I loved this place and we just happened upon it on its last day in it's current space. They served a delicious bread appetizer that knocked my flip flops off. Their wine was fantastic. The waitress told us they are scouting for a new location. So keep on the lookout. read more

Everything was amazing. From the wine recommendation from the owner to the fabulous small plates and wonderful service. Great music and vibe. Ho with friends and be prepared to want to dance in your seat. read more

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We decided to try this restaurant on a busy Friday night because we could not get a reservation for a larger group anywhere. I will say we did not research the restaurant or look at the menu before coming here so finding out it was a wine bar, with tequila focused drinks, and a variation of American fused Mexican food was very interesting to say the least. It was nothing that we could have expected, but was delicious. Service was great and we were seated as soon as we arrived. We all started out with different wines, but I had the chilled red Barbera. I loved it but it definitely has a flavor that builds with every sip. I did try their dry and crisp rose aka FikyFiky rosa, but it was a little too dry for my liking. My fiancé and I each ordered the Wagyu green chile burger and we were both surprised and impressed with how good it was. Honestly the menu seemed a little too high priced and had a very limited selection so we were surprised to find the best priced item and for it be wagyu. After seeing what our friends ordered, our entree was definitely the biggest, which again made no real sense. The burger itself was fantastic. The dry aged ribeye wagyu was well worth it. The roasted garlic aioli and green chile combo made it even better. We would go back for this burger alone. read more

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Loved the food, service and ambiance. John, the owner was very personable and knowledgeable about the delicious wines on his menu. Highly recommend read more

Small spot in the Lumberyard shopping complex. Inside your packed in like sardines. During busy times it can get quite loud inside. Very little to no noise dampening. It's really hard to have a conversation with the person next to you. Service is good and friendly. Food and wine are excellent, but may have sticker shock at the end of the night. Portions are rather small, even the wine pours seem light at $18 a glass. Keep in mind this is wine from Valle de Guadalupe. The wine seems marked up more than most places. Might not want to go during busy nights. Great place for people not adventure enough to drive to Valle de Guadalupe. read more

Echale - Oysters - Wine Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Cute spot but very noisy inside. We had great service and the elote bread was fantastic. The burger was great but much too heavy for me to eat as one person (likely a personal problem). It was very cute for date night if they can keep the noise down indoors but outdoors was fine for us as a family. The broccoli I was also excellent. It was a pretty average price point. A little on the more expensive side but worth it for a cute night out read more

Tried this place with my friend and really enjoyed it. My friend had the quesadilla and Al the ingredients were fresh. I had the mussels. The broth was well seasoned and it was served with garlic Parmesan bread. Delicious. I had a beautiful chilled glass of Barberra wine from Valle de Guadalupe For dessert we had the strawberry churro. Yummy. Check out this new spot in Encinitas read more

Echale - Strawberry churro - Wine Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Delicious food!! We came in on a Friday night at 7:15 pm to a mostly empty restaurant but it took some time for someone to greet and seat us. They serve natural wines and we got a pinot noir and a red blend. For dinner, we started with the tuna tartare and the salad and for mains we had the steak au poivre and halibut amandine. The starters were light and refreshing but the mains were truly memorable. The steak was cooked perfectly and the peppercorn sauce was creamy without being heavy. The halibut was a true stand out; perfectly seasoned, and balanced with umami from the tomato and freshness from the frisée. We did have to flag our server down for water and wine so they could probably benefit from another server or food runner but when she was at our table, she was helpful and present. A wonderful dinner. read more

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The food was very interesting and tasty. I met two girlfriends and glad we arrived early as it filled up soon thereafter. It's more of a place to meet friends for an appetizer and a glass of natural vino, than a straight out dinner. Although, this could be disputed by some. I would also like to add, being a wine lover, the natural wines I experienced previously in other restaurants were not that great, but Echale had a nice selection and we were all happy with our wine. Enjoy! read more

A phenomenal five star lunch - from the delicate scallop crudo to the oxtail tacos (a surprising amount of food with the noodles and beans served on the side), finishing with the most memorable olive oil cake. It was all really breathtaking actually. However, the service was spotty (it seemed only one server was working the whole restaurant for lunch). Also we asked to take leftovers home and the response was "we don't have to go boxes". No apology, no explanation. I read another review that mentioned a guest asked for salt and were told they don't have salt...it feels to me that these silly rules of not taking food home or allowing guests to add their own salt are more for trendiness sake and lose what would actually work best for the customers (and it's so patronizing!). Even so, I highly recommend the food and the beautiful space. read more

