This was a neat spot in Santa Rosa, but the main draw for me being the beer was lacking in both quality and quantity. Shady Oak is right downtown and a quick walk from the mall or other breweries in the area. It has very ceilings with awesome art and pinball machines. It looks like a great place for concerts. At the back is a shady seating area next to the river path beyond the fence. I opted to sit at the bar; it was mostly regulars and everyone was friendly. On my visit, they only had four beers of their own on draft; one wasn't drinkable due to an off flavor, the others were just okay. If you're on a beercation, this isn't one to go out of your way for. If you're looking for a fun and comfy spot to relax with friends, this is a good one. read more

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Awesome brewery! The service is always superb, and the owner is incredibly friendly and welcoming. If you're looking for a chill, laid-back vibe for a date night or just to unwind this is the spot. Highly recommend! read more

A couple of friends and I recently discovered this place and we love it. Super fun and inclusive, very mellow crowd. The beers are really good, I go for hazy IPA's and enjoyed their current one. They are dog friendly both inside and outside. There is a nice back patio with picnic tables, and rotating food trucks. I love finding local gems and this is one of them, I highly recommend it! read more

Shady Oak Barrel House - Beautiful live back wall....attracts hummingbirds and butterflies - Breweries Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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What a beautiful brewery! A sweet little hidden gem in the heart of Santa Rosa, the staff is always friendly and welcoming to all. They are always having really great events for all ages and pet friendly as well. They rotate taco trucks and also allow you to bring your own food if desired. read more

The hidden gem of breweries! If you are looking for beer that is an experience with one of a kind flavor profiles that I can only describe as jazz. This is the place. Love the owner, love the team that makes the magic happen! p.s. some of the best food trucks in the county come in to provide cuisine that pairs amazing with what's on tap. read more

Bring your quarters, grab a pint, a pinball machine and be a kid again. This hidden gem offers locals a lowkey spot to relax and unwind. Great bartenders, always a smile and if you're lucky, an unassuming pop-up food tent on the back creekside patio serving the most delicious smash burger tacos around. Did I mention they have pinball and old arcade games, Rad. Worth a visit for sure! read more

Shady Oak Barrel House - Smash burger taco by Bayou Burgers & Birria, delightful - Breweries Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Try the lime beer. Just trust me. If that's not on tap or you're not into it, just try something new. Go out of your comfort zone. Shady Oak is a good place for it! I remember coming here years ago for a birthday celebration, so upon my return to the area for 2021 Thanksgiving, I was pleased to see they are still in business and have even expanded their offerings. We came by for dinner at the Mexican food truck out back, and of course had to get some beers while we ate. There were great options for me (the craft beer lover from Portland OR) to try something new, as well as options for my mom (the wine connoisseur who likes either light beer or barrel aged beer and nothing in between). Their space is huge bordering on cavernous, they've got a concert stage and some cool murals. The staff is friendly and helpful. Prices are standard. Beer is good. read more

Shady Oak Barrel House - Mural of their logo out back - Breweries Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Tried this place out while I was in Santa Rosa for a race over the weekend. The brewery was an easy walk from the super cute motel that I was staying at. It had a pretty cool atmosphere with a bunch of old school arcade video games in the corner. I tried the seltzer, which was pretty good and I took a 4 pack to-go. The bartender seemed to be having a hard time, but everyone has a hard time sometimes. She seemed nice, anyways. I'll definitely be back if I'm in the area again! read more

Shady Oak Barrel House - Cool mural on the wall of the brewery - Breweries Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

I love stopping in to different breweries and collecting stickers. This brewery was pretty large with decorative barrels stacked as far as the eye can see. The restrooms were clean which is a pet peace of mine when I see them dirty. They have an arcade section with an ATM and change machine. They have a food truck out back and a nice patio. Reasonable prices and snacks to eat at the bar. Kids are welcome and the service was superb. I'd like to see more variety in beer only because IPA's are so trendy and it's hard to find a red, amber, or Vienna lager. read more

Love Shady Oak! Great brews, service, and ambiance. Always greeted with a smile and friendly conversation. The back patio is lovely and there's always a new (to me at least) SE food truck slinging out amazing grub. Support Local! You won't be disappointed read more

Shady Oak Barrel House - Mojito Seltzer and Sofa King IPA - Breweries Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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This hidden gem is always a chill place to grab a good beer. They used to offer primarily sours, but now they have branched out to offer several other types of beers too. It's a nice local hangout with a surprisingly relaxing back patio. The beer tenders are always extra friendly too. Like a lot of the beer spots around here now, they have a rotating list of food trucks that roll through every week. It's worth a visit! read more

The food was amazing and the ambience was really good a large amount of people and good vibe plus the service was fast.

