Brass Bear Brewing

Hidden gem! On a hot, busy SB day, we were looking for somewhere with good food and without huge crowds or long lines - and we found that at Brass Bear! The beer was delish, HIGHLY recommend the shrimp and the burger was better than most. Plus the brewery has a cool back story

Nice family friendly beer & bistro. We had a beer and loved the supervised play area. Great vibes here. Also dog friendly, which is a huge plus for us.

The food is fantastic and the outdoor dining area is very relaxed and comfortable.

Steak skewers were tender and juicy. Would definitely have ordered more but the pasta salad filled me up! IPA was cold and was super refreshing with a smooth hoppy flavor while keeping crisp. Would still drink it on a hot summers day.

We had our rehearsal dinner at the brass bear this past Thursday. We communicated with their Catering & Events Manager Emily. She was fantastic at responding to us in a timely manner and was flexible with us as we had family members pick up things from the brewery. When we arrived we were greeted by the staff and had a covered area with lovely decor of flowers set out near the food. We had several men who demolished the cheesesteak sliders and meatballs. The staff was quick to replenish the food so our guests always had something to eat. The drinks were delicious. I had a margarita and my husband had the blood orange wheat ale and a few of their golden bear IPAs. He and his groomsmen couldn't get enough and went back for 2nd, 3rd, and 4ths. The Brass Bear was the perfect place to have our rehearsal dinner. The atmosphere fit our vibe and the food and the service couldn't be beat. I highly recommend booking your next event with the Brass Bear. Oh also, there is a parking lot right behind the brewery which is awesome, because we all know parking can be a bit of a nightmare in SB.

Good beer, good food, good atmosphere. Has a outdoor playground for kids.

What a great little brewery! Had a lager and a blonde which were both superb, consistently good beers. The burger and tri tip skewers were REALLY good. Lots of lovely outdoor space which we, and the dog, thoroughly enjoyed. Will definitely come again

Nice cozy, quirky place with outdoor seating and a limited selection of quality beers. The food was excellent - especially the tri-tip and shrimp skewers.

My wife and I just dropped in for dinner one Saturday in November. Food and cocktails were great, service was good, the outdoor seating in the back was a comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere. Great spot, definitely would consider going back next time I'm in downtown SB and I'm in the mood for a burger and a beer.

Brass Bear Funk Zone is the perfect location to host a wedding welcome party. Emily had great communication with us throughout the planning process. The food/drinks and service were top notch day of. I would definitely recommend hosting an event here!

Great beer at the bear! Cozy little spot with a chill atmosphere. Had a flight of 4, all by Brass Bear and I must say, the best and most consistent craft beers I've had out of a hand full of craft breweries down the Cali coast.

Brass Bear is my favorite Wine and Beer place to go to with friends and family. Very kid and dog friendly. Love the outdoor feeling, but private! Play area for small kids. Most of all very accessible, I am on crutches and use a scooter. Love this place and my husband and I and friends come here a few times a year, we live in Burbank, CA. 😋

We went today (Sunday) I got the Funk Zone grilled cheese, fiancé got the tacos. Both were great, big flavors on the cheese blend they used. Nice atmosphere, they were playing mid-2000s rap/R&B. I can definitely see us coming back for drinks on a weekend.

