Food ambience was good but service was slow and sloppy. And they charged a 5% experience ?!

Unique and eclectic. We got to meet celebrity chef Claudette! She was absolutely working her butt off, on the front lines serving food, and took the time to speak with us. Highly recommend! read more

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Stellar service and great ambiance. We were lucky to get a booth table. For 3 folks we ordered the rip & dip, seasonal salad, extra veggies, Crispy chicken and garlic butter rice and bottle of wine. We left with happy tummies. The whipped feta dip is phenomenal (stick with that!). The crispy chicken was soooo good. Sad that we had to order a side of butter rice to go with it, seems like this should be part of the dish. Everything costs extra here. The veggies for our dip was extra. It's definitely expensive but the service really makes up for that. read more

I saw the mixed reviews about it being simply "vibes" but went into it with an open mind and everything we ordered did not disappoint. Extremely yummy food, perfect date night spot, interior is stunning. Great wine selection. No complaints. Exceeded our expectations and we will be back!! read more

Leu Leu - Dessert lemon cinnamon roll and sundae - Lounges Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Four things to note: 1. The space is fun. Sexy. Dimly lit. But VERY hot inside. Please install fans or an AC unit. 2. Price per the experience does not coincide. The little brunette hostess was rude and apparently doesn't know how to greet guests or smile??? Our cute, little female, blonde surfer vibe server was clueless. Her run down about the food and wine was a huge fail (recommended the most expensive wine without knowing anything about it). 3. If you still would like to experience Leu Leu after reading this​, do yourself a favor and book an inside table on a cooler night. Although I recently heard they charge extra to sit inside?? Wtf is that about? Pacific Coast Highway Robbery! 4. I'll speak to the food as well. Fun. Dynamic. Approachable. SPICY. But also probably too expensive for the portions and service. They literally forgot our silverware twice. Do better. ​ read more

I went to celebrate my anniversary at Leu Leu's and it was not the experience I was hoping for. We made a 5pm reservation and were the 2nd people in line as they open at 5pm. We requested to be seated inside but were told unfortunately inside reservations are never guaranteed. No problem, we took our seat in which was the 1st table by the front door. We expected a full house to justify placing us in front of the doors that kept swinging by us as we ate but the restaurant was empty. Not to mention that it was suppose to rain today and we were seated outside with no covering. Luckily it was not a problem as the rain started as we left. Our server also encouraged us to look at the restaurant inside to see how cute it was as we got seated by the front door outside looking at a view of a bush. Our server was kind but not very knowledgable of the menu and thought it would be a good idea to use a Clorox wipe to clean our table in between our dinner and dessert. Let's get on to the food. When you pay $250 for dinner you expect a certain caliber of food. We ate Spicy Pan Con Tomate, Leu Leu's Faberge Egg, Baja Yellowtail Crudo, Rock Crab Ceviche Tostada, 14oz Pibil Lamb Shank, Baja Sea Bass Shawarma, and the Vacation Mode Ice Cream. The food was fine. Some good (Baja Yellowtail Crudo, Rock Crab Ceviche Tostada, Vacation Mode Ice Cream), some bland (Lamb Shank), and some weird (Spicy Pan Con Tomate, Faberge Egg, Sea Bass Shawarma). Let's talk about that Sea Bass that had no Sea Bass. It was a falafel mix pressed into a square. The flavor was good but the texture was ......interesting. Our server described it as a Sea Bass (meat) loaf. I came excited to try a new restaurant and left disappointed. Maybe it is my bad that I thought this would be an experience that would be comparable to Animae, Callie, Kingfisher, etc. It definitely was not. read more

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Let's address the elephant in the room: Leu Leu's tiny and the primo seating is all inside in the even (tinier) space. I've seen a lot of pearl clutching about the outdoor patio ("you can see the bathroom entrance!", "the train's so loud!", "it's cold!"), my two cents? It's great! Yes, we got seated near the bathroom and it wasn't ideal, but they're trying to make do with the space they have. ‍ Yes, you can hear the train but that's true of any restaurant on the 101. ‍ All that said, the decor and vibe is thoughtful and cozy. The staff are excited to be there and seem genuinely happy to be working on Claudette's team. And the food's different and delicious! Interesting flavors, twists on familiar dishes, etc. It's refreshing to have a new and original option amidst the myriad run of the mill offerings we have in North County. I'll be back to try the rotating menu, and hopefully snag a seat inside. read more

