The hubs and I decided to check out The Lab after hearing nothing but stellar reviews. Unfortunately, The Lab didn't live up to the hype. The beer menu was extensive but the ambiance and food is seriously lacking. "Meh" really does sum up our experience. I'd much rather go down the road to Ladyface for a few beers and snacks.
Review Source:Honey I'm home= golden goodness. Â A blonde ale with a faint sweet taste of honey. Â Easy and smooth drinking, definitely an ideal summer beer. Â The apricot beer is also fantastic. Â They also have their own rendition of Chimay that I tried once. Â It stacks up to the real deal!! Â Can't wait to try the food and other beers. Â Also they have a live band sometimes and they play awesome alt/rock music (Sublime, Green Day, Nirvana, RHCP, etc.). Â A very chill environment. Â I love coming here.
Review Source:We had an Amazon deal to this place for entrees and brews, so we went for dinner on Saturday night. Â The place is nice, dim lighting, modern, yet pretty empty for a weekend. Â I'm sure this place gets more business on weekdays for happy hour since it's in a quiet, corporate area of Agoura. Â We tried the Honey I'm Home and Big Ass Red brews- the honey ale was a good choice for a girl like me who hasn't had a drink in over a year and a half, and my husband liked the red. Â I even liked the red, and I'm not a huge fan of hops. The Ahi tuna was decent, not "pepper crusted" at all to me, but lots of sesame seeds, which I was hoping for since I don't like pepper (but I really felt like tuna..). The sauce was good, I even ate all the cabbage that came along with it. The kale salad was a good portion, and the almonds gave it a nice, toasty flavor. Not sure if it was worth $9 though. The fish and chips were delicious but again, not worth the price. Â Could have gotten a better plate for 1/3 the cost in Santa Barbara, but whatever, it's Agoura. Â Our waitress was friendly and helpful. The entrees took some time to come out, but we weren't in a huge hurry anyway. I might be back for happy hour, but I don't think it's worth the full price otherwise.
Review Source:The beer is good, however, the food needs work (it was ok, not great), especially to justify the entree prices of $20-23 and small portions for a beer place. Â We were a group of 4 and had:
- Take me home tripel (came in a small glass)
- Honey ale (ok - glass was a little larger)
- Salmon - not 'crispy' like the menu said, and small strip portion, not dinner sized
- Fried chicken - it was ok, mash potatoes were runny
- Short rib (3 of the smallest pieces of meat I had ever seen on top of small mounds of runny mashed potatoes) - it was boneless, but the sauce was more tomato-y than usual (almost an orange color)
- Fish and chips - this was the only one that had a good portion - five pieces of fish and decent fries, however, was about $20 - higher than usual for fish n chips
Amazing place!!! Â all around a good time!
I came out here with a friend after a recommendation. Â I'd say i was thoroughly pleased!!!!
The home brews are amazing!!! Â I fell in love with the Take Her Home. Â i believe its a Belgian tripel style beer. Â very soft and smooth. Â i am not a fan of the stronger beer tastes, as I am not a beer person, but this was awesome!!! Â Â The Midnight Moo was also amazing, as it was a bit sweeter and darker. Â but soo awesome. Â i was sad to hear they didn't have it the last time i was there. Â I hope they bring it back. Â The Big Ass Red was also pretty good. Â not as sweet as others, but it would be a good beer to go with a burger.
parking is not much of a problem, as they share a huge lot with other strip mall stores. Â i haven't really payed attention to what stores are there, but it really doesn't matter to me. Â
The best part is the owner Roger is around and is super cool!!! Â He had a few beers with us, and told us about his crazy adventures of Don Julio. Â Didn't know that guy was real!!!!! Â Keep it up Roger, and the rest of The Lab Brewing Co. Crew!!!
Burgers were decent. Bone marrow was off... The beer was great... Atmosphere was strange. I think its trying tobe too many things and people are finding it strange. Well it is. One min you're trying to have a nice dinner, then it turns to a bar/ club vibe only in the small bar area while with dining room is still going. No one is dancing. I don't see the need for the DJ. But the outside patio was beautiful... Which is for dining purposes too.
