Draft Republic

Tried this place out to consider it for my wife’s birthday dinner… The concept of good quick food and a wide variety of beer and cocktails is great but the organization needs improvement. Sure there are a ton of things to do for free, such as pool, darts, etc… but that can only go so far.
Considering that this place is a Cohen Restaurant, I was expecting more.
I should have considered that there was tons of parking during lunch, which in the area is rare.
The servers were very attentive but overwhelmed as the place seems to be understaffed.
There were people and parties placed in far locations throughout the place. The bar was full but probably because it was their Social Hour… same as Happy Hour.
The tables are set up for large groups, which is fine but it does tend to get very loud.
The portions were decent but very salty and greasy.
The only thing that I really liked was the Tuna Tataki. My beer seemed a little off compared to other times that I’ve had it at other places. I’m guessing the lines may be a little contaminated but only a few people would notice.
All in all, I would not come back here as there are many options within driving distance.
I think the only thing this place has going for it, is that the mall is undergoing construction so most patrons that would normally visit other restaraunts stumble here as they don’t want to go to Five Guys or Roys.

Nice bar pub atmosphere in La Jolla. Kind of like a better version of Rock Bottom. Set up with table games and all, I’m sure it’d be great for any night out.
We came in for lunch. You’ll find your typical «gastropub» fare here on the menu. Beer list is decent. Most of the table ordered burgers so needless to say, we didn’t want that much variety.
Service was fast and friendly so it was a good experience overall.

I’ve been wanting to check this place out for awhile and I’m glad I did, it’s s cool spot! It’s definitely the place to grab a drink after work if you work and/​or live in the area. I came this past Friday around 7pm and the place was packed, it slowly cleared out around 8; again I’m guessing people came at 5 right after work. There were people of all ages, including families. Children playing foozeball, groups sitting at the main tables, the work crowd standing around the bar, groups of girls, etc.
I arrived before my friend and was served a drink immediately at the bar even though it was packed. I browsed over the food menu while I was waiting and a few of the small plates caught my eye. My friend arrived and she was also served a drink very quick. We decided to find a seat, we didn’t care to sit in a booth as we weren’t having actual dinner so we sat on the stools in the middle section facing the walk way entry. The service in this section wasn’t the best, we would of been happy just going to the bar to order. A man greeted us and realized we had drinks but brought us food menus. We decided to each order the tuna Tataki which we both enjoyed; you receive 6 pieces on top on guacamole and a light wonton chip. When our food arrived we didn’t have silverware, that took about 10 minutes to come, I wanted another drink so I just went to the bar and ordered one which didn’t bother me, it was quick!
So overall, great spot with a cool vibe and things to do besides just sitting eating and drinking as they have foozeball, ping pong and a shuffle board table. I just wouldn’t recommend sitting in that middle casual section if you’re wanting attentive service. If your just grabbing a drink and don’t mind going back and forth to the bar to order then your set to go ahead and sit there.
I’ll be back and next time come with a bigger appetite :)

I really enjoyed my experience here… Joshua (my husband) and I decided to go here one evening while on our honeymoon.
They have fouse-​ball tables, a ping-​pong table, a pool table and one other game that was unknown to me.
For drinks, my husband started off with a flight which was equal to 12 oz. and then drank a few Honey Hips after. Overall, the quality of the beer was good with a lot to choose from.
For food we ordered the big sampler plate (Plate O’ Pig) that gives you a taste of everything kinda: sausages, bacon, shredded pork, toast which came with sauerkraut and a couple sauces. I had to give the Mac & Cheese a try, which was delicious. I believe it had pork belly pieces in it and came with a good size sausage link.
For dessert we had the donuts with espresso ice-​cream. Those were warm and delicious.
Great and attentive service… I believe it was Tuesday night when we came.
I love love loved the music they were playing that evening! Old school stuff like the Bee Geez, Queen, MC Hammer and a bunch of others… They even play the music videos.

