The Surly Goat

I love this spot. Formerly known as Sweeney’s, but still the same ownership, management, and staff. They have an excellent craft beer selection on tap (& in bottles). Whether I feel like drinking a sour, Porter, stout, etc they always have something worthwhile. Bartenders are knowledgeable and chill. Fantastic place to chill with friends and drink great beer. Their food is another plus. Best fried pickles, hands down.

You know that cliché saying that no good story ever started with someone eating a salad? Well, here at The Surly Goat, you can have some good fun even with ordering a salad because the salad on their menu comes with a funny description, as all of their menu items. A place with some humor right at the menu? I like it already!
The décor is very inviting and cool, every night except Saturday has a theme, and they even have a photo booth to add on to the fun. We came on a Saturday and it wasn’t crowded. Plenty of tables, plenty of parking. As far as drinks– I wasn’t drinking that night since I was recuperating from a previous night, and the fact that it was so fun for even a very sober person says a lot. I did try other people’s drinks, and they were delicious and strong.
My only complaint is that this place opened after I moved out of Encino. And all these years, I’ve been waiting for a place like this to liven up the neighborhood. Not cool, The Surly Goat, not cool at all.

Yummy and great ambience. Get the soft pretzel! We had to request the attention of a server to order drinks, food and the check, otherwise it’d have 5 stars.

So glad to find this bar so close to where I live! The atmosphere and staff were great. Awesome and vast selection of beers and wines. Good food-​loved the giant pretzel with beer cheese, burger sliders, and tater tots. Excited to come back for trivia and karaōke nights!

Spacious interior, friendly attentive service, huge beer selection menu and delicious cocktails. Overall a great sports bar to relax with a group of friends on a Friday evening.
Likes:
Plenty of free parking in the back after 6pm.
This place has a nice outdoor deck if you don’t feel like talking over the music.
Also, inside there are pool tables and shuffle board. Spacious interior doesn’t make you feel cramped even if the bar is full.
The beer menu is huge and some really nice new selection of beers
Cocktails like I mentioned are yummy
Service is phenomenal!!! Waitresses are super attentive and helpful to suggest good drinks based on your taste.
Food menu consists of sliders, wings, cheesy stuff, fried stuff… typical bar menu. So if u just started your 1200 calorie diet like me, skip the meal and just go straight to drinks. :p
Would definitely come back here if I was ever in the valley again!

I had the pastrami burger with egg and also ordered the surly tot both super amazing. Those tater tots remind me back when I was a kid but some days I wish I was a kid again. If you’re into craft beer this place is the heaven. Def go back soon

The food was great and the beer list was pretty impressive. Our server Alisa was incredibly personable, knowledgeable and attentive. Definitely will be coming here again.

Finally tried this place out and was not disappointed. Came early on a Friday night to get some food and the pastrami burger was so good. Maybe even better than my favorite burger place at Flemings. Our server, Madison, was awesome! Surly goat offers happy hour and pool. Will definitely be coming back! Also if you’re obsessed with Moscow Mules like me, try their twist on it called the Dublin Donkey. Yumm

The last time I was here it was called Sweeney! Now it’s been changed to The Surly Goat! Like one of my Unilocal friend Stephanie P. said it’s still the same owner just the name change. Didn’t know why the name change, but at least they kept that same awesome service, and the menu has changed as well. It’s a smaller simple menu now, but the food is still great!
PARKING: They have free parking in the back and plenty of street parking.
SERVICE: like I said before awesome.
Drinks: Beer Lover Paradise. Great beer on tap and also have an awesome list of bottle beers.
FOOD:
Surly Tots: These were great. The dish was huge enough for 3 to 4 people to share. The dish is also good for people who are vegan.
Pastrami Burger: This burger was a beast. The burger was well cook to my liking medium rare. It have tons of flavor. You have an the option to add bacon and fried egg for $ 1 each or avocado for $ 2. I opt out for the fried egg which was fried perfectly. Winner!
Surly Goat is definitely a cool place to hang out drink and grab a bit to eat.

