ManyFriends Brewing Company

My partner and I stopped at Many Friends yesterday on our way home from San Jose. This was the 90th unique brewery we've visited together, and it didn't disappoint. As soon as we walked in, I was impressed by how friendly, colorful, and welcoming the space felt. This isn't a large, noisy brewery with lots of food, loud music, and a playroom for the kids- it's cozy, chill, and down-to-earth.And, how could we resist being welcomed with a bowl of good old-fashioned peanuts in the shell? Plus, should be inclined, they offer beer floats with the best ice cream in area (Marianne's).We sat at the bar where Ted was more than happy to hand out samples and talk about the space, the beers, and everything brewing. We had an absolutely delightful time.Thanks for the great brews and taking the time to get to know your many friends (customers).

We have visited the establishment many times with and without children ( when we came the first time we called ahead to ask if kids were okay to bring to which he said YES) but what a horrible experience today. Whats even worse is when I voiced concern over how we were treated the owner said to me and I quote "I don't need your type of clientele in my establishment" What type of clientele you ask : women with kids that were sitting and talking with the adults and playing games that the establishment had in house. Why do I think it was women with children: my friend did not have her husband present and she was asked to walk outside as the owner said " the current volume of the kids is okay now but in my experience after 10-15 minutes if it raises anymore it won't be"Fun fact ladies husbands have brought same kids to establishment and where Never asked to go outside with owner to speak about volume nor was anything ever said. One other patron was in the establishment the whole duration of the visit and clearly friends of owner as they chatted for the whole time. If you don't want kids in the establishment then just say so. To say that " I don't need your type of clientele in my establishment" made me pauses as I realized I do not have to support a business that is run by a male with misogynistic views! Lots of great establishments around I recommend boycotting this one

"Oh Brave New World that has such People in it," I exclaimed as I drove into this cute town. By accident, I happened to park directly outside this little brewery. My car is smarter than me, and always knows how to find the local brewery.Street parking can be tight, but there are parking lots close by. Of course, parking is free. The brewery is on a cute street, and after your beer you can stroll around checking out the shops.Wow, what a treat! The interior is cleverly designed in an eclectic fashion. There is a jigsaw puzzle, piano, and of course, darts. There are also cute messages written on the wall. I'm not sure if patrons are supposed to add new, custom messages to the montage.The beer selections are clearly marked to the left side of the bar. I settled for a Czech pilsner, which was just perfect.The owner, Ted, gave me a history of this brewery, which has been open about a year. Everything sold here is made right at this location. You can easily see the brewing tanks right from the bar. If you join the beer club, you can get discounts on beer.Don't miss all the cute flags on the walls. If you're a good customer, the owner might explain which countries have flags that are not rectangles. This is really a hidden gem. I had a wonderful experience and look forward to visiting again.

This isn't really a "Brewing Company" or even a brewpub. It's a cute space in downtown Saratoga opened by a home brewer who had enough money to "go pro" and offer his beers to the public. The vibe is friendly and local, and you will be served by the owner, Ted, who appears to be the only employee. As a part-time homebrewer, I can appreciate how much time and love he has put into his business.Decor: rec-room meets business cafeteria, with some couches, tables, and a short bar. Its inviting enough, but I wouldn't call it "warm" either. There are various board games scattered about for the patrons. All customers are given a bowl of peanuts when they sit down (Love that!)I've been to MF twice now, both after nearby hikes. The first was with a small group of friends last winter; we had a short visit but a nice time. On the second trip I came here solo in the summer; I chatted with some locals at the bar. There is no food here other than snacks, but there is a lengthy beer list on the wall. As for the beers themselves, they were...just OK. My favorites so far have been the Pretty Purple Porter and the Spaceballs Schwarzbier (both 3.5*). The Pale Ale was OK (3*), as was the West Coast IPA (3*) on my first visit. But on my second trip the same IPA was downright awful. As in: something had definitely gone wrong somewhere in the process. There was a strong chemical/petroleum odor in the nose and an odd, sour off-note in the flavor. I only finished about a third of my taster (part of a beer flight).Which brings me to my other issue with ManyFriends: It's a little too personal. How could I tell the owner that one of this beers was BAD that day? It's his recipe, his brewing, and obviously his passion. So I didn't mention it. (At a regular brewpub I could just send it back without hurting the server's feelings).Despite this, I like the idea of ManyFriends and I wish Ted luck. The current 4.5 star rating, however, is ridiculous...even for Yelp. So I'm doing my part to offset all the people who seem to think it ranks with the best brewpubs ever.

Nestled in the middle of downtown Saratoga is a cozy brewery, I popped in on my way to Mountain Winery. The vibe is almost like being in the owners living room, the owner is super welcoming and I sat at the bar where I was greeted and given peanuts. They were celebrating Oktoberfest where they had pretzels, Brats and an accordion player. Also the bar staff were wearing traditional German outfits, they looked great! They're celebrating their two year anniversary and here's to many more - PROST!

Great beer and really fun atmosphere. Owner is the brewmaster and fun to chat with about his newest creations.

Yes thank you Saratoga, ManyFriends is THE brewspace we needed.Downtown Saratoga is notorious for only letting in certain establishments. You can count on Saratoga to never say yes to fast food, chain restaurants, and the like. ManyFriends also has a unique and homey vibe that fits right in to this relaxed downtown. Parking is along the street, behind the businesses (lots of parking lot space) or in many of the other smaller streets.The gentleman who runs it also brews the beers. He's so friendly, welcoming, and eclectic...just like the collection of decor he has in the brewery. If you look one direction there's an antique piano, and in another direction there's a bunch of vintage paintings. The best part is that everybody gets a bowl of peanuts (peel them yourself), and that dogs are allowed--and he even has treats to give to the pups! There's a lot of indoor seating arranged at the bar or throughout the brew space.The beer menu is fantastic. There is literally something for everyone...and such unique beers like their fig stout, summer saison, altbiers and witbiers. I am not a stout person, but with the changing weather and how cold it's been getting...I was definitely loving the fig stout. It had a slight sweet taste without it being overbearing. Their fur of the cat "hazy IPA" was deliciously juicy too. I was glad I got a flight. They rotate their taps often, so that just makes me want to go back soon. ManyFriends is a great place to gather with friends, and there are some board games too. Seems like such a fun place to gather without the pomp and bouuuug that often plagues the Saratoga/LG scene. Will 100% be back

Tucked in the cute little downtown Saratoga is this unpretentious brewery with such an inviting name, which may be mistaken for some other type of eatery or a place of family reunion. Open and airy. Today, the owner seems to be getting ready for St. Patrick's Day, wearing greens and the hat, looking unintentionally cute. I should add that they have Irish music radio on, too. Fantastic! So caring and attentive. Mixed style of furniture and a piano make me wonder what fun stuff could take place once the sun goes down. I was planning to have a pint of hazy IPA. Unfortunately, they don't have it. But the owner kindly mixed two different IPA's for me to taste. I ended up ordering their West Coast IPA, which was equally good as my imaginary hazy IPA. I will come back here for the beer and lounging experience, which is desperately needed and appreciated in the Bay Area.

This place absolutely rocks! A chill, friendly atmosphere. Spacious interior. Truly, the best porter I have ever had; the Pretty Purple Porter is a strong recommend. Outstanding establishment.

Great Service by TedThis is a place where everybody knows your name!Ambiance is optimum. Thank you for opening this place Ted!