As an island girl from Oahu I was dying to see what this place was about. Many drinks were consumed by our crew of 4 and some good eats too. The place is a total vibe for sure! Customers are super chill, staff is kind and seemed like everyone had a good tan (maybe that's just me). I really liked the ahi katsu and coconut shrimp. Mac salad wasn't what I'd hoped for but I was plenty happy with the ahi katsu and our crew liked the spam musubi. The ambience, live music, beautiful live plants and people smiling and laughing. Now that's what I'm talkin' about! I'm going back plenty more times. It does feel a bit like home. read more

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to say i'm disappointed is an understatement. i had high hopes for this place, however when the food came i ordered a side of kimchi and a sorry excuse of cucumber and onions in pink light colored chili was on my plate. in addition to my subpar kimchi, the blandest mac salad came and it was just macaroni and no mayo carrots or apple cider vinegar. it is a 4 ingredients how did you mess that up the poke bowl was good and i finished it i will give them that. read more

Breakers - mac no salad - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

The good: This is such a cool spot with so much potential! It would be great for a drink and to see a band. The Mai tai and pain killer were really tasty. They even have Capn Keno's old booths! The meh: When we walked in and no one greeted us or told us where to order or sit. We found out you can seat yourself and order at the counter once we found menus. The food was very bland. Ok, but needs some help and not work the $18 for a lunch plate. I hope they check out the reviews and make some food adjustments. read more

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Update: there is full kids menu, the prices are great, it's a cool and fun environment and the live music is wonderful! There is a patio if you have little kids and need some outdoor space as well. The bartenders and the server Mo are amazing. We got some amazing things from happy hour including pulled pork sliders, coconut shrimp and spam musubi all in set $10. Check out Breakers if you haven't yet! read more

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My wish for improvement on the food and service for Breakers is my hope to give a better review next time. First time walking in, no host and confused. Seems dingy and unkept. Not many diners had me worried. Indoor and outdoor patios available for small and large parties. Menu had a variety of Hawaiian local eats and specialties. Very expensive for the portion sizes. The taste and how it was prepared was the second downfall. Ahi fish previously frozen, thawed and then seared had a weird texture. The rice was one of the mushiest and flavor lackluster. Need someone who knows how to cook rice properly. Spam musubi was heavy on the rice ratio. Plate lunch mac salad was not terrible but weird texture and taste. Did not like the seasoning on the seared fish. Table service food delivery was not good or bad. Additional star for dog friendly restaurant. read more

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First time at Breakers in Encinitas. Great ambiance, great service, and good food. The Island decor all throughout the inside and different outdoor areas makes you forget you in the city for a moment and transport you right into a Hawaiian state of mind. We were on the area early so we can to take advantage of happy hour specials. We tried the Kalua pork sliders, Teriyaki chicken plate with pineapple coleslaw and Mac salad, coconut shrimp, and musubi. All food was ready before we even finished getting our drinks, which was good sine we were hungry. We also opt to get a couple of nice souvenir shirts. Very impressed by the setting Breakers restaurant offers and we're sure to come back read more

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Overall, I am bummed on this spot. Been here before to grab things to go, but decided to come with the family and dine in. You have to place your orders at counter (so I'm constantly getting up). Food was just basic, nothing I would order again. Musubi was cold. Chicken teriyaki was just basic, and my wife ordered the poke bowl (which she enjoyed) I know they have a cool vibe and live music. But overall I'm disappointed. read more

I stopped by to watch the FIFA World Cup game and they had a chicken kabob & pineapple fried rice. I small corn on the cob food special. Tasted so juicy read more

Breakers - Chicken kabob and pineapple fried rice. - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

A bar has so many great aspects to it. You can listen to great music sit and eat drink some good drink people watch even dance. I really enjoyed myself at this bar. Everyone seemed happy there. There were so much going on the band that was playing was wonderful. The singers were great and the guitarist was totally awesome. I would definitely come here again. Love the beach vibe. read more

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Came here for lunch with some friends. We're all from Hawai'i so have been very excited to try it. Love that there is a patio that allows dogs. Great vibe to hang out with friends. The food was just ok all around. The salad and coleslaw was wayyyy over dressed. The kalbi was also super fatty. The fried rice was also just ok. Overall, while the menu reminded me of home, the execution was not quite there. Would come again to hang out and get a few drink, but probably not just solely for food. read more

