it was decent, certainly not worth the price, $18. I ordered the pulled pork bbq sandwich, also decent, nothing amazing, definitely not worth the price which wasn't even that bad, $14. My sister's meal however was definitely not okay at all. She asked for her steak medium, it was brought to the table rare. Her mashed potatoes tasted zesty and we asked if they added any citrus to the mash, they explained the recipe, nothing special, and we came to the conclusion that they must have used sour milk to make the mash, they really tasted sour. Her coleslaw was below average, they compensated her poor meal with truffle Parmesan fries, they were luke warm, you could barely taste the truffle flavor at all. All of that, definitely not worth the price at $25! All in all, abismal. The server did us the favor of taking the fries off the bill and taking 10% off because they could see how awful our experience was, that's what the extra star is for, otherwise I would have given them 1 or none if possible.
(2)Lore G.
Server Alex was very rude. Went in 07/14/15 and we had a suggestion on a margarita and he rudely interrupted and said "can you stick to taking food orders" the whole table could not believe he was so rude. He left after the food order and returned minutes later and asked about the margarita and asked about the drink I told him not to worry I was going to drink it. I also ordered an iced tea and the cup stayed empty for more then 20 minutes and did not refill once and I paid $3.95ish for it. Margarita was $10.
(1)Jeremy H.
Well.... Warm beer and Cold food. That about sums it up....
(2)Julia S.
I am giving Karl Strauss Brewing Co 2 stars because of their horrific service. When we came to be seated three servers looked at us, didn't smile and then proceeded to walk away. We were only asked if we would like to be seated after I asked if the fourth server could do so. With a sour face a woman asked if we would like to be seated inside or outside, which then she said we actually couldn't sit outside because it would be a 20 minute wait even though we could see plenty of open tables (we are a party of three). Finally we were seated inside where we were served by a waiter and his trainee. My boyfriend had to ask 5 times for his beer before it ever showed up and once it did it was after he finished his meal. Food was average. My friend had the Mac and cheese and he approved. I had the grilled romaine salad which was nothing to write home about, but for a vegetarian it was decent. Wish tourist attractions had better places to eat that actually make you feel wanted. Customer service should be a main priority, please learn Karl Strauss.
(2)Zach Q.
Stopped in last week before heading to a taping of Conan. I had never been to a Karl Strauss but I usually go for any place with the word brewery in the name. This place was cool, and I enjoyed the atmosphere (sat outside) being right in the middle of the Universal City Walk. The beer I had was good and my fish tacos were great. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in the area.
(4)Erin Y.
After the initial hiccup of not getting service at the host station for around 10 minutes (ok everyone walking past us...don't you see that we clearly are ready to spend money...we only have like 3,000 Universal bags in our hands), the meal could only go uphill. And uphill it went. First, the appetizer and beers. Oh the heavenly beer selection, and so good! FYI for those of you going on Disney/Universal vacay, this is the same beer that they have at Disneyland, but you HAVE to go to California Adventure under the pier. This is the only alcohol serving place, as we found after numerous hours searching. We had the spinach dip, which was really good, but not unlike it everywhere else. The beer. ***** I had the salmon. Ohhh an amazing experience. With feta cheese and a lemon cream sauce, this salmon was THE highlight of my trip and by far the best cooked and flavored salmon of my life. Hands down. Period. I ate the entire thing, then scraped my plate with my fork. He had the steak something or other - which was highly recommended by our server. He actually told the server that it was the best steak he had ever eaten. And not even prepared by a steakhouse! Perfectly medium rare. Perfectly seasoned. I actually contemplated driving back up to LA from Anaheim in order to get another of these salmon, but the hour drive is rather lengthy after a full day of Disney. This is an amazing brewery that just happens to serve kickass food.
(4)Lana L.
The food was good and the service was excellent. Hopefully everyone can sit in Christine's section, because she is the best!!
(5)Suzane C.
Juicy Ribeye and beer flights on tap!! If you are in the area and want to eat a great meal with all types of different beers then I suggest you stop by here. It's a very chill place and very comfortable. The staff here is very nice and the prices are decent. The food is very good most of the time. I've been here a few times and I've always thought this place was pretty good. But recently I tried their Ribeye and the price is about $25 and it was definitely mind blowing. I don't know why I never got the ribeye here before but it definitely exceeded my expectations. The ribeye steak had a generous portion and it was cooked to perfection. I asked for medium rare and it was not bloody but very juicy and soft. They also put this slab of garlic butter on top where it melts on the steak, you can take it off if you prefer but it tastes so good! They also have a house steak sauce that goes so well with it. It doesn't taste like A-1, it's actually better. It also comes with a garlic truffle fries which goes well with the steak. This was definitely my favorite dish from the place. Love their beers and you can always get a sample to try out first. I always get the lighter beers like the amber is one of my faves and the trolley one. They're all good and have different flavors for different tastes. Love getting their beer flights to get different combination beers for $6. I tried the firecracker sirloin strips as appetizers and it was really good as well. The beef strips were pretty generous and it tasted a lot like those shaking beefs but better with less batter. Tried the ahi tuna poke and those are generally always good at all restaurants. It has a very standard taste. Tried the fish and chips and that was good if you are into that. The fish has a very strong presence with less batter which I always prefer. Tried the other steak plate which is just ok. I really just recommend getting the ribeye here. Everything else is good but not mind blowing. But this place gets 5 stars because the staff is very good and very attentive. If you are celebrating a bday they give you a cup and a bday beer or ice cream so that is always an added bonus.
(5)Monica C.
They do featured beer flights every month and they can pair it with food. Karl Strauss sells some really good beers and you can tell that they're passionate about the beers they make. I have been here a few times and this last time was just a little disappointing. First, the service was sub-par especially for the second problem, the prices. An appetizer was anywhere from $10-$20 and were not good enough or large enough to justify the price. $16 for mac and cheese? You're a bar. Seriously. However, you can do worse at City Walk.
(3)Tidus Y.
Me and my girlfriend have been to this Karl Strauss restaurant several times every time we've visited Universal Studios, but every time we've came, the food and service was always just "so-so". We decided to give it one more try as we both were wanting alcohol and a little something to snack on. We stopped by around 4:00 after wandering Universal Studios. We sat in the patio area and we were served by "David". Our server was extremely friendly, knowledgeable and made sure we were taken care of at all times. The chef even came out several times to make sure our food met our expectations which it did. David did a terrific job at serving us and kudos to the chef who made our nachos and peri peri wings! We will definitely be back!
(4)Alex B.
Try the pretzels. The mustard is awesome! Has horseradish in it, so if you don't mind a little kick you won't be disappointed. Excellent!!!
(5)John B.
After spending several days at Disneyland, and then finishing our vacation with a day of Universal Studios, I needed a freakin' beer! Thankfully my honey spotted Karl Strauss located among all the Universal City Walk chain restaurants. This is a brewpub with onsite brewing facilities. I was shocked by that as I noticed while walking to the bathroom. Before we entered, I thought it was just a run of the mill suburban restaurant with good beer. Little did I know they actually brew some, if not maybe all of their beers here. On a rather chilly night, we sat outside under the heat lamps. If you're worried it might not be warm enough, you won't be for long before you start melting under their intensity. The service was great. I could tell from the moment we told our waitress that we were only ordering a beer sampler and fries. She didn't get offended as is often the reaction you receive from other places when you don't order "enough". They feature 10 or so beers on tap plus a few beers available in 22oz Bombers. Since we were looking for a flight, I was bummed that the Tower 20 DIPA wasn't on tap. That was until the waitress told us what the rotating brewer's choice tap was. Yep, Tower 20! This is one excellent IPA style beer. Their Wreck Alley is amazing if you're a stout fan. I usually grab it when I see it on sale, but to get it on tap is so much better. It's an Imperial Stout without the alcohol aftertaste that some Imperial Stouts tend to get. Especially impressive given it's 9.5% ABV. I was actually impressed with all of their "Imperial Series" beers. Something I have never tried before, Off the Rails, is a double version of their Red Trolley Ale. An Imperial Red Ale, if you will. This turned out to be one of my favorite beers in the sampler, furthering my growing affection for Karl Strauss' beer. It may appear to be just another chain restaurant, but at least they serve some excellent beer, even if the food isn't great, which I 'll never know. The fries were actually pretty good, just wish they had more V3gan options.
(4)Meredith S.
I hardly ever write reviews but I just had to mention what a great time I had at this place with my friends. I wasn't expecting such wonderful food and service at a brewery but we had a terrific experience. Our server Stephanie was awesome the whole table loved her- she explained all the beers to us and she reccommended the pork chops ( which were delicious!) and the red trolley which I was also impressed by and would reccommend to others. The perfect spot to go to after a movie I will definitely be returning all summer :)
(5)Mimi P.
Good spot for happy hour... they have lots of beer on tap and you can do the beer samplings 6 beers for $6.95 which isn't bad... They have good appetizers and the portions are very very generous...Their garlic parm fries are delicious...The nacho stack is good for sharing...The ahi poke is very fresh and delicious... And the chicken hef herb has a lot of flavor...
(3)John G.
good food, good beer and ... WIFI. Quiet handy as Starbucks nearby does not have it.
(5)Janella B.
Located upstairs overlook CityWalk it was at first something the boyfriend and I didn't really know if we should try or not. I had the Seared Ahi Salad and that was so good I was disappointed when I saw my fork hitting the bottom of the plate lol! Different beer selections if you're a drinker! Sitting on the patio was nice and you can eat inside too. The waitress was nice and turned on the heating lamps too.
(4)Bunny H.
I went here for lunch. Beers are great! The dirty martini or two were off the hook. Ordered my food and was satisfied.....up until I got the bill. You know I don't mind paying for great service and food, but when I ask for something extra like salsa or somen' why the F&^%$ do you charge for some'n like that??? And I was not even told that extras will be charged to the bill. I can understand if I asked for a big bowl of stuff, but this was a cough drop cup size. Ridiculous!!! Bite me!
(2)Jenn C.
I was originally going to give this restaurant three stars, but then I remembered that I don't like alcohol because it tastes disgusting, but I managed to finish my beer and finish the sample that was given to me and my boyfriend. now THATS something. The endless summer light beer was perfect for me, not too strong and not too watered down and it had a pleasant aftertaste. Pair these with the garlic fries (which is spicy because thats how fresh the garlic is) and the mac and cheese and you have a masterpiece. The mac and cheese (i got mine plain with bread crumbs) was a little watery so I would definitely recommend getting chicken or shrimp in it. The noodles were cooked perfectly and cheese sauce wasn't too salty. My boyfriend got the ahi salad... It was OK. I would stick to the fried and unhealthy foods because... beer is really good with that kinda of cuisine. But other than the greens, the beer was great and the food was awesome and the experience was priceless (I drank beer and finished it!!!).
(4)Justin K.
Came to this place with some of my friends from out of town and wanted to sit outside. The hostess tells us its a 10 min wait I said thats was fine. The one thing no one in my party could figure out is why we had to wait they had over 10 empty tabels outside but we were not in a hurry. When or waitress came to the table my friend asked if she could tell us how this brewery came to be and her response was classic. " Uuumm Like two dudes knew some guy who made good beer and they bought this place" I was in tears. The appetizers we had were the spicy buffalo wings and calamari which both were tasty, the beer was good. I liked being able to look over onto the city walk while having my drinks it was quite nice and relaxing.
(3)H C.
Good beer, good food. Finally, a burger that does NOT taste like chicken. If we are ever at Citywalk again we'll only eat there.
(5)Liz C.
This is a great place to grab a couple beers and just c h i l l and that's exactly what I did. A friend of mine briefly took a look at the menu before we had dinner at a 1-star Brazilian Buffet nearby (ha ha) and decided to come here afterwards for the $5 Sampler. Fortunately for us, they were out of the sampler size cups and the bartender was a great dude, so we got regular sized beers for the same price after being able to sample some on the list. 5+ stars for knowing how to take care of your customers! My favorite was the Endless Summer Light. After a bad dinner like the one I had, I needed a good beer, and this one made my night. Light and crisp just the way I like it.
(5)Eddie G.
First let me start by saying, this place has a great happy hour. $4 flights and $4 pints of their delicious beer! How can you go wrong! If you had yourself a long stressful week, come here between the hours of 3pm and 6pm for their Happy Hour. It's great!
(5)Sean W.
Funny, the only thing I didn't like about this place was the beer. We started with the Rollos Locos which is a deep fat fried, crispy roll of goodness with some lovely tasting sauces to dip it into. They were lacking in spice so I ordered up some hot sauce to enhance the heat level. This completed the dish. For our meal, my date and I split an order of the pork chops. They were amazingly tender and so utterly tasty that we devoured these in no time. We were thoroughly impressed by these. Because this was our first time here and didn't know any of the beers, we ordered a flight of beer to sample. This came with four beers. Two were overly hopped, bitter beers. The Berliner Weisse was intolerably sweet and so much so that I almost spit it out onto the table upon first taste. The Red Trolley Ale was the only drinkable one in the bunch. I know it is summer and everybody seems to want light colored beers in the summer but I'm always in the mood for a dark, malty beer. I like a hoppy beer but I don't care for the ones that are just all about the hops like the Whistler Imperial Pils and Pintail Pail Ale are. I've been to India. I've had Indian beer. I've never had an "India Pale Ale" that tasted like anything I've ever had in India. Our waitress was entertaining and friendly but not very knowledgeable about the food nor the drinks. She responded quickly to quirky requests and always with a smile on her face. The one thing I can recommend is that the restaurant spend a little more time training their wait staff on the actual food and drinks they serve. The location is inside a glorified shopping mall and is nothing special. No great views and nothing to write home about. If you are in Universal City then this is definitely a place to try but do try to drink something other than their beer. I'll be back here next time I'm in the area.
(3)Shannon C.
I don't think I'd ever seen a Karl Strauss restaurant before. I've been a fan of their graphic design for awhile, though. Came here on a Sunday afternoon and sat on the shaded patio. They have a solid Hefeweizen ($5.50 for a large glass) and yummy garlic parmesan fries ($4.95, a slightly small portion). While I was eyeing the Tree Hugger Mac & Cheese (typical!), the BF and I decided to split the Portobello Mushroom Sandwich ($11.95, a portobello mushroom grilled and basted with an amber lager marinade, topped with red roasted peppers, grilled onions, pepper jack cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and chili aioli, served with homemade potato chips). The sandwich sounded delicious, but really fell short. The onions were not grilled, and while I saw a little sauce on the sandwich, I didn't taste any. The "red roasted peppers" was more like a strip of a roasted pepper, and the portobello mushroom was a little too chewy. Come for the beer and appetizers only.
(3)Stephanie K.
First time here and had a great experience! Was helped by a super friendly guy named Aaron who was also very entertaining. He recommended some great choices. I love Red Trolley!
(5)Vadim P.
This place was great! didn't try the food, was only there for beer and appetizers... had the garlic fries which are a MUST!! they are amazing!! tried just about every beer on the menu :) they were all good in their own way. our waitress was very friendly and attentive! definitely a fan! :)
(4)Jennifer C.
Came for dinner after a long but fun day at Universal Studios and it was a very nice meal. Our server, Brad, was cheerful, prompt, and knowledgeable - when he brought over the flight of 4 samples ($5!) he named and described them all in order. He was even able to differentiate between two of them (similar colors in the dim lighting) just by smell. The featured sweet potato fries with duck confit poutine was a delicious mix of textures and savory/sweet flavor to start off the meal. Hubby really liked his Creole-style shrimp and sausage, which had a good spicy kick. I had the piggy bank mac 'n cheese, which was rich and filling but could use a couple refinements. The pasta was slightly undercooked, and I think it would be better if the meats were cut to similar bite size pieces like the ham - the sausage chunks were too overpowering for a mouthful of macaroni and I could barely taste the crumbled bacon bits. Overall would give 4.5 stars if possible.
(4)JENNIFER T.
Avoid this establishment!!!!! Food was nothing special, in fact, kind of lousy! We ordered a seared Ahi salad and the Ahi came well done. YUCK! Someone in the kitchen should take a class and learn how to sear Ahi. Even the lettuce was wilted and mushy. For apps the table ordered hummus and calamari. Calamari was decent, but hummus was tasteless. Truly, it had a smooth consistency but had no taste what -so- ever. If I had been blindfolded, I would have not been able to discern what on earth I was being fed! My daughter ordered a kids burger, it was simply gross. Her school cafeteria serves a better burger. Chicken tenders were safer, deep fried probably a Sysco product, but at least not gross! This place seems to cater to the tourist and probably does not count on repeat patronage. Bar area has nice atmosphere so if you must go in, drink, don't eat!
(1)Melissa O.
I was just on a vacation in CA. My boyfriend and I spent a couple of days at Universal Studios. Of course that was a blast, but what really made our day was when we stumbled across Karl Strauss Brewing Company! We both love craft beer and this place was fantastic! Both the beer and the food were wonderful! Not to mention the incredible staff! While we were there the manager stopped by our table to check on us and we ended up talking to him for like ten minutes about all of the different kinds of beer! My boyfriend and I were amazed by his extensive knowledge of brewing. It was such a great night that we ended up going back there the second night! If only there was a Karl Strauss back on the East Coast! Needless to say, we will definitely be back anytime we visit Cali!
(5)Amanda G.
All things considered, Karl Strauss is one of the better eating establishments at City Walk. They have a great selection of soups, salads and sammies - my new favorite is their Beef Dip. The highlight of coming to Karl Strauss has to be the plethora of beers on tap. There's so much to choose from that it can be hard deciding which beer to go with; thankfully, you can ask your waiter to sample the flavors - highly suggest it! After much debate, I settled on their seasonal beer, Saison, and fell head over heals in lust with the crisp lemon and pepper flavors. Located on the second level, Karl Strauss has outdoor seating which is perfect for people watching. It's a little pricey, but you definitely get what you pay for.
(3)Benjamin S.
I've walked by Karl Strauss about a hundred thousand times and never really given it the time of day; or night, for that matter. But, I was feeling goosey and couldn't handle another night of drunken tortilla chip snacking down at Camancho's so I opted for Karl's. The 3 stars is somewhat deceiving, perhaps a 4 would be closer to accurate. We opted to sit outside on the open-aired heated-patio because the inside looked like a dark-toned version of a Denny's with what appeared to be a weak attempt at a bar. I mean, it's a brewery, so I would have expected a bit more 'umph' for the bar section but no, that didn't happen. I ordered the bavarian wheat; it was a delicious blend of yummy wheat-hop beery' awesomeness with what appeared to be a melted banana runt. I had a few of those, they got better every time. The temperature was interesting to me; maybe they were brought out late? (warm beer is a bit too German, even for me, und Ich bin Deutsch). I ordered the Big Beer Burger; it was big and juicy, but not exactly distinct in flavor. I would say this is comparable to a western burger at Carls Jr (not in a bad way, those are good). The garlic fries I ordered off menu were tasty but a bit soggy, that's what I get for ordering off menu. Waitress was really friendly and on her game, all around a great waitress who understands timing and service. I'd go back, but probably just for the beer. 4 star beer, 3 star food, 2 star interior decor.
(3)Jessica R.
At Universal City Walk there are lots of choices for food, but I am beer-minded so me and my friend Lauren selected Karl Strauss's for lunch. I had the turkey burger with blue cheese and Lauren had the avocado burger with the veggie patty. The turkey burger was messy but good. I would have put less cheese on there. We ordered the hummus appetizer, but it barely made it out before the main entree. Also, I asked for coleslaw as my side, but received fries. The server was very nice and attentive, and even offered Lauren tasters to help make her decision on what beer to have. She had the Red Trolley (5.8% ABV) and I choose the American Craft Beer Week Rye IPA (7.6%ABV) which was lovely. The flavor was strong and complex. The combination of rye and IPA caused a bit of dry-mouth but nothing I couldn't handle. Overall I would have given this place four stars but I couldn't ignore the appetizer coming out with the entree and the side mess-up. I didn't make them change my order, I just rolled with it. I would come back again if I was at the City Walk.
(3)Ej S.
Well while the establishment is pretty poppin' at night, Lunch was no different. The service was attentative and very informative with food a drink options. The food was just what our hunger needed and how can you not like the birds eye view of the city walk on a beautiful day. I had the the beer sampler and the rolled tacos or (whatever they're called on the menu) to start my meal. Then I conquered their massive 1pound cojito turkey burger. It was delicious but the bun was the size of Texas and there's nothing wrong with that but damn it soon became a messy production trying to keep that puppy in check. My friends had the full rack of ribs and to my surprise they were very delicious! Flavorful and tender they just peeled off the bone which was a huge plus in my book. Overall I thoroughly enjoy KS and will be back to try their excellent beers in weeks to come
(5)Aaron F.
