Summary: 4 stars for affordable drinks, good savory food, and trivia night aimed at the older millennial crowd *** My bf and I reserved a ticket for Wednesday trivia night. We arrived at 6:30 pm, which was a good time since the food and drink lines grew from 6:50 pm onwards. I recommend heading out 10 minutes early in case you get lost. Our rideshare drove past the alleyway entrance twice lol. They didn't see the small printed sign for Bang The Drum Brewery on the metal fence. Go down the alley and turn left, following the signs for Bang the Drum at Suite 160 (not 130). Then, walk up the ramp towards the foresty tree area; there will be another sign for the brewery. We saw an outdoor patio and several indoor tables with names printed on them for trivia night. No one checked our tickets, but the staff we interacted with were nice. Walk-ins for trivia night can claim any unmarked table. Luckily, our table was far back so I didn't need to use my ear plugs. It would have been too loud for me if we were next to the speakers. I enjoyed the event and didn't have problems with the logistics. My only complaint would be that questions were much harder than I thought. Many references were geared towards the older millennial generation. DRINKS ORDERED - Pinot Noir ($12 - Stephen Ross). It was good. Normally I don't like dry wines, but I appreciated the light body without tannins. The wine had dark cherry notes. - Rose ($10). It was just okay; I preferred the pinot over this. - Kelsey Blood Orange Cider ($9). It had a good balance of fruit and bitterness with a savory taste. The cider was dryer than I expected, but I enjoyed it more than the other one. - Kelsey Pineapple Cider ($9). It was just ok. I didn't taste the pineapple, but it was slightly sweeter than the blood orange. My bf seemed to enjoy his Lucky Day IPA ($8) and also went for the pinot. FOOD ORDERED - Soft Pretzel with Beer Cheese ($6.50). Chewy pretzel with a dark crust and big sprinkles of salt (but not too salty). The beer cheese tasted great; we ate it all up! - Spicy Veggie Curry Pot Pie ($10). The pie was ultra flaky and soft. I enjoyed the mild curry filling inside. Delicious! DESSERT ORDERED - Blueberry Mascarpone Pie ($5.50). It tasted alright. The blueberries were not so flavorful, and neither was the mascarpone cheese. There was too much moisture in the filling. While parts of the crust managed to stay crumbly, it also lacked flavor. read more

Bang The Drum Brewery - Spicy Veggie Curry Pot Pie inside (Soft Pretzel with Beer Cheese in the back) - Breweries Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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I had the Spicy Curry Vegetable pot pie. It is by far the best pot pie I have ever eaten. The crust is flaky and phenomenal. We will definitely be returning, and they let our dog join us. read more

Bang The Drum Brewery - The Spicy Curry Vegetable pot pie. - Breweries Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

This hidden gem is nothing you would expect! Such an amazing indoor outdoor location that is SO off the beaten path! Noelle was our server, & little did we know she was also the owner. She has an amazing story, about how she started the business with her father, which makes you want to love it even more! While their menu is limited, everything is scratch made. We had the single best pretzel any of us has EVER had. Crispy & buttery on the outside, soft & pillowy on the inside! The only thing I would change, is deli mustard instead of yellow mustard. We ordered 3 pies: veggie curry, chicken pot pie & steak pie. All three of them were absolutely INCREDIBLE! 3 of us had beer & I had a fabulous blood orange seltzer, which was perfectly dry & not too sweet! They have a stage inside, which would be great for live music & I truly cannot wait to come back again! read more

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This is another SLO great brewery that serves tremendous pot pies. We also tried a couple of beers that were very tasty. But the highlight was the chicken pot pie. We also liked the pretzel. The landlord is having problems finishing the improvements on the site and they are in danger of having to move. read more

