Potato Shack Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.9 (562) • $$

"Right off the main street towards the sough end of Encinitas, this little gem serves great food with really good service. Today i had the turkey burger and homemade fries. Fantastic and not bad for you. It is all so fresh, can't imagine how good breakfast must be... bit I'm sure other Yelpers have posted so always trust Yelp. I guess my favorite part of this place is easy parking and its quiet. Good little find!"

Bayside Bar

★★★★☆ 4.1 (29) • $$

"We were staying at the Holiday Inn Bayside. The on-site restaurant/bar is Bayside Bar. We decided to stop in for an after dinner night-cap prior to heading back to our room.First off, Bayside needs to embrace the hard seltzers. They are all the rage right now and Becky is on that bandwagon. She would have really enjoyed an Ashland on tap or even a can of White Claw or Truly. She settled for a light beer. Minus one star. Outside of the lack of seltzers we really enjoyed Bayside Bar. There was plenty of seating indoors and the outdoor patio seating was fantastic. We were with another couple and we found a great table with a firepit. It was perfect for a chilly night.The bartender and staff were friendly and engaging. The prices for a hotel bar were not too horrible.If we stay at the Holiday Inn Bayside again, we'd return to the Bayside Bar for sure."

Topside Terrace Kitchen & Bar

★★★★☆ 3.9 (104) • $$

"Thank you Maddy for making our anniversary amazing and memorable. Topside is a perfect place to celebrate a moment like this. Great service. Service is what makes us a happy customer and a repeat customer Amazing place amazing ambiance and wow an amazing menuThank you"

Topsail

★★★★☆ 4.2 (338) • $$$

"This is a must do in SD with the waterfront views and lobster tacos! I came here with a group of friends before a concert and it was a hot sunny weekend day. Multiple ppl were gathered around, and we ordered several menu items during our dining experience. Drink: Spa Day. Tasted like lemonade, and I couldn't taste the alcohol so I ordered two, lol. What we had:Oysters - Super fresh! Perfect to eat with the spectacular view!Lobster tacos - Meaty and delicious, highly recommend you order this. Brussel Sprouts - You get quite a bit of vegetables with this dish. This is shareable, and I like the crisp on the brussels.Pear Flatbread with Balsamic Vinaigrette. I really liked this because it was sweet with the pears and had some savory elements with the cheese. Pairs well with wine. Service was on point, however, when they clear your plates and you're still picking on your food, they don't give you fresh plates and utensils unless you ask. We also had to frequently ask for water for our party. Overall, I had a good experience, and you can't beat the view!"

Paradise Buffet

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (129) • $$

"I'm going to give this 4 stars because I didn't find anything AGAINST it. It's a basic style Buffett with some GOOD things so it's not going any less. Service is good, plates being cleaned up quick, place is clean, food being made & replaced quick.Now to the food.. Mongolian grill in the middle is pretty awesome for this place! Great selection & variety of food. Sushi is decent entry level but NOT BAD... better than gas station sushi... lolMongolian is what you make it...GREAT variety of ingredients from meats to veggies and everything in between. Comfort foods too, and good desert bar with ice cream and maybe even cotton candy( I don't remember) lol.Lunchtime price of $14.99 +tax os worth coming back to!"

Downtown Cafe Bar & Grill

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (363) • $$

"This place is decent and usually has live music. There's indoor and outdoor seating and a bar area. There's a good selection of drinks and a pretty standard fare of food. They have decent happy hour specials as well. The staff is ok, generally personable, but could be more attentive. You may only get 1-2 check ins during your visit so don't be shy if you need something and think they may be back. There is free street parking outside the restaurant, but it is on a main road and fills up quickly. Other parking arrangements can be difficult to find and may often involve a walk to get to the restaurant."

The Regal Beagle

★★★★☆ 4.4 (598) • $$

"I stopped into this place for lunch after stumbling upon it by chance one day and taking note. I ordered a burger, next time gotta try the sausages. My food was so damn good. They have an excellent and pretty big tap list if beers. The bartender checked on me regularly and was pretty nice. I really liked the atmosphere of the bar, it was definitely my kinda place. I 100% suggest you stop in here and support local!"