What a great place- the beer is the best I've had in Sonoma County and the laid back ambiance is a nice reprieve from some other breweries' less chill ambience. My kids love the video games and the food truck today was so good. We will be back for sure. read more

Shady Oak Barrel House - Drinking outside - Breweries Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

We went here for a friend's concert. We don't drink normally so at best we usually get colas. We were pleasantly surprised to find Best Day Brewing non-alcohol Hazy IPA (really good) and LaCroix Tangerine. read more

This place is huge, wine barrels everywhere, food truck was here "the spot" had a good selection of sandwiches and burgers. The beer was good, small selection 5 on tap but what I tried was good. Service was quick because there was hardly anyone here besides the 9 people on stage playing music, fun to watch. read more

Shady Oak Barrel House - Inside - Breweries Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

THE KING OF SOURS!!! (Steve Doty) A small batch craft brewery focusing on farmhouse ales, sour beer, and barrel aging. Not sure if I came up with that but it sounds like something I would say. He was the catalyst for me getting into beer and appreciating the vast array of styles. Awesome Space - tons of FULL Barrels in the room, it's like a Costco sized room - mostly for the equipment, but there's plenty of space to hang out and have fun. He's a cool guy so he draws cool people. I met several people that evening and everyone was Awesome!! So all of you negative Nancies - don't go, don't spoil it. If you're in a pissy mood, go to The Zoo and play some horseshoes. Big & Beautiful (me) goes to Spacious & Delicious (Shady Oaks Barrel House) and has a Blast with Awesome people!! Outstanding Beverage Selection - Yes, the best Sours, but also 2 count them two IPA's that are excellent and all kinds of Funky Goodness in between! Mike loved the Brett Farmhouse and I loved the Stout, and both IPA's. I even did a 50/50 Blend and that was Delicious. A Large sized Patio will be opening in the back - looks SWEEEEEET. Well behaved dogs allowed. No humans under 21 years of age allowed. No Dbags - if you have more 1, 2, and 3 star reviews than 5 star, entry has been revoked. Outside food welcome. (I added the 3rd one - could you tell). read more

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love this place. limited but delicious selection of beer. there is something for everyone's palate. I love their selection of barrel aged sours. There is a spacious and beautiful outdoor area. They have a variety of events throughout the weeks that are also entertaining. Shout out to the whole crew! read more

Came here on a Wednesday, the have a local Dj and Smackin Soul Food providing comfort food in the back. They have Trivia night on Thursday's, the beer was good, around $7 per 16 oz and $4 for the 5 oz. Pricing was fair. There is also an arcade. The garden and the inside are just gorgeous, very well kept, spacious and more than friendly staff. I tried the Peoples beer of Rosa. read more

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We always take the opportunity to check out local breweries where we're in the area and this new-to-us one, also walking distance from our hotel, was an obvious must visit. Space and service are a solid five stars. Beer was a three for me. So averaging out to a four. Everyone in our group went with samplers and, while everything was drinkable, no one enjoyed anything enough to order it in a pint. read more

Food pop ups and sour beers in a barrel house is a always a good time! There's usually a great group of people at the bar that will immediately include you in the conversations within minutes of walking through the door. Family vibes for sure. read more

Shady Oak Barrel House - Somnambulism + Sonomatastic + BBA Farmhouse Ale + Golden Sour with Pinot Noir Grapes - Breweries Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Shady Oak is a fun brewery in Santa Rosa near highway 101. There's frequently music, food trucks and events held here, with weekly trivia and pinball games. I like outdoor area in the summertime, overlooking the Santa Rosa River. This is also a supportive and safe space for LGBTQ + with great vibes! read more

Nice "chill" brewery in cool old building, good brews. Problem is the "greasy spoon" food truck, if you're hungry, eat elsewhere. The Chicken sandwich was so drenched in Korean oil, that I ended up "tossing it" when I got home! My stomach, as was my eating mate's was a mess! read more

This place is awesome! Great space to hang out with family, friends, and bring your dog. They also have great events on a weekly basis. Good beer and great food. Check this place out! read more

