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The Abbey is a great place to pop in for a few beers and some tasty grub. It's located on Main Street, within walking distance to the Seal Beach Pier, but slightly off the beaten path. Since the area can be touristy, you'd think the bulk of Abbey patrons would be just that. However, the long counter bar section is often filled with jolly locals who, as behavior dictates, certainly enjoy their cocktails.
There's a grill in front of the counter, and brick oven, where you can watch the cooks do their work. They make an assortment of brick oven pizzas, which go well with the many import beers on tap, like the Bitburger served in a 20 ounce scooner. They also serve traditional pub grub, which is good. Go here for a laid back time, with a colorful dash of "local" flavor.
The Abbey is a good alternative to the bars further down on Main Street if your looking for good beer selection without the typical noisy and crowded bar atmosphere. Come here for Monday Happy Hour from 2pm to close and take advantage of the specials and good Belgium beer selection on tap.
I came for the raspberry Framboise and loved this sweet, juicy colored beer that came with it's correctly matching glass wear, as do all the beers on tap I believe. The bartender was attentive and allowed me to sample a few beers before making a final decision. The menu was a good selection of bar type food- wood fired pizzas and specialty burgers for slightly above average price. I settled on the lasagna special and was overwhelmed with the generous serving I received for the price. It was not bad eating and even the presentation was fancy, not what I expected for a $6.95 dinner special.
There are only two small wide screens for the place, making The Abbey more of a conversationalist venue, which is OK because the crowd and staff are friendly and easy going. With only two screens though, the decor is kind of sparse and doesn't use the full potential of this cozy atmosphere. Though it can get a bit expensive if your not on happy hour time, especially with drinks, this is a nice spot with a decent selection of food and drink to frequent once in awhile.
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The pizza crust had all the flavors and texture of a mousepad. The special dessert was a glorified and overpriced banana cream pie. The beer selection is slightly above average but uninspiring.
I will not be coming back.
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The Abbey (not affiliated with the fun WeHo Abbey), is a Seal Beach restaurant for good Belgium beer and wood fire pizza. The Abbey makes an amazingly good margarita pizza with fresh tomatoes, basil and garlic that is heavenly goodness. The crust was light and flaky, very much like the great Italian pizza I remember eating in Italy.
The selection of beers on tap are 8% of alcohol goodness too. Some of the beers here have 8% of alcohol, which if we consider the states legal limit, a bus ride or a dial a ride are in order. But I'm not gonna be a killjoy... I'm just sayin' ... a glass of 8% alcohol does me in. But getting back... Next to Beachwood BBQ, The Abbey is the best place on Main Street to settle in with your flip flops, grab a cold glass of Belgium "goodness" beer, and enjoy a slice of pizza heaven. If you're a beer connoisseur of good Belguim beer, you will like The Abbey. All the beers on tap come with matching glassware so you can remember what you're drinking as you're buzzing. Mark McGuire made this place popular in the late-90s, during his home run record. McGuire was known to hangout here. But this place is known by locals to be the place for good beer, pizza, and burgers.
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I have eaten at The Abbey probably 20 times over the past 4 or 5 years and here is my take.
Like a couple of the other reviewers, I too am a beer snob and am a big fan of Belgium-style beers, so overall, I appreciate The Abbey's very good beer selection. Most of the beers are about twice the cost (or more) of what you might pay for, say, a Guinness in a typical bar, but their quality tends to be more than twice higher... it all works out fine with me. And speaking of Guinness, another reviewer griped that The Abbey does not offer it on tap - while Guinness is a decent beer, it is far from the end all be all of beers, and remember, The Abbey orients itself to Belgium-style beers. If you are looking for a Guinness, try Murphy's, Hennessey's, etc. down the street. So overall, the beer selection gets a 4 out of 5 stars.
Now let's talk about the problem areas:
The quality of the food has declined over the past several years, and the prices have increased substantially. $7.50 for a SIDE wedge salad is ridiculous, especially when you consider that a 1/4 head of iceberg lettuce costs the restaurant $0.25 at the most, and the other items on top total another $0.25 at most! The Roadkill Nachos used to be terrific, but now they arrive as a soggy mess. The pizza used to be pretty good, but somewhere along the line, I think the kitchen has switched to frozen, not-from-scratch crust (as a couple of the other reviewers suggested). And don't even get me started about the appetizers and sandwiches, which start at about $11 and often top $13! Give me a break.