STP Bar-N-Grill

★★★★★ 4.6 (539) • $$

"This place is your classic neighborhood bar and grill with a retro atmosphere for all them motor head junkies. STP is a maker of automotive parts and tires, the aforementioned theme of the decor, but it primarily stands for "Shannon and Tina's Place", the owners of the establishment. Clever!The S.O. and I like to come here every now and then to sit at the bar and chat with the workers behind the counter. They have a small draft menu but it is well curated and full of variety. The workers are always full of energy and in good spirits which are all the indicators of a great business. For some reason, I am obsessed with their Sweet Corn Nugs which I relish alongside their massive burgers served with 1/2lb patty and CHOICE ingredients. I often am attracted to the constantly rotating choices on their Specials menu. In addition, they serve your classic American BBQ which is none too bad and are served in massive portions. They have the theme down pat and overall vibes are tremendously cheerful and genuine. They attract a mixed crowd, maybe leaning towards older patrons, the theme mighty attractive to them and likely bringing back fond memories from their youth. In addition to indoor seating, they have an outdoor patio which is very dog friendly."

Chicken Charlie's Table

★★★★☆ 3.5 (441) • $$

"Whenever I heard Chicken Charlie, I thought of the half cut pineapple with rice and chicken (Maui Chicken). Chicken Charlie's Table has always been a staple seen in the San Diego County Fair amongst others. Their restaurant in Rancho Bernardo was beautiful. It was huge, had some outdoor seating, and just a lot of open-ness. I like the ambiance of the interior decorating. The menu choices were quite extensive, and on the weekends, they have brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 9AM - 2PM. I expected the rest of their menu to be completely fried items (due to what I've seen at the fair). Which the menu did meet expectations (brunch options, family dinners, burgers, baskets, etc.), but they also offer hearty salads. Another discovery was that you get sucked back into childhood nostalgia with the kool-aid that they add in to mix with drinks.DATE: August 2023 11:30 AM for 4 peopleWe had Samuel as our waiter, but he was also working the bar. He was awesome and friendly! -My husband, L, ordered the Kool-Aid Old Fashioned, which consisted of Bulleit Bourbon, Angostura Bitters, Cherry Kool-Aid, Orange peel, and a cherry.-I went for a Citrus Fizz, which consisted of orange, lemon, demerara, aquafava.-He created the drink, the Maggie (after one of our members in the group). We did see him add in like orange juice, tito's, blue kool-aid, pineapple and cherry on top. Our food came out promptly at a good pace.They also have other interesting drinks like Anna-Elsa, The Poway Mom, Bernardo Bloody Mary, etc.The food we ordered were definitely worth their price. They were all very hearty and huge.- My husband, L, ordered the 'Chicken Fried Steak' - Tenderized Ney York steak, breaded, fried, topped with country sausage gravy, served with two eggs, tater tots, and sourdough toast. He managed to finish off most of it, leaving behind the tater tots and sourdough toast. And was complimented by Samuel that, it is a quite a feat because most patrons can't find it.- I ordered the beet salad. I enjoyed it with the crispy chicken (+$5) on the side. It was humungous. The beets were definitely big! I did ask them to remove the feta and tomatoes.- Yelper Maggie had 'The Jessica.' The descriptions was Cheeseburger Salad: chopped half-pound burger with cheddar cheese over romaine, Tomatoes, Red Onion, Crispy Bacon, an Half an Avocado. Topped with Ranch. Basically a deconstructed cheeseburger without the salad. Also hearty plate of food.- Yelper S ordered the fish n chips, which was 12 ounces of crispy battered wild caught Cod, served with tartar sauce and lemon.Our group had a nice time at this location. It shares the same parking lot as the Albertsons and a few other shops. My only complaint is the salad plating It's great to see how they display all the things in your salad. But, it's pretty hard to mix all of that on a plate. If all the salads could be moved into giant bowls, it would be SO much easier to eat. I would come again to try other things on their menu, if I'm in the fried mood. They also got deep fried oreos."

