I was seriously craving a cheesesteak sandwich and stumbled upon Validation Ale--not expecting much, but wow was I wrong. Their Trip Sandwich, done Philly-style, totally blew me away! Perfectly seasoned meat, melty cheese, soft bread--it was everything I wanted and more. Honestly, one of the best cheesesteaks I've ever had. Great food, great vibes--I'll definitely be back! read more

Validation Ale - Tri-tip Sando - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Service was 10/10! Made us feel very welcomed and helped us with the menu as it was our first time, will come back again. Mexican lager was delicious, had to take some home. Me and my husband also got the chicken-sando sandwhich that was so good. Pepperoni pizza was also good, gonna have to go back and try the others. Laid back and comfortable ambiance, on a nice day off! read more

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Emma is the best beer tender I've ever met! She made our experience unforgettable and added a few laughs along the way. Will definitely be returning! Thank you Emma! read more

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Relaxing ambiance. Interesting concept of competition against beers on their menu board. They offer food and delicious drinks.

Worst customer service ever.. I will never go back there again! I went to celebrate my 50th birthday, and I was really disappointed in the treatment I was given. We were a party of 15 and when we asked for small things like ranch and buffalo sauce, we were given attitude by the young man who brought our food to our table . I also ordered the chicken and waffles and when I realized it was covered in hot sauce (which I can't eat because of medical reasons)I asked if I could trade it for something else and was told NO in a very rude manner by the Manager (blonde/brown, small frame white girl) it almost felt as if we weren't wanted nor welcomed there because of our skin color being darker! FYI we were the only black women there and was treated like crap after we paid them our money. I dislike bringing up race but this time it was obvious! I will definitely let everyone I know from all skin types know how we were treated and to definitely NOT support this business when they're in Santa Barbara!!! There's a lot of better restaurants in Santa Barbara anyway and with great customer service!! read more

Great vibes and solid drinks. I got the Blueberry Bramble, and my boyfriend grabbed a beer. They were both solid, high quality drinks. The ambiance in this place is great; there's plenty of open space as well as a huge window to "people watch" at the adjacent street. They were also playing some of my favorite 70s rock music on the stereo. Everyone was relaxed and happy; it's a chill place where you can really take your time. Highly recommend stopping by for a more leisurely drink and good conversation with friends! read more

Validation Ale - Beer and Blueberry Bramble - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I have been here a few times and I can say every time it's a vibe!! I highly recommend to anyone who has yet to visit and is looking for great food, beer, wine, cocktails and music! Also Spencer is awesome behind the bar and helped me navigate my order - being celiac it can be tough - but not here!! Will definitely be back. read more

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Love the layout of the bar, and we were there when they had live music, which is very cool. Service was excellent. We got the lobster roll and wings. The lobster roll was very good. My biggest disappointment was the wings- fairly pricey but out of the 9 wings, only 2 were the Drummetes. read more

Validation Ale - Lobster roll (good) and the wings- where 7 out of 9 were the boney 2nd joint. - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I had the MOST amazing Spicy grilled Chicken sandwich. I wolfed it down. It comes with homemade potato chips. I washed it down with the Puppy Ale. My daughter enjoyed playing corn hole in the outdoor patio. read more

Validation Ale - Spicy Chicken Sandwich - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Came into Validation Ale on Juneteenth early in the afternoon and the place was completely packed. What blew me away was that there was only one person working behind the bar, and they were handling it all very well. They were pouring beers, making cocktails, taking orders, clearing glasses and empty plates as fast as they could, answering questions, and somehow still being friendly and patient with my wife and I who took forever to order. I don't know how they managed to keep their cool, but they did it better than most teams of three or four. It was impressive to watch and even more impressive to be on the receiving end of such solid service under pressure! Whoever that bartender is, they deserve serious recognition. But maybe give that person some backup next time. read more

Popped in today for a beer and a smash burger. Great service and a really great burger! Almost the perfect burger. Good job you guys!

Food is great , salads , burgers , beer selection , ambiance and dog friendliness. A great spot , I like that they open for lunch on weekdays read more

Validation Ale - Burger during Indy's burger week - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Great brewery, great indoor outdoor seating. Self serve, go at the counter. Place orders and sit at your table. Didn't try any of the food but seems like typical bar food read more

Validation Ale - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Stumbled upon this brewery/distilley and we're glad we did. Open with lots of seating and space to socialize or play corn hole. Kid friendly. We loved their beer options and a side menu of cocktails which I didnt get to try but will next time we stop in. read more

