Monday 7th of October 2013 09:29:10 AM

link
Stone Brewery was, hands down, the best, most complete, brewery experience I've ever had.

The beers are all of outstanding quality. I had the Levetation Ale and the Oak Aged Arrogant Bastard. I'm not typically a huge fan of their Arrogant Bastard Ale, but the oak aged version is a must try - among my favorite beers all-time.

The food was good, but not cheap. I had a bowl of the tortilla soup - not the best I've ever had, but enjoyable nonetheless.

The atmosphere overall was very impressive. The outside patio are was beautifully landscaped. The only drawback I see is that the brewery is located located out of the way of anything else. It's worth the trip, though.

Thursday 27th of December 2012 01:00:04 PM

link
Beer: AWESOME! It's one of those places you could spend all week and a months paycheck just trying all the different beers (Stone and Other). Stone Brewery beer has an incredible complex bitterness that is well rounded by a perfect blend of hops giving a high but not insane IBU level.

Tour: For someone that doesn't home brew, the tour is going to be great regardless who gives it. If you are a home brewer or just really know beer, I would try and get a tour with Ken. While I won't say who is necessarily bad, I will say that some of the tour guides are just reading a script and don't have a knowledge extensive enough to answer "hard" questions.

Service: It's an upscale kinda place and service is good. Be prepared to wait a little... this place is popular!

Food: The only reason why I didn't give a bad score for food is because it is good fancy bistro food. The reason why it doesn't get a good score is because this is a brewery with a Gargoyle on the cover of beers with names like "Arrogant Bastard" and "Ruination." Their food brings in a lot pompous people, the kind that order light yellow beer or wine. While the food is good, it is an expensive and overly fancy menu for a place that outwardly says otherwise.

Even though it pains me to sit in there and drink beer around a lot of skinny jean wearing, wine ordering, self-important people... This brewery still remains my favorite, because the beer is that GOOD!

Saturday 21st of April 2012 07:09:48 PM

link
Wow! A visit here is an unbelievable and essential experience. The atmosphere is modern, comfortable, upscale, yet casual.

When we entered the long parking lot in front of what seemed to be a suburban office complex, we found it hard to tell if we’d reached the right place - the smell of beer brewing and the fact that the address matched were our only clues. All was made clear as we entered into a large gift shop filled with t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, glasses, and a shelf of beer books for sale. There is also a small stone slab-topped metal bar here where you can get growlers filled and where you will taste samples after taking the brewery tour (recommended; tour passes are available here two hours before each tour).

Further in, you will find the indoor dining area and the indoor bar, separated by low wooden walls. It is a good sized room with extremely high ceilings (with fans). Overall the floors are polished brown stained concrete, except in the dining area which is carpeted. And you’ll also find a small waterfall, a koi pond, and a stand of bamboo. The bar itself is a large square with tall padded wooden chairs on all four sides and with the beer taps on two sides of an island in the middle. The bar top is made of four separate large slabs of varnished hardwood.

Full height windows on the inner wall look into the large brewery. The stainless steel mash tun, brew kettle, and a number of fermenters are visible through the windows. Huge slide-up glass doors lead to the outdoor dining area, the outdoor bar, more water features, and an extensive garden with paths (a park, really). The outdoor bar has a large brick patio. There are various chairs and benches scattered through the gardens and you’re welcome to buy a beer at the bar and find your own corner.

Similar sturdy wooden tables and chairs are used inside and out, but inside the chairs have padded seats, and outside many of the tables are larger and round instead of rectangular. Outside there are also off-white canvas umbrellas, trees, a raised pond, a number of large rocks as barriers, and outdoor heaters. Further back in the “park” are more secluded patio areas with picnic tables also equipped with umbrellas.

The beer list is huge - a long list of ten Stone beers plus one on cask and an even longer list of 24 well-chosen guest craft beers (including four imported Oktoberfest beers from Germany on our visit).

Friday 26th of August 2011 01:34:12 PM

link
Went to Stone for their 15th anniversary Beer festival last weekend. The festival was on a Saturday at Cal-State San Marcos. So we decided to check out the stone Brewery before the festival. We arrived just before noon and were very impressed with the grounds. You walk in from the parking lot and you walk past the garden wall on the right, but the meandering walkway has rock walls and landscape that surround you. Kinda reminded me of waiting in line at the old thunder mountain at disneyland but much more updated landscape. You walk on the walkway until large opening and you see the building on the left and looks like a patio seating area on the right. We walked into the building. The main entrance to the brewery/bistro is huge. ~30' high ceiling. they have the bistro to the right and the gift shop to the left.

