Stadium Brewing, Aliso Viejo, CA
Ok, ok - I know what you’re thinking. “What the fuck is up with all of the breweries?” Stadium Brewing, Aliso Viejo, California is a gem, for its own reasons. Here’s a link to their website: https://stadiumbrewco.com/
Well, if you must know, there are very few dog-friendly places you can go in Orange County because of the food laws, and it just so happens to be a day that I have my doggo (who is cute AF, fight me). I really wanted to watch a quarter or two of the Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings game and this is one of the rare spots in Orange County with huge outdoor seating (great for a pandemic) that allows dogs. There are a bounty of TVs both inside and out, and if you stay long enough, you might just catch a buzz.
I really have to applaud Stadium. They are one of the most middling restaurants (honestly) in south county, and an even more subpar brewery. However - the endless lack of amenities and scarcity of sports bars makes this a football lovers paradise on any Sunday in the last 6 months of the year. There is never a lack of foot traffic. There is a big beautiful park right next to it with a fountain that works (most of the time). Across the walkway is a buffalo wild wings for all of you uncultured heathens like myself. All of it is a dog’s paradise. So I took my biddie there for a cocktail and a snack.
There is one thing entirely unique about this place on their menu: a blueberry lager with real blueberries and a dash of extract for flavor. It is one of the most refreshing beverages I’ve ever had the pleasure of drinking. I’ve (unfortunately) literally drank two pitchers of this shit on more than one occasion. It is the perfect porch-lounger; not heavy, full of flavor, and low on ABV. Bonus? It looks great, too. I’ve included a picture, along with a vodka soda that was sadly confused about which citrus fruit it wanted to be.
At any rate, I wanted a quiet place to write and to be able to watch the game, so there I was, also hungry. The Depression Oatmeal was real on this Sunday. I was living out of a hotel and returning to work after an 11 day scheduled PTO in which I left my ex and found myself utterly lost and confused on the day after New Year’s. I was going to have roommates the next day for the first time in over 10 years. I’d lost some good friends in the aftermath, and maybe even something more. So, naturally, I ordered Stadium’s homemade potato chips and beer cheese.
I want to say that these are easily the best chips I’ve ever had, and the beer cheese is a really nice complement. They are entirely flavored with sea salt and truffle extract, which really gives them more of a garlic flavor than anything. The best part is that you get all of the flavor and none of the gas! They were really, really good. Perfect to soak up a vodka soda and a blueberry beer while watching the Packers utterly destroy the Vikings (I’m not from Wisconsin, but am a lifelong Packers fan). They’re not heavy with oil, and they keep their crunch for at least an hour (the duration of my enjoyment). Honestly, this and the carne asada flatbread (not pictured, not ordered) are the only two things on their menu that I would consistently eat with satisfaction. If you do decide to give this place a shot - you just need to remember the following:
1. Blueberry Lager
2. Stadium Chips
3. Carne Asada Flatbread
If you do this, you might be able to stave off the Depression Oatmeal on a Sunday Funday. Hell - you might even come back. Overall, Stadium gets a 24/30 on the Depression Oatmeal scale.
I haven’t rated them higher, because some of the food items are just ok, and other than the blueberry lager, the rest of their beer is underwhelming. They get bonus points for staying open the entire pandemic and offering a bottomless mimosa brunch on football Sunday. The biggest letdown, though, is that you can’t currently order their food delivery, and there isn’t a platform (other than just calling them) to easily conduct take-out orders. However, this place is great for dog lovers and football fanatics alike - so I keep coming back. Thank you for your business, Stadium!