Clearly a local favorite. The bar is long, the temp is cool, and it's dark and vibey. The art is all goat related vintage alcohol ads which paired with the red banquets and open floor of dark wood gives it a relaxed neighborhood feel. Drink selection is vast, they even have wine. Though they were out of a handful of sparkling options that were on the menu, the incredibly nice bar tender let me try a glass before committing. They also have a decent happy hour menu though on a Friday afternoon it seemed they were a little understaffed, so we skipped the food. There's a pool table, tabletop shuffle board, and trivia nights too. Paid parking available in the back. Will definitely be back. read more

When you think dive bar you think super tiny and sticky floors, however this was a more of a subtle version of that with the dive bar feel until it got packed inside with college kids and you felt like a sardine still in the can. Service was great, drinks were good, prices are reasonable. A pool table and some other game off to the side, large seating area and outside patio too. Large parking lot in back, but can park on street too. read more

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Great local watering hole. Perfect for a quick and reasonably priced beer and burger. My wife and I go regularly to have a couple beers and play pool. It serves its purpose well! read more

The GOAT is the perfect spot for a drink, catching a game, singing karaoke, or hanging out on a weekend night with a live DJ spinning tunes. I often visit with my friends to watch a game and enjoy a bacon smash burger (this time I tried the chicken sandwich and it was good!) with fries and a Dublin Donkey, which I think is a Moscow Mule with rum. I'll need to verify that and get back to you. The place is always clean, they have a shuffle board and pool table, which usually has a game going on, and the bartenders and cooks are always super friendly. There are a bunch of TVs, so they can always switch to the game you want to watch. It's usually pretty empty during the weekdays but can get crowded on weekends with a live DJ spinning the joints (sometimes you can't even get from onside of the room to the other). Occasionally, they have a taco man and a food truck outside late at night. Overall, it's a great place to visit if you're not looking for a crazy scene, where everyone is respectful and greets you as they pass by your table. OOOOO 5 out of 5 Afros read more

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We had some time to burn before a Yelp Halloween event nearby this past Wednesday and I chose The Surly Goat because I had had a good experience at the one in West Hollywood years back after hearing it is a good craft beer bar. This more recent visit didn't disappoint and Brooke the bartender was great! Brooke recommended I try and gave tastes of a couple different IPA's. I went with the Radiant "Wall of Color" Hazy ($10) which was great. My wife had a couple happy hour light beers and I ordered the happy hour marg which was quite tasty. Happy hour is daily from 5-7pm and offers $2 off taps #1-5, 3 cocktails and a few food items. We ordered the happy hour fries and they were fantastic; the kosher salt on top was great and perfectly salty, like McDonald's fries but kinda more gourmet? Really really good fries and a good and ample portion size. Forgetting our to-go containers from home (for the upcoming event), Brooke was kind enough to give us a few boxes that worked out perfectly. The space at Surly Goat is large and they have at least one pool table that I saw and 2 shuffleboard tables. Ambience is cool and I like the darker interior. Highly recommend if you're in the area. One thing I would like to see is $2 off on all those beers for Happy Hour, not just taps #1-5. I feel this is a little bit stingy. Sure, for the heavier Belgians or higher ABV beers, a higher price is okay but for some of the regular 'ol IPA's and Hazy's, come on guys, you can take $2 off and earn some good juju. read more

Was told there's a "dress code" because I'm a dude in a cutoff tank. Hardly anyone here. Incredibly causal. A hot summer night. I was trying to impress a date. But it just put me in a foul mood before even entering. Reeks of homophobia read more

Decided to check this place out after attending a concert in Thousand Oaks on a Friday night . Upon our arrival it was not as busy as i would of thought which was great for us. We made our way over to the bar and for the first time i had a high noon seltzer peach flavor and it was perfect! quite frankly i became obsessed with them! Thanks Surly Goat for the recommendation. So much seating area! so its an ideal spot for large group gathering. They play great music and stream music videos with it. You can find parking in the back but not that well lit at night. i would park on Ventura Blvd or across the street in the CVS shopping center. They provide fast service and drinks are reasonably priced. you can def. have a good time here! read more

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The surly Goat is an amazing location in the center of Encino on Ventura Boulevard. They have a well curated beer selection, also mixed drinks and a kitchen cooking up some delicious bar food. Now the staff is top tier... friendly , knowledgeable and oh so carrying about your visit. Every day of the week they have something special going on, make sure you follow them on Instagram so you can get all the information for the cool events for the days of the week.! and let them know, ChewYourBeer on instagram sent you !! read more