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Yum and yum! The first "yum" was for the Gambas al Ajillo. These 5 or so succulent and beautifully seasoned shrimp came with a side of toast that was pretty impressive. I've done some toasting in my life, but I will never come anywhere near being able to achieve that level of crispiness and butter application. Definitely a win! The second "yum" was for the Strawberry Shortcake Churros. Crispy outside, gooey center- you can't go wrong with that! Though it was listed as a strawberry shortcake churro, there were definitely notes of Cap'n Crunch Crunch Berries going on. (Try it-- you'll see!!) The Gambas al Ajillo was a lighter entree, so this was the perfect way to wrap up the meal. P.S.- In case you have trouble finding it, it's next to Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, to the left. read more

Came here when it first opened and it was amazing! Went a second time & food was good, service was not the best. Came a 3rd time and was dissapointed. Dirty water Cups, old food splattered all over the paper menus... the really good things on the menu were removed. It was ok but the quality and service has gone down quick. read more

It's the kind of elevated Mexican north county needs. Great food, relaxed hospitality, interesting wine program, and reasonable prices considering the quality of the ingredients. I've been for dinner, and for their Sunday Surfers breakfast. Both are fantastic. Food highlights include the biscuits and gravy, coleslaw, quesadilla with roasted tomatoes, green-chili, burger, mussels, and bolognese. They have some natural sparkling wines from all over the world and having now tried them all, each is fantastic and probably the best choice for the food. The attention to detail in the vibe and aesthetic and audio are also of note. It's not pretentious but artful. Somebody clearly cares about the brand as it all feels very aligned and intentional; from playlist to wardrobe to interior design to food. read more

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Our dinner last night was absolutely delish. We had the oysters, salad, yellowtail and papadelle pasta. Had no idea this restaurant was so good! And the service was spot on. Great selection of wine! read more

Came here tonight as part of a party of four and we were all blown away by the quality of the food. The mussels were simply amazing and the entrees were imaginative and delicious, including the salmon, mussels, duck confit and parpadelle. And don't miss the churro dessert in a form factor unlike anything you've had. WIne selection was interesting and excelllent. Overall a spectacular meal with superb service at reasonale prices. May just be the best restaurant in Encinitas. read more

I went in on a Thursday, I sat at the bar and had the worst luck getting and keeping the server's attention. He seemed to be more interested in engaging with certain female guests than he was in taking the orders of the other tables in his section. My water and wine glass were empty multiple times in the 90 minutes I sat in my seat. The appetizers and entrees were phenomenal and almost worth the annoyance around having to ask multiple times for fresh plates, silverware wine and water from a very distracted front of the house "man in charge". An off duty server jumped in to help as they sensed the frustration in the dining room. The only positive tempting me to go back is the delicious food. Sitting at the bar you can see the level of professionalism and hard work that goes on in the back of the house. Each plate is prepared and served with care and precision. read more

Food is great. Service is trash. I've been multiple times now and it's always the same. I don't think they train their waitstaff at all. The experience is not good for the price you pay which is a shame because the food and ambiance are good. read more

We came down to SD for the weekend and met friends here for dinner - so glad we did! Very chill and relaxed but upscale vibe. Ash was our server and provided great recommendations. The food was all delicious - we got a few starters (ceviche, bread, mole, pipian rojo) and the branzino all to share. The owner came out and chatted a bit which was also nice. Amazing wine list! read more

Echale - Menu - Wine Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Loved Échale and would recommend! The ingredients were so fresh and every bite was so flavorful. They serve natural wines that remind me of the wine you drink in Italy/abroad. Not filled with preservatives and chemicals that give you hangovers and make you feel ill. Bread & Butter - the "butter" was amazing Sashimi - this was incredible and actually a great price for the dish. Steak frites - not my favorite cut though the flavor of the steak was amazing. Fries were also 10/10 Oxtail & Blue Fin tacos - WOW. So fresh and incredibly flavorful. Cinnamon Churros - will go as far to say that best I've ever had. Must try. It was easy to get a reservation and plenty of parking and the staff were great. read more

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Favorite spot in North County! Honestly, this place feels (and tastes) like something you'd find in Paris or New York. Not only is the food INSANELY delicious, the vibes are on point. The lighting is dim but not too dark and the music is excellent and not too loud. The staff are some of nicest and most down to Earth people around and always make sure that your meal is up to par. The new menu is perfection too, I've been there twice since they debuted it and between all of us we have friend nearly everything and it is all soo good! Standouts include the Elote (Mexican street corn), the mushroom toast, the burger (easily the best in Encinitas), the steak (oh my god), and the Tajin Frites. Last time I had the steak + frites and it was the best I had since the heyday of Balthazar in NYC. To sum it all up, don't miss out on Echale...wayyyy better than fox point farms, herb and sea, and all the other spots that are trying to be cool. Echale is #1 read more

