Ale Arsenal

Best beer bar in the Peninsula, and that's not hyperbole. Constantly amazing selection, super knowledgeable and friendly staff, even has a superb bottle selection at Fair prices. It's a little on the small side though, and there is no food (though you can bring whatever you want to eat in, including Refuge which is next door). If you just want fantastic beer, this is the place to go.

This is an amazing little bar off of the main drag in San Carlos. Great selection of beers, both bottled (including some nice hard to find beers) and on tap (plenty of local brews). Small outdoor place to sit and one (!) bathroom for the whole place. Can get somewhat crowed due to the size. Make sure to check out the menu before you order as it changes frequently!

Top Gun beer joint! They have lots of different beers on tap organized by Style. Alpha Acid Brewery is the house beer and it's also fantastic. They let you bring in food but they don't serve any, they always have great music playing and interesting movies on the screens.

This is no pretentious hipster bar. It's what a brew place should be. Beer is good. Ale Arsenal is good. Street parking may get busy though worth the short walk if you don't get a spot up front. Loved it, decor, brews, all of it.

Laid back with a great beer list. Staff is always knowledgeable and friendly. Not super fancy and no food is available, but they are cool if you bring take out from the Refuge nearby. Dog friendly.

I have lived here for 10 years and always thought this was some dirty little bar judging from the outside. My bad for judging a book by it’s cover! Place is super clean, big beer selection, awesome bartender…just a great place to meet a couple of friends for a beer.

Great beer selection. They allow outside food, which is a plus. The space is a bit narrow, so it tends to be easily crowded. The unisex bathroom in the back is pretty clean.

Love the bier--especially the German Pils on tap...just don't let the bartenders suggest a Truman Pils as a substitute! (from Berkeley and watery/bad beer) My friends love the Belgian beers. One can also get a flight of brews.

Always a curious IPA, and friendly staff

Classy dive with selection beyond what you would need. Uber fresh craft beer with intelligent, kind bartenders, a gorgeous wood and metal bar resembling a full airplane wing. No food but who cares? There's beer.

My favorite pub in San Carlos. Great beer without food being eaten by everyone. Regularly changing taps and super knowledgeable bar lady.

Nice beer bar, diverse selection.. friendly staff, indoor/outdoor seating

Hands down my favorite bar on the Peninsula. Great beer, super cool bartenders that know beer, plus superb beer on tap and bottle collection. And with an influence of Iron Maiden which is just damn cool!

Hophead's paradise. Great beer list and plenty of nearby restaurants to cure hunger pangs. Protip: the bottles sometimes are really competitively priced for aged beers if you have there.

A great place for a nice selection of beers. They don't offer food, but they welcome folks to bring in take-out from other places. One of my favorite things to do is getting takeout, going there with my wife, and playing board games while sipping on some awesome beer.

Updated: Double IPA Rack It is probably the favorite of my juicy hazy trends. It's full of fruit and flavor! ($8/pint). Frequented several times over the past few years and they're consistently excellent with their lineup and rotation of craft beers. If they were a baseball team they'd be like the Giants in their championship runs! Plenty of TV's and bar stools along the long bar. Friendly and knowledgeable staff and you can taste a few if you're curious before committing. Bonus: Outside food is allowed if you don't make a mess as there isn't any served. (Hint, next door are the best pastrami in the area).

Favorite local place. Great variety and well-curated offering. Cycles new brews in and out regularly, so there's always something new along with your favorites. They also do tap takeovers, which can be particularly awesome. Worth following their Instagram, as they announce new arrivals there (and they can be gone same day, if they're good!).

Extremely pleasant vibes every time I come here. The bartenders are very attentive and friendly. I can't see myself going anywhere else that's local because this place does it well, and consistently. I live a few blocks down so driving and parking is never a problem. Impressive tap list that's always circulating. Love it when they have Fieldwork on tap. But they have not only great Bay Area breweries, but many SoCal ones too!

Went for a SFbeerweek event and loved the offerings! Seemed like each day had killer beers. We were there for the so.cal takeover on saturday

Great beer bar with nice take out bottle selections also.

Was visiting a friend in San Carlos. Looking for something to do while said friend was at work. Nice vibe, service, and it was obvious the Staff had rapport with their regulars.

David Baker

A great place for a nice selection of beers. They don't offer food, but they welcome folks to bring in take-out from other places. One of my favorite things to do is getting takeout, going there with my wife, and playing board games while sipping on some awesome beer.

Cali Native V

Updated: Double IPA Rack It is probably the favorite of my juicy hazy trends. It's full of fruit and flavor! ($8/pint). Frequented several times over the past few years and they're consistently excellent with their lineup and rotation of craft beers. If they were a baseball team they'd be like the Giants in their championship runs! Plenty of TV's and bar stools along the long bar. Friendly and knowledgeable staff and you can taste a few if you're curious before committing. Bonus: Outside food is allowed if you don't make a mess as there isn't any served. (Hint, next door are the best pastrami in the area).