Lots and lots of parking! Come early to get better spots.
I came here on a Sunday night with two other friends. It wasn’t too crowded and we were seated right away at the booth by the kitchen doorway. It was my first time sitting in one of their booths and it’s super comfortable and a great place to people watch. It’s a perfect place to get away from the other patrons who are playing the variety of games in the pub. My friend closest to the doorway felt uncomfortable that the kitchen doorway was hitting her side of the booth, it wasn’t a huge deal but just a bit annoying. Overall, it’s a great place to hang out with large groups of friends because there’s always something to do here. I noticed that there were some kids playing the games, which is an odd sight to see because it is a pub and noticing from their menu, there are no kid menu options.
My friends and I ordered the Parmesan Herb Fries, Jalapeño Deviled Eggs, and Honey Hips Beer. The fries were really good and comes in a small fry basket which I thought was cool until I reached to the bottom where I felt like getting rid of it. It also came with a garlicky ketchup which I thought complimented the fries really well. The Jalapeño Deviled Eggs were good but nothing too amazing. They have a great selection of beers and wines! I really enjoyed the Honey Hips beer, it has a fruity & hoppy taste to it. I think it’s a good beer for those who are new to the beer game. While I had a good time at Draft Republic, I wish they had more affordable appetizers as I usually do not come to pubs for dinner. Some minor issues, but overall a great place to hang out and grab a beer!

Great atmosphere here and the servers are very friendly.
I had the salmon which was really good. A little too much oil or sauce on the veggies than I care for but still very good.
I also tried the mac and cheese which was good.
I love that they have games you can play while you wait or hang out. I’d come back.

$ 9.00 for a pint of Nelson*!? (yes Nelson ‘asterisk,’ you read that right).
Beware, beer with jacked up prices. Also, menu appears to have a lot of selection, but if you keep going back, you’ll notice that it stays relatively constant. They hardly make any changes or additions and rarely rotate their handles. You’ll find all ‘popular’ beers namely Ballast’s Sculpin, Mother Earth’s Cali Creamin, and Belching Beaver’s PB Stout. But, come on, that ish gets old real fast. Minus stars for the boring beer menu.
Somehow, I know this as a popular destination for the Illuminati (aka people who work at the almighty Illumina). But, their biggest perks are the free games and large seating areas. And it’s a perfect place to plan a big gathering with the coworks after the work day. They have ONE shuffle board table (with electronic score keeping), foosball tables, table tennis, darts, and pool tables. Sure, it’s fun and free… and definitely caters to a certain crowd. I guess it has some appeal.
The food though! I had always been meaning to try the Crispy Maple Bourbon Bacon Sticks (basically pork belly on a stick), but when I finally did, I was utterly disappointed. They were so salty and greasy that it just gave me a stomach ache later. Plus, dipping it into the maple syrup just seemed plain disgusting. Not a fan. Also have had the mac n’ cheese… No cheesiness whatsoever but definitely no lack of grease. Do you see the theme here? So I’ve tried to go back to enjoy their food but to no avail…
Not my favorite place, but great for big gatherings… only go during happy hour though as their deals are pretty good.

Great vibe here. Food is usually better than average although there have been a few misses lately. Very loud when things get started & the place is full.
The sausage flatbread pizza was completely soggy & way different from the one I had 2 months ago. New guy on deck or just too busy to care?

This place is pretty damn cool. The atmosphere is loud and fun. There are plenty of tvs to watch sports and there are ping pong tables to play. I believe there is foosball as well. The happy hour is meh since its limited to about 6 beers for $ 4 but overall the beer prices aren’t unreasonable. The food is pretty good, but the hot burger is meh. I really like spicy food but unfortunately the amount of habanero and jalapeño added to the burger was so overwhelming that you couldn’t even taste the beef. The Mac and cheese is bomb, so bomb I couldn’t even wait to take a pic before eating. The fish and chips were aight but after sitting for 2 – 3 minutes, it got a little gross. The service is good despite the place being crowded.

Food was great! Very filling! Our server Anna was great! Everything was great! The fries were really good! The Mac and cheese was not the best I’ve had in my life but it was really filling. Good place!
Recommend the grilled cheese and bacon sandwich it was delicious and perfect!