Validation Ale - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Went in on a Thursday afternoon during lunch as I was told the food here is great and they did not disappoint! The service was amazing as the staff gave us recommendations and made sure that we were comfortable wherever we sat. We ordered the Fried Chicken Sando, Truffle Fries, and the Karaage Nuggets and they were delicious! The nuggets and fries are shareable if you come with friends! 10/10! As for the beer, they have a great selection as my boyfriend ordered the Double Hazy IPA and he loved it. He said "it wasn't as IPA-ey as most IPA's so it can appeal to lots of folks". They also let you sample anything before you commit. Great spot for grabbing a beer, getting some good bites, or even just working with a great view of the Funkzone! Also plenty of TVs all around so you won't miss a game! read more

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The food was really really good. Everything is authentic and made in house. I got the burger, the meat was so delicious. It was a smash burger so you could taste all the flavors. The aoli was so good. The fries were delicious as well. The food came out really quick, probably like 5-10 minutes after ordering. The service was okay, the man taking orders was not too friendly unfortunately. The ambiance had a fun vibe to it, they have games & lots of televisions. It's a great place to chill or start the night off. read more

My wife and I were staying for 2 1/2 weeks in Carpinteria and took the 25 minute bus ride up to Santa Barbara and walked about 5 miles up the boardwalk to the pier and the harbor. I was ready for a break! We had never been to Validation, so we popped in. I ordered the Cold IPA to start off. I needed to make action happen, but afterwards the faucets were kind of cool. They had soap, water and a drying device all in one faucet. My wife said she saw them in that style in Europe. I digress. I ordered the tri-tip, classic style. So good! Get this. Solid meat with spicy, yet a hint of sweet BBQ. It is so good. Chips seemed homemade? I have been fooled before though. I ordered the hazy IPA after this. It was maybe a few more dollars than my Minesota mind expected, but it was definitely worth a visit. read more

Validation Ale - Tri-tip was delicious! - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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This brewery has a fantastic location and when the sun shines in through those big windows and I'm holding a beer, life is great. Interior design is cool. The vying system up on the boards showcasing two contending beers isn't something I've seen elsewhere, and I appreciate it. The array of gender-neutral bathrooms rocks my socks. Staff are very friendly and helpful, and happy to provide a few tasters to assist in the decision-making process when ordering a drink. On my last visit, I tried the Belgian Dubbel and it was delightful. Strong and malty and a deep brown in color. I also really enjoyed the Mo Frosty cold IPA on a previous visit. A friend who had the Peppermint Stout said it was lovely. The variety of brews is great, meaning there's something for everyone. Hope the chai brown or IPA are pouring soon. What gets me down (read: why not 5*) are four things: - beer menu doesn't label which beverages contain lactose (though when I visited during the first few weeks after opening, I'd chatted with the manager about that and been told it was a change that would be implemented soon.) Being lactose intolerant, I'd really like to see this happen. - the TVs. Personal preference--I don't prefer places with TVs on as I think they detract from the ambience and are distracting. Major attention suck for neurodivergent and/or folx with wandering attention spans. - vegan protein. The food menu doesn't have any. - Finally, really hoping Validation will roll out their happy hour soon so I can enjoy bubbles for less! read more

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This was a nice place to watch some football in the afternoon while sipping on some craft beers. They have a nice indoor space with roll-in windows along the street where you can sit inside with bar-style seating. These seats are western-facing so you can get a lot of sun in the afternoon (yes, even in January). There is a good variety of craft beers and a couple of creative seltzers, but the really interesting aspect of the beer menu over the bar is the real-time scoring of the validated beers versus the contenders. Definitely a great place to order a flight. Food was good, highlighted for us by the buffalo cauliflower that paired nicely with a light beer. You can order from your seat here and the servers will bring your food and drinks to you, but go up to the bar at least once to check the battle for validation. Be mindful that their online menu was not 100% up to date with the current daily menu. The day that we went we were looking forward to having some tots but got there and found they were not on the menu. The truffle fries were a sufficient stand-in read more

Validation Ale - Flight and strawberry-basil seltzer - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We were exploring the funk zone and stumbled upon an artists fair out front of this place. Upon the artists suggestion we decided to go in for lunch. So glad we did! I got the warm butter lobster roll with house chips and hubby got the smash burger. They have a cooler beside the bar to get non alcoholic drinks in yourself and there is a tap outside of the cooler for water. You order and then sit. The food came out out in a reasonable amount of time and the flavor was so good! I wish the lobster roll came with a little side of butter but other than that tiny improvement it was a great experience. read more