The waiter was very helpful and attentive to my table and what we wanted. Great ambiance and music. Also, they have several tv’s in the bar area played with sports game on (#WINNING). I came for The happy hour which was great. They have drink AND food specials. They have an awesome selection of beers as well as a crazy tatter-​tot «nacho» item. I highly recommend trying it. The friend pickles are also extremely good and I highly recommend trying it also. There’s a pool table of you play pool as well as trivia games after 8pm. They also have a section for live music on certain days. If you want a great atmosphere for drinks and food after work then this is a solid place to go to. You can get good appetizers and great drinks. I will definitely make my way back here.

I’ve been here when it was Sweeney’s and for the most part, I notice very little differences in between the two, other than the super sad fact that they took off their late night happy hour which was my jam, because I prefer late night shenanigans mostly.
First and foremost, what is super awesome, is that this is a really cool sports bar that Hollywood is littered with, but that the Valley deeply lacks. Its very radical, because with the exception of The Local Peasant in Woodland Hills, there’s nothing intensely intriguing west of the 405. The ambience is very well thought out (I mean, they have the Surly Goat over in WeHo so no surprise): a lot of chalk drawings and ~calligraphy~ behind the bartenders, old beer advertisements plastered on the walls, dark leather booths with high up tables and chairs, and TVs all around, usually playing a badass movie like From Dusk till Dawn or Kill Bill, which totally enhances the experience tenfold, in my opinion.
The service is really solid. The few times I’ve been to TSG recently, I’ve had the pleasure of being served on by Madison who has it down to a T. She gets you greeted quickly, checks up within reasonable amounts of time, can answer — with honesty — any questions you have regarding drinks or food, and is just really a positive server. The bartenders themselves are extremely prompt and drinks don’t take very long, even if they’re handcrafted. Bussers are really keen on making sure you have a clean environment — while it may seem pushy to some, I totally understand where they’re coming from; there’s nothing worse than dirty dishes that have been sitting on your table for a long time.
Everything I’ve eaten at TSG has been solid too. I’m taking into account it is a sports barish place, but it’s all been great. I’ve had their mac and cheese, and I have to tell you, definitely add a fried egg and pastrami on it — first bite and I was hooked. It was so stupid delicious, I crave it all the time now. Their wings are also consistent. I’ve had their sliders when they were Sweeney’s which I also liked a lot, but I’m not sure if they’ve been changed. Fries are fries, but that can be easy to mess up. I mean, everything is solid and decently priced for the portions you get.
Drinks! I enjoy beer mostly and I dabble in a cocktail from time to time, and they’re consistent with both. My fiancé got an old fashioned here and really enjoyed it a lot — they do measure everything in it out and the best part is that they don’t muddle the orange or cherry in the drink which is such a big no no. If you like whiskey, I got an excellent Earl Grey cocktail, I think the Afternoon Teeling: earl grey simple syrup, Teeling Irish Whiskey. I’m not a whiskey person by any means, but it was so smooth and delicious I almost died. Their beers on tap are pretty expansive and you have at least a choice of 20 or so, and they vary from Pilsners to full-​on Barleywine Strong Ales.
I definitely do look forward to coming to TSG! With live music on Friday and Saturday nights, it’s really a fun place to just come and hang out with a friend and grab a drink or have the full on experience. It is definitely one of my new favorite places that I look forward to going to!

