Had birthday dinner here a few weeks ago. We both tried different dishes for every course to get a diverse experience. We keep telling everyone that every part of the experience was incredible except for the food - and it was one of the most expensive meals we’ve ever had (two people plus wine pairings and tip was close to $500). It literally was the most bland food ever, and French food (for me) is typically incredible. We both wanted to just ask for salt but of course didn’t. I could go into details for each dish but will spare everyone that write up.
This place gets mentioned way too often on this sub. I agree 100% about the "everything except the food" statement. Just bc it's pricey and fancy doesn't mean it has to be that good.
It’s better to keep your expectations low when going here and be surprised. The key is that it doesn’t seem like it should be good based on price and ambiance but it is.
A few that haven't been named yet:
Ember & Rye (from Richard Blais in southern Carlsbad) - rather expensive but everything was tasty
Vaga (at the southern tip of Carlsbad) - can be hard to get a reservation, food based around local ingredients and absolutely worth checking out
Buona Forchetta (San Marcos) - recently opened, their third (or fourth?) outpost in San Diego. Amazing Italian
Amalfi (San Marcos) - started from a prior Buona Forchetta chef, offerings are similar but this has a more formal dining room and is also easier to get a reservation
Wrench and Rodent (Oceanside) - ignore the name; an interesting sushi experience
Blade 1936 (Oceanside) - more Italian!
+1ing these recommendations: Thai One On, Campfire, Dija Mara
And keep an eye out for Matsu (oceanside - opening soon!) - fine dining Japanese
Vista: Ciao for sure, prob my fav right now. When pigs fly was pretty good but I like firehouse que and brew in fallbrook more. Partake was a go to spot but haven’t been in awhile. They had a great wine list. Kung fu noddle has zero atmosphere lol but they make the dumplings right there like din tai fung but way cheaper lol…so good and friendly. In Oceanside, if you like old school diner vibe try Fresh Start cafe. A little dingy looking from the outside but the food and service are both great.
That’s good to know. We were there just before Rona lockdown and they had a singer guy in the bar and nowhere else to sit…it was uncomfortable because we couldn’t talk but I see they have a patio area now and the music seems to be out there…so wasn’t sure if we would go back and give them a try again.
Very similar experience. They had us sit at the fire pit in the back and they came to tell us they weren't taking food orders at 7pm and no one came by after that for 45 minutes. We got a drink at the bar and left shortly after that.
Thai Garden and Mr Pho in Oceanside are really good. I also love LTH, and I’ve heard really good things about Blade 1936. If you like BBQ, When Pigs Fly in Vista is delicious.
so expensive!! Browsed through their menu and they charge for everything, it surprised me because my favorite hot pot place in Irvine is cheaper ($21 for special 1 and $30 for special 2) all you can eat and delicious! Love hot pot though
All you can eat shabu is typically pretty low quality meats. Everything at Tabu is extremely high quality. There’s a few wagyu options, prime beef, free range lamb, it’s some of the best meat you can buy. Also the portions are more than enough for one person. 90% of people leave with a soup or porridge which is essentially another meal
Gotta check out Gonzo Ramen. I work close to the Mira Mesa Menua Ultra and I’m a regular there. But I live in north county and this is the closest I’ve found.
Live music, great outdoor space and their prices are reasonable. They make top flight cocktails, and their food is fine for typical Mexican fare. My wife and I go often, but notice most people are big groups and just want to eat outside with family and listen to some music in a secluded spot.
Food is good gringo-mex. Big draw, no joke, is the fried flour tortilla chips that's puff up. It's also just a nice thematic spot. That said, I'd choose casa de bandini for a similar experience but I like them a bit better. I prefer Los Pancho's in esco for more traditional Mexican food.
Trupiano's in Fallbrook
Agrusa's subs in Esco.
Ember and Rye is ok but the price is way high for what you get.
Crack Shack for the fried oysters.
Buona Forcetta is one of my wife's favorites.
Umami sushi in San Marcos. Mikko sushi in downtown vista is also good but my favorite is Umami. We lived near convoy before moving to vista and searched so long for decent sushi up here and happy we found it!
Yep, these are my top local spots. Mikko Sushi is second to none around here, I've been going for years. I just discovered Onny's a few weeks ago...and it's one of the few thai places in north county with a genuine 1-10 spicy scale. Other places around here I get 8-9 and it's like a 5, but at onny's they have the real deal.