We went to the gift shop. They had all sorts of cool swag in the gift shop. T-shirts to skateboards, books, glassware, jerseys, sweatshirts. The place was super crowded...we tried to get in on the 12pm tour, but the next available one was at 2pm. We were barely able to get on that tour as it was that busy in there. I ended up picking up a sweet 15th anniversary snifter and a 15th anniversary t shirt. We then took off to annother brewery as we had 2 hours to kill before our tour.

The tour was cool. The tourguide was fun and was very knowledgeable. They had a coordless microphone/speaker set-up throughout and it didn't feel like he was yelling at you or that you couldn't hear him. At the end of the tour they give you 4 FREE beers to taste. Stone Pale Ale, can't remember the second, Stone IPA, and Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale. Not a huge fan of their beer...but can't complain since its free. After the tour we left for the festival.

The next day after hitting a couple of other breweries in the area we came back to have dinner at the bistro. Didn't want to miss out. It was very impressive. ~30' high ceilings. Very open restaurant seating area...Indusrial/Modern decor throughout. We had to wait 40 mins to get a table, so we sit at the bar area and order an appetizer and check out their draft list. They had several other beers on tap other than stone...and offer tasters of any tap you want for $3. i had a St. Bernardus abt. 12...good stuff. We were impressed by the large gargoyle etched on the concrete wall...it was a huge wall that needed something and leave it to stone to go huge. We were also impressed with the architecture of the building itself. We got seated upstairs and had a nice dinner. The food was good but overpriced...inho. Gourmet type stuff. The wait staff was great. I had another taster with dinner...this time of Ommegang Hennipin. They accidentaly brought me a full pint, but only charged me $3 since i only wanted a taster. Bonus! After dinner we walked outside but it was already dark to see the garden. It was impressive even at night. Large outdoor seating area for the restaurant, but they also had gardens and a pond/bridge. I want to go back to check it out during the day and get a better appreciation. Another brewery told me that it people actually have wedding receptions there...i believe it. Very impressive and will go back.

Wednesday 21st of July 2010 09:50:40 PM

link
Stone is known for their world class beer. I would even say some of the best beer in the world. There beer list at the World Bistro & Gardens is as outstanding as Stone's own beers. Unfortunately I cannot say the same for most of the food. Stone over shot the food, tried to make it as complex as their beers. The result is greatly over priced, small portions of food that taste bland. We order the "The Soft & Stinky Cheese Plate" for $12 what we got was 4 cheeses, each the size of dice and none of them that great, the size of the dish was so small we thought there was some mistake. They do have a few good dishes like the wild mushroom pasta. Stone should have built a menu that compliments their beer, instead they created a over priced menu filled with very unimpressive food.

Wednesday 31st of March 2010 07:02:16 PM

link
I stopped in at the Stone Brewing Company last week for dinner and some beer. I had the sampler consisting of the Pale Ale, Smoked Porter, IPA, and Arrogant Bastard Ale. They have a total of ten Stone beers and another 22 craft beers on tap. The Smoked Porter was my favorite. It had a wonderful malty chocolate flavor with just a hint of smoke; not overpowering like most smoked beers. All the beers were great, especially for a hop head like me. The food was ok, if you’re looking for pub food this isn’t the place with dishes like beef and broccoli stir fry, rack of lamb, and house-made kimchee. I had a broccoli, cheddar, potato soup. I was hoping for chunks of potato and broccoli in the cheese soup. Instead everything was pureed together into a runny baby food consistency. The Artisanal Sausage Platter with spicy sausage, potatoes, and cabbage was excellent but was served in a rectangular shaped bowl making it difficult to cut the sausage. The service was ok; even though I was sitting at the bar I had to flag down another server to get a refill since my server was too busy flirting.

Tuesday 5th of January 2010 10:14:57 PM

link
My last visit to Stone was before the move and Bistro opening so this was something I was looking forward to during the recent trip to San Diego. We got there early in the evening on a Saturday and the place was hopping. Parking wasn't so bad and the walk amidst the stonework was pretty impressive; then we got indoors, wow!

We were lucky enough to grab to seats at the bar just as they freed up. Excellent beer & food as I expected. Service was quick and friendly. I just wish it hadn't been dark so I could have gotten a better look at the exterior on our way out. I will definitely be back again.

