Highway One Reviews

Fun touristy spot. Food is ok. A bit overpriced. Real nice staff. Dog friendly patio. Sunshine.

Great nachos yummy hummus great service. Delicious light seasonal beer.

The food and beer here are both terrible. If you have any other options, take it. Both of our meals were cold, the mac and cheese is basically nacho cheese on top of noodles. The beer is not good.

Every time we drive up and down the 1 we mean to stop by this place and just never got around to it. Recently we made plans to stop here on our way back up from a random trip to Santa Cruz.

Highway 1 brewing company obviously specializes in beer but they also offer a pretty good selection of bbq and other foods. The IPA is definitely a solid choice if you like strong flavorful beers.

My girlfriend had the burger and I had the slider trio. Their pulled pork is really the star here. Nice and smoky with a good bark and juicy taste. The sliders are a great choice if you want to sample the bbq they offer.

I also really appreciate the pickle platter they provide so absolutely delicious. I regret to say that I forgotten my bartenders name but she was really down to earth and fun to talk to. This place feels like a locals watering hole with a welcoming vibe. At least that was my experience.

They had a musical guest playing out in the back the day we came so after we ate we took our drinks and sat outside before finishing our drive back up to the city.

Overall solid stop on the 1 that has made my list of go tos and I will definitely be back for more!

The best owners and staff, and the best beer on the west coast... literally!

I was less than thrilled with my visit here. Overall the place seemed a little run down, it was fly infested "from the swamp across the road". I'm not sure they we're doing much to mitigate the issue. We didn't get any food, but we did try the beer. All of the beers had a very bitter taste to them. The only ones worth going for are the Golden Stout and the Pumpkin Pie.

Good beer and good food. It's a bit remote, though, so you're not likely to have cell signal and they don't have wifi.

We spent most of the day at The Highway 1 Brewery passing through Pescadero on a road trip down to Santa Cruz and had a really good experience here. The staff were very personable, friendly, and spot-on with our service. I tried a custom flight of 9 different beers including a Gold and Chocolate Stout a GREAT Double IPA, a solid 'mosaic' pale ale and other good craft beers that were all good. The food was really good also. Tasty smoked BBQ dishes I would fight a pack of wild dogs to get at. We were big fans of the smoked sausage mac and cheese and coleslau. Peach Cobbler with ice cream was awesome too. We even got a growler to take back to the cabin we were staying at just down the road (Castanoa). A great experience all round. Well worth checking out!

Just had a beer, it was nice. Staff was cool. Lots of flies though.

Beer was good but the food was terrible. Stay away from the wings

Cool location on the PCH south of SF. Reasonable beer selection with tasty options brewed in house and a few featured beers from other craft houses.
My main complaint with this place was that it seemed well staffed but the place was pretty filthy. I would think with the number of people who worked there and the fact it doesn't seem like a spot that ever gets super busy that the place should be really clean but it was covered in dust with bugs buzzing around. It put off my need to eat and probably shortened my stay there.
With that said if you are in the area and are looking for a place to grab a beer, you don't really have a lot of options but this is a good place to take a driving break to enjoy a cold one

Stopped here on a bike ride along the coast. Good IPA, but terrible water. Asked the bartender to refill my water bottle and it was awful. Strange.

Great place to drink or sleep.

We had no solid reservations in the area and just wanted to camp legally. They have a deal where for about 35$ you can set up tent on the property and they will write a parking permit and a camping permit. Thanks guys for the help!

Its basically a run down shack that serves meat and beer. Food is decent. They have brisket. House beers aren't really that good. The flight was odd because the holes in the wood holder were too small so they jammed the glasses in and you'd spill trying to get them out. I had to pull my wife's glasses out for her. Bathrooms are disgusting!!!

Good to stop by if you are on the 1, otherwise nothing special.

Was not very good. Bad service and my mom didn't get her good till after all my family got their food. My dad didn't get the dressing and the bathroom were a mess too. They didn't have the food that my dad and I ordered so we had to get another food choice. My dad got the big sale and he wanted the side salad also the power went out too.

Beautiful out-of-the-way location... beer is pretty good, food is usually just ok. Generally not worth the trouble though, unless you're already passing by. Yesterday we drove over an hour to have a pint here, turns out they were randomly closed. No warning, unannounced. (We checked their website beforehand.) Watched as 8 or 10 cars pulled up and then drove away, so I know we weren't alone in our frustration.

cleanest thing are probably the flies flying around! want a good beer? go somewhere else!

Cold food, wrong the order, unfriendly service, chewy ribs, beer works fine.

Not sure what the fuss about this place is except for the beers. Our food took forever, came out cold, and our waiter was incompetent.