I had my cousin visiting from out of town and we were hungry while walking around City walk. I obviously try to avoid this area in terms of food because it is all chains so I literally had no choice. We were craving some type of brewery and found Karl Strauss. It is a bit hard to find the place since it is on the second floor with little signage. We were seated outside on the patio since it was a nice sunny day but that may have neglected the not so good service we had. It took awhile for almost everything we ordered or simply being checked on. My cousin loves nachos and decided to order the Nacho Stack. I kid you not this was a giant heap of Tortilla strips, black beans, pepper jack and cheddar cheese, cilantro, fire-roasted salsa, diced tomato, and chipotle sour cream. It was alright but the mere size of it made us quite full. The cheese tasted fake but whatever, we were hungry. Of course since it was a brewery we had to buy beer. I ordered the famous Red Trolley ale with a good toffee flavor to it. It was quite good and went well with my food. For my meal that I barely could eat because of the damn nachos was the Red Trolley BBQ burger with white cheddar, onion rings, Red Trolley BBQ sauce, lettuce, tomato, and fries. The burger was a freaking mess. I had to use so many napkins to wipe myself down. I couldn't really taste anything else besides the heavy use of BBQ sauce. I never understand why restaurants make such huge, messy burgers. You really cannot enjoy it since most of the burger ends up in your lap.... Our server was hit and miss. He never refilled our waters but did ask if we wanted another beer... In total we almost paid close to 70 bucks for all our food. It was damn expensive. one burger, one order of nachos, one salad and two beers equals that much? no thanks!
(2)Dana T.
This was a nice restaurant to sit down in after a nice day at Universal Studios and Universal City Walk. The ambiance is nice. Waiters are very attentive and the service is pretty quick. There are plenty of TVs and seating around, so the place would be nice for groups and watching the game. We sampled their flights and my favorite was the Black's Beach Lager. We also paired it with the Piggy Bank macaroni and cheese to do a taste comparison with the Mac & Beer Cheese at the Stone Brewery in San Diego. Stone's mac & cheese won hands down. Overall good experience. I will definitely come back again whenever I'm around Universal City Walk. Yay for an annual pass!
(4)Tracey W.
I've only been here twice and I honestly can't remember my first experience since it's been YEARS now. However, my second time here, about a couple of weeks ago, was good! It wasn't too crowded considering it was prime time for dinner at Citywalk but I'm not complaining because we got seated right away on the patio. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful with her beer and food recommendations. I ordered the Red Trolley Ale which is a medium-bodied malt beer. It had a little sweetness too it so it wasn't bitter at all. So far it's my favorite one there! My friend ordered their hef which was also good as well (typical hef). As for food, I ordered the Piggy Bank Mac and Cheese and added some broccoli (per our waitress's recommendation)! All the yummy ham, bacon, sausage, and cheesy goodness! The portion was good size and it was delicious! My friend got the BBQ ribs that were good too but not the best ribs I've ever had... I would come back from some more Trolley Ale and mac/cheese!
(4)Dietrich S.
It's hard to find good food (if you're a "foodie" for lack of a better term) at a place like Universal City Walk. Restaurants at tourist traps like this cater to the lowest common denominator. That is not necessarily the problem here at Karl Strauss. The problem with this place is that they charge four star prices for three star food. And based on my math (Trust me, I took college algebra 4 times) that adds up to a two-star rating. I got some sort of starter salad, which was pretty good although I stared at it for two minutes until somebody brought me a fork. Then I got the Piggy Bank mac and cheese, which was just some decent mac and cheese with little bits of bacon and ham in it. It was supposed to have sausage too, but it must have been microscopic because I didn't see it. The portion wasn't even all that big. And that was $16.95??? Seriously? Wow. That's some gross profit right there. That piece of crap dish had $2.74 worth of ingredients in it. Hey, good money if you can get it from a knucklehead like me. If it were like $3 cheaper, I'd give this place three stars. But it wasn't. I guess go to Bubba Gump's Shrimp??
(2)Jose C.
Service sucks towards minorities. Got seated and waited for fifteen minutes on a slow day until my wife went to ask for help.
(1)Dorothy L.
After a pleasant experience at the Karl Strauss in Costa Mesa, I was inclined to dine at their location at City Walk before hitting up a concert at the Gibson. (I know the other chain restaurants there to be quite mediocre, so it wasn't that hard of a choice to pick one that at least you know has good brews!) The trippel was my favorite last time, but the waitress mentioned a new beer (and IPA at that!) that I hadn't heard of before, so of course I had to try that. It was their special brew for that location, the City Walk IPA (or a name very similar). It was fantastic! And powerful! That also was a 9%-er... We got too many appetizers for four people... Those bad boys are as big as a meal themselves! I highly recommend their spicy hummus appetizer... I could have just eaten that myself and been a happy camper. Don't worry - I didn't pass up the stinky gorgonzola sweet potato fries though! (That would just be wrong.) This place isn't cheap, but really anywhere at City Walk is the same - overpriced. So for the options available, Karl Strauss is a good choice! And you'll walk away feeling good. ;)
(4)Tom H.
Not a bad place to come to unwind after a long days walk at Universal Studios. Came here on Friday evening and the bar was decently packed but they were still some table available. Food was passable........mostly burgers and sandwiches. Beer selection is great, a poor man's Yardhouse.
(3)Amber R.
The beer is amazing. The service is great. Best crab cakes I've ever had. Highly recommend this place.
(5)Lily K.
How surprisingly nice this place is! My expectations are low for places in high profile or popular locations. When I walked in, I expected mediocre service and mediocre beer while paying for the location. BUT this place was awesome. Our server was so informative, helpful and pleasant. We tried many beers. My favorite was the tower 10 pale ale, just enough bite but oh so smooth. In second was the ipa, very bitter so not for the weak. The interesting one was the oatmeal stout. It had hints of coffee and chocolate. Delicious but not my kind of beer.
(5)Popular L.
Worst service, I think the wait staff is drunk on there extensive beer list. Failed to mention happy hour specials, 10% off if you have an annual pass to universal studios, brought our drinks and appetizer 20 minutes after the main course and never offered to refil water. Home girl had 2 other tables, not like she was slammed. When I told what i think was the manager (maybe he was bald with a button down) he made excuses for all my complaints instead of addressing them in a polite customer service way. I'm gonna get my grub on at tony romas across the way next time
(1)Veronica M.
I give it a 5 BC their banana beer is delicious along w the pork chops tortilla soup and calamari!
(5)Courtney B.
Great service, AMAZING food + a delicious beer selection! The only thing that was missing was a CIDER, I am still in shock that a brewery did not have Cider but besides that everything else was FABULOUS! This restaurant is great for families because they have something for everyone, even your vegan cousin! Our server had tons of great recommendations for us + suggested a blonde brew that had me ordering seconds!
(5)Gabe P.
Great beer, love Endless Summer Light! It's in the middle of the action at the Universal City Walk, sit outside and you can see some magicians or other entertainers outside. Nice place to have your lunch/dinner while enjoying the Park or the Walk, although is not the cheapest one around.
(4)Jimmy W.
Food was above expectation for a chain. Our family came in after spending the day at Universal. Food was good and portion was generous, I had the Chippino which was quite good. Service was attentive but not over bearing, don't eat inside the park, just go to Karl Strauss.
(4)Patrick P.
Came here for dinner after spending the day at the neighboring theme park. Despite being a [Monday] summer evening, I was surprised to see the restaurant itself was rather empty. So getting a table for our party of 5 proved to have minimal waiting time. Ordered the Cotija Avocado Turkey Burger ($11.95), and the first thing I thought when it came to the table... Why do the tortilla chips, the side that comes with the burger, not come with any salsa or dipping sauce? But as I began to consume the burger, it literally hit me. Wow, that sauce inside the burger is potent! You need the chips to dilute the flavor. While others may think that as a negative, I found that offering the chips compensated for it, and that the patty and overall burger preparation provided a satisfactory meal. Also got to sample a little bit of the "On Empty" mac and cheese ($12.95). Portion-wise, it was rather plentiful. Flavor was pretty good, though nothing extraordinary. Can't say much about the bar, as I'm not an alcohol drinker, but thought that my dining experience there was pleasant enough.
(4)J M.
Came here for drinks and apetizers on Thursday. Was told by waitress it was " Happy Hour" time by our waitress. We ordered two apetizers and drinks. Our waitress wasn't overly friendly or even smiled once at us. Not used to that kind of service anywhere in restaurants so it seemed odd. Food was good, not too crazy about the beer. Food took forever to arrive. A family of four recieved their food before us and they arrived much later that we did: And all of our food wasn't suppost to be cooked, So what was the deal? When we got out bill, the blond waitress didn't give us the happy hour price. We told her about it and she said; Well, when I put in the orders it rang up as regular price. We told her, "You were the one who told us it was "HAPPY HOUR". She said, she will ask someone about it. Well, she better because she's the one who told us about it. Unbelievable! Never had a waitress so dumb. Will probably go back for food but I hope I get another waitress.
(2)Chris T.
Stopped in for a light dinner and drinks. Wait staff were friendly and helpful even though we were not going to be the biggest order of her night. We ordered appetizers on their $5 happy hour deal, and they were tasty! She offered beer tastings and walked us through some of the home brew options. When my daughter didn't like her chicken wings seasoning the waitress quickly offered to switch it out for her. Excellent customer service and good food!
(5)Wilson L.
Asade fried and big beef burger. Asade frues were kinda small 4 wat u pay 4. The big beef burger was good. The portion was big. I had the red amber, and the ipa. They were both good.
(4)Jim G.
I've been to better micro-brews, but the location and friendly staff pushed them up to 3 stars. Went during happy hour. Check out their website for details. Basically $3.50 pints and slightly discounted appetizers. Their Endless Summer Nights brew was ok. If you are looking for little flavor and an easy drinking beer then go for this one. Their India Pale Lager kicks it up a few notches. This one isn't for the faint of heart - strong and bold flavor with a kick at the end. Appetizers were mediocre. Spicy boneless wings really weren't spicy at all. I would probably go with an entree if i went again, they looked better than what we ended up getting. I probably wouldn't go back, but I'm not a fan of Universal City Walk either. A few (or is that 10,000?) too many tourists for me!
(3)Sarah S.
I was not expecting to like this place as much as I did. I'll be back for sure next time I visit Universal. Everyone ordered beer flights, the beers were decent enough. They were out of Octoberfest so the waitress let us substitute whatever we wanted. My friend made up his own flight, which wasn't a problem. I got the flatbread pizza (Sunday Special) which was delicious! Their menu was pretty interesting. They even have Banh Mi! Our waitress was great, very knowledgeable & attentive.
(4)Leo M.
I really enjoyed this place and definitely give it a solid 4 star. I tried the Big Beer Burger, which is (basted with KS Amber Lager, topped with Red Trolley Ale onions, IPA mushrooms, Woodie Gold-brined bacon, gruyere, tomato, lettuce, and fries. Served with IPA steak sauce) The burger was gourmet and delicious, and despite being called a "beer burger" it didn't taste nasty or like beer at all.The bacon on the burger especially stood out and was very tasty! Like most better burgers, you could really taste the individual ingredients instead of feeling like you're biting into just one juicy mass. Don't get me started on the cheese :) I also tried the Beer-a-misu for dessert, which made me laugh when I read it. I had to try it since I am a fan of Tiramisu. It was much better than I had expected! There wasn't too much of a difference between it and it's rum counterpart. It was sweet and satisfying. It wasn't anything out of this world, but it was without a doubt, yummy. The only downside was the fries. A little too much salt? Maybe just a business tactic, since this place is a brewery. If they added parmesan cheese instead it would have been perfect, but o well. Maybe a little garlic too. mmm... Big plus for our server, Aimee :) Great service! Definitely made the experience that much more enjoyable. Also, I think since it's summer, the place is open a bit later than posted here, until 11pm. I'm not a big fan of the citywalk, but it was really nice sitting outside on the balcony, overlooking all the neon lights and sights below. Much better here on a weeknight than on a weekend! I blame all the crazy locals. Definitely recommend the outdoor seats, as it's kind of a waste to sit inside. They have a whole row of heatlamps, so it's fine even on a colder night :)
(4)Smellee the Great O.
Happy hour was awesome!! Beer for $4 and cheep food! The spinach dip was delicious! Buffalo wings were great. Our server was super nice and very helpful.
(5)Lemmy J.
Seeing that Karl Strauss is a brewery, I figured they would have a decent bar to hang out in. You know, to drink those beers they make. Wrong. The bar is basically a crappy waiting area for getting a table in the restaurant with really harsh flourescent lighting. Great job! Not somewhere I'd want to plunk down money or spend time in. It'd be 1 star but they do make good beers.
(2)Hue N.
Happy Hour from 4-6:30pm on weeknights! It was really nice to enjoy Universal, come out for some drinks and food, and then go back in for some more fun! Beers for $4 and appetizers for $5. We had the calamari, buffalo wings, bbq wings, sweet and stinky fries, and sweet chili lime fries. If you had to pick between the two types of fries, I recommend the sweet chili lime. Beer, food, and friends. Good times!
(4)Robert P.
Why do food portions have to be so bloody big, seriously? Why can't it be just normal for a human being? So I had a co-worker visiting from overseas and after a long afternoon of touring Hollywood by foot we developed quite the appetite. The hostess at the front was approaching patrons as they walked by and as soon as I heard her say $3.50 pints for the next couple of hours, me brain just goes "Sold" Now going back to the appetite we were pretty hungry and we all decided to share a side of nachos as they were half price and each ordered a burger. The nachos were absolutely ridiculous it was enough to feed a whole family. I was not expecting as much as they served. Needless to say we took most of it home. As for the taste, it was o.k., nothing spectacular but it wasn't tostitos with velveeta either. I went with some kind of jalapeno burger thing, that too was alright. Barely tickled my tongue though. Not as spicy as I was expecting. That was crazy big too, took half of it home. No for the part that makes me giddy, the beer. For $3.50 for a pint it was a pretty good deal. I went with their red trolley ale, some cross of a hefeweisen and porter and the creme of the crop the IPA. Now this IPA is around 7.5 % APV so for $3.50, two or three of these and you'll be in a pretty good mood. All in all it was o.k., portions a little crazy, beer was great. The important thing is the European I had with me enjoyed it. Great view of the city walk from the outside seating. Service was terrific.
(3)Valerie D.
HAPPY HOUR 4-6pm I know this is not a conventional time to get hammered but come on, this is at the city walk which is usually full of people bumping into each other. If you've got a buzz going you can handle it ;) The appetizers are discount during that time as well and it's so worth it. THIS IS NOT HEALTHY FOOD but beer food hehe
(4)Nicks L.
There beer was great! Food.. Terrible quality for the price. I had to send my food back twice because it was cold.
(2)Alyssa A.
I should start this Yelp review in defense of the Karl Srauss staff who, I'm sure, are exhausted and less than enthused of serving tourists day after day. Our waiter/bartender seemed so at least. After working at a tourist restaurant myself, I understand their pain, however feel no remorse for this less than pleasant review. Telling a paying customer that your drink order is "the bottom of the barrel" is not the most respectful comment, neither is slamming our glasses down on the table. You should be in no hurry by the looks of the empty bar, and if it were, you should still not express that you are in a hurry. I've heard the beer is above average, but lets try to complement that with better service...
(1)Nicole B.
Went back before a movie again. Our server was awesome. Brought over a ton of samples of beer and really enjoyed his job. The food was better this time. Had the Gouda burger, the boyfriend had the po boy sammy. I think they have improved there service and food. I'm a fan now.
(4)Kristie R.
The one star is for a great host staff and great food. The other star is for the manager fixing the issue. The 3 blank stars is for the waitress who was very rude and was fixated on my fiance. She would not look at me when I wanted to order. And was very short with me when I had a question. It was disrespectful. I would go back to Karl Strauss, but a different location.
(2)Jon P.
Sat on the patio before a concert on Sunday night and had a great time while it "snowed" on us. Their Menage holiday beer was excellent and went really well with our spicy hummus. I hadn't been to a Karl Strauss in a while, but we had a good time and the price was very reasonable. I think I'll try the one in Costa Mesa again when we're in the area.
(4)Baylor B.
Absolutely love the food and the patio ambience even more! Yes the food is a little pricey, but the brewery offers great tap beer choices and the steak dinners are amazing. The sauces are unique and tasty; the rolls are hot and fresh and again I can't say enough about the patio seating with heat lamps overlooking the main circle hub of city walk complete with live music, water fountains for kids to run through, fire breathing dragon adjacent to the patio & a cornucopia of treats for the senses: sweet dessert smells and neon lights plus palms covered in twinkly lights. Great romantic spot for first time dates or to spice up your normal routine. Also I suggest going during a week night and the people watching from above is fun too :) summary: great food, a tad pricey but the ambience makes it all worth it!!!
(4)Dave B.
Pretty good. Seems like the best option available at Universal Citywalk if you want something resembling a real meal. The beer selection was indeed impressive, they give lots of info so aficionados can select what they really want and people who know less about the differences between beers can make an informed choice, too. Food's pretty good, nothing to stop the presses about. I had the beer-brined pork chops. Very tasty and filling, only complaint is that they weren't uniform thickness so they weren't cooked entirely evenly. The chef came out and checked on us, which I appreciated. The Sweet and Stinky Fries (sweet potato fries w/Gorgonzola cheese) are AMAZING.
(3)Angelica C.
Omg beer so good, wings so good...our server was on top of his game...totally coming back
(5)Andrew G.
Amazing brews, amazing food, amazing people, and in case you missed it the first time, amazing brews. You can buy many of these beers at liquor stores, but it's worth it to try them fresh out of the tap. The Tower 20 is worth going to prison for. If you're lucky enough to have Parrot In The Palm Tree on the menu, DO NOT PASS IT UP. It will change your life. The waiters/waitresses are very cool, and the bartenders are as friendly as they come. This establishment will always hold a special place in my heart.
(5)Lissa G.
maybe 3.5 stars Stopped here on my way to see No Doubt at the Gibson. We were here in time for happy hour, which allowed for cheaper pitchers and pints, as well as appetizer specials. Appetizers aren't half off as some have said, but discounted by a few bucks. The Endless Summer Light was a light lager with a citrusy feel. Husband also had some of the India Pale Lager. Whooo! Too strong for me--not alcohol content, the taste! Firecracker Boneless Wings aren't bad, but where's the heat? I mean, they're called firecracker! The chicken quality was good though. Chicken Quesadilla was a nice take on a traditional dish. Inside the warm tortilla was black bean puree, chicken, cilantro, and a mix of peppers. Also had some fries. We wanted a 50/50 split of the Cajun Fries and the Garlic Parmesan. They can't do that, but they did mix all the ingredients together. Not too bad, although I would've liked a little more cajun flavor. Bartender, who was also our waitress in the bar area, hooked up the happy hour price even though our last beer order was after the 6:30 deadline. =) Pretty good way to start off the night.
(3)Kim H.
Food is below average. The beer selection is ok but there are much better micro breweries out there. You are trapped in Universal and if you don't want the cheasy Saddle Ranch than this place is ok. Nice interior...nice outdoor seating....great place to watch people....but that is about it.
(2)Mathew R.
Went here before a show at the Jon Lovit's Comedy Club and had a few drinks with my friends. The bartender's were very friendly and had us laughing. The beer selection they have is pretty nice as well, I had the Octoberfest they had that was made by them, good taste that's for sure. We were only in here for about 15 minutes, but we had a great time!
(4)Jane K.
maybe I should've gotten beer to make this review legit...but I didn't came here after a long day at universal studios we ordered the mediterranean salad and nachos for our meal the salad portion was pretty small...it came out on a big plate and it looked big but it was really flat...so it wasn't that much the nachos...there wasn't much cheese on it....but there was some other sauce...not sure what it was...probably would've tasted better if we had added chicken...eh...oh well...there were beans....forgot what else....it wasn't that good and the utensils...well a fork was REALLY dirty...GROSS -____- asked for lemon for our water, but our waitress forgot and we had to ask again...but she was REALLY nice!! that's why this place got even 2 stars I remember going to karl strauss in san diego...I don't remember it tasting so bad...oh well...
(2)Richard D.
This was our experience over NYE. We got so tired of fighting through the crowds and super long lines at these restaurants to go eat, so we just decided to come here. 10$ cover to eat here? and there is a time limit? Oh wait, thats just for eating on the balcony. Anyway, the food was okay. Nothing spectacular. I had a good time here. My gf and I went here for New years eve, instead of some club, and it kinda nice. Its a big change from the days of getting wasted at some crowded ass club. We sat there talking about how dumb NYE was, and when it hit midnight we didn't even kiss. Just to stick it to the man, and the establishment. But then we did kiss, and then dumped everything off the dining table and had hot, wild monkey sex. Wait, never mind, that didn't happen. Anyway, the food here is like any other chain brewery. Not spectacular, but it is not terrible either. The mass micro brews aren't bad either. So expect similar crap from what you would find at a Rock Bottom, or Gordon Biersch.
(3)Mz Kat d.