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Service was quick and easy. The hot pie flight was delicious and if you reference FaceBook's ad by saying "pie flight trio" you get three for free. The cherry pie a la mode was great with plump cherries. Location is a little removed from the traffic nestled up against the train track where you can watch Amtrak run by. Special night entertainment - concert tonight. Third Thursday is comedy night. read more

Bang The Drum Brewery - Cherry Pie a la mode. - Breweries Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

We had an incredible brunch at Bang the Drum today. The pot pies were well seasoned and so delicious. I also had one of the best cups of coffee I've had in a while. The staff was wonderful, warm and very accommodating and to make this experience even better was the ambiance . We could just look out the windows and see beautiful trees and felt we were almost in a forest on a vacation. read more

The beers at Bang the Drum Brewery are a little pricey and, to be honest, not quite to my taste, though that might just be a personal preference. That said, the service was great, and I wish I had caught the name of my beer-tender. The ambiance of the restaurant was cozy and relaxing, making for a pleasant visit overall. The brewery is located in an odd spot, which can make it a bit tricky to find, but it's worth a visit for the atmosphere and service. Gave it a three star, because overall the beer was lacking. read more

A super chill place with reallyyyyy good food options! I was really surprised at how cool their menu was compared to other breweries in the area. They have a wide assortment of pot pies especially as well as many other items. I opted for a lemon posset ($3) while my friends got a regular pretzel with beer cheese (I don't recall the price). All the food was tasty and the drinks were good too (wide variety of options on tap). The only reason I give them 4 stars is the location is ridiculously hard to find, it's set pretty far back in an office type building behind a church. There's some signage but we for sure would've been lost had we not run into someone we knew who had been there before in the parking lot. I missed the turn into the parking lot initially as well, it's a tad hidden. read more

Bang The Drum Brewery - Pretzel with beer cheese - Breweries Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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Difficult to find. Thus the minus rating. I actually mentioned it to the staff when I got there and it was kind of sluffed off, lack of concern. I had an IPA, can't remember if it was a single or double, and it was excellent. I went to the brewery website and tried to navigate what it was I had https://bangthedrumbrewery.com and the company website was not very user friendly... thus I'm not exactly sure what I had. It was good though. idk, central coast tops this place by quite a bit. read more

Great food and amazing beer. Pot pies are your thing ( hit that at once) Music can be to loud my husband wears hearing aids -but pet friendly. read more

Excellent pot pies--I had the chicken and all of it was delightful, especially the crust. Also, they have comedy on Thursdays! And all the weird beers you could ever hope for! read more

Not really my vibe. Happened to go on trivia night, so it was super crowded and busy, and service was slow (though people were still friendly). Got my cookie right away, but they sold out of both pot pies I would have chosen, so I made a last second decision on what to eat that did not turn out well for me (25 minutes wait for veggie pie). I'm sure the pot pies are great (if you get the right one) and it's a fun place if you go at the right time. 4/10, just not my scene and the food was not what I was hoping for. read more

This is a really cool brewery, situated in an area that makes it look like you are in the woods. Both the male and female bartenders were really nice and the beers were as follows: Honey Pot honey blonde (excellent) Das Weiss German Weissbier (very good) Roy-Bows Belgian wit w/rooibos tea (great) Hibitchin hibiscus saison (very good) Draca smoked porter w/chipotle peppers (excellent) read more

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The beer was great but the food was amazing!!! It has a wonderful atmosphere, completely chill and laid back! What a find! We'll be back soon!!! Delicious! read more

Great beer and delicious coconut lime cake. Also great service. Large indoor plus outdoor area.

