Nice place, great beer, really kind staff and great merch! Will be back

Cool outdoor & indoor spaces right off of State St. We had good pizza and especially liked the Mosaic & White Walls beers. Staff was really friendly too. Overall good SB brewery.

This place has awesome local beers and pizza is spot on, loved the ambiance and its good for families during the day on the outside patio.

I’ve been to about 150 breweries and this is up there in my top 5 and certainly my favorite I’ve been to in Cali! I tried about 8 beers here and didn’t have a single bad one! Beyond that the atmosphere is awesome and the food/service was fantastic! Talked to a lady at the bar who had awesome recommendations on what to see in town and overall was just blown away with this place! A must visit for sure!

Super night here, the service was impeccable, super friendly ! Would recommend anyone to try this place

They make awesome brew! Delicious pizza as well. Multiple screens, showing games. The beer garden is a great place to hang out next to a fire pit and listen to music.

Friendly staff and good beer. Exactly what you want from a local brewery.

Beer- 10 Food -10 Atmosphere -10 Wait staff -11 !!! The staff and service was outstanding. I wish all restaurants could take lessons from this establishment.

First time visiting the SB location after being a long time patron of the Camarillo location. Great vibes, similar to Camarillo but with a nice SB flair. Incredible food options and great selection of beers I hadn't seen at the other location in a while. I recommend the Stranded coconut stout and the peach and prosciutto pizza!

We always come here when we pass through Santa Barbara. Great pretzels! 4oz to full pint sizes on all their offerings Which are extensive

We have always loved Institution and we are so glad they opened in SB! The beer is, of course, excellent and we were pleased to find the pizza is too. Their Mosaic Pale Ale is 👌and the space is well designed. We liked that there was a designated line heading to the bar. Much easier than trying to get a bartenders attention. We will be back often.

Great beer and pizza!

Good beer and service. Outdoor seating is nice as well as the location.

Great tap line up, 50%+ of seat is outdoors. Coolest little beer Garden facing State Street. Bring a friend...or 10 friends! Did not try any eats. Will report back when I do!

Pizza was great and the retro arcade area is awesome. Plenty of seating for groups too.

Randomly stumbled upon this place while on vacation. As an IPA aficionado I can say they've got some great beer! Had their cheesy sticks too and they're were soooo good! Definitely recommend!

The Jalapeño State St beer is fantastic if you like some heat. It has the perfect amount of jalapeño. They’ve got games you can play while you eat or drink which is a nice touch. Great atmosphere with the glass windows open and friendly bartender.

Was cruising North and decided to walk State St with my dog. We walked into Intuition and the entire staff was ridiculously nice. The beer was soo good I had to stay and eat pizza, which also was amazing. 12/10 with the staff. Will always stop by going forward. Thank you for a wonderful experience. (4/27/21)

Great examples of west coast style IPAs with a great selection of beers across a wide range of styles. The bartenders made us feel at home with great recommendations of local things to do and engaging conversation throughout our visit. The atmosphere was just right with a post industrial feel and a nice sea breeze coming in from the large windows. I hope I get the chance to visit again when I'm back in the area!

We love Institution Ale every time we visit Santa Barbara, great beer and their pizzas are phenomenal. Truly recommended to try the carne asada pizza, different and super tasty!

Joana was the beer tender and she took care of us recommendations were amazing and she related to me with having a new born told me where to visit I was extremely happy and felt relieved You hired a great employee not many places have employees like this 10/10

I’ve visited here several times over the years, and I must say that out of the countless pizzas I’ve tried in countries including Italy, France, Japan, Spain, Mexico, Turkey, England, Germany, and Greece, the spicy & honey bacon pizza I had here is without a doubt the best. The beers are also excellent.

Come for the beer, stay for the excellent pizza! My family has been here many times and always experienced great beer, great pizza, and welcoming staff. Trivia night is also a great way to spend an evening on their comfortable patio.

Good vibes and tasty brews. The food is delicious as well. One of our go-to spots whenever we visit SB!

We enjoyed it really much there! The location is nice, the beer and pizza were very delicious and the prices are fair. They initially forgot one pizza of our order and gave us a free round of beer as an excuse!

Great beer and pizza! The pizzas can easily be shared between 3 people. 15 inch pies that are delicious. Beer is top quality too.

