Modern Times Beer

Modern Times BeerModern Times Beer
Modern Times BeerModern Times Beer
Brewery, Bar, Beer-to-go

3725 Greenwood St
San Diego, California, 92110-4441
United States

(619) 546-9694 | map
moderntimesbeer.com
BEER STATS
Average:
4.12
Beers:
501
Ratings:
16,696
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.39
Reviews:
44
Ratings:
265
pDev:
7.52%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by joeyjoey104:
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Rated by joeyjoey104 from California

4.04/5  rDev -8%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 3.75

Jul 15, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of Roguer
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut

4.42/5  rDev +0.7%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5
Not the greatest location. Gives off a warehouse vibe, although the brewing equipment in plain view is nice. There are some tall bookshelves, vinyl records for sale, and the bar itself has stacks of books beneath, making it look as though it was built upon books (it was not).

Selection is awesome, spanning across Modern Times' various styles, and the quality of their beer is top-notch. They had a number of barrel aged offerings on my visit.

No food, but they do have occasional food trucks. I couldn't find a schedule.

I would put this up there as a "must visit" in the area.
Mar 07, 2024
 
Rated: 4.94 by MJSFS from Florida

Nov 21, 2022
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Reviewed by Beersnake from California

4.58/5  rDev +4.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Pretty awesome place. Amazing tap list and a very cool atmosphere. Parking is a bit challenging and the area around the brewery isn’t great. Staff was awesome and the beer is great!
Aug 28, 2022
 
Rated: 4.44 by Zekenyce from New Jersey

Jul 01, 2022
 
Rated: 4.5 by JohnDon from Texas

Dec 29, 2021
Photo of GaryM6
Rated by GaryM6 from New York

4.65/5  rDev +5.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 5
Modern Times is a top brewery in my book, they have a wide selection and top end stouts. They really hit taste on what they brew.
Jan 28, 2021
 
Rated: 4.29 by REVZEB from Illinois

Feb 24, 2020
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Reviewed by putonyourwalkingshoes from California

4.68/5  rDev +6.6%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75
My fav modern times location. The land of weird seats and beer spills galore. I think their music consists solely of a band names "lettuce". I feel like I'm in the liar of Jabba the Hutt but it's all good bc out of all the San Diego locations of MT here is where I see the best BA releases coming in if you can clear your schedule that day to indulge. Easy to spot just make a right off the freeway next to the world famous yet not sure if it's closed "Body Shop" exotic dancing store? and you'll find your new favorite watering hole. Oh yes and for parents ignore the last sentence, this is a killer spot to let your kids run free since they put in an outdoor area.
Jan 13, 2020
 
Rated: 4.3 by Kolb from Montana

Dec 27, 2019
 
Rated: 4.23 by Jaszucs from Indiana

Sep 26, 2019
 
Rated: 4.29 by oldmankoch from Tennessee

Sep 20, 2019
Photo of slander
Reviewed by slander from New York

4.4/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5
In San Diego, sans the small strange man, due to, well, you know, and if you don’t, it’s not my place to, well, yeah. Freshie three we from the airport, the talls and I hit an ‘In & Out’, left the rental there, and walked the 2 blocks over to Modern Times. Most convenient and an absurdly easy one-two if there ever was one…

Panel garage door closed but should be open and a steel door open raised, we enter. Big vaulted space. Concrete floorings, corrugated ceiling with drop bramble tumble weed lighting, strung ping pong balls, and some wide pan lamps. The front panel doors are done with red curtains, and there are a few fabric yellowy church pews against the walls. Mix & match tables of giant spool, white marble and slat wood, and 55 gallon drums with squared stools. Back corner holds bookshelves with vintage typewriter, radio, & TV play lining atop, and there’s old luggage in the corner. And I spy 100 barrel tanks in the back back there (me, pointing).

Far wall of big brick, done up painted with a bight colorful cubed mural. I thought it was a woman holding a baby, but the woman is actually Michael Jackson and the baby is a monkey named Bubbles. And on closer inspection, it’s not a painting but rather done up entirely in Post It notes. A mural spanning the whole fucking wall done up in post in notes. I deem it ‘extremely badass’.

