I've been to Modern Times a bunch in San Diego, and it's one of my favorite breweries, so I had to stop in while visiting Encinitas. I'll admit it was a little bit of a culture shock when I walked in. Albums for sale, food, coffee, and more of a lounge feel than the classic San Diego brewery setup I'm used to. I guess that explains the fancier name. I liked it though. Good place to sit, people watch, and catch the traffic near the station. There were plenty of Padres fans rolling through that day, which added to the energy. The beer is still Modern Times, still cold, and still refreshing. Fun spot. read more

I was honestly blown away by Modern Times Bar. The atmosphere and overall vibe of the place were fantastic--such a cool spot to hang out. When I visited there was a party happening, but the staff still made a point to take care of everyone. Multiple bartenders checked in with me throughout the night to see if I needed anything, which really stood out. I ordered the dry cider, which was the only cider available at the time. I would have loved to see a few more cider options, but the one they had was still really delicious. I also got a flatbread pizza and it was excellent--perfect as an appetizer or even a light dinner. There's plenty of seating and the ambiance makes it a great place to relax and spend some time. This will definitely be a must-stop spot for me anytime I'm back in the area. read more

Modern Times Far West Lounge - Menu - Beer Bar Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Paid a visit to Modern Times with the intention of finishing up some work with a yummy brew and a good happy hour deal & I found it! Stepped in, found a spot, ordered a tea-based seltzer (recommended by the kind bartender), pulled out my laptop & got to work. The warehouse-nature and open windows didn't make the space loud, which was helpful. Service was attentive but as frequent as one would be if they knew someone was working. I ordered the smash burger (which was an amazing happy hour price & came with fries ($6)). It was flavorful and yummy & coupled with copious fries. I would definitely be back for a nice Friday-sunset evening during happy hour. read more

Really fun spot to hang out during the day. Prices aren't awful for location and portions are great. I tried the sabo vegan noodles and I paid an extra add on for the beyond meat on top Absolutely delicious!! So light and refreshing so so good. Id get this meal again.. Bathroom was clean. The service was great. You order at the bar then they bring you your food. The gentleman who took my order was a really genuine person read more

Modern Times Far West Lounge - Sabo noodles. Half order of fries - Beer Bar Near Me - Encinitas, California

This is the place to drink good beer in a great lounge. This place is a great place to enjoy delicious beer. A huge selection of fresh brewed beers, cocktails and a delicious cold brew coffee. They have a 'Happy Hour' - Monday thru Friday 11a- 5p. Works perfectly for lunch and afternoon breaks. We enjoyed both the cold brew coffee and their classic Spruce Tips Hazy IPA and the coffee stout. All of them were delicious. The lounge is very large yet not too loud. Lots of bar seating in addition to cozy corners and tables. Service is super friendly and efficient. Large open entrance keeps the space cool and breezy. Highly recommend spending afternoons here. read more

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We popped in on a busy Sunday looking for food and a drink - we found just the spot! First off, cute vibe! If mid century modern had a cabin but on the coast. They sell vinyls in the restaurant. There are big open windows for an open air feel. You'll order up at the counter. Food arrived pretty fast. Food was just ok... small portionsand not flavorful. I didnt try the breakfast burrito and regretting not getting it because it looked yummy. Beer was pretty good! Parking can be a challenge. read more

Rolled into Modern Times this past Saturday. I loved the vibe indoors. Very chill place to relax and grab food and a beer. Service at the bar was good. I got a pumpkin beer which was delicious. The food was better than average for a brewery. I really enjoyed that the crispy Brussels were actually crispy and the sauce was delicious. The somen noodle salad was fresh and I think it could had a bit more flavor but it was good overall. I liked the flatbread however I didn't taste any truffle flavor and the flatbread was very heavy on the olives, so it may not be a great choice for someone who doesn't love olives. Overall solid spot! read more

Modern Times Far West Lounge - Crispy Brussels, somen noodle salad, truffle shuffle - Beer Bar Near Me - Encinitas, California

Modern times used to be my favorite beer and it was so sad with all the selling and what not but to find this cool place with good vibes, drinks and food was amazing! It's a great location with great service and friendly faces and most importantly is DOG friendly! I already can't wait to come back! read more

Modern Times Far West Lounge - Flight - Beer Bar Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Been to several Modern Times locations as big IPA fans, but loved this one for the expanded coffee and cocktail options! Made the experience feel more versatile. Alex was so hospitable and gave great recommendations. We did the somen salad and munch wrap for happy hour (11am-5pm) and it was perfect pairing with the fruited Orderville! Ambience was a vibe too -- decor reminded me of Stranger Things in the best way! Will definitely be back read more

