The L.A. breweries that remain open in 2025 survive solely due to a commitment to consistently delicious beer, which likely tastes slightly better every time you try it. To this day, these taprooms remain community hubs for people with kids, dogs, and thirsty friends.
L.A.’s craft brewery scene began in earnest in the post-2008 Great Recession period. For context, this is decades behind Northern California, often hailed as the “birthplace” of U.S. craft brewing (San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing was founded in 1965), and ten years or so behind San Diego, which bills itself as the “Capital of Craft” and home to foundational beer-makers like Karl Strauss (1989), Pizza Port (1992), AleSmith (1995), and Stone Brewing (1996).
As of 2024, California has over 1,100 breweries, making it the state with the most breweries in the country. Though smaller and younger than California’s more established craft brewing regions, greater L.A.’s mighty beer presence began with a handful of breweries that held their own with—even won medals alongside—their more storied cohorts to the north and south.
Here are the best breweries founded in greater Los Angeles, a mix of first-generation L.A. brewers and newer ones that have earned their place in L.A.'s neighborhoods and hearts.
Monkish Brewing Co. ~ Torrance
Drinking a few pints at Monkish Brewing Co.'s sunny, spacious courtyard is at the top of things to do if your beer-loving friends are visiting L.A. Since opening in 2012, they've maintained a cult following for textbook-perfect hazy IPAs and limited drops of beer that they will either never make again or not make until next year.
Beer nerds from across the country make it a point to stop by and load up on their four packs, which are still traded around the country to this day. What sets Monkish apart from the rest of L.A.'s breweries is that every beer they make is perfect, or close-to-perfect. Whether it's a hazy, Belgian tripel, generously hopped lager or pilsner, or wild brettanomyce fermented wild ale, they can do no wrong.
20311 S. Western Ave. Torrance, CA 90501
Cellador Ales ~ Torrance
Cellador's fruited ales take anywhere from six months to two years to make, in a the painstaking process that produces some of the wildest-tasting beer in Los Angeles, with more in common with a natural wine and sourdough bread than with an IPA.
Cellador’s current brewery space, located in the backyard of Smog City Brewing Co., is open to the public only for pick-ups, but it does hold member-only tastings on a monthly basis. If you love natural wine and cider, their wild beer is up your alley and worth becoming a member to support and taste (if you can get into their popular beer club).
1879 Del Amo Blvd. Torrance, CA 90501
Highland Park Brewery ~ Highland Park and Chinatown
Highland Park Brewery has earned due respect in L.A.'s craft beer circles for excellent beers made for beer enthusiasts, plus their casual drinkers, bar bites, and commitment to L.A.'s independent craft beer movement. Its Timbo Pils is its flagship pilsner and arguably one of L.A.'s most crushable beers. So much so that homebrewer clubs around L.A. often have "contests" to see who can get their own beer to taste as amazing as Highland Park Brewery's. It's become a standard in L.A. craft beer.
1220 N Spring St. Los Angeles, CA 90012
Ism Brewing ~ Long Beach
West Coast IPAs are the most challenging category to win at the World Beer Cup. This downtown Long Beach brewery took home gold for one of theirs in less than a year since it opened. It also won gold for a coffee beer and a bronze for its saison. Plus, they have free dog treats if you ask nicely. They have something special going on almost every day of the week, whether it's a special beer release, drag bingo, or trivia night. So come by any day of the week.
210 E. 3rd St. Unit A Long Beach, CA 90802
El Segundo Brewing Company ~ El Segundo
According to its website, El Segundo Brewing Company opened to make beer “as delicious as” the ones its founder drink in San Diego, which is known for hoppy West Coast beers that verge on palate-killing dankness. When founder Rob Croxall couldn’t find such beers “closer to home,” he did something about it and opened El Segundo Brewing Company in 2010. Since then, the brewery has been delighting L.A.-area hop-heads with their wide range of IPA, Double IPA, and other ales bursting with Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, and other hop varieties.
El Segundo Brewing Company also makes “Broken Skull,” a line of beer for wrestling star “Stone Cold” Steve Austin that includes an American lager, IPA, and Double IPA, and a West Coast IPA called “Come Original” for the band 311. Head over to the tasting room in El Segundo or pick up a 4-pack at your local craft beer retailer.
140 Main St. El Segundo, CA 90245
Beachwood Blendery ~ Long Beach
The original Beachwood BBQ & Brewing in Seal Beach closed in March 2020 after 14 years of slinging smoked meats and regional craft beers. They weren’t yet brewing their own in-house beers, but that changed when the owners opened Long Beach’s Beachwood Brewing in 2011, where they began making classic West Coast IPA styles and seasonal beers. Beachwood has grown to two more locations in Huntington Beach and Garden Grove, along with a “Blendery” in Long Beach dedicated solely to producing barrel-aged Belgian style beers.
Beachwood Brewing has grown a loyal following over the years thanks to their Citraholic and Amalgamator IPAs, Beachwood Blonde, and Hayabusa Japanese-style lager—a favorite “crushable” beer due to its crispy rice flavor profile. Other signature brews include LBC IPA and Knucklehead Red Ale. Visit the original Long Beach brewery or other locations to enjoy Beachwood’s more than twenty-five taps of reliable and delicious beers.
