The Biz Partner and I have met here before and I enjoyed it those times and can't believe I have never done a review. Now mind you, I don't give out 5 stars very often, but Backdraft deserves all five of them. Cool, friendly and attentive wait staff, every time we have been. Nice back area with seating is great with the nice weather. Vast selection of food options is great for many people, even finicky, picky people that you don't really like, but have to meet because your friend likes her. That's not the case today, but just saying. Also, the fire fighter theme is great and fun with the names of the food. Anyhoo, we ordered the Smoke Alarm Brussel Sprouts appy and it was delicious. Perfectly cooked sprouts, goat cheese, mustard drizzle. Not a huge portion, but was great for the two of us to share and still be hungry for lunch. The Biz Partner ordered a medium Code Blue pizza to have some to take home. The pizza is marinara, mozzerella, blue cheese crumbles, grilled steak, grilled onions, cilantro and house made. BBQ sauce. I did not try any, but he loved it and had enough leftover for him and his girlfriend for dinner! It was a LARGE medium pizza. Speaking of large. I picked the Hotshot Italian Sub and decided to get the 12" so I could also take some home, figuring I would eat the 6" if I just ordered that. Now, I did not measure it, but when it came out, it did not seem like 12", you know like SW "foot long". It was cut into 4 huge pieces and each seemed like 1/2 a SW large sub. I ended up eating only one of the 4 portions that arrived. Ate it for lunch the next two days! The Hotshot is a great italian sub, one of my favorite sandwiches. It is Honey Smoked Ham, Salami, Pepperoni, Provolone, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Onions, smeared with mustard and mayo and then drizzled with Greek Style house dressing. I ordered it hot and on a white roll (the only way it should be prepared! IMHO). Damn fine sandwich and at "12 feet" long (ha, ha!) it feeds a bunch of people or me for three lunches. Service is so good and attentive. The waitress got her workout refilling my diet cokes as after eating we stayed and did some business. She always checked on us and did not care how long we stayed. So awesome, I wish I had gotten the names of the servers. This was Tuesday, 3/24/26 at noon. So, you know who you are! GO! EAT WELL!! BE WELL TAKEN CARE OF!!! HAVE FUN!!!! read more

Backdraft Bar & Grill - A GIGANTIC Hot Italian Sub - Sports Bars Near Me - Bonsall, California

This place is real special for the reason that they support and honor the fire department. When you dine here you support our heroes! The restaurant is really well fire-department-themed, especially the outside patio! The service here was fantastic during my visit; we were seated in the outside patio and the gas tank to their heater was out, quickly an employee was sent to buy a new one! Within minutes we were accommodated with a comfortable dining experience! S/o to our server Kayden who was fantastic! He was so patient and helpful! He was so kind to take the time to share some history of the restaurant! I had the Slop-Over Chicken & a little taste of a burger, while both items was good, I think their specialties lay in other dishes. Our whole table agreed their salads is where it's at! So don't skip ordering a salad along side their popular pizzas! read more

Backdraft Bar & Grill - Slop-Over Chicken and Burger - Sports Bars Near Me - Bonsall, California

We ordered food to go so can't really comment on the service or ambience. I wasn't the one going to go get the food. We started off with the blazin bacon. It was sweet and very spicy. A little bit too spicy for me but the flavor was excellent. I had the Code 3 burger. Big burger which consisted of pork belly, angus chuck and short rib meat. It had grilled pineapple, jalapeños, green peppers and onions, lettuce, and tomato drizzled with raspberry chipotle sauce. It was spicy with a little bit of sweet. It came with french fries which were very tasty and seasoned perfectly. I've never seen french fries quite like this. I was so hungry I forgot to take a picture of the burger. My daughter ordered a chicken Caesar wrap which isn't on the menu, but they made it for her anyway. Super nice of them to do that. It was a lot of food and we were all happy with stuffed bellies. read more

Backdraft Bar & Grill - Chicken caesar wrap with fries and blazin bacon - Sports Bars Near Me - Bonsall, California

