Validation Ale

Lively brewery in the Funk Zone Santa Barbara! Lots of different, tasty beer varieties with daily ratings. There is a patio with games. And the bar food we had was good too.

Good selection of hazy beer. Hibiscus margarita was also well made.

I had a great experience at Validation. I got the German larger, Italian pilsner, fried chicken sando (sandwich) and they were all delicious. Great staff.

amber b

We were strolling by about 10 minutes before they opened, peeked in and the owner welcomed us in for a few tastes. What a clean space, well branded, friendly and, of course, a cool concept of beer validation. It’s a smart person’s brewery! And the beers are amazing! Cites butt down was my fave, and a clever name.

Mandy Cook

This place is absolutely wonderful!! The staff, the vibes, the drinks…everything was amazing!! We watching a Sunday football game and made plenty of friends throughout. The food was delicious. I even bought a shirt so I’ll definitely be back when I’m in the area.

Robert Degnan

Chill environment. They had outdoor activities. Music playing inside. There was street side bar seating. We got the wings. They were delicious and hot the sauce on the side.

mark a

A great brewery. Session hazy was tasty with some sweet afternotes. Hibiscus margarita was strong and the hibiscus was sweet and tangy. Fries great too. Recommend.

Steph H

We found Validation Ale from a recommendation on a walking tour in town. It was amazing! We had two flights of great beer. A huge variety for everyone to enjoy. We had the most delicious pastrami Rueben!!! And the smash burger was so good even in taco form. The prices were very reasonable for the quality. Great customer service. Everyone was helpful and friendly!! Don’t skip this stop on your trip to the Funkzone.

sampi16 sampi16

One of the better chicken burgers I’ve had in my life! Good selection of beer and nice staff. Interior and exterior are awesome, definitely worth a visit.

Arturo Salcedo

This place is a great break from the usual wine-tasting rooms — good beer, tasty food, and a fantastic atmosphere!

Nerissa Kwok

Just walking through the Funk Zone in Santa Barbara and came across this lively place. The atmosphere is welcoming and the beers that we had were delicious. Too bad we only had time for two beers but those were quality and we would come back again. My husband liked their Thai lemongrass saison and I loved the golden coffee ale! It smelled like coffee and tasted like coffee and beer with some sweetness and a smooth mouth feel. 🤤

Harrison Stanford

Short Version HIGHLY recommend Validation Ale for any events or if you’re looking for a cool venue to hang and have a drink with friends Long Version We were looking for a place that could host our Welcome Party for our wedding weekend. However, we weren’t certain on how many of our guests would show up, so we needed a venue that was flexible. Brian told us to not worry and he would take care of it. He was so chill and easy to work with that it felt unreal. Day of—the staff was incredible, drinks moved quickly, and we received countless compliments on how great the welcome party was.

Jim Grant

The most truffly truffle fries EVER. Great food and selection of beer and their own label of distilled spirits makes this the most well rounded eatery and watering hole in Santa Barbara.

Alan Martin

Good place to get a beer or try their tasty and refreshing meade. They also have food - try the delicious smash burger. Friendly staff, nice atmosphere with corn hole games outside to keep it fun.

Dlyle06

The smash burger tacos and beers were so good.

Living in Santa Barbara - Katinka Goertz

Lively brewery in the Funk Zone Santa Barbara! Lots of different, tasty beer varieties with daily ratings. There is a patio with games. And the bar food we had was good too.

Went here to get a beer and had a delightful time. Our bartender Emily Robbins aided us in navigating their menu and taught us about how to determine if a beer was “valid”. Will definitely be coming back soon

Andrew was great and very attentive. The beer rotation was good and the food was also really good. I recommend the fries and the pizza (bur-hot-ah Za). Highly recommend this place

We went there recently (twice actually) while we were in town. We enjoyed the beer; we enjoyed the staff; we enjoyed the food. Go there.

Lily is spectacular! Every time we come she fills the room with kind energy. Great bartender, and books the greatest bands. Highly recommend Friday nights. :-) Just moved here, this place feels like home

Had a good experience after strolling into the Validation Ale in SB to get out of the drizzly weather on New Year’s Eve Day. The young man at the register was very cordial and efficient. The atmosphere was really chill. The food came fast! I was excited to try hop water for the first time. It was good! I hope to visit them again under better weather conditions next time I visit.

Suzanne G

Had a good experience after strolling into the Validation Ale in SB to get out of the drizzly weather on New Year’s Eve Day. The young man at the register was very cordial and efficient. The atmosphere was really chill. The food came fast! I was excited to try hop water for the first time. It was good! I hope to visit them again under better weather conditions next time I visit.

Elijah Sada

Went here to get a beer and had a delightful time. Our bartender Emily Robbins aided us in navigating their menu and taught us about how to determine if a beer was “valid”. Will definitely be coming back soon

Ari Henderson

Andrew was great and very attentive. The beer rotation was good and the food was also really good. I recommend the fries and the pizza (bur-hot-ah Za). Highly recommend this place

Kiss The Comedian

Dear Humans on Earth, Lilly & Emma were like Batman & Robin — the most amazing bartenders I’ve ever met on Planet Earth, maybe even beyond the universe. Their energy and kindness were light-years ahead of anything I’ve experienced. They made me laugh and crafted incredible drinks. The place was clean, the food was amazing, and I can tell all 8 billion people on Earth to come here. I don’t even like the city of Santa Barbara — too bougie — but I love this place. I can’t wait to come back and bring my friends, maybe even Oprah or Kevin Costner. Sincerely, Kiss the Comedian (Instagram or Google me)

Ashley Rauls

We hosted a wedding celebration at Validation Ale, and it was absolutely perfect for what we wanted! The space had such a welcoming vibe and was ideal for our family to relax, mingle, and celebrate together. It’s dog-friendly, which was a huge plus for us, and there was plenty of room for the kids to run around and play cornhole while the adults caught up. The atmosphere was laid-back but still felt special enough for the occasion. The food and drinks were awesome. Everyone found something they loved. And the communication leading up to the event was super smooth. Reserving the space was easy, and the team was helpful and responsive throughout the process. We’re so glad we chose Validation Ale! it made our celebration feel easy, fun, and full of great memories. Highly recommend!

Came here for a break in the middle of the day to watch some college football. While it was very busy and not many tables available, we sat at the main bar. The ordering was funny and you order off your phone and you get your food/drinks pretty quickly. The menu was quirky but was very helpful in helping select what beer to choose based off taste. I really enjoyed the wings too. You can also order beer any size you want which is nice because I didn't want to drink too much after a long weekend of drinking.

Joanna Meyer

Came here for a break in the middle of the day to watch some college football. While it was very busy and not many tables available, we sat at the main bar. The ordering was funny and you order off your phone and you get your food/drinks pretty quickly. The menu was quirky but was very helpful in helping select what beer to choose based off taste. I really enjoyed the wings too. You can also order beer any size you want which is nice because I didn't want to drink too much after a long weekend of drinking.

Beer is good, but $20 + tax and tip for 46.9% Wagyu genetics beef cubes in a hot dog bun smothered in teriyaki syrup is not so good.

Daniel Zazueta

Beer is good, but $20 + tax and tip for 46.9% Wagyu genetics beef cubes in a hot dog bun smothered in teriyaki syrup is not so good.