The Abbey

The AbbeyThe Abbey
The AbbeyThe Abbey
Bar, Eatery

306 Main St
Seal Beach, California, 90740-6320
United States

(562) 799-4246 | map
theabbeysealbeach.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.76
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
16
pDev:
14.36%
View: Place Reviews
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Ratings by TheLongBeachBum:
Photo of TheLongBeachBum
Reviewed by TheLongBeachBum from California

4.15/5  rDev +10.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
After a few beers in Joe Jost’s with BA’s Mr. & Mrs. Seagoat, it was time to get some food and the idea of hitting the Abbey soon surfaced and curried favor from all three of us. Three years in Long Beach and somehow I had not been here the once, even with the constant prompting of local Long Beach drinkers and looks of complete surprise when I told them I hadn’t been here yet, I guess I should have gotten here sooner, but better late than never.

Located on Main Street in Seal Beach, it takes some careful spotting on the first visit though, in fact once I had located the Abbey it only required the one “double-back drive around the block after I drive past and then spot the place” maneuver. Street parking is available both sides of the street and seemed easy to come by, actually I ended up parking only a few steps from the entrance of The Abbey in the finish once I rode around the block to get closer.

From the outside the look is definitely low key, only a distinctive dark brown Franziskaner pictorial sign which has the words “Restaurant The Abbey” below it marks this out as somewhere to enjoy a quality brew as well as somewhere to eat. Large single piece open windows rest easy aside the centrally located dual doorway. As you enter the bar runs down the right hand side of this long rectangular single roomed bar, which transforms into a clean utilitarian looking Kitchen in the back right hand corner. Down the left hand side a long dark red leather bench seat runs the entire wall, in front of which are several Tables, some of which seat two, some of which seat four. The left hand side wall has a stone façade which has several Abbey style shaped framed mirrored windows set into it. The Toilets are at the back end of the Pub on the left hand side, but they are of the ‘one-in-one-out’ kind which may man hanging around during busy times, so don’t wait too long before deciding to take a leak, it could take a while!

There are Twelve Taps, all on one row situated against the back wall in the front corner of the bar to your right as you walk in. ALECOHOLIC’s BeerFly below lists the draft brews perfectly; interestingly the “one unworthy of mention” beer has no description in the smallish beer menu handed to you as you walk in. An additional small selection of bottles makes up a small but very interesting portfolio that numbers 20+ but is very well thought out and attractive nonetheless. They also promote a Beer of the Month, on my visit it was draft Maudite. One thoughtful touch about The Abbey is the use of the correct glassware for each and every beer on offer…..a very classy touch indeed and one that always shows that a place takes their beer offerings very seriously, extra marks for that. Excellent Wine list too.

The food is great, the spring roll starters were excellent, Seagoat’s wood fired Pizza smelled excellent long before it arrived at the Table and my Blue Cheese Burger & Fries was a hearty and exceptionally tasty late Sunday lunch, even if I did eat it all with my Knife & Fork [look NO hands!!] much to the chagrin of the awestruck assembled Seagoats, hey what can I say I’m English and a tidy eater.

A clean well-presented yet restrained utilitarian almost sparse environment throughout which is only broken with several wall mounted glass cases that decorate the upper walls above the Bar. These contain a varying number of hats, all of the same design, signed by the rich and famous. Allegedly, this was all started with some chap called Mark McGuire…I have no idea so don’t ask me I’m not even from around here ;-) …but it seems like he wore an Abbey Cap whilst playing Rounders one day, or was it Softball….erm…something like that…it wasn’t Cricket anyways….LOL.

A well run establishment that is a cut above most. It may not have the widest beer range and food menu, but what it does do, it does extremely well, and to the highest quality. The Abbey is most certainly all about Quality and definitely not quantity. Well worth a visit for a few beers, and I would most certainly recommend eating here too.

Last Visit: Sunday 13th February, 2005
Feb 15, 2005
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Photo of ozbuc
Reviewed by ozbuc from California

4.28/5  rDev +13.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
This my new favorite local place for craft beer. With an owner/bartender who understands the craft beer revolution and pretty decent food to boot.

The service is quick and friendly and they always remember my wife and I. Kind of like a Cheers but with craft beer.

I am on a low carb diet and the cooks will always help me comply with that. I find it a joy to sit at the bar watching the cooks work their culinary magic. Burgers with avocado are my favorite item on the menu. For my wife it is the wedge salad.