The food here is fantastic. The service is impeccable. And the beer is delicious. Everything about this restaurant is worth dealing with all the clueless tourists as Universal Citywalk. I look forward to eating my next meal here almost as soon as I've taken my last bite while still sitting at the restaurant. The servers are very knowledgable and friendly. They share their knowledge of beer without hesitation. They chat you up about sports. The managers are frequently making the rounds in the dining room, making sure everything is up to standard. One of the managers (I'm assuming she's a manager) named Stephanie went out of her way to take my boyfriend's contact information so that we could pick up a seasonal poster when it was time to take them down. And then there's the beer. Oh the beer. I love me some beer. The Red Trolley will always be my go-to beer if I can't make up my mind. But most of the time, the servers will bring by a few samples of recommendations without us even asking. Like I said, Universal Citywalk is a nightmare. Parking is way too expensive and the people who flood the place are a bunch of clueless tourists and overly anxious teenagers. This has never stopped me from enjoying a meal at Karl Strauss. Did I mention that I want to get a cat and name him Karl? Yup. Love me some Strauss. Especially the Oktoberfest.
(5)Ben M.
the one place we all agreed on the food was great, but beer was even better....this is going to be a short and sweet review, but my only disappointment was we only found this on the second trip to LA, and we could have eaten there many more times the sweet and stinky fries as well as the boneless wings were excellent bar food... the piggy bank and bar be que chix mac and cheese were excellent as well as my grilled fish tacos every beer we tried ranged from above average to darn near excellent cant wait to revisit this place, it was the unexpected food highlight of our last trip which included Vegas, LA and Phoenix
(5)Monica M.
I thought that their garlic fries satisfied my craving for the time being, and their light beers are pretty tasty. I forgot what I even ate when I was there, if that helps one decide the quality of food.
(3)Artie T.
Karl Strauss at universal walk awesome place to visit, had dinner with the family as we started with ahi poke and the crab cakes and were very taste full, we decided to order the calamari and was another great pick, as we moved on to dinner the salmon was my pick for the night and must say it was delicious with a pint of endless summer light. The desert selections are great had the bread pudding with a pint of red trolley. Overall I love this place great people and a menu with great selections.
(4)Javier J.
You're in City walk.. if there was ever a time to drink it's after you realize you just paid HOW MUCH for parking to what should be considered a strip mall with a lot of flashing neon lights. Yes. You need to swallow as much alcohol in order for this place to start being entertaining. At least this way the stupid kids running in the water fountains will become slightly amusing instead of just annoying sacks of loud noises and tears. Karl Stauss has some semi decent pricing. They have a pretty good happy hour going on which gets you the beer cheaper but I wouldn't bother with the food at all. It's bad bar food at best. They got some decent garlic fries and I guess that's all you really need when your chugging down their beers. You want to be laughing at the stupid people down below.. not eventually be one of them in your drunken stupor. Their IPA does pack a pretty mean bitter punch, but then again, it's an IPA. What did you expect? Most any IPA that is in the West will be kicking your butt. I like their Belgian style Saison brew. It does go down smooth and has that authentic taste. Over all, probably one of the better places to eat in City Walk. Which isn't saying much.
(3)Brian B.
If I had the choice I would not have chosen this place. And after eating here I would choose ANY other place in CityWalk to eat. Eat being the key word, I don't drink beer so this place was a waste of time for me. The service was slow and less than pleasant. Food was bland and uninspired. And the selections were so slim, I really like to have decent choices when I go out and there were only a couple real dinner options, and I ain't paying $9 for a burger. From what I heard the beers were good, so skip the food and have a drink while you are waiting to get into a real restaurant.
(2)Amy P.
Ok so I remember really liking this place, maybe I was just too sauced to remember? The beer is great, very tasty I will give you that. I mean be real it's what they are known for yes? I love me some good grubby bar appetizers, but uh no not so much. The spinich-artichoke dip was flavorless and the Thai skewers were not good. We hardly ate any of our food. The waitresses were great. One ran after me with a " to go" box I had left on purpose, God love her. The hostess? Christ, she was r-u-d-e. I know it was a busy Saturday night, but honey? If ya hate your job, quit. I would skip this one unless you want to get 'cho phat buzz on and munch something generic like maybe fries?
(2)David G.
Being in Universal Studios and thirsty for a beer, your options are kind of limited, but it's great to have a brewery on the list when making your decision. Their beers aren't the greatest, but they have a pretty good IPA. Of course their prices suck being in City Walk, that's kind of a given though.
(3)Brian A.
Craft beer is always better than Bud. This is just a nice location to hangout, both indoors and outdoors. The food is getting better each time we go.
(3)Evan B.
If I had enough money to buy this company or even this restaurant I would do it in a heartbeat. I have been coming here every couple weeks for a year. I really love the food and their beer is amazing. Out of every beer I have tried, including the regulars, the cask selection (only on Thursdays beginning at 4pm) and the monthly changing brews, I have only ever disliked one of them. My favorite is the Oktoberfest but unfortunately it won't be around for much longer. The food is great and the Mac On Tap is really wonderful. I hate cheese and am not a fan of much that is cheese-heavy but I could eat this every day of my life. Everything I've eaten has been awesome and tastes delicious and the moment I leave, as full or beer and food as I am, I wish I was coming back for dinner or a late night snack. The very best part about this restaurant is the service. Like I said, I've been coming here every couple weeks for a year and I have only had 1 negative experience with a server. This company teaches their servers about beer and they will tell you all you want to know. They will occasionally bring you tasters based on what you order so that you can see how a particular beer will compliment the food. A server even mixed beers for me once to create something really great when i couldn't decide what to order and it tasted great. The management is really amazing and will walk around and ask how everything is and even bring tasters like the servers do. There is a manager named STEPHANIE and I told her what a big fan of the Oktoberfest beer I am and offered to buy the official poster that they put up advertising that the beer is available. She took my name and number and ended up calling me 2 weeks after telling me to come by and pick it up. If I wasn't already a huge fan of this place and told everyone to go based on beer, food, and service quality, this would have put me over the top.
(5)David O.
So we got here about 6:45 PM on Wednesday. We were going to see Van Morrison at the Gibson Amphitheatre and we wanted to grab some dinner and a couple of drinks before the show. As did, apparently, the other 6,000 people who were going to see Van. Talk about packed? This place was absolutely hopping! The waitress said it would be about 45 minutes until we could get seated, which wouldn't help us out much considering that's when the show was starting. We asked if we could eat at the bar and she started laughing hysterically... Yeah right, good luck and all! Who should I write as next of kin? We head over to the bar and see exactly what she means... Some 50 or so crazed patrons are congregated around the bar. The two bartenders, in their early 20s both, looked terrified and thanked God for the bar separating them from the pack of hungry psychotics on the other side. Picture 50 coyotes who haven't eaten in 2 weeks. Now drop a couple of cute and fat bunny rabbits. Yes... the imagery *is* dead on. Anyway, we managed to grab a chair and my wife went to fight her way through to try to grab the bartender's attention. She eventually managed to score us each 2 drinks (smart gal, she is, ordered 2 drinks directly so we wouldn't have to flag him down again) and some food: calamari & fish and chips. Now this makes it sound easy... I think that it was probably 7:15 by the time we had our drinks and food. My wife had gotten me two martinis, and the bartender was way generous with the pour, so let's just say I was pretty lit by the time we went to see Van Morrison. The food, however, was absolutely delicious. The fish was insanely fresh and way good. Breaded just so, with plenty of tartar sauce. I was in heaven. I recall the calamari being quite tasty as well. The place was dead by 7:32PM. We actually decided to stay a while longer and we missed the first 20 minutes of the show. The bartenders were way cool and the service was impeccable, despite the fact that these poor bastards were seriously understaffed. I don't know if they realize how close they came to death that night, but they stood brave and faced a group of psychotic hippies and... well good for us, because Karl Strauss would lose some seriously great people if it had lost these two.
(5)Clara C.
FOOD IS GOOD! Went this past saturday, with another couple for dinner, and man...was their food good! I ordered the Cotija Turkey Burger and replaced the tortilla chips it came with, with a green salad and it was GINORMOUS! Ate the whole thing, and picked out of my bf's Spicy Cajun Pasta dish (I eat alot) and that was good too. The plates are big and the portions are too, and that's what's great, cuz you're getting your filling and money's worth. I ordered the Karl Strauss Amber Lager, mmm Mmm. Only thing, beer could have been a little more cold, but that's ok, beer is beer. As long as it wasn't room temp, or I woulda slapped a b*tch. Anyway, the couple we were with ordered the Mac & Cheese and the Wedge Salad (of course I was eyeing everyone else's food) hehe.. and it all looked good. The check came out to 6 dollars away from 100, I think that was a LIIIITTLE too much, but all in all, it was worth it. It could have been cool to substitute for free the tortilla chips with the salad, but they charged an additional $1.75 I believe, to replace it. Wanted to order more drinks, but didn't want to be the one seeing double at the end of the night, but if we do happen to be around the area again, I'll definitely try a bigger selection. Their beers looked tempting..
(4)Kealoha V.
I've been here about three times now and I've been satisfied by what I've had to eat and drink here. The place has been usually busy, but that makes total sense considering where it's located. Yet with that said, I don't recall ever having bad service. In fact our last server, Ferin, was very nice. Complimented my girlfriend more than once. A little touchy on my shoulder. Yeah, she pretty much wanted both us. (Kidding of course.) She never left us waiting too long for anything and at the same time wasn't one of those people who stopped by every five minutes to ask "How are things?"/ "Can I get you anything else?" I hate that. Make a pass, if we look like we're bored or what have you, then ask. Thankfully she knew when to stop by and when not to. So let's talk about the food. I wish I could recall how the food was the first two times, but it's been a number of years. So I can only really comment on my most current meal. I shared the Black Garlic Fondue with my girlfriend and a friend. I had never had black garlic before and after trying it, in it's soft and warm state. I never want to have regular old white garlic again. It was so sweet and just amazing. That's really where my love for the appetizer ends. The Red Trolley sauce was bland. The bread was too charred and the Cambozola cheese, although great on it's own. Really made no sense here. I guess it all just didn't work together for me. I was hoping for something more like a typical fondue. This wasn't that. I could see each part going well on it's own when paired with something that compliments it. Nothing here seemed to work together. My main dish was the "Piggy Bank". Which is a Mac N' Cheese with bacon, black forrest ham and kolbasa (or should it have said "kielbasa" ?) sausage. The meal itself was pretty big. Even if I hadn't had one of their 22 year old anniversary stouts or the fondue, I still think I would have had a hard time finishing it. There was quite a bit of mac n' cheese. Sadly, just like the fondue. This was alright for me. It had nothing to do with the type of mac n' cheese I ordered. From the plain to one of the other varieties, I would have come to the same problem. "Cheese sauce" as it is labeled in their menu. The cheese was more liquid than a solid. Which bugged me. I wanted ooey and gooey. Not something "watered down". This was a sad mac n' cheese. I've had better microwave mac n' cheese from Trader Joe's. Even at one of my favorite local restaurants, I can get it cheaper and better tasting. You figure they could do better than that for what they are charging. But I guess they need to make rent somehow. Finally, their beer. I like their beer. I've tried a couple while here as well as what they sell in stores and I've enjoyed it. That's the only reason I am not giving this place a two star rating. If I had written this a few years ago. I would be giving them a four star rating. However I can't honestly do so this time around. Am I going back a fourth time? It's possibly, but with their being other choices for lunch or dinner. It won't be anytime soon.
(3)Barbara W.
Great selection of beer. Food and service were very good. A must visit if only for the beer.
(4)Adriana R.
Let me start off by saying, the main reason I came to a brewery restaurant when I myself am not a fan of beer at all, was because they were the only restaurant at City Walk playing Game 6 of the NBA Finals with audio. Now with that being said, the place was pretty empty. Our waitress was a tad slow on service, but not horrible. I would have given them 2 stars for the food, because I made a rookie mistake by ordering pasta at a brewery (I know I know, I just had a craving for pesto) and honestly the pesto was like that guy you go on a date that seems great on paper and then you realize there is that X factor missing. The chicken seemed like it was frozen and there was not enough flavor. Nevertheless, they get 3 stars because my friend ordered a Burger with Fries (what I should've ordered) and I had a bite and it was pretty darn good. Also had their chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream for dessert and that was amazing. At the end of the night our waitress brought us a free sample of this espresso chocolate beer. It was a nice gesture, yet for a chocolate lover like myself, I was unfortunately not a fan of the beer.
(3)Sam A.
I ate here for the first time tonight and couldn't have been more pleased. The beer selection was large and cheaply priced. I ordered the BBQ pork sandwich and loved it. The two people I was with had the steak and were extremely pleased. I will be returning here very soon.
(4)Christina B.
After a long fun day at Universal Studios, my husband and I went in to Karl Strauss for a beer (him) and a snack (me). I had the jalapeno hummus dip with flat bread. So yummy!! It has some fire to it so be careful and order water with it! My husband said he just wanted "a bite" and we both ended up scraping the plate! That was my first time there, but will definitely be back!
(4)dc l.
We had dinner there last night and I must say it was such a treat!! Although it was located in the same complex at Universal Studios, the food was high quality and inexpensive -- two adjectives one normally would not associate theme park food with. The beers were delish!!! The variety was awesome and we got to sample quite a few for free as well. As for food, we had the boneless buffalo/bbq chicken combo, a shirmp dish, and a thail chicken wrap. Maybe we had too long of a day from hanging out at the theme park, but everything tasted awesome with and without the beers!! Service was good as well. We are definitely coming back!!
(5)Matt B.
Karl Strauss Brewing Company: What can I NOT say about this AWESOME place with killer grub, killer beers and killer service!!!!
(5)Orly S.
Been going to Karl Strauss for a few years. The Red Trolly Irish Red Ale is my favorite. I also love the Chipotle Pastrami Sandwich. It can get crowded in there during the summer. So we often belly up to the Bar. The service is great and the atmosphere is fun.
(4)Jirier M.
Probably the best location in so cal. The food is good...staff is attentive..drinks are great! What more can you ask for? Ask to be seated outside....people watch...and catch a good buzz.
(4)Monica A.
Love their beer! I can never decide which one to get so most of the time i just order a flight and try 4 of what ever they recommend. Love their Mac&Cheese! Excellent burgers as well. Don't know why anyone would have a problem with this place.
(5)Jesse T.
I suppose all restaurants have their moments, we had a decent time going to this Karl's. I've been to the one down in San Diego, which is easily twice the size if not larger. I'm not a social drinker of the beer, but on occasion I'll have a brew. I love their red trolley car ale. It went great with my beer brined pork chops. My gf had the drunken shrimp, which I think we both liked, however in really needed a pasta base, they opted for a mashed potato base under this penne ala vodka like sauce. Our service was fairly decent, the girl liked her job, she took care of us, it was busy, but she didn't forget us. The food was cooked properly, we got it in a timely manner, and best of all, we got to go to Universal Haunted horror Nights after words (see my review). When I return here, I plan on getting one of those huge Whimpy destroying Hamburgers that look like they could feed half of California. I don't eat burgers that often for health reasons, so I pick my burgers carefully, being its a treat. These look like they can fit the bill. By the way, I was here on a Saturday night, middle of Halloween Haunted Horror Nights, the scene was busy, just so you know, they were on top of things, during a rush.
(4)Wolf L.
Cruised around Citywalk after watching Avatar at the IMAX. We didn't eat breakfast, so Girlfriend and I had co-rumbling tummies. Everything at Citywalk is made for tourists--which means high prices and sub-par quality. We saw the sign for Karl Strauss and the place was empty at 1:00 PM. They have beer. Why the hell not? The service was pretty decent, which I would expect since we had to be the waiter's only table. I got a Saison brew, which is the Strauss version of a Belgian ale. Not too bad. For lunch, I ordered the Big Beer Burger and Girlfriend got the Fish and Chips. Both came with fries. I opted for the Cajun and Girlfriend, apparently not interested in smooching on the way home, got the garlic fries with her order. Peeee-yoooo! HUGE portions. My gawd. We could have easily shared either order. I almost finished mine, buy Girlfriend needed a box. The entrees were well-prepared and quite tasty. Karl Strauss has quite an austere, rather antiseptic decor. Not very friendly or inviting inside, but I guess if they want to just move the tourists through the place, it's the perfect look and feel.
(3)Nikki I.
Came here ages ago and remember getting a free sample of their Amber Lager, which had to be one of the best beers I've tried, even to this day. There was a really nice quality to it that I favored over any other beer (and I'm not a beer fan). I ended up buying a glass! My friend and I ordered chicken salads, both of which were really tasty. Made for a nice light and healthy lunch before our night out exploring CityWalk. :)
(4)Jr A.
I was out with friends at universal studios...we had decided after the park closed we were gonna find a place in the city walk to watch the big game (Lakers vs. Celtics) btw Lakers won!! We were approached by one of their employees outside the restaurant about happy hour specials...we just had one question do they have tvs to watch the game...he said yes and we were sold. The service was great ordered a few beers ($3.50 pints) on a wide selection of beers, and a few typical bar foods for happy hour. Decided on the Nachos first off to snack along with a red trolley beer to start off the game. And let me tell you that the size of the nacho plate was beyond enormous....I should of stopped there....we finished the nachos n beers by half time....i was already full, but thought to myself that there's another half to watch...so ordered the en fuego burger which was pretty spicy but rather good....also sampled their piggy mac n cheese which was good also. Again the service was great....even managed to get more free samples of their different types of beers....our waitress wasn't that bad on the eyes either...lol Would i come back sure...I thought it was going to be crowded during the big game, but it felt like i was at home with a few friends watching the game. I would have given this establishment one more star if the food wasn't so expensive for what you get....maybe next time i'll just got the nachos and try out what else is on tap.
(3)Tara M.
I have been here twice, both times before concerts at the Gibson. The first time had me craving to come again. House wheat beer on tap, just set me up with an IV drip, I am not a big drinker, but I could knock these back all day..... except for the part where they have to carry me out. Ahi Poke appetizer chucks of fresh fish, cucumber, tomato all nicely seasoned and served with fresh fried won tons, soo sooo good, I could order this as a meal. April special is a Korean BBQ sandwich .... toasty hoagie roll stuffed with daikon, cucumber, tender pork smothered in delicious spicy bbq sauce, I was full but it was so good. Our waiter was friendly and attentive, we sat on the patio so we got dinner and a show LOL. I do love this place, dinner for 2 with appetizers and drinks 66.00 - not to shabby. Impatiently awaiting my next pre-show dinner.
(5)Ocee D.
3 Stars Service was real cool. Calamari was good but the dipping sauce could be improved (or they could add more options) The drink I ordered (Long Beach Ice Tea) tasted ok, but was way too weak.
(3)Dana B.
One of the best places to eat when you are walking around on city walk! This place is oozing with Great service, delicious food and great atmosphere! I would recommend the drunken shrimp, mm has to be my favorite by far! Its a bit pricey but its oh so worth it! The desert is to die for! This is a great experience to try at least once. You can sit inside with a bunch of life and atmosphere excites you or on the patio/deck area, where you can over see universal city walk! A must try in my book!
(4)Tai F.
The wait for this place was absurd. Especially because it wasn't any big deal in my book. But since the restaurant options at Citywalk are so limited we chose to stick it out here. My mom and I ordered very similar drinks which the waiter didn't keep track of and we ended up with the wrong drinks. No big deal. I ordered the ahi tuna appetizer and it was delicious. There was a perfect avocado to tuna ratio that I really appreciated. Though it was a bit spicy (warns you in the menu). My mom's wedge salad was also very good but the macaroni and cheese that they are so proud of was only okay. We left much of it behind which was disappointing. However, if stranded at Citywalk again I would probably eat here before anywhere else.
(3)Mario G.
Carl Strauss Red Trolley!!!!! Food gets 2, beer 4 stars... Can't write to much about this place, if your at city walk for a movie or comedy show or just ending your trip to universal, the choices are not great so check this place out. Just know your not getting SUPERIOR quality grub
(3)Jake M.
GREAT Local Microbrewery! BOMB Eats . . . KILLER Location! Fresh and tasty local brews . . . Unique food with a beer/wine twist. Nice way to get away from the kids at Universal.
(5)Amy L.
Beer......BEER!! This place has awesome beer. I have always shunned the Universal City Walk because I...HATE...IT but wonder of wonders, there IS a reason to come to this god forsaken hodgepodge of desparate sun-beat tourists and overpriced garbage-retail. It's Karl Strauss. What to order? Um...beer? Yes, beer. The sampler---just go for it. Also of note is the hummus. It comes with awesome bread and the hummus is tasty but even better...it comes with olives and peppers to go on top. Delectable. I am astounded that UCW has a restaurant that I like...but there you have it.
(4)Jenn A.
Love Red Trolley and the Tower 10 IPA! Disneyland's Californa Adventure has a Karl Strauss Stand and I couldn't be happier that they do!
(5)Maryann R.
Very decent IPA and Red Trolley ale. I was looking forward to their famous mac n cheese, but was disappointed in the watery sauce. Flavor was ok, but still not Trader Joe's in the freezer isle. Plus: great service.
(3)Brittany S.
A group of friends and I were in the Universal area for New Year's weekend and did not rent a car, leaving us limited primarily to CityWalk unless we could justify the expensive cab rides elsewhere. We found oruselves at Karl Strauss when on our first night in town, ravenous from 8 hours of travel. They easily accomodated all seven of us and we found the service to be very good. None of us had any complaints about the food-- the mac and cheese dishes were all fantastic. Aside from that specialty, however, it was standard bar food. Our lack of foresight brought us back here New Year's Eve since we had not made reservations elsewhere nor were we willing to pay a cover for other restaurants in the area. We just ordered drinks for the night and again the service was good but it wouldn't have been our first choice. While our experiences were all positive, it isn't a "must-visit" restaurant in the area... but given that CityWalk is designed for tourists I don't think there is much that reaches that "must-see" status.
