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    Encinitas Cafe

    4.2 (569 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Encinitas Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    ENCINITAS CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Encinitas Cafe

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    The cafe offers breakfast and lunch, and is open until 4
    Desideseos A.

    My children and I were in search of breakfast, and most of the restaurants were not serving breakfast any longer. However, we were lucky enough to find Encinitas Café.. I ordered one of the best corned, beef, hash, and eggs I've had, my children loved their food, and it was pretty affordable.. The service was friendly and prompt, and we will definitely be back.

    Bloody Mary
    Nancie M.

    Just a great down home cooking place with biscuits and gravy and eggs Benedict pancakes all and everything was great. My Bloody Mary was a deal at $8.50 and service was excellent.

    Avocado Benedict
    Zan L.

    I have been coming to this café since high school and every time that I visit it's always consistently really good. I would say that the selling point is the location and the service, the food is not the best in San Diego, but still it will be a really satisfying breakfast. Parking is very easy because you can find a street space or a free lot space in the park-and-ride parking lot in the rear, however this may be difficult on weekend mornings. All the servers and staff have always been consistently really polite and honestly, it's one of my favorite parts of coming here. Inside is very large compared to the other diner across the street and it can host many different sized groups. For this most recent visit, I chose the Avocado Benedict and thought it was OK. The eggs were a little bit overdone and the hollandaise was almost peppery, but I still enjoyed it. I also ordered a Cinnamon Roll and thought it was a great sweet treat for breakfast. It's not as light and fluffy as some other versions but more dense. I would definitely recommend this place and I will be back again.

    Oh my this cinnamon roll~HOT~Heaven
    Kelly S.

    Amazing baked cinnamon Roll!! A lot of kind staff! (Work on timely drink refills-whoever side eyed the husband we pray for you) All other staff everyone else Great! This place is easy to find from hotel or beach! Steak & eggs keto breakfast for me! Breakfast till 4 pm, yes Honorable mention nutty hot banana bread . I ate around the nuts still pretty great. As usual ate all my food and forgot to show photo

    Cecilia L.

    Cute place to come and have breakfast in downtown encinitas. Food was okay, the eggs and hash browns felt like it lacked some flavor/seasoning. Staff was friendly, we were sat immediately and had our order taken within minutes. Food came out fast but was still hot and fresh.

    Kylie P.

    Cute spot for an easy diner-style breakfast. I came on a Thursday morning and there were plenty of seats available inside and outside. No wait time & you seat yourself. Staff was friendly and service was surprisingly quick! Menu is pretty standard breakfast items and I thought prices were fair for being right on the main strip of Encinitas. Would return if in the area but wouldn't necessarily go out of my way for it. Still, a tasty & hearty breakfast!

    Biscuit and Gravy
    Cary N.

    A cool breakfast and lunch diner. The place has outdoor seating, indoor seating and counter seating. It was cool. The waitress was very friendly and personable. The mimosa was spot on perfect ratio of orange juice and champagne. Very reasonably priced too. The food was made well. The 2 eggs and corned beef hash came with a biscuit and gravy and fresh fruit. The corned beef has is homemade and has great flavor. The biscuit is not the normal biscuit but still delicious. The gravy could have been hotter and more seasoning but I added more black pepper and no problem. The fresh fruit was juicy and sweet. I had my fill there and still able to take some home. Overall, great place. Lots of locals seemed to like and I can see why. A very good choice for dining.

    Menu
    Michelle A.

    Came in for quick brunch while in town shopping and visiting the beach. Just what we needed, my daughter and I shared a Blt with onion rings. The only downside was, I dont think they put enough bacon on their Blt, as there were only 3-4 slices, but it still had good flavor.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Very average - at best - food. Not recommended. Easy peasy food on the menu but they did not deliver.

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    2 years ago

    As always - we enjoyed Excellent food, with kind and exceptional service. Never disappoints

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Your casual mom and pop diner with great service and great food! The waitress was knowledgeable and super helpful

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    1 year ago

    5 years in a row for Thanksgiving dinner take out! Generous and tasty! Going back for Christmas!

