9 Best Los Angeles Breweries: Sip Your Way Through Southern
LA's craft beer scene steals the show.
By Cassie Bailey | Published on November 18, 2025
In recent years, the California craft beer scene has changed dramatically. Los Angeles is now a giant in this world, featuring arts district brewing hotspots and one-of-a-kind local marinade-inspired stouts. You might even spot a brewery art walk in Los Angeles, where curious beer lovers sample delicious pints while enjoying local art. The best breweries in Los Angeles, Orange County, West Bay and Long Beach make beer using wild ferments or age it in wine barrels, using herbs like sage.
If you're starting a cruise from Los Angeles, here are nine must-quaff breweries where you can sip and savor to your heart's content. Many of these spots are top-rated Los Angeles breweries with food on-site, making them ideal for any brewery tour in Southern California.
1. Highland Park Brewery
This kid- and dog-friendly brewery is a heavy hitter with hopheads in the LA area and is often considered by many to be among the best breweries in Los Angeles. These large, industrial-style digs in LA's Chinatown, right near downtown Los Angeles, keep pint lovers coming back for more. The brewery features picnic-style seating and a snack menu with food that perfectly complements their hoppy beers.
Given this space has double the tank room, expect Highland Park Brewery's trademark "adventurous mixed culture fermentation" and what the team calls "wacky microbes and local ingredients" in your pint glass. For a true taste of LA craft beer, try their latest pale ale or something a bit more experimental on your next California visit.
Hot Tip: Die-hard craft beer lovers often check the brewery's "Current Releases" page and hit the Chinatown location when a new creation is unveiled. Despite how busy it gets, you’ll be set with a brew and a signature Kewpie Fish Sando on a soft potato bun in hand. Be forewarned: Limited edition cans of beer and funky merch fly off the shelves, so come prepared if you're after a souvenir.
2. Beachwood Brewing
Drive out to Long Beach, Garden Grove or Huntington Beach (in Orange County) and park it at Beachwood Brewing to try some of their rotating taps of craft brews. Brewmaster and co-owner Julian Shrago and his team produce award-winning beers, collecting awards at the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival. Rest assured that the folks behind these beers are quality-obsessed, which is one reason many consider Beachwood a top contender for best brewery in the Los Angeles area (technically, they're in neighboring counties).
What could be better with your pint of Resinator, a West Coast-style India Pale Ale, than a slice from one of the brewery's specialty pizzas? Hot Tip: Check out the brewery's “Events Page” to see daily theme nights, specials and, of course, new releases.
3. Smog City Brewing
With taprooms in Torrance, West Torrance, Glendora Public Market and SteelCraft, you'll know you're in the right place when you spot beer fans happily lugging growlers from this family-run brewery. Smog City favorites include the coffee-forward porter, which is aged on freshly roasted, freshly ground, organic Groundwork® coffee, as well as the citrus-y, flavor-forward West Coast IPA. This beloved business has earned its place among the top Los Angeles breweries.
Smog City doesn't serve food, so you’ll likely fill up at any of the nearby food trucks or restaurants, which makes the brewery perfect for a sunny California afternoon. If your Los Angeles brewery adventure takes you around the county, add Smog City Brewing Co. to your itinerary for its rotating and consistently creative lineup.
Hot Tip: Visit the website for an ongoing list of interesting events, including regular trivia nights. Past events have also included oyster shucking and a ukulele-led sing-along session!
4. El Segundo Taproom
Started by a San Diego transplant who couldn't find the SoCal-style IPAs he wanted, El Segundo Brewing Company is hop central. They craft beers using a variety of hops to express the uniqueness of each — flower, floral, fruity, citrus or otherwise. They're also obsessed with fresh beer, and their brews are available across California — any beer approaching the 90-day mark is pulled off the shelf. In the eyes of many beer enthusiasts, it’s a must-visit if you’re seeking the best brewery the Los Angeles region goes crazy for.
If you're feeling hungry, the taproom has a small menu. In addition, they welcome patrons bringing their own food to the taproom if they'd prefer. You can always pop around the corner to The Slice & Pint and grab some delicious pizza to pair with El Segundo beers back at the taproom.
Hot Tip: Keep an eye out for the Broken Skull IPA, designed by WWE superstar Steve Austin in conjunction with El Segundo. Blending a variety of hops (Citra, Cascade and Chinook), this big-flavored IPA is becoming such a fan favorite that it's being shipped to an increasing number of states coast-to-coast.
