Los Gatos Brewing Company

Brewery, Bar, Eatery

130 North Santa Cruz Avenue
Los Gatos, California, 95030
United States

// CLOSED //
BEER STATS
Average:
3.76
Beers:
9
Ratings:
29
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.67
Reviews:
18
Ratings:
21
pDev:
6.81%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by toadstool:
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Reviewed by toadstool from Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -1.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I tried the Oktoberfest, Pilsner & Pale Ale (on hand pump). There were a few other beers on draft, including a Hefeweizen and a Doppelbock which I did not have a chance to sample. Of those I did, the Oktoberfest had a sweet/bitter after taste which I did not care for that much. Both the Pilsner and Pale Ale were excellent. Not the best I've had domestically -- I'll leave the Pilsner prize to Victory -- but still good brew nonetheless. Get there before 6:00PM and get a dollar off your beer. I think I paid $2.75 each for my pints (at happy hour).

Food was good -- I just had a burger -- but I thought a little pricey for what you got. Don't bother with the bar nuts. They are an interesting menu addition, but look better on the menu then they taste.

Atmosphere was pleasant and slightly upscale. Seems to be a popular after-work hangout, as the guy next to me had two pints before he went home to his wife & three children.

Service left a little to be desired, but I wasn't much in a rush, so it didn't bother me much.

Decent wine and scotch selection if other spirits make your fancy, including full bar service.
Jan 03, 2007
More User Ratings:
Photo of HopfenUndMalz2015
Reviewed by HopfenUndMalz2015 from California

3.86/5  rDev +5.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
A lot of other reviews that pretty much hit it on the head, so, I won't go into much detail. Had the sampler and a burger. The service was great, she was attentive, but, not overly. The burger was great. The beers were good, but, not great. If I lived closer, I would most likely stop by for a decent locals type place. Brewery atmosphere is cool, the building is really nice.
Mar 12, 2016
 
Rated: 3.7 by Martin_carvalho from California

Dec 31, 2014
 
Rated: 3.4 by LADaveBN from California

Dec 14, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by johnhkelm from California

Jan 06, 2014
Photo of LittleDon
Reviewed by LittleDon from Texas

3.48/5  rDev -5.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3 | food: 3
I had the fortune of visiting Los Gatos while I was in San Jose for business. There are only a handful of establishment with decent beer in this town, LGB being one of them. Dark wood interior with plenty of space and a warm, mountain town feel. Service was excellent as the waitperson had plenty of suggestions for beer and food. Unfortunately, both beer and food was just average. The tri-tip sandwich, which sounded great, was grisly and lacked flavor. The beers were somewhat better, not bad, just average. Not good enough for a repeat visit.
Nov 05, 2011
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Reviewed by jcmcmathnh from New Hampshire

3.95/5  rDev +7.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Went there for dinner with family while visiting. Did the sampler-

pils, weizen, octoberfest, maibock, cask brown ale. had a roasted chicken with potatoes. others in my party had burgers and liked them. the woodfired pizza was good too.

pils- light bodied, clear, mild hop and malt flavor, drinkable- 3.5
weizen- cloudy, nice banana and clove, mild spiciness, slightly watery not much head to speak of- 4
octoberfest- nice amber color, caramel and toast, light hops, drinkable, slightly too sweet- 4
maibock- tastes strongly of alcohol, not balanced, sweet with some hops, pretty undrinkable, couldnt drink a pint of this
2.5
brown ale on handpump- nice lightly roasty and chocolate notes, mild hop, drinkable but light in body like the rest of the beers. 4

overall thought the beers were a bit on the thin side. the weizen would be good if it had a bit more body and head retention. always puzzles me when micro weizens have no head since my hombrewed ones always have a huge head. maybe carbonation issues?
would go back but wouldnt go out of my way. by comparison, Rock Bottom beers would be better across the board, more body and flavor, wider variety. good food.
Jun 11, 2009
Photo of RunDWP
Reviewed by RunDWP from California