Second time was the charm for me. Ate here about a year ago and felt it was just ok and pricey. Since my mom needed a gift card for a neighbor that helps her out, we gave it another try. It was a great experience all around. We were greeted and taken to a table inside (our request to sit in). Our server, Brennan (sorry if I got the name wrong) was super engaging and on top of things. I asked to move as it felt claustrophobic in the corner and loud talkers next to us. He didn't skip a beat and moved us, telling us to leave our drinks as he would move them. We both ordered the Up in Smoke Burger, it was Delicious! It's great they serve fries with the burger as our last visit we had to pay extra for fries. Yummy food and stellar service at a reasonable price, what's not to love?! As a side note, Brennan was working the tables both inside and out, with help from others. We felt like we were in good hands the whole time. read more

We loved this place! We were looking for lunch while in the area for a wedding and we wanted to try a new place. This came up with great reviews and did not disappoint! This is a bar and grill in a shopping center in a pretty central location. All of the staff were very kind and attentive! We ordered the Mayday fries which were incredible. They come with breaded or grilled chicken, we got breaded but I'm sure both were great, lots of cheese and green onions! The sauce is spicy so we got it on the side. We also got the broccoli cheddar soup, Mac Daddy cheeseburger (that had macaroni and cheese on it!!) and the slop-over chicken. Everything was so delicious and a great deal! Would definitely visit again, highly recommend! read more

OMG - what a great find hidden in the corner of a strip center. The service was friendly and on top of it without being pushy. There's a good amount of draft beers available plus wines and other cocktails. The food - wonderful! We ordered the chicken Cesar wrap with was delicious and a good size. We also got the Backdraft Clucker and fries. The fries were great but the sandwich, phenomenal! What a great blend of flavors and seriously big enough to share either one! read more

Backdraft Bar & Grill - Backdraft Clucker and fries - Sports Bars Near Me - Bonsall, California

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They have good bartenders, I will say that. The other side is that the inmates run the asylum. Food is on the steep side but reasonable. . Ive seen many complaints here regarding service. Ive had some good experiences and some Not So Good. if you want a good cocktail they are solid. Not going to miss them. read more

Such a great dinner experience at this hidden gem off of the 76 highway. Derek was the barback this evening but did an incredible job of being our server. He was extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. The Italian sandwich and their pizza are absolutely great, and packed with so much craft. Highly recommend if you're looking for amazing food and a great experience. read more

Came here with a group after touring some agriculture farms. The tour guides had nothing but good things to say about this spot. Happy to report they were in fact correct! We sat outside in the back, as we were quite a large group. The menu has some really great options from pizza to burgers to salads and sandwiches. I ordered the burger because I was interested in their patty blend and we ordered a couple of pizzas for the table. Our server did an amazing job with such a large party! Our food came out in a timely manner and fresh. The burger was SO good! The patty blend was amazing! The pizza was pretty good too although my preference is much more crispy crust. I still ate it and it was great! The french fries were a delight to eat! Not too greasy and well seasoned. What a pleasant surprise! read more

Backdraft Bar & Grill - Burger and fries - Sports Bars Near Me - Bonsall, California

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Sucks that I've been disappointed each of the five times I've eaten here. Food is average at best. Appetizers are ok. Maybe it's the cook, idk, but burgers have been dry and bland for me. Pizza was flavorless. Cheesesteak sandwich was 90% peppers and onions. Yeah, I'm not vegetarian. Next time I'm dipping when my family wants to go here. Sorry, I've got work to finish up before Monday. read more

Another great spot off the beaten trail. It is kind of hidden in a small shopping center but it's worth finding. They have amazing food. You should try the baked potato pizza. Yep I said, baked potato pizza and you won't be disappointed. read more

First time visiting for lunch and it did not disappoint! I love the ambiance I live the menu item names!! The waitresses are so sweet and professional, they multitask like a BEAST! The burger was cooked to perfection!! The fries were so delicious and that dip was 100/10 so so so delicious. read more

Backdraft Bar & Grill - Sports Bars Near Me - Bonsall, California

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Service was really good. It was an early Thursday evening, and yet it was pretty packed inside and outside seating. I got a white shrimp pizza. I guess they are known for their sourdough pizzas. It was good. We also got the meatball sub, philly cheese steak sandwich and a salad. Everyone seem to enjoy. I love how they back local fire fighters and are locally owned. Id go back. read more

