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The Craftsman

3.8 (705 reviews)

The Craftsman Photos

Business Info

THE CRAFTSMAN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for groups
Happy hour specials

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Recommended Reviews - The Craftsman

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Reviews With Photos

SoCal Mustard Style Burger
Tessi D.

Great easy spot. They just updated their menu and added goodies like Fried Green tomatoes and smash burgers! We love this spot and bartender is always super nice with great service.

Dani S.

Definitely a sold 4 stars. Food is delicious although super pricey. Service is a hit or miss depending on the server you get. Came here twice over a course of a year and we did enjoy the food. They do have happy hour M-F in the afternoon but the food menu is very limited to only flatbread. The dinner menu is pretty extensive but also very expensive. We ordered a burger and the meatloaf, both were very delicious. Cooked well, tender and not too dry. For the burger, I really loved the sweet tater tots, I could eat a whole basket of that! Dessert was incredible! Service was attentive the first time we went but the second time was super spotty with a different server. Parking is easy and the bathroom are clean.

two people clinking glasses of wine
Julee C.

Awesome atmosphere and the food is excellent! Great service, our server was knowledgeable, quick and anticipated our needs. We came in as a party of 5 and sat inside. It's a fun and lively place and we sampled many different dishes each one unique and incredible! If corn soup is avail I highly recommend it! We ordered the bacon wrapped meatloaf which was very good (however very well cooked... but not overdone. The max and cheese is very large and can easily feed 2 adults. It was the best Mac and cheese!! The blt with chicken salad, excellent! Buttermilk fried chicken which melts in your mouth! We also had the spicy tuna appetizer, and meatballs both excellent. The sauce on the meatballs was so good we will be ordering the spaghetti next visit!

New Crafty
Mandy F.

This place has really upped their services and quality of food! I am so glad that we are returning to some semblance of normalcy, and am stoked that restaurants are upping their game upon our almost full return *crosses fingers* The Craftsman is a primary example! Though I would say the food is on the pricier side, it is always worth paying the extra for delicious food and a great time. We all ended up ordering burgers, which include the crafty burger and fries. The medium rare was firm on the outside, warm and red in the center (just as I like), juicy and flavorable. The fries were super crispy and there was enough for to go (always a plus!) My sister ordered the gluten free margherita pizza, which is light and doesn't leave you feeling guilty at the end! Last but not least, I love the butterscotch pudding - which is such a simple and elegant dessert! Yummy!

On our way Sweet Potato Tots
Single Sasha T.

Brussels sprouts are the best part. The salads have gotten a little smaller but overall it's great.

Grilled octopus with humus purée and tomato relish
Tanya D.

WOW, just WOW! Visited during their Sunday brunch, which they serve full menu plus some additional weekend only items. The menu has so many interesting items to try and I did my best to sample as many as my tummy could handle. I started with the octopus which is served with a humus purée and a tomato relish. I've had really amazing octopus and subpar before, you never know but I'm always looking for a good one. I was VERY pleased with the dish as a whole. The octopus was grilled beautifully and the portion amount was larger than a typical appetizer portion. For my main I ordered the Capone burger with the sweet potato tots and a cup of the season soup, which was a sweet corn. I'm going to start with the soup because my goodness that was MIND BLOWINGLY good. There are no pieces of corn, it's a creamy rich flavorful soup. The soup is incredibly flavorful and has a richness to it that is so hard to find. This is a MUST try. The Capone burger is advertised as having a fig jam, the only negative here is it is less of a jam and more pieces of fig; that didn't affect the deliciousness of the burger just something to note. They are generous with the goat cheese, which I love and, the burger itself was a nice thick Patty. I do prefer a bit less arugula but that's personal preference. The bun was buttery and toasted well, burger cooked to my specifications and every bite was as good as the one before it! The tots were such a pleasant surprise. They are very light, pillowy really and have a great textures crunch with a soft inside bite. If you like sweet potato this is a treat, don't pass it up. I've added a picture of the chiliquiles, which can be served with mole or verde; the picture is of the mole version. This was a massive portion and didn't skimp on the meat at all! I didn't try the dish so sadly, I can't describe flavor to you but can say that if you order it, be hungry. I wanted to try the desserts but simply couldn't fit any more in my stomach. Definitely going back to try the other items on the menu. The staff was quick, friendly, and on top of their service. I can't recall the servers name but, she was an older lady and she was the sweetest and very pleasant. Had a great knowledge of the menu, and was helpful in information regarding ordering. LOVED the experience!

Sea bass in corn broth, catch of the day

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MIke C.

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2 years ago

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MIke C.

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2 years ago

Handled our party of 13 with no problem. Great friendly service, great food, fun place.

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

We had dinner of ahi poke and salad of baby greens. Both were good sized and very tasty. Server Jaden was very good too.

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3 years ago

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7 years ago

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1 year ago

Food is always consistent and service great. A favorite of ours and many friends. We've never been disappointed.

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2 years ago

Great food and drinks. Good vibe when I was there will go back again It gets crowded that's all

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3 years ago

Used to love this place, but it got real expensive of late for a rarely updated menu.