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5
Located in upscale, old money Los Gatos, it appears to be located in some sort of converted small factory or warehouse. Somewhat upscale in the furnishings and interior. Sorry, I found most of the beers rather ordinary, and almost identical in the hops character, with the malt really the only changing characteristic. The pilsner had the least malt with a piney hop bitterness, the pale ale had the same piney hop character with more malt, and the Oktoberfest simply had some caramel malt with the same hop bitterness. The standout beer was the Hefe, which really had a great spicey, clove, chewing gun flavor you get with a good German Hefe. It's a style that quite frankly, few on the West Coast do particularly well. I've had a few dinners here, and they've all been good to great, but food is a little pricey for what you get. I live nearby, and expect to be back, but not a place I'd go way out of my way for.
Nov 12, 2008
Photo of beerjournl
Reviewed by beerjournl from Florida

3.05/5  rDev -16.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 2 | food: 3
We've been here at least three times and each time it is consistent. The beer is good quality, but nothing remarkable. On this last visit they only had four offerings of in-house brew, and none of them were special in any way. The Octoberfest was probably the best of all. The Hefe was very "empty" with none of the flavors you'd expect from any hefeweizen. It was more like a plain wheat beer without much body or flavor. One of our group had the sampler and preferred the pale ale over the others.

The food was quite pricey and after waiting a long time to get a table, we opted to just get up and go somewhere else to eat this night. I've had meals here before and they were very good, so the quality is there, but they are very proud of their meals, and the prices are probably "reasonable" up there in the Los Gatos upscale area.

No real complaints, just nothing remarkable.
Apr 25, 2008
Photo of monkeybeer
Reviewed by monkeybeer from California

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Los Gatos is a nice quite town about 30 mile North of Santa Cruz and just south of San Jose. LGB fits right in to the upscale town of Los Gatos. The restaurant is a very nice brew pub. High ceilings lots of wood around, nice bar, and a general upscale with out being snobbish. The food is very good and I have not had a bad meal there. The beer is above average, and they serve some styles in a variety of was (cold or slightly warm). It is a great atmosphere for a night out with a loved one, to take the family, or a group of friends. It is owned by a local family and you can defiantly tell.
Oct 18, 2007
Photo of John_M
Reviewed by John_M from Washington

3.78/5  rDev +3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5
Seems like it's high time I reviewed this place, it being essentially my home town brewpub. Of course by the time this place came into existence, I'd long since moved away from Los Gatos.

I'm trying to remember what was in the building before LGB took it over. In any event, the place has almost a warehouse feel to it, although in this case a warehouse that has been "gussied up" considerably. There are very high ceilings in the brewpub, and LGB tries to pass itself off as an upscale, fine dining location that just happens to make its own beer. There is a lot of wood all around the place and the dining area is slightly raised.

In all fairness, I've generally had pretty good food at LGB. They do a good job with their ribs, and the rotisserie chicken is not bad as well. The cajun cole slaw is flat out excellent, and there is a nice smokey flavor to the baked beans. Service can be up and down here, depending upon how busy the place is. It's usually pretty good, however, and I had a particularly positive experience one time I was here with my mother and nephew. They made up a chocolate sundae on the spot for him that was big enough to feed an army (and quite made my nephew happy).

As for the beer, it's OK. It's gotten better over time, and I can entirely tolerate the hefeweizen and maibock. That being said, the beers here are really nothing special, and I find it interesting that LGB has such an upscale liquor selection and (expensive) wine selection.

Despite my less then flattering review, business here continues to thrive. I highly recommend making a reservation in advance if you plan to dine here on Friday or Saturday night, and I would be remiss if I failed to mention that Los Gatos has long become the "drinks after work" destination for much of the silicon valley. Hence, expect the brewpub to be absolutely packed on weekend evenings, with often times a line out the door.