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Food is lowkey mid, prices on par with other local diners. Not a bad option, not a great option. Eat at your own neutrality.

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    7 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Such a cozy place. Good old diner food! I love the hot turkey sandwich! I visit as often as I can.

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great food. Great service. Health portions. The banana walnut bread is scrumptious! I recommend.

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    Page 2 of 15

    Ask the Community - Encinitas Cafe

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    Came here with a friend on Easter Sunday around 9:30 PM and had a great experience overall. It was…read morepretty mellow for a holiday night with just a handful of people there with plenty of seating both inside, outside, and at the bar. We ended up grabbing seats at the bar, which was a great choice. We ordered the: *Fig Burger with Brussels Sprouts: the Brussels sprouts were phenomenal. They had what tasted like pecans, some kind of glaze, and cheese... seriously so good. The Fig Burger itself was just as impressive with such a unique combo and absolutely delicious. *Steak Sandwich with Onion Rings: this was also a standout. Perfectly cooked, super flavorful, and came with a great dipping sauce that really tied it all together. The onion rings were crispy and on point too. First off, I love that they offer a variety of sides (sweet potato fries, truffle fries, mac & cheese, Brussels sprouts, etc.), though most come with a small upcharge. We had a few drinks and even grabbed a bottle of wine from the bar to take back to our Airbnb, which was a nice bonus. The vibe was relaxed with TVs playing highlights from a basketball game, and the bartender/server was awesome. Parking was easy with free street parking, though that might've been because it was late and a holiday. Only heads up: definitely call ahead about kitchen and closing times, especially on holidays. Online said they close at midnight, but they were actually closing at 11 PM. We were told over the phone the kitchen closed at 9:45 PM, but when we arrived at 9:30 PM, it had just switched to last call. Thankfully, they were kind enough to still get our order in. Overall, phenomenal food, great service, and a solid spot worth checking out. Would definitely come back.

    My friend and I were doing a mini food crawl through downtown Encinitas and decided to stop by here…read morefor a quick snack and drink. I guess you could call it a bit of a girl dinner (or snack) - aperol spritz + onion rings. The vibes were great, especially the back patio area. The service was also pretty solid and we didn't feel like anyone was rushing us out, despite just ordering nibbles. Great spot overall!

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    Encinitas Ale House - Fries for Daddy $13.95

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    One of the great spots in Encinitas for lunch or dinner, if you love beer or ale this is your…read moreplace. They have an entire menu of six pages of different Beers. They know their stuff. If you go try to get Matt and hear our matt's famous phrases It's almost done Just a second Yours is next Almost ready I'm getting it now He was as fantastic as the burger! Glad to go back after a few years it is now back on her list. Thanks to matt

    Santana Burger medium rare was 5 stars all the way, and the fruits that accompanied it were damn…read moregood as well. The Kern brewing Chuuuch IPA was also 5 stars for my taste buds. And our server was fantastic. So why, you might ask, only 4 stars in my review. Two reasons: 1). Management has prohibited giving a splash of a beer for someone to sample. Bottom line is that I wanted to order a pint of beer, but I wanted a splash of a couple of beers to try to make my decision. They refused, saying that one must buy a 5oz taster if one wants to taste the beer. I find that policy offensive. In the end I bought a taster to taste the Chuuurch, and then bought an additional pint after. It just seems nickel and dimey, and would be asking to an ice cream place not allowing one to sample their ice creams before buying a cone. I hope management reconsiders this policy. 2. My wife got the Hot Mess Fries and was disappointed not only in the flavor, but also in the misleading advertising. On the menu it specifically said that there was bacon in the fries, but in fact what they put on the fries was either chunks of ham or "Canadian bacon" (which as we all know is a very different thing from "bacon"). If they were or of regular bacon, the kitchen should have told the server this so he could have asked her if she wanted ham as a substitute. And, of they always use ham instead of bacon, them the menu needs to be changed to reflect that.

