I'd give this place five stars for the vibes, but it fell short in delivering good brunch food. A group of 17 girls and I came in on a Sunday morning with a reservation at 10:30am. We were seated and were given menus right away. The server took our drink orders and served it in a reasonable time. Overall, the service was good. Moreover, the food was satisfactory. I had the California egg Benedict and I'd have to say it was pretty good. Although, I wasn't a fan of the country potatoes. My friends ordered the chilaquiles and that was delicious. The meat was on the salty side. When scooped with the other fixings like sour cream, it cut the saltiness and provided great balance to the meal. Another friend ordered the pork kimchi fried rice and I thought that was my least favorite of them all. Now on to the sweet dishes! The French toast was okay, but that's because I'm not a fan of lemon/orange/citrus on French toast. What I actually enjoyed eating was the red velvet cake with this charcoal looking icing on top. That was bomb and I had my fair share of seconds with that dish! By the looks of it, this place seems to be popular for their dinner menu. I may have to return in the evening the next time I'm in SD. read more

Place is a great place for celebrations and dates Service is friendly but hosts don't seem to know what they are doing. We made reservations thinking we would be sitting upstairs, they didn't really had much of a system on how it works other than first come first served. Delicious but pricey. read more

Rustic Root - Lobster Parpadelle - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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We got inside this place and we didn't even know what was going to happen . We met Francesca upstairs and she made our night . When you get in a place and you meet a person with this kind of smile you can't be happier . Drinks and service was terrific . Thanks read more

Rustic Root - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Beautiful place. Delicious food. And great customer service. I got the ribeye it made me mouth water and still does thinking about it. read more

Rustic Root - Tom hawk steak - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Super trendy hipster place for dinner. Food was super good, the only thing that ruined a bit of the experience was how long the wait took for our food to come out. We waited a solid 45 minutes for these entrees! Gorgeous place to enjoy a beautiful dinner with dim lighting read more

Rustic Root - Mac ' N ' Cheese Rustic Flatbread - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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A magical evening in downtown with excellent drinks and apps to share while staying away from the hubbub of the crowds on a beautifully decorated, heated rooftop. Parking/Interior: It's not easy to get parking here, so Uber or carpooling is highly recommended. The exterior is a little rustic and industrial. Entering in the restaurant, the decor comes across almost like a speakeasy. At the time the ground floor was not available, so not sure if that was COVID or not. The rooftop though! Just brilliantly decorated with a touch of whimsy and glass fireplaces for larger groups and evenly heated from the ceiling for a comfortable dinner on a chilly night. The view of the area is also extremely charming. If you are COVID-conscious, I'm happy to note that the tables were well spaced out that even if the whole floor is full, it doesn't feel crowded in the least. Service: Excellent service! Came by to check on us quite often and had great suggestions for food (fire cracker shrimp and the pot of chocolate) and drinks. Knowledgeable about different liquors and very polite and friendly. Food & Drinks: *Firecracker Shrimp - Delicious crispy, fried shrimp served with a sweet-sour dipping sauce. (4/5) *Heirloom Tomato Burrata With Garlic-Olive Oil/Balsamic Vinegar On Fried Bread - AMAZING! The juiciest, most mouthwatering tomatoes we've ever had, deliciously creamy burrata on a delightfully crispy bread. The whole dish just came together so well and although we were so full we were tempted to re-order this immediately. Note that my friend is NOT a cherry tomato fan (10/5) *Bison & Pork Meatballs & Mash - Tasty flavorful meatballs with filling mashed potatoes in a skillet (5/5) *A Lover's Flannel - Cucumber/strawberry vodka with lemon and egg white. Really beautiful drink aesthetically and taste-wise. Refreshing and perfect for the night out! *Chocolate Pot De Crème - Rich chocolate pudding/crème concoction that the restaurant provided for my birthday. Definitely made me feel very special and loved this little gesture. Just such a wonderful night out and I plan on coming back soon for more rooftop drinks and sample some more appetizers! Thank you for the wonderful birthday, Rustic Root. :) read more

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This is a great spot with rooftop. Lively for brunch on the weekends. Food is decent. They have some unique items like the personal sized veggie egg white frittata, açaí berries and granola. Service was nice but a bit slow and for the food to come too. Perhaps because it was busy. read more