Came here on a whim. This is a hidden gem in SLO. Not where you think it would be, but the place is quaint with rustic charm. They have games you can play while drinking, great music playing and lots of events to choose from to come and enjoy. When we first came in, we were greeted right away with the smiles of the staff. They explained the beers they had. The beers were pleasing and the atmosphere relaxing as we took everything in. You can sit indoors or they do have outdoor seating. This is a place that is now on our beer locations list when we are in SLO! Don't wait as long as we did, to come and try it. read more

Bang The Drum Brewery - Good beers. Pleasant atmosphere. Great events. - Breweries Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

We had a welcome event for our wedding at Bang the Drum and it could not have turned out better. The space was perfect for 75-90 people (but could probably hold more), its was very reasonable, the staff was super accommodating, and all of the beer and small bites were delicious. Would highly recommend for either an event or to just pop in and hang out. Our only complaint was that we almost didn't have the event here because it was absolutely impossible to get a hold of someone to get a quote and to lock in our date. We had to call at least 7 times to follow up before we finally got a hold of who we needed to talk to which was really stressful because we really wanted to have our event here but were in limbo about it for weeks. read more

The coffee is delicious and the people are very friendly. I think the only problem is the location because it was a little confusing to find this spot but I do like the asethic. It suits the inside and outside atmosphere. The seating is also pleasant and comfortable to study. read more

Beer was good. Pie was awful. It took over 20 minutes to get and the crust was extremely tough and flavorless. It looked flaky but was just one giant piece. I had to use a fork and knife to saw through it. The taste was just ok as there was no real flavor, lacking salt and depth. I would not order a pie again. The pretzel and beer however were good. Trivia night was way too loud and my ears still hurt. I will go back on another night next time to give it another try. read more

The environment, food, beer, and customer service are great. Pulling up to the parking lot, it doesn't look like much, but then you arrive at a breezy patio surrounded by tall trees on all sides. Inside there's whimsical, comfy vibes. They have food for everyone - pot pies, mashed potatoes, and sweets. Plus a wide variety of beer. Everything is affordable and the staff is super nice. Will definitely be back to drink amongst the trees. read more

Bang The Drum Brewery - Blueberry Cake. - Breweries Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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The best pot pies in the universe! Drew is amazing, always cheerful and friendly. Oh, and did I say the pot pies are amazing, as in oh my gosh best thing ever amazing! The Thai veggie curry pot pie is perfect, soooooo delicious. It makes me happy just thinking about it. The Kale salad is also super yummy. Oh and don't forget the flaky boys. Best darn dessert around! Left over pie crust dusted with cinnamon and sugar and salt. The perfect balance of flavors! Thank you Bang the Drum! read more

Feel bad about leaving such a meh review, and we very much could have come at the wrong time and/or tried the wrong things, but the IPAs were forgettable, the inside was kinda record-scratch antiseptic for a brewery, and it was a little hard to find. That said, the staff was super friendly, the outdoor area was nice and easy access from the trail along the tracks. You could do worse. read more

Absolutely love this place. Feels like you're surrounded by the trees on their outdoor patio and always have a great Whalebird kombucha or Kelsey hard cider on tap. Staff is AMAZING and super friendly (have always been super great with our kids too). Love their savory pies, potato salad, pretzel and kale salad too. Will definitely be back! read more

Love this micro brewery!! Even love their new location and the plus is its kids/animal friendly!! Love it!! The staff are always so friendly and I love all the different people you meet. So happy they were able to stay open during covid last year as they started selling food. Love love coming here for a beer they have great beers and love the names the beers! So fun! Just like this beer called Gender Reveal! Add Citric aid and swirl and viola it tastes like a sweet tart! read more

Bang The Drum Brewery - Gender Reveal - Breweries Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

New location. Kind of a rat maze to find. Cleaner. Bigger. Some of the same beers. Possibly a kitchen? Just not the same as the one of old. Still a 3 star. Just my opinion. read more

After a long closure after loosing their original location, and a very long, very well done remodel of their new MUCH larger space, Bang the Drum has been reopened close to a year now. The owner Noel and her partner Michael and the staff do an excellent job. It's a very friendly, funky, big, and comfortable place, with a nice large patio. And creative food. It is a little to tricky to find the first time, but once you know where it is, it's quite easy really. Cheers to Bang the Drum! read more