Review Source:Really love this place in Agoura. It's rare, especially in the suburbs, to find a place that has so many great beer choices AND great food. The Lab has both! I try a new beer every time I go there, from the house brews to the guest breweries. I brussel sprouts with bacon and dates is my favorite side dish. The appetizers and side dishes are all so good, it's easy to order a bunch with friends and turn it into a share-able meal. Really happy to have this place to visit when I leave LA to visit friends in the valley. Service is great and the staff is knowledgeable too!
Review Source:I'd give this a 5-star rating if you come here for beer and beer only.
The first time I came was just for a couple of beers -- great!
The second time, beers and 'happy hour' appetizers -- decent, can't complain. Nothing to rave about though.
The third time, beers and dinner -- beers were spot on. Not so much dinner food.
The main burger that they serve there is OK, I wouldn't order it again. My boyfriend ordered the mushroom risotto. I love risotto but this was a big NOOOOO. I was so disappointed. We couldn't even finish it. I don't know if it was the texture or what they put in it, but it wasn't appetizing.
The raw kale salad was delicious... sort of pricey for chopping something up and throwing it on a plate.
Overall, not impressed at all by the food. Great beer selection though!
The restaurant was not much of an excitement. Outside was clearly just your usual entrance. It was a weekend with hardly any customers. Servers were no where in sight because they were most likely assisting the large party. wtf. I understand you have to cater to the party, but it does not mean you ignore your other guest. Food was mediocre. Presentation was okay. I was more hungry to care about that. Again service was not good because whenever I wanted my drink to be filled or to order something they never came. Food tasted like something I could have easily made at home. C'mon!! Then my boyfriend wanted the bone marrow, but for some reason was not available. If that was the case, you should have said so before we ordered. He drove us to eat here specifically for that reason. Oh well. Service was bad. Food portions could be better. Overpriced. As we walked out the store we picked up your business card and the first thing that came into our mind was that most of the restaurant's money probably goes to the business cards. Not a great experience. Will not return.
Review Source:Called before coming here on a Saturday night and was told that there was dancing and a DJ... Â Well, there WAS a DJ. Â No dancing. Â About two couples and one other man sitting alone right in front of the DJ. Â It was a sad, sad scene but we made the best of it! Â Ordered our drinks and tried to figure out what was wrong with the crowd here, or lack thereof...
After one of our people asked for some special requests, we waited and waited. Â They never came. Â All the while, still no dancing. Â After about an hour of this torture, we decided to call it a night and go home.
I'm giving The Lab 3 stars, thinking that maybe we just hit it on an off night?? Â Hopefully...
What a great place for some good beer!
My mom was in town visiting so my husband and I decided to take her and a friend out for dinner and some beers, plus my best friend recently started waitressing here so it was a win win. Â
Unfortunately, I can't comment on the beers because I'm expecting our first child but my husband enjoyed the Lost Coast Downtown Brown and the Bad Influence IPA. He said those were his favorites!
We started out with the three cheese fondue and bone marrow for the appetizers, the fondue was amazing! Â Loved the little pretzel bites that came with it for dipping. Â We weren't too impressed with the bone marrow however, it was pretty tasteless. Â Mastro's is MUCH better!!!
The menu is so unique I had a hard time deciding on what I wanted, it all sounded so good. Â I finally decided on the Angus hangar steak with coconut curried plantains and chimichurri sauce. Â YUM! Â Te curry sauce was fantastic and my steak was cooked perfectly. Â My husband and my mom both got the Lab Burger, my mom loved it but my husband well he didn't read the description and didn't notice it had blue cheese on it. Â So needless to say he only at half.
Michelle, my best friend and waitress, knew I wouldn't be able to resist this peanut butter concoction for dessert (I forgot the name of it) and she was right. Â It looked like a turnover with peanut butter and chocolate with vanilla ice cream and fresh berries. Â YUM!!!
I highly recommend this place as the food is fantastic, not to mention the service AND the music. Â The atmosphere is fun, I love the outdoor fire pits and the decor. Â We will be coming back, especially after I pop out this baby. Â I want a beer!
Just finished a hike in the area and we were starving, dirty and had a dog with us. So, it was great to find a place with outdoor seating that would allow dogs. My snob side hates to say it, but the food was really damn good. I had a lamb burger and it was fantastic and the beer was great too.
