Instant Replay

Instant ReplayInstant Replay
Instant ReplayInstant Replay
Bar, Eatery

21927 Saticoy St
Canoga Park, California, 91304-4835
United States

(818) 712-0628 | map
facebook.com/theIRbar
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.22
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
16
pDev:
10.66%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ReverendNathan:
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Reviewed by ReverendNathan from California

4.72/5  rDev +11.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
This place has recently come under new ownership, and the owners take pride in their beer. Aside from your typical beers, the taps are reserved for six or so rotating craft beer selections -- sometimes the bar owner will go on a kick and prefer one brewery (at the time of this writing Ommegang is the popular choice, Great Divide sometime before that) for a few taps, but I come in at least weekly and find something new. I love that: at least one new thing to try when you come in.

I've met all the bartenders, and they are all very nice and attentive. The place is small, and the atmosphere is low-lit with jukebox music, but that's well made up when you bring a few friends and enjoy a nice brew without the need to yell to hear each other. There's a Mexican food place Taco Reyes next door who stays open late VIA a food truck they park out front. $1.25 for a taco with your choice of six meats ain't bad, but the $4.25 quesadilla is insanely filling.

Prices of craft beer range from $4(!) to $6, but they may increase depending on the keg cost of the beer. You cannot beat this price in a twenty-five mile radius. Especially for good beer! It seems some BeerAdvocate members have also taken a shining to this bar, so I don't think the amazing rotating selection of craft beer for a great price is going anywhere anytime soon. Also if you like hard alcohol, the prices seem pretty good for them, too.

All in all, there really isn't anything to put this bar down for: great service, awesome rotating selection, nearby food, and appropriate atmosphere: a beer haven hidden away in an unlikely place. A must-go-to if you are in the San Fernando Valley.
Jan 13, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.21 by brewnme from Maine

Apr 11, 2017
 
Rated: 4.4 by Rado from California

Oct 31, 2014
Photo of AnotherRoundPodcast
Reviewed by AnotherRoundPodcast from California

5/5  rDev +18.5%
Great Beer list. Friendly regulars. Cool owners.

Parking in front and back, plus there is a Mexican food joint and a liquor store on the same strip. Its a one stop shop!
Oct 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by wethorseblanket from California

Sep 05, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by ImperialRed36 from California

Jul 11, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by GRG1313 from California

Jun 14, 2014
Photo of billyjuan
Reviewed by billyjuan from California

4.59/5  rDev +8.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75
Well I can call myself a regular and I can write a huge review why I like this place but i'm not. I'm going to keep it simple instead.

*Beer costs around $4-$6 a glass compared to $9 at other bars.

*Great beer selection which Stan rotates quite often. Some o the beers I've seen on tap are Racer 5, Cafe Racer 15, Wipeout, Ale Smith IPA, Sculpin, Stone IPA, Old Viscosity, Titan, Knuckle Sandwich, Petrus, Lagunitas Sucks & Daytime IPA, Green Flash Hop Odyssey Citra Session IPA, Blackmarket 1945, Victory at Sea, Kern Just Outstanding IPA, My Bloody Valentine and some others I can remember of the top of my head.

* Taco's Reyes next door has some of the best tacos in the valley and they will bring you your food if you tell them you are next door.

* The staff is friendly and always glad to help you get your next drink.

So if you live in the area give it a shot, you wont be disappointed... just don't expected to be a hipster bar like The Local Peasant which will NOT let you in if you are wearing sandals, shorts, hats or tennis shoes.
Sep 05, 2013
Photo of jmgrub
Reviewed by jmgrub from California

3.78/5  rDev -10.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
Have been here a few times in the past couple months as a few members of my tasting group are "regulars." I wouldn't call Instant Replay a craft beer bar by any stretch-rather, it's a cozy neighborhood dive with some reasonably priced craft taps.

My first experience here was decidedly negative, with a rude and unhelpful bartender spoiling what was otherwise a nice time. However, after we alerted the owner to the issue, he was extremely apologetic and did everything he could to make it right, so I decided to give IR a second chance.

My second experience was extremely positive. The staff were kind, quick, helpful, and just generally seemed happy to have us there. I really enjoyed myself.

If you are looking for a reasonably priced, cozy bar with "standard" craft beers (i.e. Alesmith IPA, Anchor Steam, Sierra Nevadas etc.), this is a great option to have. If I lived in their neck of the valley, I'd probably be there much more often. A definitively different vibe than most craft bars, but a good time for sure.
Sep 03, 2013
Photo of Oneinchaway
Reviewed by Oneinchaway from California

3.99/5  rDev -5.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4
Just started going here a couple months ago and now that I've moved to the area, will be frequenting a lot more. If the below items interest you, you will LOVE this place.

*An old school Hollywood dive bar atmosphere with no windows (feels straight out of the movie 'Swingers'
*Great craft beer taps
*A rotating craft beer cask
*Free salty popcorn
*EXTREMELY cheap drinks
*1x single old school FREE dart board
*Jukebox
*Good cheap Mexican food next door that you can bring inside.