Came during dinner time it was packed. The wait time was 45 minutes. We walked around the place to see if we could see any possible seats that might have opened up in the bar area but no luck. My husband and I waited though. In the meantime they have a ping pong table, foos ball, and pool table to keep occupied. All are spread out in different sections. I really like how spacious this place is, your not rubbing elbows with people. Plenty of seating area bar area, booths, bar stools, outside, we just came at a busy time. In the front lounge area they have business cards and such to learn more about their place, other good reading material. There are several flat screen TVs throughout the resturant.
appetizer: chicken wings they had a weird taste like they were stuffed with mashed potatoes or pancakes not quite sure how I can describe them. They were alright just not what my taste buds are used to. My husband enjoyed them so all was good.
Drinks: I had a bloody Mary which was really spicy, and flavorful. I’d recommend this if your not a beer drinker. My husband had the draft republic iced tea (variety of alcohol) and he was able to keep the glass.
The food was delicious. I had the grilled cheese and bacon sandwich. The bread was lightly toasted, super cheesy, and moist, not crunchy like you would think having bacon inside. It came with parmesean fries and a side salad. My husband had the draft republic burger which had the same thing. Parmesean fries and salad.
Overall experience was great. Our server was down to earth, and personable. Refilled our waters and came back to check on us. Go on and give this place a try.

Draft Republic is a pretty neat gastropub located in UTC just across the street from the mall. This place is actually fairly large and the utilize the space quite well a tad bit of an improvement over the La Jolla strip club (steak joint) which used to occupy the premises. This place actually pours some pretty solid pints and keeps people engaged with items such as shuffleboard, ping pong and pool. The food is some solid bar food with the sausage and Mac n cheese being the best IMHO. Overall, Draft Republic is a great spot to visit with a couple of buddies and throw down some cold ones.
Pros–
Location
Bar games
Beer selection
Cocktails
Food
Service
Music
TVs
Reasonably priced
Corn dogs
Happy hour
Cons–
Parking
Congestion getting into the place
Crowded

The family went to Draft Republic tonight for HH and the food was excellent. We tried just about everything on the HH menu. Our server Gary was amazing (⁵⁄₅). He told us all the really good items on the menu as well as what beer compliment what food item.
We had the following:
Tuna Tataki — sear Ahi with guacamole
Parmesan Herb Fries — hot and crispy
Burger & Beer — cooked to perfection
Buffalo Chicken Lollipops — great flavor profile with a hint of spice
Maple Bourbon Bacon Sticks — pork belly with bourbon sauce cooked crispy on a stick
Chop Chop Salad — kale, brussels spouts, figs almonds, vinaigrette
Belching Beaver Peanut Butter Beer
Every item we had was exceptionally good and our service was even better. Looking forward to my next HH visit.

The old La Jolla Strip Club (steak place)
Came here on a Friday night. and wow. were they busy.
Parking was hectic. Everyone was trying to park. Im sure Saturdays are just about the same.
Inside:
Pretty cool spot. Not bright– kinda feels like a club but with activities. They have shuffle board, ping pong and pool tables. The bar is huge. Theres alot of room in the bar area– wasnt too hard to find a spot to sit and eat. But it was crowded. My fiancée and I were able to locate a seat with a side table in between us, but it was in the in a walkway. We sat here so we ddnt have to wait the 45mins to sit for a party of 2.
They have a lot of beer on tap– Alot of craft beers from breweries. Draft Republic doesnt brew their own beers.
Food:
We had a flat bread pizza with steak on it, and it was reaally good. The host «Ben» told us that he recommended anything with meat, cause the chef is specialized in meat. So we listened, and thank god we did. Steak on the pizza was amazingly delicious.
We didnt spend too much time here, as we just wanted to grab a bite and have a beer. We would definately come back and enjoy Happy Hour and more of their food. So as of now. «So Far– So Good», we will see draft republic again!

Yes, it looks like all of the bugs have been worked out and Draft Republic totally works. Another hit for the Cohen family. Great job!