Backdraft Bar & Grill was honestly a tale of two experiences. The food was absolutely amazing -- flavorful, unique, and packed with great selections. Every dish we tried was excellent and easily the highlight of the night. Unfortunately, the service completely overshadowed what should have been a great evening. We came to celebrate our good friend's birthday, and sadly her special day was ruined by the attitude of the staff. The servers were rude and made us feel like we were an inconvenience the entire time. Management carried the same energy, which says a lot because attitude reflects leadership. The bartender in particular came across as obnoxious and arrogant, treating us like we were simply a necessary evil rather than paying customers choosing to spend our time and money there celebrating someone important to us. It's disappointing because the food truly deserves recognition, but great food alone doesn't make for a great dining experience. I'd only recommend this place if you're willing to overlook poor customer service in exchange for amazing food. read more

The food was really good. I'll be back. Not sure about some of the other reviews. Our service was fine. We had the deviled egg appetizer, as well as the mayday fries. I had the Cobb salad and my son had the slop over chicken. The deviled eggs was so delicious as they usually are. The mayday fries were great too. They were really loaded with cheese and chicken not much fries but that's good right? I loved the cobb salad. Was pretty huge and filling. I wasn't sure what to expect with my son's entree but it was really tasty although a bit small for his appetite. The sides were the amazing part of the dish. My husband enjoyed his burger and the blazin bacon is really blazin. Mother in law had the pizza which we helped finish off and I enjoyed it. read more

Backdraft Bar & Grill - Slop over - Sports Bars Near Me - Bonsall, California

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First of all. Josh. The end. Just kidding. The food was good and I'll get into that later but having a great and thoughtful server was the bees knees and that was Josh. We had three adults, a toddler in a high chair and a baby in a high chair. He took care of all of us and then some. He definitely let us have more room instead of smashing us into a table of 4. He pushed together two tables. Which...if you have a toddler and hot plates... you just gotta know.... good call Josh! His food recs were on point. Smoked Gouda is his jam haha. The portions were large. The CPR was the best with whatever bread and cheese josh recommended. The Mac daddy wasn't something in thought I'd like but josh was right again. The sauce on the patty was a bbq type light sauce which made it tasty. We also got an italiano? Salad. And I wasn't expecting much but dude!Portion was good and it was a really well rounded salad with good amount of non-green ingredients! The food was unique and gourmet. Not what we expected and super happy with this place we happened to google because we wanted AC Drinks wise we got the Mike's black mojito, margarita and a Moscow mule and all hit the spot. Ambiance was good. We actually meant to eat at the Mexican spot in the same plaza but it had no ac and was super stuffy. If you're looking for sports or something they had like 5-6 TVs. 4 different types of sports on at the same time. There is also a backyard /outdoor eating area as well. read more

Backdraft Bar & Grill - Drinks and a menu - Sports Bars Near Me - Bonsall, California

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Everyone who works at Backdraft greeted us with enthusiasm. All friendly which is always a good thing. The decor was basically like the name says backdraft like the movie with Patrick Swaze. Didn't really know how the atmosphere was like inside because it was a hot day, and we opted to dine outside. Two of us ordered byop...mine was the pesto steak combo, another ordered pineapple pepperoni on marinara. One had fries(delicious btw) two of us had Mac and cheese. TBH I've had better Mac and cheese, and. Better pizza. Just no flavor . Still an enjoyable night to spend with friends read more

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Such a good experience! Definitely will be coming back. The food was an absolute 10/10 for some bbq and very unique definitely an underrated place! I also loved the energy and vibes. The names of the dishes on the menu everything was fire fighter related! Great prices and fast service! Btw the 5150 sauce is the best I wish they sold it!! read more

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This place has the best food and best service. I went here for the first time on my anniversary because we didn't feel like going into town and am so happy we found this place. Been here dozens of times since. This place has NEVER disappointed! My favorite is the CPR Chicken Sandwich on a white roll but I've had just about everything else at one time or another and they were all excellent. The beer selection is good as well, I've never tried the wine or booze but I expect it is good. Give this place a shot and you will become a regular! read more

Great food and service, everyone is very friendly Treat my lil one nicely. Their Sourdough pizza is on point with local brews and vino... outdoors when the weather permits is truly nice read more