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Food was great and if you're young and want a place to go where you can be loud and have fun, this is it. We came on a Friday night around 8pm for a date night and it wasn't really what we expected. The place is much smaller than we expected, and it was so loud that we almost couldn't hear each other from across the table. They only serve beer and wine so keep that in mind too. By the time we sat down, they were out of three or four popular dishes, so unfortunately, it wasn't the greatest experience and we won't be coming back. read more

They had us at bread and corn... such an amazing culinary experience. The service was wonderful. The food truly amazing. Must haves: sourdough bread, elote corn, pippin rojo, ceviche, bluefin taco... melt in your mouth amazing, duck carnitas taco and braised oxtail taco also quite delicious! The have a wonderful selection of wines from Valle de Guadelupe, BC. The owner was friendly and attentive. This was our first time here, but we already look forward to our next visit! read more

Echale - Bluefin tuna taco, braised oxtail taco, duck carnitas taco - Wine Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

The Yellowtail sashimi I had as an appetizer tasted extremely bland. This place has great ambiance but the food tasted less than average to me. Yellowtail typically has a very tantalizing taste especially as you continue to chew, and it tasted soggy and was sprinkled with a seasoning that didn't go with the sashimi itself. Once you get to the center of the sashimi, it was extremely bland. I had also ordered the SeaBass meal which came topped with a really thick and off-tasting sauce. The sauce didn't mix well with the fish at all and the flavor was just acidic in my mouth. My date also felt disappointed with his meal his meal so it wasn't just my taste buds. We would rate this place a 6. I wouldn't recommend eating at this place at all, but they have great wine selections and ambiance. read more

Our 5th time here and it just keeps getting better. John and team deliver a warm and welcoming experience. The wine list is one of the best in North County (Natty wine lovers unite!), and the new menu does not disappoint--delicious, unique flavors expertly curated that hit all the high notes. Combined with a moody interior, mellow yet subtly elegant vibe, fun retro/eclectic playlist and this is a not to be missed experience in the heart of North County. May they live forever! read more

our new go to for date night any time anyone ask me where to go for dinner - i tell them echale. they have truly done an remarkable job with bringing something new to this town. the flavors he brings together are phenomenal + have an incredible selection of natural wines to pair with the meal with. some how i've never had to wait for a table which i love also - the vibe of the restaurant is simple, laid back but elegant. i've had one client report back to me that he can also agrees it's the best in town but bummed it's not a place for kids as they do not have a kids menu (i also see that as another plus but do see how some may not agree) i heard they change the menu often so suggest heading over there to try what's available now! read more

Echale - steak au poivre with a side of tortillas for the sauce - Wine Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

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we arrived for our reservation last night to an almost empty facility. instead of being welcomed, we were pushed outside. This was especially upsetting, given it was quite cold and we were celebrating special birthdays. No apology or explanation was offered. Ultimately, we left given the cold. I was disappointed with the lack of attention to any service whatsoever. read more

This place is crazy good! Thankfully, we discovered it before everyone else (thank you, Christina!) and it was easy to get in on a Friday night! As former restaurant owners, we rarely find a place that has everything we appreciate; Great food!, good service, and a good ambiance and all in our neighborhood! We'll be back every week and pray we can get in. We know the restaurant business intimately, it'll either fail or get a Michelin star, which it deserves! read more

Soo amazing! Definitely stopping here every time we visit Encinitas. The vibe of the restaurant and the servers was awesome. Everything on the menu looked so good I wish we could have ordered one of every dish. Great wine list, we got 2 bottles of the skin contact wine both of which were fantastic. The steak and peppercorn sauce was cooked to perfection and the daily special spiny lobster and lump crab cake was to die for. All the appetizers we tried scallop crudo, bluefin tartar, oysters, and tamale were wonderful. Definitely don't skip dessert either, the churro was fantastic. read more

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New spot on the 101! Went to try it with my husband and we were impressed for several reasons! One: reasonable prices for quality food and perfect portion sizes. Two: Friendly, helpful, fun staff! All the staff we interacted with were friendly, Encinitas spots can tend be be hit or miss with staff and everyone was wonderful here. Three: Open past 9 pm! In Encinitas it is hard to find anywhere open to eat past 9 and I believe this place stays open until about 10:30! Impressive wine list as well, great ambiance and great food. We will definitely be back to try more stuff! I recommend the chicken tinga and the bolognese! read more

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Love the food, crudo is amazing, my favorite was the cochinita pibil tamal, super unique. I also love the wine list, they keep it fresh and unique. Their skin contact section is amazing, great little gems there. Love this place. read more

