Homebound Brew Haus is a fantastic brewery inside Los Angeles Union Station serving Dodgers fans, commuters, and anyone looking for a good beer. Most people we’ve talked to - even locals - don’t even know it’s there!
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Where is Homebound Brew Haus?
Homebound Brew Haus is inside Los Angeles Union Station at 800 N. Alameda Street, but you can’t actually get to the from inside the station, which is why most people don’t know it’s there. The main entrance is located south of the Alameda entrance into Union Station, just past Union Station Square. There is no obvious sign that you're about to enter into a brewpub, but trust us, it’s just inside the tiled archway, which also had a ‘Go Dodgers!’ blue and white sign when we visited.
How to Get to Homebound Brew Haus
Since Union Station is a major hub for public transportation in Los Angeles, you can get to Homebound Brew Haus from just about anywhere in the city via the trains and/or buses. If you’re driving, there are multiple underground parking lots at Union Station. The cheapest ones are at Union Station East, off of Vignes St and Cesar Chavez Ave, which is $8 for all-day parking. You'll have to walk the length of Union Station to get to Homebound Brew Haus, but that 5-minute walk will save you from paying double for parking at Union Station West.
Pro Tip: Look at the Union Station parking map here to make sure you’re parking in the cheaper garages at Union Station East.
Metered street parking is also technically available near here, but it’s not going to be as safe as parking in one of the Union Station garages, so we don’t recommend street parking in this area.
Reservations at Homebound Brew Haus
Homebound Brew Haus doesn’t take reservations unless you’re looking to book most or all of the brewery for an event. I would think that the brewpub is most busy before and after Dodgers games, because the Dodger Stadium Express (a free bus that shuttles people to Dodger Stadium before and after home games) picks up and drops off at Union Station right outside Homebound Brew Haus. Logic would dictate that the brewpub should be busy during games, and I’m sure they are when the Dodgers are out of town, but we visited during an ‘at-home in-market’ game being played at Dodgers Stadium, so the LA market is blacked out to encourage people to go to the game in person.
Our Experience and the Menu
We started our month-long train trip using the Amtrak USA Rail Pass at Los Angeles Union Station, which was when we noticed that it had a new brewpub, so we made a note to come back and give their beers a try.
Before anything else, you have to understand: this is a Dodgers bar. It’s designed to serve fans before and after games (and during if they’re able to have a televised game on their many TVs). The Dodger Stadium Express has a stop directly in front of Homebound Brew Haus, which shuttles fans to and from Dodger Stadium for free for all home games. Since we were visiting Homebound Brew Haus during a Dodgers game, we saw a number of people getting off the bus in the middle of the game and returning to the brewpub.
As the brewery is located inside Union Station, the architecture is absolutely gorgeous. We’re both big fans of the art deco style and Homebound Brew Haus doesn’t disappoint. The main dining and beer hall is huge with incredibly high ceilings, giving the space a more airy feel. With varying levels of raised floors throughout the main bar area to the spacious outdoor seating area, the decor is marvelous. There are little alcoves of tables scattered here and there throughout the main hall and I was even pleasantly surprised by the bathrooms in particular because of the clever way they bypassed the ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ and instead use ‘sit’ and ‘stand’ written on the doors to the toilets or urinals. They all lead to a communal trough (as a sink) with periwinkle blue tiled walls, reminiscent of ‘50s high school decor.
There is a full bar and a cocktail menu, but since this is a brewery, we obviously had to try the beer. You can even see the vats where it’s being made in a hallway in the back! The beer menu changes frequently, as the beers we ordered (plus the crowler we took home) aren’t even available anymore. Not that we’re complaining; all three beers we tried were quite delicious and I’m sure whatever they’re serving now is still up to par. Their beer menu features saisons, lagers, hefeweizens, IPAs, golden ales, dubbels, quadruples, and a porter, but again, it changes constantly. We were both big fans of the Inky Oyster Stout that we took home in a 32oz. crowler (which cost less than two pints at the bar), but at the time we’re writing this, there is a Blackberry Oud Druin on their menu that looks fantastic! Beers are in pints, tulips, and goblets (clearly stated on the menu) and range from $6 - $9, depending on your beer.
Happy hour is daily from 3-8pm, plus all day on Sundays and Mondays with a few $6 beers, $5 and $6 shots, and $5 snacks. They also have a mug club for frequent patrons, which you can read more about in the next section below.
And yes, Homebound also serves food. Expect basic brewpub grub, with appetizers like nachos, chicken tenders, fries, and a pretzel, with prices that make us assume they’re big enough to share. For mains, they focus more on burgers, sandwiches, and brats, which they’ve expanded greatly over the last year. I had a very tasty burger, Phoebe had the crispy chicken sandwich, and we shared onion rings that were as big as your face. They were all quite tasty, but take note that the burgers and sandwiches do not automatically come with a side so there is an upcharge. Expect prices between $7-$15 for apps and mains, with most around the $12-$15 mark.
Homebound Brew Haus Gold Line Mug Club
Homebound Brew Haus has a Gold Line Mug Club that anyone can partake in, but there are limited spots and it’s on a first-come, first-serve basis. For a one-time fee of $20, you get to become a member, which includes a personal stein that they will store at the brewpub, your first member beer on the house, a membership punch card and pin, a $1 discount off every stein (which is a liter, not a pint!), access to ongoing club specials and events, and unique offerings as you drink your way to different milestones.
Milestones are recorded per number of liters (aka steins) of beer ordered:
10 beers - Badge for your mug
25 - Badge + Member T-shirt (design changes annually)
50 - Badge + Member Cap (design changes annually)
100 - Badge + Member Jacket
250 - Badge + 2 baseline tickets to a Dodgers game
500 - Badge + 2 home plate tickets to a Dodgers game
1000 - Badge + trip for two to Dodgers spring training + Your name on the “Hall of Fame”
And one of our favorite perks: if you’re already a member, you can get a friend to sign up and get yourself a free beer!
Our Verdict
Homebound Brew Haus is not only a great place to pop in before or after a Dodgers game, it’s a fantastic stop while you’re commuting through Union Station and it’s quickly becoming a destination spot for LA locals. The food is great, the beer is delicious, and watching baseball or playing tabletop games with friends is not a bad way to spend a few hours either.
Quick Reference Guide
What | Homebound Brew Haus Brewery |
Where | |
How to Get There | Plenty of public transportation leads to LA Union Station, but there is also affordable parking in the nearby metro underground parking structures |
Time Commitment | However long you want to hang and enjoy some tasty beer! |
Cost | $6-$9 for a beer and $7-$15 for food |
Reservation Info | No reservations |
Our Verdict | Good food, fantastic beer, and wonderful atmosphere. Stop here before and/or after taking the Dodgers Stadium Express to a Dodgers game! |
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