Brass Bear Brewing & Bistro runs two locations in Santa Barbara, Funk Zone and Uptown, and both can be bought out privately for company parties, team dinners and receptions. Buyouts reach 100 seated or 200 standing at Funk Zone and up to 200 seated at Uptown. The team also caters off site in Santa Barbara, Ventura and the Santa Ynez area.
Seminars and company events
Brass Bear is a fit for team events, client dinners and year-end parties rather than formal conferences. Both locations provide the space, professional staff, food and beverages under the oversight of an events team, and a coordinator is required for full buyouts. Reach out six to nine months ahead for Saturdays and peak season, and earlier for large buyouts. Weekday and Sunday dates are often easier to secure at short notice.
At Funk Zone, the semi-private patio holds up to 50 seated or 75 standing, which suits a department dinner or a client reception. At Uptown, a private dining room, a terrace and a taproom give you several areas, and a reception for 50 to 100 guests can pair the terrace or the large dining room with a second space for cocktails and dancing. Amplified sound is allowed only in private spaces, with written permission from the restaurant.
Weddings and receptions
Uptown is the preferred location for ceremonies and receptions, with mountain views, a large terrace and a private dining room. A full buyout takes up to 200 seated, and a partial buyout up to 150 seated. Intimate elopement setups, indoors or outdoors, work for 20 to 35 guests. Ceremonies are hosted for an additional fee. Funk Zone suits relaxed receptions in its beer garden, about one and a half blocks from the ocean. Casual receptions and elopements are also possible there.
Rooms and capacities
Funk Zone, downtown, has an outdoor beer garden. A full private buyout takes 100 seated or 200 standing for a cocktail hour, and the semi-private patio takes 50 seated or 75 standing. Furniture is casual, with high-top tables, patio furniture and keg seats, and disposable plates, cutlery and napkins are provided. Full buyouts give the most freedom over seating, menu selections and outside vendors.
Uptown, on Upper State Street, has two private dining rooms, a terrace and a taproom. It provides vineyard-style chairs, 60-inch round tables, china, glassware, linens and charger rentals. Capacity figures vary by page, so confirm the number for your layout when you inquire.
Catering
Both locations serve their own food and beverages. For off-site events the team cooks live-fire, Santa Maria-style, with skewered meats and vegetables and passed appetizers. The bar offers signature craft cocktails, Brass Bear beer, local wines and non-alcoholic drinks. Menus can be customized, and a PDF of menus is on the website. Pricing is handled through Tripleseat.
Getting there
Funk Zone is downtown, near the waterfront. Uptown is in central Santa Barbara, a few minutes by car from the Santa Barbara Courthouse. The site gives no transit details, so ask the events manager about parking for your group.
