The very dog-friendly beer garden with fire pits and bocce courts is tucked into a cozy corner of Northgate Mall but once you find its not-so-secret location, you’ll want to stay a while. The rotating tap list currently features highlights from Adobe Creek Brewing, Pond Farm Brewing and Oakland’s Original Pattern Brewing as well as a few ciders and wines. (We’re all in on the
Summer Frosé Slushie.) Yes, you can get a veggie dog or a Greek salad but we’re betting you are here for the beer garden brat or the hot, buttered pretzel.
Though the long bar inside offers a chance to chat with the brewers, the outside picnic tables and high tops are where the action is when the weather cooperates. Kids love the cups of goldfish crackers and mac ‘n cheese while their minders are all-in on cast iron grilled cheese (made with four cheeses on sourdough) and a buffalo chicken sandwich. From German-style lager to Saisons, the beers are brewed onsite and are crafted to remove gluten for an easier-to-digest experience.
Like the house’s well-known Kiltlifter Scottish Ale, the Irish Red is similarly brewed in-house, shortening the distance between Scotland and California. The restaurant is known for its corned beef and cabbage (ask about which days it is available) and pizzas and serves up both traditional nachos and a version topped with corned beef. Recently gussied up with new lights and heaters, the beer garden hosts their epic Saint Patrick’s Day party and four-legged friends, too.
We’re not sure if HopMonk is Marin’s OG beer garden but the vibe here is legit. Live music is played on the regular, the menu includes a smorgasbord of sandwiches, salads and entrees (chili verde!,) and there is plentiful shade. Ok, that last one is not a beer garden vibe requirement. A beer list is, however. In addition to a global assortment of bottled beers, the 16 taps pull beer from HopMonk’s tanks as well as fan favorites like Lagunitas’ Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale, Death & Taxes lager from Moonlight Brewing and Pliny the Elder from Russian River Brewing.
Fresh beer to go is still a thing in cans, growlers and crowlers (32-ounce containers) but why wouldn’t you hang out for a while on the brewery’s patio? It’s part of the hurly burly at Corte Madera Town Center where the community mixes with retail and dining. The draft list changes regularly but is known to feature West Coast, East Coast and Belgian styles as well as local wines. We love the brussels sprouts and chopped kale salad but most stop by for the Detroit-style and Neapolitan-style pizzas.
An unmistakable Mill Valley vibe floats through the expansive backyard where kids zip around the trees and dads with babes in strollers sip craft beer and catch up on the latest gossip.
Everyone is eating pizza from in-house Pizzahacker or maybe a Kale Caesar salad with a gluten-free meatball topper. And then sampling another locally sourced beer pulled from the taproom’s 30 taps. When the fog breeze kicks up, there’s a TV inside where the Niners or the Giants are sure to be part of the show.
Don’t Miss: Italian Chop Salad, Inside Out Pizza; 30 Rotating Taps
Though the Santa Rosa brand’s Incredible Pale is typically in regular rotation, the tap list is updated daily for optimal fresh beer selection. That attracts the crowds, who come as much for the outdoor beer garden and cool wall art as for the tunes spilling out of the turntable (neé record player) behind the bar.
Ask your friendly bartender for a Synth Life blonde ale or Matinee Idol Mexican-style lager and have a seat. Though there are daily food trucks in the back parking lot where you can snag a Philly cheesesteak sandwich from South Street Grill or a burrito from Tommy’s Salsa, the vibe is more bar than restaurant.
One part beer garden and one part smokehouse with a dash of camper chic from the trailer that serves as the restaurant’s kitchen is perhaps the best way to describe the scene.
Big plates of brisket, pulled pork and coleslaw fit easily on the long picnic tables which are ideal for groups and families. If your taste buds are slightly more daring, try the Totchos (Tater tot “nachos” with queso, pico de gallo, chipotle crema, jalapeño) and Danny's Texas Twinkies (two bacon-wrapped jalapenos stuffed with beef brisket, smoked cream cheese, cheddar).
Their rotating tap list includes craft beer (Fog Belt Red Ale, Fieldwork Brewing Hefeweizen), wine and cider. S’mores for dessert can be savored around one of the firepits. There’s live music most weekend and weekend-adjacent days, too.
Don’t miss: Brisket, Hot Mess Sandwich, Pulled Pork Sliders