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We went to Validation Ale on a Saturday afternoon, and I'd say about 20% of the crowd was under the age of four. I'm certainly not complaining--we rolled in with six adults and four kids, and it was pretty ideal for us. There was this one restless one-year-old who kept toddling around, trying to pet every dog and go through every doorway, but, well, that was my son. Validation is a vibrant brewery in the Funk Zone with a ton of space and a nice, open indoor/outdoor set-up. It gets busy, but we had no problem finding a table for our large party, with room to park a couple strollers. We settled in next to the outdoor play area, where my kids entertained themselves in brief spurts with some large wooden dice and jumbo Jenga blocks. There was also a lawn with cornhole and other games for older children and adults. The brewery was decorated for the holidays with a tree and several oversized Christmas ornaments. My sixteen-month-old had many opportunities to deploy his three favorite words: "ball," "lights," and "dog." There was some kind of QR code system for ordering, with checks tied to our table numbers. Not my favorite thing, but easy enough, and we got our drinks fast. I was chasing my kids around and didn't interact with a single Validation employee except maybe to apologize for my wandering baby. The beers were great. My husband and I shared a mix of tasters and pints, and most of the brews we tried were winners. The Double Hazy and the CaraFull Hazy were delicious, as was the Mo Frosty IPA and the Amber Rye. The only one I didn't like was the Holiday Ale, which tasted like a mouthful of cloves, but it was still worthwhile to sample something different. We spent almost two hours at Validation, a successful visit with lots of good beer and zero baby meltdowns. I look forward to coming back for more fun outings with friends and assorted children. read more

If I could give a negative -5 I would. This is the second time riding (cycling) to this brewery from Ventura. Let's talk about the first time. We ended up here by default, as soon as we arrived the three employees ignored us for over 20 minutes as they struggled to pit up a TV in the grass area. No acknowledgment. No "We'll be with you in a minute." NADA!!! When I finally got one of the employees attention he said he'd help us in 20 minutes...yup UNSAT. We should have left but we needed fuel and had already taken off our gear. The food was tasty, beer was cold, service after that point was okay. Today 3/01 we had a larger group of six. We arrived and there were a few people (like 6) in the whole place. We placed our bikes leaned up against the outdoor high bar tables, under the tables so that we could visually see them in case someone tried to steal our bikes. Service at this point was solid....quick friendly service...until the owner (whatever his name is) showed up and told his employee to tell us to move our bikes. Again...ABSOLUTELY NO ONE WAS OUTSIDE OR ATTEMPTED TO GO OUTSIDE to eat or drink on these tables. We moved them, no issues. Then the owner had to come over to again tell us about where our bikes had been previously parked. He was condescending and rude to say the least. This place is NOT cyclist friendly by any means. I will NEVER return here and I will make sure to let all my fellow cyclists to NEVER come here. It's one thing to have your employee do your dirty work. Its another to be a douche bag and come over again to repeat it after we obliged with the request. Cyclists spend a good amount of money on their bikes, and spend a good amount of money at places we visit along our routes. This establishment does not like cyclists, does not accommodate cyclists, and does not know how to properly treat their customers. The young lady that helped us today was kind and she was embarrassed to tell us the owner wanted us to move our bikes. That is the only positive about this establishment today. I will never return and I will make sure to spread the word that cyclists aren't welcomed at this establishment. Also, fix your tables and chairs. Your table was uneven and wobbled and ur chairs upholstery is peeling. read more

Food and beer are just as chips as the atmosphere. Great spot. Whether you are a local or in town on vacation, you should definitely stop in for a drink. Who knows, you may get to see maroon 5 in a pop up concert. WE DID!!! Great service, great drinks, great location. read more

Food was bomb - all of it looked incredible for a pretty reasonable price. Get the Parmesan fries, cauliflower, and salmon salad. They make all of their sauces in house! All of the staff were SUPER friendly too! They have a lovely open air brewery which is great for large groups and hanging out during the daytime! Beers were wonderful too - they have a voting system for all their beverages on draft. Very unique and overall such a lovely and calming atmosphere. Will definitely be returning again and again!!!!!! read more

Validation Ale - The east beach lager and truffle fries - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

My new favorite brewery in the Funk Zone! A fun interactive menu with a guest voting system that keeps things interesting. I can't help but to go for the underdog and then compare to the leading counterpart. My current favorite beer is the Dubbel of which I hope it remains and shall be rooting for it whenever I frequent next. Great atmosphere with large windows and seating that is perfect for a midday brew or an evening wind down. The food here is also very good with plenty of options to choose from. Can't wait to visit next and really enjoy the steal the glass option when closing out your tab. read more

Yes Emily and Keegan helped us and started with a smile! Thkey are very welcoming and starts the good experience with the brewery in which the beer was great especially the honey blonde! read more

Great vibe, great beer, open air perfect SB EXPERIENCE. We had a server Sam who made our time here even better. Highly recommend!