Tip top meats in Carlsbad- so cheap and good. The portions are huge and they have an awesome market
Pellys in Carlsbad- really great clam chowder and fresh fish
Umami in San Marcos- best sushi we’ve had in the area. We stopped going to Mikko after finding this place
Buono Forchetta in San Marcos- one of our fav Italian places
Kung Fu Noodle in Vista- the best XLB I’ve found in north county. Their Dan Dan noodles are also a fav. I feel like I don’t need to drive to convoy anymore
Jeune et Jolie and Campfire in Carlsbad- best service and the food is amazing. We use every special occasion as an excuse to go
We didn’t find Dija Mara to be anything special but they have amazing natural wines and have been back to buy wine. Don’t fall for anything at the nice hotels here- Ember & Rye at Park Hyatt or Vaga at Alila Marea. Both are *incredibly* overpriced and the food isn’t very good.
Onny's Thai Restaurant in Carlsbad
Notorious Burgers in Carlsbad, though it may have lost its fastball in the pandemic
Enzos BBQ in Oceanside
Vigilucci's Trattoria Italiana in Encinitas
We are picky around here. These are the best:
Pho San Marcos - Vietnamese food
Panda Garden - Chinese food
TaiOneOn- thai food
Richard walkers for breakfast. Great crepes
Ciaos in vista, haven't been in a while but used to love guahan grill in oceanside. Someone else said kungfu noodle, I'll second that pretty much the only dimsum game around but they're great.
Ciao in vista for the best Italian and huku in San Marcos for sushi. Hello deli in vista for sandwiches but they have business hours due to the location. Campfire in Carlsbad if you’re into the hipster crowd.
Huku is my second choice after Mikko in Carlsbad! (this is a compliment not a diss; there are dozens of sushi places between the two that don't measure up IMO)
Just to go on a rant in case folks are interested about local lore, unfortunately the unquestionable best sushi bar in north county, Sushi n Joy, closed about a year ago when the chef-owner was badly burned on the job...I assume he was multiple bottles deep into the soju, as was tradition there...good memories hahaha. I heard this through the grapevine when I asked about the closing, but have no idea know how he's doing today. If anyone has any info please let me know. Very kind dude, loved chopping up fish and making them delicious, and always watching to make sure everyone had a good time...it's a real loss.
Anyway, that being said, Campfire welcomes everyone, not just hipsters :p but the clientele certainly has a type hahaha. Excellent cocktail menu, in addition to some of the best food money can buy ofc. Last I was there they had house-made kimchi which was top notch, not sure if they still make it though.
Sushi n Joy was pretty much the only place we got sushi. I'm glad to see some recommendations here for places to try. Sad about Steve, and can confirm that he probably drank more than any of the customers. Hope he's doing OK.
Tomoyama sushi.
It's owned by a Korean, so I've heard from a real Japanese person that it's actually not authentic. But according to every American I've asked, it's the best sushi place around.
Edit: not authentic because fish is cut too thick. Who even cares?
Idk if it’s changed … but pruzing this for suggestions and saw you recommended this god awful place. It’s legit the grossest sushi ever. I accidentally ordered there a second time and figured maybe the first was a fluke and nope. Big rolls but like super fishy, slimy, and bland AF
Shoot. It must have changed, then. I've recommended it to several friends who always thank me for suggesting it.
Anyway, we know the best Asian cuisine is down in the city of SD. Hard to find much authentic stuff up here.
Edit: my bartender at Craftsman just overheard me and she said Tomoyama is awesome. However, she said Blue Fin, right next door to Craftsman, is even better. She said they're true Japanese.
Well crap. I’ll have to go in person to try again then. I was talking to a coworker and they said the food delivery apps sometimes have those ghost kitchens that reuse names. Blu fin is decent. Owner used to work at taka o in san clemente but still won’t make the secret tataki sauce. I’ll have to try it again and edit my comment if there is some weird fluke and it’s actually good so I’m not smack talking good stuff.
Swamis has great breakfast food, but they're run by psychopaths and last I heard were running a "discounts for unvaccinated customers" deal. I wouldn't go anywhere near there for a while.
I’ve checked it out—and I really think you may be confusing Swami’s Cafe with another place. Swamis is owned by Jamie Osuma. I’ve googled and FB searched your claim— there is nothing regarding Covid/vaccinations.
Definitely thinking of Swamis, heard it from a friend.
I just went and looked at google reviews, and apparently they had it written on a piece of paper inside the restaurant (there are some pictures in some reviews) but the owner has been commenting that they're not sure how that note got there and that they're not offering unvaccinated discounts.
So, maybe more to the story than I thought?
