My wife and I were here a few years back and at that time not impressed, so I was not sure I was reading very accurate reviews when looking at Yelp for Breweries in the Monterey area. Well as you can see by my rating things are much more to my liking. We went on a Wednesday night and the joint was jumping. It was full, the beer selection was very good, the service was fast and friendly and we were particularly happy to meet the bartender, a vivacious, friendly, special needs school teacher who only works there on Wednesday nights. The food is "Britishish" pub food meaning it's Bangers and Chips, Cheese and Crackers, Fish and Chips and the like. I had a Banger sandwich with Chips AKA sausage and french fries. My wife had the fish and chips and both were excellent.
P.S. Wednesday is mug club night, members have thier own 22 oz. mugs which the brewery keeps for them and on Wednesday the mugs are I think $3. What a deal.
Beer was good, Help was good, Environment was clean and comfortable, oh and the Calamari was good. Â I wouldn't bring my kids here if I had any, but if you and buddy want to hang out and cool down with some good beer and eats, this would be a great place to do it. Â Oh and I wouldn't recommend for a first date either, but if she's a beer and sports fan by all means 3rd or 4th.
Review Source:Ok food. Bland IPA and bitter. I thought that with the British theme there would be more British foods available. There was fish and chips, but these are the triangular frozen pre battered variety found in every fast food bar/restaurant in America.the other Brit option is the bangers, which were surprisingly greasy.
Review Source:I came here on a weeknight evening once with friends, and when we walked in there was on person working who was sitting at the bar reading. Upon walking in, the entire establishment smelled of sewage. When I asked the worker, he gave me a weird look. He also offered us beers without even carding us (I'm 22, but my friends were not) and then just gave us a really weird attitude. We decided to leave without eating there, and on us walking out he cursed at us. Weird vibes, will never go back again.
Review Source:English Ales has good pub food and great microbrews, and the people who work there are cool but not phony. Â If you want a small unpretentious pub that delivers the goods, this is the place. Â If you want over-the-top obsequious service and corporate beer, go somewhere else; English Ales is not your kind of bar.
Review Source:Perhaps being an English expat, I really like this place. It's nothing like an English pub, it doesn't look that great from the outside and it's quite small inside. But I like the various touches if home dotted around the walls, it always seems a friendly place and the Big Sur beer is fantastic. I really do like this place. All I need to do now is work out how I get my own mug :)
Review Source:I really like this place, and go there a few times a month. It's a genuine neighborhood pub straight out of a small town in England--with everything that entails. Sometimes it's dead quiet, sometimes it's kind of rowdy! Some of the regulars are true characters, but if you don't want character why aren't you at Chili's or wherever?
The food is mostly good solid pub fare, with some nice extras: the Caesar salad with bay shrimp is great, the fish and chips are always good, the bangers are actual bangers, good wings. This is one of those places that if you ask nicely and they have the ingredients, they'll make just about anything for you. Personally, the nachos with added double bacon works for me.
The beers are nearly all very authentic English styles... so don't expect any double IPAs or Flemish sours. That said, they are solid, refreshing, and really inexpensive--especially for this area!
Service is pretty much always at least good, and often great. The ladies on staff are a kick in the pants, maybe literally if you deserve it! The older bartender Hassan may seem like a crotchety old man at first, but he's a real sweetheart when you get to know him.
The service isn't amazing but it isn't horrible. The staff is friendly enough without being overbearing. I've had their vegetarian sandwich and a beer both times and my boyfriend has enjoyed a burger once and fish and chips. It all tasted very fresh. We will be returning, of course :)
Review Source:this place is horrible. Â all of the food was frozen or out of a bag (salsa is pace and chips are stale/ball park chips).
Beers were decent but service was HORRIFIC. Â They had a full restaurant and 2 servers/1 bartender....on a sunday at lunch time.
do. not. go here if you're wanting to eat. Â Drinks only? check it out but be prepared to wait. Â will never return
Service with attitude, just the way I like it!
The place is in a 1970's era run-down mini strip mall and I would not change a thing.
Go there and try the beer, try to make the staff smile (did I say staff, I meant the older gentlemen that is always there) and drink some beer.
If you want flair, go to TGIF or another chain...
This place has really excellent English style beers. Â They should be proud of what they are doing. Â It is a real neighborhood place, not touristy at all - which was like a breath of fresh air after too many days in Monterey.
