I was looking forward to trying Leu Leu since it opened. Unfortunately I missed the time when chef Zapetta was running the kitchen as it has since changed hands and the menu is much smaller. I was worried based on some recent reviews that the service would be lacking and I was very pleasantly surprised that we had excellent service. We were seated right away, never rushed and followed up with a few times. The food was a bit of a miss. The rip and dip bread was great from Praeger brothers, but the dips were not great. The steak tartare was completely drowned in pomegranate molasses and cloyingly sweet and hard to eat. The ceviche was decent. Lots of herby flavor, nothing special though. The lemon chicken soup was delicious. The first hit of the night. Then the whole Market fish was also very good. I liked the lemon caper orzo side and the 2 ways the fish was prepared. Again it was heavy on the herbs but good. Desert was a little cake and ice cream. Again nothing special. Overall I was a bit disappointed with the meal. It's expensive for what you're getting and nothing was a standout to make me want to return. read more

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Came into this restaurant expecting Mexican food and we were completely disappointed by the lack of flavor in each dish, not to mention the dismal service and attention from our waitress. It was not till the end of the awful meal that we learned it was a "Mexican Fusion Inspired" concept, unfortunately we had not fully read the description posted in Yelp. All in all the only decent thing there was the sparkling water, which we had selected! read more

Sadly underwhelmed. Made birthday reservations and was hoping to enjoy a memorable meal, but left hungry. The bread and hummus - fine, nothing spectacular. Olives - standard issue. Salad - ok, dressing was lovely, but all the textures were confusing. Was not offered a glass of complimentary sparkling wine as mentioned on IG, but that was fine as I do not drink, so I had a n/a sparkling rose (and was charged). Ordered the meatballs and they came to us cold. Our server offered a "possible" discount and offered to heat them up, but we sat next to the service door and heard the microwave throughout our dinner so we declined. My boyfriend proceeded to eat the three meatballs while waiting for his meal -the chicken, and we were paying for them so... Ordered the chicken and had it boxed because of the time it took. The server/manager offered the reason that it takes longer for the chicken (although no mention of it when we ordered it). Upon arriving home we opened up the chicken which is literally chicken tenders and packed in a tiny box smothered in sauce and sitting in oil. Not sure what the wait was for. Bummed as this was a night celebrating my birthday and now home eating popcorn. MEH read more

Leu Leu - Lounges Near Me - Encinitas, California

I would give this 4.5 stars if I could. I love that this place exists in Leucadia - it's a much needed part of the food scene in Encinitas. The restaurant is beautiful (I prefer inside) and the service is terrific. The menu is innovative but also delicious. My only gripes are that the Faberge egg was way overdone, and I found the Rip and Dip to be gimmicky. The spring rolls were a surprise hit! We stayed late and never felt rushed. Looking forward to going back. read more

Food was great but very overpriced. My bad review is a reflection of the service/atmosphere. We were sitting on the patio and a rat popped up multiple times then when we told our waitress and busser they made a joke of it and put a pot over it. They didn't offer to move us or anything to acknowledge that this is a very upsetting situation. If we weren't eating somewhere where the hot dishes start at $40 maybe, we would be a bit more understanding. Additionally, our waitress said that we should get 3 cold items and 2-3 hot items for 2 of us. Thank goodness we looked at pictures online to see that would be WAY to much food... it seemed liked she was just trying to get us to overspend. We ended up splitting the chicken, rip and dip and side cucumber and tomato salad and it was the perfect amount. The food and vibe is cute; however the lack of hospitality/service has me not wanting to revisit this spot. There's something about the fear that a rat is about to run over your foot during dinner that is a bit distracting... read more

Well , quite disappointed. Let's start with the steak tartare that looked like maggots on a piece of bread. The French would be horrified to see/eat this abomination. The first dish we got was not enough to share, and they were a little stingy with water glasses, plates, silverware until I asked for that. The desert was great, but not impressed at all with the other dishes. The place is nice but I didn't know Ms zapata was no longer cooking there. The prices aren't bad; they don't carry any interesting non alcoholic drinks read more

Great service, awesome foods, the hummus and the feta dip were amazing, super fresh ceviche, very flavorful beef tartar. A good wine list. Live music. Overall a great dining experience. read more