As we stepped into Brass Bear Brewing, the cozy atmosphere immediately put us at ease. Nestled in the heart of Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, this hidden gem offers more than just great beer—it’s a delightful culinary adventure. It’s dog and family friendly. You can bring the kids there and they can play in the kids area so the parents can enjoy a beer out in the sun shine. It’s a win win for every family. Fun for all! Now, let’s talk about the star of the show—the Blood Orange Beer. It’s safe to say that this brew has forever changed my beer-drinking standards. The vibrant hue hinted at the citrusy goodness within. With every sip, I was transported to sun-kissed orchards, the tangy sweetness dancing on my taste buds. It’s no exaggeration to declare it is the best blood orange beer I’ve ever had. Actually it’s the best beer I’ve ever had! Wishing they were closer to home. We paired the beers with the Grilled Cheese and Homemade Hot Sauces, a winning combo. The gooey cheese melted with steak was perfectly toasted bread was comfort food at its finest. But what truly elevated our experience were the homemade hot sauces brought to our table by the friendly employee. Each sauce had its own unique kick, adding layers of flavor to our meal. Kudos to the chef for these fiery delights! Brass Bear Brewing strikes the perfect balance between comfort and culinary excellence. Whether you’re craving a hearty sandwich, exploring unique hot sauces, or seeking out extraordinary beer, this place delivers! Brass Bear’s setting is picturesque yet urban, overlooking a parking area with a view of the mountains. The staff’s warmth and attentiveness added to the overall charm. We got to talk to the owner and she was very friendly. We highly recommend giving Brass Bear a visit!

We happened upon this spot about 30 minutes before closing time and decided to give it a shot. The cute patio seating caught our eye and drew us in, but the food is what really wowed us. My husband got the Brass Bear Burger and said it was the best burger that he’s had in SoCal. He wouldn’t stop raving about it. I got the Chicken Salad Sando and it was so good that my teenager kept stealing bites, even though she loved the cheesesteak bites that she had ordered. The cute little patio seating areas were great for us and our younger 2 kids who found some friends to play with in a seating area with a bunch of kid-friendly outdoor toys. We will definitely be coming back!

My husband and I are not big drinkers, but we are trying to get out of our comfort zone. In addition to our food, we ordered a flight. The employee helping us chose the beers for us (per our request), explained how each one was going to taste, and even gave us a sticky note with each of the names so we wouldn't forget. I ordered the chicken salad sandwich and it was the best one I've ever had in my life. I would eat here again just for that. My husband ordered the Brass Bear Burger and really enjoyed it. We also got the spicy zuchini. They were too spicy for me, but the flavor was great and my husband was able to finish them

Great spot!! Fun and cozy patio surrounded by vegetation. Really friendly staff and the gourmet grilled cheese sandwhiches with meat were delicious.

I love this joint. Public parking in the back (at a fee but in the funk zone this is a must), great outdoor patio, excellent food and great beer and beverages. One of my favorite places in Santa Barbara.

If I could give the Brass Bear a 10/5 I would. If you are thinking of hosting a private event or wedding reception here, DO IT. We had the time of our lives hosting the wedding of our dreams here last weekend. The location is intimate, the food is delicious, and the drinks are on point. Most importantly though, the staff are extremely helpful and accommodating. Our original wedding venue went out of business and with two months to spare, we got in touch with Seth, the owner, to see if they could host 100 people. I asked if we could move thing around to our liking and texted him multiple times throughout the process, he was extremely responsive and helpful. Then on the day of the wedding, Seth and his wife Lindsey were there every step of the way to help our crew with setup and tear down. The wait staff could not have been more awesome and they worked their butts off to make sure we were fed, had drinks in our hand and were having a good time. Thank you so much for hosting us for the wedding of our dreams.

Always love coming to Brass Bear but wanted to leave a review because we recently went and what made the evening even better was the service. Charity, the manager, went above and beyond to ensure our experience was great. Her genuine warmth, attention to detail, and passion for what she does really stood out. Thank you Charity for staying late on 4th of July!

Always have an amazing time when I visit the funk zone location. The food, drinks, and friendly staff always make my experience an unforgettable one. It’s always fun when they make their special cocktails, or if Napo creates something unique for me. 10/10 would recommend.