(3)Jessica C.
From the service to the food/ drinks this place was miserable. Out of four of us, one sandwich tasted good that is the only reason this place even gets one star. The soda was not carbonated, the calamari was mediocre, the entrees were nothing more than edible at best and in addition to the over 2 inches of head, the beer was room temp. Being in the service industry, we gave the server the benefit of the doubt and asked if the beer was supposed to be served at that degree, to which she responded "you must not be used to micro brews, there not like Coors light, they're meant to be that warm" - Bullshit. 2 of us are bartenders and none of us are dumb. she didn't even offer a replacement beer. Then when asked about dressing options, our server told us they had a dressing that they didn't have. Instead of correcting it, she brought me a ranch. i tried to exchange the ranch for the original choice and she said we don't have that, then acted like she never told us they did. Finally when we were done picking at our food we grabbed the bill and waited 30 minutes before having to take it up to the bar and hand it to our server, who was chatting with two other employees. i would never go back.
(1)Cody Q.
The food and beer is AMAZING! You can't beat the environment. The staff is extremely friendly and they make sure you enjoy your time. Attentive and on top of their game. I'm a clutz and spilled my fresh beer and the staff quickly helped me clean it up and gave me a new beer.
(5)Elle T.
I've only been here once; it was a short visit as we just went in for a drink. We ended up ordering the tasting menu of beer, which consists of 6 (~2 oz.) shot glasses of beers. I can't remember the names of them, or what they tasted like, except that a few of them were too heavy for me. I guess that doesn't tell you much about the beer... Anyway, most of the beers were brewed on location, from what i remember. Service was ok. Nothing too memorable about this place; I guess it's nice that they have an outdoor patio and you can see across the way of Citywalk, to the food court.
(3)Jack S.
I have worked next to this place for years and never gone here before. So this lunch break I decided be brave and try it out. When I first bellied up to the bar I realized they are a brewery so none of my favorite beers were anywhere to be found. Then the bartender came up with a great idea... Would you like to sample our beers until you find one you like? Oh hell yeah! So after sucking down a whole lot of 2 oz beer shots I picked my favorite. Keep in they have A LOT of choices some with up to 8.5 APV. So by the time I got my glass I was feeling pretty good. There Woodie was one of favorites but it was a hot day and wanted a light so I went with the Endless Summer. It was really flavorful for a light, a little more aromatic and hoppy than I'm used to. But flavor is never a bad thing in fact it I like it a lot. Um... I mean drinking on lunch break? Never! I only had an appetizer I believe it was called an Ahi Poke. I would compare it to a spicy tuna tar-tar (tuna, tomato, avocado, and cabbage) but it was tossed with a teriyaki type sauce. It was very tasty but very sweet. Which is fine with me because I love the flavor. It came with the crispy wonton chips for dipping. Almost like an Asian salsa plate. I will be sure to come back and get an entree next time. Their burgers looked so good and the guy across from me was eating one of the biggest club sandwiches I have ever seen. Why did I have to eat so much on coffee break?
(4)Glenn K.
This place sucks big hairy nuts. The restaurant has the vibe of a dental office. An ok choice if you just want to try some local brew and happen to be stuck in the Citywalk but the beers here are just C grade. The food is way overpriced for the quality you get. I thought I would give it another chance before reviewing and stopped by for a drink and appetizer and came to the 1 star conclusion. It was barely a 2 but the service this time around was very unpleasant. And so was the 2 bomb my brother left for them in the bathroom.
(1)Robert S.
This is a large chain brew pub based restaurant in Universal City. French Fry Review: They served fair tasting fries, seasoned well but not fresh and not crispy. They seemed prepackaged and frozen. Don't waste time or money on these fries when there are several other similar restaurants that do a good job such as Yard House or any of the Hillstone Group.
(2)Courtenay S.
Service was slow and TERRIBLE. Food took FOREVER to come out, and when it did it was all cold (table of 5). Bathrooms were crowded and very dirty. I got the fish tacos which were really good, and two others at my table got the tuna which they said was excellent (but cold). I would not go back if given the choice.
(2)Aniket P.
one of my fav place to hang out with my friends, I love the location of this place. I used to come here at least once a week, but since I have moved out of LA I go here whenever I get a chance. Every time I have been here I have always ordered a pitcher for Red Trolley, my fav beer and spicy chicken wings and some garlic fries...WoW....a very special place for me...:)
(5)Antonio A.
Went to Karl Strauss for dinner recently with some friends from the office. It was a nice summer evening, so the outdoor seating ambiance was really nice, and it was good to be in the company of good people. I ordered the lemon chicken with artichokes, based on another Yelper's review, which said it was good. WRONG! It tasted pretty wack to me. The lemon and artichoke sauce blended together, creating an overpowering taste. Not a fan. It was like they drenched the chicken with the sauce from the marinated artichoke bottle. also, i didn't realize it was going to be marinated artichokes... i thought for some reason that they might be fresh artichokes. wrong again. I also ordered an Arnold Palmer, which was served with a smile. The waitress was nice and friendly. However, they couldn't get the mixture right on the Arnold Palmer... I just don't understand why 50/50 is a difficult concept to grasp. Man I think I sound like a complaining little beyatch with this review, but honestly I think they should have done better. I really WANTED to like Karl Strauss. I liked their service, so I wouldn't mind going back again as long as I was in the company of good friends.... next time, I'm ordering something else though!
(3)Rebecca S.
After my last time here was a pleasant surprise, I suggested it again over the weekend. This time, I just hit it during regular lunch on a holiday weekend. The food was fine, normal upscale bar food, but the service was kind of meh. We sat outside in a corner table and just everything seemed to be moving kind of slow. The waitress was as nice as could be and kept us in the loop, but there was a mistake in the kitchen in regards to a salad and it took a little longer then usual. Then when we got the bill, the waitress said she was going to take the salad off, because of the wait, but when looking at the bill, we realized the mistake was that someone put on 2 salads and that is why it took so long and they only took one salad off the bill (of course, as we didn't order it) but left another one on. They did take off the more expensive one (by like 70cents, and actually the one that was ordered) but we still had to pay for it. Not the best experience, not the worst. Just meh. I still stand by my happy hour review!!!
(3)Christine R.
Flat iron steak is delicious! Good service and a nice atmosphere
(5)Anonymous C.
This is your best bet on city walk. I used to work for Universal for years and this is the only place I'd go (I've been to all the restaurants/bars). The ranking is low because there are so many better spots in LA, but for city walk also know as shity walk it's the best option. There ipa and Woodi gold are my fav!
(3)Aaron D.
After a day at Universal this is a great place to kick back with some friends. The beer is good. The food is tasty. Lots of comfort food and beer. They have a beer called Endless Summer light that is fantastic. Phenomenal!!! In my opinion its great alone or with Seafood. Not necessarily a rich meat beer - but great with appetizers or fish. The location here is beautiful. Out on the deck with a heater watching the Universal crowd is a fun place to be. The mac and cheese is tasty here. The calamari is ok but not memorable. The Salmon is very good - well seasoned, well cooked, and a gorgeous delivery. You have to keep in mind that its not wild though. Farmed Salmon are bad for the environment and bad for Salmon. I wish everywhere was required to put on the menu whether fish are farmed or not. But, that's just me. So, the service was amazing. The hostess was fun. Even the guy clearing tables was funny. This place reminds me quite a lot of Sudwerks in Davis CA. It reminds me of some other breweries as well. I believe it's just owned by a brewery though - I dont think they brew here. But, the desserts were also fantastic. So, flavor wise I think you can really count on the salmon, the fish and chips, and the fish tacos. On my next trip i will definitely try out the Pepper seared Ahi. I apparently did not see it on the menu on my last trip or I would have gotten it then. So, I recommend. Go - eat, drink, and be merry. And the beer is good too.
(4)Joe Bob S.
Despite trying to find something redeeming about this place, I can't. The ambience is cafeteria-like, the service was slow and amateurish, and the food was average at best and inedible at worst. I do give kudos to the manager who responded promptly to my complaint email. While I have no intention of going back, hopefully things improve. Until then, you're better off at CityWalk going to Wolfgang Puck or Saddle Ranch.
(1)betty b.
I went with Fiance here for the day before Valentines day this year and we just wen tonight also! overall very good experience and the bartenders are awesome and I would definitely recommend the oatmeal stout and the Red Trolley beer (all of the beers are great) They have happy hour 7 DAYS A WEEK FROM 4pm-6:30pm and that is so great and we had the calamari the Ahi tuna appetizer that I would recommend. Also we have had the Baramundi fish dish WOW best fish I have ever had!! This is our place now and we are going there at least 2 times a month or more, since the beer is awesome and brewed in house.
(5)Viv S.
We were on our way to a show at the Gibson that night. The wait was about 20 minutes for a table on a Saturday night. Not sure how many tables our waitress was covering but everything took a long time...drinks, entree, anything. I would give the food four stars but the service was just slow. Around the table we got a Mac n cheese, seared tuna with broccoli n rice, and a burger. The seared tuna was the best. Fresh and flavorful.
(3)Zach W.
The beer was good and for a microbrewery it was pretty good prices ($5.50 or $6 a beer) but the service was atrocious. If you do go, the house Amber Lager was smooth and flavorful. It was a perfectly balanced brew, it just didn't make up for the service. I was routinely ignored by our waitress and once we finally did get our order in for the second round of drinks, they never showed up. We had a table of about 14 people, none of whom got their second beer. However the check showed up with all the charges for these beers. After we pointed it out she basically called is liars. Then she went to one end and blamed the other end saying that we'd gotten our second round even though they hadn't. In the end we had to pay for three beers that never arrived. If we hadn't been rushing to a movie (which we told the waitress early in the evening) I would have gotten the manager out but it wasn't worth missing our movie and losing more money already spent. In summary: good beers but hope for a better waitress than we got.
(2)Jaqui C.
Great Beers and Great food...what more can you ask for?? If you're into beer tasting, definitely get the sampler. It comes with 9 different samples, all very tasty! As for food, we shared the nachos (HUGE!!) and the stinky sweet potato fries....stinky for the gorgonzola they put in it. Sounds weird, but it's DELICIOUS! This is a great place to stop at if you're enjoying a day at Universal Studios or around the city walk. I'd suggest sitting outside in their beer garden, but expect it to be very loud! Parking isn't too cheap either. Expect to pay about $10 for parking. Overall great experience!
(4)Ike E.
Beer me! Beer selection was about 10-15 beers with an added roation of microbrews on thursdays. I went on a Friday night and wa surprised that there was no wait to be seated for dinner. The ambience is fine, it's casual and feels like any other brewery/chain. The wait staff was not on point at all. i had to ask more than once for a couple basic items (glass of water, silverware). The waitress bragged that they had a full bar, so I ordered a french connection. She then came back and told me that they don't have brandy. (Ummm but there isn't brandy in that drink.) I gave up at that point and ordered another beer. I had a trippel, which was good but had a really bitter flavor and sort of a aftertaste like a merlot. The other beer I tried was the oktoberfest house brew. Very good beer! Light orange in color with a citrus flavor to match, dry finish. I ordered the big beer burger which was just ok. The bun was strange, the meat was cooked perfectly, the bacon was cripsy, the mushrooms were a little burnt. It was good and bad, so I'm giving it a "meh".
(3)Elizabeth A.
This place was good. Their cajun fries and garlic parm fries are sooo yummy! Their spinach dip is so-so. Their red trolley and hef beers are good too!!
(4)Dan F.
So good that you should not go there so I don't have to wait in line behind you!!!
(5)Angie I.
After cruising around Universal City Walk, we ended up at Karl Strauss for an early dinner, around 7:00....we sat outside since I like to people watch and there were a few performers out that day. We were seated promptly and the service was good. We ordered the boneless buffalo wings which were good, typical buffalo wings, nothing to further elaborate on. I'm not a beer drinker so I ordered ice-tea, but my hubby ordered a beer, can't recall what it was and he seemed to like it. So I guess they have good beer, one would hope since it is a brewery. =) When I scanned the menu, ding ding ding.....mac'n cheese! lol Of course I ordered that! The mac'n cheese comes with a salad so that sealed the deal for me! When my mac'n cheese came out, it was HUGE, I only ate 1/4 or so if it and my hubby helped eat some of it too...still I left over 1/2 the plate of mac'n cheese....so if you get this, recommend sharing or expect left overs. Was the mac'n cheese good? Yup! Have I had better? Yup! I know...mac'n cheese is mac'n cheese right? But when you've had as many variations as I have....I'm a bit of a mac'n cheese snob! Although, I give every mac'n cheese a chance! I don't discriminate! haha My hubby ordered the lemon chicken which had mashed potatoes and artichokes and his meal was huge! I had a few bites of his meal and it was delicious! The chicken was tender and the artichokes were sooOooo good! I've had meals at a few other places on Universal and usually was disappointed but Karl Strauss pleasantly surprised me for a fun-food joint. The only downside was the overall inside of the restaurant is small and the bar area is a bit small. Oh...and my hubby was disappointed the bar area didnt have that many TV's and they weren't playing the UFC fight that night....oh the humanity!
(4)Shanay J.
The best thing about this place is the beer. The service here is very very slow. No matter how many people are actually dinning here there is always a lag with service. So if you have the time this place isnt too bad for drinks but if you're the type of person who likes to get served in a descent amount of time this is not the place for you. Also their menu is not that great either I mean there are some decent items but its very pricey and unless there is really nothing else on citywalk that appeals to then I guess you have no option but to got here.
(2)Christian M.
Mmmmmmm! This place has some really good microbrews and some especially delicious food. We waited just under ten minutes for a table on a Saturday night and our server was on the ball, very attentive and in a surprisingly good mood throughout the whole dining experience. I ordered the pork chop dinner which came with mashed potatoes and string beans sauteed in garlic and olive oil. I was happy to see that this plate came with two 8 oz. pork chops as opposed to only one which I've gotten in other restaurants. I ordered their Octoberfest pint and it was excellent. My other two friends ordered the flight which is a sample of four beers for $5. I liked that idea too, but I don't regret my decision. The only pitfall about this place is it's undesirable location inside Universal City Walk. Ugh.....The only reason I'll come back this way again is for Karl Strauss....until they open up a location somewhere else. All in all, a really good place to wine and dine...or in this case....beer.
(4)Nicole M.
Woodie Gold is the SHIZ. If I'm ever at City Walk, I have got to stop in an have a glass. The boneless buffalo wings are kickass, and the burgers are pretty decent too, and I've had a few good desserts, but seriously, the beer alone is good enough to warrant a stop in for the brews. Also, I've always had excellent service, with friendly staff and generous samples of the different beers (even though I always opt for the Woodie Gold.)
(4)Adam B.
I was in need of a good drink and a good burger. I came to the right place. My friends and I were welcomed by a friendly young girl once we made our way into the restaurant. She walked us to booth and explained the beer process to us. They have a sampler and such so it was explained in detail. We all decided to drink. I have 4 beers total. The Windansea Wheat Hefeweizen, Red Trolley Ale, Karl Strauss Amber Lager and the Endless Summer Light. All four beers were great. Ok, I lied. I had a 5th beer. It was a Karl Strauss Wheat Wine and it was so good, I had two. So six beers total and they were well worth if for my tummy. The dinner was good too! I had the BBQ Cheeseburger. At $10.50, it was expensive for a Cheeseburger but really good. I wasnt paying so I really didnt care too much :) The dinner was great and was very happy with good service on the Universal Walk. It seems as though many of the places on the Walk seem to care less about quality and more about quantity. I was very pleased.
(4)Mot Y.
Came here last night to get some 8% + beers in me before a show at the Gibson. Luckily it was happy hour and the 10th tap was a Belgium Trippel. Their Tower IPA is pretty decent, but I'm not going out of my way to get one. We had some food here as well. It was just ok, but I don't think you have a lot of choices regarding beer at the CityWalk. I knew once we got inside it was Heineken. Ughh.
(3)Chris D.
Arrived on a Thursday night and ducked in to chow down before the Morrissey concert. I'd been to the one in O.C. and it was good. Let's break it down: 1. Friendly employees - check 2. Beer - check 3. Sloooow service - check 4. Bad food - check 5. Dirty bathrooms - check 6. Over priced - check I'll never do it again.
(1)Shelley M.
I went to this restaurant on Halloween before going to see a show at the Gibson Ampitheatre. It was surprisingly good! I've been to these kinds of brewery restaurants and, usually, they are kind of bland. But, the food here was really good and it was very well priced. The sweet potato fries with the spicy ranch sauce were yummy, the beer was great and the sandwiches were awesome! Nothing fancy, certainly, but very tasty. And being served by a tall waiter in a Spiderman suit was quite an experience.
(4)DJ M.
Well what can i say about this place i only come here when I'm going to watch a movie... come here to drink and have their appetizers... there happy hour is from 4-6:30PM a pitcher go's for about $9 for happy hour and their pints are $3.50. there appetizers are half off and i would suggest red Trolley Ale BBQ Boneless wings and for beers 3 of my favorites are (Red Trolley, Double IPA, Woodie Gold) and I have to try their new tower 10 IPA.. Cheers!!
(4)Steve B.
I have always wanted to come here and I'm glad I finally did! My buddy encouraged my to try the Red Trolley Beer and it is one of the best tasting beers I ever had! There is some richness to that beer. I had like 8 that night :) The food was decent and luckily we arrived early for happy hour and got to sit outside. It got packed real quick after happy hour. I am definately coming back to this place to drink when Im in that area.
(4)Shannon K.
We loved the food. We ordered the French Dip and Boneless Wings. The service though is HORRIBLE! Our waiter was incredibly sarcastic and rude. The service ruined our entire experience there. The servers there are apparently not trained to be nice to customers.
(1)Maryann R.
Went in for a beer and to watch the Alabama LSU game. The place was noisy, but we were able to watch. Pretty good IPA, but the "legendary" mac and cheese was watery and sort of tasteless. Our server was great.
(3)Ron M.
I really wanted to hate this place. I don't know why maybe because it's in the City Walk, but I got nothin but love for this place. It is a little on the pricey side, but what isn't at the City Walk. The way I see it, you have two choices Karl Strauss or Saddle Ranch. I am definitely not choosing Saddle Ranch. The BBQ chicken salad I had was really good except maybe for the large pieces of peppers. But the reason you come to Karl Strauss is for the beer. I had a glass of the endless summer light and a glass of the Woodie gold, which I got for free because Mickey the bartender is mad cool. I liked the summer light the best, but when you get beer for free that always has to be your favorite. I will definitely be back!
(4)Anita A.
This place was hidden and now I know why. Located on the second floor you could easily never know this place existed. We decided to sit at the bar because we really just wanted a beer coming out of universal studios. The selection was decent but I probably should have just ordered a coke. I wanted the beer to wow me and besides the red trolly which you can find at bevmo I didn't care for the other selections after 5 tasters. This was probably the first time I didn't finish my pint and no beer deserves that... We got the sweet potato fries which were interesting, not bad... Just interesting. My husband ordered the Mac n cheese... Well he thought he did. Instead he received a soupy mess with more than chewy noodles and a minimal amount of lenguisa. I had to try this for myself and I have to say that a Kraft has better Mac than this place. No to mention the $17 price tag... Yes I know we are in a tourist area, but come on! I had the pulled pork sandwich and although it didn't taste as horrible as my husbands I was not impressed. The BBQ lacked any flavor, the bun was flimsy and bland. I wish I would have ate somewhere else... I'm not going to say don't ever come here... Maybe it was a fluke, a bad night, but try it for yourself... I'm over it
(1)J M.
The service here is VERY VERY slow. The food is just OK. They are known for their beers. But its still nothing special. They had a very delicious chicken sandwhich but they change the recipe so now it sucks! Twitter: JFIZZLE76
(2)Alicia C.
Very pleasantly surprised with this place! I was expecting bland, boring, dry food but it was pretty good! I was totally needing some fish and chips and a beer so I got that and Daniel got the Turkey Buffalo burger that had gorgonzola cheese smothered all over it!! yummy! We also did the mini beer tasting, which was pretty cool...the majority of their beers served here are great! Overall, I would come here again!
(4)Chris K.
The food was way overpriced for what you got. I think this place charges so much because they're in Citywalk. I'm not saying the food is bad. Just average. But expensive for average food. Cool experience though. Sitting outside. Watching millions of people go by in the most extravagant mall known to man. Universal Citywalk is... gaudy.
(3)Jun V.
Isaac.. Best bar tender!
(3)Aja Y.
Beer is so great! They have the best Mac-n-cheese ever! It had ham, Linguica, and bacon in it. The boneless chicken wings were great too. Great service had a great time.
(4)Alex D.