Brian Harris

Favorite local place. Great variety and well-curated offering. Cycles new brews in and out regularly, so there's always something new along with your favorites. They also do tap takeovers, which can be particularly awesome. Worth following their Instagram, as they announce new arrivals there (and they can be gone same day, if they're good!).

o o

Extremely pleasant vibes every time I come here. The bartenders are very attentive and friendly. I can't see myself going anywhere else that's local because this place does it well, and consistently. I live a few blocks down so driving and parking is never a problem. Impressive tap list that's always circulating. Love it when they have Fieldwork on tap. But they have not only great Bay Area breweries, but many SoCal ones too!

Rick Christiansen

Went for a SFbeerweek event and loved the offerings! Seemed like each day had killer beers. We were there for the so.cal takeover on saturday

Mark Bancroft

Great beer bar with nice take out bottle selections also.

Tyree Jordan

Was visiting a friend in San Carlos. Looking for something to do while said friend was at work. Nice vibe, service, and it was obvious the Staff had rapport with their regulars.

Really top shelf selection of rotating taps. The folks here are friendly and know their beer, so give great recommendations. Surrounded by restaurants as well, so a good kick off if you're headed for dinner

Great beer selection that is easily the best on the Penninsula. This is my most visited bar. The beer is good, the staff is friendly, and it has a very relaxed atmosphere. They don't serve food but you can bring in your own. There are TVs which are either playing sports or awful/awesome movies depending on your tastes. And it's dog friendly!

Local watering hole with tasty beers on tap. Free bugles to snack on and you can bring your own food. They have the best movies playing and you can ask to put sportsball game on. I would highly recommend this place!

Cool spot, very knowledge crew behind the bar. Tina and Steve were rad. Prices were fair. They offered half print which is a plus. Barstools with a back rest would be nice.

One of the best tap lists in the Bay area and very knowledge staff. As a home brewer and beer snob I highly recommend!

One of the two best taprooms on the SF peninsula. If you know this one, you don't need me to tell you the other one, which is about 2 miles away. Like that place, AA has been getting better and better for the last decade or so. No food here though, it's all about the craft beer knowledge and vibe. Can't recommend a place more highly. Staff, music, and TVs showing classic 70s-90s films when there's no relevant sports on. This is the best there is .

ALE LOVERS, COME HERE! I love a good ale and I could fairly be called an ale snob (nobody is perfect). I cannot find a better place to come and get a quality craft ale than Ale Arsenal. The ales here are a whole level above anything else I’ve found on the peninsula. The staff are very friendly and the patrons know each other often. It is like a small slice of ale lovin heaven! 😍

Such a treat to have this gem in San Carlos. The steady rotating of new and interesting brews, along with the old favorites being available, makes for a great mix. Also, they are one of the few places that has FinnRiver Cider available on a fairly regular basis (best. cider. ever.) Love the team - love the chill vibe.

I love going to this bar. They always have a broad selection of delicious local brews on tap and in bottles. The atmosphere is laid back and comfortable. Even when it's packed, you can still have a normal conversation with everyone at your table. I really appreciate that I don't have to yell over blaring music. The outside patio is really pleasant to hang out on with your dog on nice days, too.

Nice long bar so theres a lot of space to chat, and a good selection of beers from various locations in California and nearby states including Moksa from Rocklin, Slice in Lincoln and other awesome breweries. They offer ales, sours, IPAs, stouts, wines and even got some in-house bottle options. When you leave you can pick up a 4 pack for your home. Service is good, and they offer some small bar snacks like pretzels and trail mix.

Quiet beer joint that has amazing rotating selections and more importantly “half pours”. They always have a good mix of IPAs to lagers to stouts! If you are confused, just ask the staff, they have a wealth of knowledge and always ready to help you choose! They also get a batch of Pliny the younger every season!

Corey Carter

One of the best tap lists in the Bay area and very knowledge staff. As a home brewer and beer snob I highly recommend!

easong

One of the two best taprooms on the SF peninsula. If you know this one, you don't need me to tell you the other one, which is about 2 miles away. Like that place, AA has been getting better and better for the last decade or so. No food here though, it's all about the craft beer knowledge and vibe. Can't recommend a place more highly. Staff, music, and TVs showing classic 70s-90s films when there's no relevant sports on. This is the best there is .

Christopher Dirks

ALE LOVERS, COME HERE! I love a good ale and I could fairly be called an ale snob (nobody is perfect). I cannot find a better place to come and get a quality craft ale than Ale Arsenal. The ales here are a whole level above anything else I’ve found on the peninsula. The staff are very friendly and the patrons know each other often. It is like a small slice of ale lovin heaven! 😍

Wobble Jetpack

Nice long bar so theres a lot of space to chat, and a good selection of beers from various locations in California and nearby states including Moksa from Rocklin, Slice in Lincoln and other awesome breweries. They offer ales, sours, IPAs, stouts, wines and even got some in-house bottle options. When you leave you can pick up a 4 pack for your home. Service is good, and they offer some small bar snacks like pretzels and trail mix.