The decor makes you think you're having dinner at one of the many interchangeable white table cloth beer & burger places you find at any strip mall... but who cares.
I come here for lunch often as it's close to the office. Â I am here a couple times a week during the nice weather months as you can sit outside and enjoy the world. Â The beer is great, the service is good, but the food is not the reason I go. Â I have found a couple things on the menu that work for me. The lamb-beef burger is not for me, but everyone else on planet earth that I have taken swear by it...I have heard "It's the best burger I have ever had" on more than one occasion so I know it's just me who finds it strange. Â The pizza, and street tacos are what I like and add a dollar beer off the lunch menu. Â WINNER!
Review Source:The atmosphere is cool and the beer is good. They don't have a happy hour food menu but the beers are $4 during this time.
Gotta say though that some of their bar food is a rip off.
I ordered the sun dried tomato and avocado egg rolls for $8 and the menu said there would be 4 servings. Well it was literally just 2 average sized eggs rolls, cut in half.
Really?
I pretty much paid $8 to have someone cut my egg rolls for me. Thanks.
First, had great beer flights that all four of us really enjoyed.
I ordered the Harvest Pizza based on Yelp reviews and also waitress suggestion. It was a limp, spongy bread with no crispness at all. Bits of very hard and chewy squash on top. Also had Andouille Pizza which was underdone and disappointing. Other two friends ordered two entrees which were just okay.
We ordered the pretzel bread and cheese fondue as a starter and it was delicious. Would go back just for the beer and fondue.
Manager wrote response to my negative review. Yes I will judge a restaurant on the one entree I order. That is the whole point of Yelp.
All I have to say is the owner is an Asshole! He needs to lay off the alcohol before starting to get crazy with costumers! We came here with a big group of people and my husband started to eat outside food because he had a little to much to drink. The owner saw him and came to us,  he was being very rude all he could of said was please don't  bring food from outside in a nicer way! but no!! he started to get crazy with the group and wanted to charge us $5 dollars for hot sauce! Well guess what!?!?  He just lost all those customers and about $700 dollars in revenue that night.   Â
  And one more thing! don't go to the patio because its not safe, someone will get hurt and it will be the restaurant fault.
Stopped in for lunch on the way back from a trip to SLO. Â What a great find! Â Friendly folks both at and behind the bar, really good lunch deal (soup & sandwich for 10 bucks) and add a beer for 1 dollar! Â How can you go wrong with that?
They also have the best Lacto-Stout I have ever tasted. Â
This place is definitely going on the brew-crawl list.
Good service, a really good burger! Best of all the micro brews are made on premises and change frequently. Good Atmosphere and there is a stage area where bands perform in the evening. Â (Can get a little loud, when the band is playing. So not the best place to go when you are looking forward to conversations).
Review Source:Went yesterday for lunch and to do a little computer work outside since the weather was great. Patio was perfectly shaded and the wifi worked just fine. (It did get a bit slow when another couple, also sitting outside, started using their computers.)
Service was excellent, food was delicious and the beer was just what I needed.
I'll be seeing more of this place soon!
Impressed that Agoura has a restaurant of this caliber. Â Congrats Lab! Â
On our last visit "home", our friends treated us out to dinner at Lab and we had a great time. Â My first thought as we drove up was - man, remember when this was a Tony Roma's?. Â
The menu seemed to be written with a farm to table concept, which is great. Â I really liked the pork belly appetizer and the Kale salad. Â Our server was great at his recommendations. Â I was full from appetizers, so he recommended the tuna for a light dinner. Â He was right. Â The tuna was tasty and light enough that I didn't feel like rolling out of the place when we were done. Â
The beer selection is pretty good, too.
Atmosphere on a Saturday night is kind of random. Â The lights were dim and there was a DJ on stage playing background music. Â Not sure if we were there right before the Saturday night club scene happened or what... Â In any case, the food out shined that randomness and left us with a great impression.
Looking forward to going there on our next visit to the West Coast and "home".
Great food and service. They have burgers, salads and sandwiches. If you are looking for variety this is not your place. I will say though they have one of the best cheeseburgers! The burgers are gourmet they are not your typical cheseburger. The fries are great as well. I ordered a chopped salad and it was pretty good.
Review Source:This is hands-down (so far) my favorite bar in the area.
