All about RIIP Pizza!

Riip Beer Co. started in 2014 as a tiny garage homebrew project by brothers-in-law Ryan Rasmussen and Ryan Hopkins in Huntington Beach. They had no big plan or investors at first—just a 20-gallon brew system, a love of the local surf/skate/beach lifestyle, and a desire to make beer they actually wanted to drink. Early on they couldn’t afford tasting-room permits, so they bought a vintage 1931 Helms Bakery delivery truck and started hand-delivering growlers door-to-door. That quirky move built a local following fast. 
They opened their first small taproom on Pacific Coast Highway in Sunset Beach (Huntington Beach) in October 2015. The brewery grew from there, but the food side came later as a deliberate expansion into a full neighborhood hangout.


The Pizza Chapter: How the Food Side Started and Grew
By 2022 they decided to add their own kitchen instead of relying on neighboring restaurants. They opened the first Riip Beer & Pizzeria at 19171 Magnolia St. #12 in South Huntington Beach. The space was the former Fitzgerald’s Irish Pub, a 40-year-old local dive-bar institution known for cheap drinks, pool tables, and late nights. They kept some of that lived-in character while turning it into a 1990s-style pizza parlor: arcade games, families, surfers, kids, and casual comfort food. 
The pizza program was built with outside help. They brought in Noel “The Pizza Whisperer” Brohner of Slow Rise Pizza as consultant. He developed the original recipes and still does periodic quality checks. The dough gets a long 48- to 72-hour fermentation, then is hand-tossed for the thin-crust pies. They also do Detroit-style square pies with thick, airy crust and those signature caramelized, crispy cheese edges. 
The first location was an immediate hit. That success led to a second pizzeria in 2024 at 17236 Pacific Coast Highway (right next to the original brewery taproom). That building had been Tsunami Sushi for more than 25 years—an iconic Huntington Beach spot for dates, birthdays, and beach nightlife. They again tried to honor the space’s history while creating a new gathering place with a dog-friendly patio, outdoor bar, and ocean-breeze vibe. 
Both spots quickly became known for pizza as much as anything else. They won Best Pizza in the Surf City USA Foodie Awards (including 2025) and have been regulars at events like Pizza City Fest.


Their Specialty Pizzas and Food Focus
They keep two main styles:
• Classic thin crust — hand-tossed, longer-fermented dough, crisp but chewy.
• Detroit square — thicker, focaccia-like base with cheese that bubbles over and caramelizes on the edges.


Standout pizzas that define the menu:
• Stay Loose, Haole — their Hawaiian-style twist with pepperoni, bacon, caramelized onion, pineapple, jalapeño, garlic oil, and everything-bagel seasoning.
• Mo Honey Mo Problems — white pie with whole and fresh mozzarella, cup-and-crisp pepperoni, Parmesan, parsley, and a hot-honey drizzle.
• Home Alone — simple cheese pizza they treat as a classic.
• Riip’ing Bowls — their go-to pepperoni with extra cheese blend and Parmesan.
• Biig Red — margherita-style with fresh mozzarella, basil, olive oil, and sea salt.
• Other regulars include No Brainer (pepperoni, bacon, jalapeño), Angry Bird (chicken, gorgonzola, bacon), and rotating specials like smoked-brisket vodka sauce or Irish-inspired squares with corned beef.
They also run a solid supporting menu of pub-style food: jumbo crispy wings, garlic fries, cheese fries with white-cheddar beer cheese, pretzels with beer cheese, mozzarella sticks, Caesar and wedge salads, smash burgers, pastrami sandwiches, grilled cheese, and desserts such as the Monster Brookie from a local Huntington Beach bakery. Limited vegan options (including a vegan Detroit square) exist, and they do pizza flights so people can try multiple styles. 
The overall feel they chased was the neighborhood pizza parlor of the 1990s—unpretentious, loud in a good way, arcade machines, and a place where anyone from families to beer fans could walk in and stay awhile. The two pizzerias now sit in historic local buildings and have become part of Huntington Beach’s everyday hangout map.