Dave Reed

Such a treat to have this gem in San Carlos. The steady rotating of new and interesting brews, along with the old favorites being available, makes for a great mix. Also, they are one of the few places that has FinnRiver Cider available on a fairly regular basis (best. cider. ever.) Love the team - love the chill vibe.

Vinay Srini

Quiet beer joint that has amazing rotating selections and more importantly “half pours”. They always have a good mix of IPAs to lagers to stouts! If you are confused, just ask the staff, they have a wealth of knowledge and always ready to help you choose! They also get a batch of Pliny the younger every season!

Pete Ross

Really top shelf selection of rotating taps. The folks here are friendly and know their beer, so give great recommendations. Surrounded by restaurants as well, so a good kick off if you're headed for dinner

Naz Ra

Ale Arsenal is such a unique bar. They have a great selection of craft beers that changes regularly. I love that they offer half-pints and allow bringing food from outside. The staff are very friendly and helpful. Keep up the good work Ale Arsenal.

Shaun Matthies

I love going to this bar. They always have a broad selection of delicious local brews on tap and in bottles. The atmosphere is laid back and comfortable. Even when it's packed, you can still have a normal conversation with everyone at your table. I really appreciate that I don't have to yell over blaring music. The outside patio is really pleasant to hang out on with your dog on nice days, too.

Lauren Goeser

Great beer selection that is easily the best on the Penninsula. This is my most visited bar. The beer is good, the staff is friendly, and it has a very relaxed atmosphere. They don't serve food but you can bring in your own. There are TVs which are either playing sports or awful/awesome movies depending on your tastes. And it's dog friendly!

Mitchell Campbell

Great selection of rotating craft beers. Small selection of interesting bottles. Most of the staff is knowledgeable, polite and attentive. You can get a pastrami sandwich from next door and eat it at the bar with your beer.

This a great bar for beer drinkers. The selection has a decent amount of IPAs and dark beers. The bar can be crowded due to on a few tables and a long bat.

Cool spot! Excellent selection of beer on tap and to go, friendly service, cool venue, byo food. 4.5/5. If they did 4-5oz pours it'd be a 5. Lots of great cans in the fridge and they do singles - score!

I've been coming to Ale Arsenal on a regular basis since they opened and the reason I keep coming back is because they provide something unique here in San Carlos: A great rotating beer selection. Between San Carlos and Redwood City there are really only 3 places with large constantly rotating tap list and Ale Arsenal is one of them. Kyle and Lauren, the owners, are constantly working to bring in new beers that are rarely seen in these parts. They also provide prompt service and are very knowledgable about the beers that are pouring. If the large selection is daunting one can simply ask for a recommendation and they won't steer you wrong. Chris, the only other employee is also up to snuff on his beer knowledge and tell you just about anything you'd want to know. On top of the rotating taps, they have a nice small bottle collection that can be consumed on premise or bought to go. There is even sake and a couple house wines. One thing that I like is that they don't serve food, but do allow you to bring your own food in. They have menus for some of the local spots too so you can order straight from the bar. Not serving food allows them to focus on service and beer while also contributing to the local establishments that do serve food nearby. If you live nearby stop in sometime for some good beer at a great local joint. If you are in the area and from out of town also stop in to meet some friendly people and try some beer you've never seen before.

Great local bar with a HUGE variety and some really good tunes playing. Located just a few minutes walk from downtown (same road Laurel Ave). Doesn't serve food but encourages you to grab some takeout and enjoy it with one of their great beer selections. Very knowledgeable beertenders!

Cozy bar with some beers, nice sort of place to go with coworkers after work to sip and chat. Didn’t try any of the food…

Truely awesome assortment of craft beers. Majority of which were IPAs (not my favorite) but their excellent website let me find a tasty Kolsch that hit the spot. Small outside patio would be great for spring/fall to people watch.

Neighborhood pub with an eclectic collection of ales and lambics. Very relaxed vibe and friendly staff. We had a nice time there catching up with friends over 🍻 !

This place is pretty solid in terms of the beer tap list, always interesting and always evolving. I like that. It is a bit more divey than I prefer but oh well. The bartenders can also be a bit of a hit and miss as well, so go for the beers but obviously not for the vibe or definitely not service.

Michael Pak

This place is pretty solid in terms of the beer tap list, always interesting and always evolving. I like that. It is a bit more divey than I prefer but oh well. The bartenders can also be a bit of a hit and miss as well, so go for the beers but obviously not for the vibe or definitely not service.

Good collection of craft hazy IPA. Not crowded. No bar food available.

Samarth KM

Good collection of craft hazy IPA. Not crowded. No bar food available.