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My family and I have really enjoyed coming here over the years. Thus family and dog friendly lounge recently got an upgrade. Still very much retro themed, the decor has changed a bit. They got new furniture, and now sell vinyl records. their men also got redone. While I'm not excited to see the restaurant has adopted non-vegan items, I'm still happy to see most items are still plant based. One of the employees shared that they were struggling to make food sales to compete with neighboring restaurants. He said most customers don't give vegan options a chance. It makes me really sad to hear that. There are so many tasty vegan/plant based alternatives. The beer is always tasty here, and they have a few wine, non-alcoholic options too. We will definitely be back, and I hope more people are open to trying the plant based options as they are really tasty. read more

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A spacious tavern serving a variety of beers on tap, in-house roasted coffee, and light meals to keep you and your party fed during your stay. Located along the busy street of 101, you'll find street parking when visiting Modern Times. With a huge storefront, you'll find plenty of seats inside ranging from those around the bar, large tables for bigger parties, and bleacher like seats for the casual hang out. The staff are quite welcoming and the bartender will take your food and drink order at the register. We came in during the early afternoon so it was a lot slower than a typical peak happy hour time. We didn't order food this time around and decided to simply enjoy their beer selection, which is quite vast and fresh off the tap. For those looking to enjoy something non-alcoholic, they have coffee roasted by their main roasting location in San Diego. They have bags of fresh beans for purchase as well which range from light to dark roasts. At the time, they were offering a special for Father's Day but I was simply interested in the bags (I wouldn't have been able to travel with the glass mug, unfortunately). For beer and coffee aficionados, you may have seen and tried their brews elsewhere within California so if you are a fan, get the taste straight from the source! In addition, for vinyl record collectors, they have some vintage for sale as well. I thought this was a nice touch to be included as part of their in-store experience. There were definitely some rare finds! Overall, Modern Times is a great place to meet up over a pint or two while getting your grub on. Their wide beer selection will surely satisfy most and for those with kids or non-drinkers, you'll be able to enjoy the atmosphere, too, with their selection of food and non-alcoholic drinks. The hospitality here is great and the vibe is very chill. With many other shops and eateries nearby, it's a very walkable place and can serve as a nice pit stop or destination for the day. There's no better time than a time at Modern Times! read more

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This is such a cute place to pop into for a drink. My husband and I did just that after having dinner across the street. He had a beer. I broke the cardinal rule and had wine at a brewery. Alas, we were both so happy with our choices. The staff were all lovely. The decor is so cute. Sit by the window and people watch. read more

Love all the vegan/vegetarian options on the menu! The smash burger with impossible meat and grilled onions was so delicious! The flatbreads were also really yummy and had great flavors. They have lots of great options for beers and everyone working there is super friendly! Very welcoming space and lots of seats. read more

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Went here with a couple of my friends in the late afternoon/early evening one day and we absolutely LOVED the vibe! The drinks were great (I had the Cucumber Lime Boochcraft, my two girlfriends had flights of beer -- they loved all their beers, and thought the Pickle Pils was the most interesting!) and the food was super tasty! The only downside is I think the brussel sprouts may not have been cooked all the way through because I had a bit of a stomach ache from those afterwards... but I would DEFINITELY come here again -- great drinks, good food, super sweet staff! Ambiance: 10/10 Drinks: 9/10 Food: 8.5/10 Service: 10/10 Price: 9/10 read more

Modern Times Far West Lounge - Full Bulgogi Fries - Beer Bar Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Hipster cafe but for a bar, good beers on tap and bomb fries. Good to go on weekends, there's a swap meet across the street

What a great vibe in this funky large space where windows open to the sidewalk for that PCH breeze as you enjoy a brew. Service was excellent and our beers were cold and divine. read more

Modern Times Far West Lounge - Beer Bar Near Me - Encinitas, California

Went for happy hour and it was great! Such a cool ambiance and decor and the staff were super friendly! They have a great selection of beers and food we had the brussel sprouts that were so good! Happy hour is M-F 12-5! read more

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I love Modern Times stouts! If you're a fan of big, barrel aged stouts, you'd love those from Modern Times. They also have IPAs and others if you're into those. Food: Fully vegan menu. We got the noodle salad with impossible beef and it was bomb! The beef reminded me of Korean bulgogi. The noodle was cold (perfect in sweltering summer day) and the dressing was light and refreshing. Decor: The place is decorated in a 60's/70's TV dinner theme. It's really cute. The wooden colors set the chill-out mode and the space feels very open and welcoming. read more

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This is a fun brew pub and I am so happy they have a large vegan menu. Service is good and friendly and the ambiance is loud crowd if you are okay with that. The parking is hit or miss. Modern Times deserves a basket of compliments for creating this wonderful place. Perfect place to take my adults sons when they're in town. read more

