A pint glass with the Fluid State octopus logo on the sunny patio of the Ventura beer garden

Fluid State Beer Garden · Beer garden · Downtown Ventura 24 taps. Sourdough pizza. Always fluid.

California-focused craft beer, wine and spirits, organic sourdough pizza by the slice or the pie, house charcuterie and pickled stuff, all on East Main Street.

Order pizza to go See the menu
  • 692 E Main St · Ventura
  • Tue–Sun · Closed Mondays
24 Rotating independent taps
4.1 Yelp · 563 reviews 14.5K Instagram followers
Since 2017 On East Main Street
Organic Sourdough pizza

From the oven

Sourdough-iest sourdough there is.

Organic sourdough crust that crunches straight out of the oven, by the slice or the whole pie. Our R&D slices come and go, so catch them while they're here.

House pie

Dr. Pepperoni

Pepperoni, fresh mozz, roasted garlic oil and fire-roasted tomato sauce.

Zozula sourdough slice with red and yellow cherry tomatoes, ricotta salata and basil
R&D slice

Zozula

Organic cherry tomatoes, roasted garlic, ricotta salata, extra virgin olive oil and basil.

El Guapo slice with oak-grilled tri-tip, black beans, avocado salsa and cotija
R&D slice

El Guapo

The Handsome One: oak-grilled prime tri-tip, frijoles negros, salsa fresca, aged mozz, avo salsa, cotija and cilantro. Get a side of Luis' Mom's Salsa.

R&D slice

Amore Picante

Hot love: Calabrian tomato sauce, house pesto, ricotta, roasted garlic, basil, olive oil and pecorino.

Once a month

Fryburger Friday

$12

Tallow-fried burger n' fries with Cooper Sharp, caramelized onions and house pickles. Noon to 1 PM or until sold out, one per person, served as-is.

A Fluid State Beer Garden glass of craft beer on a wooden patio table
The bar

24 Rotating Taps

Independent craft beer only, from breweries we know and love, plus California wine and straightforward cocktails.

See slices & taps Order pizza to go
A Fluid State sourdough slice with cherry tomatoes and fresh basil

Our story

Fluid, as in always changing.

Fluid State is a modern beer garden in downtown Ventura, opened in 2017 by business and life partners Aaron Duncan and Jen Schwertman. Our spirit animal is the octopus, famous for its graceful ability to change, and that's how we like to run things.

The common thread is fermentation: beer, wine, spirits, pickles and sourdough. About 90% of what we pour and cook with comes from California, and our 24 rotating taps pour only independent craft beer.

Beer, wine, spirits, pickles and sourdough: we celebrate all things fermented.
Read our story

Why Fluid State

Keeping it fluid.

  1. Independent beer only

    24 rotating taps pouring independent craft breweries, from Ventura County favorites to new-to-you finds, plus rare kegs when we can get them.

  2. Organic sourdough pizza

    Our starter began with Pinot Noir grapes. The result is a crust that crunches out of the oven, by the slice or the whole pie.

  3. A patio for everyone

    Indoor seating, a big patio attached to the building and an extended street patio with picnic tables. Pups are welcome out there too.

In the news

Ventura is talking.

4.1 Yelp From 563 reviews

“Some of the best pizza by the slice (and more) in Southern California.”

SCVFoodie November 2025

“Fluid, as in dynamic and always changing, is exactly what the owners are seeking.”

Edible Ojai & Ventura County It's a Fluid State, June 2017

“With beer, wine and sourdough-crust pizza, Fluid State Beer Garden celebrates all things fermented.”

Ventura County Star Cafe Society, May 2017

Good to know

Before you swing by.

All questions
Where is Fluid State?

692 E Main St, Ventura, CA 93001, in downtown Ventura. Get directions.

What are your hours?

Tuesday to Thursday 3 to 10 PM, Friday and Saturday noon to 11 PM, and Sunday noon to 10 PM. We're closed on Mondays.

Can I order pizza to go?

Yes. Order whole pizzas online at our online store. Orders are made as ordered and ready for pickup in about 30 minutes.

Can I order pizza by the slice?

Yes. Order by the slice to try a few flavors, or go for a whole pie. The Fluid State Beer Garden menu lists our house pie and current R&D slices.

What's on tap?

24 rotating taps pouring only independent craft beer, plus California wine, spirits and straightforward cocktails.

What is Fryburger Friday?

Once a month we make a limited batch of tallow-fried burgers n' fries with Cooper Sharp, caramelized onions and house pickles for $12, from noon to 1 PM or until sold out. Watch our Instagram for the dates.

Visit us

692 E Main St, Ventura.

Find us in the historic building on East Main Street. Look for the patio and the picnic tables out front.

Get directions Call us
El Guapo sourdough slice topped with tri-tip, frijoles negros and avo salsa

Thirsty?

Pull up a bench. Stay fluid.

Grab a seat at the redwood bar or out on the patio, or order whole sourdough pies online for pickup. Pups are welcome on the patio.

Order pizza to go (805) 628-3107