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This place is a lot of fun. We usually go for trivia night, and they have good drinks. I just wish the menu had any healthy options. I know that's counter intuitive to bar food, but this IS LA and not everyone wants to eat greasy bar food. read more

My bf discovered this place, mainly for their Tap Takeover since one of the ones on the menu was one he really likes. I believe it was the "Pliny The Younger" but I can't remember. This bar is located on Ventura and the parking lot nearby is for the next door shopping area with the Target and Western Bagel, free, and easily walkable! Lots of spots when we went. Walked in, it was loud, tables were all full so we sat at the bar. I didn't see any cocktails that interested me so my bf got his drink and I had a Shirley temple which was honestly one of the best I've had lol! We also grabbed some dinner while we were here. My bf got the smash burger (delicious) and we shared the sweet potato tots with jalapeno ranch (unique and super good) and I had their Surly Fries as my main which is their animal style fries. Oh my god. The absolute BEST animal fries you'll ever have. The fries were crispy and perfectly seasoned but also the way they prepare it was solid throughout!! Melty cheese, grilled onions, and sauced up throughout the layers of fries so you never run out of topping. I think my favorite part about it was the perfectly cooked fries and amazing amount of grilled onions. This is definitely the star of the show in my books and I'm itching to be back! I hope it's a permanent item because our bartender, Kelly K, mentioned they always get rid of good food on their menu!! Bummer. Looking forward to what new items they have on our next visit but also dying to have more surly fries lol! IG: @ammysalamii read more

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The Surly Goat is exactly what you would think of when you think of a bar. I went on a Wednesday night and it was pretty empty, except for the few people playing trivia. The bartender, Dwight, was super friendly to us when we arrived. We sat at the bar and drinks came quickly. The old fashioned I ordered was solid, nothing super special. They have some drink specials for cocktails and a whole lot of beer on tap. They have a fair amount of booths for seating and stools at the bar. They have a couple shuffleboards too. It's a pretty spacious bar overall. I've been here before on weekends when it's crowded but it never felt too claustrophobic. There's a parking lot in the back, but it's not super well lit in places. I would park in Ventura Blvd. The surly goat wouldn't be my first choice of location for a night out, but it's one of those spots I find myself at after I've already gone somewhere else. It's a very straightforward bar so if that's your vibe, you'd love it! My only complaint was that the bar was a little sticky when I sat down. read more

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I was going to an event here to continue our celebrating our LA Marathon finishers. I got here super early and there was a group celebrating a birthday, the theme was a country theme so I went to my car, grabbed my cowboy hat and fit right in, while waiting for friends. Ok so while I was waiting I went to the bar and ordered a couple smash cheese burger and a Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier, I lived in Germany a couple years and this bier reminded me of good times. Ok my burger came it was of course extremely good I also got the spicy fries of which I shared with friends that finally made it. The music was on key and the staff were super friendly and upbeat. I'm definitely going to hit this place up again soon. read more

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The smash burgers, onion rings and the sweet potato tots are delicious, the jalapeño ranch dip for the tots is also tasty. Order at the bar, get a number, and they'll bring it to you. Indoor and outdoor seating and a pool table for those inclined towards trouble in River City. Good times! read more

I've come here for food and drinks a few times and each time I tell myself I should come more often. They have a great beer selection and the food is also really good. The servers are always super friendly. I also like that it is one of the few places on Ventura Boulevard where you can find parking. There is lot in the rear. The times I've gone I have always been able to find seating right away. Most recently I was surprised to find that the had Pliny the Younger on tap. I can't wait to go back! read more

The Surly Goat - Pliny the Younger - Burgers Near Me - Encino, California

If I could give zero stars I would this place was a dive bar, but my drink was actually good the black bouncer decided after we got in and spent $100 on drinks he came and asked one of our friends to leave because he had on open toe shoes but clearly all the women did too! he said it was a dress code issue this place is not upscale at all what dress code clearly this guy was on a power trip I will not return there's a 60+ bday here there was a few young people but they play weird Vegas pool party/ dance USA game type music this place sucked!!!!!!!!! read more