I've come here a couple of times for lunch and although the mid-century modern decor and friendly employees make this place appealing to visit, I have not enjoyed the few dishes I have tried. Their vegan smash burger is lacking in flavor, and the soba noodle salad I tried most recently I could not finish at all. I was quite disappointed as it sounded like a refreshing dish, but the dressing tasted like straight up vinegar and overpowered the other flavors. read more

Modern Times Far West Lounge - Soba noodle salad - Beer Bar Near Me - Encinitas, California

I hosted an event for my husband's birthday for 30 people at Modern Times in Encinitas, and it was perfect! The area that can be reserved has fun riser seating, which also was great for a group picture. Service and food and drink were all wonderful. Event planner Kayla was also very responsive, which was much better than other spots I had reached out to about our event. read more

Love this place! I don't drink alcohol anymore and they always have an na option which is great. The best part though is the food is awesome! I wasn't sure what to expect from a vegan place but soooo tasty! We always get the munch wrap and the Asian noodle salad. They are both delicious but I dream about that salad! read more

We ordered the burgers. They arrived 15 minutes apart and looked nothing like the photos on the website. Paper thin slices of beyond burger may have been between the buns? Brussels sprouts were overdone (charred) but my dining partners raved. Beer was great. Ambiance? Got to be kidding, what a dump. read more

Great beer, people, and food. They used to have a completely vegan menu, but recently have added non-vegan sandwiches. In my opinion; they have the best sandwich in San Diego County right now - the N'duja sandwich on focaccia bread. Amazing. read more

Modern Times Far West Lounge - Beer Bar Near Me - Encinitas, California

Nice little restaurant/brewery in downtown Encinitas. Great selection of beers and other libations. I tried the yuzu and sour field. Yuzu was more hoppy than I expected. Southfield was delicious. Got the Brussels sprouts and can I say.... OMG. The best Brussels sprouts I've ever had. Would eat them again and again. Also got the Mac and cheese with meatloaf was a little soupy and needed salt. But still good My friends got the hamburger and meatloaf sandwich. Both enjoyed. The ambience is good. Not to loud, per friendly, and clean. Friendly, welcoming service. Order at the bar and they bring you the food. They also have beer canned to go. Cons: parking, the poor plants need some love (as a plant mom makes my heart hurt) read more

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Super cute vibe! It's giving a lil disco with the fun wallpapers & lights! There's a big half circle bar and decent amount of seating available. The service was good too- staff was friendly and knowledgeable & recommended great options! We got the impossible beef flat bread & that was delicious! I got the gold kings cider (or something like that) and that was really good! One of the best ciders I've had! Perk: it's right next to the gelato place so we got a nice lil treat after as well! Haha Great location! read more

Modern Times - I love your kitsch, your beer, your fries, and your vibe! The main walls are decorated with that mid-century-modern vibe or "Blue Chip Stamp Store" decor. IYKYK. Their beer is delicious - light where it needs to be and sweet or sour where you want it. Friendly bar service behind the counter, a vegan menu (yeah!) and ridiculously good french fries. We'll be back!! read more

huge selection of beer and spacious seating! we stopped by after dinner and were quickly served. however, the bartender didn't ask for what size we wanted, just defaulted to the largest 16oz pour. I guess that's our mistake for not saying but it would have been nice to be asked. the omg hazy from maui brewing is delicious. there's a good variety of choices for all kinds of preferences so you're sure to find something you like! read more

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I love this place SO much! The location, the vibe, the beer, the food, and especially the service! My man and I go here in the day and Eric is always the absolute sweetest. I love the Italian sandwich and pizza. I also go here with my good friend (who is not vegetarian) and he loves to order the vegetarian breakfast sandwich and chickn' fingers. At night Alex is there and he's fantastic as well. They always play the best music and have an amazing selection of beer, cider, sours, booch, and others in the rotation. My man is absolutely crazy about the MT pils. I also pick up their cold brew cans because it's the best I've had. They allow dogs inside, and it's just got such a great vibe. It's absolutely my favorite place in Encinitas. read more

I really appreciate this place. It's amazing, great atmosphere, good customer service, and great food. So many cute dogs, good beer, and good vibes read more