Nate's Garden Grill

★★★★☆ 4.4 (621) • $$

"The ambiance, the service and the consistently good breakfast dishes are the draw. These are the reasons I have come to deeply appreciate Nate's. I love the Egg's Benedict and crab cakes most of all, but have never had a bad meal. The restaurant prides itself in sourcing from local farms and in prioritizing organic produce and locally roasted coffee as well as locally brewed beer. A wonderful, local community vibe. You will also find a rotation of local musicians who regularly play here -- folk, blues, acoustic music, jazz and the like. And, apparently, they not only make their own biscuits, but also brew their own root beer. Yes, this is definitely the place to bring your out of town visitors. And the team is highly informative and accommodating as well. They do help you to feel right at some. Same with the patrons, for the most part. Never have I had a negative experience here, and it is overall very child and family friendly. But, alas, there are three things I see as problematic: Parking. It may be difficult. There is a small, shared surface lot that was extended not too long ago. But the lot does not at all accommodate the popularity of the businesses here. Expect to do a few laps or, if you are lucky, find a spot on the street, which is on a hill (not best for those with mobility aids). The restrooms will sometimes reek, which is a problem for the tables seated at the very back of the restaurant. It can get very hot in the summer. Air circulation is no a best trait here. ...not reason enough to miss this local favorite."

Fast Times

★★★★☆ 3.8 (158) • $$

"Sweet little joint in an area that I spend very little time in, but maybe I should!I love a bar that offers live music and Fast Times is exactly that. The sound is good, the drinks are affordable, and the place is clean. What more can you ask for? Ah, I know what else you can ask for, a nice and spacious outdoor patio to get away from the hustle/bustle inside and to catch a few breaths of fresh air.Welp, it's a bar, a good one at that and one that I'll surely be back to someday soon."

Redwing Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 4 (522) • $$

"I've been coming to Red Wings since 2014 when a queer friend introduced me to the bar. Normally, I would go on Wednesdays for their all day happy hour but I switched things up by going on Sunday to try their burger deal, which ends at 6 pm. Every food I eat here has been good - the wings, the burger and the onion rings. Service has always been friendly, quick, and accommodating. This bar is LGBT friendly, so the pour is always generous and the service polite & friendly.Price: $Recommendation: Happy hour all day Wednesday & $14 burger and beer on Sundays. I don't recommend going here on weekends because of the crowd but if you do want to get on the list for karaoke, expect to wait an hour (on Fridays & Saturdays). The karaoke list usually opens at 7 pm and they have a smoking patio as well as another extended patio that they open up on weekends. Current deals also include $2 jello shots!"

Pelican's on the Bay

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (29)

"Overpriced but the food and drinks are good enough. Friendly service from the staff. You can order at the bar and they'll bring it out to you by the pool. We came during July 4th and there were some fun entertainment."

World Famous

★★★★☆ 3.7 (2901) • $$$

"VibeWhats not to like? Seating is in view of the beach. This place has been here for a while.ServiceVery friendly and attentive. Made some recommendations.FoodClam chowder. Rich and creamy with lots of flavor. Best I have had in along time.CioppinoBroth has lots of flavor. Generous fish, large shrimp. This dish originated in San Francisco, this dish can give San Fran a run for their money.Taco Seafood Sampler Crispy cod, achiote shrimp and fritto calamari so tasty. Did not care for shrimp taco maybe it was the achiote, cooked perfectly but not for my palate.The coffee was very good.Love this place, will return for breakfast next time."

Shack Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.5 (350) • $$

"Every Beach Town has to have a Surf Theme Bar right, it's the rule! Well these guys are Killin'It!Look at photos-the spot is Uber Cool and super cozy! Patio seating,open fire pit, pool tables and great drink and happy hour specials! Kayla + Morgan= best service award! We visited a couple times while we stayed in La Jolla. Food yeah it was fricken fantastic! I ordered the Burger of the Month and I can't get it outta my head! Green Chili and Cheeses all melted over an Angus Burger and oh boy it was Delicious! Not sure how else I can portray it... just make sure you don't miss this Great Bar!"