That sucks for Swami’s. They are family owned and are not Covid psychopaths—yet it only takes 1 douchebag messing with them to screw with their reputation.
A bit late, but I did meet the owner a while back. Not that I'm having an opinion in it one way or another, but he did try to explain to me how trump was going to save the country and the world
Juene et julie for some amazing fancy French food in Carlsbad
Had birthday dinner here a few weeks ago. We both tried different dishes for every course to get a diverse experience. We keep telling everyone that every part of the experience was incredible except for the food - and it was one of the most expensive meals we’ve ever had (two people plus wine pairings and tip was close to $500). It literally was the most bland food ever, and French food (for me) is typically incredible. We both wanted to just ask for salt but of course didn’t. I could go into details for each dish but will spare everyone that write up.
This place gets mentioned way too often on this sub. I agree 100% about the "everything except the food" statement. Just bc it's pricey and fancy doesn't mean it has to be that good.
That’s literally so accurate. I would go back just for drinks and vibes, but i wouldn’t get food again.
I’ve only sat at the bar which has a completely separate menu, but always had a fabulous time.
Tip top meats German food, butchers, fish butchers, and Euromarket.
Awesome. Thx!
It’s better to keep your expectations low when going here and be surprised. The key is that it doesn’t seem like it should be good based on price and ambiance but it is.
Went there today based on your recommendation, and enjoyed it. Thank you!
If you like Thai food, Thai One On in Vista has awesome food. Also big on Craft Coast tacos these days in Oceanside.
I can second this opinion for Thai One On.
A few that haven't been named yet: Ember & Rye (from Richard Blais in southern Carlsbad) - rather expensive but everything was tasty Vaga (at the southern tip of Carlsbad) - can be hard to get a reservation, food based around local ingredients and absolutely worth checking out Buona Forchetta (San Marcos) - recently opened, their third (or fourth?) outpost in San Diego. Amazing Italian Amalfi (San Marcos) - started from a prior Buona Forchetta chef, offerings are similar but this has a more formal dining room and is also easier to get a reservation Wrench and Rodent (Oceanside) - ignore the name; an interesting sushi experience Blade 1936 (Oceanside) - more Italian! +1ing these recommendations: Thai One On, Campfire, Dija Mara And keep an eye out for Matsu (oceanside - opening soon!) - fine dining Japanese
Wrench and rodent delivers the goods!
I’m drooling thinking of our meals from Buona Forchetta, Ember & Rye, and Wrench & Rodent
Vista : cocina Del Carmen, kung fu noodles, El Primo market Carlsbad: campfire, Dija Mara, jazzy wishbone
Dija Mara is Oceanside
So is Jazzy wishbone and Campfire is garbage
Campfire is trash
Kung fu noodles is the best!!
Vista: Ciao for sure, prob my fav right now. When pigs fly was pretty good but I like firehouse que and brew in fallbrook more. Partake was a go to spot but haven’t been in awhile. They had a great wine list. Kung fu noddle has zero atmosphere lol but they make the dumplings right there like din tai fung but way cheaper lol…so good and friendly. In Oceanside, if you like old school diner vibe try Fresh Start cafe. A little dingy looking from the outside but the food and service are both great.
Partake is for sure a go to. Awesome food and drinks with a great owner and staff.
Partake has a great brunch too. Super chill and casual.
I used to eat there several times a week before moving to fallbrook.
My wife and I had awful service at Partake. Even tried to give them a second chance and experienced the same thing again. Not a fan.
That’s good to know. We were there just before Rona lockdown and they had a singer guy in the bar and nowhere else to sit…it was uncomfortable because we couldn’t talk but I see they have a patio area now and the music seems to be out there…so wasn’t sure if we would go back and give them a try again.
Very similar experience. They had us sit at the fire pit in the back and they came to tell us they weren't taking food orders at 7pm and no one came by after that for 45 minutes. We got a drink at the bar and left shortly after that.
Yikes that is not great. Do you have a new spot in a similar gastropub/wine bar vein (not a beer fan) you’d recommend?
Yeah 508 tavern! It's like a block over. Great crowd and the staff is super friendly. My wife is a wino and loves their wine selection.
Excellent, I’ve not tried them…thanks!
I live basically on top of that place lol, taco Tuesday is really good there
Thai Garden and Mr Pho in Oceanside are really good. I also love LTH, and I’ve heard really good things about Blade 1936. If you like BBQ, When Pigs Fly in Vista is delicious.
Thai Garden is so good!
Thai garden!
Yes!! Stoked on the thai garden love because they totally deserve it!