A lovely spot with awesome tapas and a perfect vibe. XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Came here as a group of 6 mid-week for dinner. In order to create the impression that the restaurant was hip and busy, they made us wait over 20 minutes in the parking lot out front. When we were seated on a nearly empty dining area, we realized it was just theatrics. From that point forward the service and food were decent, but perhaps not quite polished enough to support the high prices. The dips and the Prager bread were great, but the vintage Tupperware-esque container for the pickled veggies was kind of tacky and difficult to use. And the ahi dish had a delicious sauce, but it may have paired better with albacore or yellowtail. Either way the fish was very high quality and it was a great dish. We all agreed the pibil lamb was cooked perfectly and was delicious, but the chicken dish and crab tostada were polarizing because they were so heavily spiced. The overall experience is eclectic to say the least, but they need a little work to get better integration across the menu and to improve the quality of service for the price. Making people wait in the parking lot when the restaurant is mostly empty is a terrible idea. And if the goal is to have vibrant, bold, and possibly polarizing flavors and style, they nailed it. With two bottles of wine across 6 people, our bill came out to approximately $150/person. There is a lot of great, interesting food in north county at this price point or less, so hopefully the Leu Leu staff can make the experience more worthy of the price tag. We will definitely make our way back here in the future and hope the overall experience is a little more refined. read more

Amazing!!!! The food and setting was perfect. Get a reservation and enjoy! Sharable is best as you'll want to try everything

Absolutely incredible. Passionate honest food. Fantastic service and even better atmosphere.

We weren't sure what to expect when we arrived, but every dish was made with such intention and the overall experience was perfect for a casual date night as locals. We love supporting women-led businesses and will absolutely come here again! read more

Incredible! We loved every second here. Loved the record player and all the albums such a beautiful spot. The bathroom is amazing as well. All the food was over the top, the service everything made me feel like home. We got pictures w the cheff she politely visited our table This is our fourth time eating here read more

My wife came back from a wellness vacation in Mexico raving about Chef Claudette who had made a guest appearance during her stay at the resort, and Leu Leu is her home restaurant. She did not disappoint! The fusion of Mexican and Asian flavors are so unexpected and delicious. The 2-person bar is very quaint and cozy. Hats off to Jaken at the bar which made the experience phenomenal. We will definitely be back. read more

My husband and I love Vaga, are big fans of Claudette, and were so excited about this meal. No matter how badly we wanted to like this meal, my goodness, were we underwhelmed. Food was under-seasoned, generally meh, and overall just very disappointing. Would not go back. read more

Not impressed with the limited and very eclectic menu and really, why destroy a good piece of wagu beef by turning it into a dry piece of pot roast on top of a cold salad? Crab tostada, hamachi, and brownie with ice cream were okay, but again, nothing to write home about here! With all the hype and awards being touted... I can't recommend the experience as I expected so much more. It is way overpriced, in my opinion, as well. read more

Wow, this place is amazing!!! The chef did an incredible job curating a diverse and flavorful menu. Every dish was spectacular. Our server Kourtney (who was attentive, friendly, and hilarious) recommended the rip and dip, the ceviche, faberge egg and the chicken. We trusted her and I'm so glad we did. Everything was delicious and perfectly seasoned! We also got the shrimp rolls which were crunchy and so tasty. Also they were slammed and yet all of the food came out quickly and was perfectly timed. Really can't recommend this place enough and I'm already excited to go back! read more

Absolutely loved the vibe and service. Most of all the food! They put a lot of thought into the decor and seating. Good news is you can have a conversation in there & and hear it. The staff was very personal and friendly.I have referred my people and they all told me they loved it. Keep up the awesome vibes!! I'll be back. read more

I came here for an engagement dinner and was unfortunately a bit disappointed. They knew it was an engagement dinner and sat us in the worst table in the resturant. I wanted to sit outside and noted that on the reservation but they still sat us inside. The service was sub par. Again, they knew it was an engagement dinner, and they brought us 1oz of champagne in a shot glass (?). Weird. Food was okay but our server was not very attentive (very young inexperienced server). We were waiting to order for a bit. For the price point ($60 entres) I expected much more. read more

Dining at Leu Leu was such an amazing experience! The menu is incredible, anything you order you can't go wrong. We ordered family style so we could try a little bit of everything and with each course, we thought we had found our favorites, but then the next one would come out, and it just kept getting better and better! The staff were so kind and welcoming, their knowledge about the menu and the ingredients is very impressive (they were super on it with the food allergies we had at the table.) I highly recommend checking out Leu Leu if you're looking for a restaurant with amazing food and a warm and vibey atmosphere, I can't wait to go back! read more