Bang the Drum is a really cool place to hang out! There is a ton of seating both indoors and outdoors. On some days, they even have a food truck out front so you can get some grub while knocking down a few beers. This place definitely has 5 star ambiance. My downfall for this place though are the beers. I want to like Bang the Drum really bad, but for whatever reason I have never ordered a beer here that I like that much. Maybe I am just bad at ordering, but I've tried multiple times and I just can't land on a brew that I have enjoyed. That said, everyone has their own tastes. Give this place a try and formulate an opinion of your own! It's definitely a great place to hang out. read more

My wife wanted to show me an interesting restaurant that offers great food and beer she'd recently visited. She took me to Bang the Drum and as I drove what seemed to be a small adventure in itself, once I got there I was greeted with a forest setting on a wonderful back patio that was the most inviting setting I've seen in a restaurant! I brought my dog who seemed equally thrilled with a walk through the trees as I awaited my wife's return from ordering. Other patrons arrived with their pets and brought them inside where they were equally welcomed. The staff even brought my finicky eater pooch a treat he ate! Delicious craft beer was served and my enjoyment continued. She ordered two individual pot pies, a curry one for her and a steak one for me. These were quite presentable when they arrived and were incredibly delicious from the first bite to the last. I knew my pooch would love me for holding an empty tin for him to lick out remnants of what was the best pot pie I ever had! Another beer later we chose to finalize our grand experience with an easy dessert; a chocolate chip cookie with a scoop of ice cream. Fresh made cookies? Oh yeah! Before leaving I toured inside delighted to find they are completely setup for entertaining with a stage-like arrangement that felt like something out of Aspen Colorado minus the freezing temperature and ski attire. I most certainly will be back but I will be following this place to see what kind of entertainment they get. At night, with the lights and fire pits lit, Bang the Drum must fill every seat! Awesome place c awesome food, and awesome people! read more

Fun adventure. This was a great date night for us. They have a kitchen and a changing beer selection. There are indoor and outdoor seating options. We heard some fun bands there. It was a little tricky to find. read more

"I don't want to work. I want to bang on the drum all day." Yep, sums me up, but exchange drum for 'drink beer' and then you have me hanging out at bang the drum brewery. Located a little on the outskirts of downtown SLO, this small craft batch brewery is serving up delicious beers in a really wonderful setting. I love the outdoor patio. I literally could drink beer there all day. Great for groups, a ton of seats and alcoves, flower boxes and a ton of character; super well designed if you're into that thing. And, what great beer it is. Some of the beers do change seasonally, including my at the moment favorite - the strawberry wheat, and I don't even like wheat beers. They use fresh, local strawberries to make the delicious juice they use for the beer and it's subtle and delicious. I opted for the flight vs pint and had an opportunity to sample 4 or 5 beers and really was impressed with them all. Not only is Bang The Drum Brewery a great place to drink, but it's also serving up some delicious beers - it's a double win. read more

Bang The Drum Brewery - Flights - Breweries Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

I'm in love with Bang the Drum. I've had their two vegan options and ice tea and they were all absolutely amazing. My family / friends had most everything else including dessert and beer and rave about them. I've been during Open Mic & a DJ spinning tunes. I enjoyed both. I'd love to see a sister shop in Los Angeles. You guys would kill it. Also, Noelle & Michael are so nice. read more

My boyfriend and I stopped in here on a pretty calm Saturday night - we live off of Orcutt and Broad and had slowly watched this place evolve from a tin shed to a pretty beautiful brewery. Happy to have such a nice place within walking distance of home! If you're looking for an escape from the downtown bar/club scene, Bang the Drum is a relaxing place to sit and have a few beers. The two lovely ladies serving us that night were very friendly - we enjoyed the music they had going while chatting about the area as we shared a flight. A 4-tasting flight is $7, we did 5 for $9. I'm a huge fan of the Hef and the sour, but they also had very coffee-rich, chocolatey porters/stouts. They had run out of their IPA, which was no problem for us. It's a small, family-run operation, and they're turning out some pretty great beer. They have board games and bongos to entertain yourself with, as well as plenty of outdoor seating to hang out with friends. They accept credit cards and have a large, free parking lot. Looking forward to coming back - wishing these guys the best! Cheers! read more