THIS AIN’T NO SURLY PUB!
Sweeney’s was the «Cheer’s!» of Encino. With super personable bartenders and servers, it was not uncommon to be welcomed with a handshake and an introduction by the staff, as well as the owner. Everyone knew their names and yours, especially the regulars. Now, under a new name, but not new ownership, Surly Goat is no different. Still servin’ up rotating craft beers and food, as well as the harder stuff, in a spacious bar with shuffleboard, pool table, and karaōke Wednesday’s.
Owner, Ryan Sweeney is no new kid on the block of Pub Ave., this Ceicerone is also owner of Der Wolfskopf and co-​owner of The Blind Monkey, both in Pasadena, The Verdugo Bar in Glassell Park, as well as Little Bear in the LA Art’s District.
Party of one or a party of 20, they got you covered; stools at the bar, half booth and high tables, as well as a semi private back area, it’s a great place to relax and watch whatever sporting event or movie on the many flat screen TVs mounted around the interior. The two-​stall ladies restroom is kept neat, clean and fully stocked. Real cute décor, I might add.
Need to fill your calendar? Here’s some ideas the Surly Goat offers:
Free pool Monday’s
Keoke Tuesday’s
Trivia Thursday’s
Photo booth always available
Many food items are rotated, to preserve the menu fresh. I’ve had their Street Corn Croquettes, Asian Garlic Chicken Sliders, Pork Belly Sliders, Pulled Pork Tacos, Tots, the list goes on and on. I’ve never ordered anything I didn’t like.
ON TAP!
Parking lot and street parking nearby. Indoor & outdoor seating, during the warmer months, brew house servin’ up tasty treats that will surely go with whatever libation you choose.
This Goat surely ain’t Surly. Super-​duper friendly staff who knows their brew and how making anyone feel at home is what you’ll find at the Surly Goat.
Check it out, you never know if a «Friend» asks, «How…you doin’?»

I gave this place 4 stars solely on their Beer and Bar selections. The food Is not so good… ok, it sucks with the exception of the tater tots… but who can screw up tater tots? Go for the beer and tater tots and you will not be dissapointed!

Honestly, it’s a great place to grab a drink, and hang. The bands are so loud — and I love loud music — that you can’t hear one word from a person yelling in your ear. I will try again on a night with out the bands that play like they’re at the Rose Bowl. Crazy… loud. People are literally running to anywhere they think is tolerable. Sorry, but it’s crazy loud. I haven’t heard one lyric clearly…

Good beer good food good service. Pluse they have fun stuff different night night. Love this spot and you will too.

It’s a nice spot, I would go back if I worked in the area and wanted a drink after work. I had the pastrami burger with the tots, buffalo wings, and fried pickles. The pastrami burger was ok, I’ve had better, theirs wings weren’t good, but their tots and fried pickles were amazing. I went on a day where service was slow due to the fact it was busier than usual, but that’s ok, the staff was super nice. I’d go back for drinks again, I’d still try other food items, just to give it another try with the food, definitely looking forward to try the loaded tots they have on the menu

Soooo… could be a cool bar. Bartenders are a bit pretentious, one of them actually pulled my date aside to criticize my whiskey choices and judged her while stroking her arm… for going home with me. (Full disclosure, I was totally in the bathroom playing angry birds during this discussion) Well the joke’s on you, Ceasar! BC she DID go home with me. And we DID have naughty sex. (Like dirty. It was amazing. She slapped me in the face and even laughed at me afterwards while I cried) As fun as my night turned out the beginning sucked because of shitty bartenders. As a bartender of twelve years… I will not be going back to this bar. Unless they hire a new staff

Tonight we walked in to this sport bar without noticing the name has changed. I went over the menu to choose my favorite Sweeney’s dishes then I realized the menu is not the same as before then I saw the new name «Surly Goat House». The new name pissed me off but our waitress mentioned that the ownership & management haven’t changed. So, basically everything is the same except the menu.
Okay, that sounds better.
We had pastrami burger, chicken sliders, beef sliders, tacos, and drinks.
Pastrami burger was the best out of all and taco was the worst.
I had Dublin donkey cocktail and I loved the strong taste of ginger. The overall taste of this cocktail was like Moscow mule.
Will come back soon!