Worst place ever!! Went there on a weekend with 4 friends. The waitress took 20 minutes to ask for our order (we were the only ones there, no joke). It took her an hour to come back and she brought us the check, and no food!!! She was embarrassed, and 40 minutes later we finally got our food. Of course the staff was already cleaning and putting the chairs up and everything... When she brought the check again (we asked to have the check divided in two cards), she charged the whole amount in one and half of the total in the other one. We were upset and asked for at least one of the plates to be discounted for their horrible service, but they wouldn't do it. We should've just walked out of the restaurant without paying. Worst restaurant ever!!
(1)Claudia D.
The beer is the only thing good here. I ordered the black n bleu steak medium done and it was overcooked and hard to chew! My partner ordered the sirloin medium done and it was overcooked as well. Both steaks lacked flavor! The price is ridiculous for the crappy food they serve. Even the green beans were overcooked! If you come here, come only for the beer.
(1)Rodolfo S V.
Out of all the borderline nasty restaurants at CityWalk, Karl Strauss became the restaurant I grew to like. I've never eaten at a microbrewery restaurant before so I thought I should give it a try. I tried two of their beers, the Red Trolley Ale and their Amber Lager. I ended up liking their Amber better since the Red Trolley turned out to be a little too bitter. Their food wasn't bad either; I ordered their Turkey Bleus Burger and really liked it. Ask for the Buffalo sauce, it makes the burger taste really good! Overall, this place was decent, waiting staff was friendly, and the food was satisfying. I will definitely come here again.
(4)Ray C.
What's there not to like about a micro brewery?! I'd say Karl Strauss is probably one of the better choices to get good food and beer in the City Walk complex. The hostess was very friendly and sat us promptly, but it was in a section that no body else was sitting in and there was quite a delay in getting a server. Once our server arrived, he apologized for the confusion and service was very good! I had the Steak and Cheese sandwich minus mushrooms. Served very hot and quite tasty! The fries are pretty darn good too. Now, the best part, the micro brews! First, the Doppelbock.. dark, rich warms the heart! A little sweeter than my favorite Doppelbock, it was still quite tasty. One 22 ouncer is plenty as Doppelbocks are quite high in alcohol content. I probably should have started with a pint! Next was the IPA... I'm quite partial to the hoppiest beers around, and Karl Strauss' is no exception. Bitter and full of hops, love it! If you haven't been, check Karl Strauss out... good food, service and beer!
(4)Chris B.
I actually enjoyed my first visit to this place. I wasn't expecting much, since this was on the CityWalk (a notorious tourist-trap location), but I couldn't pass up the chance to taste a microbrewery - and I was pleasantly surprised. I happened to be there during happy-hour, which meant cheap pints and cheap appetizers. Drinking their Pin Tail pale ale made me an immediate fan - enough to quickly order another. I had the Poke Ahi app (which tasted great with the beer), and the cajon fries. Yummy to both. Plus, this is an excellent location for people watching...which kinda depressed me this time, since they aforementioned people were also crazy tourist - scary!
(4)Nathan Z.
This place got a one because the service sucks!!!!!!! Server is rude and can't get the food order right for nothing!!!! Beer is good and so is the food! Better place !!! Ps stone is looking a lot better in my eyes now that I have been here!!!
(1)Nikhil S.
As far as the Citywalk goes, this is the cream of the crop. You got the best people watching spot on Citywalk when you sit on the terrace, and believe me, you see all sorts o crazy fools on the Citywalk. Food, all in all, very very satisfying: Ginger Salmon, Mac and Cheese, Pork Chops, All Burgers/ sandwiches. but its all about the beer really. Always have 10 different beers on tap, rotating at least 4 every month. All styles they have are Quality. If you are a beer fan and havent been here you are a fool my friend. Happy Hour, 4-7 daily, sweet deals on apps and $4.25 22 oz beer.
(5)S. M.
Beers were just OK. I was drinking the Porter all night long. It wasn't bad, but not really that good either. Throughout the evening, the waiter kept bringing us shot-glass sized samples of other beers, nothing really tasted that good. The porter was probably the best tasting of all of them. The burgers were ok as well. They suffered from a problem that I think too many restaurants have...That problem is being TOO much. What I mean by that, is that the bun is huge, the beef patty is huge and they put too much cheese on it. Normally, big portions are a good thing, but I am a firm believer that overdoing a burger truly ruins the burger. You take a couple of bites and you feel like you can't breathe and because of that, you can't enjoy any of the flavors. The best things about this place was the service and the fact that we got seated immediately on a Friday night that was also a Halloween Horror Night. I might give this place another try, but I'm rarely at City Walk, so it is unlikely.
(3)orlando G.
This place is located inside Universal City Walk. Its a nice bar and grill with tons of different beer to chose from. This place brews their own beer. Good food. Good servers. Good location. I recommend this place for a bite to eat and head on over and enjoy the rest of your night at City Walk.
(4)Linda C.
For being in the sterile touristy capital that is known as CityWalk (aka Shittywalk) this place really surprised me. Walking up the windy stairs, I thought it would be a standard run of the mill kinda place with standard food and standard service... ...HOWEVER... Service was sweet, chatty, and smiley and pretty quick. Food was surprisingly good! Boneless Buffalo Wings - I am officially a fan of boneless wings! Whenever I eat wings I hate getting my fingers dirty (I am NOT a princess, Okayyy!?) because its just annoying having oil all over your hands. The sauce on these wings were very very interesting, but good. A nice spicy kick, but the aftertaste wasn't burning. Yummy! Chopped Salad - Mmmm, chicken, bacon, leaves, low fat dressing. What more to ask for on a hot day? Steak Sandwich - Meaty for the man! Men will like this sandwich because its MEATY. 'Nuff said, HomieG. :D Iced Tea - Iced Tea is just TEA. Iced. We sat outside and the day was warm and the patio location was good, overlooking the center of CityWalk so we could people watch, although there wasn't too much to see except tourists! :) All in all, we had a greta time and our tummies were filled! :) Four stars for yummy food, good service, and good people watching.
(4)Huei T.
The beer sampler is a great way to experience different beers.
(4)Cristian C.
I think between here and the Saddle Ranch, I'd definitely choose this place! When I went with a few co-workers, the service was great! We had some chicken wangs and various other meats. Combined with their flight of beers, this definitely hit the spot! I'd recommend trying it out if you're in the area and wanted to try something new. Especially if you're a fan of different types of beers.
(4)Tim W.
Great location if you get a window seat and people watch. San Diego locations are better. Only brewery on City Walk as far as I know.
(3)TC W.
I went to Karl Strauss, having had it plenty of times before. This time I wanted to try something new, so I steered the waiter in the direction of the types of foods I like to which he recommended the Cotija Avocado Turkey Burger. This was probably one of the best burgers I think I have EVER had. Seriously. Maybe it was the timing or the kitchen that day, but whoa! Great Ca taste with the avocado, but it was all about the cotija cheese. Simply delicious. And I tried a beer float afterwards (Felt very full). I'm sure it was a billion calories but sofreakinwhat... It was worth it! If I get the same greatness on another occasion, I'll have to give it 5 stars.
(4)Jeffrey E.
This place is located inside Universal CityWalk on the 2nd floor above Camacho's Mexican Cantina. The times I've been to CityWalk I always forget this place was there because I usually would see Tony Roma's or Camachos before even considering this place. One night my wife and I decided to check this place out. This place reminds me exactly of BJ's Brewery. It's a restaurant with a microbrewery. I'm not a huge beer drinker, but one sample at dessert impressed me. But first, the food... My wife got the ahi poke which was amazing! She's usually a picky eater, but when she had this for dinner, she ordered a second round! The ahi was fresh and flavorful. The wonton chips were a great compliment to the ahi! I got the fish & chips, and it was a decent sized meal that satisfied me. The fries were thin cut and crispy, and the cole slaw was great. The table server (I can't remember her name) was friendly and kept introducing us to regular rounds of beer samples. My wife was having a blast with it, and I gotta say the samples were tasty. It was the last samples she brought for us that were my favorite, it was a chocolate beer that went great with a sweet dessert. You didn't taste the chocolate until after the sip - genius! Karl Strauss is a great alternative to BJs if you happen to be at CityWalk.
(4)Roxanne S.
We went to a fan event held on citiwalk and decided to stop in there to try the beers and get a drink. Waitress had an attitude because we didnt order anything to eat. Guess we wont be back
(1)Jenn P.
After a day at Universal, we were on the hunt for dinner. Having heard of KSB Co., we decided to give them a shot. Decent 2nd floor location with the option to sit inside or out. Since it was cold we choose the inside. Our waiter, a younger guy, was super friendly but seemed a little overwhelmed. I think he was the only person serving at the time. It took him a while to come by, and a while to deliver our drinks. We each decided to get the tomato soup to start, which was really good, and served with a side of garlic bread. Following that, I had the salmon salad, and my friend had tacos. I believe they were fish but I am blanking since I lagged on the review. Both dishes were really good. The salad was huge, I ended u taking more than half home. My friend enjoyed her tacos as well. Overall it was a nice spot. Decent menu options and food. Friendly service. We would return
(4)Jenni R.
The hostesses were joyful. Our waitress Christine was super on top of everything. The food was too die for!!! Highly recommended.
(5)E L.
Amazing food and beer here! Great IPA and Stouts. Their fish and chips are one of the best I've tasted anywhere, and service was fast and friendly!
(5)Jaramy N.
Stopped by one evening after visiting Universal Studios. The restaurant was practically deserted yet it took quite some time (10 min probably) for our waiter to even do his initial check-in and introduction. We ordered a couple of appetizers to split which were mediocre at best - chili lime fries & spinach dip. What was even more disappointing was the beer I ordered. I love IPA's and really hoppy beers so I ordered the NZ PACIFICA SESSION IPA based on the description "the resulting brew is intensely hopped"...this beer really lacked hops...tasted like a generic beer I could've picked up a 12 pack of for $4 at Circle K. karlstrauss.com/beer/pac… We wrapped up our meal and sat...and waited...and waited...and waited. Noticing that our waiter was just chatting up one of the other waitresses. Finally he came back and asked if I'd like another beer which I declined but did ask for more water. He left and again we waited and waited and waited. Finally one of the bussers came by to clear the table and we asked him if he could get our waiter to bring the bill. Another member of the staff, not our waiter came a bit after that with the bill. This is one of the few times I have not left a tip. The service was absolutely horrible, especially considering the place was empty. The waiter never bothered checking back to see how things were, etc. Only the one time to ask if I wanted another beer...and then failed to return with the water we asked for. I don't get all the 4 & 5 star reviews and people that rave about the service here. Maybe I am just used to a different level of service coming from Phoenix...maybe this is the norm and acceptable in LA? If so that is sad. If I could give zero stars I would.
(1)Rachel L.
I believe this is one of the few places in City Walk offering a happy hour. What I liked about this happy hour is that the food portions are still large, unlike some places that offer a small version at a lower price. The menu was a bit unimaginative to me. I don't think I would eat here other than some cheap happy hour eats. The beer on tap is impressive, though. They also bring you other samples of beer without asking, so that is always fun. I got the blonde ale, it was the lowest in alchohol percentage and very very light. I like light beer, but it was so light it was similiar to being watered down.
(3)Brian S.
I don't usually give 5-star reviews to chain restaurants... but check this out: "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" From initial greeting to the kind departure words... a class act. Great service, great environment, and great food. Huge portions, broad menu, yummy offerings, trendy butnot too trendy, and freshly prepared exactly as requested. Oh... and beer samplers for the indecisive! What more could one want?
(5)Dave H.
Great Happy Hour - $4 beers, $5 Appetizers. Chili Lime and Garlic Fries are tasty to keep your thirsty for the amber, ale or stouts here. Great selection of their own house brews. They have empanadas right now so get down and fill your belly! Menu is your typical brew house menu but the garlic fries are good, as well as the ahi poke and fish tacos. Don't forget about their Mac & Cheese which is really good too but heart stopping. Great Burgers as well. One of the best turkey burgers around town. Finish with the Beeramisu......Finish with the Beeramisu.....how many beers are in that? Good Happy Ending to the meal...and always great friendly service. Sit on the patio and people watch on Citywalk!
(4)Scott G.
Excellent food, excellent beer and the scenery from the outdoor patio!!! Our Server Christine was top notch. Ask for her by name!!!
(5)Dan S.
Had a great time at Karl Strauss. Great beer, great food, great atmosphere and a great server. Thanks Omari!
(5)Derrick E.
This Karl Strauss is located on the second level smack dab in the middle of the famed Universal City Walk. This particular night we were a tad early for a birthday party being held at "Howl At The Moon" piano bar next door so we decided to head here for a pre-party drink. I've only been here a handful of times & really can't tell you much about the food I've had in the past as it was unmemorible, but I like their beers just fine, especially the Tower 20 IIPA & their Wreck Alley (bourbon oaked) which I sampled on "cask" night. Its truly unfortunate the interior of this particular establisment is much to be desired. Their mirrored walls are dated & reflects the unattractiveness the spot & flourecent lighting gives off. Its much too bright in here. Probably not a good idea to come here on a first date. The 2 wall mounted flatscreens in the small oval-like bar area are somewhat "misplaced" and probably not meant for viewing sports events. In which case, don't come here for a sporting event. If anything, Its an okay place to sit (at the bar or balcony patio) & have one or two of their signature beers or a glass of wine before hoppin' around the City Walk. I'd usually give a place where the food wasn't particularly memorible or didn't spark my tastebud's interest, about a 2 star rating. I'm going to add a star for KS' delicious homebrew, especially my go-to, Tower 10 IPA & add another star for our bartender's (I wished I'd remembered his name) attentiveness & sparkling personality. As a retired bartender myself, I can see how hard it can be to serve at a joint where you'd hardly ever see the same face on a regular basis. To keep up a good attitude & smile night after night says a lot. Drink responsibly. This has been a PSA. deez® out.
(4)A. P.
I came here with low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised! This place has a good drink menu (well, obviously. it IS a brewing company) You can pretty much find any kind of beer your heart desires. The fish and chips were awesome and the chicken nachos were delicious. The prices are average. The only con to this place is that the service is a bit slow, but I came here with friends so I didn't care too much. If it didn't take forever to get the bill and refills then I would give it another star! All in all, this is a good place to come to if you're around Citywalk and want a place to drink a beer at and relax.
(3)Megen H.
The Mac n cheese is bomb, and my server Omari was very helpful, he made me the BEST lemonade!
(5)Emily G.
By far best experience at K.S. so far! Our waiter, Omari, was amazingly helpful and very knowledgeable. Rob was hilarious and had a great time helping me and my party laugh! what a fun crew. PROPS FRIENDS!!
(5)Heather J.
Omari is THE BEST server! He suggested great beer pairings and was on it with our drinks! Happy to have came here and enjoyed his service! Thank you!
(5)Christine G.
My sister and I went in for dinner on Monday night and Daniel was our server. Wow! He gave us such great service, all while training and he had the whole restaurant to take care of! And the food was amazing!! I got the nachos and my sister got the Asada fries = our favorites!! Thank you Daniel for taking care of us!
(5)Michael S.
Not only is Universal Citywalk a tourist mecca, it is also a place you are going to have to take your out-of-town guests. They'll like the bright lights and "glamour", but at some point you are going to want a drink. Karl Strauss fits in with the other one-visit restaurants perfectly and beckons with the promises of a micro-brew. We recently stopped by for some late night beers. I opted for a pint of hop-loaded Big Barrel Double IPA. At 9% alcohol by volume, it delivered the kick I so desperately needed with lots of hops, some nice maltiness, and just a dash of citrus. Wasn't really special, but it took the edge off. Olivia went with a Vodka Martini that satisfied. Service was fine. Because the place was really busy, we didn't get much service, but, honestly, I didn't expect more. After 4 visits over a few years, it seems Karl Strauss is what it is: 3-stars which is a good "A-ok" place.
(3)anne r.
Let's start with: I don't really like to drink beer, but my friend does, so up the stairs we went. It could have been a ho-hum night, but our server Shaye just turned that idea around. She suggested I sample the doppelbock and it was one of the best beers I have ever had. It was all I needed, I still opted for my Kettle, but I ended up buying a growler for my husband's birthday this weekend. She knew everything about every beer and menu item. My ahi salad was perfect, the kettle nice and cold, and my friend got her flight of fancy beers. Shaye is one of the kindest and happiest servers I've come across in a while, and I should mention this was a random Tuesday night. We were there on business so it was nice to escape for an evening. Thanks!
(5)Christina C.
My starving boyfriend and I just came in here for a quick bite before our movie. When we came in, there were a total of 2 tables occupied and a couple at the bar; the place was dead on a mid-Saturday. We were seated with menus by a friendly hostess very quickly. We watched as 2 servers walk back and forth past our table with no acknowledgement. Eventually one stopped at the table next to us, stared right at us for a good few seconds..and walked away. 5 minutes later, another party of 4 were seated in our section and a server immediately went to take their drink orders. We promptly walked out to Bubba Gump's. Never coming back to this place again. (We were really looking forward to trying their beers and food :( )
(1)Lorenzo B.
Get the farmhouse burger with the full suit beer excellent combo I found my new favorite beer and will travel to get it
(5)Kelly D.
Food was great with plenty of choice. They have gourmet beers(which for a non beer drinker) were very drinkable. Staff were very friendly and attentive and prices were reasonable. We went there for lunch twice in 2 days.
(4)Nicole F.
Tried some new things and they lost a star because when you pay 13 bucks for fondue and they want to charge you an additional $3 for extra bread...that's just cheeky. So I was holding out for surely some bread to accompany my cioppino but low and behold nada. The waitress kept wanting to take away the fondue but finally there was a small bit of pita that came with an order of salad so we used that for the remaining fondue. The kids liked the mac and cheese but it's a fairly small portion for 16 bucks. The cioppino was ok, not sure I would order that again. I think the best bet is to stick with burgers and bar food. But when you are paying well over 100 for 4 people, can't you spare a square of bread?!
(3)Frank B.
Sat in the bar hoping to get a quick beer while i waited for my coworker to get off her shift. Only 2 other people were inside the bar and the bartender was having a conversation with the 2 ladies. Seems like he was writing something down for them. So i waited for about 10 minutes and didn't get acknowledge by any employees that walk by me and the bartender never turned around to offer me a drink or any service. Definitely won't be going back into that bar. Expected more from an establishment that is located next to my job. Talk about great customer service. I just decided to leave and take my business else where.
(1)Ann Q.
Great selection of beers. My server was very informative and knew each beer in detail. Tried a few samples of recommended beers from the server, and they were all yummy. Nachos were pretty good too.
(4)Barinder D.
Spontaneously decided to go here since the wait for Camachos was too long. Got the hummus, mediterranean salad, and calamari. Everything was so good. Can't wait to come back and try more stuff. Very flavorful and def will be back.
(5)Juliana C.
Came here for lunch on Saturday and it wasn't busy. Pretty much got seated right away. Of course they have there own beer on tap. I love the beer burger. It's juicy with such good flavor. The only complaint I would have is the bun can get soggy so maybe they should change the bun. We also ordered the nachos with guac and chicken. There wasn't much chicken but it went well with the beers so I wasn't complaining at all. Will be back for the beers and other stuff on the menu.
(5)Janet L.
Nothing crazy about this location. Just another decent bar to grab a drink at amongst a few others in CityWalk. Usually catch a beer here before I watch a movie at the AMC.
(3)T Lee S.
Food was okay. Lots of seating inside and out. Not a very crowded restaurant, not sure if it had to do with the pricing or the other restaurant options within Citywalk. Employees were friendly. Very cool selection of beers and they have beer flights. That was helpful and fun.
(3)Jennifer C.
When you arrive they will ask do you want to sit inside or on the patio. Do not be afraid to sit on the patio because they are more than willing to turn on the patio heat lamp. Service is extremely inviting and friendly. It compliments the relaxed atmosphere of the place very well. Spicy Hummus: $10.95 comes with pita chips which u can ask for more of...it was good but it wasn't spicy Brick Chicken: $16.95 wow!! this chicken has really good flavor...savor it because there is a depth to this dish that i've not had in any other chicken dish. It comes with black beans & cilantro rice which is nothing special...portions of the sides are generous but the chicken is on the smaller side Black Garlic Fondue: $12.50 i like that there's a piece of softened cheese in the middle to add to the cheesiness but there is not a hint of garlic in here...the bread that came with it was mostly burnt...while it taste good it is not garlic like in any way. Beeramisu: $6 hello new fave dessert. Beer in dessert is usually a good idea as it lends a complexity to the dish. My friends and i ordered this to share but honestly i ate like 80% of it. The sweet drizzle and the coffee compliments it perfectly. I highly recommend ordering this. Every thursday they have cask night where they open one and all beers from that cask are $4. Def get their beers here since they are a brewery. We had quite a few and all of them were very good. At the end of the meal they gave us samplers of an upcoming brew. Their menu also changes about every month or so. Theirs beers are constantly rotating as is the food to compliment their new brews.
(4)Genell H.
Best turkey burger I've ever had! Favorite beer was the hefeweizen.
(4)Lianne O.
This is a small nice restaurant and the patio area is small as well. The food is good but doesn't quite match it's price. I didn't try any of there beers which I'll have to do the next time I'm there. There food is a bit pricey, so I might eat somewhere else but definitely get a drink there.