This a great spot to hang out and watch a game on the many screens they have. The patio is a great place to people watch and their pizzas are delicious.

Fantastic place. Good beer and any place with pinball (even just 2 games) and beer is top notch for me. I got a full course of all the IPAs they had on draft currently and my Fiance got the Raspberry Daydreamin'. The only complaint I have is not a complaint really so much as an 8 IPA flight is hard to pick a favorite out of 8. That said imma say surprisingly the Fall Seasonal Red IPA pleased me and today it my favorite. I will add the Bell Tower would knock my hop pants off on any other day. TLDR: Good Beer, pinball and vidya, dunno about the pizza.

Great place if you are coming to SB, pizzas and beer are delicious. Good selection! Kid friendly which is great!!!

Just had a great experience here. Lunch special is great value, very solid pizza, and back room with shuffle board would have been enough but apparently there was a mix up with our order (we didn’t even notice bc we were having so much fun with parents vs kids shuffle board) and they brought out 2 orders of complementary giant pretzels without us saying a word. Oh and great beer- highly recommend the mango sour!

Good beers and good vibe. We enjoyed the Margherita pizza and the bingo on Wednesday. Definitely recommended.

This place had the best "pizza place salad" I've ever had. The lettuce was...spectacular. I would have never guessed. The pizza was good but it was like...bar pizza not pizza pizza if you know what I mean. It was good though. Service was reasonably attentive but I never got my ranch dressing to dip my pizza in which is probably for the best in retrospect. Had their Mexixan Cerveza beer which was good. Crowd was a mixture of normies and people with kids.

Awesome Pizza, dope beers, and cool people. Thanks for the service. The spicy Bacon with goat cheese was great. I don't even like goat cheese usually.

Excellent pizza and beer right on State Street! Great people watching super helpful and friendly staff and we got to meet Lance!

Wonderful place to watch sports or to catch a weekend afternoon band in the patio.

Really good beers. Many pizza choices, and not the standard run of the mill toppings. They have created some very unique flavor profiles. Definitely a do over.

Came here after a crazy night hungover and this place had great beer. Their beer sat just right for the moment with the perfect touch of carbonation and chill.

Starting with the beer- 10/10 and great variety. I only drink IPAs, I have friends that only drink sours, and my family only drinks stouts- I take them all here when they visit because there really is something for everyone (they also have a small wine selection). Now onto food- at this point I have pretty much tried everything on the menu that does not have blue cheese and everything is spectacular. The pizzas are unique and tasty- however, the veggie one can get a bit of a soggy crust and you may need to mop some of the oil off the pepperoni with a napkin. But the pretzels are the star for me- I was truly devastated when the Wetzels Pretzels on State Street closed, but now that I have found Institution, my troubles have subsided. Perfectly cooked, perfectly salted, sized, and the mustard and cheese are both amazing. The overall vibe is great. Tons of TVs inside to watch games, bigger tables for large groups, the outside patio is prime for people watching on State, they have the arcade games in the back, and they have the additional patio seating with it's own little bar.

Carne Asada pizza tasted special in a good way. The service is friendly.

Food is amazing. Try the carne asada pizza. Service is friendly and timely. Come here every time we are in Santa Barbara and have never had a bad experience

Great taproom on the main street with friendly service. Pretzels are absolutely amazing, would go back just for those alone.

Sensational beer and excellent pizza. Very affordable prices and friendly staff. My friends and I ordered multiple pizzas and they were all amazing. I tried the windows are watching and dissonance, and they were bother incredible beers, tasting along side some of the best ranking beers I’ve had. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Really great spot. The building is a really fun conversion from an obvious old diner. Inside the staff is friendly, the beer is excellent and the food is amazing. The Caesar salad I ordered was huge and very tasty. I hope to visit again one day if I'm in the area.

We ordered the Carne Asada Pizza. The Asada was more like bites. If you like meat, order extra meat. Tried a variety of beer, the blue tart beer was delicious with a beautiful color. Service was okay. Everytime we needed something had to track someone down. Other than that location was good. Good atmosphere.

This is a worthy outpost of the Camarillo brewery, with lots of space, comfortable seating, and a big garage-like area in back with games (classic shuffleboard!). Great beer selection, delicious food, and helpful, knowledgeable staff! We tried several beers and had a pizza – all were great. There's a good cross draft with the front and rear open, mitigating COVID concerns (August 2021).