The bartenders are great. The beer is amazing. The tableservice nonexistent.
Yesterday, I first sat at the bar, had a few samples, and settled on a fine double Bock that the bartender recommended. I ordered tacos and asked the bartender to close my tab so that I could open a new one with the table waitress, and I moved to a table. But the waitress never came. Ever. She walked by a half dozen times and not once did she even glance at my table. So she couldn’t have seen that I had no plate, no silverware, no napkin, no condiments, nothing but the three tacos the food delivery guy brought. And my empty beer glass.
While I’m at it, don’t get the tacos. They’re pretty tasteless. I ate one of them, and left the other two, along with a note that said «No service here?» I won’t be back soon.

So let me start by saying that I love the Surly Goat in Weho but this location misses the mark. The beer selection is great! The food is overall good. The atmosphere has room for improvement.
I came here on a Tuesday night, which apparently and unfortunately is karaōke night. I have now made this mistake twice. This particular Tuesday however felt like an employee karaōke party. I recognized many of the «customers» as bartenders I usually see there. They were all having a good time, screaming the songs at the top of their lungs. At one point I felt like I was in a god awful Coyote Ugly bar, as one of the girls was up on the bar dancing. They were having a blast, good for them but it was honestly just obnoxious to be around. The speakers were cranked so loud, there was no way to talk to someone who was sitting right next to me. We ordered one drink and wanted more but we just couldn’t handle it and left.
I had a similar experience when I accidentally showed up for «Trivia Night». I just feel like this location is confused. They are making desperate attempts to ramp up business but it comes across as just that, desperate. I just want a list of these «event nights» so I know when to stay away.

Great vibe! We felt very comfortable, and will definitely be returning! Great service, never had to wait, checked in with us often! We ordered a couple of appetizers… the Asian chicken sliders were yummy! We will be trying the tots next time
The beer selection was large, It would be nice to have a ‘flight’ option, to be able to try several different kinds.

At first, I was a little hesitant. However, ended up having a good time.
Food was pretty good! A little pricey for some but nothing too bad.
The beers were great! Really tasty drinks at an affordable price.
Lastly, it’s a great environment with lots of seats. Our waitress, Madison, was the sweetest.

So my boyfriend and I decided to go to this bar under the impression that it was a different bar. When we went in we were surprised to discover that it was no longer the same place he had once visited in the past. He was amazed at how much smaller the menu was and disappointed to discover that they no longer served avocado wedges. Regardless of these changes we were not disappointed. We both ordered the All American Burger which was AMAZING and not to mention how amazing the beer selection is at this place. The best part of this place is the staff. We got helped by Paul which was absolutely wonderful. He helped make suggestions and made our visit there a great experience. Super chill cool bar to have some drinks and good food. Really recommend it.

One of a kind place in this area!
Drinks: They have a killer craft beer list… seriously, can’t be beat! Find specialty brews and events from ballast point, macleod, modern times, sierra nevada, alesmith — I can drink on and on… ugh, I mean I can go on and on: P. Big whiskey list and even a delish whiskey drink on tap
Food: Wings are fantastic, burgers I’m a fan of, tater tots topped with deliciousness — duh!, I miss the corn croquettes, but that’s ok, I’m here for the beer
Prices: A bit higher than the local applebees… and thank goodness for that! There’s really no other place like this in the area and I’d rather pay a dollar or two more for a curated beer list, and no corporate happy birthday group songs
Staff: Hot hot ladies — guys, bring your friends! Definitely some cute male bartenders in the mix too ;) take a guess… cuz I’m not naming names! Seriously though, they are all knowledgeable about what they are serving you and I greatly appreciate that.
FREE PARKING behind the bar — what more could you want?!
So what I’m saying is come by and have a beer, it’s really a great spot. They have a pool table, shuffle boards, karaōke, trivia, something for everyone.
If you see me make sure to say hello! :D

By far my favorite place in the valley, and I have a hard time naming a better place in the whole city. The entire staff from bartenders to bar backs greet you with a smile and want you to have the best experience you can. I started coming here a year ago and couldn’t believe how fast they embraced me as a regular. And I haven’t even mentioned yet the fantastic beer selection! 25+ taps of almost every style you heart desires, with the staff more than knowledgable to find the right one for you. I was just there yesterday for the Playoff games and had as amazing a time with the staff as I did with those around me. Can’t recommend this place enough!