The Balboa

★★★★★ 4.5 (915) • $$

"Good old-school bar with fabulous burgers. I saw the sign claiming to be the best burger in San Diego so I stopped by to try. It seems there is always a line for people buying take-out! Sat at the bar and had a drink and a burger! Frankly Burger is pretty good. There is only about 4 different kinds and menu is non existent! Still nice juicy burger comes your way....The only down side Balboa is a bar so expect it to be significantly louder than your ordinary burger joint..."

Cully's Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.9 (366) • $

"My boyfriend and I came here for breakfast while we waited for our cars to be serviced at Toyota. As soon as we walked in, we're greeted by a man who I am assuming is the owner? He was very friendly and told us to sit wherever we wanted. The waitresses were very attentive and the food came out fairly quickly. Overall ambience is very welcoming and comfortable. I ordered the huevos rancheros which were delicious! I chose O'Brien potatoes as my side. A great choice! Their homemade salsa is also very good! My boyfriend ordered the chili omelette with hashtowns. He devoured his food! Will we be back?? Absolutely!! If you're in the area, check them out. They are tuck away in a shopping center next to the theater. This will definitely be our go to place whenever we are back to service our cars down the street."

Viewpoint Neighborhood Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.3 (104) • $$

"Excellent food we were all hungry after a great night out!! Debbie was our servicer she was so funny we had her laughing and she had great sense of humor too!! We ask for the in the patio. It was so nice outside. Even if a few bee were present They were gone in a few minutes and we continued to have a great brunch!! It was a October morning"

Time Out Sports Tavern

★★★★☆ 3.7 (157) • $

"Awesome place to have a beer. They televise UFC at times. Cool happy hour. $5 draft beer of the day. Try the sampler plater, it's great! Bartenders especially Brittney are great!"

Abnormal Heights

★★★★★ 4.6 (32)

"Abnormal Heights is a new bar and lounge on the rooftop of a multipurpose building in the Normal Heights neighborhood. The hostess stand to check in was located around the corner on the sidewalk of Bancroft St. You can then take the stairs or an elevator to the fourth level where the bar is located. The setup can hold almost 100 customers so it's not a tiny space. The view overlooking Adams Ave to the south was terrific as you can see airplanes descending in the distance on their approach to the San Diego airport.The place is currently open from Friday to Sunday starting at 4 pm. Online reservations can be made using the Toast system. QR codes to access the menu were affixed to the tables and countertops. The offerings consisted of three appetizers, six entrees, six cocktails, three mocktails, beer, and wine. I sat at a countertop space on the south edge with Adams Ave below. The following were my selections...* Chicken Delight Skewers - grilled chicken and bell pepper and onion medley skewers with a side of herb aioli* Achiote Ember Pork - citrus marinated pork chop with achiote and chipotle accompanied by polenta, grilled carrots, and baby tomatoes* Dawn Dew (Misty Bloom) - blend of botanicals featuring floral non-alcoholic gin with lemon, lavender, and tonic fizzThere were three skewers in an order. The chicken cubes were portioned a little smaller than I have experienced elsewhere. The meat and vegetables were charred nicely by the kitchen. The bone-in pork chop rested on a bed of polenta. The pork was overcooked a tad as can happen easily with white meat on a grill. The mocktail was plain looking and didn't have any garnishments added.While improvements can be made on the execution of the dishes, the rooftop venue itself was very chill for a neighborhood hangout. There was nothing abnormal about it at all. Kudos to the manager (Josh) for taking extra steps to ensure proper customer service during my visit."

Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ

★★★★☆ 4.3 (1170) • $$

"New location but still great tasting good ol bbq meat! Very glad it's much closer so I have no more excuses to eating delicious bbq meats! Owner is very nice and friendly and takes pride in his food which is great!"