My experience at Institution Ale Co was perfect. The pizza was incredible. My husband and I split a BBQ pizza with steak, onion, cilantro, and it was some of the best pizza I've had. The beer was also a win. Next time I'm in SB, I will definitely return!

Friendly staff, excellent beers, great vibes! Definitely worth a stop for a drink. They offer very reasonably priced Flights which worked well for tasting.

Great 🍻 on tap and pizza 🍕. Plenty of open seating. Views of state street. Pinball machines. Nice service. Plenty of TV's. Friendly nitro staff. Free tastes. Tap to pay. Extended happy hour and dodger dog food. Live music in the adjacent patio. Join the club. Trivia

Would give 4 stars based on the beers but the vibe and food were hittin so had to give 5. Really cool inside space with big open air windows. Fun outside area. The best beer was the golden stout with vanilla and other adjuncts was the best golden stout I've ever had. It's not a very common style, but rarely lives up in my experience. This one, pictured below, tasted exactly like a stout but was light and easy and pure gold. The other beers were solid. The food was priced excellently and tasty. We got the pep pizza and bbq chicken salad with balsamic instead of ranch.

Aaron Potter

Fantastic beers and atmosphere. Loved their coffee IPA! So delicious - holds up to the very best coffee IPAs I've ever had! Super clean and open atmosphere. Great beer garden too outside, not crowded on a weeknight. Lots of room here and even a backroom with arcade games. We met a really cool bartender that was great to chat with! Good vibes here and tons of variety of beer. Definitely check it out if you're on state street.

Daniel 31

West Coast or Die - one of the best craft beers I ever had! Great atmosphere, overall a perfectly location to have a beer or two!

Kev Kev

This place was a blast, my wife and I won free beers at Wednesday night bing here, Joana was an awesome host. I recommend it if ever downtown Santa Barbara looking for good beer.

Lisa Dobbs

We loved Institution Ale! Great variety of beers and great Carne Asada pizza, among others! The toppings are delicious, and the thin crispy crust is so good. We watched the Super Bowl here, and it was very busy, but the service was still great!

Holly

Institution Ale Co. in Santa Barbara is a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. Located on State Street in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, this bar, food, and restaurant establishment offers a laid-back atmosphere with a wide selection of craft beers, delicious food options, and a welcoming staff. Whether you’re looking to grab a drink with friends, enjoy a meal with family, or simply relax and unwind after a long day, Institution Ale Co. has something for everyone. Their beer menu includes a variety of options so I’m sure everyone will find a beer they will enjoy. They serve freshly made artisan flatbread pizzas and soft pretzels. I can’t comment on the food since we didn’t order but it looked very inviting. I heard they also have live music and I’m sure this is a great place for it. We got to hear a local musician out in the street from the venue and it was a delight. The spacious layout of the establishment makes it an ideal spot for larger gatherings, whether you’re celebrating with friends, hosting a party, or simply enjoying a night out. The combination of great beer, tasty bites, and live music creates a vibrant and memorable experience for patrons.

Brendan

Great beer and a wonderful environment with wide open doors and a view of the entire main strip of Santa Barbara. This brewery that only has a great selection of local beer, but also serves pizza and has ample indoor and outdoor seating. This is a great spot to come and enjoy beer and people watch or enjoy good food in the middle of the day. The great thing about this brewery is that on the menu, they differentiate between those beers with are lighter and more refreshing, and those that are more sour or hoppy. This makes it super easy to order and if you have company that doesn’t like IPAs, they can pick beers that are more accustomed to their taste. When we came in the middle of the day on a busy weekend, it wasn’t crowded and we got served immediately. You shouldn’t have to worry about long weights and the bartenders are very fast and friendly and are willing to explain things to you or let you try beer before you buy it. We felt super welcomed and didn’t feel pressured to leave at all, we actually stayed for a little bit and hung out and really enjoyed the experience. If you’re looking for a good beer, a good environment and somewhere to just stop by during your busy day in downtown Santa Barbara, I highly recommend coming here to get a taste for local Santa Barbara beer and vibes.

Emma C

We stopped in this craft brewery on a whim and what an awesome experience! The staff were so friendly and helpful, the drinks were perfection, and the food was incredible. If you're a pretzel person--GET THE PRETZEL! Even if you're not a pretzel person--GET THE PRETZEL!! You can't go wrong with anything here!