All food was really tasty, average price, drinks thumbs up, "Luis" was the guy who bring all our food, always whit a BIG smile and asking if we need something ales, helping all the time and really good actitud. Thank you Luis We will back. read more

This place rocks and the service surely met my needs and expectations! Our Hostess was polite, kind and friendly. It's so nice when you arrive someplace that's popular and they are happy to see you! Thank you Victoria for your kind care! read more

This is our first time and last time. We had a lot of issues with this place even with a reservation. Aside from the seating issue, the items we originally came for were unavailable. We settled for ordering something else but decided we wanted to just leave and after looking for the server to cancel the order the food is brought out. We tried to explain that we were looking to cancel and they demanded we pay for everything even though nothing was touched and we couldn't contact anyone. The manager (male with a striped shirt) forced us to pay for items we did not want or touched and was just plain mean and unaccommodating for such lack luster service. I'm extremely disappointed. Do better. read more

First time here.... very disappointed The place itself is pretty and I loved the environment during brunch hours. They were having a street fair outside so it was nice this day. Bad customer service. Our waitress ignored us and we had ordered the mimosa make your own thing and it took over 30 mins to receive it. We ordered two bottles of champagne and to constantly wait another 30 mins for our other bottle to arrive was ridiculous. Our waitress ignored our table and we had to constantly ask for every thing she forgot in the first place and to remind you it wasn't even busy. The food itself wasn't flavorful and when I received my food it wasn't even warm tasted like it's been sitting wherever it was for awhile. The only thing I liked was the potatoes. The French toast was okay. It was carrot cake French toast and it was pretty decent. What we paid was not worth what we got. I'm really disappointed because this place is highly rated and the treatment we received and the food itself was not that great I will not be back. Update: manager offered me a free brunch for 2 (due to my review) and never contacted me back after I agreed. Definitely horrible service and bad management. read more

Rustic Root - Egg Traditional Eggs Benedict with ham - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

We had a wonderful experience here. From the Hostess to the dining experience everything was on point. The food was delicious. We started off with the Flatbread (chefs special) and the Pork Belly. We ordered the salmon dish and the Fillet mignon Frites plates. Every plate was an explosion of flavor. Our drinks were also good and the ambiance is very welcoming. read more

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This place is amazing! The atmosphere, the food, the drinks are top notch! What brings this place to the next level is the service - Jared, Vince and Matt went over and above to ensure I had an memorable experience. Trust me and give some love to Jared. He's new to the area. read more

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Nice place for a meal in the Gaslamp District, particularly if you're coming as a tourist. I made a reservation for 6 people through OpenTable and arrived a few minutes after the time. The hostesses asked for the name more than twice then had a long discussion and wandered off to set our table, leaving us to stand around feeling awkward. Once the table was ready they were suddenly all smiles and welcomes, and once we sat down the hostess asked me if we'd been in before, and where we heard about them. Usually something else comes after that but I guess it was just market research. The whole thing from arrival to sitting down set a weird tone. Once we were in the hands of our server, though, everything went smoothly. Our server was friendly and proficient, told us about the specials, and timed her visits well. I enjoyed the decor and ambience. They have an interesting cocktail menu but we all went for wine and beer. Pretty trendy menu. The food was very good. We got some shared appetizers - a nice burrata, good firecracker shrimp, and ok calamari. The calamari were a bit floury. For mains, most of us went for what was highlighted as their speciality, the lobster pappardelle. I love pappardelle, pretty much regardless of what's on it, and it was homemade and cooked perfectly. There was a decent amount of lobster on the plate, in fairly big chunks. The sauce was really rich, too rich for me to be honest. The sweetcorn and chilli flakes broke it up a little but not enough for me. If the sauce were lighter I'd be hurrying back. All in, a really nice spot with a few flaws. read more

Rustic Root - Lobster Pappardelle - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

DONT go here!!! Racist host!!.... I am absolutely disgusted that this sort of thing still happens. Bouncer told us we didn't need a reservation to go upstairs. So he told us to wait till there's room. Waited 15-20 mins outside. We finally go upstairs and see a couple of tables FREE. So I was confused why the wait so long if they had availability on those tables. I'm looking for the host NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. read more