Fairweather Bar

★★★★☆ 3.9 (200) • $$

"Wow! You can't beat a place with this type of location to the stadium! The seats, service and atmosphere were so good! We definitely look forward to coming back"

Crown Bistro

★★★★☆ 4 (526) • $$

"Found this place on a whim as we woke up wanting to eat some place we've never been.This is located on a busy road but surprisingly the venue wasn't that busy. We arrived around 11 and had a 30 min wait to be seated. We didn't go deep inside but there seems to be three locations to sit, immediately outside by the sidewalk, in a shaded area between the outdoor seating and indoor seating, and then inside. Sidewalk seating had 3 tables, shaded area had 6, and unsure how many are indoors. I say this because as we waited there wasn't ANY shade to wait and there were only 2 umbrella shades for 3 tables and that could be (& was as we waited) really unbearable in this San Diego sun / heat.Once we sat down, our waitress took our order almost immediately and was nice and patient. We ordered what you see in the pics and I will say - the French toast is FILLING! Corned beef hash tasted a bit off to me...like, grainy almost, and we both didn't get our eggs cooked to how we asked but no biggie.Overall - I'd try it again because their lunch menu looked really good but overheard they only serve their lunch menu Mon-Fri.Nice way to start the morning!"

Janet's Montana Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.4 (823)

"A breakfast place that serves lunch items but breakfast is what they are known for. Closes around 2:30 PM. The restaurant is packed even on a weekday. There is a reason. The food. The restaurant itself for me is out of the way. Alpine is for most a good drive unless you live that far east. Well worth the drive though. The decor is that of an old wooden house in the country. Lots of the items that decorate the outer and interior remind me of the old west. It's a friendly, family type of atmosphere. A perfect outing for a meal with loved ones. The menu has all the hometown favorites. This was my second time here. I couldn't resist ordering the chicken fried steak. The same thing I ordered the last time. An oversized tenderized steak cooked perfectly with a golden crispy coating outside smothered in peppery light brown gravy. Served with two eggs and with some bread options. I went with a biscuit. Such a flavorful satisfying meal. No one leaves hungry here. Large portions and the best thing. Not very pricey to dine here. Your wallet will thank you. Support local businesses especially the good ones. Janet's Montana Cafe is awesome. Eat here."

Wing Legends

★★★☆☆ 3 (135)

"This place is huge, but the other side doesn't have any tables or chairs...just empty space. We ordered buffalo wings for him and lemon pepper tenders for me. The food was ready pretty quickly, except for the ribs and fries.It was nice that they brought that out to me when it was ready. For sides, we chose the coleslaw and potato salad. The wings were very flavorful and the sauce for the ribs were good too. I also enjoyed the fries as well.I didn't care too much for the sides though. We also got an Oreo and taro smoothie. Hubby liked his, but I didn't think my drink was good. The boba was also hard. I'll probably get a drink without boba next time!"

Beach Shack

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (29)

"This place is probably one of the best kept secret spots on the coast. Its right on the boardwalk in front of hotel Del. They recently renamed this place the beach shack and it litteraly is a shack they have a tiny bar seating area but more seating is available across the walk right on the beach. You cant beat the location to sit down and enjoy a beverage or 2. Martin was pouring some good drinks and the tacos were on point. It wasnt cheep but you cant put a price on that sunset location. We had a great time people watching ,eating and sipping on whiskey. Ohh its a full bar with some local breweries on tap so thats nice.They dont have set hours but they do close when the sun goes down, so plan on arrival well before sundown and you will be just fine.I will be coming back for sure very soon."

Mission Valley Breakfast Company

★★★★☆ 4.1 (410) • $$

"Gave this place a try for brunch on Thursday morning. I love the aesthetic inside. The customer service was very good. we ordered a bottle forMimosas and I got the chilaquiles. The chilaquiles were just okay. Not bad not great. But I would definitely come back to try something else!"

Desi's Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 4.4 (57) • $$

"We were here for a friend's birthday, so we were upstairs in the party room (which I think you need to pay to reserve). We figured we would be buying our dinner here, so we came hungry. I tried a couple slices of the Detroit style pizza, the all-meat one. It was very good, with that very crispy edge to the crust and plenty of sauce on top.My friend had a burger with Jojo potatoes, and I sampled her potatoes. I really like the bigger fries with the baked potato texture inside, but I think she prefers thin & crunchy.I was also very happy to see that they carry Faygo soda, which is a Detroit brand! It's hard to find in our area, and I got the last pineapple watermelon one, score!I can imagine that this is a fun place to come and hangout, and maybe play some pool. The food is a great addition. Parking is a little difficult, on the street and nearby neighborhood. But you might be able to park across the street at Liberty."