Prices are generally pretty high here, which you would expect for a place like this located in ultra expensive Los Gatos. Still, if I happen to be in town this is a place I frequently drop by, provided it's not a weekend evening. You could do much worse.
Oct 15, 2007
Photo of bradybeer
Reviewed by bradybeer from California

3.86/5  rDev +5.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3
Located in the very nice town of Los Gatos, this brewery provides an upscale experience for beer lovers. You can walk in from the parking area or the side. Once in you will see the bar located at the far end of the building. The bar is large and stunning and is from a brothel in my home town (St.Louis,MO). They had the following beers: Pale Ale, Hefe, American Lager, Pils, and Pale on cask. My wife and I tried all but the American Lager and concluded that the beers weren't great-but as with the Hefe, Pils, and cask Pale-very good. Service was excellent We didn't eat here but plan on maiking another visit.
Aug 24, 2007
Photo of Durge
Reviewed by Durge from Connecticut

3.65/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I visit Los Gatos on business regularly and this is an easy choice for bringing a customer or just to go out with the local crowd. My ratings are a bit uncertain because I view it as a somewhat better restaurant than brewpub. Service at the bar is typically very difficult because of crowds any time after work. Service in the dining area is usually better, with a black tie appearance for generally casual dining. Food can be excellent at times, more ordinary at others, but usually pretty good. The beer is inconsistent by my experience. It doesn't seem to be the focus of this place from what I can tell, but I've had some decent choices on occasion, never bad. If you can avoid the crowded hours this is a much happier choice and you can have a pretty good meal with your beer! It's not really that pricey considering the area, but it does try to exude a little class and you can drop a few bucks pretty quick here.
Jun 25, 2007
Photo of willjschmidt
Reviewed by willjschmidt from California

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 4.5
This is a fun place to get a beer and some good food. It gets really packed on weekend nights so arrive early or make some reservations. The beer is nothing more than decent. I've sampled around six of their beers on previous visits and none of them were great but all decent efforts. However, the food is really good. It's much better and much higher quality than the standard pub fare.

I would recommend it for people that live in the area and are looking for a nice place to get some good food and some decent beer. It's not a place that would be a destination just for the beer.
Apr 15, 2007
Photo of Delerium
Reviewed by Delerium from Maine

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 3
Went on a friday night, the place was packed! Had a galss of the Hefeweizzen and the Pilsner, both were good, but nothing to write home about. I also tried the Stout, which was average. The food I had was, well....average, however, it was just a burger. A little too hip and too many Lamborgini types moving around. For the average person, probably a descent stop, for a seasoned BA, your better off driving 45 minutes North to Mecca/Toronado. for what you spend, there just isn't any value. Such a cool place, with a crappy beer selection.
Feb 04, 2007
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Reviewed by poluti from Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +12.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
The atmosphere is upscale for a micro-brewery. It's a great fit for Los Gatos. I would stop in after church for a quick pint and some tasty food. The quality is good. It's more than a brewery, it's a fine restaraunt with it's own beer on tap. The service is above average and the help at the bar is fantastic. They readily give away samples and when I was there a couple months ago, I did enjoy the cask-conditioned "braken-ale". Octoberfest is great there. Their Octoberfest beer leaves something to be desired, however the hefeweizen is quality and that is always on-tap. I found the selection to be good and if you're with someone that enjoys wine, it is a fantastic place to stop. I found the food there to be well above average, however you get what you pay for. Overall, I will keep on frequenting the place once a month and I recommend anyone who is in the area at lunchtime to do the same.
Jul 12, 2006
Photo of dougnboston
Reviewed by dougnboston from Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -3.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
I was excited to try this place. Sat in the dining area but the bar looked busy and good. Was with my kids (22 and 19) for dinner. All meals were good, really nothing to complain about, but on the other hand, nothing really special. Don't get me wrong ... I wouldn't steer away from the place, it's good food.

I had their beers in a tasting flight. All were quality brews. I did like the Heffe alot. They were pushing a brown ale ... don't really like browns and this was just another brown.