Such a great menu! I love a good sour and Shady Oak provided! I'm so tired of IPA's and having more options is a wonderful treat. The bartender did an amazing job pouring! I don't know how he walked over without spilling a drop! I had the B.F.G and it was a delightfully crisp gose. Dan had the Sonomatastic and he said "it's fantastic!" This is such a cool space. Apparently they hold all sorts of events here. I can totally see how this would be a great space for a wedding or party. read more

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This place is glorious! Best sour beers, beautiful artwork and scenery, arcade games!!!, fun and friendly staff. Instagram/social media seems to be the best way to keep up to date with what's going on. They have a lot of entertainment throughout the week. This spot is inclusive and enjoyable, and beautiful inside and out - are you on the our way yet?! read more

Shady Oak Barrel House - Breweries Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

I went in last Friday night with a few friends. They are located right across from the Sears parking lot. I was warmly greeted as I entered, which I always appreciate. There is an L shaped bar as you walk in and a few tables to sit at. A very wide open space with wine barrels along one wall. They were not very busy when I entered, I was approached by a very friendly guy asking what I would like. **Pause** He and I both know they just opened....why not tell me a little about their history, give me a description of the beers and the style they are going for. **Unpause** I said do you do tastes, can I try a few, to which he said...you can try them all....WINNER! I was poured about 8 samples...I'm sorry to say I was not a big fan, but that is my taste you may love their beers. I'm an IPA snob, I love and seek high IBU, give me a double IPA and make it dank. They had two IPAs on the list to try...I found them average and actually they were a bit on the warm side, which I mentioned. I asked the beer-tender what the IBUs were and what kind of hops were used, unfortunately he could not tell me. I settled on a sour...I should mention I typically do not like sours, this one was very nice, he said that this sour was their flag ship....It was the Sonomatastic I believe. The beers at Shady Oak reminded me of Woodfoor in Sebastopol, which goes for more European styles of beers. These guys are brand new and I hope they do great, would I come back...not for awhile, I'll let the dust settle. **Sidenote** They are dog friendly! read more

Great place for kids to run around, good beer, and the rotating foot trucks/vendors are a huge plus. End review.

Shady Oak continues to knock it out of the park despite the COVID economy and the challenges therein. I love their sour beers as well as their IPAs. Now, they're canning their IPAs and you can get them to go along with their merchandise (cozy crew-neck sweatshirts just in time for winter!). Sadly, burglars broke in last night, causing thousands of damage to a front window and stealing property from inside. Please help them out if possible by making a donation to their GoFundMe: https://gf.me/u/zbwi58 Note: I do not work for them! I just want to see them survive COVID. read more

Good beer, nice staff, great band play- all women!! Great space for a brewery!! Just need food!!! read more

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We stopped by on a Saturday afternoon for the first time recently. Place was mostly empty. Nice bartender. Maybe it was all the good reviews on Yelp, but we had high expectations of some really good sours. They had... no sours available. We had a few tastes of their IPAs and were unimpressed. (LOL, another reviewer said this was the best beer she's had in Sonoma county--clearly she has only been to 1 brewery in Sonoma county!) Pinball machines turned out to be $1/play and there just wasn't much reason to stay. We wandered off to other Santa Rosa establishments. read more

If you are a sour fan, then look no further. Shady Oak is located in downtown near the mall off the beaten path a bit. This allows for easy parking, a huge warehouse space, and easy access. My boyfriend and I came on a Sunday and grabbed a seat at the bar. There was plenty of space and lots of cute dogs running around. We decided to split the flight of all of their beers. One or two stood out to us but the rest kind of faded to the background and started to taste rather similar. It was a unique approach to beer, which I liked however I'd have to be in the mood for this particular style. read more

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We got here close to closing. Still enough time for a beer though. They had a taco truck here today. Decent. I'm glad I found a place that actually has GOOD sour beers !! I have high standards hah I liked both I tried but ultimately I ordered the Purple drink. def coming again for more sours. the bf got an IPA. The Drake. He said it was good and would order it again. Light enough for me as well. Reminded me of Lil' sumptin. The yard was cute too. Plenty of seating. Has heaters too. Little stage for music too it looked like. Also they have a cat! Cosmo we will be back. Bathrooms were clean too. Everyone has gloves and masks. read more