The opposite wall is pasted with pages from comic books and holds a logo piece on center. Below it sits some sort of coffee roasting room with diagonal subway tiling and a coffee bar fronting. The coffee bar itself is white marble slab topped with a base pasted with Garbage Pail Kid, Bad Dudes, & dinosaur stickers. Coffee is being poured from a deep sea suit helmet head. They do not exactly have food proper, but there are muffins and cupcakes. Back corner Mini Mart for the purchase of bottles & cans, and a serious swag zone in between.

And the front wall is done up pasted with book pages with paintings of founding members of the ‘League of Party Goers and Elegant People’ on one side, and random prints, paintings, & needlepoint on the other side.

‘C’ shaped bar to the right; white marble topped on steel posts, and a base of books stacked in all sizes & depths. Seating for 2 dozen on squared stools. Barback is what I assume is the cold room, as there are 34 handles, mostly logo’d, extending from the wall there in a loooong row on stainless drainage and paneling. Dangling tulips racked the length above and 3 pallets atop painted black with the coffee & beer list (name, style, ABV, & price) on them. Ping pong ball lighting on both ends of each slat, and strung from the pallet tops up and outward across the room to the walls adjacent.

2 coffees (Black House blend & Ethiopia Chelelektu) and a dozen plus beers; a few of them of the coffee variety (Black House, Oatmeal Coffee Stout, 5.8%; Black House, nitro Oatmeal Coffee Stout, 5.8%; Schwarz, Dark Coffee Lager, 5.4%; City of the Dead, Export Stout with barrel aged Coffee, 7.5%), and the others not (Roots of Coincidence, APA, 5.2%; Fortunate Islands, Pale Wheat Ale, 5%; Blazing World, hoppy Amber, 6.8%; Lomaland, Saison, 5.5%; Aurora, Red Rye IPA, 6.8%; Fruitlands Blood Orange & Hibiscus, Gose, 4.8%; Oneida, APA, 5.8%; Orderville, IPA, 7.2%; Fortunate Islands with grapefruit zest, hoppy Wheat, 5%; Trueland, Simcoe & Amarillo Pale Ale, 5%;). The City of the Dead Export Stout was licorice wonderful, Orderville IPA hazy, dank & lovely, and Roots of Coincidence APA juicy & citrus fruit solid. Beers are served in 5oz, 8oz, & pint pours, and a shorty sampler’s served in a cool cigar box tray.

Beers were good. I mean, duh, it’s Modern Times. Tunes, and a great chill Friday start to our trip out west.
Aug 16, 2019
Photo of AleManDan
Reviewed by AleManDan from California

4.26/5  rDev -3%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.5
Hip spot, great selection of amazing beer BUT I almost felt like the bartender felt she was doing me a favor to serve me. I wasn’t dressed too hip and they are busy.

I love the art in this place...
Jul 13, 2019
 
Rated: 4.57 by mmoore9363 from Arizona

Jun 04, 2019
 
Rated: 4.12 by Spaceman_Jer from Colorado

May 28, 2019
 
Rated: 4.48 by ntanner83 from Massachusetts

May 16, 2019
Photo of dr_pingus
Rated by dr_pingus from California

4.53/5  rDev +3.2%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
:)
May 08, 2019
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Rated by NCSapiens from Indiana

4.33/5  rDev -1.4%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Great brewery!
Apr 15, 2019
 
Rated: 4.79 by evanwoertz from California

Feb 19, 2019
 
Rated: 4.4 by Djon1rpt from Pennsylvania

Feb 06, 2019
 
Rated: 5 by aasher from Indiana

Feb 03, 2019
 
Rated: 4.5 by TrilliumFan from Massachusetts

Jan 21, 2019
 
Rated: 4.62 by Chris619 from California

Jan 18, 2019
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Reviewed by ChicagoJ from Illinois

4.46/5  rDev +1.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
8/23/18 (San Diego, CA): Visit during Southern California swing, loved previous Modern Times offerings tried and definitely was not disappointed with this visit. Low key vibe, brewing in the back, nice bar and bottle / merchandise area, building has large garage door entrance. Somewhat creepy Micheal Jackson post it note rendition, but sat facing the opposite side.