Great spot for drinks and food! We went on a Saturday afternoon between lunch and dinner, we were seated right away. Service was fantastic, our waitress was really friendly and attentive. We ordered the Dispatch Dip as an appetizer and shared a medium Paramedic Loaded Potato Pizza. The pizza was large and came out piping hot. We sat inside and it was a little warm, but it was a hot day and they also had a large patio that I would opt to sit at next time. Other tables near us ordered sandwiches and burgers and everything that passed by our table looked really good! The inside is decorated first responder themed which is unique and they have a huge bar for drinks and great beer selection. Definitely recommend. read more

Backdraft Bar & Grill - Dispatch Dip - Sports Bars Near Me - Bonsall, California

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The atmosphere is very much like a firehouse. All of the foods and drinks are appropriately named for fire department terms, but most importantly, the large menu with amazing variety seems to be each better than the other, including their pizzas. read more

I'm literally writing this review without even leaving my seat because I couldn't wait to say something. I'll be honest -- after seeing this place on Facebook, I didn't really know what to expect. But the food completely impressed me. Everything came out better than expected and you can tell there's real effort put into it. Josh, our server, was amazing. His attention to detail and the way he stayed on top of everything without being overbearing really stood out. He made the whole experience even better. Definitely coming back next week with family. Highly recommend!! read more

After a bad experience a year ago I gave it another shot. Service was excellent and the food was what I was hoping for. A very welcoming environment and the staff go out of the way to make one feel "at home". I am quickly becoming a "regular" and highly recommend the pizza!! read more

Have always had the best food here. It's such a fun and family friendly restaurant. It's not swanky, you can dress down and relax, but the food is outstanding! The cauliflower pizza is amazing and you still can't convince me its cauliflower crust because it's that good! And although many of their servers are young, they do a great job. read more

Food was great, service was great, ambiance was horrible. They leave the doors open in the back and at the entrance creating a massive draft and it was a chilly night outside the night we were there and it made the inside of the restaurant very cold, that literally so many customers were always asking to close the doors or people were literally asking to sit somewhere warmer. One customer actually got up and closed the front door himself. Then it's so cold that our meal (while it did come out hot) got cold very quickly from it being like a refrigerator inside the restaurant. Nobody wants their meal to be cold. I get that space may be limited, but their employees sit at any random table that's available and they sit there eating while setting up their utensils in the napkins. They need a place in the back to eat their meals and do their work. Unfortunately this isn't the first time for us to have experienced this at this restaurant. While the food is good, their vibe isn't worth going there anymore, the simple fact that they can't recognize it's freezing inside their restaurant and that would make the customers meals go cold so quickly is surprising. The whole experience of literally freezing, which in turn made our meal cold very quickly ruined the good food and good service. Again food was good along with the service, if you're going to eat at this establishment during the colder months, BRING A JACKET to stay warm. read more

Food was extraordinary. I had lobster ravioli and it melts in your mouth it's so delicious. My friend had Salmon with rice. I tasted her rice and it was sooooo good. Fire sauce was just that fired up! Excellent selection of wines and champagnes as well. The restaurant is small, but has become a good meeting spot in the area of Bonsall or Fallbrook. 2nd time here and we'll be back absolutely! read more

On early Saturday drive we found this place and boy was it a great find. Located in a small shopping center off the 76. Chris owner was very friendly and it was nice to chat with him a bit about his place. Backdraft has been open about a year. Has indoor dining and an outdoor patio with tv's playing sports. Menu has pizza to wings, burgers, sandwiches & pasta and some great salads. They also have grilled salmon on rice entree and a few others. They have many different beers and wines to choose from. Our waitress Erin provided excellent service. She was very helpful with the menu and provided helpful recommendations. We ordered a pizza, chicken wings and Cobb salad with grilled chicken on top. Great vibe. Nice place to grab a meal and have a drink if in the mood. We highly recommend and will definitely be coming back again.' read more

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I have been back twice in less than a month. That may not be saying too much, but I live an hour away! This place is awesome. Great beers on tap and I keep ordering something that is not on their regular menu. They had a special running and have continued to have it. We had a large party of about 20 - everyone loved their food. Service is awesome - the owner is super nice! read more

Backdraft Bar & Grill - Ahi Tuna Tower - Sports Bars Near Me - Bonsall, California

