If you're looking for a bar that also serves mouth-gasmic food, then look no further than Blind Lady Ale House.
Pros:
* local brews on tap
* nice selection of food to choose from
* bomb pizza. BOMB.
Cons:
* parking
* usually crowded, especially during peak times
Let me just say that their pizzas are freaking amazing and I would totally nominate them for the best pizza, hands down. Little tip here: order the prosciutto pizza. Don't think twice about it. I SAID DON'T! Just do it and you'll see what I mean. Another good choice is the chorizo pizza if you're of the carnivorous sort.
As far as grabbing a table, I say you might be able to get a spot if you're a small party. If you're a larger party, I say you come early to snag the larger table. I was able to do so for my birthday group and you can bet those long tables are hard to come by later on. If they take reservations (I can't remember), that would be a wise decision for a big group.
Go forth. Eat, drink, and be merry!
The selection of beers here are great, and the staff are pretty knowledgeable about what they have on tap. All I have to do is talk about the types of beers they I like, and they will offer a suggestion that works with my palate.
My friends and I got here on a Thursday night at around 8pm, and it was still pretty packed. It took about 30 minutes of standing around sipping our drinks before we were able to get a standing table...and then another 20 minutes before we ran for a sit-down table. I have found this to be an effective strategy for getting seats in a crowded place.
The clientele, I might add, are mostly all pretty friendly. It's a great place to be able to banter with other folk.
I have been a fan since the moment I walked through the door during opening week over four years ago. Â I can't believe it's taken me so long to review it. Â I guess I have been too intimidated by the epic awesome that is Blind Lady Ale House to even attempt to do it justice in writing. Â My love for this establishment is huge - so huge that I even get a little bit giddy when I spot people wearing their t-shirts around town. Â Yep, I'm a fan.
Beer, Pizza, Community, Â Environmental Responsibility, Passion. Â They do it all so well. Â What is not to love? Â
Let's start with the beer:  BLAH is largely responsible for my present day love of beer.  I had always liked beer before, but until frequenting this alehouse had never yet found my  'niche' in the seemingly endless and confusing sea of beer varieties that I now know is my favorite.  They have an incredible selection of craft beer, in an always rotating menu that is carefully selected to always have options representing the different types, with a focus on local breweries.  The bartenders know their stuff without being snobby about it and are patient and willing to talk with you and help you select a beer if none of your known favorites are being served that day.  They let you try samples and will make sure to help you find a beer you love.  The prices are very reasonable as far as craft beers go - typically about $5.50 per glass - which some other bars in the neighborhood charge up to $9 for.  They brew their own "Automatic" brand beer which is pretty damn good as well - but they don't shove it down your throat - its presence on the menu is very unobtrusive and does not monopolize the selection by any means. Â
Pizza!  Nope, it's not New York or Chicago style pizza - doesn't claim to be - don't come in expecting that or you'll be let down.  This is is something different.  This is better.  They have a list of about ten regular menu pizzas that are all delectable, and a rotating menu of seasonal pizzas using whatever fresh locally grown produce is in season.  The pizzas are carefully crafted -  if you get three different pizzas, you will experience three completely different flavor profiles (as opposed to getting the same pizza with three different sets toppings).  The sauce, cheese, toppings, are all selected to create a finished product that is well balanced and delicious.  I've tried all of the pizzas and they're all "my favorite".  Every time I come in and try a new seasonal pizza, it instantly becomes "my new favorite".  My current new favorite is one of their current seasonal pizzas:  Chorizo and Avocado  (They offer Soyrizo as a vegetarian option - and I get this instead just to cut back on some of the fat).  If humans married food, this pizza would be my new life partner - until I ate it - which could be awkward - so I suppose it's good thing humans *don't* marry food.  It is so good I have actually dreamed about it.  I have posted its photo on facebook professing my love for it on more than one occasion.  Just writing about it has caused me to change my dinner plans in my head to head to BLAH for this pizza tonight.  DO go and try this before it is rotated off the menu.
When you're not in a mood for a pizza, their  salads, cheese platters, and moules frites are also all great.  Their caesar salad is one of the best I've ever had - the boyfriend and I usually split this and a pizza when we come in for dinner.
