Description

Karl Strauss Brewery is not a place I would normally eat. I don't like beer so why would I want to go to a brewery? Wondering around the City Walk my friend and I were trying hard to find a good place to eat. Everything was either to expensive, wasn't appealing, or didn't look clean. I gave up and let her choose. My only criteria that was a short wait time and nothing to neon. After all it was New Year's Eve and I didn't wan to bring in the New Year with a burger in my mouth.
The restaruant seemed to be preparing for a party inside so we opted the outside seating. Since it was on the second floor we were able to overlook the City Walk without being caught up in the crowd. Also the California weather was in our favor and the heat lamps were out so all was good. The patio was small with only seating for about 15 tables. This made me happy since I don't like huge, open dining areas.
The menu was appealing. They offered starters like portobello fries ($4.95), spinach artichoke dip ($9.95), fish tacos ($9.95), and calamari ($10.25). The diner menu is endless. There is pastas, jambalaya, shrimp, steak, pizza, burgers, and sandwiches. We couldn't decide so we came up with the best solution to the problem; split it. We ordered the cheeseburger ($8.95) and a chicken sandwich ($9.95). Both came with fires. We didn't wait long before the food came. The fires weren't that good. They were the really skinny type that I hate, but the sandwiches made up for it. The burger was tender and juciey, but the chicken was to die for. It was cooked perfectly chicken breast on a toasted bun, and although i was craving a burger all night the chicken sandwich hit the spot.
Although it is techincally a brewery there were a lot of families dining here, and all seemed happy with what they had. When I saw the amount of children I have to admit I had my concerns, but they weren't loud or out of control. The wait staff keep a close eye on everyone and when they saw a child squaring they were at the table right away to defuse the situation. It was great.
The hours for Karl Strauss change depending on the the local events. However they are generally open from noon to 9 pm and until 11 pm on Friday and Saturday. I would suggest calling ahead for reservations during the holidays and peak season just to avoid any possible wait times.