We were a large group. David our server was fantastic and very attentive. We enjoyed the happy hour menu, the food was great! I highly recommend the pork belly and the flatbread. read more

The rooftop bar has to be one of my favorites, definitely in the top 5 I'd say. Can never go wrong here! If you're not into that HECTIC nightlife scene, but still want to go experience the Downtown vibes and grab a Tasty drink or two well folks you've come to the right place!! They're drink selection is simply DELICIOUS with lots to chose from. If you're in the mood for a slightly more sophisticated drink I recommend you have a glass of the sangiovese Banfi Chanti! Those cherry notes will have your lips PUCKERING! read more

Rustic Root - Cheers! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

I've come here at least half a dozen times, and each time I'm a little underwhelmed with the food and drinks, yet I keep coming back. Why? The ambiance especially on the rooftop just cant be beat. Do note that the downstairs restaurant and the roof top bar operate pretty much separately with different reservations (make sure you choose Rustic Root - Roof on Open Table if that's where you are going), host stand, and menu. Let's start with the downstairs restaurant. It has a few tables outside, so if you like to people watch as you eat, or get stared at awkwardly by the homeless, that's an option. Menu is more gastropub style, and nothing super memorable. Been here twice and do not recommend it. Now, the rooftop is the place to start a Gaslamp bar hop. There are high tops, bar seats, fire pits, pretty much every seating to satisfy whatever your desire, but beware that it fills up fast. You can make same day reservation by the afternoon, but otherwise will have to wait for about an hour if you walk in. You get a great view of the most happening part of Gaslamp, and there are a couple cute "gaslamps" in the actual rooftop to complete the experience. Although they have heaters, half of them were not working this past week, so bring a jacket. The rooftop typically has about a dozen seasonal drinks and a frozen alcoholic slushie, which was delicious and surprisingly strong. We just tried the Smoke and Mirror, which came out in a glass box filled with smoke. Looked and smelled great, but it tasted a bit too sweet and lost the smokiness. The Rose Mule, which should have rosemary syrup, also failed to deliver because it had way too much ice and tasted pretty watered down. You can stand at the bar for just drinks, which we have done many times, but it is a little awkward for big groups because there are so many tables around, and you might end up hovering over someone just trying to enjoy their food. I would skip the food. They are overpriced and disappointing. The cheese and meat board was fit for maybe one person with that sliver of cheese and 4 slices of meat and toast but they charged $14. The flatbread was spongy and tasted like frozen pizza. Only the fried chicken sandwich was enjoyable, and the fries it came with was probably the best thing we had there. No idea why are fries alone not on the menu. TLDR; come here for a drink and the view, then move on. read more

They don't return calls or emails in regard's to reservations. We wanted to try it out and they took my information down so I could get a call back but that never happened. read more

Came in on a Wine Wednesday and had a short wait before getting seated. There was live music, which was mediocre, but our server was extremely attentive and knowledgable about the menu. We got a half off bottle of wine due to the previously mentioned Wine Wednesday which was a nice unexpected special. I ordered the spaghetti and was happy with the dish in it's entirety - the portion size seemed small at first but really was a perfect size. The vibe here felt local which was nice as it is right in the Gaslamp area. Would recommend. read more

Stay away from the Rustic Fried Chicken! It came with dripping BLOOD! horrible. Then the manager tried to explain it away saying "sometimes it's pink by the bone" sir, it was dripping BLOOD, there is a difference. Check your chicken ppl. No kind of accountability, just excuses. read more

Rooftop brunch spot. Fancy juice for the mimosas and the food was so good! I had the açaí bowl and a side of bacon. My daughter loved the grilled cheese read more

My husband and I spent the weekend downtown and just happened to pick this hot spot for brunch. We sat upstairs with a view of the street from a bar height table. Many around us were dressed to impress, enjoying mimosas with their cameras out capturing every moment. The staff was friendly, the food was good, and the portion sizes were perfect. read more

