Karl Strauss Brewing

Karl Strauss Brewing is very famous when it comes to their Beer! I love their beer here, but I guess when a place has a good side, there’s always be a bad side.
Their food wasn’t that good and its a little pricey. Service was not that efficient, totally hate those staff who didn’t made any effort to attend us as customers.
Bad for Saturday night out!

The Amber is decent, but I expected more. The Chinese chicken salad was out, so I ordered the Cobb. It was missing the basil and gorgonzola cheese, and was pre packaged. Luckily the one waitress working was efficient, but overall, I hoped for more from a KS location

I stuck to the beer and avoided the food here (courtesy of Unilocal and a full-​stomach). The KS Amber was quite good, rich and hoppy. The service was mediocre… did they have a shift-​change like a hospital?

The «Karl Strauss Brewery» in Terminal 7 doesn’t deserve to be called Karl Strauss. I’m no KS aficionado, but this particular rendition of it doesn’t even carry Karl Strauss food. They serve a couple beers on tap along with a full bar, and they outsource their food for California Pizza Kitchen «ToGo» options… which are gross. The menu doesn’t warn you that you are going to receive a boxed salad that’s been sitting in the chiller all day, so when you are expecting fresh the real product is just crushing. I took two bites, and hated it. I sent it back to the kitchen, and the one waitress managing the entire restaurant floor didn’t offer so much as a discount on the nasty food.
Of all the mediocre food options at LAX, this is the worst. At least own up to being CPK ToGo food and stop charging sit-​down dining prices.
Awful. Just Awful.

The beer is fresh and yummy, but the food is le crap. Microwaved soup served in a paper cup with a plastic spoon. Don’t get too excited when you see the California Pizza Kitchen logo: this is not a CPK. They do not have pizza (which would be amazing with beer, no?)

The beer gets a 4. The food, a negative 4?
I had hoped to enjoy a decent meal — burger, spatzle, bratwurst, or similar — with a good beer before a red-​eye.
The IPA was tasty. Now I’m heading over to enjoy some fast food before the flight.

Nothing against the friendly and efficient 1/​one/​single/​solo waitress, this «shout» goes to the management: At $ 10 per beer and/​or food item, and 100+ customers consistently turning tables… eating/​drinking and then leaving to catch flights, can a second server be afforded here?
The second issue I have for this place: I’m sorry, isn’t this originally founded by a German, and if his branded brewery can’t exactly serve German cuisine… how about various European items? After all, what food goes better than a good beer that is served? Okay, how about serving a burger or pizza?
Instead, what this airport pub has decided to serve is packaged salads and pre-​packed sushi. The one item on the menu that appears to be fresh is the soup, and unfortunately they were out.
As far as I’m concerned, this is laziness. Much more could be made per customer by having a larger menu with fresh food. Because of the limitations, all you want to do is scoot out ASAP and hit Burger King.

Its a bar at the airport. Need I say more. There is hot dog/​brat place in the same space so you can get a brat and a beer. I was hungry. It was crowded and noisy.

Overall the food choices at this terminal are horrible. Furthermore, this restaurant is out of everything I wanted to order. Also, the service leaves much to be desired in that she did not refill my drink until I asked her and did not check on me once.

Pretty good beer selection and friendly bartenders. Prices are high but you’re in an airport, would you rather be sitting in the uncomfortable chairs by the gate listening to some jackass yell into his cellphone about his business dealings in Akron while some kid screams for hours while his mom listens to her iPod oblivious to the agony everyone else has to endure?

«You’re better off with the McDonalds next door.»
This is a rating for this place on what passes for food here, rather than as a bar per se.
Since this is LAX, it’s a sea of kinda crappy restaurants: Baja Fresh, McDonalds, etc. etc. I saw this place, and the sign said craft beer, so I thought, «Ok, let’s see if they have decent bar food».
Basically, everything here is catered from CPK. My girlfriend ordered a Chinese chicken salad, and it showed up in a plastic box — wilty and with all the parts made from soggy components in little plastic bags inside. She returned it, then tried to get something from their ‘sushi bar’. Same deal: Shows up in a sad plastic box, and the rolls looked *gross*.
I ordered the bbq chicken salad, and it had the same treatment. I have a higher tolerance for wilty lettuce, so I sat there picking the beans out of my salad (note: beans had no place in this salad), only to enjoy one of the blandest, most flavorless salads I’ve had in years.
I can’t really rate this as a bar, since we just had diet cokes and waters, but the cocktails advertised on the table actually looked kind of gross.
Maybe the beer here is awesome or something? Frankly, you’d get better food at the McDonald’s next door, or maybe that Wolfgang Puck place a little bit down the terminal.

Great beer, but the price! $ 9.25 for a pint? It would be highway robbery, except that it’s inside the airport so no weapon could be used.

This location definately does not mach up to it’s San Diego restaurant, but what does one expect from an airport restaurant?
Beer — Excellent!
Service — Good
Food — OK
Prices — Could be better

The young somewhat semi-​hot young man had potential… but he definately didn’t work it. Ultra Sushi caught my attnetion bot because I like sushi but because I felt like I should be eating something fresh fresh and so clean clean. But it was too early… so instead I had a Bloody Mary which cam with robot like service… drinks ere pounded into my table… which I thought was strange… don’t you care about the people that have handovers? How insensitive?!? Bloody Mary’s are WEAK… get a double!!!

Just landed in LA & was waiting for my flight to Seattle so i said to myself, man I’m a bit thirsty & hungry might as well right?
.. & I had a wonderful flight to Seattle of course.

