Karl Strauss Brewing Company — Restaurant in Costa Mesa

Karl Strauss Brew Company in Costa Mesa, what a wild ride it was! I must say, it felt like stepping into a bizarre alternate universe of the once-wonderful old Karl Strauss. The place seemed deader than a doornail, with no one in sight to greet you upon arrival. I half-expected tumbleweeds to roll across the floor. To add to the confusion, there were no waiters to be found. It was as if they had all embarked on an epic quest to find the fabled land of "Customer Service Excellence." Alas, they never returned. So, desperate to quench our thirst and satiate our hunger, we embarked on a self-service adventure.

"Open seating and scan the barcode" seemed to be the motto of the day. We were left to fend for ourselves like lost sheep in a beer-infused wilderness. But fear not, for the food was indeed a beacon of hope amidst the chaos. The flavors danced upon our palates, as if to say, "Don't worry, we've got your back!" The beer selection, oh, the beer selection! It was a shining star in this bewildering experience. Fresh, well thought out, and tantalizing to the taste buds. The Red Trolley on tap was a symphony of yumminess. It made us forget, if only for a moment, the oddity of our surroundings.

The beer pretzels, oh my taste buds, they were a revelation! Crispy, savory, and downright amazing. We couldn't help but marvel at the genius of infusing pretzels with the power of different sauces, but good old mustard is the best. However, the fish and chips were a different story altogether. They didn't quite hit the high notes that the pretzels did. Let's just say they were nothing to sing home about. Perhaps they missed a few notes in the frying process.

Karl Strauss Brew Company in Costa Mesa left us scratching our heads and laughing at the absurdity of it all. It was like stumbling upon a hidden comedy club, where the punchlines came in the form of missing waiters and self-service adventures. But fear not, dear adventurers, for the food and beer will still tickle your taste buds and make you forget the craziness of the world outside. Cheers to Karl Strauss, the enigma wrapped...

This is one of my two favorite 'bier gartens' in the mid-OC. They ALWAYS have at least one truly dark beer available. Upscale bar food that is truly tasty and sometimes surprising. Like who would think of Korean BBQ bowl in a German beer garden? And I found it tasty enough to want to order it again. It would benefit from an actual, USDA determined, serving of beef. Delicious nonetheless, with the fresh, slender, perfectly-cooked, green beans, pickled onions and shredded carrots. The 32nd Anniversary Imperial Stout was thick and luscious, 13.7%; bold enough to stand up to the nicely seasoned Korean BBQ bowl. Hubby had the Chicken Chop salad. He thought it had enough chicken to make the salad a meal, without so many greens to be irritating. He also enjoyed the house made salad dressing but can't describe the flavor besides its being lightly creamy and spicy. He said he would order it again, between burgers. This pandemic-induced, scaled-down menu was surprisingly good but had no coffee to go with their only dessert, tiramisu. 🤨 Please don't let me forget to mention the STAFF. Other restaurants on the same scale, should take note - from the bartender to the servers to the bussers, all were warm and accommodating with enough people on the floor to take care of any need or question. Karl Strauss, is a favorite because of its...

I frequent South Coast Plaza, Crystal Court, and Metro Pointe a lot and I'm surprised I hadn't heard of this place until I got a notice from work telling me our holiday party was going to be held here. Considering it's tucked behind everything, I'm not really surprised. I don't notice things unless they're right in front me and I hardly pay attention to signs not that there's much leading to this place so whatever. Now I know and I'm happy that I do. It's actually a fun, cool place for some great beer and eats in a casual somewhat upscale atmosphere.

Our work gathering was held on their patio and the entire time the staff was very attentive about drink and lunch orders. Our crowd got really rowdy but they kept up with us which was impressive.

I tried two beers - wind and sea and the wreck alley. The wind and sea is similar to a heif but I think my taste has really changed and I'm now more of a dark beer, imperial stout person so the wreck alley was a hit for me that day. Also it was very strong and I had to walk off the buzz.

I split an order of the barbecue/crispy chicken salad and chicken sandwich and liked them both although I think I liked the salad a little more. It was really good. Bathrooms are posh and very clean. Also I love that there are plenty of booths inside. I love booth dining. I'll be back...