One point off for the food. Â The food is just kind of standard pub grub. Â If it can be delivered by Sysco food distribution, they will serve it - that was the vibe. Â With that said, everything was edible and OK. Â Kudos to the head brewer!
Wow, let me start off with saying that this little gem is HIDDEN in the small neighborhoods of Marina. Seriously, you won't know you're there until you're parked out front. The brewery part of this little spot is closest to the street, and from the outside resembles somewhat of a sherwin williams or a dry cleaners. You'd never know they were conjuring up small batch goodness in there!
We sat in the back half of the pub where they have booths and tables, mainly because we were looking to have a quiet meal. I ordered the beer sampler, which has little pint glasses of each brew. My favorite was the Dragon Slayer IPA. Seriously crisp and bitter. Loved it. Not so fond of their Monk's Brown Ale, but I'm not a big fan of browns anyways. All the other brews were flavorful and had a little something to each of them.
The decor inside is what you'd typically find in an English pub: old policeman's caps, pictures of the Beetle's on Abbey Road, and old nautical memorobilia from the British Royal Navy. Being in the Coast Guard, I particulary liked that part. They also have about a thousand ceramic mugs hanging from the ceiling. They're $30 and you get a few benefits if you're an avid beer drinker: You get a 24 oz. mug (I believe, may be wrong), and you pay $3.75 per beer, which is the pint price. Then on Tuesday's they have a small event where you only pay $2.75. Sounds like a good deal to me!
The food was also very good. I ordered the steak sandwhich, with blue cheese and carmelized onions, and the gf had a cheeseburger on a traditional english bread bun.
The bathrooms were clean and the place was very quaint. We'll definitely be back here sooner than later!
*********************** 707 **************************
    I stayed in Marina for a dance performance, after D'anna Thai Kitchen din din, we tried to go to pub for some drinks. Came here at 10 PM on a FRI night, and this English Ales Brewery pub was empty! 4 people at the bar, and they don't have much choices of drinks either, beside the 10 beers on tab! If you love beer, this isn't a bad place, because this is the only pub here in this city!
   The bartender, an elderly man, which was the only person at the bar, he came to shut the OPEN light off. We just sat down for a few minutes. I asked if they are closed now. He said he would closed when we leave! Really?
   No reason to stay any longer! There's nothing to do past 10 PM in Marina city, he said! Great customer service... NOT!
I'm sure that locals would recommend this as one of several places to go to when an out-of-town beer-lover is visiting or traveling through Marina. Well, I'm one of these peeps who got recommended to this little hidden gem!
I love craft beers of just about any kind especially if some heart is present when making it. There definitely was a lot of heart going into the brews because the flavors were wonderful!
I find the prices for these brews decent and I will have to get a mug for myself the next time I visit the area.
As for the food, it's a hit or miss. Nothing spectacular but who cares? It's a freaking BREWERY! ^_^
Great place to drink. Â Kind of "off the beaten path", this watering hole is tucked away down a side street. Â Â Great beer, good (quick) service, and I can tell this is a local hangout. Â We frequent the Monterey area many times throughout the year, this is one place we will grab a drink more often! Â Oh and CHEAP!
Review Source:This is such a hidden gem!
I came here a few days ago for the first time, and I can't believe I've never been there before! First, the beer...
They have about ten beers that they brew right there, and I've tried about half of them. My top three are probably the Fat Lip Amber Ale, the Big Sur Golden and the Monterey Bay Wheat. They also have a couple beers that are seasonal and I look forward to trying! Every beer I've tried I've liked, and the bartender is very friendly; it's a great place to hang out with friends.
The food, well, it's pretty good. I just had a burger and curly fries. The burger was really good but the fries were all stuck together and a little too crispy for my personal taste.
But honestly, the beer is really what this place is about, and that aspect does not disappoint! Also, if you're a local and a big beer drinker, ask about the mug club thing that they have (I forgot what it's called).
I went here a few times after it opened, but haven't been back in years.
However, my memories are entirely positive. Â If you take the trouble to find this place, and you enjoy draft beer, I am sure you will find something to like. Â My favorite was 1066 Ale. Â Â
They also served adequate food.