Great Food,Tastey Beers,, in a Calm & Cool Coastal Atmosphere.,,Be Back Soon!!!

This is one of a kind place to visit on Highway 1 PCH. Especially if you are visiting from Europe. Many kinds of Beer selection. Good outdoor beer garden. Live bands playing and a great chef. We had lunch and ordered more food to go. Beach is right across to take your beer and food there. Amazing place. Visit and you won't be sorry.

Cool vintage place and friendly people. Also pretty good beer.

I am honestly surprised this place has as many positive reviews as it does.

Went here with my fiance on our way home from looking at wedding venues in San Mateo. There are flies EVERYWHERE! You have to constantly swat the flies off your food. It was bad, and overwhelmingly frustrating. The beer was good and the food was just ok, nothing special. The hostess was nice but the waitress seemed completely uninterested in having us there. I had always wanted to try this place out but will definitely not go out of my way to go here again.

Recommended, but only for the beer. The food isn't their specialty.

What a great place to watch the Super Bowl. The owners were so hospitable and put up a big screen and with that and the two Smaller screens fans had no trouble seeing. The food and fans were wonderful! We loved the chicken hot wings, Greek salad with a wonderful lite raspberry vinaigrette, a great choice of beers and my favorite....the Pom-cider. Thinking about a trip back with a visiting friend this next week.

Spotted this while on a tour of the PCH, as I was in from the East coast and had time to kill before my flight. Great name, horrible execution. Needs remodeled, badly. Flies everywhere. Bar unclean, as it appears most of the place is, including the brewing area. Ordered overpriced rib plate to satisfy the $15 credit card minimum, which is probably not permitted as per their terms with their CC processor. Ribs arrived old, cold, terribly undercooked. I smoke foods at home as a hobby and I can truly tell you these folks have no idea what they are doing. They also were about to close around 5p on a Friday. Obviously, this is not what anyone expects from a brewery that serves food. Avoid.

Nice brewery just off PCH. Good selection of craft beers and nice wait staff. Would be nice with wifi for us international visitors though.

Had the Wave Ryder super tasty i really liked ocean breeze too!

Food was good but beer selection was tiny compared to what it used to be :(

Really bad service and crapy food make for a never go back decision.

Aside from being conviently located off the route 1, there was no other positive moment my boyfriend and I could report.
Beginning with the ordering process, we ended up have 3 different people taking our order and trying to figure out how to process the credit card and receipt machine.
Once at the bar, while almost all seats were empty, There was not a clean location to sit. While serving us our beers the bartenders even joked that they didn t understand why there were coasters. But no attention to cleaning the bar was made. The beer: um the lager was bland and made me wish for a bud light. The mosaic, was flavorful but not the pallet one would expect with the pale ale.
The chopped chicken was ok, once I was delivered bbq sauce, but was highly disturbed to find a quarter size bone while eating it. Also it probably would have tasted better if it was not lukewarm. The Mac and cheese was awful. It tasted as if it was several days old and hand been microwaved. Coleslaw was dry. Brisket was dry. Over all the bbq sauce left a lot to desire.
Overall cleanliness was disgusting, on top of unclean tables, flys were everywhere and the women s toilet would not flush.
If it is truly under new management, they might want to call bar rescue now as I feel like there only positive attribute is there location and if what my boyfriend and I experenced is normal they will not get repeat customers.

Good beer, great views and no service! The triad or awesome

Had terrible service a year ago. Saw they had changed owners so thought we would give it a try again. Service was actually worse. Very unfriendly bartender. Took forever for them to even acknowledge us. Beer was ok, but not for $7 for a draft. No cell reception, so asked for wifi password, as wifi showed up on settings. Manager lied and said they didn't have wifi... bartender admitted they have it but only for business. Bathroom was filthy as well.

This place sucks... the service sucks... the food sucks.... and the prices are outrageous. There is nothing nice that I can say about this place... except I can be nice and tell you all don t go there...STAY AWAY

No service at all. Sat right in the bar and never even got approached, and hardly looked at. After 10 minutes of no service at all we got up and walked out.

Limited menu was just ok BUT the pomegranate Hard cider was awesome!!

Beer was okay. The bar was empty and somewhat sticky. No cell coverage.

Too new under new ownership (about 1 month) to properly rate. New brewer currently focusing on mainstream accessible selections. Nice ciders from Santa Cruz (sour cherry and pomegranate when I was there). Trying Texas BBQ fare to start but will adjust to customer demands.

We invaded them with over 20 people and they took great care of all of us... but they obviously wanted us to order before using the bathroom...