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Just a heads up everyone! I recently returned with my husband for the lobster parpadelle. I remember it being so creamy and savory. The lobster was there...but just a hint. Upon return a year later the dish was totally different and not good. It tasted extremely FISHY. I commented to the server that the dish didn't taste right. Very fishy ( as If the lobster was bad) our server asked when the last time I had ordered the dish and I mentioned probably about a year ago. She told me that they had since changed the broth they use from a chicken broth to prepare the dish to a seafood broth. She too said the dish had changed to tasting totally different and very fishy. I was so sad! I recall even loving the leftovers the next day I had taken home. My husband reminded me that all good things come to an end at some point. And so too has the lobster parpadelle. :( Service was amazing. Mac and cheese and hush puppy app great too. But their staple lobster parpadelle, may it Rest In Peace. read more

Ambiance was pleasant. the host was nice, but they need to have a training day for their servers. I never got to order any food at all. I was seated after 20 minutes, which is an acceptable wait since it was busy. What wasn't acceptable was the fact that no one talked to me for 25 minutes until I got up to leave. I did get a call after I informed the host that I was leaving because of lack of service trying to make it right but I'd rather not go back for a part 2 of being ignored. read more

Food is good I got the watermelon salad and the truffle fries and they made me a cucumber mock tail that was bomb. I recommend the mole carrots as well. I would rate the food and service a 4. read more

Rustic Root - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

One of the best meals I've ever had! The bartender made up a drink for me also and it was amazing. Cool ambiance, will definitely come back read more

Rustic Root - Mac ' N ' Cheese, biscuits, Meatballs, pork belly - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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The ambience at Rustic Root was awesome. It has a nice view from the rooftop and a great place to grab food and drinks with a group of friends. Unfortunately, we were originally sat on the first floor and asked to move to the second. In the meantime, our group decided to have a few drinks during our wait. While waiting, our server was extremely rude and lied to us saying that they were closing (it was 4pm) and they couldn't serve us so to wrap it up. Thus, we ordered two rounds of drinks. After we found that a bit odd and asked another server that said that wasn't the case. Meaning that our server was just not happy about us not ordering food. Which is fine but we were waiting for a table upstairs. Which by the way we had to remind them twice about because they kept forgetting When we were finally transferred upstairs we had a way better experience. Our server was great, bringing out our drinks and food quickly. The kale salad was awesome and it was quite big so we got it split. We also got a flat bread that was amazing. Highly recommend both! read more

Rustic Root - Rustic Flatbread - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great food, fun specialty drinks, great attention to detail and presentation Customer service from the door to the manager was on point! Highly recommend read more

The rooftop bar area is amazing. There is plenty of space and seating, and some tables even have their own fire pit. We were seated at a long table with heat lamps that made it very comfortable even when the night got chilly. They have a good selection of alcohol and appetizers. I ordered the pork belly ($9), which came with 5 pieces of crispy fatty pork belly that had been caramelized in soy sauce. It was delicious and decadent, although a tad salty. I liked the onions that came with the dish, which helped cut some of the fattiness. read more

Rustic Root - Pork belly ($9) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Happened to find this place while just wondering around the Gaslamp District looking for a place for breakfast. The brunch was so good, we came back again the next morning. Seating is limited outside and held for those that made reservations ahead of time, however we were seated only after a 5 minute wait in a nice 1/2 booth facing the street. The service was excellent. Our waiter was very friendly and attentive. The coffee was freshly made using roasted coffee beans from a local coffee shop. The cups are huge and refills are included. The first breakfast I got the California eggs Benedict. So yummy! It came on an English muffin with avocado, arugula, and two perfectly cooked poached eggs. It's smothered in a delicious sriracha hollandaise sauce. Along side came delicious crispy potatoes. My fiancé got the scrambled eggs with chorizo. He loved it and enjoyed every bite!! We also shared the pancakes of the day which were light and fluffy with grilled bananas and a killer caramel sauce. OMG...you must try!!! The 2nd breakfast I got the chilaquiles made with delicious tender carnitas in a red spicy sauce. One of my favorites ever! Be prepared for a kick if you order this one. We also ordered the healthy egg white frittata made with spinach. This was a bit bland in my opinion and it came with a side salad tossed in a light vinaigrette. I have to confess, we also split the banana pancake again!! The place is clean with nice restrooms. There is also a nice bar with several drinks offered. The lunch/dinner menu looks good. I will be back to give more dishes to try!!! read more

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Our server, Matt, was so professional and very accommodating! He kept refilling our glasses and was attentive the whole time we were at Rustic Root. Will definitely come again especially with this service! 10/10 read more

