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Docent Brewing

4.4 (498 reviews)
ModerateSandwiches, Brewpubs
Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Docent Brewing Photos

Business Info

DOCENT BREWING ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Trendy
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Docent Brewing

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Reviews With Photos

My dog hanging out inside
Mike G.

Good light hoppy beers! Not many places do them well, but Docent never lets me down. Their Hoppy Blond or Hoppy Pils are always the best around! Yes, they have good IPAs too, but those are not hard to find like the hoppy pils. Love this atmosphere here, you can always find a place to sit. Its super dog friendly. Here is my secret. I book a site at Doheny Campground. You can jump on the riverbed trail right outside the campground. It will take you directly to the Docent. Its about 1.5 mile bike ride down the trail, no need to worry about cars. Heck, I even bring back a few growlers for the campfire at night!

Jonathan H.

This is a great place to go if you can find it. My wife and I almost didn't. Our GPS kept telling us to turn left into a parking lot, only it wasn't a parking lot. It was a lane on the side of a warehouse with forklifts and trucks clogging up the lane. Finally, after several attempts to find Docent Brewing, I parked and asked a woman in a store where Docent Brewing was. Turns out I was supposed to turn into that lane on the side of a warehouse. But she was kind enough to let me park in her lot. Turns out that there was a small white sign pointing down that alleyway that was blocked off by a truck. Docent Brewing is at the very back of the warehouse. Our persistence paid off. It is a great and atmospheric brewpub with a pleasant ambiance where great beers are being brewed in large tanks on premises. I got a Red Rye Rube and it was delicious. A first-rate beer. For a sandwich, my wife and I got the Cubano with orange and coriander pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and Docent IPA mustard. Only there was barely any mustard on it and I had to go back and ask for more. The potato salad served with the Cubano was delicious. The reason for the 4 vs. 5 score was the Cubano was just okay. It really wasn't much of a sandwich. I'll definitely return for the first-rate beer and next time around I'll know where to go.

Selection board
John I.

I like this brewery. Came here with friends after a bike ride. The staff was friendly. I had the 8.4% stout, which was good. Here's the tap list- https://docentbrewing.com/beer-2/ My favorite thing about this brewery is the location. It's right off the San Juan Creek Bike Trail which is a nice artery to get to and fro. Be responsible and safe of course

My friends and I were excited to stop by Docent last Saturday 1/3 around 8:40 PM to grab a quick bite and a pint of Double Nickels. Unfortunately, the experience was disappointing. It took about 10 minutes for us to be greeted, as the server was busy chatting with regulars. When we politely asked if the kitchen was still open, the gentleman with the long beard responded, "Why would I keep our kitchen open when we close in 20 minutes?" We apologized and explained that Apple Maps showed the restaurant closing at 10 PM. I even tried to show him so other customers wouldn't run into the same confusion, but his response was, "I don't make the rules for whatever people write online." At that point, it really felt like we weren't welcome. The tone and lack of customer service completely killed the vibe, which was a bummer since we were genuinely looking forward to closing our night at Docent. Next time, we'll just make the drive to Carlsbad. Super bummed.

Food Menu
Danise O.

We've been twice and both times were a great experience. This is a nice brewery with great food options. Service is excellent and friendly. I really like all the seating options here, from the bar to leather couches to the outdoor area, you can find a comfy spot.

I maybe be "Handful" but so is the name of this beer!
Mandy E.

Our local go to spot for a brewery. Tacos are amazing ; especially the chili Verde ones. Also, who doesn't love a good grilled cheese and tomato soup? I love the chill atmosphere and happy people that congregate there.

Front of the building
Rob C.

The food here is a blend of pub food with a Korean/Asian twist. I love their Beerwurst. Also ordered their Korean Reuben and that too was good! But this place is a brewery so if you are into it, try this place as a local watering hole besides the good food. Good! Service - really just order and get texted when the order is ready Ambiance - rustic brewery feel. Quite unique and is in the middle of a business area. So a hidden gem. Verdict - yes. Give it a shot for sure

SUPER TONIC (COFFEE OATMEAL STOUT)
Loren B.

Docent is my favorite brewery in the San Clemente / Dana Point / Laguna area. We come here once per year to visit my daughter and her husband and Docent is a required stop. The building is designed to take maximum advantage of beautiful California sunny days with lots of natural light to illuminate the concrete, wood, and stainless steel materials the proliferate inside the high-ceilinged room. On our second visit, we had some time to kill before a later light out of LAX and enjoyed sitting upstairs and playing some tabletop shuffleboard. The beer menu is full of solid recipes with some mild surprises. This is not a stunt-brews kinda place. And Cali in general is light on my favorite genre (barrel aged stouts) which proliferate in Texas. But, the Super Tonic and Luna were enough to keep me happy while my lovely and I hung out biding time until our late flight. I'm a merch-bearing fan of Docent, which is fun in Texas. If you're looking for some local brews in San Juan Capistrano, Docent is highly recommended!