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My friends & I always end up having the best time at this local late night spot! The staff is all super friendly, drinks very well balanced & they even have a pretty okay food menu if you want a bite. I like how it tends to attract a young crowd on the weekends so my friends & I never feel out of place like we do at other local bars & the DJs they have are always playing the best hits that so many of us end up on the dance floor all night. So glad we have this go to gem in our area! read more

A fun, laid back spot on Ventura Blvd near the Target, Shake Shack and Starbucks plazas. Food is .... Okay. The churro dessert is bomb dot com. The fries are okay, sliders and burgers are okay. Beer selection is top notch. I love me a good stout. I love the trivia and pool here, too. Karaoke is avail one night a week, if that's your thing. Service is okay, it can get busy so ordering drinks can take a little while. Parking is in the back or on the street - don't forget to pay your meter. read more

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Came here once and it was history. I think this has been the spot now. Came here with a friend on a Friday or Saturday night, I can't remember. We got there at a good time, but once the DJ came, IT WAS POPPIN!!! So many people were there, it was packed. Some people didn't wear deodorant so I lowkey left shortly after it got crowded cause it started to smell bad. I also came on Thursday which is Karaoke night, and y'all, ITS A VIBE!!! It was so fun. I stayed till the bar closed and that never happens to me anymore. Just tried trivia night last night and my friend and I won second place out of 6!!! It is family feud style so you answer with what you think the most popular is. It was so much fun! Another plus is there is a whole parking lot! So parking is never an issue. And the STAFF IS AMAZING!!! They're truly the best. The bartenders, security, DJs. All amazing people. I can't believe it has taken me this long to see how great this place is. See you there! Haha read more

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Great neighborhood bar for s night out. Large selection of beers on tap, great pub food. There is s pool table, shuffle board and karaoke some days. Bar attendants are attentive, and overall makes it for a good experience read more

Come for the fun... stay for the Surly! I've been coming to the Goat off and on since 2014 when my buddy Andrew, a regular, and I would come in after a shift at BevMo down the street. I've seen live music, enjoyed the djs and even some okay eats here - glad the vegan and vegetarian options are more present - do try the Sweet Potato Tots + burgers. Very impressive craft brew list in the forms of cans, bottles and on tap - gastropub meets spacious neo modern rustic dive bar. Definitely appreciate a good deal like their shot + beer special (similar to the buddy deal/system at Idle Hour). Happy Hour daily from 5PM to 7PM - and includes most of their wine (solid selection), well drinks and beers. Open every day at 5PM so the fun and happy starts when the doors open. Love the service when I can swim through the sea of patrons during those epic event nights. Did not make it out to "Goatchella" this year, but hopefully to the next (lots of local artists). Note this place gets packed, but there's plenty of parking in their lot. You could easily drive by this place in a blink if you're not looking for it, especially when it's dark. read more

Stopped by for happy hour and was pleasantly surprised by the food. There's a good amount of tables spread throughout the bar but you have to place your drink and food orders with the bar tender which was kinda strange. It wasn't busy when we went but I can imagine this being an issue when it's crowded. The menu only has a couple of items on it but the burger and fries were actually delicious and very well seasoned. Solid spot for a drink or a quick bite! read more

The Surly Goat - Double Smash Burger - Burgers Near Me - Encino, California

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Would never come back here. They kicked us out because "someone cut their finger" then after we were waiting on the street we watched them hang out inside as a group and we were forced to chug our drinks at 1 AM and their determination in someone going to the hospital was based on us leaving. Never would I spend my money here again after coming here multiple times over the past few years read more

Coolest east coast bar on the west coast. Great bar food, killer hamburger, and great music. Bartender was down to earth and friendly. Great vibes. read more

The best place to go to for a nice pint of stout and great company! Hats off to Kate and Brooke holding the fort down and making sure everyone is happy! Definitely worth a repeat performance on a weekly basis!! read more

The Surly Goat - Cheers, Brooke and Kate!! - Burgers Near Me - Encino, California

If you're looking for sexy, this is not really the place. If you looking for a large selection of beers, multiple TV screens and surround sound to catch a game, and play a few rounds of pool with a great vibe, then this is the place. Oscar and the staff were very friendly and polite. I'm not a beer drinker (so why did I come, Super Bowl! Judgy much? LOL). Speaking of Super Bowl, it wasn't crowded. It didn't bother me. The crowd that was there, was fun and good spirited. The barkeep was very gracious in suggesting a beer that I might like with a kombacha taste. It was good, but I can't recall the name (if any of you know it, please tell me because that going be my go to beer). If you're still parched, there's plenty of super cold water by the bar. The chicken tenders and spicy fries (firgot to take a pic, I know!! sorry ) were good. The spicy fries have a kick, so be warned. The regular fries and sweet potato tots were yumers!! The wing were flavorful. The did their thing with the vegan blackbean burger. Overall, great job! The restrooms were clean. There's plenty of seating indoors and outdoors. There street metered parking and parking in the rear. OK, I know you're tired of reading! So, I'll end with my usual, "Will I return?" For the one that finally gave me a beer I enjoyed..yes.. read more