My partner and I was in downtown for the weekend and we came across rustic roots while walking and we couldn't say enough good things about this place! The ambiance is very lively and fun, which is what you want for a downtown restaurant. The music selection was great and the hosts were very welcoming. Our server Taylor recommended their daily flatbread which was amazing! She also recommended their Java martini, best espresso martini I've ever had! For our entree she recommended the tomahawk steak, soooo good! And a great presentation. We finished our meal with their pot de creme which was very delicious! Overall, impressed with the recommendations, service and food. Would definitely recommend stopping here if you're ever in The gaslamp area! read more

Great spot for brunch. We sat at the downstairs area, outside, which was perfect because I love to people watch. We order the pancakes of the month, basically dessert for breakfast as an appetizer because we live food. Delicious! They were, strawberry shortbread pancakes with lemon. I ordered the California Benedict. It came with wheat toast, which was a little different, but still yummy :) Boyfriend ordered the Meat lovers skillet (hash), which he loved. Our server, Evan, was very friendly! They only had two servers when we got there, so everything took a little longer than usual, but it's a Sunday Morning- so it wasn't a big deal. Check it out if you get the chance. Next time I go I want to sit up on the rooftop. read more

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I had the best experience at Rustic Root last weekend. My server Kat made sure we were taken care of the whole night and was such a personable server. Will be back just for her and the pork chops! read more

Made a reservation for weekend brunch. The ambiance of the restaurant is fun, and the service was good. The food was really good too. My husband said his Texas brisket hash was very heavy and filling - a meal to eat when you are really hungry. We would come back to try other items on the menu. read more

Rustic Root - Texas Brisket Hash - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Had Rustic Root bookmarked for brunch, but ended up coming here for dinner. | Environment | It's located in Downtown San Diego, so the area in general is very impacted. They're known for their rooftop bar and brunch menu. But we ended up coming here to celebrate a birthday. We came for dinner with no reservations on a Saturday night around 9:30 PM and got seated right away. I love the ambiance and atmosphere here. l Food & Drinks | Beef Tartare ($15) - A meat dish made from raw beef, served with onions, capers, pepper, sauce, seasonings, and a raw egg yolk with pita chips. The idea of eating raw beef was a bit scary, but I wanted to give it a try. Sadly, beer tartare wasn't my cup of tea. It had a mushy texture and an acquired taste. I only took a few bites and couldn't finish it. My server offered a different appetizer, but I didn't take it, so I wasn't charged for the beef tartare. Steak Frites ($42) - Pan roasted 1855 filet migon with blue cheese butter crispy fries and black garlic aioli. My date really enjoyed his medium rare steak and said that it was a piece of quality meat cooked to perfection. This dish considers of a chunk of filet migon, very tender and juicy and mainly fries. It also comes with dipping sauce on the side. Lobster Pappardelle ($28) - Oven roasted tomatoes with corn chili flakes, sherry cream, and bread crumbs. This is their most popular item for pasta and was recommended by our server. Hands down, the BEST seafood pasta I've ever had. It was made with thick, but thin pasta noodles. The corn gave the dish some texture and the sherry cream bought everything together. Love how they gave a generous amount of lobster. Must try! San Diego Breeze ($15) - The presentation of my cocktail was so pretty and tasted good. Peanut Butter Cheesecake - Complimentary birthday treat on the house for a special occasion. It was a great dessert to end our dinner! Overall, we had a wonderful time dining with Rustic Root. We enjoyed the live music and vibes here. The staffs are so nice and have outstanding customer service. Prices are more on the expensive side, but worth the experience. Will definitely be back next time for their rooftop brunch! read more

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Best place for brunch in San Diego! Love the atmosphere and food. Ate on the rooftop. Got the rustic egg plate and the breakfast potatoes were amazing! Highly recommend and can't wait to go back. Service was great too. read more

Was a regular patron until... I went here with my friends for drinks and they asked for $20 to let my friend in who had shorts on. We were all dressed in more than casual clothes and he said that no one with shorts was allowed in. C'mon shorts in San Diego? Is that unheard of? read more

Excellent food, adult beverages and service! All of our (3 people) meals, drinks and desserts were outstanding read more

Rustic Root - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Diego, California