Dining at Leu Leu is dreamy--vibrant global flavors, soulful storytelling, and the culinary brilliance of Chef Claudette Zepeda. With bold imaginative flavors, you're transported to places far beyond Leucadia. The space itself is pure magic: warm, whimsical, and wildly intentional. It's the kind of place you want to linger -- over wine, over stories, over that last irresistible spoonful of something spiced, or unexpected. Chef Claudette and the team have created more than a restaurant -- Leu Leu is an experience. Unapologetically vibrant, endlessly inspired, and rooted in love. read more

1000/10! Best dinner i've had in a long long time. All of the food was absolutely amazing & fresh and the orange wine was incredible. Strongly recommend the rip and dip, tuna, salad, brisket, & chicken. Also the service was amazing as well! Definitely make a reservation ASAP :) read more

Can't say enough good things. Absolutely delicious food made with attention to all details. Presentation, taste and spices just perfection. I love the small menu, everything is fresh. Servers are so attentive and personable. It is a small place and very well decorated and put together. Both inside and outside sitting is wonderful. Can't wait to go back. Reservation is hard but once you try this place you know why. read more

Unusual to say the least, but in a good way. Food is beyond great! Nothing like having a great meal in a former motel room. :)

Service was incredible! Highly recommend allowing your server to decide on your courses based on preferences. Such a great experience and cool vibe. Thank you to the chef and the servers (Courtney) for such a beautiful evening. read more

This is the most hidden 5-star gem you could imagine. The creativity in both the food and the ambiance is next level. I feel like this restaurant belongs in Brooklyn -- exotic and homey all at the same time. We popped in very early on a Saturday when we happened to be in the neighborhood. Amazing, highly curated wine list and food menu -- we enjoyed the dips and the burnt ends which were both delightful! Looking forward to coming back for the full dinner experience. read more

Sitting outside off PCH for a pricey meal is just not for me. Food is creative for sure and we enjoyed most of our choices. Crispy chicken and the beef tartare were excellent. read more

Great food and amazing staff. The food is delicious and really is a nice addition to Encinitas/Leucadia

Just not that tasty or interesting and quite overpriced for what it was. Baked cheezits are the bread service literally

Pro tip: if a restaurant has an aesthetic instagram, the food will be subpar at best. The music is horribly curated as well. The staff tried their best but lacks any guidance or true fine dining experience. After the failure that was Vaga, Leu Leu was supposed to be a redemption but it fell flat as well. They built a brand on immigrant dishes and POC, but the dishes taste gentrified. This is what happens when celebrity chefs let ego take over instead of truly making food taste good. Having children run your restaurant with no wine knowledge, when wine is the only liquor you sell is a huge misstep. Consider this a cautionary tale. What might look cute from the outside is a farce. Also maybe don't exploit pictures of truly hard working Mexican Americans in the back of trucks to push an agenda. Make food that our ancestors would be proud of. Call for a rebrand or stop misrepresenting!! read more

Just not a great experience. Staff is really young and inexperienced. The vibe is you should be blessed they allowed you to eat there. Didn't like Vaga so I shouldn't be surprised Leu Leu wasn't up to the task. I doubt will be in business by next year. Won't be back read more

Absolutely loved everything about this restaurant. Ambience was the most unique and the well done that I've seen and the food was incredible. We ordered 10+ items and everything with the exception of the salad was incredible. Salad was fine but not a home run like the rest of the dishes. Service was great and we never felt rushed which was nice cause I know it's a busy spot. The music was 10/10 and the DJ was a nice touch. Overall, one of the most surprising (in the best way possible) dining experiences I've ever had. I will say prices were high and we were a little taken aback by our bill but aside from that, really enjoyed it and can't wait to go back. read more

Best service and food. Love the vibe. Highly recommend for date nights or dinner with friends.

I have been wanting to go here since it opened- I was hoping it would be my new favorite spot The salad was delicious- I will throw that positive out there We were seated outside right in front of the bathroom. We could literally see people going in and out and the staff cleaning it occasionally. I have no idea why a restaurant with these prices would have a table literally on top of the bathroom. The door is slightly see through so we could actually see people in there when the door was closed too! Absolutely unappetizing. I hope this restaurant will take this table away after the review so this doesn't happen again. Sad part is there was a good table away from the bathroom we could have sat in that we asked about and were told it wasn't available. Other negatives - we ordered a cheese schnitzel appetizer special - basically a mozzarella stick and it was $35! And a glass of wine off the menu was $25. I don't mind paying high prices for a great dinner but these prices were way beyond the value and I really felt taken advantage of One other thing- if you are sitting outside being a coat. It was freezing and our heater didn't work read more

Instant Favorite! The Vibes were on point, the service was super friendly (thanks Alec & staff) and the food was exceptional!!