So they have excellent wares that are right up my alley, this would be enough to earn my love.  But there are other things that endear it to me even further.   The owners are great people - a group of four friends with their own careers getting together to open an ale house which has since taken off, expanded, and now has a second location:  It's the American Dream at its finest.  They are very community oriented:  they host community events such as bike rides, host fundraisers for various causes that benefit members of the community, source their food locally, and focus on locally crafted beers.  They are environmentally responsible:  their locally sourced wares, low-flow toilets, the promoting of alternative transportation, and the organic  food selections with vegan and vegetarian options all show the thought and care put into being green.  All in all, it is clear that this is a business that cares about more than their profit.  The 'feel good' I get from patronizing this place makes my beer and pizza taste that much sweeter.
In short (too late!): Â There's everything to love, and nothing to hate. Â One of my favorite places to visit, and I recommend it to anyone with an appreciation for finely crafted food and beverage.
I love this place! Great ambiance, good crowd, excellent selection of beers and delicious pizza! My favorite so far are the pesto pizza and egg & bacon pizza. Mmm.. so yummy! The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. I can always try samples if I am looking for a specific beer flavor.
Review Source:In my search for Pliny the Elder I stopped in here after seeing good reviews of the menu. They didn't have the one I was looking for, but I ordered a Hop Diggity DIPA from Mother Earth Brew Co. I didn't get food, but I saw many others ordering it and it all looked good. I really loved the wide open space and the exposed brick. I ended up ordering a 1903 Lager by Craftsman after hearing another table order a pitcher of it and proclaiming it the best. They also sell growlers and I left with the smaller one. A nice souvenir. I enjoyed the neighborhood and would enjoy hanging out there for a few drinks if I lived in the area.
Review Source:It's always crowded, so we ride our bikes. Lots of bike parking out front.
Great tap selection, I had a Julian hard cider then a Mexican Coke. Both went great with the Belgian frites topped with Parmesan and truffle oil.
Next came my Quattro Fromage pizza with added sausage. Yum! Big enough for leftovers the next evening.
My husband always goes for the Bacon and Egg pizza because he feels "everything is better with an egg on it". I'm sure he had some great beer but I forgot what he had. Needless to say they were IPAs because that's what he drinks.
It's a bit loud, even though they have some noise reduction going on above. It's an alehouse, a gathering spot for people with big long tables. You can take to your neighbors or not.
Service is great, friendly and prompt. A great reason to keep coming back!
Great times here. One of my favorite spots in North Park. They have yummy pizzas and a wide  selection of fantastic beer here! The beer menu changes up all the time so it's pretty fun to try different beers each time.
As for pizzas I have had: pesto, marinara, margerta, bianca al prosciutto, and all these were really great!
Blind Lady Ale House (which everyone calls BLAH) is one of the grandaddies of San Diego's pizza/beer bars. Â Along with Pizza Port, BLAH is a spot that has spawned numerous imitators, including URBN, Hillcrest Brewing Company, and many more.
It's tragic it's taken me *this* long to finally try it.
A group of us came in here at ~7pm on a Friday night, and it was packed solid. Â Luckily, the crowd began to thin out immediately after our arrival, and we snagged a few tables in the middle. Â This isn't a typical sit-down-and-order place. Â Instead, servers float all over, taking orders and whisking away plates whenever you flag one down.
We decided to share and split a few items. Â Here's the rundown:
** Chef Suzie's strawberry salad. Â Fresh and delicious. Â The berries were ripe and sweet, which pretty much guarantees an awesome salad.
** Belgian fries. Â Who know that a pizza place would have some of the best fries in town? Â Not only that, but the trio of dipping sauces was to die for. Â Curry ketchup, anyone? Â
** Spicy salami pizza. Â Definitely a fine choice for lovers of heat on their pizza. Â The salami itself was already quite fiery -- but that dipping sauce? Â Inferno central! Â My only gripe was too much grease hiding the flavor of the salami.
** Bacon and egg pizza. Â Breakfast on a pizza? Â Why not? Â I thought the combination of crispy bacon and a sunny-side-up egg was delicious! Â But just like the spicy salami, there was too much grease.
The beer menu is huge and sprawling. Â Being the beer-n00b that I am, I let others order for me. Â I had some kind of pale ale thing, which was cold, refreshing, tasty -- and exactly what I wanted on an unseasonably warm spring evening. Â (Tip: Stick to beer, and avoid wine at all costs. Â $9.50 for a tiny glass of house white wine? Â Eeeeeek.)
Verdict? Â BLAH is a solid choice for boozin' it up with a side of pizza. Â BLAH will take away your San Diego blahs anytime....
I've been going to Blind Lady for few years now. I usually drop by in the late afternoon, or during a rainy day to have an order of the Moules et Frites. I haven't had Mussels and frites this good since I was in Belgium. The frites at Blind Lady are as good as the ones in Holland and Belgium, perfect.