It’s Encino’s best bar — which sounds like I’m setting the bar low, but no: stack it against any of the gastro pubs in The Valley (or beyond) and you’ll be impressed. Come, enjoy.

I thought this place was great before and now it is even better! With the addition of a pool table and some shuffle boards, you stay entertained. You are also welcome to choose the music from a music player with a wide variety of songs! The beer selection is fantastic! And when I was there last Saturday, me and my large party for my friend’s birthday had THE BEST service ever! Alisa was such a doll! She was attentive and personable, making sure to get to know and remember everyone in our party’s name! I was overwhelmingly impressed by her kindness and ability to handle our large party with such ease.
THANK YOU ALISA for helping to make my friend’s birthday a complete success!!!

My go to place in the Valley for craft beer and a chilled out time. Plenty of parking in the back, good selection of beer and food, pool table, karaōke and shuffle boards what else would you want in a dive bar! If your looking for a chilled out time with a group of friends than this is the place for you.

Love this place. Really a hidden gem in the valley. Where else can you find such a trendy bar in the area to get a drink at? They have awesome mixed drinks and a beer list on tap that will make your head spin. They also have Kareoke sometimes which I’ve never been brave enough to join in on (but it looks fun). Even on a random weekdays you’ll find a sizable crowd there. The service all and all has been really good too. The place is clean, well-​managed, and a very fun hangout.
Only complaint is that they don’t take your order from the table. At least when I went there I always had to walk up to the bar.
Great place. Definitely check it out.

We love the Surly Goat! My favorite drink of choice is the Dublin Donkey. Similar to a Moscow Mule. I usually down 2 every time! Haven’t tried their beer because I’m not a beer drinker, however, I’ve heard it was delish. The food is great not your average pub food. The Corn Pops are to die for and the tacos are to die for. They come 3 to a plate and are served with on lions and pickles! Pickles… You might ask? Yes ladies and gents I said pickles! I tried and yes it is a damned good combo. Who knew. Atmosphere is fun and very modern sort of tavern style. Friendly and entertaining bar tenders and waitresses! There is a game table of skeet and offer karaōke and trivia nights. Parking is easy and behind the building. Comfortable seating for any group or party. I’m sure you’ll like The Surly Goat!

Surly Goat is one of the best craft beers bars in Los Angeles.
There’s probably only three bars in the SFV offering a selection of craft beer a beer nerd would approve of. Two in North Hollywood, one in Sherman Oaks, and Surly Goat in Encino.
If you live or work in Sherman Oaks/​Encino/​Tarzana/​Woodland Hills area this should be your favorite neighborhood bar. It’s my favorite bar in the Valley.
They get really hard to find RARE beers such as Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout Vanilla variant for example and have brewery tap takeovers such as Dogfish Head and Ballast Point where brewmasters often come to the event.
Not only do they have a rare and/​or curated craft beer selection, they also serve cocktails, and a large selection of whisky.
There’s shuffleboard, pool table, juke box with an app, and karaōke night for entertainment.
They even have a rare beer bottle share on Monday nights at 8 pm. If you participate, please do your research and bring the good stuff.
Since the bar name change from Sweeney’s Ale House to Surly Goat Encino (there’s another Surly Goat in West Hollywood), they have tweaked their menu and eliminated most of it including my favorite freshly made potato chips. In its place, they now have tater tots.
Follow them on Instagram for special events and to see what’s on tap. I also monitor the Untappd app to see what’s pouring.
All their bartenders are all really friendly. The vibe is laid back and unpretentious.
Highly recommended for friendly service and a well curated selection craft beer!