Nice outdoor bar with a hip vibe and music. Would skip the food though- meh and pricey, you'd do better ordering tacos from the Cancun Taqueria down the road next to 7-11. Stick to the bar and people watching, probably if you are over 40 too. read more

Food was excellent and the service we had was even better! Looking forward to my next visit!

I just had the most amazing Birthday dinner at one of our favorite restaurants near our home in Carlsbad. The food was fantastic (as always!) the staff was wonderful, and our over experience was was truly wonderful. We have been here for brunch, lunch, dinner and special occasions and tonight was just fabulous. I HIGHLY recommend this location of Le Papagayo and hope that your experience is as wonderful as ours was tonight. read more

Le Papagayo - Happy Birthday card from the staff! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

This place is a gem! I wanted mussels and was not disappointed one bit! Service was nice and the patio was peaceful! BIG flavor! Can't wait to go back. read more

Le Papagayo - Mussels and Sangria - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

Food was delicious. Service was slightly below average but the quality of the food made up for it! Yummy!

I'd give a 3.5 on this one. We have been here many times and it's been better. First, my husband was happy about this baguette toast because the kids just loved it last time. He asked the waiter about it and was brushed off. Very off putting. The I ordered an omelette with egg whites and a few veggies. Three veggies to be exact. It probably took thirty minutes to get our food. Not a big deal. We were the ONLY table at the time, but it was nice to have a chill time. I finally get my kids situated and look at my plates and it's not egg whites. I try to get the waiter's attention for no less than fifteen minutes. No luck. Kids are about done which means I'm out of time. Husband isn't thrilled with his either. So I wait and finally get this guys attention. I ask if he will just take mine off since everyone is done and no chance they want to wait on me. I was super nice about it. I was bummed to not get to have what I ordered. He says to me, "I don't hear you because your kids were too loud." Hmm. At the time they were coloring quietly, but that isn't the point. The point is you don't blame the customer for messing up the order. I didn't eat it so it's not like I ate half and asked for a refund. I just didn't eat. Then they want a 30% tip. Right. It's not even great looking for the price of the food. Another place that's gone downhill. Super high prices and not even good service. read more

Le Papagayo - Does this look like a $25 dollar omelette plate? - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

Food is decent. Love that they fry in tallow & have an extensive menu. We have come here dozens of times over the last 15 years and things have changed as of late. Service is sub-par. Piles of dirty dishes left on our table... long wait for service when they were not excessively busy. As someone who worked in food service for years, they need to raise their standard. If you're just going to the bar, it's fine. read more

Delicious food and great service. I visited Le Papagayo multiple times during my visit to San Diego! I hope to be back soon the next time I'm in town. read more

Le Papagayo - Birria hash - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

Le Papagayo was a wonderful choice for our Sunday brunch. It's located on a major street with lots of seating on the front or back patio as well as indoors. I was expecting a wait but we were seated immediately at an indoor table right next to their large roll-up windows with plenty of fresh air. Our server was adorable, a laid-back surfer kid. We ordered bottomless mimosas (which I didn't see on the menu) and he kept our glasses refilled, always checked on us and made good conversation. The menu is gigantic. They describe their food as "a unique fusion of Mediterranean and Latin American cuisine" which I would also say has a heavy California influence. Breakfast ranges from simple items like fruit and yogurt to more complex ones like a Loco Moco. The lunch menu offers Mexican, burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads. We started with the Papagayo Flatbread topped with Italian sausage, bacon, ham and lots of mozzarella. It was tasty but maybe a little too gooey on top. I loved my main order, the Luxury California Burrito. It was packed with tender chunks of filet mignon, avocado, truffle fries, shredded cheese and salsa fresca. I omitted the salsa in favor of a side of their salsa verde which you don't want to miss out on, and I added black beans for complete perfection. Really, it was one of the best burritos I have had in a long time. We also loved the Prime Rib Dip and I can't wait to come back next time I'm in town. read more

See all

There were mice outside on the porch and everyone eating saw them! So bad! How disgusting! Good was also not that good.