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Everting was great! Food, service, ambience. We'll be back. Loved the build your own chili and the burger and fries that my husband had looked fantastic. read more

The food was amazing, although slightly overpriced in my opinion. We got the 51/50 fries, a burger and a pizza. On our way out we ordered the sweet and spicy bacon for "dessert" after seeing so many people order it.... Soooo good! Great selection of beer, wine and craft cocktails. Our server was excellent in answering all of our questions, highly attentive and checked in often, and very personable and easy to chat with. The ambiance is very cool, kind of feels like a speak easy. A couple of things to note: The QR code for ordering drinks/food at a discounted rate was very confusing. The manager explained it to us but we were still so confused we didn't bother ordering anything through the QR code. Also, they put shredded lettuce on their burgers. The burger was still good, but not a fan of shredded lettuce getting all over the plate instead of in my mouth. We will be back soon to try more menu items and will bring our dogs next time to sit on the very large patio out back. read more

I came in and sat at the bar about 1pm, I wanted to order a pizza to go but the bartender wasn't behind the bar. Another couple came in and sat at the bar about 5-10 minutes after me and when the bartender did show up, she walked right by me and went over and waited on them. I guess they are regulars because she asked them if they wanted their usual beer. They took a while to order because the women couldn't make up her mind on what beer to order. She did finally acknowledge that I was sitting there and I ordered my pizza to go. It took a while and I do know it takes time to make and cook a pizza fresh and I'm ok with that. She made a comment that it takes a while to cook a hand tossed pizza. What I'm not happy about that I grabbed my pizza off the counter and headed out the door, The pizza box wasn't even warm on the bottom, so I know it was sitting in the back waiting for her to pick it up after it was done. You can let her know that I was the one wearing the IOWA pullover! The younger waitress can vouch for the timeline because she kept looking over when she was placing an order by the back door. I've been here before and it was great all around so today I hope was an isolated incident. read more

Don't let the exterior fool you! I almost skipped this because I thought it was a dive bar, but so glad I didn't. Filet with garlic parm mashed potatoes and honey mustard brussel sprouts was amazing and could easily rival those served at steakhouses and fine dining spots. Highly recommend! read more

This is my second time at Backdraft Bar & Grill with my family. It is a very cute little bar and the outdoor patio is charming for being in the back of a building. When we first came here we were surprised with the selection of alcoholic beverages and wine. That's when we learned that the owner, owns a few liquor stores. Now to the food, today we had the Hazmat Wings. We did half buffalo and half 5150. The buffalo tasted good as always, but their 5150 sauce is amazing. I can't pinpoint exactly what the sauce is, but it sure is tasty. For our entree, we ordered the Tanker Hero. Their sandwiches here are large. It says 12 inches, but I swear they are larger. When subway says 12 I think they're fibbing, but Backdraft isn't. They taste of their Italian dressing with the sandwiches very refreshing. Our server was Mackenzie and she was very accommodating with everything we needed and made sure we were happy. She had a bit of humor which always makes an experience fun. The rating for our experience was 9/10. read more

Backdraft Bar & Grill - Tanker Hero - Sports Bars Near Me - Bonsall, California

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Great food great service. Deserves the five stars. Nice waitress.steak sandwich and salmon was amazing!

Excellent salads and burgers. Servers are friendly and drink menu is great. Beer menu is huge. So happy they now also have at least one hard seltzer on tap. read more

Really enjoyed sitting on the patio having a great tasting pizza and beer. They have a nice m-f 2:00 to 4:00 pm happy hour. Great service and dog friendly. read more

This is one of our go to places. Great service. Delicious food! We love their burgers. The wasabi mashed potatoes and ribeye slices is amazing too! read more

I really wish I would have taken a picture of my burger. Great all around lunch place!

Pleasantly surprised. The restaurant is much bigger than it appears from the front Also has a very large patio in the back, which is dog friendly on the patio. Good beer selection, although the menu is good but options are somewhat limited. Also a little pricey, not overly pricey, but more than you would expect for the location and type of bar and restaurant. They do have a happy hour between 2 pm and 4 pm, which is two dollars off beers and menu items. There may be other happy hour options if you ask your server. Also, great, friendly service and nice atmosphere for meeting up with friends. I especially liked the firefighter theming. read more