The staff: overall the wait staff, bartender and cooks are prompt and courteous, but I was extremely put-off but the owner(s) trolling around the dining area with a few cocktails in them (they were drunk, not socially tipsy) - totally unprofessional!
The Abbey used to be 4.5/5 stars in my book all day long, but after my last couple of visits, I am afraid to say that it has slipped significantly to 2.5/5 stars, and I think I might be being a bit generous.
Met up with some Seal Beachian friends for a drink and a bite to eat. Ended up costing us over $60.
They did have a pretty decent beer selection, but no Guinness on tap. Have you ever been to a pub that doesn't have Guinness on tap? Exactly.
I liked my French Pinot Nior, but my food was just okay. Had the Blackened Chicken Alfredo Pizza, and wasn't thrilled. Husband told me later the he didn't really like his chicken sandwich.
The chick at the table next to me had some kind of asian beef noodles, and I couldn't stop eyeballing her plate. Wish I had ordered that instead.
The waitress was pretty awesome (Katie... I think). She was super friendly and helpful and didn't at all seem annoyed by us annoying people.
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I agree with Nicole...my negative review was erased too! So, here it is again and it better stay here too!
I've been to this den of iniquity (3) times and all (3) under protest! Occasionally some of this crowd drifts down into The Brit in Long Beach where I bar tend with all of their Budgie leftover Gap and Banana Republic rejects. What a mess with most of the clicky groups of 4 or more huddled together trying to figure out whose credit card they are going to use to order the next round of $14 martinis from! And that is a well price! Yes, if you want to see what it's like to see how 5 people an all live in a studio apartment, live off capital One Credit cards and, feel like you are on The Borg Cube being assimilated(because resistance is futile) go here. Or, go to The Paradise or Silver Fox in Long Beach. These are nice sampler platters for the same thing! Now to see if there is something bad I have to say.....Hmmmmm?
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Everything was all good until my food came. At $12, the shrimp teriyaki bowl sat uneaten the entire night. A dish has to be pretty bad for me to leave hungry and it was. The shrimp was cheap and the sauce left all to be desired.
As a matter of fact, I bought a pre-made dinner at Ralph's the other night. It was so bad, I threw it away and ate a PBJ. This meal tasted EXACTLY the same as that $1.99 meal I threw away a week earlier. Maybe I happened to order the worst meal on the menu, but unless someone raves about something in the future here, I will not return.
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4 stars for beer selection, 1 star for mediocre pizza and high prices equals a 2 star vote from me.
I have wanted to stop in to the Abbey for a while. After a day of spending lots of money at the Orange street fair and still being hungry we decided to give it a whirl.
I do appreciate that a bar offers such unique beers as I am a beer snob. The prices are a wee bit high but you know you get what you pay for. I'd rather spend a few extra and get a great beer than five bucks and a Budweiser.
Moving on to the pizza. My husband is working on perfecting his pizza dough. He has built a pizza oven in the backyard and his crust is amazing. So when we see a place has a nice wood burning oven, we absolutely feel the need to try the pizza. We thought the dough tasted like it was not from scratch. The first bite he took I could tell he wasn't impressed. It really wasn't much better than a frozen pizza, in fact I think I can say confidently I've had a Dijourno that tasted better! Too bad, considering they've got that nice pizza oven right there at the bar.
I would come back for a fancy shmancy beer, but probably not for the food; it was mediocre at best.
I spent awhile when I first moved to Long Beach looking for a bar with good food. My search ended at the Abbey.
I would love to say that all of their food is great but I always order the same thing: blackened chicken alfredo pizza. With a wood burning stove and fresh ingredients, it's heaven.
Good beer selection, especially Belgian, though I'm more the hard cider type (which they also have). They get points for actually serving the beers in the right type of glass and letting you try any beer before actually buying it.
It's a small place so only let a few of your buds go with you.
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Excellent beer selection and cozy interior. The filet noodles were wonderful and the meat was perfectly spiced. We ordered a couple pizzas that were mediocre. There is a lovely wine bar a couple doors down, and an older movie theater the other direction. This place has been in business for a dozen years and has a lot of local celebrities as regulars. The pizzas were prepared in front of us and put in a wood oven with apple wood. One major complaint is that the tv's are small and have scratchy reception.