Several different varieties on tap, Modern Times does a great job over multiple categories and the beers I tried and purchased this visit were excellent, with Deeds & Exploits the best pour at the brewery, Devil's Teeth Imperial BA Stout with Strawberry and Vanilla the best purchase brought back. Bartenders very friendly and knowledgeable, liked taking beer. Quality at this brewery excellent, on-site pours reasonably priced, to go beer a little pricey for the special releases but high quality. Many offerings available to go, nice merchandise as well. Very well worth the visit, will definitely return to this or perhaps one of the two other MT locations during my next trip to San Diego.
Jan 06, 2019
 
Rated: 4.72 by CreightonSM from New York

Jan 04, 2019
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Reviewed by deleted_user_1111368 from Delaware

4.25/5  rDev -3.2%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25
From our visit in May.
Great place for my wife and I to visit on a vacation to SD. Arrived on a Saturday, the place was hopping.. the beer hoppier. They had a great selection of beer, including our new favorite called Eye Spy . The prices were very good, as was the service. The Michael Jackson post-it note wall was ..different. Can't wait for a return trip.
Nov 15, 2018
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Reviewed by Whitesheep from Arizona

4.66/5  rDev +6.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5
If you love beer and are in San Diego you need to come here. The only reason the vibe isn't 5 is because the place is so busy. This is my current favorite craft beer and they have all your favorites in stock to try. Service is really good for such a busy place.
Oct 17, 2018
 
Rated: 4.14 by morebeergood from Massachusetts

Oct 13, 2018
Photo of yellowrabbit66
Reviewed by yellowrabbit66 from California

4.79/5  rDev +9.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.25
I firsts visited Modern Times Fermatorium in San Diego and enjoyed the vibe so much that I decided to visit their North Park Flavordome tap room and the Portland, OR Fermatorium. Each location I visited had interesting decor and relaxed atmosphere. There was a wide selection of beer styles ranging from stouts, porters, pilsners, west coast IPA, hazy IPA, and sours.
Oct 03, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by Aakash from California

Sep 08, 2018
 
Rated: 4.85 by hughesm12 from Massachusetts

Aug 23, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by Keeling from California

Aug 18, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by UCLABrewN84 from California

Jul 06, 2018
Photo of eppie82
Reviewed by eppie82 from Illinois

4.39/5  rDev 0%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.75
Definitely a craft beer and hipster crowd vibe. Went there on back to back nights (Sunday and Monday) and the place was busy on both nights. Having said that, you weren't rubbing elbows and there was plenty of space to move around. The place has great character, unique art and interesting decor. Nice layout also with the bar in the middle of the space (vessels behind the bar) and then tables, barrels and couches surrounding the bar. There's also a coffee shop off to the side and also an area where you can buy bottles & cans to-go.

The service was prompt and quick, even with the busy scene that I experienced. Selection was the highlight of this place. Tons of IPAs (NE and non-NE style), stouts, barrel aged stouts, sours, blonde ales, sours, etc... they definitely had something for everyone's preference, and the quality of beers within those styles was exceptional. I've had a few Modern Times beers from random cans I've tracked down or traded for, and they do no justice to the quality of brews that Modern Times has on draft at this location. I was blown away by the quality and selection.

Overall a really cool place with great beers on draft that I would look forward to visiting again if I happened to be in San Diego.
Jul 05, 2018
 
Rated: 4.47 by kingjohnh from New Mexico

Jun 24, 2018
 
Rated: 4.53 by DCPlus14 from California

May 25, 2018
 
Rated: 4.62 by CAcker from California

May 16, 2018
 
Rated: 4.33 by riderwbd from Vermont

May 16, 2018
 
Rated: 4.53 by spointon from Illinois

Apr 16, 2018
Modern Times Beer in San Diego, CA
Brewery rating: 4.12 out of 5 with 16696 ratings