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    Located in one of my fave little beach towns, Herb and Sea in Encinitas was delicious! We were…read moreseated in a long table with ample room for our party of 7. Cocktails (well done), appetizers of spicy shrimp, oysters, and bread, then we shared a delish chicken, steak and salmon. The roasted carrots also, get them!! Interior aesthetic is beautiful and our server was very considerate and helpful!

    We ate here for dinner tonight and had such a wonderful time. Ordered:…read more 1) scallop aguachile - love the flavors and scallop was fresh! 2) half dozen oysters - so fresh and love the tangy sauces they provide 3) sourdough bread service - free but must ask for this 4) chocolate mousse pistachio pie for dessert 5) half baked red snapper - OMG, a must get and was surprised by the succulent texture! Delicious, might be the best snapper I've had in terms of how it's cooked 6) pork chop -- so good, husband loved this and sauce was great. He would recommend and no wonder it's always on the menu 7) spicy Baja shrimp - decent but nothing too extraordinary 8) margherita pizza - kids loved this 9) chorizo pepperoni pizza - kids loved this Food came out pretty quick. Service was attentive and friendly. It's also nice that this place is a Chase Sapphire Reserve Table Exclusive!

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    Herb & Sea - Dining room. Cozy and fitting for this coastal location. Loved the art on the walls here.

    Dining room. Cozy and fitting for this coastal location. Loved the art on the walls here.

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    Encinitas Fish Shop - Lobster Lumpia, Fish Shop Shrimp Taco, Fish Shop Shrimp and Oyster Shooter

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    4.1(1.4k reviews)
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    My favorite stop on my recent trip to the San Diego area…read more Encinitas Fish Shop was recommended by one of my local SD work colleagues. I grabbed an Uber after work on a Thursday and headed north 11 miles. As I arrived at the Fish Shop, I could smell the goodness inside and saw the line waiting to order. The restaurant is on one side, with an open bar on the other. Ordering is as simple as 1, 2, 3. Pick your fish, pick how you want to consume it (plate, sandwich, salad), and pick your sides and drink. I went with my work colleagues recommendation of a blackened sea bass sandwich with onion rings and a Marg. That choice was FANTASTIC!!! You seat yourself once you order and place the buzzer given to you by the counter person on the unit on your table. Although busy, there were still tables available (bar and restaurant, plus out front). As the NBA playoffs were on, I sat inside. Everyone working here was friendly and as I already stated... my meal was the best I had on this San Diego visit. A bonus was a gorgeous sunset just 3 blocks down from the shop. I will be back to Encinitas Fish Shop when I next visit San Diego.

    It had been a while since I'd had oysters and it sounded really good. Years ago, when I lived in…read morePacific Beach I used to go to their Thursday $1 oyster night at that location. I moved to North County and a few years later they opened Encinitas fish shop. I have been for the oysters in the past but it had been a long time. I looked it up to make sure they still had oyster night and sure enough they do. The price is now $1.25 but that still feels like a good deal. They had 4 different types to choose from. There was only about 7 people in front of me when I got in line including a family. There was an older couple ordering and it took about 20 minutes for them to complete their transaction. The rest of the line moved ok after they were done, but I probably waited about 40 minutes just to order. I ordered 3 of each kind, a dozen. Then I went to get water. They were out of ice. I sat in the window seating and waited. It took a bit, but it was a nice day so I didn't mind too much. A girl came out calling names but it was very difficult to hear her. I finally heard my name and she dropped off my oysters. I asked for more cocktail sauce and she left to get it. She brought it back but immediately left and never told me which oysters were which. I had to flag down another employee and he told me which oysters were which. In the past, I haven't liked some of the choices, but this time they had a whole different selection and I liked all of them! They were so good and fresh. I don't know why I waited so long to return. I'll definitely be back for more soon!

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