That about sums it up. Good stuff.
Aug 07, 2013
Photo of ChewyLewy
Reviewed by ChewyLewy from California

4.46/5  rDev +5.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 3.5
This bar is great. It is small but comfortable and the owners are friendly and generous. They have tv's for any kind of professional or college sports as well as a juke box for music lovers. If you're an I.P.A. lover, this is the place to be. The taps will feature at least three solid choices for hop lovers, at least one brown ale, maybe a porter or stout if you're lucky. There's no food at this place but it is right next door to a fabulous Mexican restaurant, with a food truck that serves late, that is allowed to be brought into the bar. Instant Replay is a solid choice for a quick craft beer at a generous price.
Dec 13, 2012
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Reviewed by UCLABrewN84 from California

3.94/5  rDev -6.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
I stopped in to Instant Replay tonight to grab a few beers. Inside and outside it's 100% dive bar status. Random decorations, modern mp3 jukebox, dart boards, flatscreens showing sports, etc. All of the beers on tap are craft offerings with the BMC stuff sold in bottles only. The beers seemed fresh and are either served in a pint glass (which they call a lemonade glass) or a goblet. The service was good even though it was a bit busy. Prices are either $4, $5, or $6 depending on the specials and what kind of beer you want to get. Very reasonable for what they have on tap. Definitely worth a stop if you are in the area but don't expect anything fancy.
Sep 25, 2012
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Reviewed by Tieman from California

4.4/5  rDev +4.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4
Summary:
I love that this place is walking distance from my house.
I love that it has all craft beer taps.
I love that they let us hold bottle shares here.
I love that my favorite Mexican place in the valley is right next door.

Instant Replay is the best craft beer bar value in the west SF Valley, hands down. You get 10 quality craft taps at an excellent price (tap list updated on their website regularly). The staff is very friendly and extremely accommodating.

I hope people read this review because even though I don't give exceptionally high marks for atmosphere, I don't think the vibe of the place is poor - it actually works really well with the location, the personality of the older regulars (the ones not there for craft beer), and the look & feel. But I don't want anyone showing up expecting something like Tony's or Mohawk or Blue Palms. Because it's not, but that's one of the reasons I really enjoy going here. It's chill in the best way without attracting snobby assholes.

So seriously, if you live in the area, please stop in and have a pint or two. If you're passing through the area or looking for a place to watch the games on Sunday, give IR a shot. This is a perfect example of the places that I wish LA had more of - bars that are willing to risk not having BMC on tap in order to promote good beer at a fair price. In order for the craft scene to grow in LA, to compete with San Diego, we need more places like Instant Replay. And the best way to convince more bars to follow this model is for the existing places to succeed.

Cheers!
Nov 30, 2011
Photo of mrbubbler
Reviewed by mrbubbler from California

4.58/5  rDev +8.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
Instant replay is the type of place you stop by a couple times a week and grab a beer or two, maybe watch some sports or just relax. They have your usual bar stuff like darts, internet jukebox, lotto, and 4 flat screen tv's. Stan now hows 12 craft taps! Beer cost is $4-$6 a glass its a pretty hard value to beat in the valley!!! No more $9 snifters of old raspy at McG's...

Taco place next door is pretty damn good and offers tacos for about a dollar a piece. also a couple restaurants in walking distance.

Plenty of parking in the rear of the building.

All in all a nice little local bar with some damn nice beer on tap for $4 a glass.

beers i have seen on tap: sculpin, high tide, bruery mischief, BP big eye, BP octoberfest, old rasputin, PP old viscosity, kern river just outstanding, PP wipeout, Racer five, knuckle sandwich, FW parabola, FW abacus, lagunitas sucks, surf brewing stuff
Nov 19, 2010
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Reviewed by Skuter from Montana

4.44/5  rDev +5.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4
Great place to go and watch the game (they have 4 large flatscreen TVs) and throw back a few quality brews or a nice whiskey. Stan is the beer geek and is always getting pretty good stuff in on draft (especially for the West Valley) and pricewise ($4 a drink), it is definitely a must visit!

No food, but they will let you bring in whatever you want (Tommy's and In N Out are both down the street, or a pretty good "real" taco place is next door).

The atmosphere is very laid back and relaxed, with a sign on the wall saying "keep it cool". An old-school dartboard, an electronic jukebox, and lotto (more like bingo or keno) round out the entertainment.

I live only about a mile away from the place and will be visiting it often. Hit me up if you intend to visit and I'll most likely be able to meet you there.
Nov 18, 2010
Photo of Retsinis
Reviewed by Retsinis from Arizona

4.28/5  rDev +1.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4
Instant Replay. Since it came under the new ownership of Stan, James, & "T" it has been a craft beer oasis in the west valley, where BMC & Corona bars are endless. Sure we have some Bevmo's & Total Wines now, but a good beer bar, is very scarce on this side of town.

It is not a large bar, it is not a Blue Palms, Tony's Darts Away, since they do not serve food (except popcorn) but the service is quick and friendly. They have 10 taps. All of which are dedicated to craft beer. They have had Sculpin, Old Viscosity, Titan, Dales Pale, Old Rasputin, Mischief, Trois Pistoles, Delirium Noel, Lost Abbey Devotion, Parabola, Santa's Lil helper, Knuckle Sandwich, as well as selections from El Sugundo, Surf Brewing, & many, many more to name a few . Also has a few Flatscreens for sports. Edit: 2/15/13 more recently, Petrus Pale ale, Lagunitas Sucks, Victory at Sea, My Bloody Valentine, Colette, they also have a cask engine, and have special offerings from time to time.

All drafts, thus far, have been a flat $4, regardless of what you order too. If it is a higher ABV beer though, it will be served in a Goblet. They also have a Dart Board, and a jukebox. I recommend it if your in the area, and looking for a well priced pint of good beer, and just a laid back BAR, to check them out.
Nov 13, 2010
Instant Replay in Canoga Park, CA
Place rating: 4.22 out of 5 with 16 ratings