(4)Conchita L.
We were pleased with food but service unfortunately not good. Mac and cheese was great! I had the piggy bank order my son had the Norm, both were very good. Hubby and daughter also liked their choices. I have no complaints about the food but the lack of friendly customer service made it hard to leave a generous tip. All businesses benefit from service with a smile, I hope they can improve in this area because I would reconsider a visit based on the tasty food.
(3)Michelle O.
Came here on a Friday night after work around 6. I actually expected this place to have a more of a bar vibe, but it was more like a family vibe. They do have plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. They have decent happy hour, $4 beers and great appetizer deals. We started off with the Chili Lime Fries and the Ahi Poke. The fries are spicy and perfect! The ahi was okay, I have had better ahi poke, but it got the job done. They have more than just beers, you can't actually see it at the bar and there really isn't a menu, so you just have to ask. The service was very good, no complaints there. The menu is a decent size. I ended up getting: Pastrami Chipotle Sandwich: $12.95 Pepper jack cheese, beer onions, chipotle-ale mayo, ciabatta bread, and fries. This was pretty much like eating a grilled cheese, there was not enough mayo and the mayo was on the side. I would give this sandwich a 3/5. Overall, I would try this place one more time to really decide is this is a keeper or not.
(3)Aaron L.
Came for Happy Hour while waiting for the concert to start. 4$ beers and 5$ appetizers. Beers were awesome but I'd stay away from their Hef and stick with their award winning Red Trolley Ale. Appetizers are standard bar cuisine but their hummus plate is worth it due to their abundant pita strips!
(4)Patricia D.
Great Food. Our server Omari was super friendly and cute. I had the pork belly banh....excellent. my daughter had the macaroni and cheese also awesome.
(4)Seanzii R.
What a great night at the brewery. Our server Omari was super helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. Making it easy to pick my flight of beers to pair up nicely with a Ribeye Steak. Friendly as can be this Brewery is a delicious spot to eat and have some great brews.
(5)Kathy S.
Horrible service at the bar.. Bartender never acknowledged us and after 20 minutes we left. First time here.. So not a very good first impression. I get that she was busy and they were short staffed obviously... There was a customer who even said to her that we were waiting a long time.. And she replied that everyone was waiting a long time and proceeded to help someone who just walked up.... Nice... Will never come back to this location again.
(1)Kristi K.
Outstanding! When you think your only choices at Universal are Tony Roma's or Bubba Gump... It's a bummer. Then we found Karl's Brewing. Welcoming from moment one. Great service (Daniel was amazing), delicious food, tasty beer, no line... It's the best kept secret. Kid friendly... But a more adult experience. It's where you want to be at City Walk. Thank you, Daniel!
(5)Mother Of 3 C.
Great service and great Food. The Chicken Nachos were amazing and so was the Beer Burger. I Love that we were able to sit outside on the patio and watch the scenery as we are
(5)Ryosuke U.
Wasn't expecting a craft beer brew pub right by Universal so i was pleasantly surprised. Got a flight of beer and a burger and ate outside from the patio as people walked by towards the amusement park. If you like good beer and dont want to drink overpriced generic brand beer in the amusement park, load up here then go. :-) Fortunately, Universal doesn't have many roller coasters so you won't get sick. The service was good and no complaints on the food. I'll be back if i go back to Universal studios. Good to take friends, coworkers, family, and date.
(4)Elizabeth L.
Looove the beer and the food here! Double Barrel IPA is the best in my opinion! It's not too strong, as IPA's are known to be and very well rounded in flavor. It's lighter than a lot of other IPA's also. I had the Chicken Philly Cheesesteak here once, and it was UNBELIEVABLE! I've had a few burgers, which were all great. The pork chops were suuper delicious. The only thing I haven't liked very much was the Ahi Poke...but I'm a bit picky when it comes to ahi because I get it often and various restaurants. Could've been a fluke too since you never know with fish.
(5)Tiffany T.
Hands down the best place to come and unwind and have food, energy the company of others, and have drinks. This place makes every other bar/restaurant on citywalk look like garbage. If you are a tourist and can't figure out where to go on a break from the park or before a movie, come to Karl Strauss! Customer service is great, food is great, atmosphere is awesome! Hope this review helps! :)
(5)Vinny M.
Very good! I had the Shrimp and Grits.... And let me tell u this was heaven in a bowl. Tiger shrimp sitting on a bed of cheesy grits with red peppers, cilantro and avocado....it was soooo good! The grits were smooth and creamy and literally a party in your mouth with all the different elements of this dish! We also had the carne asada fries. It was fries topped with carne asada, jalapeño nacho cheese, cilantro chimichurri sauce, Gorgonzola, avocado, chipotle ketchup and sweet pickled onions... Also a big party in your mouth! For desert with the cheesecake rollos... Cheesecake and cranberry filling wrapped in some kind of fried pastry and cut into lil egg roll shaped cylinders and accompanied by some raspberry sauce and mango sauce...very yum! Definitely will be back here if I'm in the area!
(4)Amy T.
This review is for Tracey! She is by far the nicest bartender I have ever met. She kept the conversation going the whole time and kept our beers full.
(5)Matthew H.
Off the rails, great beer , really strong. Ate the brick chicken was #excellent. Service was great and view did not disappoint.
(4)Daniel C.
Always great food and drinks at Karl Strauss! What I liked most was the service. They were very friendly and our server, Brad, was very hospitable. He made sure everything was up to par for us and had some great suggestions.
(5)Cristobal C.
Great beer, and nice view! The appetizers were good and the beer was cold. Excellent food, and great service. This is the best beer spot at the city view...
(4)Celine B.
Clearly this is a tourist trap. Had the cheese "fondue" I think the cooks don't know what fondue is. They brought out some out of the can cheese and a block of semi soft cheese on top. The entire thing was just salty and gross. My fiancé ordered boneless wings they were like the Tyson chicken strips. My fiancé ordered a beer ...they had run out! We were there at 7 then he ordered another one ....they were out! Clearly this brewery isn't well stocked. All and all it was a horrible experience we were glad to pay the bill and get out!
(1)AJ M.
Stopped by here for the first time after a long day at universal studios theme park. I ordered the asada fries. Fries served with carne asada, jalapeño nacho cheese, cilantro chimichurri, Gorgonzola crumbles and a side of chipotle ketchup. These fries were so good I cleaned my Plate. The service was great as well. Our waitress was pleasant and took the time to explain the menu options. Will definitely stop by again in the near future.
(4)Anders M.
The beer is fine, but under no circumstances ever eat the food, because it's god awful. I had the rib eye and though it was cooked to order it tasted nothing but burnt garlic and oil. The "truffle infused" fries just meant that they had been drenched in truffle oil and consequently tasted mostly like after shave. The zucchini had, at the most, been placed near a pan but never actually in one. I almost broke a tooth on it, it was that raw. The service was excellent though, so the failure of this establishment is all in the kitchen.
(1)Ruth W.
The manager was very rude to our party and did not even attempt to make us happy. The food was very bland and we will not return. There are better places to eat at city walk.
(1)Curtis A.
Excellent! The food was amazing, our server awesome and great selection of custom tap beers. I got the seared ahi salad, excellent. What more could one ask for.
(5)Claudia M.
It has become a tradition of mine to get beers here when in LA for work. The bartenders are awesome! Wish they worked at my local hangout in Maine. Every meal I've gotten there has been tasty. The hummus and pita was hands gone amazing! Can't wait to be back in two weeks.
(4)Crystal H.
My experience was spectacular. We sat at the bar at 3pm right in time for happy hour. I wasn't really feelin well so I thought I was just going to chill while my fiancé had a $4 drink. Luckily, the bartender was Katie. This was my first time here and I already can't wait to go back. She was very friendly and professional while giving us the Karl Strauss beer experience. She took us through their beers on tap by giving us samples to try. She even gave us their peanut butter cup beer sample and told us to wait at least ten minutes so it can warm up a bit and allow all the flavors to open up. Ten minutes later we were given a fresh poured sample of it to compare. Wow! The warmer sample that we allowed to open up was amazing! Here I am thinking we're just going to be there for a quick drink and instead was taken through an experience! Needless to say, I ended up getting two beers and an amazing appetizer, the Ahi tuna poke. Sooooo good! We left knowing we'll be back. Thanks!
(5)Barbara H.
The atmosphere on the patio is the best thing about this place. Otherwise it's just average beer for 6-8 bucks a 16 ounce glass. I had some mango chicken with tasteless rice and tasteless black beans. Chicken was overcooked so they did it again. Second time it was even more tasteless but what are you gonna do? Just say it's fine pay and leave. Lesson learned and note to self do not go back here unless you plan on sitting on patio drinking $8 dollar beers otherwise it's just eh
(3)Svetlana S.
Located on the second floor of Universal Citywalk across from Howl at the Moon and Infusion. My group and I put our names down and went to grab a drink at the bar. Didn't get any kind of vibe from the bartenders, they just poured our drinks and moved on. We all got midori sours and they all tasted completely differently and sucked! Mine tasted like pure sugar, no alcohol, whereas my friend's tasted like pure alcohol. WTH! We were then taken to a table outside within about 15 minutes. The tables outside had heaters and overlooked Citywalk which was really nice. We all got appetizers: boneless buffalo wings, spinach and artichoke dip, crab cakes and pirri pirri boneless wings. Honestly, those were some of the best buffalo wings I've ever had. The sauce was just perfect and the spinach and artichoke dip was also very good. I didn't try the two others, so I can't really comment on them. Our waitress was also great, friendly and helpful. Best thing about Karl Strauss is that they don't charge taxes on their drinks, no idea why, and they give you free passes to Howl at the Moon if you ask. Overall, I wouldn't make this my first choice for dinner, but it definitely wouldn't be my last. Maybe if I try some of their beers and their main courses, I'd be happier.
(3)john h.
We had an excellent experience. Considering the location we weren't expecting much more than the standard tourist trap. Christine, our server was spot on! Friendly, concerned and boy does the wait staff hustle! They do team service at its best. They offer beer tasting to complement your selections at no cost. Pretty smart in my book. I want to go back for the Wreck Alley Imperial Stout. We will return.
(5)Christopher J.
The brew served to my guest and I lacked flavor and quality, which isn't how I remembered it through my experience at the San Diego location. Bad job Universal City Karl Strauss.. Not impressed. Except for the seasonal Double IPA which did have distinct flavors and was actually very enjoyable, the Amber Lager, Tower 10 IPA, and flight my friend ordered all lacked.. Yeah I know I should've said something, oh well.. On the other hand, the food we ordered tasted very good, just like I remembered.. We ordered the Calamari, the Chipotle Pastrami Sandwich, and the Dirty Mac N' Cheese. Everything tasted exceptional. The Calamari was crisp, the pastrami in the chipotle sandwich was juicy and filling, and last but not least the Dirty Mac N' Cheese was probably the highlight of our dinner feast lol... The grilled chicken and mushroom combination inside the Mac N' cheese was flawless.. Our visit was on a Wednesday evening so It wasn't busy at all, nevertheless, we received great service from start to beginning.
(3)Aron H.
Karl Strauss Brewing is a Fantastic place to go. First the location of this place is perfect. Right outside of Universal Studios in their shopping complex. I like how the restaurant is upstairs overlooking the courtyard of the shopping center. They have plenty of outdoor seating. I think my favorite part is that their menu not only has great food for decent prices, but they pair your meal with a beer. I chose the Big Beer Burger where pretty much every thing on the burger was cooked in a different type of beer. The quality and quantity of this burger was awesome. I had the Karl Strauss Heffaweizen and it was one of the better Heffaweizens I have had from a restaurant. I will definitely go back here when I get the chance.
(5)Dixon S.
First time here and have to say what a treat all the way around. Sat on the upstairs patio on a beautiful SoCal Saturday and watched the happenings at City Walk. The waiter, Stephanie, was awesome as she knew her beer very well, as well as the food. Her suggestion, since we wanted to have an appetizer and then share an entree, was to try the Beer Brined Pork Chops. We had the Rollos Pollos appetizer which were great. Chicken, cheese and peppers in a flaky crusty with sauce; very tasty. I tried the Pintail Pale Ale and my wife had the seasonal Oktoberfest beer and both were expertly crafted and went well with both the appetizer and the entree. The Beer Brinded Pork Chops have to be one of the best pork chop dished I have ever had. You get (2) bone on pork chops that are cooked perfectly, very tasty and juicy, not dry at all. The dish also came with really good Garlic Mashed Potatoes and some veggies. Stephanie also brought us each a little sample glass of 2 other beers that were really good also. All in all, a first class operation with skilled staff and killer food and drink. I would come here more often if it didn't cost $15 to park at City Walk.
(5)Bryan W.
Karl Strauss offers 5 star beers, but has only has a decent 3 star menu. The main reason I'm giving it 4 stars is to encourage people already at Universal Studio Hollywood to temporarily leave the park to enjoy a lunch at the Universal City Walk CityLofts Karl Strauss location. You will be rewarded with a beer list way better than any you will be find in the park, you can eat outside (and some tables have a view of the children and drunken adults playing in the automated floor fountain), and you won't have to hear any references to Forrest Gump from the wait-staff. However, if you decide to eat al fresca you will be forced to stare at a bunch of Bubba Gump hype across the courtyard. The Red Trolley is an award winning Irish Red, but since you can find that in grocery stores now that the San Diego micro-brewery/brew-pub has retail distribution go for some of their lesser available or seasonal offerings. I enjoyed Pintail Pale Ale and Tower 20 IPA.
(4)Candice K.
Even though this "mall" place is sensory overload, this was a GREAT place to get away from the psycho neon lights. Good food, even though the server thought the roll on the po boy was "too much" don't listen to that broad, it was perfect, spicy and crispy and perfect. Some times I think these LA people want to eat sandwiches on a cracker. Cask beer Thursdays $4
(4)Ham R.
If your aim is some of the some of the best locally made beers in America and good food then Karl Strauss is your go-to stop. I have patronized their original location in downtown San Diego since it opened over 20 years ago and the Universal Citywalk location serves beer to that same high standard. The weather can be hot on the hill and Endless Summer Light is a good choice. Those with more adventuresome palates will enjoy their standard Red Trolley Ale or any one of 10-12 beers available and rotated throughout the year. One person in our party ordered the chipotle pastrami sandwich with fries and raved about it. I had the cheeseburger and it arrived to my order, quite tasty. Karl Strauss is a great sanity break from the bustle of Universal Studios next door.
(4)Anne C.
Wednesday's Meatloaf! We love coming here when we are feeling a little commercial.
(4)Bob M.
The best beer place there is in SoCal they let you sample every beer on tap and the location is ideal for anyone. My only thing is that I can't remember my servers name but what appeared to be a food runner or busser I think his name was Jason he was great he made sure my table stayed clean and he refilled the tables drinks numerous times. Whenever I am in the area again I will be stopping by I hate that I live far from this wonderful place. Also ehren the manager was great he also made sure we were in good hands
(5)Jeannette G.
You think brewery eatery - yay! Ehh, not so. The beer is great and the service is good; but, like may BCs they are not in the business of making food - so, food can be a hit or miss. I like to pair ceviche with a beer; it just brings me back to this one great summer in Cancun. So, seeing ceviche in the menu I ordered it. Well, I wish i hadn't - chips and salsa would have been better, you really can't mess that up. This ceviche had a twist to it, it had diced watermelon. Now, that sounded promising, except the flavors did not meld. There was something off in the seasoning...it almost seemed like the lime juice used was not the real deal, but rather that stuff that comes in the bottle. In addition, I think they forgot to salt it. Disappointed...completely, especially because it was a $12 dish.
(3)Elio V.
Best beers in the world. I recommend the red trolley and hef. And the big beer burger
(5)Aprocks S.
I have always enjoyed their beers and now i can say that i also enjoy their food! After foolishly trying to order their Wednesday meatloaf on a Saturday i decided upon the Portobello Chicken Philly, paring it with their Red Trolly Ale. The sandwich is made with Mesquite chicken, Portobello mushrooms, poblanos, onions, pepper jack, goat cheese, pea shoots, harissa spread and comes with their salt 'n vinegar fries on the side. The sandwich was delicious, but started to fall apart as i ate it and the salt 'n vinegar fries complimented the sandwich well. I would definately go back again!
(4)Tasty Inspection S.
We visited Karl Strauss before we went to the movies last night and it was so yummy. We got a couple of drinks and the Sweet potato chili fries. The fries were so crispy, fresh and had a lot of flavor, which balanced out theTower 20 IPA. My new favorite red ale is their Off the Rails bomber. Delicious!
(4)Bridget F.
I always love going to Karl Strauss. Awesome food, great beer, above and beyond service.
(5)Stephanie U.
I was just here this evening with my bf! We were looking around for a decent place for dinner, and since we've had good luck thus far with brewery fare we thought we'd give Karl Strauss a shot. Our beers were great; he had a red ale while I had a pale one (the banana and clove beer!)... can't remember the names, but mine went down smooth and easy (and I don't easily drink beer). My mac n' cheese (the Tree Hugger) was delicious, too. Plus our server was just such a nice guy. It was a great way to escape the Sunday hubbub at the City Walk, you know? So yes - thumbs up from me!
(4)Matt S.
One Liner: One of the better places to eat at CityWalk with great beer and good food, but don't expect to be amazed. Upstairs at City Walk which gives you a chance to get away from the army of tourists. The beer here really gives the place its character. There are all kinds to choose from listed from darkest to lightest and each one is delightful in its one hoppy-induced way. Service was decent. The waitress was nice, but not really friendly. Asked her how she liked the food and a few things and she kinda sounded a little unenthusiastic. I don't blame her though. It was a Sunday night and I'm sure it wasn't the beginning of her day. She was attentive and did not make mistakes. That definitely gets you out of the starting gate on a good foot. Anyway, service wasn't bad at all so I'm not really going to write about it anymore. On to the grub. I had the porkchops with mashed potatoes and my other two friends ate a burger each. I highly suggest pairing a good beer with whatever you get. It will really bring the food there to a nice smooth melody. The porkchops were very good and everything was cooked well. It being a franchise and all, I didn't feel like it was a chef inspired creation. I tried the burgers and they were above average compared to other burgers. Can't go wrong with beer and beef. Overall, I would definitely go back again especially since Universal Pass Holders get 10% off. Score! Next time you're at City Walk, Karl Strauss is definitely worth a gander.
(4)John K.
My wife and I eat at Karl Strauss every Thursday night. Their buffalo wings are AMAZING and we always have to order them. We also trade off on a weekly basis who gets to order the Piggy Bank Mac N Cheese entrée. We both enjoy it but we always want to order something else a little different to share. The reason we've chosen Thursday night as out Karl Strauss date night is because every Thursday is cask night. It's typically one of their standard brews with an occasional alteration. If I don't particularly enjoy the cask special I usually order a Wreck Alley. Nevertheless, I always get to enjoy a great beverage.
(5)Ja I.
Had some trouble on our previous visit but on our second visit it was spectacular. Food was delicious, staff was very attentive. Would definitely recommend to friends and family. Food was excellent, cooked to perfection and our waiter kept recommending the best pairing beer for our meal. Excellent service.
(5)Rachel G.
The Black Belt BBQ burger was mediocre, but the Windansea Wheat Hefeweizen.. OMG! Probably one of my new favorite beers! Definitely a beer you have to check out if you like beers like Blue Moon and Hoegaarden! :D The 4 stars is only for the beers and ambience! My friend and I sat outside on the patio overlooking the Citywalk! Beautiful at night! (:
(4)Bryce U.
Love Karl Strauss brewery. Great selection of their own draft beers. Stopped by this location after taking a little break from Universal Studios to grab some food and a couple beers. I started out with the Off The Rails Imperial Red Ale. It was very robust, tons of flavor as expected from a red, but it had a much stronger finish and great after taste. A bit too much flavor to drink a whole 22oz bomber but nonetheless delicious. After that I switched to the Tower 20 Double IPA. Now we're talking! I picked this cause I love IPAs but the grapefruit addition to this one inticed me. It was delicious, very strong as well coming in at 9.5% abv. It didn't taste overly strong though for how high of a content it was. The citrus/grapefruit tastes were amazing and I can definitely say this is one of my new favorite beers. As far as food I went with the Piri Piri Wings. They were alright, good portion size, but at $10.95 a bit pricey (maybe that's just because it's right outside universal studios). The sipping sauce that came with them was delicious, almost like a tangy vinegar sauce. Our bartender was very friendly and talkative, she acted or was genuinely interested in our day and our mini-vacation we were on. Overall a great dining and drinking experience, definitely will keep my eye out for the Tower 20 IIPA in the future!
(4)Tina-Marie L.