As a non-vegan, non-drinker, this is a difficult review to write because it feels I'm judging Modern Times unfairly. Afterall, this is a vegan bar! However, given only 6 - 15% of the US population are vegan or vegetarian, I hope this will provide some guidance to the majority of Yelp readers, at least from a food perspective. Overall, I'm giving this restaurant 3.5 stars consisting of 4 stars for environment & service, and 3 stars for food. On a beautiful Monday, I spent the morning hanging out with my buddy, visiting different places along Oceanside & Carlsbad. He introduced me to Modern Times, one of his favorite hang out spots, and I totally see why. The space is inviting, open and airy, with very cool vibes. The people running the place are a friendly, funny bunch. We ended up chatting about service, and how some people don't care enough to show some love, but a little goes a long way! Anyhow, I looked up the menu and caught my eye on a "cheeseburger". I know it's vegan but the description of an "impossible smashed patty" made me want to try it. Will it have that crunch of a savory, juicy patty from Maillard reaction? The "chao cheese," will that be smoky and savory, blending nicely with the patty? Deluxe burger: it tasted fine, but didn't meet my expectations or craving for a well seared smash burger. Two key missing elements to the real thing: the addictive aroma of seared meat, and the texture and mouthfeel of real meat. The patty tasted mushy and soft, and once chewed, almost like the texture of bean curd with none of the meaty aromas. The cheese was like a thick sauce, and lacked the smokiness and mouthfeel of real cheese. Ultimately, as a sandwich, I give this a "B-" - it's not a bad sandwich, but nothing to write home about. Fries: my frame of reference will always be Five Guys. I just love their fries - twice cooked, freshly cut, fried in peanut oil. I have to be tougher in this area since one truly doesn't need animal fat to make outstanding fries. And here, the fries were half decent, pretty well cooked although I would have preferred a longer cook. But they lacked potato flavor and I'm guessing they were previously frozen as opposed to freshly cut. I still ate quite a few since salted, fried potatoes are never bad, but I can only grade it a "C+". Would I come again? Well, definitely not on my own, given this is a vegan bar and I'm neither vegan nor a drinker. But would I come hang out with friends if they want some beer? Definitely. It's a nice spot, with comfy vibes and cool people serving you. read more

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Yessss - they finally do meat!!! And it's great. The flatbreads are to die for. Still a big vegan menu, but now people like me can eat there too. read more

The food is delicious - top picks: Bahn Mi Flatbread, Crunch wrap, Brussel Sprouts and Somen Salad. Staff is friendly af and it is a place you can hang out with your kids and friends. I pray to the beer gods this place never closes. read more

Drove out of our way to come here, but the business was closed. It looked like they were painting a mural? (So probably not a last minute issue) It would be great if they would update their hours/status online. I'm leaving three stars because it looked like good food, but we'll never know! read more

Modern Times Far West Lounge - Closed - Beer Bar Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great location. Some street parking. Staff is friendly. FOOD is GREAT!!! The hamburgers are soooooo good and meat free. You would not guess these burgers are meatless. They taste so damn good!!! The cost is consistent with the amount of food you get as well. Inside has a cool kick back vibe. Beers are also solid. Great place to post up and enjoy friends, food and beer. read more

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After walking by their downtown Encinitas location many times, I was excited to finally venture into Modern Times' Far West Lounge. The interior is awesome. Retro chic with gold and plants everywhere. Cool vibes and solid music. On a Friday around 12:30, there were a decent amount of fellow patrons but it was by no means crowded. The plant based menu was great. I enjoyed a Munchwrap: their play on Taco Bell's crunchwrap supreme with your choice of taco meat, carne asada, or chicken. I opted for the taco meat per the cashier's recommendation. It was delicious. Crunchy and soft. Flavorful, with good seasonings, a cheesy liquid, and an orange salsa, which had notes of spice without being overbearing. All of MT's delicious beers are on tap. You can't go wrong with any of em - especially Orderville: hazy IPA Fruitlands: sour gose with notes of guava and passion fruit Fortunate Islands: hoppy pale ale Friendly service. Allow a few extra minutes to find parking nearby and walk over. Cheers + enjoy! read more

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Brussels! Fall themed and very tasty. More on the sweet side but countered by the pickled onions. They were charred and crispy too! read more

Modern Times Far West Lounge - Beer Bar Near Me - Encinitas, California

Surprised this place has all vegetarian options but the food was great. Parking may be hard but there is some street parking . Service was awesome. Attentive and on top of it as well as sweet! Very chill vibes where you can bring your dog and have a brewski. Love this place and definitely coming back for the food and beer! read more

Had a Limocello Stout that tasted very much like the Sees Candy Lemon Truffle. Followed that with a Doom Hawk a very good Imperial Stout that was thick and delicious. Always enjoy my Modern Time Beers is you just wander over to my profile pic and take a good look at my fridge...you'll understand. read more

Modern Times Far West Lounge - Doom Hawk - Beer Bar Near Me - Encinitas, California

I love this spot. It's one of my favorites in this part of Encinitas. I love the open air feel of it. The unique decor & atmosphere. Then the food and beer options are great too! If I remember correctly I've even been able to connect to Wifi here to get some work done. Their menu is vegan and filled with interesting flavors and combinations. The staff has always been quick and I'm usually here during off-peak times so I don't recall ever having hard time finding a spot. Looking forward to my next visit! read more

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