Wow! Just wow! The food here is all amazing! I highly recommend the fish dishes. Also, they have live music which is so fun and cool to experience. It can get a bit loud so be aware if you're trying to have a quiet dinner- go before the bands start. The service is also on top of things! It gets very busy so I recommend making a reservation! read more

Thanks again to Yelp, found an amazing restaurant. The service was top notch, even on their busy night where happy hour runs all night (drink specials & appetizers/tapas). We sat on the front patio and we were never rushed, water and drinks constantly refilled. We had the Bang Bang Shrimp tapas (perfectly cooked - sweet & crispy), BBQ chicken wings that were super crispy and well sauced. Then by recommendation of our server Maddie, we had the kalua pork and seafood enchiladas. All of it was great portions and so tasty! And of course, the kids and the chicken fingers & cheeseburger They also heard us mention (really in passing) that it was our 9yo's birthday and they brought out dessert to surprise him - cotton candy & a churro ice cream sandwich. We will totally be back! read more

This is a great place for locals, with lots of local music. But since it's tropical, it's a fun place to take guests. See my last review for more details about the food and what you should definitely order. Over 8,000 people read that review! This time around we experienced their Bangkok Noodle Dish. Steve says: "The strips of zucchini mixed in with the same texture noodle is kind of interesting..... It's good". I have the Coconut Shrimp. Meets the standard of what that's supposed to taste and look like. Nicely plated. And I had artichoke bottoms, which are the best. It comes with a little nice salad and that is unexpected. Looks and tastes great! This Chef continues to bump up the flavor profiles a notch. Always happy to come. And they have such terrific staff. So friendly and welcoming. We listened to The Swinging Johnsons playing live in the next room. It's nice to go out on a Saturday Night, eat good food and listen to music. Funny to watch the young girls make fun of music they don't actually know! lol Happy Healthier Eating, Chef Marian San Diego Foodies Carlsbad Foodies read more

First time eating breakfast at this Latin flare restaurant. I didn't realize it was a big place. They had several outside tables and another dining area in the back of the restaurant and side walks. We had the two eggs scrambled with bacon and sweet potatoes plus their banana French toast. Both were delicious but I loved the French toast the most with the fresh bananas and cream. I didn't even add too much syrup since it was already sweet for me. It had some whipped cream on it as well. They also used organic eggs and they came out fluffy. The bacon could be a little crispier but it was still good with the sweet potatoes. Their customer service was great. Our waiter was very helpful and friendly. I'll definitely return. I heard they serve good dinners too. read more

Le Papagayo - Two egg style with sweet potato and bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

Went in for the bottomless mimosas and brunch. Our server was excellent and she kept our glasses full. I had the carne asada breakfast burrito which was tasty but didn't have much meat in it. I'd go again. read more

Pros: Was able to be seated right away on a busy Friday, and the drinks were delicious and strong Cons: service not very good. Started off well, but after I ordered my drink, and later received it, the server kinda disappeared. Which was irritating since I was starving and ready to order. Eventually I was able to order and I will say the shrimp ceviche was delicious! I added avocado which was extra and I must say I actually liked it better without it.. Overall nice little spot, and loved that there was live music playing. So I probably will be back again. read more

Le Papagayo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

Came here during happy hour which was unfortunate since the regular dinner menu looked great. My partner and I ordered a few plates of food and everything was pretty good. Loved having a lot of options and it was a great place to snack and have drinks. read more

See all

The ambience and the food are very good at this restaurant service is fine, but the food did take a long time to come out of the kitchen. Also, they did not tell me that that ham was five dollars extra for this certain breakfast. I would recommend this restaurant. read more

Stopped in for happy hour on a taco Tuesday! Loved the shrimp, mahi mahi and duck tacos! Server Jazmine and manager Ryan were accommodating friendly and helpful. Making plans to come here again already! read more

