Karl Strauss Brewing Company

Google maps is a wonderful tool. Let's say you're planning a happy hour after a good friend's last day on the job? You basically search for "beer" or "happy hour" and provide the address you're starting at, and - POW! Google puts a little teardrop on the map where you need to go. In this case the map looks a little funny as Google has you partying out in the middle of some kind of industrial complex, surrounded by office buildings and a couple hotels. And if you're planning to send this invitation to the team, you'd better tell them to look for signs. Because if you're driving by, and you don't notice the 3 foot by 1 foot sign, which is basically invisible, then you're going to miss your meal. Regardless of how obvious the location looks on the google map.

But on the upside, there's a great benefit to the obscure location. Once you find it, you'll love the scenery as you sit by a beautiful koi pond surrounded by a Japanese garden-style setup. It's very pretty.

Pretty enough that maybe you won't notice the swill that they bring to the table. And you won't notice the aloof and disinterested attitude of the servers. The beer is great hear. There are a good little bunch of signature craft brews. And I've had good entrees before. But on this particular evening, they just weren't on their game. The appetizers were soggy and greasy, and pretty much awful.

So for convenience (if you can find it) and for scenery, this is your place. But it's not the most dependable for quality food. They get slammed at lunch and early dinner. And they just don't respond well to the rush sometimes. You could be better served by going in the off hours. Or sit back and enjoy the better features.

Who knew such a gem was tucked away in north Mira Mesa? The koi pond that surrounds the restaurant adds a welcome atmosphere and takes you away from your busy work day. Some of the dishes are excellent, and some are just alright, but I haven't really ran across a bad dish there. This is another lunchtime spot that can get crowded and will take a bit of time if you don't have reservations. They sample their own beer there (and have a cask night to boot), which is all pretty descent. It's a good lunch experience and I would recommending going at least once to see if it suits you.

I got to have a rare lunch meeting with the staff of foodfinder.net yesterday at Karl Strauss. This location is a great happy hour spot; it’s a great atmosphere and better beer. The Amber Lager has been my favorite brew for years.

The food is mostly pretty good, with a few standouts. It’s definitely better than regular brewpub fare. Yesterday I went with a ‘tuna sandwich’, aka a seared ahi steak sandwich. It was excellent, a nice thick piece of ahi topped with a small salad on a sesame seed bun. It was maybe a bit too big of a bun, or maybe it just needed a bit more sauce. It was still really good. It comes with their chips, which I had forgotten to sub with their awesome garlic fries. The chips are not great, some were soggy and they weren’t seasoned well.

Definitely check this place out if you live in the area. Unfortunately (I think) they aren’t open on weekends though.

I tend to make it out to Karl Strauss about once a month and always have a good time. The staff is super friendly and the atmosphere is as good as you'll find (at least in Mira Mesa). Many tables are on outside decks build around a large coi pond. One of these days, I'm going to bring a tackle box and fishing pole and see what I can pull out of there. OK probably not.

Anyway, we decided to hit KS after wine tasting. I went with the pastrami sandwich. It was well prepared...not too salty for pastrami and the french roll stood up well to the moisture. The fries are always good there, but I would recommend upgrading to the garlic fries. The beer was good too; I can't say I love their home-made craft brews compared to some of the other San Diego breweries, but the red, IPA, and nut brown will all wash down your food just fine.