The place is big so you won't for a minute get that cozy pub feel. This is a good place to shop trendy Los Gatos and stop in for a good meal and quality beer.

enjoy!
May 31, 2006
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Reviewed by CultureJamMN from Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +11.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 5
I stopped in here on a business trip, and was quite pleased that I did so. My visit was around 2 in the afternoon, so there were no crowds. As a buisness man traveling solo, the counter service was a nice option, with a view of the open kitchen and the tanks to my left. Beautifully appointed place, with marble bar, and honey colored wood everywhere. The TV's were plentiful without being excessive, and the sound was at a perfect level to allow conversation, or viewing.

I ordered the sampler, and was quite pleased with the entire lineup. They were trying out a wheat beer, which was not quite up to the others, but i suspect it was either quite old, or a new and not honed recipe.

The server was attentive without being overbearing, a real professional when it came to the beers, as well as what to pair the beer with in terms of my food order. Spot on reccomendations as well.

The food was fantastic. Ordered the bleu burger, and was not disappointed. The fresh sourdough was amazing, and made the entire experience worth the price... you can't often say that of bread.

It was a little on the high side in terms of price for this midwesterner, but in the end, the experience was worth it, and I was on the expense account. ;-D

If you're in the Valley, this is a very nice spot to stop. (of course, maybe anywhere with sunshine and green grass in March is nice to a Minnesotan)
Jan 19, 2006
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Reviewed by Troyone from California

4/5  rDev +9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Very business like with a casual feel almost like a golf course bar. Friendly regulars and spacious divided dining with padded booths. They have a variety of wine as well.

Wooden tables, chairs, padded booths, and all around classy. The bar appears to be marble with a thick coat of enamel. Restroom was clean. Fairly new TV screens.

Service is prompt, business like, and knowledgable about sports and beer.

They had their Stout on cask (handpump) and was good also tried the sampler. I liked the Mai Bock (seasonal) which was pleasantly hoppy and the unfiltered Wheat (Hef...) was good. Supposedly their seasonal Pale Ale is also hoppy and good. I noticed some regulars ordering a blend of their liking. They could have more cask options and make some of their seasonals year round - for profit.

Good selection with healthy options some organic on the menu.

Food is Pricey...
May 01, 2005
Photo of ecoboy
Reviewed by ecoboy from Rhode Island

3.45/5  rDev -6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 2.5
It's either an old auto dealership or repair shop: there are pictures on the wall of "how it used to be." The old exposed wooden beams are still there above what feels like a pretty upscale "pub." Big open airy-feeling place, with the brewery just through the ceiling to floor windows behind the bar. Always a good sign to see tanks this big: quality control is going to be easier.

There's as much of a commitment to wine choice as beer choice: only (a disappointing number) four on tap on my visit, one on cask. The maibock was truly a malt-lover's dream. My companion was not so in love with it and switched to the exemplary hefeweizen.

Two flat-screen wide aspect ratio TV's above the bar showed baseball and how to make sports-on-TV look classy. Servers in uniform. Cloth napkins. There's been some money poured into this place.

Worth a visit in the valley.
Jul 02, 2003
Photo of DerKaiser
Reviewed by DerKaiser from California

3.78/5  rDev +3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
LGBC has been around since 1992, which is forever in terms of the the Los Gatos restaurant scene. And it's very popular. The food is quite good, although the menu hardly ever changes. The restuarant is very nicely decorated, with a huge wooden bar that was apparently shipped out from an old establishment in St. Louis. My only complaint with LGBC is that it can get very loud most nights, which can be annoying if you're trying to have dinner conversation. But if you can get past that, and I think most people can, it's a great place.

As far as beers go, they brew a top-notch hefe-weizen, and I've had a cask conditioned ale brewed there that was also very good. I wish they'd bottle them.
Dec 09, 2002
Los Gatos Brewing Company in Los Gatos, CA
Brewery rating: 3.76 out of 5 with 29 ratings