You know when you go to a bar and get blah food that you regret eating afterwards but do anyway because it tastes good in the moment because you have terrible drunchies? NO MORE!!!
At the lab, the food is delicious, reasonably priced, and will not be a regret.
Their kale salad is something I crave weekly. I think it's only like 8 bucks. I'm gluten free and kale is NOT my favorite, but somehow they prepare it deliciously. The french fries are BOMB. OH YES.
I love their IPAs, and they pour a generous glass of wine.
FURTHERMORE, I'm always blown away at how exceptional the service is.
No seriously, BLOWN AWAY.
And I love that I can smoke on the patio, drink, and get food service. There are heating lamps and this rectangular fire pit that gives off a surprising amount of heat.
I've had a lot of good times here.
WOOOOO
Short Rib Chilaquiles are the bomb! This needs to be a regular part of anyone's diet who loves brunch. I went semi-healthy and had this with egg whites. I'm glad to see these guys are still busy as Agoura seems so quiet!
Excellent service, wonderful food and the ambiance is really nice!
Came here with DH on a weekend for lunch. Â I had checked out their menu on the web prior to the visit and was excited about their lunch specials menu.
Note: their lunch specials are not available on weekends!
Nevertheless, we landed on a pulled pork sandwich and the cuatro tacos dish. Â DH plowed through his sandwich and fries, saying that it was excellent. Â I did the same with the tacos. Â The tortillas were slightly crispy and each had a different filling - portobellos, chicken, short rib, and pulled pork. Â Loved this dish. Â Great food and overall friendly service.
We skipped on alcohol since we're not really afternoon drinkers. Â I look forward to trying their house brews next time.
The patio is a nice spot to hang out on a warm afternoon. Â Note that the space is a little small and narrow, though.
Happy Hour. Happy Hour POWER. A Good Happy Hour = A Happy Naomi.
Another fantabulous place with a fantabulous Happy Hour Deal. And the fact that they have CANDIED BACON for $4 tickles my feathers. I recently starting eating bacon again and that was just the icing on the cake for me!
Let me point out that this joint is a microbrewery but their menu has quite the sensational selection. <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.labbrewingco.com%2F&s=9500bc597c1f905f2c3294e5fb31bdfff60218bc0cff2689e05ae7593759893b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.labbrewingco.…</a>. I didn't have to worry about my vegetarian friend having to order something and having to modify it to her dietary preference. They have a surprising amount if vegetarian dishes that would even appeal to the most carnivorous. Â
Now, to the happy hour experience. I had:
~Candied Bacon strips served in an American Pint Glass, $4
~Honey Blonde Ale, $4
~Sun Dried Tomato, Avocado Eggrolls with Sweet Chili Sauce, $8
~Polenta Fries, $5
The Candied Bacon was marvelous. I didn't use any utensils, just my bare hands. Needless to say, I must have looked like I was raised in a barn as I was ripping apart the bacon strips, one by one, and enjoying them with my Honey Blonde Ale.
The Sun Dried Tomato and Avocado Eggrolls were quite tasty. But after the 1st roll, I was kind of over it as I felt it needed more ingredients. Or maybe I was just shocked it wasn't saturated in oil and grease and tasted soggy like most Eggrolls so maybe I was just not ready to embrace a healthier Eggroll.
I didn't care too much for the Polenta Fries. Totally my own fault, as the veggie friend opted for it and I went halfsies with her. The are served in kind of like a fish stick type of shape with Marinara and Pesto sauce for dipping. To me, it seemed kind of plain to me. When I eat Polenta, it's with a crap load of cheese and Marinara sauce. It is a funny taste and texture by itself so I think there needs to be something else served on/in/around it. (Like Cheese!)
We also shared the Harvest Pizza. I seriously could not get enough of it. It was so damn delicious. It's with Fontina and, Mozzerella cheese, Roasted Butternut Squash, Carmelized Onions, Spicy Walnut, and Blue Cheese Crumble, $14. What an outstanding Veggie Pizza choice!
I will come back here again. Maybe to try other Happy Hour snacks like the Spicy Pepper Chicken Pops served with Korean Kimchee or the Chicken Satay. Recently, I have had mixed feelings about Happy Hour food menus in general that have items that are over $10. What's the point in that? But that is my humble opinion.