Le Papagayo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

First time here. Came on a Sunday. Had to park top of a hill. Came in handy after brunch. Seated very quickly. Sat outside in the makeshift patio/parking lot. Plenty of umbrellas to block out the sun. Wait time for our server was not long. Got our drinks not long after. Followed by our food. The pozole soup was super delicious. Had a nice kick to it. The calamari was ok. A tad rubbery but the sauce and breading were good. The sangria was super sweet and kinda warm. First time having it so I'm not sure if that normal. Got a cup of ice and that helped. Also ordered the warm butter cake. O M G!!!!! For me, it was worth the calories. Just so you know, this place is WAY better than the one in Carlsbad. What a disappointment. read more

See all

Drove down to Carlsbad from OC with my girlfriend to spend a day there. We were having a hard time deciding where to get brunch/lunch, but we ended up choosing this place. 100% a great pick because the service, food and atmosphere was 10/10. It seemed quiet since we sat outside with our little doggy friend and it was a Friday afternoon. There was a lady, named Christine, who constantly checked up on us and was very welcoming and friendly! Our drinks were delicious and the food was amazing! Maybe they were extra tasty since we were hungry, but everything from the truffle fries to the sauce on the corned beef hash, to the loco moco and prime rib melt were tasty. I'd definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a nice lunch/brunch spot! I'd imagine it be busy on the weekend though. Was a great time with the girlfriends!! read more

Le Papagayo - Shrimp ceviche, corned beef hash, truffle fries, prime rib melt, loco moco - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

You want good food, live music, and a fun atmosphere? Papagayo's delivers. Service was homey and beyond friendly. The menu is sorta kinda Latin-themed but really, there's no consistent cuisine here, as far as I could tell. Not that it really matters. The food was mostly very good. The bread wjth pesto is worth the price. The Oaxaca steak tacos were outstanding. I appreciated the homemade tortillas, too. The fig and blue cheese flatbread was large and nice. There IS a kid's menu (not available online) and the kid's spaghetti was enormous and could have fed half the restaurant. You get an enormous mound of cotton candy if you're celebrating a birthday. It's delicious. Cocktails are mostly very good. This place is very popular for good reason. It's colorful, laid back, has a ton of energy, and is fun. Live music every night is a huge plus. read more

See all

Always our favorite breakfast place! Thank you for so many good memories here. The food is delicious, service is pretty good, sometimes it's really busy sometimes it's empty. But one thing is for sure, the servers are always nice and the kitchen is always on point! My kids always talk me into coming here because they want more cotton candy. I come back for the Benedict or the moco Loco. N read more

Le Papagayo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great brunch Spot for kids! Went to brunch w/my family and friends w/their children and had an amazing time. Sat outside on their patio which was beautiful and open. The staff was super accommodating and patient w/our kids and the food was amazing! Highly recommend if youre looking for a delicious, beautiful and kid friendly brunch spot in north county! read more

My wife and I were driving south down the coast highway and wanted to stop for dinner somewhere. Le Papagayo signage was bright and inviting, and they have parking! So we stopped not knowing the establishment. Inside dining was full, but they had seating outside. It was cold enough that the heater did not help as much as needed. By the end of our meal, it didn't matter. I have spent the equivalent of ten years (3,500 - 4,000 days and nights) traveling the world and eating out. I frankly cannot remember a more pleasurable dining experience, or a more warm and professional management and staff. Our meals were primo, Prime Rib dip and one of their burgers. Add their house Cabernet to the mix. All excellent, hot, and expedient in delivery. The best part of the event were our server Sierra, and a gent who was either management or owner. The gent (we didn't ask his name) arrived to see if all was OK. My wife said all is good, but she was still a bit chilly. He left and returned immediately with a warm blanket. Perfect. Sierra made the evening. Smart, personable, charming, and highly professional. She was able to carry on a conversation while keeping up with her tables, nothing got by her. I've hired many people over the years, I would hire Sierra and her management in a heartbeat! Would that all businesses were as warm, friendly, and professional as this one. Hats Off! read more