Grand Ole Bbq Y Asado

★★★★☆ 4.4 (1013) • $$

"4.5 starsCame on a Sunday to try their Argentinian style BBQ or rather grilled meats. They usually only have smoked BBQ meats but on Sundays they have an Argentine style which is unique, meats grilled over charcoal.I tried their smoked pork spare ribs, smoked brisket and the Tira De Asado (grilled beef ribs)The beef ribs were cut across the bone they way that you get Korean short ribs but thicker maybe a half inch or so. They were very smoky from being cooked over charcoal but I feel like it was something that I could come close to on my own at home. I would have preferred the regular smoked beef ribs.The brisket had a beautiful smoke ring, the parts that were covered in fat were very juicy and tender. The parts that had less fat weren't as juicy but still good. I loved the fatty parts, I guess that's a preference, my friend says he doesn't like paying for fat, I disagree, if it makes is juicy and tender make sure mine has lots of fat! I also loved the crusty smoked and heavily seasoned fat on the exterior of it.The pork spare ribs looked dry, but when I bit into it, it was super tender and moist! Guess you cant judge a book by its cover. It was my favorite of the 3 meats. Super tender and flavorful.I came as they opened and there was almost no wait and easily found parking. I stood in line to order, they gave me a buzzer and picked it up at the window when it was ready. Theres lots of open seating and a covered bar area if you want drinks too.I really enjoyed the Bbq here, I'll be back to try the smoked beef ribs for sure!"

College Billiards

★★★★☆ 4.1 (39) • $

"Came in for an evening of pool with my guy. Location is clean and non-smoking, which is a huge plus. Enter and get your balls at the bar, leave ID and pay by the hour as you leave. We played at the upstairs tables with a couple more casual couples, while the ground floor seemed to be more serious regular players. They also have a few snooker tables. Music was a good variety, everything from country to 90s hits and Marilyn Manson. Food menu available at bar, street parking is ample, not a place I'd typically frequent but fun for a night."

McGregor's Bar and Grill

★★★★☆ 3.9 (634) • $$

"this is a great place to meet each other for some bar food, a cocktail, and some games!A large spacious interior and some patio dining outside so there's lot of space to gather for either a date night or a large birthday party!Make sure to to get the potato skins, they are filling, fresh, and pair perfectly with their thick sour cream and herby ranch dressing!A wide variety of beers on tap and all the cocktails your liver could crave - what's not to love about this place?!"

Hooleys Public House

★★★★☆ 3.9 (409) • $$

"Hooleys reminded me of many similar places in many different cities and, well, it was always right here, right in the town. It has the same touch, same ambience, same style, however you wanna call it to be an Irish restaurant/pub. Menu has got all the favorites one can think of. I'd love live music if they play here. I've heard they do. It's right next to the theater and you've got all the parking lot to yourself."

Lemon Grove Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.3 (341) • $$

"So delicious! Doesn't look like much from the outside but the food and service was excellent. We will be back for more!We went at 7:45 on a weekday and everything was ran so efficiently. Food came out quick! Waitress was super kind! The restaurant has lots of seating. It was cozy and had a home feel to it. It was also very clean."

FIREHOUSE

★★★★☆ 3.5 (1532) • $$

"Dinner was delicous. Cocktails were strong and a decent price. My rolled chicken tacos $14 were flavorful and big. It came with a side of tortilla soup. For dessert, we had a pizookie type of dessert that was delicious. Service was fast and friendly. Will definitely be back."

Aquarius Bar and Grill

★★★★☆ 3.7 (80)

"Cool! It's a cool place since everything is cool about it. It's in mission bay yet one can park car without wasting an hour. At some point, you might get the Coronado feeling. There are screens showing current sports. Music in the patio that attracts the passerbys as well. Seating is plenty. Not anytime is a boring time here."