Congregation Ale House

Why oh why can’t we have a Congregation Alehouse up in the Thousand Oaks area? After a long day at the Rose Bowl swap meet, we stumbled on this place, admittedly and some comfort food and beer was exactly what we were looking for. I had the carnitas tacos which were excellent. For the table, we had nachos (very tasty) and sweet potato fries (with sides of chipotle mayo and pesto ranch). We devoured the fries – they were cooked and seasoned perfectly.
Really great menu. If you want fish, you have to come on a Tuesday. Kind of a downer for my pescaterian girlfriend, but it makes me think it’s really got to be fresh when they do have fish.
The beer: we had a couple different stouts and a hefeweizen. We love stouts and these didn’t disappoint. It’s been a few days so I can’t really get into the finer points, but the hefeweizen wasn’t quite as good, which is probably just personal preference. It was refreshing though.
I hope we get to try this place again before too long, but it is far for us. Please look our way if you expand any time soon!
Finally – a shout out to our waitress, Erin – she was a great waitress, and really helpful with the food and beer selections.

We really enjoyed Congregation Ale House after a loooong day at Rose Bowl Flea Market. Our waitress Erin rocked. She was super helpful and nice, great Catholic school girl costume to boot (but we hope they don’t «make» the ladies wear them, I would boycott). The nachos were completely divine. The music classic, good and humorous with a tongue in cheek religious twist. the beers overall very good (not keen on the Hef tho), I didn’t really like the spinach salad and I was bummed they do not serve seafood except on Tuesdays which is poor form! However, the tacos were good for my meat eaters, kid’s meal perfect, the grilled artichoke was excellent!!! sweet potato fries totally addictive. The pizza left us with a weird taste. But overall it was really yummy. Appetizers were in particular terrific. I would probably get a burger (unfortunately mushroom as they do not do fish — I don’t eat meat but crave my protein) next time — the trimmings looked good. I hope they include a few regular seafood options, ahi burger and peel and eat shrimp would be great for this kind of place. the food was all seasoned really well. Salad a bit bland but the rest we just really enjoyed ourselves, casual, laid back environment! We’d be regulars if local.

This is my second time coming here, they have a great beer selection and good food. Last time we got the carne asada pizza and pub pretzel and both were delicious. This time we got the Santa Fe chop salad and grilled artichoke and some beers. The salad is really good and has so many great flavors. The artichoke was grilled well and nice and tender. A great place to hang during the day and grab a beer and some good food.

party of 6, tuesday night.
great outdoor seating with heat lamps. dogs allowed here!
great relaxed atmosphere, fun menu with great burgers, love their tater tots, great drink options. all of their food is pretty good. nachos and the pulled pork sandwich are two of my favorites.
seat yourself kind of place. order at the bar and servers bring you the rest.
small parking lot out front. pay attention to the signs during regular business hours (M-​F 9a-​5p).

if you find yourself in Long Beach and you’re a microbrew and pub food fan, I highly recommend you try this place! Not only did they have a pretty impressive selection of draft beers (about 30 – 35 taps) but the food was really good! I had the Angelino burger and fries (which were additional but considering the sub $ 10 price for the burger and happy hour, it was acceptable) as well as a spinach salad– probably more than I should have but I was hungry and also wanted to feel somewhat virtuous (after three beers, the burger and fries).
I was extremely impressed with the crunchiness of the fries and the two dipping sauces. I had expected to eat about half of them but couldn’t stop until the last one was gone, even though the sauces didn’t make it all the way through. The burger was, well… possibly the best pub burger I have ever had– or at least in fairly recent memory! I am not sure if it is the meat (ribeye cheddar burger), the wonderful grilled onions or the herb garlic mayo or all of the above but it was GREAT!
The spinach salad was as fresh and tasty as it possibly could including the goat cheese! If I could find one negative (and it is really hard to find), I would say the spinach salad was definitely a bit too small for the price but I will certainly get it again for that great taste.
Add to it, a fun intersection between a turn-​of-​the-​century europeanesque pub with an 80s alternative «ironic» religious attitude, a very beer-​wise bartender and attentive staff and you have yourself a real winner here!