This restaurant is such a fun, eclectic place to enjoy a meal. I met my friend here for dinner on a Wednesday and our server was excellent. He was kind and helpful and always offered us more time if we needed it. We enjoyed a few cocktails on their outdoor (street side) patio and then ordered dinner. The live music was very fun, coming from inside the bar. The open windows added to the ambience and we could hear the music very well. The only odd thing was that the menu lacked identity. I assumed, for some reason, that we were eating Mexican food of some sort based on the restaurant name, but actually, the menu was all over the place. We ended up eating coconut shrimp, mussels, and a flatbread. All were tasty, but disconnected. In looking back over the restaurant's website, it says this: "Located on the historic Coast Highway 101 in Leucadia, California, Le Papagayo Leucadia offers a unique fusion of Mediterranean and Latin American cuisine along with nightly entertainment all wrapped up in a quaint art gallery style fine dining establishments. Considered as one of the most popular Encinitas restaurants and all of North County, San Diego. Come check us out and see for yourself!" Knowing this, it makes sense that we have a more fusion-type menu going on. All in all, great service and fine food, but I think I'll come back for happy hour and drinks to keep it simple. Im also interested in trying brunch! read more

Le Papagayo - Dinner menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

The service, food and prices. Everything was wonderful. Food was really good, love my eggs Benedict.

One of our favorite places has changed. The prices are completely out of control. We split a BLT and bread was hard as a rock. I think the cheese spread on outside of bread did not help. read more

I truly have enjoyed going to Papagayo, the blood orange sunset (previously the bloody sunrise) is my all time favorite drink and the Birria egg rolls are the bomb! I decided to try a poke bowl for the first time most recently and I was sadly disappointed. Everything was good except for the rice, it was under cooked and hard!!! It was a bummer especially because we were in no rush to get our food- we were happy with the ambiance, our drinks, and apps so that put a damper on things. I will unfortunately have to think twice before coming back. read more

Service service service.....terrible. I've been here before and I was excited to come back. The food was delicious but our server was horrible. She gave us warm water in a dirty water canister and ignored us the entire dinner. When we asked her for a new water she brought back the same water with ice... ma'am the canister is still dirty. I guess asking for fresh water was to much for her Soo... We had to flag done another server for new water. After that she ignored us like we had the plague. It was so bad that we needed to order more food from the food runner. On a lighter note, the cocktails were great! We had the sugar watermelon. It's good but really spicy because of the Serrano tequila and the blueberry yum yum is delicious. read more

Le Papagayo - The watermelon sugar is infused with Serrano pepper.... And when I say infused I mean soaked! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Encinitas, California

Made a dinner reservation for 6pm and arrived on time. There was an issue with seating us in the back patio which happens, but the Hostess was very creative and found us a nice table. The waitress was very friendly and helpful...but it did not take away from the 45 minutes we waited for our salads to arrive after asking several times. While asking about our salads, we asked that when they did come, not to serve the dinner until we were finished with the salads. Well...within a short time of the salads being delivered, the main entrees came. Of course we sent them back as we were still enjoying our delicious salads. When they were delivered back, because they were under the heat lamps, the chicken was dry and the filet mignon was over cooked. The waitress asked the Manager to come over and all he wanted to know what what we needed - totally clueless that there was an issue. We thought for sure when we asked for the check, due to the long wait and the overcooked filet that there would be some sort of compensation toward the bill or an offer of a dessert on the house, but nothing. I asked for the Manager again and shared with him that I was in the F&B field and asked him if he understood all of the issues we encountered this evening and he shared with us that he was ...but he was having issues with his kitchen and the timing of the food coming out....still no offer of anything..until I shared with him that the food while delicious - took an incredibly long time to come out, I would think that there would be some sort of consideration on his part....mind you, I had to straight out ask him...."Oh (he responded) I could give you a gift card for when you come back"....I then shared with him, that we would definitely be back as the food is incredible, but to the Carlsbad Location. This Manager needs to get control of the situation, or Le Papagayo needs to replace him....he is costing this location customers! read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in the area. There are two locations but l prefer the Carlsbad one due to the huge covered patio space. The Encinitas one isn't as covered and l sunburn easily so it's not my preference. Whenever we have people from out of town or state visiting, we take them here. The ambiance and food are amazing. We love eating outside under the covered patio to catch the ocean breeze. And my husband likes to be able to watch the sports games on the many tvs set up there. On weekend evenings you can catch live music but it's not our scene as we have little kids so we usually prefer coming for brunch but every now and then we do shake things up and come out for dinner. But prefer to sit on the patio due to it being a little quieter. I also prefer the brunch menu to the others. The dinner menu just doesn't have much on it that appeals to me. I love their queso birria tacos and also love their pastrami sandwich. Their burgers and fries are good as well. On their dinner menu, l do love their braised beef short rib. My husband and l shared the goat cheese salad and it is a perfect size to split among two adults. We also happened to eat here right after a menu update so we were able to try their new birria enchiladas and their (Mexican?) honey chipotle fried chicken, both of which were amazing! We didn't care for their beef stroganoff (very bland and flavorless) which l believe they have taken off the menu now. Nor did we care for their butter cake. And l love a good butter cake but theirs is overwhelmingly sweet. We just tried the s'mores skillet cookie dessert and WOW! It's large enough to probably share among 4-6 ppl. My husband and l barely finished half. It was really sweet but not cloyingly sweet like the butter cake. Just very rich, so a little goes a long way. We eat here about once per month and have been for over a year. We have only had an issue with service once and we're pretty sure the server was new so I'm sure it will improve. The manager had also come around to help, and they often do. Which is really good to see that they care about their customers and their experiences in the restaurant. read more

