Latchkey Brewing Company

Where the village's dining scene skews restaurant-with-a-beer-list or taproom-with-frozen-apps, Latchkey commits to the brewery model — visible fermenters, rotating taps of their own stuff, and a casual hangout format that works whether you're solo with a book or rolling six deep after Costco. This is a maker's space that happens to have picnic tables, not a bar trying to cosplay as one.

The **Six Seven IPA** gets consistent shoutouts — clean, balanced, the kind of West Coast IPA that reminds you why the style started here. **Some Kinda Nice** runs sessionable and fruit-forward without veering into smoothie territory. The tap list rotates through styles most breweries skip — saisons, lagers, darker seasonals — so repeat visits stay interesting. Ben behind the bar knows the lineup and genuinely seems to enjoy talking beer, which sounds basic but isn't.

The space itself reads utilitarian in the best way: concrete floors, brewery tanks visible through plexiglass, outdoor seating that works year-round in San Diego's ridiculous weather. You're drinking where it's made, which gives the whole operation an honesty that polished gastropubs can't fake. Dog-friendly patio means weekend afternoons draw a steady local crowd — couples, small groups, the occasional solo regular with a notebook.

Parking is easy (strip center reality), waits are rare, and the Morena Boulevard location means you're likely here on purpose, not because you stumbled past. It's the kind of spot that becomes a weekly ritual once you find it — low-key enough to be your go-to, serious enough about the beer that you're not settling.