The place is a dump,it stinks like stale beer when you walk in.they don't believe in cleaning because the bar top is sticky to the touch. I would hate to see the kitchen,I could only imagine.I would never eat food there.Fly's everywhere.

I stopped here with four of my friends on a day trip down the coast from SF last week. Upon entering we were promptly informed that the kitchen was closed for the evening, which was fine because we only wanted a couple beers. From what I remember the beer list is short but has something for everyone: hibiscus, pumpkin (super spicy), ipa, another ale, and a stout. The staff was friendly and let us try the beers before ordering. We each had something different, I tried my friends and enjoyed them all. Out of nowhere the staff brought out Cornbread and French Fries for us to munch on while we drank our beers and watched the sunset over the pacific. Seriously awesome service, in a great location. They were friendly welcoming and attentive. Oh and don t forget to have your Growler filled!

Good beer. I haven't tried the food. If you want to park down the coast to camp at Big Basin or Butano ask about their growler per night parking program.

A real feeling of family, especially the outdoor dining area in the back. Picnic type tables are shaded by shade cloth. A platform for a band and you can even play corn hole.
A busy place, so after you place your order enjoy a flight of beer in the bar. The bar has high seated chairs and the room feels roomy and airy.
I love seeing the vats, kegs and AccuWeight scale.

We got our order to go to have at the beach.

Under new ownership 13 weeks ago.

Food was so-so and prices were a bit steep. Under new management and the kinks have yet to be worked out.

If you got the time to travel out this way, this place is hidden and remote with a great view of the ocean.

Dirtiest restaurant I've been to in California in the last two years. The restaurant isn't busy but the whole place is filthy and full of flies and wasps. Food was great, beer was good, but nothing to write home about. They made us pay upfront, so we left a good tip, and then got absolutely NO service after they had our money. I had to get up and go ask for a refill on water in an empty restaurant. The bathroom was so filthy that people thought it was out of order because the toilet bowls were filled to the brim with feces and toilet paper. The toilets weren't broken, the bathrooms just hadn't been cleaned in so long that they appeared out of order. The only reason it's open is because there are no other restaurants for 20 miles.

Great beer
Great food
Staff is very nice

Great food, very friendly employees, always good ambience. They charge convenient rates and the food quality is very good. 5 stars.

We were seated for over a half hour before our order was take. We waited 20 more minutes to be served the wrong dishes only to have the same dishes offered back to use ten minutes later. Absolutely the worst service i have ever experienced.

Expensive but good food. Makes a decent Chocolate Porter.

Good beer, nice atmosphere, amazing view. No wifi. No cell service. Bartender was incapable of smiling. I didn't eat, but the food I saw served looked good. Best craft brew slogan ever: Turning water into something drinkable.

Out of the wings, out of the pickles, out of the pretzel bites. Pretty dirty. But the beer was good? I'm a big difference is a lot to make

The attention, the place and especially the Beer and its delicatessen!

Awesome little brewery along Hwy 1. We stopped by after a long bike ride and were able to bring our bikes to the backside beer garden. They have a lot of picnic tables back there some with heaters. Ordered a delicious Koelsch and a Hazy IPA along with a pulled pork bbq sandwich with French fries. It hit the spot. Delicious. I couldn t carry any cans on the bike but will stop by later and get some cans to go.

Brewing puppy in a place that you don't immediately expect in a quiet place along Highway, great beers ...

Good sliders, beers and views of the coast. Friendly staff, only reason i dodnt give 5 stars is the time it took to get my food.. 25 mins ? For a little slider appetizer. No bueno

If you are traveling through the area, you would be missing out if you passed this place up. My friends and I stopped here and all agreed that the brews were great, service was fantastic and food was also very good. The atmosphere was cool. It was the perfect end to a day of travel for us; we almost couldn't believe our luck. I will definitely be going back.

Good beer made here. Menu looks promising. The place is in a rebuild mode and needs a good deep cleaning.

The food was HORRIBLE! They got our order wrong (brought out wrong items we didn't order) and took a long time to actually get our food. Also there are a lot of items that have been removed from the menu and are still on the main board which will cause some confusion. No table service. We ordered the fish and chips, chicken breast sandwich with fries, and a kids grilled cheese with fries. The fish was so fried it was almost black and dry as cardboard, the chicken breast was so severely burnt black and dried out it could have been jerky, and I have never seen a grilled cheese with 3 bread slices and mozzarella to make the sandwich. The fries were okay and the pomegranate cider was great and is the only reason I can give 1 star. At the prices they charge I was expecting at least decent food! We spent well over $50 for 2 adults and a kids meal which is ridiculous for what we were served! We will not be going back there. Please save your self the hassle and just drive a little farther north or south to get better food.