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Food is nothing special and overpriced. No major complaints, but we will not be returning again.
The Abbey kicks ass & I've only had a small sampling of their menu. Great beer selection & great service. I only had a soup & salad, but it was very good. My friends John & April ordered the nachos as an appetizer- but they were some sort of won ton nachos. And they were fantastic!
Can't wait to return & try more.
We usually make it to The Abbey when there's a good movie playing at the Art Theater. It's a few doors down and a great stop for a bite to eat and some really good beer before a show.
My husband really enjoys the selection of Belgian beers, as well as the beers on tap. I like their oven fired pizzas, and the burgers that we've tried have been very good. The ambiance is relaxed and pleasant, as it's on a quaint little street.
The only minus - and it's minor is the decor. They attempted to make the look like the actual interior of an abbey, but alas the materials that they used are cheap looking and instead make it look like a cheesy amusement park quality. Other than that, I like the place!
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Their Asian nachos are to die for!! I'll pass next time on the Menage-a-Trois; clumpy dip, didn't know what I was eating! The Pesto Garlic Pizza Bread was good, very cheesy! The pizza was nothing special, we had the smoked chicken sausage. The dough sounded interesting, smoked with almond and oak, did not taste spectacular. Not the best restaurant setup, it was noisy since the tables were right next to the bar/grill area. Probably would not be back other than to have the Asian nachos to-go.
With absolutely the best selection of craft beers (both draught and bottle) in Seal Beach, and a strong contender for best selection in Long Beach (Murphy's notwithstanding), the Abbey's one of my favorite places to spend a casual afternoon or evening. It always feels a little bit neglected way down on the PCH-end of Main St., and that tucked-away feeling is part of what gives the Abbey its charm.
Their food's an upscale and very good version of pub grub along with hand-made, wood-fired pizzas. (The wood-fire oven is directly behind the bar so you can watch them cook, etc.)
But it's mostly the beer that brings me here. Belgian's are well represented, and the draught selection is a huge step-up from your standard, predictable taps, featuring Bitburger, Spaaten, Hoegarden, a rotating IPA, and 3-4 other good craft selections.
Also features a respectable wine list. But note it's a beer-and-wine-only bar.
Try to sit at the bar itself, by the front window: I've done great people-watching here as Seal Beach locals get philosophical (read: tanked) while they pound (I mean, "sample") good, strong, quality beer. That earns a star by itself any day of the week. But it's always fun--- it's not a belligerent or rowdy type of place at all. Definitely kid-friendly, etc.
The bartenders are very good and easy going-- I've always had solid service.
This isn't a great sports-watching spot if that's what you're looking for, but they do have a single TV at the bar usually showing whatever major event might be on.
Highly recommended and definitely worth your time as a casual, low-key type of hangout.
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Haven for Belgian beer lovers! I had heard about this place for a long time and finally made it here the other night. Mostly I had heard of it for having Maudite and Maredsous on tap, which indeed it did. They also have Chimay White on tap, which is a mark of accomplishment, because Chimay only allows places to serve its beer on tap when they brewery has personally come to inspect your operation and make sure that everything is stored at the correct temperature, etc. Or at least, that is my understanding. The inside of the bar had a sort of industrial feel, which was a little weird, but it was OK. We got a seat, ordered some beers, and got an appetizer of grilled sausages. Our beers were all served in their proper glassware, so that is a big plus. The sausages were fantastic! They were the best sausages I'd had since the Red Lion Tavern for Yelptoberfest. Mike and Vince ordered some burgers and I got a filet mignon sandwich. I ordered my filet mignon medium rare, and our server told me since the meat was sliced so thinly I might prefer it rare, so that's what we did. Man, that sandwich was great! I didn't get a chance to try the burgers, but everyone seemed pretty happy. Good beer, good food, highly recommended!
(Beer snob note: They might lose some points by having 1 tap for Coors Light in the company of such high quality brews. But to be fair, for every one person who appreciates a rich, strong Belgian ale, there are at least 10 people who just want a light American beer, especially on a hot summer day in a beach town. Come to think of it, if I drank a Maudite on a hot day my head might explode. So it makes sense, I can't fault them for being pragmatic.)