I don't usually update my reviews, but this just had to be done. On a recent visit with a foodie friend, I realized they didn't have something on the menu from a previous visit. It was the sole reason for coming to Le Papagayo in the first place. It was the Chocolate Lava Cake Banana Split! No other reason, PERIOD! Ok, the food and service is always nothing short of spectacular here, but c'mon now. That CLCBS (shortened for typing purposes) was UH-MAZE-ING! I almost cried when I was told it was off the menu. Well low and behold, Shawn our server had been around for a while and knew exactly what I had enjoyed on a previous visit, the CLCBS! I begged and pleaded with the man to see what could be done to replace this god sent dessert on my table and in ma belly! He said he'd see what they could do. I was grateful and appreciative. In the meantime... brunch was served at lunch time. I'm all about breakfast anytime of day! My friend enjoyed the lobster roll. A soft bun/ roll overflowing with silky smooth lobster drizzled with butter and lemon. Melt in your mouth. Friend didn't bother sharing, but I'm simply describing the motions and moans of pleasure that I witnessed first hand. HUMPH! I enjoyed the short rib tamales. Such an amazing creation that came with chilaquiles on the side! The masa on the tamale was moist while the meat inside was packed with flavor. The green sauce on the chilaquiles had some heat to it. But the fried egg on top with the oozing yolk complemented the heat in a good way. Now, here's where Shawn was THE MAN! Out rolls this plate with the now flourless chocolate fudge cake, plantains, ice cream, whipped cream and burnt marshmallows, drizzled with chocolate syrup and dusted with powdered sugar and coco powder. It even had a decorative strawberry on the side. It was truly a site to behold. I almost cried again. Actually, a tear did slide down my cheek when I saw this creation. This beautiful piece of art was soon devoured and pushed me into food coma mode for much of the rest of the day. Truly exceptional above and beyond service with mouthwatering eats that will surely keep you coming back for more! Thank you Shawn, Ducky and the kitchen staff for creating a remarkable experience. Also appreciated the owner coming around and checking on things with every table. Keep on Yelp'n! read more

See all

Staff: 5. Food: 5. Ambience: 5. Music selection: 10. Staff: We had the pleasure to meet Shannon as our waitress. She was Friendly, personable, and warm - we chatted about current events like old chums :) Food: the butter cake was a chefs kiss and a total must. Props to the kitchen head for adding this scrumptious dessert to the menu. The green garlic sauce that came with the warm bread ...uh-maze-zing. Warm Lobster bisque was also a hit on a chilly light. I ordered the miso Chilean sea bass but I didn't taste much of the miso. I'm generally accustomed to seeing a miso sauce but the fish and asparagus laid on top of a thin broth instead. Despite the lack of miso flavor, the fish was fall-apart flaky. Husband got a medium rare rib eye: very tender and flavorful. He enjoyed the creamy mashed potatoes too. Ambience: they had stringing lights, large standing outdoor heaters, artificial turf and such a cute outdoor layout. We would have stayed longer and lingered if we weren't so tired for our late dinner Music: the ambience would have been diddly-squat had it not been for the music selection. Think early 90's alternative, pop and some oldies but goodies. Husband and I had a wonderful time sipping our sangria and wine, enjoying the outdoors until the twinkled lights, listening to the music after our dinner and chatting with Shannon. Props to the owner Darrin and the chef on this location and menu'd items. We will soon be back! read more