3630 Atlantic Ave. Long Beach, CA 90807
Smog City Brewing Co. ~ Torrance
For 12 years, Smog City Brewing Co. has been making some of L.A. and the South Bay’s original craft beers that have been mainstays on tap lists and retail shelves since opening in 2011. The Torrance-based brewery makes a range of beer across the craft spectrum, from light lagers and golden blondes to hazy IPAs and barrel-aged sours. Other favorites include seasonal brews made with fresh local fruit, such as Kumquat Saison, Xanabru Belgian-style white ale with passion fruit, and Mango Pango fruited ale.
Smog City’s “core four” signature beers made it an award-winning brewery. There’s Little Bo Pils, a delicious Czech-style pilsner; the robust Coffee Porter with chocolate and espresso notes; Sabre-Tooth Squirrel hoppy American amber ale; and the namesake Smog City IPA with three kinds of hops. “If we ever have to stop brewing all the others, we’ll always brew these four,” said Todd Worley, Smog City beertender and brewery tour guide.
Find these and other Smog City favorites like From LA Wit Love and Smog City IPA at one of two Torrance taprooms, at Steel Craft in Long Beach, and Glendora Public Market, or find cans at your local craft beer retailer.
1901 Del Amo Blvd. Torrance, CA 90501
Ambitious Ales ~ Long Beach
Ambitious Ales flies low in Long Beach's Bixby Knolls neighborhood, but they've been steadily rising. Last year, the six-year-old brewery won the prestigious gold medal with their "Professional Human Being" at the Great American Beer Fest in the crazy competitive Juicy/Hazy IPA category. Their tasting room has a patio and they often have collaborations with celebrated local food pop-ups like Hamburgers Nice. It's also next door to one of the neighborhood's tastiest pizza joints, and of course you can bring in a pie to enjoy with your beer because that's how Long Beach's craft beer community rolls.
4019 Atlantic Ave. Long Beach, CA 90807
Boomtown Brewery ~ Arts District
Stepping into Boomtown Brewery in Los Angeles's Arts District is a lesson in beer as a community. Their expansive taproom with high ceilings buzzes energy, especially before Dodger games. There is plenty of seating outdoors and indoors, and its "industrial brewery chic" design inside reflects the old-school neighborhood's creative spirit. We love their easy-drinking hopped lagers, pale ales, and whatever sour they have on tap. There is often a food vendor outside, too. Beyond the beer, Boomtown fosters a social environment in downtown L.A. and is always down to host gatherings, be it birthdays or unplugged darkwave punk acoustic sets. Plus, you get $3 off every beer if you are an L.A. TACO Member.
(If you are an L.A. TACO Member, you get $3 off every beer.)
700 Jackson St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
Common Space Brewery ~ Hawthorne
Drinking a beer at Common Space Brewery often feels like a party in someone's backyard. It boasts one of the best patios in L.A. there is always a food truck on deck. Their Food Fight hazy IPA is popular locally as it is among the L.A. TACO staff.
3411 W El Segundo Blvd, Hawthorne, CA 90250
Homage Brewing ~ Chinatown
Homage is your spot if you are looking for a brewery with ambiance and fresh beers that consistently deliver dank hop and funky flavors. It is its own category under "hidden romantic date night breweries." Their food is also much better than your average brewery, with mushroom sandwiches on freshly baked focaccia and fish tacos. If they have a limited-release bottle, grab it, and you'll likely won't regret it whenever you pop it open later.
1219 N Main St. Los Angeles, CA 90012
MacLeod Ale Brewing Co. ~ Van Nuys
Beer styles from the British Isles “with a California twist” are the specialty at MacLeod Ale Brewing Co. Founded in 2012 in Van Nuys, it would take two more years for the taproom to open to the public. This San Fernando Valley brewery is famous for its house-made pizza as much as its impressive range of Scottish, English, and Irish ales and lagers made with traditional English grains and hops and served on draught, nitro, and hand-pulled cask. Award-winning favorites include the Luckypenny ESB or Extra-Special Bitter, Cut & Dry Irish Stout, London Lager, and Van Ice American Light Lager.
MacLeod brews pair exceptionally well with any of their specialty pizzas, such as the Mushroom & Sage, Classic Margherita, or staff-created Steak & Bleu Cheese pizza.
14741 Calvert St. Van Nuys, CA 91411
Three Weavers Brewing Company ~ Inglewood
Inglewood’s Three Weavers Brewing Company joined L.A.’s craft brewing community in 2013. Founder Lynne Weaver and head brewer Alexandra (Alex) Nowell built their local following on the flagship Expatriate IPA and other creative IPAs that range from the juicy and hazy to the sour and dank. Three Weavers also excel with Seafarer Kölsch, a palate-refreshing departure from more hop-heavy offerings. Seafarers Kölsch is a creamy, balanced, flavorful ale/lager ‘hybrid’ inspired by the classic beer from the German city of Köln (Cologne) and makes for a satisfying choice all year round.
In 2017, Craft Beer & Brewing named Three Weavers a “Breakout Brewer,” which has grown into one of greater L.A.’s larger independent craft breweries, and their expanded operations have allowed wider distribution and collaborations with numerous breweries around California and the West Coast. They have also just introduced a new line of “NA” beers, including an NA lager, IPA, and Hazy IPA.
Melissa Mora Hidalgo contributed to this report.
1031 W. Manchester Blvd. Unit A Inglewood, CA 90301
