In a heartfelt social media post, the team behind the “locally world famous” pub said they are choosing to end this chapter “with love and intention, not exhaustion and debt,” while encouraging regulars to come raise a glass many more times before the lights go out for good. The gastropub will close after its lease expires in summer 2027.
Opened in 2009 by restaurateur and brewer Tommaso Maggiore, Encinitas Ale House helped define North County’s beer culture before craft tap lists became commonplace, building an international program of Belgian, German, and specialty beers alongside a serious kitchen turning out burgers, mac and cheese, and elevated pub fare. The tiny, always-lively room has long been more neighborhood clubhouse than bar, with walls lined in beer signs, plaques honoring its legendary 80 Beers in 80 Days Club, and regulars who truly do “arrive as strangers, leave as friends.”
In their announcement, ownership makes clear the decision is not about a lack of love for the space but about the harsh realities of running a small, independent restaurant and bar in 2025 and beyond. They point to rising costs, changing conditions for mom-and-pop operators, and challenging landlord dynamics as factors in choosing to walk away on their own terms rather than be pushed out later. The post also echoes an earlier viral message from the business, reminding people that when a favorite spot closes, it is often too late to say, “I wish I had gone one more time,” and framing this notice as a rare chance to intentionally savor a place while it still exists.
Between now and the summer 2027 farewell, the Encinitas Ale House crew is asking the community to show up and help write a proper final chapter. That means grabbing one more burger at the bar, joining or finishing the 80 Beers in 80 Days Club, picking up merch and gift cards, and most importantly supporting the long-serving staff who have helped shape the bar’s personality as much as the vintage tap handles and crowded chalkboards. The team hopes to pack the remaining months with the same laughter, first dates, celebrations, and spontaneous friendships that have worn grooves into the floorboards over the past eighteen years.
Although the Encinitas address will eventually go dark, this is not a full goodbye. The heart of the business has already expanded north to Carlsbad Brewing Company, Maggiore’s brewery and restaurant that carries forward the Ale House spirit through its beer program, food, and community-minded atmosphere. The famed 80 Beers Club, rare and international taps, and the same sense of family the Encinitas pub cultivated are set to live on in Carlsbad, where ownership says there will “always be a barstool waiting” for Encinitas regulars.
The Encinitas Ale House story is also part of a larger family legacy. Maggiore comes from a multigenerational restaurant clan that has left its mark on North County and beyond, from concepts like The Public House in La Jolla to the now-shuttered Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment in Mission Brewery Plaza, all built around a passion for European beer traditions, quality ingredients, and warm hospitality. Over the years, Ale House has been a proving ground for talented bartenders and beer geeks, a showcase for hard-to-find imports and local specialties, and a reminder that small, thoughtfully run places can foster deeper connections than any corporate chain.
With more than a year and a half left on the clock, Encinitas Ale House is inviting its extended family of regulars, neighbors, and beer lovers from all over San Diego County to treat this as a long, joyful farewell tour rather than a wake. For now, the tiny pub on Coast Highway 101 remains very much alive: the taps are flowing, the burgers are sizzling, and there is still time to claim a favorite stool, share a story with the bartender, and be part of the final run of memories before this North County institution pours its last pint in 2027.
Opened in 2009 by restaurateur and brewer Tommaso Maggiore, Encinitas Ale House helped define North County’s beer culture before craft tap lists became commonplace, building an international program of Belgian, German, and specialty beers alongside a serious kitchen turning out burgers, mac and cheese, and elevated pub fare. The tiny, always-lively room has long been more neighborhood clubhouse than bar, with walls lined in beer signs, plaques honoring its legendary 80 Beers in 80 Days Club, and regulars who truly do “arrive as strangers, leave as friends.”
In their announcement, ownership makes clear the decision is not about a lack of love for the space but about the harsh realities of running a small, independent restaurant and bar in 2025 and beyond. They point to rising costs, changing conditions for mom-and-pop operators, and challenging landlord dynamics as factors in choosing to walk away on their own terms rather than be pushed out later. The post also echoes an earlier viral message from the business, reminding people that when a favorite spot closes, it is often too late to say, “I wish I had gone one more time,” and framing this notice as a rare chance to intentionally savor a place while it still exists.
Between now and the summer 2027 farewell, the Encinitas Ale House crew is asking the community to show up and help write a proper final chapter. That means grabbing one more burger at the bar, joining or finishing the 80 Beers in 80 Days Club, picking up merch and gift cards, and most importantly supporting the long-serving staff who have helped shape the bar’s personality as much as the vintage tap handles and crowded chalkboards. The team hopes to pack the remaining months with the same laughter, first dates, celebrations, and spontaneous friendships that have worn grooves into the floorboards over the past eighteen years.
Although the Encinitas address will eventually go dark, this is not a full goodbye. The heart of the business has already expanded north to Carlsbad Brewing Company, Maggiore’s brewery and restaurant that carries forward the Ale House spirit through its beer program, food, and community-minded atmosphere. The famed 80 Beers Club, rare and international taps, and the same sense of family the Encinitas pub cultivated are set to live on in Carlsbad, where ownership says there will “always be a barstool waiting” for Encinitas regulars.
The Encinitas Ale House story is also part of a larger family legacy. Maggiore comes from a multigenerational restaurant clan that has left its mark on North County and beyond, from concepts like The Public House in La Jolla to the now-shuttered Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment in Mission Brewery Plaza, all built around a passion for European beer traditions, quality ingredients, and warm hospitality. Over the years, Ale House has been a proving ground for talented bartenders and beer geeks, a showcase for hard-to-find imports and local specialties, and a reminder that small, thoughtfully run places can foster deeper connections than any corporate chain.
With more than a year and a half left on the clock, Encinitas Ale House is inviting its extended family of regulars, neighbors, and beer lovers from all over San Diego County to treat this as a long, joyful farewell tour rather than a wake. For now, the tiny pub on Coast Highway 101 remains very much alive: the taps are flowing, the burgers are sizzling, and there is still time to claim a favorite stool, share a story with the bartender, and be part of the final run of memories before this North County institution pours its last pint in 2027.
Encinitas Ale House is located at 1044 S Coast Highway 101 in San Diego's North County city of Encinitas. For more information, visit encinitasalehouse.com.
Originally published on November 17, 2025.