Food, ambiance, and drink... 5 stars. Odd mishap with their restroom facilities drops it a star. (We'll get to that later.) Going out with the favorite marrieds to City Walk we decided to try Karl Strauss for dinner before heading out to party at Saddle Ranch. Wait time on a Saturday night about 8:30 was pretty minimal, less than 10 minutes. We sat outside since it had a nice view and the heaters were on so it wasn't that chilly out there. We all decided to have their Woodie Gold beer which was really good because they ran out of Hef. It was light, crisp, but at the same time had a spiciness to it. After ordering our drinks, us ladies went to the restroom to wash our hands. Well, we walk in and there is a huge steak knife right there in between the two sinks. REALLY, REALLY odd. Was somebody planning on shanking a bitch in the restroom? Who knows. Well, as we walk out, I tell the closest staff about the knife in the women's restroom. He looks a little freaked out and says, "Thank you for letting me know. I'll get someone to take care of that." As we walk back to our table, and I feel great for saving some unknown woman, we pass a table of people eating the Top Sirloin and it looks so good that I know that THAT is what I am having for dinner. Getting back to the table, our waiter was bringing us our beer. The boys had decided to get the Fish and Chips and the Beer-Brined Pork Chops. My girlfriend wanted Fish and Chips as well. The wait for our food didn't seem too bad because we had Howl at the Moon across the way and the Conga Room and pretty much just were able to sit and people-watch. When our food arrived, it was awesome! My Top Sirloin... media1.px.yelpcdn.com/bp… The mashed potatoes were great and the veggies had a little crispiness to them, which I love. The steak itself was cooked perfectly and melted in my mouth. Hubby's Fish and Chips... media1.px.yelpcdn.com/bp… He loved them and I tried it and really liked it as well. Which is saying a lot because I am not a fish person. Our friend really liked her F &C plate too. Our compadre ordered the Beer-Brined Pork Chops... media1.px.yelpcdn.com/bp… When asked how it was he could say only one word... "Bangin'!" Right before we left, us ladies had to visit the facilities... OF COURSE. Well, we walk in and what do we see? That darn steak knife! Hmmmmph!
(4)Emily B.
I've eaten here twice now and both times I leave absolutely shocked at how good the food is! I always walk in expecting for the food to be on par with BJs--tasteless and greasy, but both plates that have been put in front of me have been outstanding. If you go in and just order a burger, sure, it's not going to compare to Father's Office or Rustic Canyon or other famous LA burgers, but I think you'll be surprised at how non-terrible the rest of the menu is. The first time I came I had a French Dip and, let me tell you, this was the last place I expected to have one of the best French Dip Sandwiches of my life. The bread is the part that makes or breaks a French Dip for me and this bread absolutely made this sandwich. It was the perfect crunchy yet soft texture and had a delicious yeasty flavor. The meat was tender and just the right amount of rare, and of course the horseradish is vital. Last night I had the Pescado Poblano, a filet of sole coated in bread crumbs and covered in poblano cream sauce. I got this only because I guess the French Dip is on a seasonal menu and wasn't available and I expected the fish to be mediocre at best (I just wasn't in the mood for a burger). Much to my astonishment, this was some of the most perfectly cooked fish I have had the pleasure of eating. Sure the sauce was a bit overly salty (the good spicy kick to it helped me ignore the salt), but I didn't really care because the fish itself was so tender. The Red Trolley BBQ boneless wings were also a nice departure from the standard "brewery" mediocre wings. Instead of chicken made up mostly of fried outer coating, these were meaty and juicy with an outstanding bbq sauce on them. When I happen to be at CityWalk (99% of the time it's with someone from out of town), this will forever be my go to choice for dining. Don't be fooled into thinking that it's along the same overpriced crappy lines as Bucca di Beppo and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
(4)Mithra Marie B.
Came here for my 6 year anniversary... My boyfriend got the brick chicken. The mango salsa and chicken were really good. However, the beans and rice on the dish were terrible. The rice was undercooked and lacked MAJOR flavor. The black beans were pretty much liquid, and again.. Would a little salt help?! I got the chicken pesto pasta... I had to add salt to my dish because again it was very bland.. Pasta could have used an extra 3 min cooking cause the center was still a tad bit hard. You also couldn't really taste the arugula pesto... The appetizers on the other hand were pretty bomb! We for the spinach and artichoke dip and the chili lime fries! They were both delicious, we finished both dishes! Would I come back again? Probably not... But then again I do live 60 miles away and came to Check it out to be spontaneous for our anniversary. But you know...
(3)Reyna S.
I really wish I could give this place no stars but I don't have that choice so 1 will have to do. My husband and I came here for dinner and were looking forward to our date night! I ordered the bbq burger and my husband the steak and mash potatoes. We both love Mac and cheese so we ordered it to share before our meal. When the Mac and cheese came we thought it was yummy! Then mid way through enjoying the Mac and cheese I bite down on something and it's hard! And I mean HARD like a rock! I spit out all the food in my mouth and I see a wire type metal rode!!! OMG I was so shocked never in my life had I had this type of experience at a restaurant ever! We told the waiter and he apologized and then the manger came to our table and all he offered us was that he would comp our Mac and cheese. Really?!? Comp the Mac and cheese?! What a joke! My burger came I had two bites and I couldn't eat it. I was in fear of finding something else in my food. So please beware when you come to this place, if they fuck up all they will do is comp one item!! This place sucks!
(1)Rex L.
Decent brewery/restaurant with good beer and food. Came here after trying out iFly for a school outing. Their short coming was service. The place was pretty empty but for some reason we still had to wait to get seated. The waitress made herself scarce the entire time we were there. Had to get up and hunt her down to get the check.
(2)Sarah A.
So my boyfriend and I bought some combo tix to see Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie and get into the Halloween Horror Nights. We were looking around online to see where we would eat before the show. My boyfriend came across Karl Strauss AMB and we decided based on the menu and the specials to check it out. I am so glad we did. On Thursdays, they have this special beer tasting from 4 to whenever the select beers run out and each beer is $3.50. That was the main reason we went. We got there before the rush and got an excellent booth looking out over the walkway. My boyfriend was more stoked about the beer than I was because I don't drink. That said, they had some incredibly tasty craft beers. Since we had scoped out the menu before, we had an idea of what we wanted to order. I went with the Beef Dip sans horseradish cream (I just don't like horseradish) and my boyfriend ordered the Big Beer Burger. I'll be honest, the Beef Dip wasn't all that great. Maybe the horseradish cream would have made it better, but it was very average and plain. The beef was delicious and the beer au jous was some of the best ever. The Big Beer Burger, however, raised the bar on what a good burger should be. Nearly every component had been soaked in a different type of beer and everything came together to make your tastebuds happily high long after the food is gone. It is just incredible and I heartily recommend it. It IS big, unlike a lot of burgers that claim the same title. My boyfriend, who isn't quite the image of an Abercrombie model and can eat a fair amount of food couldn't even finish it - he didn't even touch the fries (which, the plain ones are pretty bleh too. The parmesan garlic fries smelled incredible. Our waitress was very sweet and was the best waitress - not too clingy but always there when we needed something. Even the general manager, Ken came by all the tables and chatted with us for a while. I've eaten in a lot of places, but I've never had the manager treat us like we were important enough to see how we were doing (maybe it's just us). Since we were also celebrating my birthday, they gave me a very delicious sundae and a Karl Strauss pint glass (which I thought was awesome because my boyfriend and I collect beer glassware) I would totally recommend coming here. We are definitely coming here when we come back for the Halloween Horror Nights. The food was great, the service and hospitality can't be beat, and the atmosphere is wonderful.
(5)Dominique S.
a little overpriced but the Heff and Stinky Fries make up for it.
(3)Maria C.
pretty good beer (had the banana-y hef), selection was ok, and appetizers were decent. i fell off the stool somehow and they were nice to me! thanks.
(3)AKA A.
It's about a 3.5 but gave them a 4 for great service!!!
(4)Stuart M.
Pretty good selection of micro brews - the sampler is a good intro. Excellent burgers - beef and turkey. The best sweet potato fries on the west coast! Server was ultra-friendly - really knew the food and beer. It was a week-day afternoon so no problem with seating or parking. Not sure if I'd try City Walk on a weekend.
(4)Cat T.
I'm sure I should be saying something about the beer. But I only had one sip of the Red Trolley and it was gross... cuz... to me... it tasted like BEER... ick... was I surprised it tasted like beer? Why do I keep taking that dreaded sip. Had the ginger salmon in firecracker sauce. It was a very interested combination I must say. There was a bed of spinach on a bed of brocolli with the salmon on top and a slice of avocado on top of that. Interesting... The most cracky thing about that firecracker sauce was that um... well nothing... it was terriyaki sauce with some black sesame seeds in it... Asked the server for some jalapenos which he brought out a teeny cup of roasted ones and charges us a dollar for it. Lame. But it was a good and healthy (ish) meal I would say.
(4)Caitlyn L.
The best beer I have ever had was their 21st Anniversary Ale. The service was amazing and the food was excellent. The atmosphere is hip, laid back, and just all around awesome. If you are in Universal City Walk I highly recommend it. Oh, and get your fries Cajun style ;-)
(5)Tracy S.
Came here the night of a concert at Universal Ampitheater. We weren't part of that crowd but certainly fell victim to the influx of the clientele. Reservation wait time was promised at no more than 20 minutes. That soon became 40 minutes with a bunch of irrational excuses lined up. Ordered crabcakes that came 20 minutes later, cold in the middle and five minutes before our entrees. I was so hungry I ate the cold crabcakes and dealt with it. I agree with another reviewer here that nine dollars is a high price for a mediocore burger served on a stale bun and forget the cheese burger. I could barely locate the cheese or taste it. On the up swing the garlic-parmesean fries has manage to keep the vampires away.
(3)Ryan H.
My girlfriend and I stopped here on the way out of Universal Studios. I only wanted a snack, so I got the boneless buffalo wings, which were pretty good, but the real reason to go to Karl Strauss is for the beer. We shared the Taster 6, which is a sampling of 6 different beers. Ours included the Woodie Gold, the Windansea Wheat Hefeweizen, the Amber Lager, the Red Trolley Ale, the Tower 10 IPA and the Endless Summer Light. All 6 were quite good, especially the Red Trolley, which was a great, well balanced red. A great spot for bar food and good beer after a long day at the park.
(4)Jennifer C.
I was very disappointed in the portion sizes. My friend order a large mixed salad. It cost $7.50 and much larger than the Mediterranean Salad I order, which cost $9.50. His was in a bowl, mine on a flat plate. I asked the waitress if mine was small and she said no, that is the size of your salad. Please think twice before ordering any of the salads here.
(1)Natalie A.
For my boyfriend's birthday, I got us tickets to a show at Gibson Amphitheatre on Saturday 11/06/10. We showed up to CityWalk early, with time to grab dinner and drinks first. After considering our dining options, we decided to try Karl Strauss. They told us it would be a 20-minute wait, but they called us in only 5 minutes. We were seated at a high-top table in the bar. The place was packed and bustling, but we were served pretty quickly. I ordered the beer-battered fish and chips, and the BF had the No Frills cheeseburger. We both opted for the garlic-parmesan fries. So much food! The plates were huge, and they were piled with food. We could have just ordered one dinner and shared it. The 1/3-lb. burger was so big, he had to cut it in half to be able to eat it comfortably. And he said it was cooked just right, not a big ol' dry meatball, but meaty and juicy and done right. The six fish filets were big and crusted in a light, crisp coating, served atop a large bed of fries. The fish was flakey and delicious. I didn't care for the coleslaw that came on the side. I normally like coleslaw, but this one had a weird flavor I could not identify. The fries were shoestring-style, with a generous topping of freshly grated parmesan, LOTS of garlic and parsley sprinkled on top. The cheese was all melty -- it was like cheese fries. Yum. I could only eat half of my dinner, so I took the rest to-go. It made for a tasty midnight munchie for us later, reheated in a warm oven at home. Our server, who was also a bartender, was attentive and friendly. She even brought us out a couple of rounds of free beer samples so we could try their some of their specialty brews. Also, the manager came out to check on us to make sure that we were enjoying our dinner. The atmosphere was a little noisy for us to talk comfortably, but if we wanted intimate we should've just dined somewhere near home. This was a Saturday night after all, and we were sitting in a bar, and at CityWalk. All in all, we left with a favorable impression of this restaurant. The food was satisfying and delicious, and it was a good value: Our total bill was $46, not bad considering the portion sizes of the two large entrees (plus the midnight snack later), a round of potent rum and cokes, the bonus free beer samples, and fast, courteous service. I don't see why we wouldn't go back the next time we are at CityWalk. Thank you, Karl Strauss. I'm going to be thinking about those garlic-parmesan fries for a long time. Yum ..........
(4)Ami T.
Nice atmosphere. Cozy. Try the Red Trolley Beer. The garlic fries are good and its huge! too huge. Good food. Nice people. Away from the hustle bustle of the huge crowd below
(4)Matthew F.
This is about one of the only oasis of safety in the City Walk. Its on the second floor, so that helps it out considerably, tourists that have to walk stairs prefer ground floor feeding troughs. What makes this place is the staff. The bartender was pretty cool, and the brewmaster is pretty cool too. We happened to be the first customers of the day, when we were there, so we chatted with everyone. Menu is decent, and the food is respectable, portion sizes are a little big and perfect for that whale gut that most tourists have. Can't give it 4 stars due to its location.... sorry Karl Strauss. Staff is what earned the three, if not for them, would have given them two.
(3)Ida C.
This place is good I've never sat inside it looks to small and more family style and I've never been there with a group larger than 4 and I enjoy sitting outside there is a nice view of everything and they have heat lamps to keep me nice and warm. The beer here is good I had the light beer I forget what it's called. I have eaten here a few times never the samething twice the food is pretty good the mac n cheese is nothing special and i probably wouldn't recommend it but I will recommend the salad that came with it I was mixed greens and walnuts and raspberry dressing it was good. Another time I had a burger i think it was a cajun chicken burger of some sort but that was the best. and the last time we went we had just appetizers the buffalo chicken strips we excellent and the fries never disappoint except when there parmesean then there terrible. and we had the ahi tuna and wonton chips with avacodo and they were really good. I have always had delightful time here.
(4)JenZac T.
Did Universal Studios always closed their park at 6pm? Hmmm... Zac & I strolled down the whole CityWalk to see what our options were for dinner. Nothing caught our eyes except for Karl Strauss as the other choices are big chain restaurants easily found back at home. Also, how can you pass up on the opportunity to sample some potentially good beer? We sat outside and people watched while we chugged and sipped away. Zac got to sample several of their beer on tap and did not hear of any complaints from him. I, on the other hand, felt like having a Cadillac margarita on the rocks. OK, I had two ;0)... Couldn't pass up on the Ahi Poke appetizer, which was excellent for the price of about 10 bucks. We both did not let that sit too long under the starlit ceiling. Zac had the Top Sirloin, while I had the Lemon Hef Chicken. For the price and atmosphere, this meal was unbeatable by any of the other restaurants in the vicinity...Will most likely visit again if in the area!
(4)Ezet M.
Went their for a date night with my husband. Friendly staff. Mickey at the bar was great!!!!!!!!!!! My margarita(not beer) lol was nice and strong. My husband had 2 different beers and he liked one over the other. Oh well. The ginger crusted salmon was the most AMAZING fish I have ever had. My husband had steak and he liked it. We also had Beeramisu for desert and it sooooooo hit the spot. Definetly will bring our friends here for a night out. MICKEY ure the best!!!!!! Keep up the good work!
(4)Sonnie L.
Whenever i'm at Universal I like to stop in for their Red Trolley Beer. They have the best hummus for happy hour that I've ever had. Burgers and fries are good. It's fun to eat on the balcony and people watch.
(4)Laura R.
I love this place! Our bartender was so awesome and down to earth. We had questions and he answered our questions and gave us good food recommendations! The food was delish! We're definitely coming back soon!
(5)samantha s.
So, I don't get the hype... We (the boyfriend, a friend, and myself) were lured by a very flattering guy at a random table at the foot of the steps. He schmoozed my lush (the natural soap store) friend by recognizing her lotion scent. Then he schmoozed me with the idea of great beer for 4$. So, up the stairs we went. We met the hostess, who we told "WE'RE HERE FOR HAPPY HOUR! The guy down stairs said beers were 4$!" We were promptly seated with a good people-watching view on the balcony. I was regretfully informed they had no dark stout type beer. Bummer number 1, I don't like light beer. Oh well, I ordered a red, the friend a heff, and the bf sweet potato fries. All off the happy hour menu(some of you see where I'm going already). The beer was not good! Granted I'm a dark-beer-kinda-girl, I still can taste quality. It tasted cheap! Bj's and Lazy Dog blow this place out of the water. The sweet potato fries were flavorless, hell, they need to take a tip from El Pollo Loco. We also got charged full price. Asked the waitress.what's the deal? She was able to give us the beers for happy hour but charged us full price for the fries. Granted it wasn't much more, the attitude she gave us was uncalled for. She said "actually happy hour is over and I had to just talk with my manager to give you the beers", with condescending tone and matter-of-fact smirk. Well, when we arrived, we all told you we were here for happy hour and the guy down stairs told is it was happy hour. Not to mention, you handed us all happy hour menus. I mean sheesh woman, you had plenty of opportunities to tell us it was over. So, service was disappointing as was the food and beer. Will not be visiting again.
(1)Jennifer N.
I can't review the food because our food never came. We decided to eat here because of the happy hour menu. Well, we ordered some beer & a burger, which I was really looking forward to eating. After waiting probably more than 30 mins, we asked our waiter if the food was coming soon, his response was "you had the nachos, right?" WRONG. We ordered a burger, then I saw him frantically typing something into their computer, but he never came over & said anything. My suspicions were correct when we stopped a food runner and asked her about it. She said our waiter just put the order in about a minute ago. So, then we just asked for the bill. When the bill came, the burger was on there. Long story short, we got free beer and walked out frustrated.
(1)Tiffany G.
Delicious food, great beer, friendly service, big restaurant, cool location on the second floor. (yay! people watching from the balcony while I eat) Definitely one of the better places to eat on city walk!!
(5)B c.
Awful!!! After not seeing a waiter for 20 min we finally had to ask the seater for water and drinks. The wattress came 10 minutes later to take our drink order and apoligized that she was the only person working (it was 5:30pm on Saturday). After another 15 min. we recieved half our drinks. Another 15 min past and we went to the bar to get the rest of the drinks. 3 of our 8 meals came out after another 20 min. Then 2 more meals came out 10 min later. The final food (2 salads & 1 appertizer) came another 15 min later after we asked about them twice. The chicken salads had barely a 1/4 breast of meat in them. The other food ok. I would never recommend this place!
(1)Denise E.
great beer, great waitress, great food, great night
(5)Scott A.
What a terrible brewhouse/restaurant. It's been such a long time since I've been here, but when I saw it on yelp I just wanted to warn everyone NOT to go there! The food was terrible and the service was terrible! Probably the worst restaurant at Citywalk.
(2)M and M.
Good place to go on the way to a concert at the Gibson. The food is hit or miss. The nachos hit. Everything else missed (we had mac and cheese and salad too). Very slow service but decent atmosphere. Would stop in for those nachos again but skip the rest.
(3)Kristopher C.
great beer selection as always. decent happy hour, quaint little patio that gets hot in the afternoons. great location/ smack dab in the middle of city walk. host was very assertive, but the servers were kinda non existent for the most part. garlic fries and beer
(3)Macaela J.
If I could give this place a zero I would. There seems to be a consitent trend among all the reviews. Number one being bad service and number two being SLOW or no food service. Just so you know, I am a server as well, so the details matter just as it should to everyone. This was our night: 3:30 Arrive at hostess stand 3:35 Seated at a table that had not been set and was still damp 3:45 Someone finally makes an apperance at our table takes a beer and starter/appetizer order 3:55 App. Came and began to eat Yummy.. So far so good. . Here's where it goes bad 4:00 App. done... No server to take our main order. . However our server is taking the order of a group behind us that JUST sat down.. they recieve there drinks and her attention in the next 5 minutes. 4:05 I make eye contact and flag someone over 4:15 No food 4:20 Boyfriend goes to the Broom.. Still No food 4:30 Noo food and now the table behind us is starting to look at desserts and the manager and server had been there to chat with them.. and no one has talked to us since... 4:00 4:40.. Our food finally comes.. and it was WRONG. I asked for fries instead of cole slaw and the runner looks at me and says ' oh yeah, I think I do remember seeing that.. I'll just bring you some fries' 4:42 I wave over the manager and tell him that it took over a half an hour for our food and it was wrong! He looked concerned and said "sure. let me look into that" 4:45 She brings the fries, then our server comes over and says " Oh sorry about the wait guys, I kept trying to tell 'em" and walks off. Then We eat. The manager comes by and tells us he comped our appetizer. . And we thank him. Then the server comes over and says " Oh! I got my manager to comp. you appetizer" trying to redeem herself. We get our check.. and she runs my boyfriends card. AS HE IS SIGNING THE CHECK... she comes to our table not to apollogize again but only to say " Again guys, I have no control over the kitchen sorry about the wait." Ok, now my Bf and I are pissed at this whole situation because 1. Our server barely acknowledges us and only tries to please us when she knows that is is going to affect her tip and 2. The food was just OK. All in all, We will not go back here. . and def. not reccomend this to anyone.
(1)Dave D.
Only got stars for the service. Everything tasted like it came from the freezer and was deep fried.
(2)Imelda M.