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Great beer. Great ambience and spacious. Very chill and hip. Great staff as well. Easy parking. Food truck at the back with outdoor seating. Nice place to hang out on a weekend. read more

Really cute and large space with delicious beers. Love that they offer mini cups and love that they have food options and an arcade if you bring the kids. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating. Definitely a hidden gem. read more

Genuinely confused by their beers. I'm a big fan of sours, saisons, funky weird beers, along with mainstream varieties too. Came where with a brew buddy shortly after they first opened and got a large sampler of their most popular beers, most of which had really tell tale off notes from brewing mistakes. Loved that they were trying new things, but it felt like they were still learning, etc. Long story short, came back two-years + later this past weekend, encouraged by all the positive reviews with hope that the kinks had been ironed out. This time we only tried a few beers, including a dank IPA and the Feijoa Smoothie. The IPA wasn't dank or juicy - drinkable, but didn't match the description on the menu. The Feijoa Smoothie was clear and not cloudy as pictured and had big notes of buttered popcorn, which is a sign that there's diacetyl contamination. It's a common issue with brewing mishaps. It's also something we ran across with a number of their beers a few years ago. I want to see them succeed. It's a cool space, they seem like good folks, the crowd seems cool. But with so many other solid beer options in town, it's hard to recommend coming here for the beer. read more

I had an absolute blast here. Also the beer is pretty good. Parking is street only-although there are allegedly a few spots behind the building. For the most part the parking is very possible even if you wind up a half block away or so. It's a large space with plenty of room to spread out in. There's a beer garden in back that nobody goes to in the winter, and at least one comfy couch for lounging. Room for a dozen or so right jolly folk at the bar counter. They also have a row of chairs from a airplane along on wall for some reason. They are more comfortable then you'd think. they've a number of beer related games-those bean bag/toss thingys, jumbo jenga and a dart board amongst a collection of board games. They only do a half dozen or so house taps and have a small -but good-wine selection. This is wine country after all. Service is more or less self serve-you go the bar for your own beers when you need/want them. This can be a beer related choke point on busy nights but overall is no big deal. On my visit they had a christmas punk swap meet. This means that in addition to a local punk band playing there were many booths selling all thing punk and some things not (there was an artisanal soap booth and a pop up taco stand) but mostly all punk. Lots of groms running around, very much the older/family punk scene-which was nice. Something very satisfying with going to the bar and screaming for a f**k pge -their mildly controversial cali style apa that they do-with punk music blaring. Helped along by the fact that the apa is a very very good beer. Dunno about the other pints-the other choices were all rustic, farmhouse, sour, Belgian, imperial ipa stuff which was all a bit too much for my palate normally. I'm not sayin it's bad, or that I won't drink those styles, but I am saying I found the pge thing to be oh so perfect that I wasn't interested. So for me this was a unique, local, musical and perfect beer night out. Your mileage may vary especially since that punk thing is a once in awhile event but no fear, it's a classy kinda beer joint that I think would be very enjoyable punk free. read more

This place is really cool the people are really friendly and have a few IPA and some sours beers. The place is huge it has outdoor seating and there are dog friendly. Come on down and try a few pints of beer. Parking can be a little difficult. You my have to pay meter depending on what day and time you go. read more

Shady Oak Barrel House - Dope-alicous - Breweries Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Enjoyed the beers here, and the spot is amazing. I am Coming from Tacoma Washington I am truly shocked by the size of this brewery. Its a huge inside, and a decent size outside. They have some cool old school games and pinball machines. It has an awesome vibe and I would come back for that. read more

One of my favorite breweries. Stopped in for a holiday weekend beer and they did not disappoint. The Santa Rosa plum was amazing! Kriek-ish was also super good. Their gin barrel gose is one of my favorites and I hope it comes back around. They have different food vendors and today was Damn Dogs with 6 choices of dogs and a veggie dog. They have a heated indoor area and when it is not raining their big outdoor patio is awesome. Their owners are super generous and great community supporters. Today they have a Fund raiser going for the Santa Rosa service dog group CCI and they have a Campfire relief beer as well. Happy hour Wednesday - Friday 3-6 Saturday - 12-4:20 Sunday all day. read more

Shady Oak Barrel House - Santa Rosa Plum and Kreik-ish with an Acapulco dog. - Breweries Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Love this place! Everyone is friendly and the beer is delicious. They also have great music and other events.