Bang The Drum Brewery - Front of BTD (from parking lot) - Breweries Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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This is our new favorite spot! We didn't have too hard of a time finding it- maps takes you to the parking lot, then just follow the signs. There's a beautiful and peaceful outdoor seating area surrounded by trees and plenty of cozy spots to sit inside. My boyfriend tried several beers and enjoyed them all, and I had a color-changing butterfly pea flower sour seltzer- fun and tasty. The pot pies are absolutely delicious- highly recommend trying the flight so you can get a taste of all of them. My favorite was the squash and sage, but they're all sooo good. The Flaky Bois (fries pieces of pie crust with cinnamon sugar) for dessert are an absolute must. Everyone we interacted with was warm, friendly, and welcoming, and we ended up staying to hang out for a few hours because it was such a nice place to relax with great vibes. My only complaint is that we don't live closer, but we will definitely be back on our next trip! read more

Bang the Drum has great food and even better beer. The patio is such a lovely place to relax and enjoy all this place has to offer. Their galettes and pies are so yummy - pictured here: mushroom galette, bacon galette, chicken pot pie (all of which we would order again but the mushroom galette was best!). For beer, we loved the Draca stout, Weiss, and ... honestly everything we tried. Staff takes COVID-19 precautions seriously and social distancing is evident among customers. Highly recommend for a lovely afternoon! (Also recommend walking or biking there via the SLO Railroad Safety Trail!) read more

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What a fun find. The pot pies at this SLO brewery are life changing. Yes it is hard to find at least it was when I used Waze. The forest like area and friendly service only enhances the good beer and grub. They have wine and other drinks as well. Also be sure to grab a cookie. read more

awesome atmosphere and great selection of food! always get great service by nice people too! love coming to trivia on wednesdays! also very dog friendly! read more

Wow how fantastic !!! The Chicken Pot Pie was amazing!! So was the Mac and Cheese Pot Pie. The crust was probably the best I've ever had. No shit !!! WoW !! If you haven't gone it's time to go . read more

This is a cool unique spot. Super friendly service, great vibe and good beers. They had food trucks outside which worked out well.

I came here on a Thursday evening after work to meet some friends. The space itself is pretty cool; noisy, but that's not a big deal to me. The location is inconvenient. It's in an industrial-office park, way in the back, after you navigate through several parking lots, in a fairly obscure end of town. Now onto the one-star issue... I've never been pressured into a paying cover charge AFTER I've entered, seated, and drinking. The host guy, who was clearly already drinking heavily, slurring speech, eyelids slowly opening, weaving his way through the crowd, approached everyone in the place asking people to pay $5 or leave. I kid you not, he straight up told people to leave. If you have an event, you need to have someone at the entrance informing people that they need to pay the cover if they are staying. I don't think it's smart to tell your customers to leave when they didn't know anything about it, after just sitting down with their drink. The funny thing is he was so determined to get the $5 cover charge, while I would have easily bought rounds of drinks if I had stayed. If you have a comedy night, aren't you trying to make money through sales, not the cover? And what does that add up to, $100?? I'm laughing as I leave. Completely ridiculous--not professional at all. And whoever that guy was? He better be the owner, because if that's their standard for employment this place is doomed. If it's the owner, someone needs to put him in the back office where he doesn't deal with people. Will not be going there again and telling everyone what a jerk this guy was. read more

I think I preferred the ambience of the old location, but things here are solid. Had a meat pie. Meat pie was delicious. Had a beer. Beer was delicious. read more