Breakers - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Had a doc appt at Scripps near this restaurant. Really cool place with a great beach vibe. Had some Loco Moco and katsu Ahi. Food tasty although egg over cooked on loco moco. Will try again. read more

Breakers - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Came here with a big group for happy hour after work. We had a table reserved outdoors, which was nice. You order at the counter and they bring the food over -- service was friendly and quick. I tried the Ahi Katsu with coleslaw, mac and cheese, and kimchi. The ahi katsu was really good -- super crispy and flavorful -- and the coleslaw was great too. The other sides were just okay. There was live music starting up as we were leaving, which gave the place a fun vibe. Overall, it was a chill spot with good service and decent food -- solid for a casual hangout, but not something I'd go out of my way for. read more

Breakers - Ahi Katsu with sides of Kimchi, Coleslaw and Mac n Cheese - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great atmosphere, very dog friendly. Back patio open area and open floor dining. We ordered- Spam Musubi was delicious Pineapple coleslaw was really flavorful They have a coffee bar that I will try the next go round. Give it a shoot it's a good hangout for brunch. read more

Lived in Hawaii for over 3 decades. My wife who is born and raised saw this on Yelp and was excited to support this business. Anything Hawai'i she always wants to show up and support. It may be growing pains since they newly opened a month ago. Came in and they said they are out of everything except for three items. Gave my wife the "look" to hele (get going) and she still ordered. Da items: Poke Loco Moco Fried Rice Portions are manini (small) not just mainland small like Costco sample size. If you're from the island you know rice is life and the rice was all hamajang (messed up) too much water to portion of rice. If you cannot do the finger check correctly then stick to the rice cooker and use the measuring cup. Brah, the Loco Moco was sad like I tried but no can. Like you ask for Aloha shoyu but you get Kikomon it's not the same. The patty was dry and the rice was soggy. The good thing about this place is the ambiance. It had the Aloha spirit in the place, just not in the food. The braddah in the front was apologetic about being out of 90 percent of the menu. People were watching a Padres game. The staff looked like they we hustling. My wife wants to give this place another try in a few months. I know my "look" won't work so yeah hopefully it will be good to go when we return. Hoping for the best for this place. read more

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Cute beachy/ Hawaiian place in Encinitas. Went with a few friends and we all enjoyed our food. I had the tofu lunch platter with pineapple slaw and mac salad. The sauteed tofu had a nice spicy kick, the slaw very tasty, and I loved the mac salad. It seemed to have lots of pepper, parmesaun cheese and rotini noodles. My friends had very things, from Kalua pork, blackened ahi, Mahi mayo salad and teriyaki chicken plates. They all enjoyed their meall. We all had the lunch plates, and their portions were pretty big. We were a bit dissapointed as some of the things we wanted to order they were out of at. We were there around 12:30. If in the area again I would try it again. The place was cute we sat outside on the covered patio. They have turf and a small stage for music on the weekends. Oh and close by is the gorgeous Encinitas Community Park where we walked afterward. read more

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Breakers was suggested as a lunch stop since I was craving Hawaiian food, and we were in the area. It looks like a cute plantation style house with rocking chairs out front, a bar with lots of seating and the outdoor patio. It really has a laid back breezy vibe and I especially liked the outside patio that had a little grassy area and a table separated from the rest. Ambiance 100% and is mostly what contributed to the 4 stars. I didn't realize this was an order at the counter place, and would've helped to have a sign "order here" or something along those lines. The menu is rather small and I decided on the ahi katsu, so ordered that with mac salad and pineapple Cole slaw. First off, the good - the ahi katsu was very good, crispy on the outside and the fish tasted fresh. The pineapple Cole slaw was decent with a nice pineapple flavor, although it was a little runny and got all over all the other items on the plate. Next, the not so good - the mac salad was a little disappointing and was not at all like the local mac salad. It looked like it was rotini pasta and had nothing else in it, just some furikake sprinkled on top. There was only one rice scoop and if you know local plate lunches, you gotta have a lot of rice. Lastly, the price was a little more than I expected but I understand that fish, along with everything, else has gone up in price. Overall, I think people come here for the vibe and drinks, and I hear there is live music too. It is a cool place to hang out and I can imagine it's popular with the surfers. read more