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I'd have to agree with some of the other 3 star reviews on this one. I love pubs and craft beers, but the Abbey is pricey and the food is indeed, "bar food". Belgian ales are good. Two drinks came out to $12, $14 with tip. Good seats by the windows for people watching, good service. Nice, I just wouldn't say this place is great.
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3.25 stars - nice place to stop by for pricey beers
I like this place. It's comfortable and cozy. I prefer sitting at the bar here. I don't find it especially noisy in here and probably less so than a regular 'full alcohol bar' which this is not - just beer and wine, but it's great beer and good wine. The name conveys the many Trappist ales that can be found here - wonderful selection. The wine list is not obscure, I was pleasantly surprised to find a few Paso Robles wines and also some from other appellations in CA that I've been to. We really liked the pepperoni pizza, but the chicken sausage pizza sounded great but was just ok. The poke here is pretty good too. Very comfortable and I like to watch my pizza being made. I find the staff here pretty friendly and laid back. We have killed at least a couple hours here on more than one occasion. Being Trappist ales, they aren't exactly cheap and we found that our alcohol tab was a lot more than our food - but that's usually the indicator of a good time. Would definitely come back. It's on Main Street quite near the wine bar and the Bay Theater, before you get to Electric. If you want a regular full bar, this isn't it, but I certainly find this to have its own degree of unique charm.
I've been here twice... the 1st time I had pepperoni pizza which was really good and then I had a caesar salad which was really good.
Once I go back I might change my review to a 5 stars if I like it a few more times as much as I did the first time but for some reason right now I only want to give it 4 stars, it's lacking something but I'm not quite sure what that is yet.
Great beer selection, great turkey burgers. The wine selection is full of unknowns so I guess that could mean something. The prices are a little high. A better atmosphere would justify the prices. But really awesome food
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with a name like 'the abbey' i would have expected something.. how should i say, more belgian? (and not to be confused with the weho gay bar of the same name) i guess my assumptions were misguided. the bar food is just that.. bar food, and mediocre at best: nachos, pizzas, burgers.. bleh. true they do have some great belgium beers, but i guess i'd rather hit up bevmo or brussels bistro (in laguna) for my monk beer fix.
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the real draw for me in seal beach, as on balboa island, is the easy vibe for just strolling around (but that's where the similarities stop because seal beach has many more unique gems: a great cooking store, the lovely and classic bay theatre, some nice independent coffeeshops, the sleepy pier). the abbey is a good place to end a cold walk or grab eats before a movie next door or even sit and work (they have wifi) in the nice afternoon sun coming through the window. they're a bit confused on their atmosphere: the name (relating to their preponderance of belgian beers) and wood-fired pizzas invoke a taverny atmosphere but the clientele and most of the decor say sports bar. the result is pretty sterile, but the abbey is still a decent place for early dinner or late lunch (when things are quieter...the castle greyskull faux stone decor seems to turn the place into a reverberation chamber so it gets LOUD).
the menu is essentially dressed up (and in some cases frighteningly overpriced) pub food, so my main interests here are usually the lighterfare (e.g., a simple + flavorful ahi+rocket salad), soups (which are hearty, great on cold days) and the nice but not stunning beer collection. seriously. there are few other places around you can get chimay, hoegaarden, maudite, lindeman's framboise all on tap! appetizer or salad + chimay would probably run you close to $20 with tip.
bottom line: the abbey is short on atmosphere and pricey for what you get but if you're passing through seal beach and want a small meal with good drinks, check it out.
FYIs: tons of parking on the street and in the evening i don't think there's an hour limit. nice evening is to catch sunset down the way at bolsa chica's bird reserve eco area, then wander a bit in seal beach before a quick dinner at the abbey and an old movie at the bay theatre.
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decent tap selection (better at Beachwood, down the street) and certainly more Belgians than in most places (Yard House notwithstanding). the spring rolls, however, are INSANELY good. get them. get them right now.
we also had the seared ahi salad and the NY steak sandwich, both of which were tasty. the ahi was a little flavorless for me (and a little too cooked), but the sobe noodles and the divine sauce made up for it. the steak sandwich was also a little too cooked, but very very tasty.
nice atmosphere, good location.
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