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The bartender Brooke was PHENOMENAL. Came all the way from west Hollywood and she made it worth my while. Recommend food and drinks and was not disappointed! Thank you! read more

Came here the other night and what an awesome bar! The burger was amazing and they had a variety of beers and cocktails. They have pool and shuffleboard which we enjoyed. The service was great. Danny was so amazing! Her recommendations were a hit and she was very attentive. Definitely coming back. read more

I recently came into this place on a Wednesday and it was an awful experience. Since I live nearby, I thought I would give it another try on the weekend. I went in on a Friday night, and before I was able to step foot into the bar, there was a very uncomfortable experience with the bouncer. for one thing he had a very bad vibe about him but that's not the big problem. The big problem was that he definitely touched me a little bit more than he should have or needed to and that along with his very bad vibe and bad energy was a very uncomfortable combination. After getting touched way too much by the bad-vibes bouncer , I went into the bar to order a beer. There was a bit of a delay because I was waiting for some other customers to finish up with their order so I patiently waited and looked around the place to see what type of people were there. Basically almost everyone there was men , and there were 2-3 stray women . for all the men out there who are hoping to go to a bar to meet a beautiful woman, this is definitely 100% not the place. They were only about three, maximum for women here on the weekend Friday night at 11:20 PM, and none of them were even attractive. now what about the beer? this place claims to have a wide selection of craft beers, and I've tried a few of them now after two visits to this bar . although the beer is not bad, it's also not very good either. what I'm trying to say is, if you're looking for a place with excellent craft beer, then keep searching because the beer here is the best decent but it's not really really good or really really special or anything like that. for example, I went to a brewery in Malibu not too long ago, and their beers were outstanding and there is a huge difference in the quality and the taste and the enjoyment of the beers there and here. To sum up, the beers here aren't that great, the bouncer might try to molest you as you walk in, and there are almost no women and zero attractive women read more

Went to this bar on a friday night, EDC weekend. Place was pretty sparse. Friend and I sat at the bar got a drink each and left a good tip. Sadly there was lack of service after our first round. Got a second drink and some wings yet when my friend tried to get the bartenders attentiom for another round, we were dismissed. Had to ask the busser to call the bartender, the bartender looked over and completely dismissed us. Clearly her regulars were of more importance than getting new people to attend more. Again the bar was not even busy. Friend and I finished our drink and left. Would not recommemd. read more

This place is a solid 3/5. Walked in last Wednesday night at around 630pm because my boyfriend and I wanted to grab a drink/food while we waited for traffic to die down. The place was nearly empty when we arrived- we were 2 out of maybe 6 total patrons, at most. There were 2 servers behind the bar. We were greeted fairly quick and placed an order for 2 beers and some fries. Fries were great, exactly what you would want - hot, crispy, salty & fresh. Our beers were good too. My boyfriend finished his beer and was given a refill. I finished mine a few minutes after he did but no one ever came back to check on us. After about 15 minutes of sitting with an empty glass (while both servers were behind the counter on their phones) I asked my bf to ask them for some water and an order of their churro bites. The churro bites were okay. Not great, not bad. When we were ready to leave, both servers had disappeared. My bf went around the bar to track them down so we could pay and get out of there. I loved how peaceful it was at that hour with hardly any other customers. It was a great place to unwind after work. However, there's really no excuse for poor service when you have less than 6 people to attend to with two servers who could absolutely manage but chose not to. read more

This place was okay, but we probably won't be back. There is plenty of parking in a lot behind them. We had to enter the building from the back. My purse was checked and I had to show my ID before I entered. The employees were nice, but the house white wine was probably the worst glass of wine I ever had. I didn't realize wine could taste that bad. I joked that I could've bought a whole bottle of wine for cheaper at Trader Joe's that would've tasted much better. At least they had a free water tank with plastic cups so I could get something decent to drink. read more