I can also recommend the pizzas and especially the Cesear Salad.
In the course of a year, we found, fell in love with, and fell out of love with BLAH.
The last time we were there the other day, our disenchantment was complete. Â The crowds have grown intolerable. Â The food isn't as good, and the portions have shrunk. Â And the young women delivering the food and clearing the tables have gotten snotty and condescending.
So long BLAH. Â It was fun while it lasted.
Had lunch at Blind Lady yesterday during the Adams Ave Unplugged festival. I had a yummy Atomic beer and we ordered a beet salad along with a chorizo and avocado pizza. SO FANTASTIC. Even my half, without cheese, was great. The beet salad was wonderful. This place was very busy so it took a while to order, and then we had to stand in line again to pay our bill. Food came fast, though, and it was worth it. A solid place for food and beer!
Review Source:This has quickly become our go to place since moving to the hood.
and already Barney is lying. Â because really it was our go to place when we were still living in the East Village. Â It's just a lot closer now.
the beer selection is already known to be bang on. Â the pizzas are interesting and tasty. Â the staff is universally cool. and while the "line up to order then find a spot" can be stressful at first, it actually all works out, even on the busiest of nights - community tables don't suffer from the typical "we're hogging the whole joint" feel of other places.
please shower, come grab some great beer, a pizza, and chat up your neighbor.
exactly what a neighborhood joint should be, right?
My boyfriend is a beer guy, so he was excited to try BLAH. I like pizza, so I thought it would be a good choice. To say I was underwhelmed would be an under statement. I actually felt kinda ticked off by the time we left the bar. We went on a Sunday afternoon. The place was not even half-full, and I guess that means that the staff only works half as hard because the service was terrible. Two people at the bar, neither one acknowledged customers as they approached. The bartender actually had to be torn away from his conversation like he was doing you a favor.
I wanted diet cola, but they didn't have any, so I settled for iced tea. It was loaded with ice and watered down. No lemon, no sweetener. I went back for a refill ($1) and was told that I couldn't have a lemon because they didn't have any cut...and apparently no one was going to cut one. No sweetener but they "might have some sugar." Really? I get that it's an ale house, but if you're going to serve iced tea then serve good iced tea, with sugar and lemon. For $4 I got 4 swallows of tea-colored water. The pizza took well over 15 minutes to arrive. The server plopped it down and left without a word. We had to figure out that there were plates, silverware and napkins on a counter on the other side of the room.
People who have rated the pizza as the best they've ever had, must not have had much pizza. I wouldn't darken the door again, even if it was great, but it was merely OK. I would rather stay home, make my own and enjoy myself, than be ignored and frustrated and pay a premium.
It's a block from home, but I'd never go again.
I wasn't wildly impressed with this place. It smelled like old socks and was crowded
on a Tuesday night. However, having numerous nods as being amongst the best beer bars in the country, I had to give it a go.
The list of beer was impressive, but I wish I wasn't tired and had gotten there by happy hour. The pizza was quite delicious. It was Neopolitan style pizza that was done so well. I was not hungry and I still had 4 pieces of the 2 pies we got.
I have to go back again soon, but this time at happy hour.
So wait, you're saying there's a place that has a great beer selection, excellent beer prices, and food that looks amazing and I hadn't been there ever?
CRIMINAL!
So I'm doing this run a mile a day thing right now, and the goal is to end up feeling you know, a little faster, a little less puffy. That means no pizza generally. Which, lemme tell you, really sucks! The pizza at BLAH looked DELICIOUS and I am super irritated at my made-for-the-arctic body for clinging to every calorie like my life depends on it.
BLAH was an excellent place to celebrate one of my friends getting her PhD. The long tables and relaxed atmosphere (we were here on a Wednesday) create the perfect atmosphere to chill and talk. Maybe the place is nuts on the weekend, but on a Wednesday it's a great place to just relax and hang out.
I can't wait to come back to try out the pizzas and the fries (looked amazing!) maybe after a good workout, when it doesn't feel quite so guilty... *sigh*
We've actually been to this place one other time and ended up walking out because the whole place seemed like a clusterfuck. There's a guy outside checking ID's yet they let people with toddlers and infants inside. There's no hostess to seat you and seems like a lot of benches for so after you brave the line(s) you can either stand awkwardly in the corner or politely ask to share a table with somebody. everybody said they were waiting for friends who never seemed to show up.