People rave about the beer at English Ales all of the time, but I must say I am not impressed. Â I tend to drink the Big Sur Golden which I feel is the best tasting beer. Â I've also tried the Monterey Wheat, Pale Ale and Fat Lip, each leaving me wanting a little more flavor to the beer. Â The food is typical pub food and a little disappointing at that. Â Since the place is usually packed, the service tends to be slow.
I will say this...my friends usually frequent the brewery weekly and the owner NEVER asks us to leave or rush us to finish our beers. Â
My boyfriend is a huge beer guy usually visiting breweries around the world and brewing his own beers. Â He was also disappointed in English Ales and would rather visit Monterey Coast Brewing Company in Salinas.
Great locally brewed beers. Â I've been here twice and have found the beer selection to be outstanding while the food is just so-so. Â The first time I was here, I ordered a burger. Â Nothing outstanding but respectful. Â My dining companion ordered a Philly cheesesteak It was good. Â The last time I was there, I don't remember what I ordered. Â I think it was a chicken sandwich, just so-so. Â My son ordered the steak sandwich and was very disappointed. Â It was tough and full of fat. Â
I love all the beer steins on the walls and ceiling for the regulars. Â If I drank beer more often, I would inquire as to how to aquire one since there's still room for more steins.
All in all, a good place to gather over a beer and watch sports on TV.
A neat little place off of Del Monte in Marina. Â It might take some effort to find it, but you'll likely find it worth it. Â The owner/operator is a really nice older guy who loves a good chat. Â They've got lots of good beers on tap, and the food looks pretty decent too (I had some steak fries that were pretty good. Â Didn't get to try anything else, but the people around me who had food seemed to enjoy it and it all looked pretty good).
They've also got a couple of TVs to watch soccer, etc on. Â I'd rate this place above Britania Arms fairly hands down, even if it is much smaller.
The other cool thing the they have is this mug system for regulars. Â I'm not entirely certain you can still get in on it, but, assuming you can: you pay $25 one time for a 20 ounce mug. Â They write your name on the bottom of it and give you a number. Â The mug is pretty cool, I'd almost be willing to pay just to have the mug... Â Anyways, whenever you order a beer at the pub from then on, you get it in that mug (at the 16 ounce price). Â If you're in regularly or even semi-regularly (or maybe just reeeeeaaaaaalllly like beer), it ends up being pretty worth it, I'd guess. Â In any event, seeing the mugs hanging everywhere is pretty neat decor all by itself.
This place is tucked away and basically invisible unless you are looking for it specifically, but it's worth finding.
They make great beer. Let me just say that first. Pretty much all of their brews are delicious (I like the Dragonslayer IPA best), and are worth trying.
The food, while simple, as you would expect, is delicious. Get a cheese steak and a beer. You'll be set.
A point deduction because the kitchen is really slower than it should be. But if you're enjoying your company and a beer, I doubt you will notice too much.
Great local brewed beer that can be found in various restaurants throughout Monterey County. However, if you want to drink from the original source then English Ales Brewery in Marina is the place to be.
First thing you noticed is the hundreds of mugs hanging above on the ceiling. Apparently, those are the regulars/originals of English Ales. There is definitely a homey feel to the place.
Moving on to the food, I ordered a bacon burger while my friend ordered a Philly cheesecake and hot wings for an appetizer. The wings had a nice crispy exterior while retaining a moist interior. Unlike traditional wings, these wings weren't drenched in hot sauce but rather had a light drizzle of sauce on top. The sauce had great heat but would have been overwhelming if it was completely drenched.
As for the burger, the patty was elongated rather than circular. The bacon was limp and lackluster, cheese was nothing to rave about and the burger was cooked adequately.
Overall Thoughts
Great beer, decent pub food, nice spot to unwind and relax
For not being much of a beer drinker, this place definitely has the right atmosphere. The gentleman behind the counter was also fairly pleasant and attentive. Unfortunately we got here a bit too late, so we couldn't sample the fare, but the array of brews appeared to satisfy any beer connoisseur out there. They had mugs lining the walls and the ceiling of all their local patrons, which made it apparent that this is the place to be.
Would come back here when the party's started for sure.
The atmosphere at this place reminds me of the CHEERS TV show. Â Everyone is very friendly, a large cross section of ages, occupations, etc.
The food is the best "bar food" that I have ever had. Â They keep things simple and do it right. Â The sandwiches, french fries, and onion rins are just wonderful
There just aren't any decent microbreweries in L.A. Why? It seems like every other major metropolitan area in the country has ass-kickin' regional beers a-plenty. Los Angeles is a craft brew wasteland. That's why I always go beer hunting whenever I'm out of town.