Drinking and church-​going share a long and wonderful history of which Congregation Ale House might be the latest evolution. Let’s not forget that many of the most popular hymns (especially of the Lutheran ilk) started out as drinking songs reimaged with a swift lyrical change. At Congregational Ale, there are stained glass windows, bread and wine (and ale) and lots of good fellowship. Really, what more could you want?
A group of friends and I gathered for trivia night and a wonderful time was had by all. Luckily, we made it under the happy hour wire so prices were truly outstanding. And the quality of my hamburger and ale were exceptional. The cheddar burger is better than many other burgers you can get in this town for $ 15 or $ 20 by far. The molten chocolate tart beats many lava cake for a reasonable price. And the pours are generous.
Free parking in the lot. Street parking too.

Hmm. Kind-​of bummed. This place caught my eye months ago with it’s unique sign and inviting wide porch. But my 9 year old son and I stopped in for a burger last night and I was quickly ready to leave.
It was overly loud– so loud the cashier couldn’t hear a question I had about a salad, didn’t answer me, and instead ordered two salads instead of one. Easily fixed– and thankfully they were gracious about doing it.
But then we struggled to find a seat, and got jostled around once we did get seated.
The food was «meh». The cashier suggested «sliders» for my son, then only one slider arrived. And my salad was plentiful, but the dressing ratio was kinda off. As was my GF beer– it had that weird aftertaste.
Plus, it was trivia night. Fun for the casual hipster-​ish crowd that was enjoying (read: «staying in») their seats, playing the game, but not so much for those of us who came to enjoy dinner.
So… Meh. Was hoping for better. Probably won’t go back, but if you’re in you’re early-​to-​mid 30’s I could see it as an easy night out.

Came here two days in a row and both times were great. They have their own private lot but it gets really crowded so you might either have to park on the street, or if you’re willing to pay a bit and park in the structure at the metro station area. The beers are pretty bomb, I don’t remember which one I got but it was a stout and then an IPA, I believe. Ask for recommendations! We ordered tater tots and they were so crispy and crunchy. I love tots. And we accidentally ordered a hot dog too, I forgot which one it was but it had crispy onions on top I believe. We were going to send it back but we decided to just keep it since we were still hungry… And it was delicious! Perfect pub food to eat! I think on certain days they have trivia nights so I definitely wanna come back to do one of those.

We visited Congregation Ale House after a Pasadena craft fair. It was the first time I had been there since it changed from Crown City Brewing Company. They offer a wide variety of food. We particularly liked the burgers and the short rib sandwich. There was a large selection of beers to choose from, both on draft and in bottles.
The prices are reasonable, the service was fast and good. The restaurant didn’t feel clean, and I wonder if this was intended to be part of the ambiance or if it was showing wear.
Will definitely go back.

Nice place with reasonable priced beers, large selection on tap & bottles. The outdoor patio is spacious & dog friendly, the inside is smaller that it looks on the photos but it’s spaced out well. There’s a counter inside where you order your food or drinks & they give you a order number to take back to your table while you wait for your food. The food is ok, a little pricey for what you get which is pretty much food to level you out once the craft beers start to hit you hard & get you a little tipsy. The only thing I didn’t like here is that you have to pay a dollar for a sample of beer, they won’t let you have a small taste of something if you’re trying to decide what you want to try on tap. Most places that have a large selection of craft beer are always willing to let you try a small swig of something to see if you like it.

We love going to Congregation Ale House in Pasadena. The location is an easy walk from Colorado Boulevard in old town, but just far enough away to avoid the majority the crowds. The food here is pretty good as well, we have tried most of the menu (besides the weekly specials) and the soft pretzel and angelino burger are my favorites. The trivia they have on Wednesday nights is my favorite in town. My only complaint though is the service is not great. Ordering up front in such a large restaurant makes for huge lines and there is often only one roaming server.
Overall, great option for an after work stop or a late lunch on the weekend.

Beer, beer, beer, cerveza!
They have their own parking lot. I think it is limit 2 hours. My friend had his birthday here and they held our reservation for like 15 people.
Plenty of tvs with sports on, a huge variety of beer, good food and decent offering of hard liquor made this a great time.
We ordered the soft pretzel which was a little on the bland side, but the little pizzas were super delicious! The one with meat and one without were equally as good, well flavored, and good ratio of toppings to crust (I hate when the crust is too thin and falls apart under the weight of the toppings, or its a deep dish but not a deep dish, haha).