As in any beach town parking can be a pain so bring your patience or a lot of quarters.
Dec 28, 2011
Photo of DoubleJ
Reviewed by DoubleJ from Wisconsin

3.88/5  rDev +3.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Having Pliny the Younger on-tap at Beachwood BBQ (and the clusterfuck it brings) created a good opportunity to check out The Abbey for a bite (and a beer) afterward. The interior is well lit with a long, winding bar and half a dozen tables to sit at. Nearly all the patrons inside were drinking beer or wine, which made me feel less like an alcoholic after two helping of 10% ABV beer. Primarily it was a middle-aged crowd.

About 15 beer on-tap and around 20-odd bottles in the lineup. It's no Beachwood, but that shouldn't be the standard. The respectable tap lineup included Bitburger, Maudite, Devotion, Chimay Tripel, Franziskaner, Karl Strauss, and New Belgium, plus a bottle collection of Arrogant Bastard, Duvel, and more. Most of drafts went for $6-9. To sweeten the experience was the glassware offered. I received my Bitburger in a Bitburger branded mug, and I saw Franziskaner and New Belgium glassware being utelized. If only they weren't chilled...

The bartender did a good job serving me, even helped me "break a tie" of whether I should drink Franziskaner or Bitburger. Despite the previous paragrpah, Franziskaner was the beer she "picked" for me, but she admitted it was pouring odd.

Food menu is limited, a mojarioty of it being pizza and burgers. I opted for a burger, and I found it tasty.

The Abbey is a respectable place with an encouraging selection of beers. My beer geekiness will naturally gravitate me towards Beachwood, though The Abbey isn't a bad backup choice on Main St.
Feb 24, 2011
Photo of LittleDon
Reviewed by LittleDon from Texas

3.65/5  rDev -2.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5
Went in on a Thur night during the Laker-Celtic finals. Loud. Really loud. Slightly above average vibe due to the brick ovens in the back. Other than that, nothing special. Small, but quality selection. Narrowly focused, lots of Belgians and variations there of. I got a Maudite, which came in what I thought was a healthy sized glass (16 oz?). Maybe I've been to Stone too often and are accustom to their 8 oz pours on anything above 6% ABV. Service was good, waitperson seemed to know what they liked, but not sure they could have gone into much depth if asked. Beer was fresh, but too cold. Ordered the filet mignon sandwich which was sliced beef of some cut that didn't appear to be filet mignon. Good flavor, but not what I was expecting. Not sure I'd go back a second time, as there appear to be a few better options nearby. Overall, good but not great.
Jun 11, 2010
Photo of bigbelcher
Reviewed by bigbelcher from Arizona

3.66/5  rDev -2.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3
Just down the street from Beechwood BBQ which from a BA standpoint is a much better place to hit. Parking at night was ok but I would think that in the day it might be difficult. The Abbey is very small with only about 10 taps, nothing spectacular but they did have a number of Belgian macrobrews on tap. Didn't try the food but there were mostly diners not drinkers in the place. The staff was friendly but did not appear to be too beer saavy. A good place for a nightcap but is not a destination place.
Dec 30, 2008
Photo of MiScusi
Reviewed by MiScusi from California

3.95/5  rDev +5.1%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 3.5
Stopped in during Labor day afternoon.

A- it was pretty empty. Only a few other people in there. It seemed like mostly a pizza joint, with a handful of beers on tap. Not your regular pub feel.

Q- The beer seemed fresh and the Franziskaner Hefe's we ordered were served in the Freanziskaner glass- 20 oz. Good pour.

S- I'm assuming it was the manager/owner who was helping us and he was very attentive. We were only there for 1 beer, but service was prompt and friendly.

S- They had about 10 taps I think, Franziskaner, Flying Dog Pale Ale, Unibroue Maudite, Stone IPA, Mendacino Red Tail, St. Louis Framboise, and Maredsous 8 are the ones I can remember. There was a bottle list too which was pretty good.

V- we were there during happy hour so the Hefe pours came out to barely over $5, normally I think they were $6.50 give or take a quarter.
Sep 07, 2008
Photo of Floydster
Reviewed by Floydster from California

3.2/5  rDev -14.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3
Went to this place after Beachwood BBQ, which is on the same street and only a couple blocks away

Always wanted to check this place out after seeing Mark McGwire wearing this hat on TV all the time, even though I cannot stand that guy anymore

The bar is on the right side when you walk in, they also only have about ten taps, three of them being Coors and Bud type stuff, others were Maudite, Stone IPA, Karl Strauss Red Trolley, and a couple easy to find Belgians

Pretty small place as well with big glass windows and pretty cool people for the most part, food looked a little expensive, plus I just ate right before going here