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Reasons to visit: Great bar Kid friendly fenced in yard Indoor and outdoor seating You get to sits on seats from Captain Keno's! Super fun surf vibe Reason it is 4 stars: I am just not a fan of Hawaiian food. They have added a few more things, like a burger. I would like to see that trend continue. More SoCal beach food. read more

Breakers - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Ordered the Kalua pork and it was dry. Drinks were just as if not more expensive than the food. Seeing all of the old kenos booths and tables was super cool but plenty of other better Hawaiian spots around. read more

Have been waiting for Breakers to open for some time now and it's finally here! With a cool Hawaiian sports bar theme, this spot has some great food & vibes. Went for lunch on a Sunday and got the loco moco. A friend had the kaluah pork plate and got her husband terrayki chicken to go. Food had tons of flavor and is reasonably priced! Cocktails were strong and mighty! Use caution when ordering the Mai tai but mentally it takes you right to the beaches of the island. We got some super yummy margaritas too with some plum dust type of topping- really good. Peep the old captain keno's furniture too! It's such a cool spot. Can't wait to go back read more

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Came her with a big group, the food was great! I should have tried the salad but was craving macaroni salad but ended up getting the ahi tuna katsu!!! It was so crispy and surprisingly very good! I decided to try something instead of getting chicken! It's pretty good and the dranks were strong af!!! read more

Breakers - I got a Maui Tai and it was so good!!! Definitely worth the price! - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great food with a really funny owner. There was live music and great cocktails. The vibes inside and out makes me feel like I am back in Hawaii read more

Never like to give places bad reviews. But this place definitely earns it. First off, the food! My husband got the Kalua pork plate. Super bland and no flavor. The macaroni salad was hideous! We could have gotten better Mac and salad at Target. The Mac and salad had absolutely no taste. The Kalua pork had no flavor at all. I had the Teriyaki chicken plate which tasted like a frozen meal being reheated. They had live music outside but they also were playing music inside so the two were crossed into a headache of a jumble. We had to leave. Suggestion to turn off music inside restaurant and have speakers connected to the outside band. What a cluster ***k! Will never go back!!! read more

First time checking out this place and it didn't disappoint also, The interior of this spot was unlike anything I've seen. I definitely will be going back. Great Spam Musubi! read more

Breakers - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Incredible traditional Hawaiian food! Very nice waitstaff and a great owner. Keep it up Benji. Ambiance was just what I expected as well. Great time read more

It truly is a Hawaiian dream, surfer cool and great staff. I loved my chicken teriyaki and margarita!!!!! Mo is amazing, fun, cute and took great care of us ‼ read more

Breakers - Mo is super cool - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

We wanted to take my friend here because we heard they have all the old Captain Keeno furniture. That vibe was good. We loved sitting and reminiscing about our old space that we used to hang out a lot at. My friend ordered a teriyaki chicken and I ordered a musubi with a macaroni salad on the side. I now see they have loco moco, and wish they would've had it the day. I was there, the menu only had like four things on it, but we were there pretty close to when they first opened. Our server was amazing didn't overpower us, but checked in enough. The inside and outside is a cool place to sit and hang out. It looks like they have a cool cocktail bar although I didn't have a cocktail. Overall, this is pretty cool place. The Hawaiian by the strong and the food is better than average. Give it a try. read more

Breakers - Musubi - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

The vibes of this place are so comfortable and chill. I'd come back here in the evening because it's not a typical brunch spot. The brunch was ok, but more working man Hawaiian breakfast with spam than touristy mac nut pancakes. Bummer they didn't have the touristy options but I get it trying to be more authentic. read more

I came here on a Thursday afternoon for lunch. You can just walk in, no reservation needed. The place is so cute and has a laid-back, Hawaii-style vibe. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, and it's dog-friendly. You order at the counter, get a number, and they bring your food out to your table. We sat outdoors. The menu offers sandwiches as well as plate lunches. We had the Teriyaki Chicken and the Ahi Katsu. With the plate lunches, you can choose three sides. I went with mac & cheese, potato salad, coleslaw, and the wahine salad. The portions were huge and everything tasted fresh. The service was great. It wasn't too busy, and our food came out quickly. They do offer complimentary water, though I wish the cups were larger so you don't have to keep refilling. Overall, it's a great spot with friendly service, generous portions, and a fun island-inspired atmosphere. Definitely worth checking out! read more