Let me start by saying I don’t always leave reviews. A lot of my subscribers have been asking, hey, why haven’t you left an any reviews lately? Well this is what I’ll say. You can’t rush perfection! I rolled into brass bears funky zone on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in February. I was driving back from a bender in Paso Robles and really needed a place to get 6 beers to tide me over until I got home. As you all know, I LOVE bears. I’ve always wanted to have a bear of my own, but the next best thing is drinking at every bear-related establishment I can across. I’ve been to many of the greats- black bear diner (Shasta is better then Redding in my opinion- see my review for more details), Grizzly Outfitters, bear mountain, you get the idea. So when I saw brass BEAR funk zone, I had to stop in. First, I ordered 6 beers. I went with the blonde (x6). I love blondes. Then, for my second course, I had their tri tip grilled cheese. That thing was GOOD mate! I skipped dessert as I was so satisfied with my 6 beers and tri tip grilled cheese. My girlfriend (don’t tell my wife) loved the lemonade. She got 4 of em. As you all know, I always love to try the bathroom at places I go. You can tell a lot about an establishment by the surfaces in their bathroom. Beautifully done, as you’d expect. Id highly recommended a visit, even if you don’t use it as intended. One last note- the place has great art. As a fellow Australian, I loved seeing and hearing about the owners journey across gods country. It must’ve taken quite a few years to walk around the entire thing! Kudos mates.

Alex Van Camp

We went today (Sunday) I got the Funk Zone grilled cheese, fiancé got the tacos. Both were great, big flavors on the cheese blend they used. Nice atmosphere, they were playing mid-2000s rap/R&B. I can definitely see us coming back for drinks on a weekend.

Holly

As we stepped into Brass Bear Brewing, the cozy atmosphere immediately put us at ease. Nestled in the heart of Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, this hidden gem offers more than just great beer—it’s a delightful culinary adventure. It’s dog and family friendly. You can bring the kids there and they can play in the kids area so the parents can enjoy a beer out in the sun shine. It’s a win win for every family. Fun for all! Now, let’s talk about the star of the show—the Blood Orange Beer. It’s safe to say that this brew has forever changed my beer-drinking standards. The vibrant hue hinted at the citrusy goodness within. With every sip, I was transported to sun-kissed orchards, the tangy sweetness dancing on my taste buds. It’s no exaggeration to declare it is the best blood orange beer I’ve ever had. Actually it’s the best beer I’ve ever had! Wishing they were closer to home. We paired the beers with the Grilled Cheese and Homemade Hot Sauces, a winning combo. The gooey cheese melted with steak was perfectly toasted bread was comfort food at its finest. But what truly elevated our experience were the homemade hot sauces brought to our table by the friendly employee. Each sauce had its own unique kick, adding layers of flavor to our meal. Kudos to the chef for these fiery delights! Brass Bear Brewing strikes the perfect balance between comfort and culinary excellence. Whether you’re craving a hearty sandwich, exploring unique hot sauces, or seeking out extraordinary beer, this place delivers! Brass Bear’s setting is picturesque yet urban, overlooking a parking area with a view of the mountains. The staff’s warmth and attentiveness added to the overall charm. We got to talk to the owner and she was very friendly. We highly recommend giving Brass Bear a visit!

Tashia Buccioni

We happened upon this spot about 30 minutes before closing time and decided to give it a shot. The cute patio seating caught our eye and drew us in, but the food is what really wowed us. My husband got the Brass Bear Burger and said it was the best burger that he’s had in SoCal. He wouldn’t stop raving about it. I got the Chicken Salad Sando and it was so good that my teenager kept stealing bites, even though she loved the cheesesteak bites that she had ordered. The cute little patio seating areas were great for us and our younger 2 kids who found some friends to play with in a seating area with a bunch of kid-friendly outdoor toys. We will definitely be coming back!

Kaylee Crance

My husband and I are not big drinkers, but we are trying to get out of our comfort zone. In addition to our food, we ordered a flight. The employee helping us chose the beers for us (per our request), explained how each one was going to taste, and even gave us a sticky note with each of the names so we wouldn't forget. I ordered the chicken salad sandwich and it was the best one I've ever had in my life. I would eat here again just for that. My husband ordered the Brass Bear Burger and really enjoyed it. We also got the spicy zuchini. They were too spicy for me, but the flavor was great and my husband was able to finish them

Grant Johnson

Great spot!! Fun and cozy patio surrounded by vegetation. Really friendly staff and the gourmet grilled cheese sandwhiches with meat were delicious.