5. Golden Road Brewing
Golden Road Brewing in the O.C. draws its inspiration from all things California, and with four locations on its growing list, it seems that Californians are returning the love. The Anaheim location, found conveniently across from Angel Stadium, is especially popular on game days, making it a go-to for locals and visitors alike in search of Los Angeles breweries with food and atmosphere.
The Anaheim brewpub features a full-service restaurant and beer garden with over 30 taps (and growing). This is a family-friendly — and dog-friendly — space that caters to beer lovers, baseball fans and multi-generational families alike. Brewmaster Victor Novak loves the energy of this location, finding inspiration for his own boutique offerings here, including a barrel-aged beauty.
Hot Tip: These brewpubs offer a strong sense of community and California pride, with various local initiatives running throughout the year. Past projects have included Heal the Bay IPA, a citrus-y, beach-friendly brew that delivered a portion of sales proceeds to a local organization protecting beaches and watersheds.
6. MacLeod Brewing
The brainchild of England-raised Jennifer and her West Highlands Scots husband, Alastair, MacLeod Brewing unsurprisingly specializes in traditional British brews. With James Beard Award-winning Brewmaster Garrett Oliver at the helm, the team at MacLeod's prides itself on upholding the tenets of the "Campaign for Real Ale," a British society that promotes the virtues of community, social interaction and, of course, real ale.
MacLeod has a pizzeria as well as multiple board games, and it's a family- and dog-friendly environment, so consider it for your next stop if you’re rounding out a best brewery in Los Angeles checklist.
Hot Tip: If you're not feeling up to a heavier ale or stout, then MacLeod's Van Ice (a play on the brewery's Van Nuys location), a classic light American lager, is perfect for you.
7. Bottlecraft Long Beach
If you're looking for a funky craft beer bar, look no further than Bottlecraft. With many craft beers on draft (their own plus those of local and regional breweries), a varied bottle list, wine, kombucha and cider by the glass, there are plenty of options at what Hopped LA calls "one of LA's top 10 craft beer spots."
Bottlecraft has locations all over the LA area, including Liberty Station, Little Italy, Oceanside, San Luis Obispo, North Park and Long Beach. Looking for a cool experience? Their Long Beach location is located in "The Hangar" food hall at The Long Beach Exchange, a 17,000-square-foot building that looks like an old McDonnell Douglas/Boeing aviation hangar.
Hot Tip: Anyone craving Nashville hot chicken to go with that beer? At the Long Beach location, you can grab a pint and a hand-crafted bite to eat at one of 14 artisanal food vendors and retailers. We told you it was a hot tip!
8. Angel City Brewery
If you think LA is all glam and no substance, the folks behind Angel City Brewery would like you to reconsider. As their website states, "Angel City Brewery is proud to rough things up a bit and work beneath the shiny surface." Located in the city's Arts District, the space is, according to the founders, both a brewery and a canvas, or "a revival for the city's artists, musicians, hustlers and craftspeople. It's an LA that's as ambitious as it is diverse — and our beer is no exception." If you’re looking to see how integral beer can be to local culture, Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles is a must-visit.
Their home is in a century-old John A. Roebling building, a large industrial space best known for producing the suspension cables that hold up the Golden Gate Bridge. The bar has an Art Deco backdrop, and its 12 stools sit in front of shiny copper taps while the rest of the space has picnic tables. You can sip on one of Angel City's beer or wine offerings and order a taco or burger from House Made, the brewery's very own food truck.
Hot Tip: Check out the Ronald Reagan portrait by Shepard Fairey above the entrance when you walk in, and if you have the time, book a tour of the brewery beforehand to get a glimpse behind the scenes.
9. Broxton Brewery & Public House
Smack dab in the heart of Westwood Village lies the Broxton Brewery & Public House. You should seek it out both for the beer and the building this community brewery is housed in — the historic and architecturally beautiful Janss Dome Building. This neighborhood favorite offers award-winning, handcrafted beers made by the on-site brew masters, West Coast-style comfort food (smash burger or mac 'n' cheese skillet, anyone?), draft-based cocktails and a pup-friendly patio.
Core beers include: Broxton's signature beer, the Pizza Port Shark Bite, a robust red ale with a spicy taste, and the light, crisp, citrus-flavored Broxton We Love LA. This spot is a highlight for beer lovers exploring a custom best breweries in Los Angeles list and wanting something a little different.
Hot Tip: As if sipping on a drink with a name like Pizza Port Shark Bite isn't fun enough, Broxton also hosts trivia every Thursday night on its private Mezzanine.
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