The new Ballast Point Brewery & Kitchen at Downtown Disney has quietly soft opened to give the kitchen and wait staff a chance to become familiar with the pub-style menu and 50-plus beers on tap ahead of the grand opening scheduled for Wednesday.
The 4,000-square-foot restaurant and bar soft opened on Saturday afternoon to the delight of Disneyland visitors and hotel guests anxious to check out Downtown Disney’s first microbrewery.
The brewpub will continue its soft opening throughout the day on Monday and during lunch on Tuesday before closing for a private event in the afternoon, according to Ballast Point officials.
Photos posted to social media showed a full restaurant over the weekend as craft beer fans sampled the many varieties of Sculpin IPA and Victory at Sea imperial porter that the San Diego-based brewery is known for.
Foodies posted photos online of the duck confit nachos ($17), California kolsch steak burrito ($18), Baja-style fish tacos ($16) and spicy Sculpin buffalo wings ($15).
The new brewpub’s 3,000-square-foot outdoor patio overlooking the Uva bar at the center of the Disney shopping mall likely won’t be very popular during current band of rain storms passing through Orange County that are expected to last throughout the week.
The new Anaheim eatery marks Ballast Point’s first location in Orange County. The Disney brewpub is the brewer’s ninth tasting room, with locations in San Diego, Long Beach, Virginia and Chicago.
The new Ballast Point brewpub is part of Disney’s push to introduce more alcohol establishments at Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will be the first location in Disneyland history to serve alcohol to the general public when the 14-acre land opens in June. Oga’s Cantina is expected to serve wine, beer and alien-themed cocktails in souvenir glasses.
The new Marvel land opening at Disney California Adventure in 2020 is expected to include an Ant-Man and Wasp microbrewery and counter-service restaurant featuring oversized props to fit with the microscopic super hero theme.
A Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer restaurant and bar serving food, craft beer and cocktails is scheduled to open this year in Downtown Disney next door to the Ballast Point brewpub.
San Diego-based Karl Strauss Brewing has been serving Red Trolley Ale and Tower 10 IPA for years at Disney California Adventure at a beer stand in the Pacific Wharf food court.