# Karl Strauss Brewing (Downtown)

> Karl Strauss Brewing, 1157 Columbia St, San Diego, CA 92101. San Diego's first brewpub and the first brewery of any kind in the city since 1953, opened…

Source: https://thecraftbeercrawl.com/san-diego/venues/san-diego-karl-strauss-downtown/ (The Craft Beer Crawl, 2026-10-22)

1157 Columbia St, San Diego, CA 92101

![Karl Strauss Brewing](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/grass-cs/AABkmLcy4g8DvDrD-wm_iwhc5LjWqoDKQWTp6bDqe3qhr7v7u7m-Lg278Z9g0FG58POW3DrQLr1TMc7SVNkNni1vDG6R0cPe66itGelQaS_o8Wr7QPyB87MKRvt2a0h9TEz17VaVngHCOII7NsbI=s4800-w900)

Photo: Karl Strauss Brewing Company via Google

## What it's known for

San Diego's first brewpub and the first brewery of any kind in the city since 1953, opened here on 2 February 1989. Karl Strauss bought the building in 2023 and reopened it in early 2025 after a full remodel that put the brewhouse at the centre and added a wall on the brewery's history. Full menu (fish and chips, burgers, tacos) and a new small-batch beer every Thursday from 5pm. Open 11am to 9pm Sunday to Thursday and 11am to 10pm Friday and Saturday.

Three blocks east of Santa Fe Depot. The chain runs nine brewpubs, but this is the one with the history.

Check opening hours with the venue before you go: they change, especially early in the week.

[Open in Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Karl%20Strauss%20Brewing%2C%201157%20Columbia%20St%2C%20San%20Diego%2C%20CA%2092101)

## On this route

- [Little Italy, Downtown and East Village](https://thecraftbeercrawl.com/san-diego/routes/little-italy-downtown-and-east-village/): Route 2 · Stop 5 of 6

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## Responsible drinking

Please drink responsibly. You must be 21 or over to use this site. Know your limits, eat, drink water and never drink and drive. Free, confidential advice: [SAMHSA National Helpline (free, 24/7: 1-800-662-4357)](https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline) or [Rethinking Drinking (NIAAA, U.S. National Institutes of Health)](https://rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/).

© 2026 The Craft Beer Crawl. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Venue listings are editorial and nobody pays to appear on a route.