I'm not sure what has happened at Leu Leu Leucadia since their impressive opening, but sadly, this is no longer the same exceptional restaurant we once experienced. When my daughter and I arrived for what was meant to be a celebratory evening, we were told we needed to place our entire order immediately. We obliged, but kindly asked that the courses be paced, as we had planned to enjoy multiple dishes from each section of the menu. Our challenged server, Natalie, explained they were short-staffed--leaving our meal to be rushed out in rapid succession and subsequently a bag full of to go food. Within just 75 minutes, we were served five menu items and a full bottle of wine--hardly the leisurely dining experience we anticipated. The food itself, once an A+, was this time no better than a C+. Was it the staffing shortage? Has the chef changed? Whatever the reason, the quality simply wasn't there. Unfortunately, the night went from disappointing to downright insulting. About an hour and fifteen minutes into our meal, a young woman--later shared to have been the chef's daughter--approached our table mid-conversation and said: "I'm sorry for interrupting, but we have someone waiting for this table and we need to ask you to leave." This, despite the restaurant being only half full, the waiting party being just four people, and several available tables nearby. We had been seated in one of only two booths due to my daughter's ADA needs, but again there were more than enough seating options to accommodate the waiting guests. Meanwhile, a large family in the other booth, who had been there at least 30-45 minutes longer than us, was not asked to leave--though they departed shortly after, freeing up space for the waiting party. My daughter, now uncomfortable, quickly finished her wine and left. I stayed behind to speak with someone about the situation, hoping for an apology or at least an attempt to make things right. Instead, I was met with dismissiveness--both Natalie and one of the owners, Jason Janecek, accused me of being "aggressive" and offered nothing in the way of resolution (*important to note, our meal was eventually refunded that evening but this was after a lengthy, and very unnecessary, back and forth with said owner). From start to finish, the evening was poorly handled, lacking in both hospitality and basic courtesy--something I never would have expected from Leu Leu Leucadia based on our first experience. read more

Leu Leu - Meal refund - Lounges Near Me - Encinitas, California

Fantastic meal. One of my favorite in a while. The music was so good I downloaded Shazam to keep track of what she was spinning on the turn tables. Loved the soup, Frito misto, rip and dip, ceviche, branzino. Incredible wine list and Sangria! Natalie did a great job as our waitress, very informative and descriptive about the menu. If you live locally you must go. Bathroom even had candies :) read more

Had dinner at Leu Leu. Tried the credo, sea bass and lamb shank. All were really well prepared and flavorful. Menu is an interesting mix of items on a smaller menu, but works. Really chill atmosphere and easygoing staff. Music playing indoors and a patio dining experience. Not your normal restaurant vibe and styling. Would definitely return. read more

This was my second visit to Leu Leu's. My first time was during opening weekend, and while it didn't quite hit the mark, I saw some potential and was hopeful things would improve. I really wanted to give it another shot. There's a lot to like about the experience: the atmosphere is beautiful. The service has also been consistently attentive and friendly. Their wine selection is solid and complements the ambiance well. Unfortunately, the food continues to fall short. We ordered several dishes and found that most were overwhelmingly salty. The rip and dip, garden salad, and chicken karaage were all far too heavily seasoned, to the point of being difficult to enjoy. The shrimp taquitos weren't salty, but they didn't taste particularly fresh. We paid for extra bread, and it was cleared from the table when we weren't paying attention. Ironically, the highlights of our meal were the tuna crudo and the ice cream, both of which didn't require much cooking. I sincerely want to see a great dining option thrive in North County, and I was really rooting for Leu Leu's to be that place. While there are some strong elements here, the food unfortunately just hasn't kept pace. At this point, it's probably not somewhere I'd return, but I truly hope they continue to refine and improve. read more

Every single dish was a delight! Our party of four found each dish unique and delicious - the egg, the mole, the sharma - unexpected and amazing!!! Can't wait to return! 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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I would describe the venue and vibe as quirky. Natalie, our lovely server, was helpful and accommodating. She gave us a rundown of what to expect from each menu item. The Winter vegetable salad was fresh and full of flavor. The fried flatbread with Burrata cheese was good. Crispy chicken was good as well as the whole roasted Branzino. The music was just right with eclectic tunes from various genres and eras. There is indoor and outdoor seating as well. read more

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I've visited the restaurant twice now and there are some good things and some bad. The first time I visited was when they had a different chef and overall I liked the food better. I don't drink alcohol and they have added na options since that visit which was great. The na sparkling rose was excellent! I'm gluten free dairy free and was drawn to the menu because they state which items include these and offer gf alternatives...BUT they don't post the current menu on their website and the recent menu only had 3 options I could eat (2 cold 1 hot). The ceviche, beef tartare and market fish. They were completely out of the market fish and were also out of cucumbers which are supposed to top the ceviche and were offered as the gf alternative to crackers or bread. They were able to give me radishes and carrots so was glad for that. The portions were also tiny though so I left still feeling super hungry. I know that my food modifications limited me but honestly the menu is just super small with not many choices. Also, my friends got the buratta salad and sent it back because it was too salty to eat. I think this place has potential but they need to expand the menu a little. 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