Ron Lovell AHC Culinary

So much fun! Great beer, wine and pretzels. Brasscals are not to be missed.

Spencer Russell

True craft beer mecca. Fabulous bar. Staff were great, friendly and helpful. Superb beer range. Lunch pizza and pint deal phenomenal. Beer flight was brilliant.

Arnold Flores

Five star experience during COVID19 new way of life. Clean, organized, and safe place. Ordering is organized. Comfort food is on fire. We love the preztels with the special mustard and cheese dips. Preztel is chewy, warm with slight crunch - buttery with light sea salt. Carne Asada and cheese pizzas were a delicious delight. Perfectly baked crust with a good amount of ingredients to wake up the taste buds. IPA craft beers - perfect blend of mosaic, hops, bitterness and cold. Excellent to wash down dinner. Ambience on State street is perfect for outdoor dining. Kids and families welcome. Something for everyone. Touche.

Mark Goldsmith

Stopped by for a casual lunch. Ended up having the most delicious pizza we've ever had. Also had a mini beer flight giving us the ability to sample 4 different beers.

Tammra Schiller

Great place on State St for local beers, and lunch. We stopped by after walking to the boardwalk/pier. Had a great selection of beers and pizzas to choose from. Plenty of city parking lots to find parking and relax walking around local shops. We got tlgsrlic sticks, pepperoni pizza, and a rustic pizza.

Zachary Reusing

We are such big fans of Institution Ale Co., and they're location (and Beer Garden!) in Santa Barbara are the best! We've been many times and always enjoy the amazing beers (Day Dreamin' is my favorite!) and food. Recently, we worked with Institution Ale Co. to host our Wedding Party / Rehearsal Dinner in the beer garden. It was absolutely perfect; the food and drinks were wonderful, and the service was amazing. We will absolutely be back, and we highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for great beers, delicious food, and a wonderful atmosphere on State Street!

Agnar Stefansson

I love sitting outside in the beer garden courtyard, and the BBQ Tri-tip pizza is the best pizza I have ever had! Watch out it has a bit of a spicy kick! And their ranch dressing is good!

Jim Cook

Definitely the best brewery in Santa Barbara! Great selection of beers and especially West Coast IPAs, The Surgeon in particular. Everyone who works there is very friendly. Highly recommended! You won’t be disappointed 👍

Peter Basolo

Sensational beer and excellent pizza. Very affordable prices and friendly staff. My friends and I ordered multiple pizzas and they were all amazing. I tried the windows are watching and dissonance, and they were bother incredible beers, tasting along side some of the best ranking beers I’ve had. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Definitely the best brewery in Santa Barbara! Great selection of beers and especially West Coast IPAs, The Surgeon in particular. Everyone who works there is very friendly. Highly recommended! You won’t be disappointed 👍

I love sitting outside in the beer garden courtyard, and the BBQ Tri-tip pizza is the best pizza I have ever had! Watch out it has a bit of a spicy kick! And their ranch dressing is good!

We are such big fans of Institution Ale Co., and they're location (and Beer Garden!) in Santa Barbara are the best! We've been many times and always enjoy the amazing beers (Day Dreamin' is my favorite!) and food. Recently, we worked with Institution Ale Co. to host our Wedding Party / Rehearsal Dinner in the beer garden. It was absolutely perfect; the food and drinks were wonderful, and the service was amazing. We will absolutely be back, and we highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for great beers, delicious food, and a wonderful atmosphere on State Street!

So much fun! Great beer, wine and pretzels. Brasscals are not to be missed.

Great place on State St for local beers, and lunch. We stopped by after walking to the boardwalk/pier. Had a great selection of beers and pizzas to choose from. Plenty of city parking lots to find parking and relax walking around local shops. We got tlgsrlic sticks, pepperoni pizza, and a rustic pizza.

+4

Stopped by for a casual lunch. Ended up having the most delicious pizza we've ever had. Also had a mini beer flight giving us the ability to sample 4 different beers.

Five star experience during COVID19 new way of life. Clean, organized, and safe place. Ordering is organized. Comfort food is on fire. We love the preztels with the special mustard and cheese dips. Preztel is chewy, warm with slight crunch - buttery with light sea salt. Carne Asada and cheese pizzas were a delicious delight. Perfectly baked crust with a good amount of ingredients to wake up the taste buds. IPA craft beers - perfect blend of mosaic, hops, bitterness and cold. Excellent to wash down dinner. Ambience on State street is perfect for outdoor dining. Kids and families welcome. Something for everyone. Touche.