Shelby Guelff

Always love coming to Brass Bear but wanted to leave a review because we recently went and what made the evening even better was the service. Charity, the manager, went above and beyond to ensure our experience was great. Her genuine warmth, attention to detail, and passion for what she does really stood out. Thank you Charity for staying late on 4th of July!

cc castaneda

I love this joint. Public parking in the back (at a fee but in the funk zone this is a must), great outdoor patio, excellent food and great beer and beverages. One of my favorite places in Santa Barbara.

Tessa Horn

If I could give the Brass Bear a 10/5 I would. If you are thinking of hosting a private event or wedding reception here, DO IT. We had the time of our lives hosting the wedding of our dreams here last weekend. The location is intimate, the food is delicious, and the drinks are on point. Most importantly though, the staff are extremely helpful and accommodating. Our original wedding venue went out of business and with two months to spare, we got in touch with Seth, the owner, to see if they could host 100 people. I asked if we could move thing around to our liking and texted him multiple times throughout the process, he was extremely responsive and helpful. Then on the day of the wedding, Seth and his wife Lindsey were there every step of the way to help our crew with setup and tear down. The wait staff could not have been more awesome and they worked their butts off to make sure we were fed, had drinks in our hand and were having a good time. Thank you so much for hosting us for the wedding of our dreams.

Carolina Vazquez

Always have an amazing time when I visit the funk zone location. The food, drinks, and friendly staff always make my experience an unforgettable one. It’s always fun when they make their special cocktails, or if Napo creates something unique for me. 10/10 would recommend.

Chris Cardema

Cool vibes and great tasting beer. Also pictured is the passion fruit Mojito and a charcuterie board. Service is great! Will be coming by again when I'm in Santa Barbara

Emily, the Catering & Events Manager, was a dream at helping us organize and plan our reception in the Funk Zone. With her guidance, our wedding planning was a simple, fast, direct and pure perfection. Very communicative, responsive and will help you achieve your event goals. Sydney and the team at the Funk Zone location were amazing! Every and anything we needed was right there. Sydney kept checking in on us, food was out on time, the staff gave us great suggestions on drinks, had options for our non-alcoholic guest! My in-laws loved the draft selections. The staff cleared tables and just stayed so attentive. We felt so special and so cool the way everyone helped our guests! If you are thinking of having an event, especially a wedding reception here. Look no further, you've found your spot!

I was visiting from SLC and went to the Brass Bear for appitizers and a few cocktails. Sydney was taking care of us. She was FANTASTIC. Gave us wonderful and personaable service. We had the Passion blitz which was delicious and some of the street corn. The ambiance was very charming!

Great vibe and great food; the outdoor space with pergola and heaters was enjoyable even in December for a holiday party! Emily is an excellent event coordinator who helped us refine every aspect, to host exactly the event we wanted!

Great find while visiting the beach across the street. Super laid back with very nice outdoor seating with umbrellas & shade. The food was good, we had the sliders & like them. The Amber & local Lager were tasty.

We booked this location for our wedding reception that had 38 guests. It was a perfect atmosphere and the food was incredible. The event menu is diverse and has so many great options for guests of all ages. There are also great options for a half and full bar as well as a partial or complete booking of the venue. Emily, the event's coordinator, was fabulous while we talked through the details of leading up to our event and she was very responsive as any questions came up from our end. She was thorough in her explanations and we had clear expectations of what would happen the day of our event. Kenzie, the day of coordinator, also worked very efficiently and paced the food very well throughout the day. She was patient and communicative throughout the event. All of the staff did an incredible job with the food, service, and drinks. I would highly recommend having an event here for a small to mid-size wedding. Additionally, a huge, HUGE thank you from myself and my new husband for all the hard work from the staff. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making our day so incredible.