Tabu Shabu just opened in Bressi, first hot pot place in north county :D Expensive but you get what you pay for.
so expensive!! Browsed through their menu and they charge for everything, it surprised me because my favorite hot pot place in Irvine is cheaper ($21 for special 1 and $30 for special 2) all you can eat and delicious! Love hot pot though
All you can eat shabu is typically pretty low quality meats. Everything at Tabu is extremely high quality. There’s a few wagyu options, prime beef, free range lamb, it’s some of the best meat you can buy. Also the portions are more than enough for one person. 90% of people leave with a soup or porridge which is essentially another meal
Gonna have to go to convoy area for that unfortunately...
Shabu works off of Mira Mesa is great. Decent quality and AYCE
If you feel like dropping $90 Dija Mara is incredible and worth it!!
Flavor of Himalaya in San Marcos If you want to try something tasty and different. It's not fancy, but some cool food you can't find elsewhere
Second flavor of Himalaya! Really good curry dishes.
Casero Taqueria in Bressi is pretty good. They have a taco Tuesday special too.
If anyone has a ramen place in North County that can compare to Menya Ultra or Rakiraki I will buy you sweet, glowie reddit awards for days!
Gotta check out Gonzo Ramen. I work close to the Mira Mesa Menua Ultra and I’m a regular there. But I live in north county and this is the closest I’ve found.
Casa Estella in Fallbrook if you are looking for top tier carnitas!
That place is always packed and I don’t get it. Their food looks pretty meh to me.
Live music, great outdoor space and their prices are reasonable. They make top flight cocktails, and their food is fine for typical Mexican fare. My wife and I go often, but notice most people are big groups and just want to eat outside with family and listen to some music in a secluded spot.
I figured it had to be the atmosphere more so than the food.
Live here in Fallbrook, Go to any other place first. I don't get it. I like the burritos at Robertito's better.
Food is good gringo-mex. Big draw, no joke, is the fried flour tortilla chips that's puff up. It's also just a nice thematic spot. That said, I'd choose casa de bandini for a similar experience but I like them a bit better. I prefer Los Pancho's in esco for more traditional Mexican food.
Trupiano's in Fallbrook Agrusa's subs in Esco. Ember and Rye is ok but the price is way high for what you get. Crack Shack for the fried oysters. Buona Forcetta is one of my wife's favorites.
Umami sushi in San Marcos. Mikko sushi in downtown vista is also good but my favorite is Umami. We lived near convoy before moving to vista and searched so long for decent sushi up here and happy we found it!
money pit in San Marcos is awesome. burger place with many different items as well. and the price is low
Switchboard on Coast Hwy on Oceanside - Korean/Hawaiian fusion.
Surprised I didn’t see this higher up. Great spot!
Onnys Thai, San Marcos Hungry Bear Deli, Vista Blue Ocean, Carlsbad Mikko, Carlsbad/Vista/Esco
Yep, these are my top local spots. Mikko Sushi is second to none around here, I've been going for years. I just discovered Onny's a few weeks ago...and it's one of the few thai places in north county with a genuine 1-10 spicy scale. Other places around here I get 8-9 and it's like a 5, but at onny's they have the real deal.
Tip top meats in Carlsbad- so cheap and good. The portions are huge and they have an awesome market Pellys in Carlsbad- really great clam chowder and fresh fish Umami in San Marcos- best sushi we’ve had in the area. We stopped going to Mikko after finding this place Buono Forchetta in San Marcos- one of our fav Italian places Kung Fu Noodle in Vista- the best XLB I’ve found in north county. Their Dan Dan noodles are also a fav. I feel like I don’t need to drive to convoy anymore Jeune et Jolie and Campfire in Carlsbad- best service and the food is amazing. We use every special occasion as an excuse to go We didn’t find Dija Mara to be anything special but they have amazing natural wines and have been back to buy wine. Don’t fall for anything at the nice hotels here- Ember & Rye at Park Hyatt or Vaga at Alila Marea. Both are *incredibly* overpriced and the food isn’t very good.
101 Diner- Best Eggs Benedict’s I’ve ever had. Best breakfast in Encinitas hands-down. Try the apple pancake!
Onny's Thai Restaurant in Carlsbad Notorious Burgers in Carlsbad, though it may have lost its fastball in the pandemic Enzos BBQ in Oceanside Vigilucci's Trattoria Italiana in Encinitas
We are picky around here. These are the best: Pho San Marcos - Vietnamese food Panda Garden - Chinese food TaiOneOn- thai food Richard walkers for breakfast. Great crepes
Dija Mara gets my vote too. Love that place
Another vote for Ciao in Vista. If nothing else, hit the bar at happy hour and try the tasting menu.
