Ballast Point Tasting Room & Kitchen

(Just as no guy/gal is a ’10’, nothing is a ’0’ or ’10’ with me.) Kudos to the guys who were in line already when we got there at 10AM. I was the fourth in line but the only one with a growler: Rest assured, I got the first growler poured to the public. You know it had to be Sculpin! They were still doing some finishing touches outside but otherwise this place is open! Overall, they did a nice job and the grand opening@11AM went well for us with a minimal amount of delays. I wasn’t expecting anything more than cold beer, to be honest with you. We wanted to hang around a bit and ordered a salad and some mussels. The mussels were awesome, very fresh with Spanish chorizo and peppers plus a generous portion. Salad was good too, with shaved fennel. Prices aren’t YH outrageous for food. Service was very good/very friendly. It will be absolutely nuts for the next few months. Minor disappointments: No Homework series #6 even though it was on the taplist(which was as extensive as any SDCO location). They also pour 8oz. for some of their specialty brews so you need to pay attention to the beer menu closely. There was plenty of what you see at their other locations in SD. The BP flagship beers are still being brewed in SDCO and shipped here. There were no other offerings from other breweries at my visit. This BP location combines all the pluses of the San Diego County locations into one with the added benefit of being near the water(former Windrose/Khoury’s location). The sunset views have always been spectacular here and can be viewed by many spots here inside and out. I really like the setup of the place: There are only a few TV’s and none of them are visible from the outside. Depending on where you are, you might not see a TV at all. There are plenty of different combinations for seating as well as two satellite bars besides the main bar: One is in the rear of the place and the other is upstairs on the upper deck. Oh man, the upper deck! Great views with cozy seating. This is what separates all the places I’ve been to, the view of the harbor inlet. Hopefully, the beer/food selections/HH will increase as they get there feet firmly planted in the sand/water at this new location. Looking forward to seeing what the HH will be like here: Nothing wrong with cheaper barley pops/apps! How about some growler fill specials, too? The gauntlet has been dropped: Anything within 20 miles of this place has some major brew competition because of the quality/selection of beer and the ambiance. No doubt, you definitely need to check it out. I don’t see how you can be disappointed. Only time will tell what happens next but I expect some wonderful tasting opportunities for all in our community. With competition, we fellow imbibers can only benefit!

With Ballast Point now being a drab corporate clone, the obvious draw here is the oceanfront location. A few special offerings but nothing wild or exciting, otherwise their typical draft list similar to their other locations. It’s a nice space, open and modern with a proper marina vibe. And you’re paying for that. Average pint is $9 and with tax that approaches $10 which I guess is just life now. The big downside of this place are the staff and their bad attitudes, like they either don’t want to be there or they think you shouldn’t be there. And they don’t seem to know much about the products they’re offering not do they seem to care. Truly off-putting. Odd management decision.

 

 

 

 

 

We came here after surfing at Huntington Beach for a quick beer. Already, I can tell that the location on the ocean is a big selling point. Finding parking on Saturday morning was a big pain in the ass, though. There, the service was efficient and quick, with a line to buy draft pours. Lots of space, but also very crowded as it is a popular place to get a beer in LA. The selection of beers wasn't anything special; most of what you can get is available in bottles and there is nothing limited. Fun place to hang out and drink beer, though I wouldn't be coming here for anything specific to the beer which is readily available on the shelves.

 

 

 

Went on a Sunday evening while on business. Very packed and loud, but the patio was awesome and the beer selection was better than i could hope for from a taproom.

 

I had a great tasting time at this Ballast Point Location
Similar to Stone bistrot at Liberty Station in San Diego with a great view on the Marina.
The bartender gave me a great service as my samples looked more like half a pint than anything else
Great beers, great place and great staff