UTC has been needing a gastropub like California needs rain. I dig the setup/​layout of the space, the vibe, and would definitely recommend Draft Republic for a casual HH get-​together.
I don’t think one comes here necessarily for the food, but the food here is good enough so that your experience here isn’t ruined. Even for happy hour, I found their food and drinks to be teetering on the expensive side and the portions are tiny for a gastropub — isn’t the point for large parties to nom on beer-​friendly snacks? — but it makes the experience feel slightly more upscale.
Service is top-​notch. I want to give a shout out to Benjamin who handled our large and disorganized party that illegally took up a 6-​person booth space. He split our checks, was attentive, friendly, and on point from beginning to end.

I love how this place has a big selection on Mules. Besides the original Moscow Mule which is really tasty… The Parliament Mule (made with Jameson whiskey) was really good if you want to opt in for dark liquor. Federale Mule (made with tequila) was delicious as well. It’s a great option for everyone depending on the liquor of their choice.
Food-​wise, our group ordered a bunch of appetizers. Brussel sprouts, herb fries, tuna tataki, crispy maple bourbon bacon sticks… ALL very tasty. Perfect place to gather around and just eat, drink beer, shoot some pool, and watch any sports game playing! This place is very roomy so it’s great for big groups.

This was my second time coming here. I came for Sunday Football and surprisingly wasn’t as packed as most places which was awesome.
We had a pretty good group of people and we’re seated right in front of the TV. We came just in time for breakfast brunch specials followed by happy hour which was perfect. I ordered a bloody Mary and the bacon stick on happy hr. My bf ordered the breakfast burger which came with fries and some greens. Burger was delicious bc it came with a fried egg! I definitely wanna try the other items on the menu when I come back now I know that they have happy hr everyday!
Our server Arman was amazing. He definitely gave us 5 star service by ensuring we were well taken care of. He was quick with our orders and cleared up our table to keep us comfortable while watching the game.

I went here with my husband and a friend. I was so glad we tried this place; it might be one of my favorites now. I love that they started out by under promising and over delivering. On a busy Friday night, they did just that for us. They set our expectations at 45 minutes, and we were in a comfy u shaped booth overlooking the entire restaurant in 25 minutes. The bar was packed and looked overwhelming. However, somehow, it took less than a few minutes to have a well-​made cocktail in my hands. My husband and his friend thought the beer selection was excellent for craft beer fans. The bartenders are outstanding. They are all friendly, but fast and efficient. Sometimes speed makes for a poorly made cocktail; this was not the case at all. At the bar, we ordered the tuna tataki. It came out in about 5 minutes, and it was amazing.
For dinner, we ordered the Draft burger, blue and bacon burger and the fish n chips. Everyone was very happy with their meal. For me, The Draft burger is like an elevated In and Out Burger. The parmesan herb fries and the truffle ketchup were awesome. Everything was made with special care, not overlooking details, down to the condiments. I love the attention to detail. Great place with amazing food. I will be back.

Restaurant week is upon us! For $ 15 you too can enjoy the tastes of Draft Republic. For an additional $ 10 you can enjoy wine pairings or beer pairings with each course.
Today, I got the Tuna Tataki for the starter course and the Saint Archer White IPA. Very good pairing/​combo. Then I got the Draft Burger which was quite delicious! It ended up being like a double party burger complete with pickles and a garlic type ketchup off on the side. It also came with a side a of fries and mixed greens. Very juicy, moist burger and the cheese complemented it well. I forwent my second beer pairing as I was full but I’m sure it would’ve been great.
I thought I’d be leaving but my coworkers decided to stay behind after and we played some ping pong and pool and grabbed another beer. It was a great day overall! Cool place to hang that’s close to work and the burger was delicious!

Came in Friday at 5PM. The place was packed, which I totally expected. What I did not expect was to see only 2 bartenders behind the counter. THIRTY minutes to get a drink. By the amount of business this place seems to be doing, two persons to serve everyone is just ridiculous!!!