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Photo of Teri C.
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5 years ago

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3 years ago

Best brewery in South OC! Hand Down! Service is always amazing and the live music on Thursday evenings make it even better!

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4 years ago

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6 years ago

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

Truly great beer. I had an IPA and a trippel. Both were amazing examples of each style. Keep up the good work!!

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

Great variety of beers, good prices, love the food, sandwiches, pickles! All good with the great beer, did I say that already?!

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

Delicious craft beer at all sorts of % rates. Goes fabulous with their wonderful menu

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7 years ago

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3 years ago

Anytime I'm down in San Juan it a must to go and grab a couple of double nickels to go, plus there Ruben sandwich is amazing

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2 years ago

Love it here! Good beer, excellent food. Indoor & outdoor seating is a plus too. Staff is fun & nice as well, def a favorite spot in town!

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8 years ago

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6 years ago

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7 years ago

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6 years ago

Friendly folks here Suds are mighty tasty. Prices good.Very nice outside space w/plenty of picnic tables. We like this spot alot

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8 years ago

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

Great beer. Great service. Great food. Been coming here since it opened, even had a company party in the loft upstairs. Highly recommended!

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Page 4 of 13

Ask the Community - Docent Brewing

Do they fill growlers?

Yes

Is this place family/kid friendly?

We are kid and family friendly.

Hi are you guys open for dine in?

Hi Liana, Yes we are and we have created an outdoor section as well. Hope to see ya soon.… 

Are dogs allowed?

As of yesterday because of health code violations apparently, only service animals are allowed.

Is wine offered?

Yes we offer wine.

View All 11 Questions

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Capo is such a great place for grabbing good food and enjoying a drink in a fun western…read moreenvironment. The service is great with hard working friendly workers. I would recommend this place to anyone

I've been enjoying checking out the various spots at River Street Marketplace, and Capo Leisure…read moreHouse has quickly become one of my favorite happy hour stops in the area. One of the things I appreciate most is that the happy hour actually feels like a good deal. Happy hour runs all day on Mondays and Tuesday through Friday from 2pm-6pm, with $10 cocktails, $6 beer and wine, and a few food specials that are worth ordering. We went with the chicken nachos ($10) and the taco special ($10 for two tacos, with mix-and-match options like birria, carnitas, chicken, and sweet potato). Both were surprisingly generous portions for happy hour items. The nachos came loaded with toppings and could easily be shared, while the tacos felt substantial rather than the smaller portions some places serve on their happy hour menu. The space itself fits right in with the River Street vibe. It's casual, lively, and makes for an easy place to hang out with friends after work or spend a relaxed afternoon grabbing a few bites and drinks. The entire marketplace has become a fun destination, and Capo Leisure House is one of the spots helping make it worth the visit. If you're exploring River Street Marketplace for the first time, I'd definitely recommend stopping by during happy hour. Can't wait to come back during regular hours to see what else they have to offer!

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Farmers daughter and Amarillo sling
Farmers daughter and Amarillo sling
Lady in pink
Lady in pink
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Station Craft

Station Craft

4.1
(594 reviews)
1.8 mi
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Finally made it to Station Craft. We have been eyeing this place for years but it always seems…read morepacked, so we just drive past. Today, on a Saturday at 12-ish, as a family of 4 we were able to get seated right away. Our server was attentive and offered/brought waters right away. We were seated inside which was open and spacious but loud enough to make it family friendly. The tables were far enough a part that you did not feel like you were on top of each other. Next time, we might ask to sit outside so our young boys can watch the cars drive by. We learned that the kitchen is nut free (always double check as this could change), which was amazing since our son has a severe nut allergy. He was so excited to learn this as he can be limited at other places due to cross contamination or the wrong oils. Then when the food came out and it was delicious - it sealed the deal. It is now in the top of our list of places to go. The kids cheeseburger is good size and not a smaller version as some places do. The chicken tenders were panko crusted which was so crunchy. My husband and I shared the smoked carrot and chicken tacos and we enjoyed them both. The beer was also very good with my husband and I each trying a different kind - an IPA and a Pale Ale. We are so glad we finally stopped in and so should you!

After a beach day, I was craving wings and came across Station Craft on yelp. Glad I tried it out…read more As others have mentioned, parking is limited. My server was super sweet, and the overall vibe of the restaurant was very chill. I got the smoked wings and a side caesar salad for balance. The wings were pretty good. I'm more of a dry rub person, so I enjoyed the wings especially dipped in blue cheese! The caesar was ok. The croutons were good, but it was too much cheese for me. I'd come back again to try their other food.