+2

True craft beer mecca. Fabulous bar. Staff were great, friendly and helpful. Superb beer range. Lunch pizza and pint deal phenomenal. Beer flight was brilliant.

+6

We stopped in this craft brewery on a whim and what an awesome experience! The staff were so friendly and helpful, the drinks were perfection, and the food was incredible. If you're a pretzel person--GET THE PRETZEL! Even if you're not a pretzel person--GET THE PRETZEL!! You can't go wrong with anything here!

Great beer and a wonderful environment with wide open doors and a view of the entire main strip of Santa Barbara. This brewery that only has a great selection of local beer, but also serves pizza and has ample indoor and outdoor seating. This is a great spot to come and enjoy beer and people watch or enjoy good food in the middle of the day. The great thing about this brewery is that on the menu, they differentiate between those beers with are lighter and more refreshing, and those that are more sour or hoppy. This makes it super easy to order and if you have company that doesn’t like IPAs, they can pick beers that are more accustomed to their taste. When we came in the middle of the day on a busy weekend, it wasn’t crowded and we got served immediately. You shouldn’t have to worry about long weights and the bartenders are very fast and friendly and are willing to explain things to you or let you try beer before you buy it. We felt super welcomed and didn’t feel pressured to leave at all, we actually stayed for a little bit and hung out and really enjoyed the experience. If you’re looking for a good beer, a good environment and somewhere to just stop by during your busy day in downtown Santa Barbara, I highly recommend coming here to get a taste for local Santa Barbara beer and vibes.

Institution Ale Co. in Santa Barbara is a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. Located on State Street in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, this bar, food, and restaurant establishment offers a laid-back atmosphere with a wide selection of craft beers, delicious food options, and a welcoming staff. Whether you’re looking to grab a drink with friends, enjoy a meal with family, or simply relax and unwind after a long day, Institution Ale Co. has something for everyone. Their beer menu includes a variety of options so I’m sure everyone will find a beer they will enjoy. They serve freshly made artisan flatbread pizzas and soft pretzels. I can’t comment on the food since we didn’t order but it looked very inviting. I heard they also have live music and I’m sure this is a great place for it. We got to hear a local musician out in the street from the venue and it was a delight. The spacious layout of the establishment makes it an ideal spot for larger gatherings, whether you’re celebrating with friends, hosting a party, or simply enjoying a night out. The combination of great beer, tasty bites, and live music creates a vibrant and memorable experience for patrons.

We loved Institution Ale! Great variety of beers and great Carne Asada pizza, among others! The toppings are delicious, and the thin crispy crust is so good. We watched the Super Bowl here, and it was very busy, but the service was still great!

West Coast or Die - one of the best craft beers I ever had! Great atmosphere, overall a perfectly location to have a beer or two!

This place was a blast, my wife and I won free beers at Wednesday night bing here, Joana was an awesome host. I recommend it if ever downtown Santa Barbara looking for good beer.

Fantastic beers and atmosphere. Loved their coffee IPA! So delicious - holds up to the very best coffee IPAs I've ever had! Super clean and open atmosphere. Great beer garden too outside, not crowded on a weeknight. Lots of room here and even a backroom with arcade games. We met a really cool bartender that was great to chat with! Good vibes here and tons of variety of beer. Definitely check it out if you're on state street.

The best pizza in Santa Barbara. Large open space, lots of TVs to watch sports. There's also a back area with games and a huge side patio.

Great place to watch the game. Sat outside but can easily see the inside TV screen. Outdoor bar allows for easy ordering and table service delivering. Right on State Street so great atmosphere.

We held our wedding welcome party in the beer garden at Institution Ale, and we were so happy with how the event turned out! The beer garden was the perfect size for our group (~85), but had extra seating and could have held probably up to 100-125 comfortably. There's a satellite bar in the beer garden that our guests were able to order from, as well as tables, fire pits, corn hole, etc. The staff was amazing to work with throughout the planning process & all of our guests were raving about how fun the night was. Thank you Institution Ale!

Koundel Reo

Great place to watch the game. Sat outside but can easily see the inside TV screen. Outdoor bar allows for easy ordering and table service delivering. Right on State Street so great atmosphere.