Meh… didn’t have any of their beers the day I went so this review is solely on the food. The parking is horrible just fyi. I believe our party ordered a few pizzas, sliders, fries, and wings. The pizza was not tasty at all. It was cold, dry, and salty. The fries were ok, and the wings were just wings. The sliders though were delicious. I think I had the pulled pork maple syrup slider and it was divine. Something about the sweet and savory just went well together.
Overall, the service was pretty good for the amount of people we had, but I wouldn’t make my way out here again. I’d stop by if I were in the area…

Pasadena Parking.
You don’t understand it until you’ve lived and breathed it.
Does parking in Pasadena exist? Sure it does. But so do four-​leaf clovers.
Lucky you, this pub has designated spaces. So breath a sigh of relief before you try convincing your friends that Pasadena is your destination of choice.
On a recent road trip to Joshua Tree we became famished beyond words. The heavy Friday afternoon traffic only made my empty stomach more upset. A quick perusal of Unilocal and we found ourselves at Congregation Ale House.
Adorable in décor and plenty of patio seating, this pub had a plethora of brews to choose from including milk stouts and lambics! All decently prices and poured in the appropriate glassware (bonus points!).
Food was on point. But what really made it amazing was the array of dipping sauces for the fries. How many you ask?
*********************
Sriracha Ketchup
Curry Ketchup
Sweet Mustard
Spicy Mustard
Dijon Mustard
Pesto Ranch
Chipotle Mayo
Sweet Chili Sour Cream
Rosemary Garlic Mayo
Tomatillo Sauce
*********************
Yeah — that’s a lot of sauce. And anyone that knows me knows food is just a vehicle for dipping sauces.
I had the pulled pork and brie sandwich which totally hit the spot. The sandwich was sweet and satisfying. Definitely something I’d order again.
This is a great spot to chill out with some friends after work on the patio. Drink some beers and dip fries until your saucy hearts content.

Great food options and good for group gatherings.
We came here for a celebration and my friend reserved a corner spot for a huge party however some seats were taken because the waitress wasn’t aware of the situation but how can you not when we had a huge banner that said it. Oh well so we made the best of it and stood around the area.
They have their own parking lot which is cool since not a lot of bars in Pasadena do.

I work next door, literally their door is next to my office, so it’s hard not to go here all the time. I try to limit it to once every week or every other week. Here are some tips and favorites:
Their tater tots are amazing. Beer cheese fondue, sriracha ketchup, and curry ketchup are delicious. Onion strings aren’t rings and aren’t thin, they are crispy and delicious. Sweet potato fries are on point. But tater tots are always the best.
Pizzas are always fresh and filling. Their roasted tomato and garlic is the best. So is their BBQ chicken (you can ask for no chicken or chicken on half), it’s topped with the onion strings.
They have weekly specials they post up every Monday (and I look… every Monday) for different salads, pizzas, sausages and sandwiches.
They have all day happy hour on Monday which consists of discounted apps like pretzel, artichokes, sasuage platters, $$ off burgers and tacos and drinks. Fish and chips/​fish tacos on Tuesday and trivia on Wednesdays. Lunch specials daily which consist of their sandwiches or tacos with any side and a dipping sauce for $ 9.
Parking seems to be crazy after 5pm. I park in the lot and luckily have a reserved spot with my company, but people are always on the prowl trying to find a spot. If you take public transportation, the del mar train station is literally 1 block down and will save you some hassle. Or you can find street parking but you might have to walk a little.
They always have lots of delicious beers on tap and drinks. They have a fun atmosphere and outdoor patio seating which is dog friendly.

Ive been to Congregations when it first opened and was very intrigued of the juxtaposition of a church themed ale house.
Great Vibe but off putting staff and bartenders… Beer is cheap which is pretty good but the people working there are a bit umm rude.
Honestly had it not been the owner stopping my man and asking him nicely what he was drinking I probably would of given this place a 2 star review.
My man was stopped by this man and he asked him what he was drinking and he kindly explained it to him. Later he asked the bartender if the «head» of his drink suppose to be so much and she said yes.
A few minutes later that same guy that asked my man what he was drinking brought over to full mini size tasting cups of the same drink he was drinking and said «the head is not suppose to be that big» and that he was the owner.
Nice man!