It’s about 9:30, Monday morning. I’ve somersaulted through security checkpoints, unhappy TSA agents, and over families and couples who seem to be losing their luggage, children and patience alike.
I have an 11am flight, I’m way ahead of schedule, and my one piece of luggage for my stay in New Orleans is checked. Got everything I need, ID, tickets, passport, laptop, books (my only companions on this trip) and money. So why the hell am I so anxious? I look down at my palms and they’re sweaty and cold, wtf man?
Couples, business peeps, and other nut jobs like myself, are talking about all the trips they’ve taken, and where they plan on going next. I realize, I haven’t flown in almost three years. Damn, I’m not scared of flying, but three years will make anyone feel like they’re gonna sing the «Start Spangled Banner» during the Super Bowl half time show… while juggling… on a unicycle.
Look to my left, and I find my answer to my anxious concerns… A Karl Stauss «Mini» Brewery. In my head I hear «It’s Miller Time!» Which I thought was funny cuz I can’t stand Miller beer. But you see where I’m headed with this.
I sat at the bar and quickly made friends with Sandra, a beautiful, older bartender. She jumped when I told her I’d like a Long Island, so of course I explained the reason why. This lovely woman tells me of a drink she concocted which she calls the Long Beach Sunrise, which she said may do a much better job than the Long Island. Hell, I got an hour and a half before my flight, I’ll give it a shot.
I believe I had three…
By the end of the first I said something like «Sandra…you are beautiful!»
A couple headed to Hawaii for their Honey Moon sit on my right. I whisper something hateful under my breathe and congratulate them on their new courtship. They say they are beginning their celebration at the bar, after which I convince them that they have to try this drink, Sandra obliges them.
By the end of the second, «Sandra, you are absolutely gorgeous…»
Some cats headed to Dallas sit next to my on my left. «It’s 10 o’clock and I wanna get hammered!!» Ha, sounds like my crowd! Sandra counters, «then you should have what he’s having, they’re having it too.» I turn right to my left and mumble something like «I think one round of this drink will do it for you.» All three of them have a round.
By the end of my third round, I propose to Sandra, three times, and search my pockets for a ring that I never bought, but I was sure was in my possession. Pay the beautiful 60+ lady, and walk out arm in arm with my five new friends singing some old Mexican Cantina song, while the Dallas cats some Broadway tune, and the newly weds sang some love song, all of us off key of course.
Sandra was personable, not just courteous and friendly. This is one of those spots that works well because of location. A bit pricey, but in my eyes, well worth the pre-​flight experience. Service made the experience.
There were three very celebritous flights departing from LAX that morning; United’s flight crew can thank Sandra for that.
I remember thinking, «I can so rock that Super Bowl halftime show right now… unicycle, juggling pins, and birthday suit no problem… someone just push me in the right direction…»

A table server named Linda is very friendly and nice.
I liked the IPA draft beer.

Always busy with decent beer and lousy food but quit your complaining, you’re in LAX. Sit down, order a drink and relax.
Unless it’s first thing in the morning or late at night, the location in Terminal 7 is packed. Wait for a seat at the bar and attract Paul’s attention for a cold beer or measured cocktail. I’ll take an IPA please. If you’re killing time, visit the location at the end of Terminal 8. It’s rarely busy.
I’ve been drinking here since the late 90’s and nothing much changes. The very limited food is not very good so you’re better off at a fast food option a few steps away.
Always a friend face behind the bar and great conversation with fellow travelers on your side. I’ll be back soon and look forward to getting to know you.

Dear Unilocalers,
Have any of you ever been through an airport and come out of the experience thinking «wow, that was 5 stars, I can’t wait to get home and let the world know just how great a time I had eating/​drinking/​flying/​being cavity-​searched?»
No?
Well, me neither. I just wanted to check.
So, after being wildly misled by Google’s directions to LAX from Washington Park, I had 25 minutes until my flight on United was to depart. Of course, they wouldn’t let me check in because they have this rule about not allowing check in less than 30 minutes before the flight.
$ 75 and 10 minutes later, I was through security and got to watch my ORIGINAL flight finish boarding and take off. SCREW YOU, UNITED.
Anyway, while it was only 8:45AM at this point, I had been on a bus for two hours, ran 1.5 miles (from Sepulveda and 96^th) in 13 minutes, was sweating balls… My point is, I decided I should have a drink, and the nearest bar was this joint.
What am I supposed to say? They had a modest selection of mid-​range booze, I ignored the food entirely, and got a double Maker’s for $ 13 and change, which is actually *cheaper* than a lot of local bars. The pour wasn’t anything to get excited about, but the bartender didn’t know I was going to tip, so he had no reason to be heavy-​handed with the bottle.
Ah, sweet, sweet Maker’s. It’s a fine bourbon, and definitely took the edge off. Which is a good thing, because little did I know that as I boarded my flight, we were going spend the next hour sitting on the tarmac scratching our asses and waiting for permission to depart.
Would I come back? Well, if I’m ever unfortunate enough to find myself in LAX for longer than 20 minutes, I’ll bloody well *have* to. But as far as airport bars go… it was fine.

I’ve definitely been to better in-​airport Karl Strausses… or other similar brewery/​restaurants.
I got to hang out in this particular one for a couple hours on a Sunday Night, during SNF… TVs definitely could use an upgrade, and especially for football, I wouldn’t mind hearing Madden’s commentary during the game.
I ordered the Chicken Dijon Sandwich… there wasn’t a hint of «dijon» in it. They did have packets of mustard and mayo… but definitely not «brewery-​quality» cuisine… which I guess is expected at the airport, but not really worth the price… come to think of it, it was just a cold sandwich straight from the fridge.
Beers good though… gotta give ‘em that.