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First time coming here for lunch. The food was amazing, as well as the service. Our server was great. She recommended the ahi katsu plate. It was excellent. The ambiance is like a Hawaiian vibe. Very nice place to go to. read more

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Ambiance: First of all, it feels like you're actually in a Hawaiian bar because the bar was actually moved from Hawaii. The decor feels authentic, warm and vintage (in the good way). It's refreshing to find a cozy, unique bar like this and not another super modern / flashy establishment. Atmosphere: The staff was all laughing and working together, and it made the whole atmosphere more fun and relaxed. They also had live music on a random Thursday and it was Willy Nelson's son who came and performed (I guess he's friends with the owner). Food: PHENOMENAL. Best Blackened Mahi sandwich I've ever had. Wife had the Teriyaki Chicken and smashed it. Usually I get at least 1/3 of her dishes. Cocktails/Drinks: Get the Mai Tai with the Lilikoi Foam. And they have Societe Pupil (best SD IPA, IMO) and a couple Maui Brewing beers as well. Family friendly: Our toddlers also loved the place. Big booths and leather chairs were great for them. And Breakers has a big back patio for them to have some extra space. TAKEAWAY: Finding Breakers was a big overall win. My wife and I were stoked to find this place as it's just off the Sante Fe exit in Encinitas and a great quick-stop after running the kids around. read more

Im really hoping for this place to make it. Love the ambiance. Place always has a good vibe and crowd. Employees are nice but I've found the food a little hit or miss. Teriyaki chicken can be fantastic or the next time too dry to swallow. I had the kalau pork a few times and loved it. Last time it tasted weird and I couldn't eat it. The mai tais are always good but very pricy. I love the ambiance and all the kenos old booths and the tiki decor. Love the outside dog park area with a few tables. Im chalking up the food inconsistencies to new restaurant pains. Like I said I really want this place to succeed so I will keep giving it a chance. read more

Food is good. Service is next to zero if trying to phone in a order. On multiple occasions when trying to place an order the phone has never been answered which makes for a big inconvenience having to go into the restaurant to place and order to then have to wait for it to be made. read more

Visited Breakers last night and loved it. Such a cool space both inside and outside, and it was awesome seeing some of Keno's decor incorporated (RIP Keno's). We came for happy hour and ordered the teriyaki chicken plates, a Mai Tai, and a beer--great prices across the board. The service was excellent, and everyone was so friendly and welcoming. We'll definitely be back! read more

Came here for lunch. It's very cute. We chose a table outside. You order at the counter. I was hoping that they would have Katsu on their menu. They don't, but said they might in the future. I was thinking about ordering Kalbi but they were out of it. They also didn't have poke, which was disappointing. I ordered the teriyaki chicken plate that came with 3 sides. I chose white rice, Mac salad and pineapple coleslaw. Food came out quickly and the portions are large. The teriyaki chicken was wonderful. I'm not a huge teriyaki fan because it's usually way too sweet, but this one was very good. The sauce was definitely not too sweet and did not over power the chicken. Delicious! Not impressed with the Mac salad. Didn't taste like the Hawaiian style. Coleslaw was good, but pretty runny. Their display case in the front was pretty empty, disappointing. Service very friendly. Looks like a great place to have a cocktail. Give it a try! read more

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I really wanted to like this place. It's close to home, the space nods nicely to the old Captain Keno's booths, and the vibe suggests something fun and local. Unfortunately, Breakers consistently misses where it matters most: food execution and basic service. The ordering system is awkward right out of the gate. Food from one counter, drinks from another, take a number, find your own seat, self-serve water, hope for the best. It feels less "laid-back Hawaiian" and more "figure it out yourself." Then there's the food. Overdressed salads, overcooked proteins, and a general lack of flavor across the board. My poke was the breaking point. The tuna was visibly brown and clearly not fresh. To their credit, they took it back and didn't charge me, but once you've been served bad fish, the damage is done. That's not a small miss. After reading other Yelp and Google reviews, my experience wasn't an outlier. Bland loco mocos, chewy kalbi, inconsistent sides, orders coming out at different times, and staff that often seems indifferent or defensive rather than hospitable. Some people seem fine with it, but many reviews echo the same themes: confusion, inconsistency, and food that doesn't justify the prices. Breakers has a good space and a concept with potential, but potential doesn't excuse poor execution. In a neighborhood full of places that are genuinely trying harder, I can't see a reason to come back. I hate leaving bad reviews, especially for new spots, but this one earned it. Vibe alone isn't enough. read more