Photos
Partial interior before it packed out.
Partial interior before it packed out.
Fish and chips and a Smash Burger.. Yummy
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Craft House

Craft House

3.9
(922 reviews)
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I made reservations here last night for 20, having never been there before but needing a semi…read moreprivate area for a group to gather. The venue was perfect for our size. They could have had more servers there for sure. That said, the guy serving us worked his butt off, gracefully, friendly, and attentively. Any gaps were filled by the bartender delivering drinks and (I think) the manager here and there. We were well taken care of. Food was great, bacon old fashioned my buddy had looked (and reportedly) was incredible, beers were great, staff were awesome (despite being low in numbers). Highly recommend.!

I came here for dinner on a Sunday night, and it was a very good experience…read more This restaurant has loud, trendy bar vibes for a family dinner, a date night, or even a girls night out. The parking is definitely limited, as I saw from other reviews on Yelp. On a Sunday evening it was very easy, however. The menu is fairly limited, and I wish they had a few more fish options, though the salmon I saw looked absolutely incredible. I had the chicken caesar salad. The chicken was a large portion, and so tasty. The dressing was SO good. They did forget dressing on both of our salads which was kind of annoying for a simple caesar (so we had to get a side of it). That being said, once we did get dressing, I seriously could've drank the stuff it was so yummy. They also scorch their tomatoes in the salad to perfection. I also tried the crispy tuna appetizer, which was surprisingly different from similar versions I have had at sushi restaurants (not in a bad way). The fish was very fresh and I would order this appetizer again. I think it came with five fairly small pieces (just so you know how many to order for a crowd). If you are feeling dessert, they have an incredible (and massive) butter cake!

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Inside
Inside
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Pizza Port

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3.9
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We got the wings on Wednesday night and they were only .75 each and they were HUGE! The sauces…read morecome on the side, so it was great to be able to try them all. Obviously they're known for the pizza, but I highly recommend the wings. We sat at the bar and it was awesome to see that everyone working was having a good time. We felt welcomed, made sure our beers were never empty and will absolutely be back!

Pizza port is very nostalgic for us. We are locals, but we haven't been here in a very long time…read more My adult kid likes to come here because of the memories. Tonight we had a large pepperoni and tomato pizza, Caesar salad, beer buddies and buffalo wings. If you're not familiar with the process, you order at the counter on the lower level. And they'll call your name. Beer is served at the bar and soft drinks. You can order at the counter and their soft stations on two levels. There is street parking but also a lot on the upper level in back. Great for families as they have a small arcade and they have sports usually playing depending on the season Pizza was pretty decent although they put the toppings underneath the cheese. This was the pepperoni and the tomato. The tomatoes were scolding hot. Next time I would definitely ask for the toppings to be on top. Beer buddy always a classic. Caesar salad was pretty basic and the wings were probably the worst part of the meal. I noticed that they use the pizza oven to cook the wings. I probably would've asked for them to be run through twice. They were just very soggy and the buffalo sauce it wasn't that it was spicy. It was almost oddly stringent tasting. The five dollar beers were a good value. Overall, it's like an OK value, especially when there's other pizza and Italian places in town and in the area that you can choose from. It would probably be another long time until I visited either our hometown location or Carlsbad. Interiors pretty basic with some surf motif, large family style picnic table tables and high tops. There's a few nooks and crannies with the outdoor patio balcony area that's kind of cool.

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Interior
Interior
Our pizza
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4.3
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We had a reservation for two (which was easy to get)/resy credit and were seated in the cute,…read moresomewhat private booth. The bar/pub atmosphere is lively, a bit crowded, and warm with some seats at the bar and tables for groups. Shoutout to Sam, who was very sweet, checked in on us, brought our orders out hot and fresh, and even gave us a small dessert at the end to celebrate an anniversary! We had the Dark Star Oatmeal Stout with our order of the brie fondue, corned beef reuben, and lamb burger. The brie fondue, to my surprise, was not 100% brie, but rather had a whipped and lighter texture. I thought the amount of bread/pears were enough, and we actually kept it to dip our sandwich/burger in. The presentation was beautiful and it was a great appetizer. The corned beef reuben was so good - the meat fell apart but wasn't fatty, the bread was toasted (one side was a bit too crispy but wasn't burnt which I'm fine with), and the fries were skinny and crispy. I only tried a bite of the lamb burger, but it was juicy and gamey. Yum! Price-wise it's a bit high for pub food, but it was still excellent. This would be a good spot for a date or if you want to go to a more fancy pub/bar!

Solid beer but the patrons and the staff are stuck up, and full of themselves…read more The bartender was telling the couple next to me that he works at the best bar in the state, not this bar, but another one, and can make them whatever they want. In general the people there all give you a strange look like you don't belong there which is weird for a roadside dive. Maybe I stumbled into gods gift to this green earth, and I just don't understand how sophisticated everyone here was, but I had a beer here and I had the same beer down the street. Good food, good beer... pretentious, spoiled brats.

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Pretty table setting.
Pretty table setting.
32 dollars worth of abomination
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Docent Brewing - sandwiches - Updated July 2026

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