See all

Did I make a mistake? Well the short answer is no, because I'm DEFINITELY going back! The menu had so many things I wanted to shovel into my face and picking one was nearly impossible. My eye went to the mussels, then the loco moco, lobster roll, calamari. I mean, this was a brunch menu on steroids and I was there for it! I eventually settled on the loco moco, having had it in Maui I was curious to their take on it. Also ordered the chiliquiles and bottomless mimosa. The bottomless is worth the price if you are having more than 2. Loco moco is served with 2 patties, smothered in mushroom gravy, served with sticky rice and toasted baguette, topped with 2 eggs to your style. There was no shortage to food on this dish. Chiliquiles we're served on a plate piled high with fresh chips coated in verde, eggs and crema. You can order this with the birria as I found out and that would have been a delight! The loco moco gravy was rich in flavor and coated my rice to make the perfect bite. The meat Pattie's were well seasoned and when the sweet chili sauce (served on side) was added it just took the flavors to another place. Tip of my hat to the verde on the chiliquiles, that has a kick that comes out in the front! The chips were still crisp which I prefer, no soggy bottom chips were on that plate! Now, here is where I questioned my choices and why I'll probably be back today...yes today. As I was wrapping up I see a server bringing a plate out with something on it that looked to be higher to the sky that a Texas cheerleaders hair! What was it....the LOBSTER ROLL!!!! From across the patio I could see this beauty in all her glory and my gawd, there must have been more meat on the roll than 2 Sebastian's from the little mermaid. I'm so invested in trying that I now need to run a few lapse. Service was great, Kesley was friendly and helpful. Answered my questions with honesty and made sure the mimosa glass was never lonely. The manger (did catch her name and my apologies) stopped in and she was a delight. Gave me good feedback on the menu and few tips for building a dish if I fancied in the future. The outside patio is wonderfully setup, I loved the fresh air and the openness to the space concept. Wish me luck, I'm diving back in and coming up with a mouth of lobster read more

See all

Live music every night, relaxed vibe and colorful decor. The service was great, fast and accommodating. We mainly came for drinks and music, which did not disappoint. Definitely coming back to try more off their menu. Truffle fries 4/5 Kentucky stallion 4/5 Latte 4/5 Coconut margarita 2/5 read more

See all

Very disappointed in the breakfast that I had here today. Have no clue what the web was Rancheros was.. eggs watery, old hard tortilla on the bottom that you couldn't even cut with a knife. Other breakfast was a skillet that was basically potatoes and tomato sauce. What's even more disappointing is that the server saw that the skillet wasn't eaten and didn't even ask if anything was wrong. Not a cheap breakfast. read more

What a wonderful meal. Fish tacos, duck tacos, lobster roll, flourless chocolate cake ala mode for dessert. Attentive service. Pleasant outdoor setting. We look forward to returning. read more

See all

I had been wanting to try this place for awhile now. I finally did last weekend and was really disappointed. The location and service were great hence the 3 stars. However, the food itself was "meh". Actually probably worse then "meh". Ordered the beet salad and one would thing that they would have used fresh beets and lettuce. Nope! Out of the bag lettuce and the beets were definitely out of the can! Dining partner had the shrimp salad and she thought that it wasn't very fresh. The mushrooms that came with the steak tacos also tasted and had texture like they were out of a can. With dining out so expensive these days the least they can so is serve fresh ingredients. Safe to say that I probably won't be back. Was disappointing as I really wanted to like this place. read more

Went here for wife's bday dinner. Food was amazing! We tried multiple of their small plates. The show stopper and the reason I would go back every night is the churro ice cream sandwich read more