We had the best night at Breakers. Stopped in on a Friday around 5:45 pm. Plenty of seating open, only a short line to order food. Had my two young kids with us, also, and this spot is a hit for grown ups and children alike. Super friendly and fast service, laid back atmosphere, delicious Mai Tais (omg to the passion fruit foam), awesome food (some favorites were the kahlua pork, ahi katsu, coleslaw, mac salad), lovely backyard with live Hawaiian music and space for us all to dance. What a joy!! One of our new favorite Encinitas spots. read more

Breakers - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Breakers, I want you to be great! Aesthetically, you're there. The vibe, you're there. Your food, not so much. Plz do what you can to improve the taste of your food! The food is either bland, dry, or not fresh tasting. It just misses the mark every time. Your cocktails are solid - the mai tai is the best on the mainland I've had thus far - reminded me of Merriman's/monkeypods, I'll take it. However, the rice is stiff, the teriyaki dishes are bland, and the Mac salad is off -- also the musubi needs to be improved. read more

First day open and we were lucky enough to drop in and get a couple of The Best Kahlúa pork sandwiches ever Malia was a fantastic server. The place is outrageous and fun. Mai Tais come next, but it will be one of our new favorite spots. You have to try it out. read more

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This is my second visit to Breakers. 7/24/25 dinner. Party of 1. What a different a few weeks make in terms of service, food quality, value and overall experience. The full menu is posted above the order counter. Unlike my visit a few weeks earlier Everything was available ! I ordered the Katsu Ahi plate with Mac salad , Rice and coleslaw. I believe the gentleman taking my order was the manager or owner. When I asked for water he gave me a cup and said I could help myself to the soda if I preferred . I took my number sign and sat down. Because it was later in the evening the waitress came by to advise my food would take longer than usual as she let one of the cooks off early as business was winding down for the evening. She was very apologetic as she realized after the fact more customers were coming in . I was not in a hurry so it was fine. She offered a complimentary drink from the bar. I declined with the excuse I wasn't drinking alcohol and I had my soda. She inquired if I wanted a mocktail. Which I was very open to it. She brought me back this amazing drink. I don't know what it's called but it was delicious. My ahi arrived and it was cooked perfectly. Omg! Katsu Ahi who would have thought it could be soooo good. Super Crunchy on the outside, ahi could have been double dredged, it was solid and uniform breading Not greasy in the least. Drizzled with delicious sauce, and tender on the inside. Cutlery is now on the table, and not plastic I'm so glad I went back to give Breakers another shot. They are evolving and perfecting their operation. I can't wait to go back and try the pulled pork. I overheard the gentleman who took my order tell a customer about having live music coming in a few weeks ! I highly recommend read more

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My husband and I were headed to a different restaurant tonight at the beach. I was telling him how much I used to love Yogi's bar and Grill back in Cardiff and I kind of felt like a local vibe place that had a bar and grill. A close friend of ours posted they were at Breakers in Encinitas and enjoying some great live music. So we decided to cancel our reservations and head over there. Having lived in Hawaii twice, I like positive aloha vibes and I must say the moment I walked in that's exactly what we got. The music was some younger kids that were just mind blowing good. I don't know the name of the band, but they were at least in junior high or high school and they knew old school music from 1970s that was so amazing. Rock and roll!!! The food was total Ono grinds! I enjoyed the kahlua pork plate which was super tender and the Mac Salad brought me back to the plate lunches in Hawaii. The service is amazing and attentive. The mai tais were strong and refreshing! I loved the food and the ambiance of colorful locals and young families! There was a nice breeze coming through the patio. What a fun place filled with Aloha vibes! read more