Emily at Brass Bear was great to work with when we were interested in hosting our rehearsal dinner here. She was responsive, friendly, accommodating and flexible. We liked the options available for food and location in the back patio, and the location of Brass Bear in the funk zone can't be beat .We looked at ALOT of restaurants and Brass Bear was a great option for an affordable dinner (we had 40 guests). There is also a parking lot behind and a fun area for kids to play. There was a slight mix up with space but they fixed it right away and the rest of the night went smoothly.

Just great. Fantastic brews (double IPA) and delicious food. The funk zone grilled cheese was out of this world, and I will be dreaming of the street corn side for the rest of my life. Terrific music on the patio (Drew of See Trees), beautiful ambience, and the perfect end to an excellent day in Santa Barbara.

Holly Walling

Great vibe and great food; the outdoor space with pergola and heaters was enjoyable even in December for a holiday party! Emily is an excellent event coordinator who helped us refine every aspect, to host exactly the event we wanted!

Layla Hernandez

We booked this location for our wedding reception that had 38 guests. It was a perfect atmosphere and the food was incredible. The event menu is diverse and has so many great options for guests of all ages. There are also great options for a half and full bar as well as a partial or complete booking of the venue. Emily, the event's coordinator, was fabulous while we talked through the details of leading up to our event and she was very responsive as any questions came up from our end. She was thorough in her explanations and we had clear expectations of what would happen the day of our event. Kenzie, the day of coordinator, also worked very efficiently and paced the food very well throughout the day. She was patient and communicative throughout the event. All of the staff did an incredible job with the food, service, and drinks. I would highly recommend having an event here for a small to mid-size wedding. Additionally, a huge, HUGE thank you from myself and my new husband for all the hard work from the staff. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making our day so incredible.

K Anderson

I was visiting from SLC and went to the Brass Bear for appitizers and a few cocktails. Sydney was taking care of us. She was FANTASTIC. Gave us wonderful and personaable service. We had the Passion blitz which was delicious and some of the street corn. The ambiance was very charming!

Regina Sarnicola

Emily at Brass Bear was great to work with when we were interested in hosting our rehearsal dinner here. She was responsive, friendly, accommodating and flexible. We liked the options available for food and location in the back patio, and the location of Brass Bear in the funk zone can't be beat .We looked at ALOT of restaurants and Brass Bear was a great option for an affordable dinner (we had 40 guests). There is also a parking lot behind and a fun area for kids to play. There was a slight mix up with space but they fixed it right away and the rest of the night went smoothly.

Andrew Groves

Just great. Fantastic brews (double IPA) and delicious food. The funk zone grilled cheese was out of this world, and I will be dreaming of the street corn side for the rest of my life. Terrific music on the patio (Drew of See Trees), beautiful ambience, and the perfect end to an excellent day in Santa Barbara.

Georgina I

Brass Bear Brewery was the perfect venue for us to host our wedding welcome drinks (60 people)! The beer garden felt so intimate and cosy, whilst being in the heart of Santa Barbara. Guests loved the drinks and Tacos served. Staff were awesome and Emily seamlessly coordinated our event from start to finish. Thank you!!

Gail

Emily, the Catering & Events Manager, was a dream at helping us organize and plan our reception in the Funk Zone. With her guidance, our wedding planning was a simple, fast, direct and pure perfection. Very communicative, responsive and will help you achieve your event goals. Sydney and the team at the Funk Zone location were amazing! Every and anything we needed was right there. Sydney kept checking in on us, food was out on time, the staff gave us great suggestions on drinks, had options for our non-alcoholic guest! My in-laws loved the draft selections. The staff cleared tables and just stayed so attentive. We felt so special and so cool the way everyone helped our guests! If you are thinking of having an event, especially a wedding reception here. Look no further, you've found your spot!

Food was excellent , everything we ordered tasted great- from street corn to chicken skewers to Portobello & impossible burgers. Even their salad was out of the world - with a touch of walnuts, blue & blackberries . Their drinks were delicious too - great mezcal & tequila cocktails. Had a great time here one of the nights of the bachelorette party

Nice little Bistro with a friendly staff. I wish I had photographed the Tri-Tip skewers, they were awesome! It’s a great place to social distance outdoors and enjoy the amazing Santa Barbara weather.