Monday 12th of January 2009 02:13:04 PM

link
What can I add about Stone and the World Bistro. The layout has been aptly described and the range of brews on tap or in bottles is superb. This is the place to stop if you have limited SoSoCal time and want to try a variety of local brews. We came for dinner on Sunday and were pleased to learn it was Black Sunday with Russian Imperial Stout on tap. I worked my way though several pints and snifters beginning with an Oaked AB and ending up with an Old Viscosity from Port. As for the food, it is definitely not pub grub and as the menu say, Not Mediocre. It includes an array of appetizers, salads and entrees prepared largely with local ingredients and in several cases, quite spicy. We all truly enjoyed our dinner selections as there was something to please everyone’s palate. I should mention that there is plenty of parking and a stroll through the gardens is a great way to moderate the alcohol.

Friday 19th of December 2008 09:05:38 AM

link
the stone brewery... finally.

I went to stone because I was finally getting out to san diego and it's sorta required... atmosphere should be appropriately first.

you roll up and see the stone walls, hops still growing in december, and you go down the way to the large wooden doors... those doors lead into the reception area, to your left the bar and outside gardens, ahead of you the store and tour info...

starting with the store, it's really got an eclectic handful of crap in there to buy. there's some really great swag, bottles, blankets, bike jerseys... and the hooded sweatshirt I walked out with is pretty nice. the info you need about stone's store is that if you want to tour, and on most saturdays it's on the hour, you need to go to the desk to the left of the entrance of the store and get a voucher... otherwise enjoy the store.

back to the reception and entering the bar area... the short of it is very impressed, the long of it... it's a large stone room. you look in and the first thing that attracts your attention is the odd custom sorta square bar... especially if you're thirsty... the bar itself seats i'd say around 50ish... and theres lots of seating in the downstairs area as well as seating in what I thought would be a loft but was about half the floorspace of the downstairs... and that's just on the inside... business taken care of at the bar (getting one's first beer) sitting on the far side of the bar, looking at the door you came in... the brewery is behind plexiglass for all to see... it's an impressive brewing system and it's cool to be able to watch as most of the main stuffs are right up in your face and you can point and stuff...

to your left tho is the gardens...
after you get your ticket for the tour and your first beer... and if you have time to kill before the tour, swagger thru the gardens... past the koi ponds, down many stone paths that offer something that most breweries don't... a well manicured view.

the beer selection is all that and a bag of grits. all the stone regulars and seasonals at the time, plus a few vintage stone... plus another 15 or so guest taps which range from locals to not so... Plus a decent bottle list that sure to amuse... if you like stone beer, you're in the right place, if you like local beer, ditto, if you wanna try something new... third verse, same as the first.

service was good... there were 2 bartenders at opening on a saturday and half the bar was full at opening so... it tells you what kind of a day is expected... my glass never wained in waiting for the tour.

had an appetizer while waiting and it was decent... there's really some fun foods on that menu, but it is for the foodie and you can keep some of it... a bit spensive but the price fits the place... it's very nice.

Monday 4th of August 2008 04:43:04 PM

link
Stone is beer heaven. With a full selection of Stone brews on tap, which always includes one specialty Stone Brew, and a huge list of some of the best beers from around the world, Stone is the place every beer lover MUST visit. This brand new, modern venue has indoor and outdoor seating, a beautiful rock garden, good food and brewery tours, all of which make this a great location to hang out and have a beer. Something is always going on at Stone too, from movie night to special growler fills to hosting beer events, The Stone World Bistro and Gardens is the best of the best.

Monday 23rd of June 2008 11:10:09 PM

link
This brewery rocks. Me and the wife went there for lunch and we loved it. I tried a sampler flight of 4 of their flagship ales for 4 bucks (total of 16oz). The also gave me tasters of whatever else I wanted.

They have a lot of other good beers, including local and others. When I told my buddy that they had Ayinger Brau Weisse on tap, he was impressed. They have different deals going on all the time and they have awesome food. The Mac and Beer cheese I had was great.

They are also a great place to bring family due to the environment and the garden.

Monday 31st of December 2007 12:26:21 AM

link
Stone's World Bistro may be the best brewpub in the country! Definitely the best in the SoCal area - rated #1 SoCal Beer Location by www.hopsandbarleyblog.com!

Not only do they have all of their own extensive beer list on tap - including flights of the last 3+ years of Verticle Epic - but they also pour most of the beers from their San Diego brewing bretheren - including Port Brewing who now brews out of Stone's old location.

Their patio is amazing! Many seats on multiple levels surrounded by a modern-SoCal version of a Japanese-style garden.

But the best part of the World Bistro is the food. A pioneer in the Slow Food Movement, the World Bistro chefs focus on locally harvested ingrediants - including fresh fish and free range chicken/beef. It's outstanding.

Any trip to the LAX/SAN area must include a stop @ the World Bistro!

ASG
www.hopsandbarleyblog.com