So I haven't been to LA in about 8 years and I forgot how much I enjoy going to Universal Studios' City Walk! We were hungry and thirsty and a brewery is always the answer in my mind. The weather was great so we sat outside. Good people watching perspective since it's on the second floor on one end of the upstairs food court and had outdoor terrace seating. Food was tasty, we ordered the bbq turkey burger with cajun fries (nice and a bit spicy) and the steak burger with mushrooms. All was served promptly and hot. Service was attentive. Never had their beer before and it was well worth the visit. My friend and I love beer and microbreweries and really enjoyed the Windansea Wheat and the Strausstout. They really hit the spot! Beers were pretty expensive tho at about $6.50 or more a 22 oz. So the bill for two burgers and 2-3 beers came to about $60. That's a bit much for burgers and beer...
(4)Dennis T.
The only reason I would be at city walk is for Karl Strauss. They're food is f-n fantastic, especially the bbq chicken salad. By far the highlight of this place is obviously the beer. I LOVE the downtown after dark and the red trolley. If you are as big a beer fan as me, try those two beers out!
(4)Noelle B.
I left this establishment wondering what the difference was between no service and bad service. It seems that I am only compelled to "yelp" when I really had a great experience or if I really had a horrible experience. Unfortunately, this was the latter. So, me and a group of 4 friends went here prior to seeing a movie. We only had one hour to eat and this place was the only place that didn't have a line (that should have been my first clue). We approached the hostess desk and asked how long the wait would be, she said they were clearing and resetting three tables right now so it would only be a moment. There was one other party waiting and they sat them immediately. Then, the hostess vanished. We waited for about 5 minutes. The hostess then reappeared but didn't acknowledge us. I approached her and asked if our table was ready, I explained that we were trying to catch a movie. She looked at me surprised as if she had forgotten all about us and said "oh yeah". We followed her to our table, she gave us menus and was off. So we all start looking at the menu and made our selections. After 10 minutes, no one had yet approached our table. After 5 more minutes, I got up and asked the hostess if she could send someone to our table. I again stated that we were trying to catch a movie. She acted surprised that no one had helped us yet and assured me that someone would be over. I sat back down. 5 more minutes, no server. I then got up and approached a server that was entering an order into their computer and asked her if she knew who our server was.... I explained again that I wasn't trying to be obnoxious, but that we had been waiting for 20 minutes and no one has been to our table to help us. She also assured me that someone would be right over. And lo and behold, someone showed up. We told her we were ready with our entire order, she took it and was off. Now, we hoped that we were on the right track and I was looking forward to drinking my nice cold beer. But alas, 10 minutes went by and no drinks. At this point, we had been at this restaurant for over a half an hour and we had no drinks and no silverware/napkins on our table. I found this last point interesting seeing that they kept us waiting out front while the re-set the table -- but then it wasn't set? So, I again rose from the table and went in search of our drinks, I saw them sitting at the bar service station. I didn't see "our" waitress, but went to the hostess again. When I had no luck with her, I went to another server. I gave a brief rundown that we had been waiting, we are trying to catch a movie....and could someone, anyone please bring us our drinks. Our waitress then finally arrives with the drinks. One of my friends ordered a blended margarita and it came on the rocks. When she brought this to the servers attention, the server said "Oh, we don't have a blender". Now, there are two interesting aspects to this response, the first being, how does a large chain restaurant with a full bar not have a blender? The second is , if they didn't have a blender, wouldn't it have been a good idea for the waitress to tell my friend that when she ORDERED the drink? Unconcerned, the waitress , again disappears. Now, as you can imagine, it's getting close to the time of our movie and still no food. One person in our party ordered a desert, as he was not that hungry. His desert arrived, but nothing else. Not even a spoon to eat it with. He asked the food runner if he could get 5 spoons so that we could all have some. The runner said sure, and disappeared. Guess what? No spoons came... surprise, surprise. At this point, we had all had enough and with no time left to eat, had no choice left but to cancel our order. I rose, again, and approached the server who was standing at the computer (not our server, but it seems to be the only place I can track down an employee). I told her that I didn't know where my waitress was but we had to cancel our order. I told her we had been waiting forever but now had to leave. Our waitress then shows up at our table surprised that we want to cancel our order. When we told her that we had been waiting and that we were trying to catch a movie, she has the audacity to respond with "Did you tell anyone that you were trying to catch a movie?" I don't know, I think we told half of the staff! I replied that yes I had - we had told the hostess upon our arrival and in addition I had gotten up numerous times to inform people. I mean, how hard am I supposed to work when I go out to dinner? I went on to say that even if we had nowhere to go, the amount of time we waited to be approached and waited for our drinks was inexcusable. I then pointed to my friend sitting there with his bread pudding with no way to eat it and told her that we couldn't even get utensils when we asked. I have to stop, yelp has a word limit, but I'm sure you get the point. Don't go here, they just don't care!
(1)Van K.
In January, my bf and I were in down south for the Conan O'Brien show and wanted to go to the City Walk in Universal City after. We came upon this restaurant because it was the only one that had decent ratings. We wanted the outdoor seating with the view of the city walk, but the host made us wait 15mins. There were a lot of tables available and didn't see why they couldn't seat us right away. The host wasn't very welcoming because she had that stuck up attitude. Anyway, they finally seated us and we were looking over the menu. There wasn't much to choose from so i got the macaroni and cheese and my bf got the avocado turkey burger. They do their own brewery here, but we didn't order any. One of our order came with salad and it was really good. The food came out fast, about 7-10mins. The macaroni was creamy and cheesy! The turkey burger was surprisingly good too! The price was reasonable and the server was okay. He took long to get our drinks, to go boxes and check. Overall, this place was good/decent, but wasn't as exciting and memorable.
(3)Tommy T.
Big portions of decent food, in a lively environment, with friendly service. Expect the kind of food you'd find at a Yard House, Fridays, etc. (with similar prices). Good place to go before a show at the Gibson Amphitheatre, as they take reservations.
(3)Adam B.
I don't like going to CityWalk but if I do, this is the place to go. First off, they got WiFi and being a web design guru, that's an important feature. I started a meeting at CityWalk at a Japanese place and ended up here so we could look at sites. Second, the beers are great but what would you expect from one of the best beer cities in the country in San Diego? Food was pretty good too. Not as good as Biersch but pretty good. If they ever open a location where you don't have to pay to park, I'd be there.
(4)bren f.
Disappointing Experience. My boyfriend and I live about an hour away and decided to have dinner at City Walk. We walked around to build up an appetite, we flipped a coin between restaurants and ended up at Karl Strauss..what a bad choice. We were seated at 9 pm in the patio. Wasn't busy at all. Our waitress took a VERY long time to take our food order. She finally came and jotted down our choices. (Steak and a Sandwich) We waited for a half hour and nothing, then when 10:45pm came around she asked how everything is going with our bill in our hand, we asked how much longer our food will take and she was clueless as to what we were talking about! She said "oh, you didn't get your salad?" UM we never ordered a salad!?!?... She dropped our bill off for our beer. I didn't want to pay a $20 bill for our drinks since we had only sipped on them as we waited for our meal and they were half full, and we were going to have to find somewhere else to eat. I tried to walk into the restaurant to ask a manager if he/she could do something about it, but our waitress blocked me and asked "what's up?". I told her how I felt, and she gave us an attitude and complained how she will have to just pay it from her own pocket. I called the manager the following day and he apologized, asked for my address..promised us a free meal to be sent in the mail..but never sent anything! Next time, we'll choose another restaurant at City Walk.. Slow service, dumb waitresses and lies.
(1)Andrew M.
great bear great food servers were helpful piking a beer for me
(4)hans h.
great staff, awsome foods, love the seared tuna salad, tuna tartar, mini fish tacos, garlic fries are killer, and well...enjoy
(5)S K.
we came here for happy hour for $3.50 beer and discounted appetizers. we love breweries but karl strauss was def. not one of our favorites. we ended up not finishing our beers and left unsatisfied.
(2)anna d.
amazing!!! i was not a beer lover until i tried a taster at this restaurant!!! all of their beers are good... my husband and i took a tasting class with them... this place is made for true beer lovers. i can only find their beers bottled and sold in a vons pavillion near my area... remember to drink your beer warm... beers that are served cold (like coors, etc) are done so because it masks the chemical taste of their beer!!!
(5)Alana M.
Great for happy hour! I came here after Universal studios for a late lunch. It was practically empty on a Monday at 3pm. The waitress told us that it was happy hour so beers on tap were $4 and they had appetizers for $5. They have a large selection of beers. Probably 8 or 9 are on tap. I ordered the red trolly which I always love. We also ordered boneless buffalo wings and spinach dip. Buffalo wings were super delicious. The sauce they put on them is delicious. 5 stars for those. Spinach dip was just okay. I'd give it 3 stars. We really came at the perfect time since eating at universal can be pricey otherwise.
(4)Melvin E.
One of my favorite restaurants to visit on my trip to CityWalk. Not only do they serve good food, but they serve good, and tasty beer that they brew. This place is located right in the heart of CityWalk right above the Camacho's Cantina restaurant. I like to come here and hang out with a couple buddies, sit right up in the bar and enjoy some good drinks. They have TV's so you can watch a game. The friendly staff are usually quick to take your order. They also have an outside patio for you to eat and enjoy some good scenery. If you're into great food, great beers/IPA's, and a great service, then this is your spot to come and visit!
(5)Denise V.
If you're a tourist and you don't particularly care about food, then yes, come and be merry. Our waiter kept not hearing us and laughing it off so I never got my food boxed, and the appetizer was put in late...just shouldn't have come here.
(2)Alexis P.
The staff was friendly. Tasted a few samples of their brews. Only had appetizers this time. The asada Fries and Brussels Sprouts with balsamic was bomb. Will try their mac n cheese next time.
(5)Simone S.
Came here with my boyfriend on a warm Sunday evening. The servers are very attentive and give you samples of the beers to try. The roasted Brussel sprouts & the Asada fries are good.
(5)Valentina L.
This is a newer little spot since I used to go to Citywalk EVERY weekend (bought annual). It was fun to sit high up above on the heat lmaped patin and look down at the Colors of Benetton madness! It is SERIOUSLY SENSORY OVERLOAD down below, bands, water splashing, vendors, live singers, etc. not to mention people just randomly stopping in front of you, so you slam into them while walking-HATE THAT! The prices were a little on the steep side, but for those IPA and microbrew fans, this place may very well be your dream. With a special beer rated at 10% alcohol content! It's fun, it's busy, and the waitresses are attention and well versed in finding you the beer of your choice and suggesting for you. Would I go there again? Yes, probably!
(4)Eric R.
Most of the food is really good, try the Asada Fries, Kung Pao Lettuce Wraps or the Farmhouse Burger. Staff is awesome and friendly. Food is served quickly. Only thing is...for the love of God...please...do not order the Mosaic Chicken!! It should not be on their menu. It is the worst garbaj ever served.
(4)Allie R.
I seriously do not get how this place has three and a half stars! I usually do not take the time to write yelp reviews, but I find it completely shocking that they aren't at 5 stars. From the moment we walked in the door, the whole staff was very friendly. They asked us if we had been there before, and I had, but my friend hadn't. Our waiter, Matthew was very nice and super attentive. We happened to be there on a Thursday and it was Cask Night. Because we told them that it was our friend's first time eating there, they let her tap the task. It was a very fun and neat idea. Their food is absolutely amazing every time I have gone, and they definitely didn't disappoint this time and of course I can't go without mentioning how amazing their beer is.
(5)Kendal W.
Came here last night and I was not impressed. They have a big selection of their own private beers which I thought was pretty cool until I sampled about four of them. They were awful! The waitress kept bringing me samples that she thought I would like but they were horrible. To make matters worse they didn't have brand name beers or cocktails. It was just their sucky beer. Never again. Sticking to Yardhouse.
(1)Lorilynn L.
Their service is amazing. My boyfriend got the pork chops and they were absolutely delicious. The beer had a lot of different notes of flavor. I really enjoyed the ahi poke as an appetizer. The Mosaic Chicken was okay to me. There was a lot of oil on the vegetables, so I didn't really find it enjoyable. But, otherwise, everything was fantastic!
(5)David G.
OMG - I just had THE BEST STEAK SALAD of my life at Karl Strauss Brewing Company this afternoon!! Was looking for some healthy(ish) lunchtime options and the manager recommended the $13 tabouli and melon salad (spring mix, goat cheese, melon, strawberries, almonds, tabouli with cucumbers, onion, mint, raspberry-hazelnut vinaigrette), with flat iron steak added for an additional $8.50. Wow, wow, wow - my taste buds are still in heaven!! Can't wait to return!
(5)Big will P.
The humus is to die for pair that with a pitcher of the Big Barrel IPA your in heaven. For those daring people try the Farmhouse Burger with a fried egg and piece of pork belly and 100% beef patty , your taste buds will explode with joy. Also they have the best buffalo wings, they are delightful and nicely spiced , trust me Karl Strauss is the best San Diego style brew houses out there.
(5)Johnny V.
Daniel b was the best bartender I have ever came across service great food and service
(5)Joi S.
3.5 stars rounded up. After a long day at Universal Studios, my little princess wanted to eat here. The patio has a great view of city walk. Its upstairs right before the main entrance. The service was just okay, a bit slow but our waitress was very nice. The portions of the food made up for the service. We ordered the shrimp PO boy, chicken with mango salsa, tomato bisque and my little one had the kids pasta. The PO boy was packed with big shrimp and had a bit of a Cajun flavor too it. The mango chicken was delicious. The salsa on top was fresh. My daughters pasta was dry and band though. We asked for extra sauce but it didn't make much of a difference. I don't know why most places that have kid menus aren't so great. Sometimes its just better for the kids to order off the regular menu and take home the leftovers. I really enjoyed the soup the most. It was hot and fresh and not to thin. I hate when soups are too thin or too thick, they have to be just right for me. Would i return? yea probably, but there are lots of other choices on city walk as well to have dinner. I heard the happy hour here is good so ill come for that next time.
(4)Joe E.
Wow. Who knew that eating at a brewery would be something you have to save up for. Felt like it should have been an anniversary dinner or a special event. 13 dollar turkey bacon sandwich. Please take off the sun dried tomatoes, it overpowers the whole sandwich. 17 dollar mac & cheese. We've had quite a bit around LA. You can get a lot better for less. The best thing we ate was the chicken fingers off my son's kid's menu. Looked like house made ranch, delicious. I'm not kidding. They're good. The waitress was nice and kept checking in. I guess when you rent a big place on Universal City Walk, it gets expensive. Have to make up the cost somehow. Luckily, we had a 50 dollar gift card and only had to pay an extra 25 for our lunch. P.s. Most of your beer sucks.
(2)Benjamin B.
After stopping and strolling through city walk, we wanted a place with beer and cold sandwiches (post Coachella). We ordered some morning mimosas followed by some very good triple IPA. We were also given some free testers and our waiter was just top notch. Maybe because it was a Monday? Either way my cold turkey club sandwich was huge and tasted awesome. I also liked the buffalo wings. Good food, Good Beer, but great service was the kicker.
(5)Misael V.
I've been here twice, once in the day not too busy and service was good. Sat at the bar had a couple beers nothing too complicated. Came in tonight saturday 10/4 bar was full but not busy, when I finally got the bartenders attention I asked for 2 samples to try and figure out which beer I was having. Bartender (female, not the one with the glasses) turns around and ignores me and never checks to see what my decision was. The other female bartender had to ask "Chris" to help me and he was dumbfounded because he thought I had already been helped. Next time make sure you guys hire people that are actually interested in the brand and want to get the guest interested in the product. 2 stars for great beers the rest of the stars are missing because of the service that is missing.
(2)Darlene Y.
I came here for dinner after work with a friend and we were able to grab a seat outside. It was nice because you get a really good view of the City Walk area and the live music of the vendors. I ordered the GINGER CRUST SALMON which was avocado, steamed broccoli, and firecracker sauce. The firecracker sauce was like a spicy Hoisen sauce and the texture was pretty good. Id come back again for dinner. PS: If you don't like beer, that is the only alcohol they serve there. ENJOY!
(3)Dawn D.
Was excited when I saw this located right next to unviversal because we have one near our home in Temecula. Let me tell you, that one in Temecula is AMAZING! This one on the other hand....bummed me out! This is a Sunday afternoon the resturant is EMPTY. 3 tables with customers. It took 10 minutes to have our initial waiter greet us. They were out of endless summer ( just like budlight ) do not have tower 20 on tap. Our appetizer got to our table BEFORE our drinks. just very slow waiter service compared to how many customers were in the resturant. disappointed. Will not return here, but of course our Temecula Karl strauss!
(2)Adrianne H.
Had a fantastic birthday celebration with my kids today at Universal Studios & we decided to eat here before taking in a movie. The food was spectacular. . & our waitress Christine was amazing. I'd recommend that anyone visiting City Walk stop in for the Tree Hugger Mac & Cheese.
(5)Jenni E.
Our server is super helpful and friendly. Double Chocolate Wreck Alley is da bomb!! Also ordered the Grilled Romaine and Farmhouse burger. Those were excellent as well.
(5)Jando S.
Everything along the Universal CityWalk is chain-y, so if you're going to this route, you might as well hit up Karl Strauss. It's about as much fo a brewery as Outback is a real steakhouse or authentically Aussie. There's plenty of beer and food to be had and if you're in a group of adults looking to avoid crowds, this might be one of the better spots in the entire area. If there is any reason to hit this place is up, let it be for their uber decent happy hour. Every weekday from 3-6pm, there are $4 beers to be had and $5 appetizers. At $15 a person, that covers two beers and a plate of food with a little bit left for tax and some tip. That price won't even buy you a ticket at the AMC Theater ( yelp.com/biz/amc-univers… ) down the street. This is easily one of the best deals of the area. What to order? For some strange reason, the "rollos locos" aka spring rolls filled with chicken, cheese, and avocado and is strangely popular as it is messy. I'm not always sold with spinach artichoke dip, but this version was about as good as a microwave can execute. Beware of the boneless wings, as the dipping sauce makes all the difference. Shoot for the ahi poke if you're feeling like avoiding the fried stuff. Service is about as good as I expect these places to be. Waters were refilled, orders were taken quickly, and the overall vibe was positive. Dare I say I would come back again? I've been to Citywalk a bunch of times already, but if I am forced to come back, I might duck out on the walking tour and duck out here while feeding myself and drinking copiously.
(3)Kam H.
best waitress ever christine is awesome if you guys come here prepare for a good time brought my mom sister and brother here for my moms birthday and we love our service can't complain best day
(5)Ruby D.
The worst meal and following bout of food poisoning ever! My sister and I ate here feb 13 and everything was just awful. My steak was rare not medium. The mash potatoes tasted like they had been made with spoiled milk. The fries they brought me to compensate for the mash were equally as awful and bland. The food here made me sick. All in all worse meal I've ever had. If i could give it no stars i would.
(1)Renae V.
Busy night. Had high hopes for first night out. The restaurant's wait was very short which was great but our server was a little slow. The beers we were finally able to order were warm. Strike one. We ordered dinner and of course I decided to go off the board and order curry. It was a bit on the hot side but was good but of course didn't go with my beer selection. Our waiter did bring us a couple of sample beers that were also warm and not very tasty. Waiter brought us glasses of ice for our warm beer. All in all, not a terrible evening but not really a great evening. Would I come back? Maybe.
(3)Linet O.
I have been to this restaurant twice. My first time was awesome. Very attentive waiter, great food and just overall good experience. My second time here, was a different story. My friends and I came here on Christmas day for dinner. I understand it's annoying to have to work on Christmas Day and see everyone coming in with their families, having fun and you're stuck working, but our waitress was just horrible. She basically let it be known that being there was a hassle, any time we asked for anything we got full attitude, as if we were such a burden to her. When we asked for the dessert menu she looked full on annoyed, because it was getting closer to closing time and she wanted to get outta there. I wanted their Mac N cheese dish, which they were out of. I ended up getting another pasta dish, which tasted horrible. I am going to write it off as a bad day and will come back here because they usually have good food and nice wait staff.
(3)Joy A.
My hubby and I enjoy the Happy Hour and overall menu here. But the waiters and Customer Service at Karl Strauss at Citywalk is always top notch. We sit on the patio and get a great view and enjoy the weather and we have not had one bad waiter or waitress yet. Or latest experience was with Jason. He was over the top helpful and checked on us just enough but never gave us the vibe that he was trying to get rid of us. He was very helpful with the beer selections and always reminding us how much time we had left for Happy Hour. In short, we live 25 miles away from here and do not hesitate the drive here for our preferred Happy Hour location even when there are several options closer to us. Great Job Karl Strauss and your staff!!!
(5)Morgan M.
Good to see the Karl Strauss empire growing. Dropped in here with some co-workers while we were up in the area. The carne asada fries are stellar, never tried them here before. Food and drink was fantastic and the service was great. If you're in the area for some fun, I recommend this joint. Especially if you're trying to get away from a spot with too many children.
(4)Anthony P.
I ate here for my birthday and was given a free beer. The asada fries were amazing and the waitress very nice. Next time I'm in the area I'm definitely coming back.
(5)