Ambiance and vibe is great. Love the tucked away feel. I was excited to have somewhere new in the neighborhood. However, charging people an extra $20 to sit inside is crazy. I probably wouldn't have cared as much if they let you know this was the case in advance, but they just tell you when you check in. It's not disclosed on their website or when you make a reservation. I am all for supporting the dj but come on...Our waitress was awesome but the woman at the host stand was like the least friendly person which was not a great start to our experience. Food was okay and expensive small portions. Definitely more of a drink and a snack type of place. Ceviche was the best thing on the menu. read more

Easter Brunch here was incredible. Service was top notch and the location has a great five. Can't wait to return for Dinner service.

I am so sorry to have to leave a bad review for this place. We've been in Leucadia for over 20 years and have been dying for a new, great restaurant, or even a take out spot with killer food. We can walk to Leu Leu!! But tonight, I am sorry to say, disappointed. Location: great, ambiance: great, wait staff: great, food: not great. That one unfortunate element is the cornerstone of a restaurant and damn did it miss. We had the salad and the scotch egg (that's what it is) for colds and the lamb shank and wagyu as our hots. The salad was probably the highlight but was HUGE on the garlic. Overpowering. The egg which was breaded, over a layer of beef tartar was......forgettable, and sort of gross. The Wagyu Char Siu was way overcooked and the sauce (which is a mole even they call it char siu) was overpowering. The cabbage and additional vegetables were lost in it. Finally, the lamb shank literally had no flavor. Zero. We put as much of the sauce as we could on to it and it just had no flavor. I would love for this business to make the necessary changes to what happens in the kitchen, but I suspect we won't see Leu Leu in a year. Very sad. Why can't Encinitas step it up in the food department??? read more

This was the worst restaurant experience I've ever had! We are foodies and when I say foodies I mean our life revolves around good food. Our young adult children are the same so when they said they wanted to take me to a restaurant for Mother's Day I hesitated because we typically avoid restaurants on holidays. But I agreed since Leu Leu sounded so promising. Let me say that this was one of the worst restaurant experiences we've ever had. I'll start with the food. It was terrible! It was a prix fix menu, and as my son mentioned if you were going to do a prefix menu, it better be extra extraordinary, this didn't come close and they charged $150.00 for a three course menu per person (more on that in a moment). The first offering was carrot soup (yes carrot soup as a choice for $150.00). The soup was bland and the only thing interesting was it had foam but that was also bland. If you chose to not do the soup and preferred the hamachi good luck, it was less that 1/2 tsp of fish wrapped in greens with a dipping soup that was so sour from too much lime it made our cheeks hurt. Next was a choice of cod in a banana leaf and the cod was so dry I had to check to see if it was supposed to be smoked cod... but it wasn't it was just dry and terrible. Finally the last offering we chose was the WAGU beef rib that was the size of a child's fist and it was covered on black mole sauce served on a salad size plate. The final kicker- they said this was four courses (you know for the $150 per Person) and the server told us that for dessert we could go into a room and choose from a bunch of offerings. Come to find out the desserts and chocolates are not house made and came from SUZIES DESSERTS!!! We were a party of five so $750 for the five of us for this 1 star food experience. They added a 20% top charge for a large party (since when is 5 people a large party) and with our wine and beer and tax the bill was $1014.00. Now, I have had many meals in this price range from Michelin experiences with elevated food service and offerings and I happily paid that price. This on the others hand was a joke! Finally, let me talk about the server. The first thing she said when she came to our table was that it was Mother's Day and they we're offering free "bubbles" to the ladies at the table and then instead of taking my daughters wine glass and filling it she asked me and my daughter to hand her our glasses touching the bottle on the edge of our glasses. The service was horrible. The servers had never been trained in fine dining. The server told us that she was going to number each one of us and gave us a number 1,2,3,4 etc and that's how we had to order when she took our order! In between our courses instead of replacing our silverware, she would ask us if we wanted new silverware when it was clear our other silverware had been removed. Like are we supposed to eat with our hands? And the silverware was clearly brought in from a second hand store with mis-matched pieces. My husbands soup soon was a teaspoon and he had to borrow mine. She continued to interrupt our evening, and was loud and frankly obnoxious, and intrusive. When we left my daughter's boyfriend stopped at In-n-out, before they come back to the house for games. This restaurants needs so much help. The chef is not refined enough and they teased patrons into believing her food could be worth the price she is charging. It's NOT. The patio was dirty, the service obnoxious and the food horrible. We were stunned to be quite honest. Needless to say we will never return. There are so many 5-star experiences that are worth $150.00, per person and this was not one of them. I read it on the faces of the guests that were walking out, this was so disappointing and shocking. read more