I came here last weekend and was blown away by the quality of the food and the explosion of flavors. The food was refined and worthy of Michelin stars! We ate the yellowtail crudo, Mexican hummus, pork tamale, ahi toastada, halibut, bolognese and crème brûlée. Not only were they all excellent but the presentation was so impeccable that I felt like I was about to eat a piece of art. I would drive back to San Diego from LA just to eat there. read more

Echale - Wine Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Always looking for new spots to try in Encinitas, and I may have stumbled across a new go to. Had some terrific mussels and chicken tinga! They also have a great natural wine selection. Get there soon, because I have a feeling it may be hard to get a table in a few months! Walk ins only as of right now I believe. read more

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Had reservations for this place on Saturday night at 6:45pm. Our table was ready. The waitress came over got us water drinks and took appetizer order. Well that is when it went south. All we ordered was bread! After 40 minutes of waiting we paid for our drinks and left. Waitress said here is your bread as we handed her our credit card. The tables on either side of us were also in the same predicament. It was a complete hot mess in the kitchen and the restaurant wasn't even completely full. Shouldn't take 40 minutes to get bread. read more

We had lunch at Echale today - really liked the new menu and great value given the quality and presentation...we will be back soon! read more

Echale - Banh Mi sandwich and steak and eggs - Wine Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great location with parking available in the Lumberyard. Delicious meal: Wagyu hamburger, oxtail taco, pork belly taco, and blue fin tuna taco. Started with their fresh bread & butter. Reasonably priced and our server was adorable and attentive. We would highly recommend it! read more

Echale - Wagyu Hamburger with bone marrow, Hatch chilies, and grilled onions. - Wine Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Confused by the high reviews on yelp after trying this place out. First red flag was that the place was empty for a 6:30 reservation. Second red flag: we checked in for our reservation, and our waiter just pointed to the other side of the restaurant, where we spotted a table with a place setting for 3 and assumed that was for us. We thought that if you can charge that much for your menu, the minimum expectation is for someone to walk you to your table. So then we walked over to the table, and find that the booth seat is dirty, to which we notified our waiter Jon, and the guy didn't even come to try to clean it or apologize. We didn't want to just stand there so we cleaned it ourselves so we could sit. We had our 4 year old with us and since they didn't have a kids menu, we thought that the bolognese would be the best option. We asked our waiter Jon if it was spicy or had any heat to it, as we were going to order it for our son, he said no. Bolognese came and it was def spicy! Luckily I was able to share my duck with my son but we still had to go get a quesadilla for him afterwards since he was still hungry. Notes on the other food we ordered: Tamal - one note spicy and the vessel used for platting made it difficult to eat. Duck confit - duck was actually cooked nicely but the whole dish was one note: sweet, with the sweet potatoes and figs. Though the figs actually were bland since they are not in season (not sure why they still used it). When you have a restaurant that cannot adapt their menu to seasonal changes...that's a problem. Also, seems like they had issues on the timing of plating the whole dish since my sweet potato was cold but the duck was fine. Salmon - tiny and forgettable. When we asked for our check, our waiter Jon just dropped the check at our table and didn't say a word. He clearly hates his job. Overall, expensive meal with many execution issues with their one note dishes and the worst service we've had in memory. I can't see this restaurant surviving. read more

Great food. Loved the ambiance. We sat outside and they had heaters. Server was very friendly and helpful with the menu. We brought our 3 week old and it went great! Will definitely be back. Everything on the menu looked delicious read more

Echale - Wine Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Delicious food!, excellent service! I recommend the cochinita pibil tamale, the carpaccio, and chicken tinga! For dessert the chocolate cake with passion fruit, yumm! read more

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One of the best date spots in north county. Very unique smaller plates with a fantastic, unique selection of wine. Low key vibes, dimly lit. Top notch service. These guys love what they do. read more

Went to Eschale for the 1st time Thursday evening. Drawn in by the mostly positive reviews. The place was moderately busy, but seemed to be understaffed. Tables are tiny but well spaced. The menu is pretty sparse and unconventional. We ordered the mussels, quesadilla, and salad. Huge plates with small portions. The mussels were good but very peppery. The quesadilla was interesting but almost impossible to eat gracefully - too soggy to pick up, too difficult to cut up with the dull knife provided. The salad was again interesting - the best of the 3 dishes we tried - but composed of large pieces of lettuce and veggies that needed to be cut into manageable bites with (again) the dull butter knife by which point it turned into a soggy mess. Overall, our impression was that they are trying too hard to be trendy. The prices were out of line with the food. We left largely unsatisfied. The experience would have been acceptable at bistro prices, but they're charging for fine dining. read more