Last night we decided to give this place one final try. Again it was a clusterfuck, again we had to ask to share a table with strangers. Luckily they were cool and let us sit. We had the Spicy Salami Pizza and it was awesome but small. We also had a flight of beer for $22!!! but we were well buzzed by the time we were done. The place is noisy as hell and the baby screaming behind us certainly didn't help. Did I mention you have to get your own plates, silverware, and napkins from beside the bar but nobody ever tells you that? Sucked to figure that one out too late, then migrate a standing room only crowed who are trying to drink a beer and shove pizza in their faces.
Summary: Great food and beer, but getting a place to sit so you can eat said great food and beer is a gamble, so not really worth the hassle for us.Try Zia Pizza down the street. It's far better than this hipster-douche filled place.
Three plus stars. Â We went for lunch on a Tuesday. We shared a cesar salad ($7) which was a good size, romaine lettuce was cold, dressing was tasty, parmesean cheese was shaved (that is a plus), and came with one small piece of crouton bread and anchiove.
We also shared a regular size meatball pizza ($15), which was the special of the day.  The pizza had no tomato sauce and very little chese--it was sprinkled lightly and not gooey melty--and had pieces of meatball.  The crust was thin  (which I liked) and it certainly was not greasy.  While this may be a "gourmet" pizza and it was good, we would have preferred some sauce and "bubble gum" cheese and some more spices.  I guess we just have a different take on the kind of pizza we like to eat.
The place has lots of large benches for seating, and help yourself plates/silverware. Â Service was friendly and fairly prompt. Â It was not busy for a workday lunch.
Waited outside for 20 min, even though there was a huge table waiting for our party.
The doorman was not nice. We had to get a server to let us in to the large table that was saved for us by our friends.
The actual pizza was ok. Not awesome but not terrible. The margherita barely had any cheese or sauce on it. The salsicca didn't have much meat. The four cheese was VERY good. So if you order anything, get the greasy four cheese.
They have a large beer selection. One white and one red wine for any beer haters.
The decor inside is trendy, tables with benches and a huge Hamms beer poster on one wall.
First off, this is one of those places where you order everything at the bar and fend for yourself for a place to sit, with no followup service from the staff. Â I've noticed this style becoming popular, and I'm sure it works for some people, but it can be annoying, since even dive bars deliver better service than this.
On to the food: Eeeehhh... got the vegan soyrizo pizza and they didn't put any vegan cheese on it despite what it said on the menu.. it was just crust, a thin layer of sweet(?!) red sauce, and a layer of soyrizo! Â Boring! Â Looked nothing like other photos we've seen of the same pizza online, so maybe this was unusual. Â Beer selection however was quite good.
And I haven't reviewed this why?
Oh probably because I'm still too stunned from the last time I went and spotted Will Ferrell there.
Yea, our elbows rubbed, if elbows can rub from across the room. He ate his pizza and I stared him down like a 13 year old at a Justin Bieber concert. Creepily and ready to pose for a photo I was too embarrassed to ask for.
But that's beside the point.
The point is, that the beer is awesome, the pizza fab, and the people watching, well obviously that's amazing. If it's good enough for my favorite Anchorman, it's definitely good enough for me. Better than good. It's great.
BLAH, you will never be a bad choice; unlike milk, which can be on a hot day.
You dig?
Delicious beers! I went there the other night and started with a scrumptious pale sour (Craftsman maybe?) and then moved on to the almighty Speedway Stout - YUM! The pizzas are good, they have creative topping combinations. Not the best in the world but good.
I love the atmosphere. Exposed brick walls, raw ceiling space, big community farm tables. When ordering, don't be a rookie (like me), get in the beer line (not the food line) even if you're ordering food. It tends to have two bartenders who can move the line faster. Also, be prepared to show the BLAH stamp on your hand every time you order a beer. I appreciate a family friendly place, just don't expect to buy beers for your kids and get away with it. Parking is tough (duh) but rumor has it you get a 10% discount if you ride your bike!
I'm going to update my review for BLAH and give it an extra star (mostly for the beer) as I've come here the last two Fridays in a row. I didn't notice that you could get growlers when I came here for the first time last November, but that's pretty awesome. Last week I tried the cheese plate and was completely underwhelmed with the portions and flavors so I still think the food here is not for my taste but the beer selection continues to impress me.
Last week I really enjoyed the Figueroa Mountain Wrangler Wheat and this week the Craftsman Heavenly Hefe. I have a love/hate relationship with the ever-so changing beer list. I love it because I can always try something new, I hate it because I can't have the beer I loved the week before. On a side note, the spiced beer nuts rock but the seasoning on the olives are really BLAH (see what I did there?) and borderline nasty!