I want to say obviously "locals" only except after being completely ignored by the bartender for 10 mins, I used ladles room & sat another 5 mins or so, (3 people @ bar), he waited on 2 new ppl, walking back & forth (was I invisible? I didn't say a word) not even a big bar...single WORST experience in my 10 trips out to central & north Cali coast! Btw...I just read a review stating "don't go there if you're needy" ...really? 15-20min to get seen, there was ONLY 3 customers...

Great beer and a fun laid back atmosphere. Live music in the back patio area. Would recommend the IPA and mushroom burger!

Texas style BBQ...mmm! They do a heck of a job. The brisket and chicken are off the hook. Oh and wash it down with their DIPA.

Road trippin south on the 1 with a deep belly growl. Wanted to find something tasty before hitting the homegeny of the city. Saw the sign for this place and pulled in. Greeted by rad people and honest small talk. (like genuine conversation and not obligatory chatter) Super kind and attentive staff. Ordered an IPA but sampled the stout and porter and jeeeezz...this is what beer should taste like. Simple and balanced yet disticnt and full of flavor. Tried the brisket sliders. Man oh man! I really wasn't expecting much. These kinda roadside dives can go either way but this brisket and these beers reminded me why I love the rando, side of the road dives. Wonderful brisket. Some of the best I ever had. Not hyperbole and not paid to say any of this. Just a hobo on the road that loves sampling the local fare. Eat here! Drink here! Sit at the bar and stare at the Pacific Ocean. Even if you just stop in for a snack. This place RULES!!

Let me preface this by saying I'm a life long Santa Cruz local that is no stranger to micro brews and funky roadside taverns.

I really want to give this place a higher review because I love the local, funky feel but both times I've been here the service and organization and cleanliness was severely lacking.

First time:

July 2016

The unclear direction whether to seat yourself or wait to be seated, the 30 minutes to get the wait staff to bus the table they seated us at (which we ended up mostly bussing ourselves), never to return to take the drink order. We ended up qoing to the bar ourselves which is ok, but after saying "I'll be right back to take your drink order " and not returning..

They were somewhat busy, but the food took quite a while (30-40 mins after ordering) Then when it arrived, it took another 10 minutes and two asks to get silverware. No napkins. We got our own.

The food was pretty tasty, but cool after the wait. The beer was decent in the sea of local tap rooms.

Second try:

The wife really wanted to return for her mother's day late lunch. We spent the day hitting a couple local farms, fruit stands, bakery, Pillar Point harbor and just enjoying the great weather and views.

Showed up around 4:15. Plenty of parking right out front. Still no clear direction whether to seat yourself or not.. so we stood there for a couple minutes and then seated ourselves at one of the four or five semi-clean or un-bussed tables.

We went back to the counter to get menus and were told to come back up to order.. ok.

The wife and I ordered fish and chips. The kids, chicken tenders and hot dog. Both with fries.



The place was un-kept, messy and disorganized. Food and napkins on the floor, people bussing their own tables. Saw several getting thier own water, etc. One couple who sat after us got up and left.

On a 1 to 5 scale, overall the food was rated a 2, the service 3, the cleanliness a 2 and the beer a 3.

As a business owner as well, I feel there's a decent opportunity to make this a really cool place for food and brews, but they need to focus on the basics and get some experienced staff. Who knows, maybe I'll try them again. I'm a glutton for punishment.

Neat part of Route 1 with scenic views, and no other breweries for miles. Decent beer options, although limited by the scale of the microbrew.

Great beer, food and atmosphere! Surprised to see a brewery out here so we had to stop. Grabbed a couple of stickers for the journey!

You can't beat that. What a view! Nothing like it anywhere! You can't top this ocean view. Great beer and good service.

Small craft beer bar & restaurant located on the PCH (Hwy 1) near Pescadero, CA. Popular with travelers, surfers, and hikers visiting the area.

Better now under new ownership. We have been going here over the years and through different owners. We didn't like the last incarnation that much and hadn't been in in awhile as a result. Saw under new owners so we came back to try again. Newest version is better for us on food. Tasty smoked chicken on sandwich and sliders. The space looked much cleaner on inside than our previous visit which we appreciate. Seemed like a better value on food too. Good size portions for price. Still pretty new, we only tried one beer this time so we will reserve judgement on beer until they have had time to get beer up and running longer. Will say the Porter paired well with smoky chicken. Menu looks like they are keeping to simple BBQ and smoked meats, which they seem to do well. The cornbread with honey butter was yummy, bread was moist and warm. They are now going with order at counter or bar and they will bring food to your table, no more waiters. This works fine for us.

Mediocre food, good beer, no views but right off Highway 1 and close to beaches. Gas station adjacent, convenient.