Beyond the pizzas, Riip Beer & Pizzeria leans into shareable, comfort-food pub fare that fits the casual 90s pizza-parlor vibe. Here’s a clearer look at the non-pizza side of the menu (items can vary slightly by location or day, and prices are approximate based on current online ordering).


Appetizers & Sides
These are the biggest hits for sharing:
• Wings — Crispy jumbo fried wings, available wet or dry. Popular sauces/rubs include Buffalo Habanero, Sweet Chili Habanero, Maui Waui Hawaiian, Nashville Hot dry rub, Sweet Texas dry rub, or plain/naked. Served with Riip’in ranch or blue cheese. Reviewers often call these standout. 
• Fries — Plain crispy fries, Garlic Fries (garlic oil, Parmesan, parsley + garlic aioli), Cheese Fries (smothered in white cheddar beer cheese + Parmesan), Truffle Fries, and even Pizza Fries (topped with pizza toppings).
• Pretzels & Cheese — Soft warm pretzel sticks with white cheddar beer cheese and pale ale honey mustard.
• Mozzarella Sticks — Beer-battered with crispy panko, Parmesan, and herbs; served with fire-roasted pizza sauce.
• Mac & Cheese — Cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
• Meatballs & Spicy Vodka Sauce — House meatballs (brisket, short rib, chuck, and pork shoulder blend) in spicy vodka sauce with Parmesan.
• Criispy Brussels & Bacon — Brussels sprouts with bacon, balsamic glaze, and Parmesan.
• Detroit Cheesy Garlic Nugs — Pieces of Detroit-style crust loaded with mozzarella, cheddar, provolone, and garlic oil, with pizza sauce for dipping.
• Pickled Eggs (or Pickled Deviled Eggs) — Served with pretzel sticks and hot chilies.
• Bread, Butter & Honey — House-made bread with whipped butter and hot honey.
• Creamy Tomato Basil Soup — California-grown tomatoes, fresh basil, Parmesan, with house-baked bread (more common at the Magnolia location).


Salads
• Caesar — Chopped romaine, Caesar dressing, heirloom cherry tomatoes, Parmesan, and everything-bagel seasoning.
• Wedge — Mini romaine halved with blue cheese dressing, gorgonzola, bacon, pickled egg, roasted heirloom tomatoes, red onion, and cracked pepper.
• Garden — Romaine, arugula, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion with dressing on the side.
• Anti-Antipasto — A loaded chopped salad with crispy pepperoni, bacon, fresh mozzarella, pickled egg, tomatoes, olives, pickled red onion, banana peppers, and Parmesan.
Sandwiches, Burgers & Bigger Bites
• Riip’n Smash Burger — Double patty of brisket/short rib/chuck blend with American cheese on a soft potato bun, pickles, and burger sauce. Frequently praised.
• Pastrami Sandwich.
• Where’d You Get That Chee Danny? — Grilled cheese.
• Riip’d Dawg — Hot dog.
• Charcuterie-style boards such as Ain’t Easy Being Cheesy (cheese-focused with honeycomb, nuts, dried fruit, etc.) and Cheesed to Meat You (meat-and-cheese board sometimes served on a skateboard deck).


Desserts
• Monster Brookie — A brownie + chocolate-chip cookie hybrid from the local Huntington Beach bakery Monster Muffin’s.
• Occasional soda floats.
The overall food style is straightforward, high-quality comfort with a few creative twists (hot honey everywhere, everything-bagel seasoning, beer cheese, Detroit-crust “nugs”). Wings, garlic/cheese fries, pretzels, and the smash burger get the most consistent love alongside the pizzas. Both the South HB (Magnolia) and PCH locations carry essentially the same food program, with the PCH spot sitting right next to the original brewery taproom.

Borrowing is viewed as a loss of freedom.