Nice area, but a beer geek like myself would go to Beachwood BBQ a thousand times before I went back here when in this stretch of Seal Beach
Nov 19, 2007
Photo of Halcyondays
Reviewed by Halcyondays from California

3.53/5  rDev -6.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3
Went to the Abbey at about 3:30 on July 5, at happy hour. It was smaller than I expected, with a bar upfront and to the right, and tables to the left. Their taplist is all right with Stone IPA, Maredsous 8, Lindemans Framboise, Hoegaarden, Maudite, Bitburger and other Belgian-type brews. They also have Arrogant Bastard and La Fin du Monde in bottles, in total about 20 selections. I had the Maredsous 8, it was a little cold, but still very good. They seem to use appropriate glassware here. All and all, a good stop for beer on Main St. in Seal Beach, but with Beachwood BBQ ~ 500 ft. away, this is always a second choice.
Jul 06, 2007
Photo of Dukeofearl
Reviewed by Dukeofearl from California

3.94/5  rDev +4.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Stop two of a meet-up with several BAs for a "Long Beach" pub crawl (they did a lot more stops, my wife and I met them for the Seal Beach portion). Located on the main drag of dwontown Seal Beach, 5-6 blocks from the beach. A long, narrow room dominated by bar on the right hand side and tables on the left. A little too dark and trendy for my taste, although I could see why some might like it. I got the sense that it was probably a pick up spot.

I didn't get a chance to count the beers, but I know they had at least 8 taps, and they were all good ones- Maradsous, 2 Unibrous, Stone, a small but very nice selection.

Just had one beer and then left- it didn't leave me dazzled, but if I'm in the area, well worth a beer or more. I hear the food is good, but didn't try any.
Feb 19, 2007
Photo of rowew
Reviewed by rowew from Colorado

4.28/5  rDev +13.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Located on Main Street in Seal Beach. Not very obvious from the outside - it is located on the same block as the movie theater - next door to the drug store. Parking in Seal is plentiful most of the time. Street sign is a large Franksizkaner logo. Long bar dominates the left side of the establishment, right side is tables. In the front is a bar type seating overlooking the street. The interior is decorated in faux stone, with artificial windows on one wall - it gives it a very quaint feel. 10-12 taps, most of which actually contain interesting beer. Also a decent selection of bottles including some Belgians. Beer menu contains description of all the available beers. As an added bonus all beer comes in matched glassware for the style. Food was tasty - I had the soup and salad combo - both of which were very well done. Others with my tried more varied menu options and enjoyed everything.

Definitely a nice choice in Seal - a break from the "Irish Pubs" down the street. Great place to stop in for lunch or a few pints after work.
Mar 04, 2005
Photo of ALECOHOLIC
Reviewed by ALECOHOLIC from Tennessee

4.4/5  rDev +17%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 5
Change of ownership effective Thursday 10-12-05.
I stopped by today and listened to the new proprietor vent over the deal. He intends to keep the Belgians on tap. I'll return for a check up in a few weeks.


Previous review...
I always thought this place was already on beer fly until a few days recent...
I like this place for several reasons. Each and all draft beers are served in their respective unique glasses (except coors light).
Maudite and Maredsous 8 are my favs. The layout is a long bar backed by a single row of tables. You may miss it if your not watchful...about a block off of PCH on Main toward the pier. Look for the old cinema, The Abbey is a few doors down from there, next to the drugstore.
The food is several cuts above your typical pub fare. Wood fired pizza, cevice, and sirloin sandwhiches to name a few menu items.
Another nice thing about this place...Seal beach is always less hectic than HB or Pine St. / 2nd St. / Long Beach. I've never had to search for a parking space down there.
Enough about the chow...one dozen pour heads spilling...
Spaten Optimator
Bitburger Pils
Chimay Cinq Cents Triple Trappist
Franziskaner Hefe Weisse
Guiness
Hoegaarden
Lindeman's Framboise
Maredsous 8
Maudite
Red Tail Ale
Stone IPA
one unworhthy of mention.
...Bottled...
Bellegems Bruin Flemish Brown ALe
Chimay (blue) 750ml
Cooper's Pale
Duvel 750ml
Eye of the Hawk / Mendocino
Foret Organic Saison
Piraat Triple (arrgh!)
Scaldis Special Ale
Mark Mcgwire is a personal friend of the proprietor. The wall behind the bar is decorated with St Louis Cardinals souvenirs.
Dec 10, 2004
The Abbey in Seal Beach, CA
Place rating: 3.76 out of 5 with 16 ratings