Jaime Hamilton

We held our wedding welcome party in the beer garden at Institution Ale, and we were so happy with how the event turned out! The beer garden was the perfect size for our group (~85), but had extra seating and could have held probably up to 100-125 comfortably. There's a satellite bar in the beer garden that our guests were able to order from, as well as tables, fire pits, corn hole, etc. The staff was amazing to work with throughout the planning process & all of our guests were raving about how fun the night was. Thank you Institution Ale!

Stopped in at night and ordered a small salad. It was huge and the two of us couldn't finish it. Would have liked more of a choice of salad dressings though.

Lots of options stouts, ales , NITRO, and seasonal beers this place has lots of beers. The pizza is pretty good and the pretzels are well worth the price. I loved playing the shuffle board in the games room.

I would eat the crust if the sauce wasnt 2 inches away from it.

Beers were pretty good, the place itself is very clean and nice to have a drink at. Gave it a four star because the music was so loud you couldn’t talk to those around you and the line to order was super long, so we only got one round. The rest of the breweries we visited had normal levels of music and quick ordering, if they fixed these two things it would be a five star review.

Institution Ale is an interesting place. I really like the beers, and they always have such a good variety. The food is not bad and I really like the pretzels. And 90% of the time their service is hard to beat, but the other 10% of the time means I have to deal with such insufferable beer tenders that it is absolutely not worth my time to be in there for a beer. I'm giving them 4 stars as an encouragement for them to really look at the fit of new hires, because the average of their service would bring this review down to 3.5 stars if half starts existed.

Great service, good selection of local sales, delicious pizzas!

The vibe of this place is great! I thought the beer was just alright but their food is stellar. I got the tri-tips pizza and it is possibly the best thing I’ve eaten all year. If you go here and don’t eat that, you’re missing out.

Beer was taste and refreshing, but pizza wasn't really good...

—-MAY 2021 I got the Rx Pils and it was great. I was also pleased with the very reasonable pricing for pours. Carne Asada was delicious. Arugula/Prosciutto was good, but I preferred the flavor of the Carne. I ate a pizza on my own and I don’t recommend it; half probably would’ve been the smarter choice. My eyes are always bigger than my stomach. Plenty of tables were set up, but even though it was after the usual lunch time when we visited (about 2pm), it was quite busy and we ended up at one of the communal tables. Staff were quick to clear glasses/plates and disinfect after guests leave, so we felt comfortable with it.

Kevin Dahl

Food was average/good, had the hot BBQ pizza (low heat). Beer was average. Nice place to watch a game.

Food was average/good, had the hot BBQ pizza (low heat). Beer was average. Nice place to watch a game.

Good food and great beer. Nice bar staff. Food was slow to arrive. Place is one giant room creating a very vacuous feeling to it due to lay out and high ceilings. Not my vibe.

Todd Clark

Good food and great beer. Nice bar staff. Food was slow to arrive. Place is one giant room creating a very vacuous feeling to it due to lay out and high ceilings. Not my vibe.

The beers were really good but the service was terrible. I left my tab open and said that it is because I wanted to look at the food menu. The bartender never got back to me about the food. I kept trying to get the bartender's eye to get water but she didn't even look my way until I asked her for water no ice as she was walking by. She then gave me a glass of ice water. Never did get asked about the food (maybe because she was on her phone)

A nice place to be crowded out for football. Okay food. Good beer. Absolutely avoid the Tuesday trivia- so terrible. Outdoor section is okay in the summer.

Ignored. Didn’t want to help. Eye contact was lacking. When eyes are rolling we don’t want to be here.

This place is on par on what is starting to be a new trend with most service businesses these days. No services. Not very simple to order a simple order. Didn't feel welcome. Can't drink their own ale that they sell you if it comes in a can, even if you ask them to pour it in their own glass. Very frustrating. Charge more get less. That seems to be the new business model of a lot of State St. restaurants and bars. I feel bad because this is probably a reflection of lack of good employees and working with a skeleton crew. I wonder how they were pre Covid?

The food was good but the service was horrible! I cannot believe the rudeness I experienced from the staff. The girl had an attitude when we asked if our table can be cleaned and when I asked another staff he said if you find someone. He also had an attitude ended up coming out to clean the table and gave it a one second swipe and walked off with the table still dirty. Will not be returning to this place again.