Met up with a bud for a few drinks and ended up in Pasadena of all places — no complaints, just so spontaneous! What I like about this place from the get-​go was they have their own parking lot! If you’ve ever been to Pasadena, you’ll agree on how challenging it is to find parking.
This location has great street visibility. Not really nestled in the «heart» of Pasadena, but just south off of Del Mar. Patio seating is available. Indoor seating was plentiful. Beer and food selection was great as usual.
I went with Avery Brewing’s (Boulder, CO) «The Reverend.» Considered a «Quad,» this 10% ABV Belgian Ale wasn’t as «hoppy of a beer» as I prefer, but it was a better-​than-​good beer. Pours dark with a 1 – 2 finger head that dissipates rather quickly. Smells sweet and tastes «malty.» We order the nachos but, there was nothing above average about the nachos.
Overall, I’m a fan of this location. I’ve been to the Long Beach location many times, and to come to Pasadena and park right in front of the venue is great. Bartender was knowledgeable and friendly. Wait staff was attentive.
Enjoy!

Hands down one of my TOP FAVORITE happy hour spots for the FOOD.
TUES-​FRIDAY: HAPPY HOUR 3−7PM
MONDAY MASS: HAPPY HOUR ALL DAY!
Now I always love me some bar/​pub food, enjoyed with a nice tall IPA, porter, or stout (depending on my mood). Congregation Ale House is seriously awesome in that their beer selection is plentiful, their HH menu is HUGE and the food is TOP NOTCH. The prices are great and everything is seriously heaven in my mouth.
HH SPECIALS INCLUDE:
$ 6 for burgers, tacos, pizzas, sausages
$ 2 off all appetizers (excluding plates), so includes nachos, grilled artichokes, soft pretzel
$ 3 sides — fries, tater tots, hand-​cut chips, tortilla chips, fried onion strings
$ 2 pretzel
$ 1 off wine, draft, well drinks
*they also include daily specials, the day I went had fried portabello sticks for $ 6
(which we obviously ordered and was DELICIOUS!)
Ordering is quite simple, although as a fair warning, you WILL get overwhelmed by their huge draft menu board offering like what, 20−30+ beers? It’s awesome, so you will definitely find what you like. You line up and order at the counter. From there, you get your drinks, along with a number to bring back to your table (it’s seat yourself) so the servers can bring out your food.
We came here for Monday Mass around 6pm, surprisingly it was not too crowded and although limited, we were able to find a table.
Between me and my two girlfriends, we ordered the following:
–Portobello and pepper pizza: highly recommended by the guy behind the counter, it was DELICIOUS and perfect. Super tasty.
–Grilled artichoke: not bad, although I’ve had better! A little dry, and not that meaty, but the chipotle mayo that came with it made up for it.
–Portobello sticks: SO GOOD, came with the pesto aioli which was DELICIOUS. Perfectly crispy and meaty. I would definitely order again and again.
–Tater-​tot sides: SIMPLE but perfect, it was so fresh and crispy. The sides come with 2 sauces, we chose the garlic rosemary aioli (BOMB) and the curry ketchup. We also added the beer and cheese fondue for .75 cents, which was pretty awesome too.
**THE SAUCES HERE ARE SO KEY: I can vouch the garlic rosemary aioli, pesto mayo, curry ketchup, and if you’re feeling it, get the cheese.
PS: Parking can be confusing, as many of the spaces have reserved signs. But read the signs! Some of them are only reserved at the designated times, so outside of those times (after 5pm-​6pm) you may park there :)

Mass = Happy Hour = Happiness | Monday: All day. Tues-​Friday: 3 to 7pm
Grab a menu, order up front, find a seat and wait. Simple!
Sweet Potato Fries ($ 3): Such a deal for all the fries. YUM. Love love love the rosemary garlic mayo & sweet chili sour cream (sounds weird, tastes delicious) pairing with the sweet potato fries.
Tater Tots ($ 3): Nice crispy tater tots in a basket — you’ll get a good amount for the mass price! Comes with 2 dipping sauces. My favorite with the tater tots is the sriracha ketchup & chipotle mayo.
Carnitas Nachos (6.50): Thick pieces of deep fried tortillas (almost the size of a pita chip) smothered with love in the form of cheese, sour cream, guacamole, carnitas, and more. The nacho normally comes without meat but we did an add on for an additional $ 2.50.
Dijon & Proscuitto and Portobello & Peppers Pizza ($ 6 each): For the love of pizza! Hearty 10″ pizza good to share… or not. Not judging ;)
So disappointed they didn’t have pretzels last night! =’(
Small parking lot. Be sure to read the signs as some say «Congregational Ale House parking» and others are reserved up until 6pm or so.