*The Lab Brewing company is located in the shopping square directly located across from the Sheraton hotel.
I admit that I've been long overdue in trying The Lab because I didn't want to cheat on Ladyface. However, after Michelle at the Refill Shoppe, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-refill-shoppe-ventura#hrid:e6f9OVz9gqy5L58F36qN8Q">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>, suggested I'd like it, I knew it was time to go.
I'm so happy I did. We had a great time at the place. I arrived with my honey at the tailend of the dinner rush and the host nicely sat us at one of the half-circle booths, that I imagine would normally be saved for larger parties. Our waiter was training a new server, but we enjoyed talking with him about beer recommendations and his translating and giving tips to his trainee based on what we were discussing. We did a flight of beer, all of which were tasty, and were pleased with the selection. I have to say that their selection of beer and presentation/description of them is better than Ladyface.
The food was good. White bean puree was a perfect starter and since this was our first time here we had to try two of the most popular items (Lab Burger and brussel sprouts). I'm a little nit-picky about my burgers and while the Lab Burger was good (and I'd order it again) there were a few things that prevented it from being really, really good.
1. We asked for the burger cooked to medium, but we received a burger that was closer to well done. It was okay though since the burger was still juicy. I also would have gone a bit heavier on the seasoning of the patty. Even with the arugula, I'd have liked more pepper.
2. I like my buns a certain way and this one was too soft and pillowy for my liking.
But that's just me being picky.
So how does this compare with Ladyface? It's a different feel. Ladyface is perfect for a beer on the patio on a sunny afternoon or if you're in more of a communal mood. The Lab is perfect for a cozier, more comfortable meal/drink (at least the night we went). I suggested that we should do a late afternoon beer and app at Ladyface and then move on to more beer and dinner at the Lab. Both are good for different reasons and the Lab is definitely going to become a favorite.
Last Friday night-----
NNNNNNasty bathroom, no paper towels and used paper towels all over floor.
People can become ill from this. I hope management can address this.
Jessica provides great service!
Great beer!
Please mind the toilet, my guests from Quebec laughed at the filth.
Make the restroom cleaner and I will gladly move to five stars.
I was looking for something to do in Agoura Hills, and as I've been expanding my horizons for a while in the world of microbrews, I figured this would be a perfect place.
I came on a Saturday night, and it was comfortably full. They have seating around the bar when you come in, and a bunch of tables set in a spacious area. The lighting is nice and romantic, and a DJ was spinning skillfully.
The beer selection was simply fantastic. They have a selection of beer that they make in-house which just tickle the palate. The prices are super reasonable, with the majority of beers ranging from $6-$7. The waitresses were really cute and attentive, and the service overall was top notch.
If you're looking to kick back at a chill place exuding good vibes, with a stellar beer selection in Agoura Hills, The Lab Brewing Co. is where it's at. In fact, I may even make a special trip from L.A. sometime soon.
Brilliant!
Their tripel is amazing! Â I really enjoy the java porter as well, I usually ask for just a sample though and drink it while enjoying some of their peanut butter turnovers! Â More than a sample size of the java porter is just too much.
I highly recommend the lab burger, great combo of flavors!
So bad that I can't even be mad at them. It's actually funnier than it is tragic.
I wanted something very simple, so I explained to the waiter what I wanted.
Lots of pasta. LOTS of pasta. I don't care which shape. No marinara sauce as I hate garlic. Throw in some spinach, some mushrooms and some asparagus. Drizzle olive oil over it. I'm willing to pay the extra, whatever it is. No cheese, as I am vegan. Â The waiter tells me this won't be a problem. Simple, one would think.
Out comes a plate of garlic mushrooms with spinach on it.
This is followed by a plate of broccoli covered in butter.
No pasta. None.
It was all sent back and later, I get another plate with spinach, a few mushrooms and broccoli in a pile. Still no pasta.
I laughed hard as I walked out of the door without paying.
The bar snacks are pretty good, and their beer selection is also pretty good. I came here with friends for two consecutive nights because they're open late (and I arrived at the Sheraton across the street late) and the wedding after-party the following night was also here.