I'm in Monterey again this weekend, armed with my handy-dandy Yelp Adroid app. I typed in "brewery" and English Ales Brewery was at the top of the search list. OnStar took me straight to the place.
The brewery/pub is in the middle of a mixed industrial area. It's clearly a working class neighborhood and the clientele bellied up to the bar consisted of mostly blue collar guys. That's a good thing. There's nothing worse than a bar full of hipster wannabes when all you want to do is some serious beer drinking.
I sat down at the bar and the bartender, a friendly fellow who had to be close to 80, asked for my selection. I ordered a Dragon Slayer IPA from the numerous brews on tap.
That was a mighty tasty beer. I ordered some fries to go along with the IPA and looked over the room. There has to be about a thousand beer steins hanging from virtually every inch of the ceiling. I guess if you're a regular, you buy your own mug and just keep getting it refilled.
The fries were thick-cut and golden brown. The food sitting in front of the other patrons looked really good, too.
I ordered a Black Prince Porter for round number dos. Excellent. It was served at just the right temperature. Bars often serve stouts and porters way too cold and flavor dies a sad, frozen death. The brewmaster at English Ales clearly knows what he's doing.
Great little micro-brewery. I am definitely going to see if I can take some of their beer home with me before I head back to SmelL.A. this afternoon.
Great beer. Good fish + chips. I've been here a few times for a happy hour, although they don't have happy hour specials, which sucked, but the beer is good anyway.
accessibility: the place is small, so you'll have to navigate your wheelchair around some chairs, and may have to ask people to scoot in to let you roll by. The bathroom is accessible. The bar itself doesn't have a spot to roll-up to, so you'll have to stay at a table.
tip: if you don't want to stink like fried oil sit in the back room. the frying oil stinks up the whole bar area.
This place rules! Go for the Fish, Bangers, & chips appetizer plate... really good! Also, I had the $1.00 beer sampler... I had a few! I tried about 5 or 6 of the local brew.... very nice! My favorite was the Dragon Slayer IPA, Fat Lip, and surprisingly... EA's Pale Ale... I usually don't drink straight pale ales... but this one was  flavorful!
After I had my samplers, I had a full glass of Dragon Slayer... in my opinion the best EA beer!
The bartender... Dawn was so friendly too! She really made the experience worth while!
The ambiance is very cool as well... laid back and very english looking!
I'm glad I found this place!!! Next time, I'll check out the inside of the factory... they said I can! Sweet! ;)
As a beer connoisseur, all I can say is that English Ales has the best beer I have ever had. Any time I am near NorCal, I make it to a point to stop in at least 2 or 3 times. Their stout and porter are both amazing, especially when cask-conditioned. The brown ale is really good too. Since I mainly drink dark beers, I cannot comment on the relative quality of their lighter-colored beers, but they all tasted pretty good to me.
The atmosphere is good too. When I go there, I think it is the most relaxed I ever get. The food is also pretty good -- mostly the usual kinds of American bar food, but of good quality. People are nice as well, and the place has a very warm and friendly 'small-town pub' kind of feel.
Drinking and running don't mix. Â Just because there are sufficient amount of carbs in beer, it doesn't mean it gives me the energy (nor the common sense) to go for a run. Â UNLESS, of course, the beverage TASTES like water!
Truly, this brewery deserves more stars than I gave. Â Staff was friendly, the three tv sets were tuned to football, and the tuna melt rocked, however, my cider...from tap!...was as flat Keira Knightley's chest. Â Now, I'm a fan of Ms. Knightley, so hence, the three stars.
Finally made it to this place.
It's a little off the beaten track in Marina, but so what.
We arrived to the smell of brewing ale (I smell I fondly remember from my college days in Manchester, England  when I use to ride my motorcycle to college past a large brewery) - always good.
One downside, After my previous review where I was looking for a designated driver, I ended up being that designated driver, so I didn't get to sample everything on tap.
One upside, I had their version of the BBC - Bangers, Beans and Chips - and it was very nice. My friend's Tuna Melt hit the spot too.
One downside, my friend's Strongbow (the only non-locally brewed beer in the place) was definitely a bit flat.
So overall, definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.
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