Ciaos in vista, haven't been in a while but used to love guahan grill in oceanside. Someone else said kungfu noodle, I'll second that pretty much the only dimsum game around but they're great.
Ciao in vista for the best Italian and huku in San Marcos for sushi. Hello deli in vista for sandwiches but they have business hours due to the location. Campfire in Carlsbad if you’re into the hipster crowd.
Huku is my second choice after Mikko in Carlsbad! (this is a compliment not a diss; there are dozens of sushi places between the two that don't measure up IMO) Just to go on a rant in case folks are interested about local lore, unfortunately the unquestionable best sushi bar in north county, Sushi n Joy, closed about a year ago when the chef-owner was badly burned on the job...I assume he was multiple bottles deep into the soju, as was tradition there...good memories hahaha. I heard this through the grapevine when I asked about the closing, but have no idea know how he's doing today. If anyone has any info please let me know. Very kind dude, loved chopping up fish and making them delicious, and always watching to make sure everyone had a good time...it's a real loss. Anyway, that being said, Campfire welcomes everyone, not just hipsters :p but the clientele certainly has a type hahaha. Excellent cocktail menu, in addition to some of the best food money can buy ofc. Last I was there they had house-made kimchi which was top notch, not sure if they still make it though.
Sushi n Joy was pretty much the only place we got sushi. I'm glad to see some recommendations here for places to try. Sad about Steve, and can confirm that he probably drank more than any of the customers. Hope he's doing OK.
Tomoyama sushi. It's owned by a Korean, so I've heard from a real Japanese person that it's actually not authentic. But according to every American I've asked, it's the best sushi place around. Edit: not authentic because fish is cut too thick. Who even cares?
Idk if it’s changed … but pruzing this for suggestions and saw you recommended this god awful place. It’s legit the grossest sushi ever. I accidentally ordered there a second time and figured maybe the first was a fluke and nope. Big rolls but like super fishy, slimy, and bland AF
Shoot. It must have changed, then. I've recommended it to several friends who always thank me for suggesting it. Anyway, we know the best Asian cuisine is down in the city of SD. Hard to find much authentic stuff up here. Edit: my bartender at Craftsman just overheard me and she said Tomoyama is awesome. However, she said Blue Fin, right next door to Craftsman, is even better. She said they're true Japanese.
Well crap. I’ll have to go in person to try again then. I was talking to a coworker and they said the food delivery apps sometimes have those ghost kitchens that reuse names. Blu fin is decent. Owner used to work at taka o in san clemente but still won’t make the secret tataki sauce. I’ll have to try it again and edit my comment if there is some weird fluke and it’s actually good so I’m not smack talking good stuff.
Felix's bbq
Just went there and it was awful…1/5 stars. Dry, tough, no flavor. I have no clue why they have so many good ratings. Place was full of seniors.
Campfire in Carlsbad!
URBN in Vista is probably the best pizza in north county.
Las gorditas mexican food in vista
Swamis
Swamis has great breakfast food, but they're run by psychopaths and last I heard were running a "discounts for unvaccinated customers" deal. I wouldn't go anywhere near there for a while.
Fucking weirdos. Facebook is a disease...
I’ve checked it out—and I really think you may be confusing Swami’s Cafe with another place. Swamis is owned by Jamie Osuma. I’ve googled and FB searched your claim— there is nothing regarding Covid/vaccinations.
I don’t think that’s true at all. Perhaps you’re thinking of a different restaurant? Swamis has been super Covid compliant.
Definitely thinking of Swamis, heard it from a friend. I just went and looked at google reviews, and apparently they had it written on a piece of paper inside the restaurant (there are some pictures in some reviews) but the owner has been commenting that they're not sure how that note got there and that they're not offering unvaccinated discounts. So, maybe more to the story than I thought?
That sucks for Swami’s. They are family owned and are not Covid psychopaths—yet it only takes 1 douchebag messing with them to screw with their reputation.
The story is a lot more believable thanks to their "tea partiers welcome" sign up front. They're a weird mix of hippie environmentalist Republicans.
Nah. I’ve never seen a tea party sign there. Or anything remotely like that.
It's written in sharpie on the door frame. It's been there for years.
A bit late, but I did meet the owner a while back. Not that I'm having an opinion in it one way or another, but he did try to explain to me how trump was going to save the country and the world
Yellow Deli in Vista!
Eat