Horrible music on a Saturday night. Stay away! Go somewhere else !!!! Repeats the same songs over and song and has loud glitches. Very very unprofessional read more

The only time we're actually here is when it's Pliney time! If you're a true lover of a great beer from Russian River Brewing then head over to the Surly Goat in Encino! But, when we're here we always have a great time with friends celebrating beer! The ambiance is a typical bar, it's loud, got some interesting people from Encino and surrounding areas. Love the women's bathroom, it's a giant chalkboard with chalk so they want you to leave your messages! Plenty of seating, inside and out. Parking lot is in the back. No parking in front because it is on Ventura Blvd (which can be very busy during the day). It's a great neighborhood sports bar with plenty of televisions, tables and seats. A pool table. Kitchen (though it wasn't operating tonight), it usually serves the typical "Pub Grub". All of the employees are nice and friendly. read more

KJ IN CONCERT! Went for the second time on Thursday for karaoke. Seems like it could be a nice place, but the ego filled KJ ruined this experience. He is the worst KJ I've encountered in a long time. The first night I came, he had technical difficulties with his system, so many didn't get to sing, or had their song abruptly cut off. He's so in to himself and sang three times while paying patrons waited to sing! WE DIDN'T COME HERE TO HEAR YOU SING DUDE! You are paid to do your job. Customers pay to come drink and sing. He doesn't even stay at his controls to adjust the sound for each individual singer, busy running around getting a drink, going who knows where. He can't even cue the next singer, making customers wait for him to play an entire music track of some crappy canned music between every singer. Several customers were upset and disappointed, but he doesn't care. He is self centered, vain, sings terribly and the only thing missing was a mirror for him to see himself in! I will never go back again. No wonder it only gets 3 stars. read more

If you like craft beer this is your spot! Also some solid cocktails as well. Solid service. The food is okay nothing crazy. Check them out if you're in the area read more

Parking--HUGE lot for parking! Super convenient! Ambience-- The Surly Goat is awesome because it has bar front seating if you are feeling street vibes, indoor couch & high table seating if you are feeling cozy kick back vibes and outdoor patio seating if you are feeling low key fresh air vibes. Drinks-- I have had the Paloma, Jalapeno Margarita, and Minchelada. The Jalapeno Margarita is definately a winner for the bf and I. Dustin the bartender makes it perfect. Spicy, strong, and refreshing! Food-- To be honest, I have not tried the food yet because I end up pregaming here before sushi across the street, but next time I will :) P.s. The security guard who works Saturday nights is super respectful and professional! read more

The Surly Goat - Minchilada and Paloma - Burgers Near Me - Encino, California

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I liked the cocktails here. Price is affordable and it's cool place to chill, play pool and listen to music. One of my friends was DJ-ing there and I went with my friend. The only thing I didn't like people are not dancing read more

The Surly Goat - Cocktails - Burgers Near Me - Encino, California

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I actually really liked this bar. It was a chill Friday night and me and a friend wanted a place to just enjoy a couple drinks and a night out. There's a pool table u can use but you gotta pay $1.50 per game, which honestly isn't bad. You need quarters and sometimes the machine jams a little so you gotta really push the coin slot fyi. I got fries, a drink and u can put the pool game on your tab and they give you quarters and it came out to like $20. not bad. Staff was nice. They also have a photo booth , and the bathroom has chalk stalls which people can write with chalk. It's pretty clean and just a nice vibe overall. I think they have kaeroke on thursday nights? Definitely would go back. read more

The Surly Goat - Pool table fun - Burgers Near Me - Encino, California

This is officially an American outlaws soccer club place to catch the USA World Cup games. Club has been having raffles for every match for all attendees. Service is a little slow with food but ambiance and space is great. Typical bar food chicken tenders and burgers. A great variety of beers on tap. read more

The Surly Goat - Tequila! - Burgers Near Me - Encino, California

FOOD GREAT VIBE GREAT SERVICE FROM ALEX was beyond disrespectful did not pay us any attention at all took about 15 minutes to get service when we got here took our order and did not come back to us. I had to call him to help us there's people sitting next to us that helped repeatly and until I told him I need something & You're not giving us any service. He had a little diva attitude. I'm in the service industry and Customer Service is everything and this experience was awful One thing is to be busy and not be able to be available for your customers and other thing is when it 7 PM and there's only six people at the bar there shouldn't be an issue about serving somebody very disrespectful and not cool read more