Little Bird Brewing is the neighborhood brewery at 3176 Thorn Street in North Park, and if the name is new to you, the place is not. This is the same cozy taproom that spent 13 years as Thorn Street Brewery, one of the spots that helped turn North Park into San Diego’s beer neighborhood. In May 2025 the owners rebranded it as Little Bird, a nod to the park a few blocks away, after the separate Thorn Brewing production brand licensed its name to Latitude Brewing. Same founders, same 7-barrel system, same split-level room on a quiet residential street. New name, same nest.

The basics

• Location: 3176 Thorn Street, North Park, San Diego, CA 92104
• Founded: December 2012 as Thorn Street Brewery; rebranded as Little Bird Brewing in May 2025
• Known for: A homey neighborhood taproom, a rotating lineup of 15-plus taps, hop-forward IPAs and crisp lagers, dog-friendly patio, community events

The taproom

Walking into Little Bird still feels like walking into a neighborhood living room. The taproom is split-level and small, with a front bar, an upstairs seating area next to the 7-barrel brewhouse, and a back patio for sunny afternoons. The brewhouse is basically a big homebrew system, open kettle and all, and it is right there in the room with you. There is no kitchen, but food trucks park outside and you can bring food in. Dogs are welcome, the bartenders know the regulars, and the calendar fills up with comedy shows, birthdays, and community nights. Hours run Sunday noon to 9, Monday through Thursday 3 to 9, Friday 1 to 10, and Saturday noon to 10. It is the kind of place where you show up for one beer and stay for three.

Standout beers

• Nestor’s IPA: Named for a longtime regular, with citrus, resin, and hash aromas over a clean malt base.
• Solita: A Baja-style lager built for warm afternoons, crisp and easy drinking.
• Noctua: One of the bird-themed ales in the renamed Little Bird lineup.
• Redwood Ale: Another of the rebranded house favorites, an easy-drinking ale in the rotation.
• Never More: A bird-named beer in the current lineup, part of the rotating tap wall.

The tap list turns over constantly, with IPAs, lagers, English and Belgian ales, and a line of hard seltzers in the mix. The brewers have been adding more hops to the IPAs since the rebrand, and the rotating taps reward repeat visits.

Our take

Little Bird is exactly what a neighborhood brewery should be. It is not trying to be a production powerhouse or a tourist stop. It is a small room on a quiet street where the beer is fresh, the regulars are real, and the tap list always has something new. The rebrand could have been a sad ending for Thorn Street, but the owners kept the soul of the place intact and gave it a name that fits the room better. If you are in North Park and want the local experience instead of the 30th Street crowds, this is the stop. Bring the dog, order a flight, and stay a while.