This is our second time coming to Validation Ale and it continues to be a hit! The beers rotate frequently depending on popularity but there always is a good selection. We love the tatchos (tater tot nachos) and the chicken wings are really good too. There's lots of TVs to watch games and outdoor seating as well. One of our favorite places to go in the funk zone :) read more

Validation Ale - Wings - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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This is a fun place to grab a beer. It's a great atmosphere, and I would say in line with the atmosphere of Funk Town. It's fun and laid back. The beers here are the highlight. The beers are pretty good. There's a decent selection of styles, and all are pretty good. This is a nice place to relax and enjoy a drink. read more

We have always walked by this place on our way back to our car and have wanted to check this place out and finally we did. The vibe in here is fun the layout is nice and open and the pictures don't do its justice. We asked for some recommendations and the woman who helped us was quick to make a few recommendations including their new cocktails that started this weekend! Since my partner and I usually do beer and cocktails this was perfect. Love how friendly and nice the staff is will be coming back again :) read more

Validation Ale - Kettle Sour and Hibiscus Margarita - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Emma at the bar top was so friendly I didn't know what I wanted and she took her time to explain the different types of beers on tap and even offered her personal favorites. Great customer service and definitely will be coming back when I'm in SB read more

I was here for a private event but provisions were limited so I decided to step into Gen Pop and get some food and drink. It was also during NBA playoffs, so I wanted to check the tv screens. Ordered the burger and it was so damn good. Really impressed. And I'm not a yelp slut fanboy. I don't pimp food unless it's truly worthy. This burger was. Had a Pilsner to start and then went with some coffee flavored Guinness type concoction that was ..: immaculate. Very impressed. Lot of options in the funk zone. This one isn't quite as "intimate" as others may be. But they bring it. I'm not an SB local but I pass through frequently. I'd go back. read more

Bomb food, beer, and atmosphere! Our waitress Emma straight killed it. She made everything super easy and accommodating. We'll be back along with all of our peeps type shit read more

Solid choice for food and drink in SB! Located in Funk Zone, parking can be tricky. Great indoor outdoor venue. Cornhole and other lawn games available. Large tap selection with two styles of many different types that you vote on. Fast casual so order at the bar and get a number. All the food was tasty...burger, wings, wraps, tots, and fries. Friendly staff. Good energy and vibes. Overall worth checking out for sure if you are in the area! read more

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Have loved Validation Ale since it opened and have been here a number of times. Though the "validation" concept is a bit "different", the food and beer are very much good enough to keep me coming back :-) I really enjoy the "smashburger" even though they add jalapenos and they don't come with caramelized onions its still a very tasty burger and a good sized one as well. The shoestring fries are great but the potato chips that come with the burgers are just-so-so, so... spring for the extra fries or tots. Also, if you like your burgers more keto-style with a lettuce wrap (like my wife does), you may be a bit disappointed as its really just a burger (which is good) between two pieces of lettuce and near-impossible to eat like that so double check with them and be sure they give you some more greenery to handle the burger :-) Beer wise this place really shines IMO. They do it all from Pilsner style lagers all the way through stouts with some really creative things in between like a cream ale and a golden mocha light stout. The validation thing, where the beers that are most ordered stay on the board and the lesser ordered ones fall off means the hop-heads usually have plenty to choose from, but in fairness, they always seem to have something good and creative when I'm in, so there you go :-) Service is great with the classic "order at the counter/ get the food delivered" set up which works well and moves fairly quickly. However, if you're observant you may notice a small QR code plaque on the edge of your table. This will allow you to view the menu, customize your order and have it delivered to your table :-) Service was quick both ways though even on a crowded Saturday. Always a pleasant experience here :-) read more

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The food, staff and ambiance are great! Lots of fun live music! We love going to Validation Ale!

Great brewery to hit up with a group and kick back some beers in the Funk Zone. I really like the open floor concept--it's spacious and has a fun, energetic vibe. I had the flight, and all the beers were tasty across the board. It does get pretty packed on the weekends, so it's not the spot if you're after something more laid-back. But if you're in the mood for a lively scene with solid brews, it's a great pick. read more

On my way through - Seattle to San Diego. Great beer!!! - Right up there with the best in San Diego! Had a veggie wrap - also amazing!! read more

Excellent selection. We were offered all the samples we needed to find the best elixir for each of us. From IPA, to Red to a delicious brown ale. The open air tasting area was ideal. Can't wait to get back. read more

Validation Ale - Open air beers. We were early for dinner resos. - Breweries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The food was great! Enjoyed the beer and cocktail. It was a nice place for lunch. Nice selection of beers