The pilsner beer was delicious, the food was decent, the environment was amazing. Overall it’s a 4 star. They have some work that needs to be done, but A LOT of charm in here!

Ivan Borges

The pilsner beer was delicious, the food was decent, the environment was amazing. Overall it’s a 4 star. They have some work that needs to be done, but A LOT of charm in here!

Great little spot with ample outdoor seating and a fenced in area for kids to play. We chose a poor time to try it out. Atmosphere 3/5 (they were hosting a private event out back and it was moderately distracting and the attendees behaved as if they owned the entire outdoor space, which was really just about 30% under a tent. Food was 3.5/5 and my beer was 3/5.

Good beer and good vibes. They weren’t very busy when I came. It still took about 45 minutes to receive my order of one burger. The burger tasted great…but it was so hilariously small. Ended up going somewhere else afterwards because I was still hungry. High recommend their double ipa

Strangest day care center I've ever seen. Crowded with kids while beer taps flowed and completely inappropriate rap lyrics blasted at full volume. If you love kids, beer, and rap, this is your place!

Chris Farmer

Great little spot with ample outdoor seating and a fenced in area for kids to play. We chose a poor time to try it out. Atmosphere 3/5 (they were hosting a private event out back and it was moderately distracting and the attendees behaved as if they owned the entire outdoor space, which was really just about 30% under a tent. Food was 3.5/5 and my beer was 3/5.

You found a niche recently, good. Kids, babies, and dogs welcome. Thank you for that. $17.40 for a margarita and your food has gone down hill in the past few years. Regular that's not coming back.

The beer was just ok. The food was way overpriced for what it was. All 4 of us were not impressed.

Walked in at 730 on a Sunday. Short line one person in front of us. They asked a bunch of questions about the menu because they’re sold out of some stuff. No problem. It’s now 7:40. Walk up to order and now they’re closed. Your business says you close at 8 and you see us waiting in line. How do you close at 7:40?

Absolutely terrible service, I didn't get my food after waiting for 40 minutes. Other people from my group got their food cold. Will never come back again here. I'm not recommending this place to anyone. Overpriced location

We specifically asked our server if the dishes we ordered were vegetarian. They said yes - but after taking a bite, I realized it was beef. We immediately brought it up, the server brushed it off, saying we had “only asked if the burger was vegetarian” and offered no apology or acknowledgment of their mistake. As someone who is Jain, eating beef is not just a dietary preference - it’s a deeply religious and cultural issue. I felt sick and disrespected that the staff didn’t even seem to care or take accountability. Instead of making things right, they l brought out a plain grilled cheese and charged us full price for the 2x the cost beef item. No apology, no offer to fix it, no sense of responsibility. This is completely unacceptable. Restaurants have an obligation to take dietary requests seriously - especially when they relate to religion or ethics. A simple “sorry” and a corrected bill would have gone a long way, but instead, we were met with rudeness and indifference. If you have any kind of dietary restriction or values you care about, avoid this place.

Sonia Jain

We specifically asked our server if the dishes we ordered were vegetarian. They said yes - but after taking a bite, I realized it was beef. We immediately brought it up, the server brushed it off, saying we had “only asked if the burger was vegetarian” and offered no apology or acknowledgment of their mistake. As someone who is Jain, eating beef is not just a dietary preference - it’s a deeply religious and cultural issue. I felt sick and disrespected that the staff didn’t even seem to care or take accountability. Instead of making things right, they l brought out a plain grilled cheese and charged us full price for the 2x the cost beef item. No apology, no offer to fix it, no sense of responsibility. This is completely unacceptable. Restaurants have an obligation to take dietary requests seriously - especially when they relate to religion or ethics. A simple “sorry” and a corrected bill would have gone a long way, but instead, we were met with rudeness and indifference. If you have any kind of dietary restriction or values you care about, avoid this place.