I’ve liked their beer for a long time but the service has always been lacking, and recently the staff have been pretty unprofessional. Now I understand they probably deal with drunk college kids a lot but the way they treated my group the other night makes me not want to go back. We stopped in at about 10:20 PM on a Saturday, they have a stated close time of 11:00 PM. They let our group of 10 enter, they let our group buy drinks, at no point did any staff say hey we’re closing early tonight. Then as we are sitting there with still half full beers, at 10:45 PM a staff member comes over and curtly announces, “hey everyone, we are closed”. Considering we all still had half our beers, one of us asked if we could take our drinks outside. The staff member asked what we said and we responded “it was a bad joke”. He replied “yeah it was”. Then walked away. Not wanting to waste 12 dollars of beer we stayed at the table to finish drinking, and mind you it was 10:50, they don’t close until 11. Another staff member comes over and tells us we have to leave because they are closed. So we left out half finished drinks. About an hour later we walked past the window and saw all the staff members at a table drinking. Fine, stay after hours and hang out with coworkers, but don’t kick customers out early. My main problem is with the one very rude staff member, but I feel like the whole crew could have not let us buy drinks and sit down if they were going to close 20 minutes after we got there

Unfortunately the good pizza is gone, it is now cheap microwave pizza flavor. This used to be my favorite place in town but the new pizza is terrible. My review two years ago was “Beer excellent, pizza excellent, way way better than expected!!! Kudos! Love that Pilsen is available here” So sad to see good stuff discontinued.

All of these cheesy tap room places are lame. It's basically self service, and God forbid you should ask the bartender for a glass of water. You will get a conceited response to get your own water. That's when you know the place sucks. And you have to get your own food too, while the bartender, or whatever they're called, stands around with little to do. Full service bars & restaurants have such a better atmosphere than these cheesy places, like Institution.

I went to go have a relaxing and fun time with my family & we came all the way from Bakersfield to enjoy the beautiful atmosphere and scenery then I tried to order a beer & the bartender said "No" because I don't look "old enough" & because my I.D. unfortunately expired on that day but I tried to show him my proof of age & that I am officially and Legally 25 years young and I've also have had NO other problems Anywhere in Santa Barbara even here at Institution before because I've been here many many times & it USED to be my favorite spot in Santa Barbara but Now it's nothing but a joke!! They even went as far as to insult my family & sister, they kicked us out before we could finish out food, Such disrespect. Best Believe we're never coming back to that excuse of a Bar/ Restaurant. Institution has their rude employees to thank for that but Never have I ever been so harassed just because of a simple I.D. even though I was of age & I as a former bartender I personally would know how "things work" I also know that Institution has sold to Minors before because I've personally seen a tall 6ft slender looking employee that has a Justin Bieber haircut serve My Younger sister & Did not ask for her ID right before my very eyes solely because he claimed to me that she "does not look under age" even though she was and had no ID. You say you ID Everyone but got fooled by a female minor that was only 20!! Such a wonderful job you are doing. If you don't believe me, Institution! Check the camera footage of the 11th on March, 2025 around 4:30pm-5:15pm. Your welcome for saving you the trouble.

⚠️Horrible! Definitely Do NOT Recommend🚫 The customer service is Terrible, their employees are very rude & the tables in the back are absolutely filthy.Never coming back ever EVER again. P.s - I never knew you guys don't ID minors? Such professionalism to not ID people who you "assume " look "old enough" to drink.

Declan was a complete jerk and he seemed bothered because I asked to switch out a hat. I was excited to find this spot and we enjoyed the food, beers, and service. Thought I’d support the spot by repping a hat out of state, where I live. But his attitude completely ruined the entire experience I had with my family.

The beer quality was standard. We ordered "the white walls" and "on these bones". There were a few things that raised my eyebrows and made me skeptical on the professionalism of the staff and business. When we arrived we tried to order at the bar but were redirected to order from the main kiosk which was not an issue at first. Later we sat down and as we were enjoying our drink other people arrived and they were serviced several times at the bar without having to go to the main kiosk. Also, the bathrooms for men and women are in completely separate sections. When inquiring on the location I was told there were no women's restrooms as the staff giggled. This made me feel uncomfortable as she was another girl and told her male coworker "that was a good one" while giggling. I am from out of town and was really looking forward to the experience and unfortunately it was not good.