Off the Grid: San Carlos @ Devil’s Canyon Brewery

Live music, good local beer, Great trucks, great venue, good local crowd vibe, but never enough seating. OTG has this problem everywhere they go. For whatever reason people like to linger in random parking lots or cool venue’s like Devil’s Canyon.
Arrive before 6PM otherwise plan on parking several blocks away and hiking in.
A few dogs, a few families, a few employee’s stick around for happy hour, a meat market for lonely singles with zero social skills after 7PM so make sure you have 100% battery power.

Every Friday, Off the Grid occurs at Devil’s Canyon in the industrial part of San Carlos. Parking is somewhat of a headache, but possible with some driving around. Tons of people with kids and dogs. Super family friends. There are about 7 food trucks, 1 is a dessert truck. This is great for everyone. Get your beer inside and then come out for some munchies.

What makes this OTG appealing is that it’s housed in the industrial area of San Carlos. There’s nothing else happening but this food fest and it feels, somehow, like one’s special find amid all the closed-​for-​the-​night businesses. Food trucks ring a large parking lot that, during OTG, become an outside dining area decked out with loads of tables and chairs. Music is piped in through loud speakers and the vibe is quite festive. As others have remarked, seating goes quick, so come early and take a seat or arrive later and mill about. The entryway is manned by someone checking IDs and tagging wrists with paper festival bracelets for those who wish to imbibe.
The gem of this OTG experience is Devil’s Canyon Brewery, housed in a spacious warehouse at the back of the lot. The space features a stage where musicians were playing rousing tunes to a moderately packed house. Getting served at the bar was interesting. As I’ve seen in other venues, patrons tended to line up instead of stand along a fairly ample bar counter. When I arrived, there was no such line and it seemed both ‘tenders and patrons alike weren’t exactly keeping tabs on who was next. I didn’t care, to be honest; it’s not like I had a bus to catch. What did rub me the wrong way was being called ‘ma’am’ by the guy who’d served the chick who’d arrived at the bar after me. She must have looked really thirsty, but it did sort of feel like adding insult to injury. I hung at the bar, sipping my brew, and observed the same ‘tender call the next patron, who was a man, ‘boss’. I used to work with a guy that called male customers ‘chief’. He’d then rap his knuckles on the bar after giving back change. It was his signature ‘don’t forget to tip me’ move. –quite a show.
DCB doesn’t do dishes and by that I mean you’re to either bring your own pint glass or purchase (and keep) one of theirs. Not having to wash oodles of glassware keeps costs down for DCB, but is a bit of a hassle for you.

I absolutely love this OTG gathering. Large space inside the brewery with live music, and a large outdoor area.
First pour includes a glass. Subsequent pours are cheaper but you’ll have to bring your glass back. Devil’s Canyon offers up a whole set of different brews to go with the whole range of food trucks they have parked out back.
Great for kids to run around and run into you. Lots of dogs. Why are there so many dogs. I like dogs. And beer!

Beer garden + food trucks + live music! Great times always.

Sorry, but I can’t give a positive review to a place that just tries to grab your cash because it can.
You get charged $ 4 to buy a glass here (as in, the container for your beer), with no alternative. No paper or plastic cups available, and only the cheerful suggestion that «you get to bring it back next time!»
What restaurant or bar charges you for the serving utensils, cups, or dinnerware, suggesting that you keep it and bring it back to reuse next time?
A cheap underhanded ploy to rake in money. No thanks.

Man, this is a hidden gem. My office is a half mile from here and I had no idea this even existed. There was quite a turn out even on a chilly night — probably a few hundred people around 7pm. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating options and even have a few furnaces to keep you warm. There was live music both inside and outside. The food truck selection this past weekend was a bit small compared to other OTG locations, only 5 trucks (with very few vegetarian options), but the concept of combining Off the Grid with a brewery is fantastic idea (well done Devil’s Canyon). The beers are tasty. They have a policy to encourage people to return more than once: $ 4 buys you a Devil’s Canyon pint glass, then their custom brews are $ 6. If you bring you cup back, you just pay for the beer itself. They have non-​alcoholic beverages as well (custom brew root beer, though I didn’t try it). I’ll certainly be convincing coworkers to make this a routine happy hour choice on Fridays.

I give Devil’s Canyon 5 stars. And now with the addition of food trucks? Oh Whuuttt? Such a great idea.
I’ve been working in San Carlos for more than a year now, and I JUST discovered the brewery not too long ago and I JUST discovered Off the Grid last week or so. The event is only on Fridays and the last Friday is when they have the big one (1 or 2 more food truck than normally 4). They also have music playing and it’s family and DOG friendly. The brewery is open and there is plenty of tables and places to hang out.
Some food trucks that I’ve seen around is Lexie’s frozen custard, Mac N Cheese and Broth3rs. Then there’s always a Mexican food truck that I keep forgetting it’s name and another Korean fried chicken one. And also this burger food truck that had hella bomb pastrami cheese fries~~!!!
I’m not sure when it closes, but I’ve stayed until 9 and they’re still open.