The first night, my (wedding) date and I arrived about 20 minutes before the kitchen closed and, being famished, we ordered something that could be prepared quickly right away for dinner (a flatbread/thin-crust pizza to share). 35 minutes later, it came out. Yes, there was a bit of a wait, and very little information on why (as it wasn't busy at that point), but our waitress was kind enough to comp us the pizza because the long wait was unacceptable. I enjoyed my in-house ale, but my friend was slightly disappointed - their in-house milk stout was what tickled his fancy on the menu, but they don't make it on hot days!
The second night, we had the back patio area and got to sample a lot of sides. It's a nice little space for a decent sized crowd. They did a pretty good job of handling everyone and it was nice to be a little separate from the main areas. The waitress was a good sport, too, as one of my fellow wedding attendees ordered THREE rum and cokes when she said it was last call. Ugh.
Went on a Friday night for drinks. Tried the Blonde ale and the cedar. Didn't care for the ale, but the cedar was delicious. Kind of tasted like champagne. A must try for those that are not beer drinkers. Didn't try the food.
I can only give them three stars because the noise level is terrible. They had a band playing and the music was way too loud for such a small space. Doubt I would return.
Ok. It's been an hour an it's taken that long just to get calamari and ceviche.  What gives?  The server is working very jar but with no help. This is my 3rd time  here and the servers are over worked and way under staffed.  I will not go back because if that alone. Hey management get a fucking clue!  It's not all about the food and beer.  Maybe you need Gordon Ramsay to come clean this up because you are way in the shit.
Basically, this is the problem with the Conejo Valley. Â Every restaurant thinks the local patrons should feel lucky to have a new place to eat in this area. Â This shit would not fly in Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Hollywood.
One redeeming factor, the food here is 10x better than LadyFace.
Tucked away near corporate buildings in Agoura Hills is a great microbrewery: The Lab.
From the outside The Lab has an industrial look but inside it is a brewery with an intimate club feel. After taking in the decor my lady and I took one glance (and the pics from Yelp) that we would share the jalapeno bleu cheese fries. Oh man. They-were-awesome!!! Definitely made the meal. The mix of the jalapenos and the bleu really blew me away. The bleu cheese was a bit strong in some bites but it didn't deter me from polishing off the tasty appetizer.
The main dishes were very well done. My lady enjoyed fried egg, tomato and asparagas flat bread pizza (apparently it was unique and tasty) and I had a good (not great) burger. I did pair my burger with the house blonde beer (good). My lady also ordered the Brussels Sprouts charred with carmelized bacon and dates. She said they were amazing. Â A bit too green for me! Both entrees were very well done but again, they were a step below the jalapeno fries appetizer.
Although the Lab's outdoor decor doesn't match the interior, The Lab doesn't forget that it's a science-themed brewery. The water is served in Erlenmeyer Flasks, and the menu has a science theme. In the corner of the dining room is a small stage with lighting and audio equipment though there was not a band the night we went. The bar is inviting and colorful and is adjacent to the brewing equipment. Overall this was a great find in Agoura, especially hidden away in the small industrial mall.
Following my solid logic that the best beer comes from areas that would otherwise look like a business/industrial parkway, The Lab just reaffirms that idea. Out in the far reaches of the Agoura Hills area is The Lab Brewing. The first thing you will notice when you walk into this brew joint is that the lighting is amazing.
Or maybe I just notice because that's my trade. Either way, the place has a mood lighting that is something else. It's not dark or divey, but it's also not super bright. It has the atmosphere down perfect and has this sort of blues thing going.
They have an extensive list of beers on tap. With a good half of them being beers of their own making in house which are all pretty solid when it comes to taste. If you can't pin point something of their creation that you're loving, you can wet your beak with a solid line up of guest taps.
Considering this is the closest brewery that I know of to the Ronald Reagan library, I can tell you one thing, this beer is probably the beer that I will be urinating on the grave of that awful awful president.
Just a bit down the road is Lady Face Brewery, so you can make a sort of mini beer crawl out of these two spots.
It's well worth it to come on by here and Lady Face if you're heading up to wine country in Santa Barbara or going beyond up to San Francisco. They have both indoor and out door seating areas, so you can get your grub on with ease here in any setting you want. The bar has the standard tvs going to catch up with whatever sports action you missed. Over all, it's a solid place.