Visited BLAH while on a business trip. Â The beer and pizza were fantastic! Â I had an Automatic Brown Ale, and would have picked up a liter to go, but they no longer carry the liter bottles. Â They'll still fill a liter bottle if you have one though!
The pizzas are a bit small for the price (2 pizzas probably feeds 3 Adults). Â The thin crust had just the right amount of chewy and crispy, the toppings taste fresh, and the flavors well balanced . Â
This is definitely a no frills establishment, order at the counter, pick up extra plates, napkins, etc from a station at the side of the room. Â Also, parking is a major pain in the butt. Â
Tons of parents with young kids in high chairs make this place family friendly without making it feel like a "family dining" establishment. Â I plan on coming back next time I'm in the area.
This is one of my favorite day drinking places. Hands down one of the most mello places in the Normal. Â Large amounts of seating makes this a great place to bring friends and hang out for day. Not surprising to see couples and with kids drinking a beer for lunch. One time I saw a group of 30 something guys hanging out, with one of them having a baby strapped to him. Â The odd thing this doesn't seem weird. Â
I hear one of the complants of this place is the hight prices. Â It is a little pricer but only by a dollar or so. This being said it is worth it.
The stuff is good, but it is pricey. Â There is such thing as a 16" Thin crust pizza for under $10 Â that they serve. I Bought a couple beers from a micro brew that came in glasses that held less than a pint AND cost over $6. No table service.
I gather those high prices are the "door cover" at the place. I might not be able to get beer of the same quality at a Shakey's or LaBella's, but I could get pizza just as satisfying (if not more) and enough beer not to miss the quality of what ever they have on tap at any given point in time. And there are larger TVs at the other, more pedestrian places if one wants watch sports, drink beer and eat pizza.
Checked out BLAH lastnight after months of having it Bookmarked. Â It was just, well BLAH! Â Had an awesome beer (Hangar 24 Nitro Chocolate Porter) which made up for the cons of this bar. Â
CONS: Â
Lines to order food and beer. Â WTF? Â One line to order food, another line to order beer. Â And the guy behind the bar was slow. Â I'd say bring cash because you have to stand in line again just to close out your tab. Whatever happened to wait staff taking your order? Â Missed a lot of our groups conversation as each of us had to leave for 15minutes or so to get beer. Â
They also only allow you to buy your own beer...can't buy multiple for other people at the table unless they are with you in line. Â Ridiculous. Â
Food really wasn't anything to write home about and a bit overpriced for what you get.
If I wanted to spend an evening in line, away from my group, I would have just stayed home. Â Guess I'll cross BLAH off my list.
PROS:
Clean bathroom and cool people I met (while in line haha). Beer prices were very reasonable.
BLAH BLAH BLAH.
(I am reminded of a Ke$ha song. NOOOOOOOOO!)
What can I say about Blind Lady?
It is a staple of San Diego beer establishments so everything has been pretty much said by fellow yelpers.
There's tasty food and a superb beer selection to wash down that delicious pizza.
They had an IPA challenge one and a fellow IPA-lover friend of mine took it and failed miserably, she only got 2 out of 6. It was a fun little experiment.
Lots of great beers on tap, and my prosciutto pizza was great! its an a trendy area so parking can be super obnoxious. We had to park about 6 blocks away! Inside the place was buzzing and it took some strategic planning to finally land some seating. Its the kind of place where you have to pick a place to hover near a party that seems to be finishing their visit so you can dive onto their table the moment they get up. Bigger tables tend to get divided up bu different parties.
I'd be inclined to stop by again but not on a weekend. It was just too busy and claustrophobic.
OVERALL RATING = 8 / 10
the EATs:
  Pizza: Crown Pass Butternut Squash  = 10
the DRINKs:
   Port Brewery From Plant to Pint = 7
ATMOSPHERE = 8
SERVICE = 7
APPEAL = 8
Possibly the best Beer+Pizza place in SD. If any native "San Dee Ey Gons" know of a better place, please let me know.
I may be able to say without conviction that it's on par with Pizza Port, but I only had 1 beer and pizza here. I'm bringing the family next time I visit in about a month or so.
The Crown Pass - Roasted butternut squash, shitake mushrooms, lemon zest, Fontina, nutmeg, and Béchamel sauce (if you're awesome like me and don't know what this is, it's the white sauce that comes in some French and Italian dishes i.e. lasagna). Very savory. Must try.
Cheers.
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