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MIke C.

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

We have never been disappointed when we go here. Love the food, especially the chile relleno.

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3 years ago

Ordered baby back ribs and got 5 little bones with no meat 34.99$! Nutts right. Won't be back- Hope they make it.

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MIke C.

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Page 1 of 18

Ask the Community - The Craftsman

Are there gluten free low carb options?

Absolutely. We have gluten free buns as well as gluten free crust for the flatbreads. With… 

Is there a good steak house in Encinitas?

Bobs at La Costa Resort

Are there beach views and o outside seating?

Hi Courtney, Outside seating yes. No beach views.

View All 4 Questions

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Love Urban Plates for the mix-and-match option! The portions are a great size because you can try a…read morebunch of different sides without committing to just one thing. The service is super quick too! I got the glazed tofu, Brussels sprouts, and mac & cheese, and everything was delicious. I especially appreciate that they have solid vegetarian options. Every plate also comes with a slice of bread, which is such a nice little bonus. Simple, flavorful, and a great spot for a customizable meal!

I ate there two days in a row, thinking my first day was just not a good day for the chef. I…read moreordered a salad and it was not mixed with the dressing as requested; it was partially mixed. And there were clumps of some sort of grilled tomato in one spot but not throughout, so I was eating the clump of tomato and it was pretty disgusting by itself. I commented to a server and he shrugged it off. Then today I ordered beef with brussel sprouts and mushrooms. The mushrooms were not uniformly sized with some large and uncut and others thinly sliced, changing the flavor and the parmesian cheese it was supposed to have been cooked with tasted like they were fine bread crumbs, not cheese; they were cold. The brussel sprouts were hardly cooked and half were hot and half cold. The onions with it were just a piece of the end of an onion. The meat was very tough and dry. I live in the area and have been going there for years. I'm so disappointed in the quality of the food lately, yet the prices have risen.

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Biergarden Encinitas

3.9(1.2k reviews)
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BIERGARDEN @ ENCINITAS…read more Parking can be a little difficult since this spot is located right on the main strip in Encinitas. There's parallel street parking throughout the area, so you might get lucky and find a spot nearby. I ended up parking on one of the side streets, which worked out perfectly. I came here on a Sunday afternoon, and it was definitely busy. We had to wait a little while for a table because several tables still needed to be cleaned before they could seat new guests. The staff was incredibly friendly, though, and we were seated as soon as they could. It did take about 15 minutes before a server was able to come over and take our order, but the restaurant was completely packed, so it's something to keep in mind if you're in a hurry. After spending the day at the beach, we were really just in the mood for drinks. I ordered the Blood Orange Margarita, which can be served with Tajín, sea salt, or no rim at all. It was really good and definitely on the stronger side, which I appreciated. My only complaint was that there was a bit too much ice, but the flavor itself was great. The atmosphere is what really makes this place stand out. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, large open windows that let in plenty of fresh air, and a fun, lively vibe that makes it a great place to relax after a beach day. Overall, I'd definitely come back for the ambiance and cocktails, just be prepared for a little wait if you visit during peak hours.

My mother and I came here for lunch on a Tuesday in June. We both received burgers, she asked for…read moreonion rings instead of fries and I asked for a Caesar salad instead of fries. My burger had very little flavor. The meat was dry, it was still edible just wouldn't order it again. The Caesar salad was fantastic!!!! The lettuce was amazing and the dressing was absolutely delicious. My mother ordered the fig burger with a side of onion rings and instead she got fries and there was no goat cheese on the burger. However she still loved the burger. Also all the pictures online show that they have WAFFLE FRIES - THEY DO NOT. The service was good and they were helpful in fixing the issues with the onion rings. Ambiance is very loud being right on the 101 but it's not terrible.

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Biergarden Encinitas
Biergarden Encinitas - Cardiff Crack Steak Sandwich was delicious.

Cardiff Crack Steak Sandwich was delicious.

Biergarden Encinitas

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Salt  + Lime

Salt + Lime

4.3(645 reviews)
6.7 mi
•$$
Locally owned & operated
Vegan friendly

YUMMY!!!!! The food was sooo good AND they had lots of vegan and vegetarian and healthier items to…read moreorder if you didn't want to eat traditional taco joint food. Our server was fine and friendly. The food came out quickly. We had the chips and salsa (excellent). I asked for a non spicy salsa and my friends wanted spicy so they brought some of each. We split the the Heart of Palm Ceviche! So amazing and it was big with a beautiful presentation. Just delicious. I could have eaten that alone with no other items. It was a vegan Ceviche and the fish was not missed. My friends ordered really cool cocktails and raved about them. My one friend said that this is the only place she can get this particular cocktail and that she comes here just for it. I ordered 2 tacos (Mr. Asparagus and the Baja fish taco). Both delicious and they came with housemade potato chips (which I thought was weird until I tasted them). I was so full but I couldn't not eat the chips because they were so good. One friend ordered the Quesabirria and she didn't love it. It was very strange as it was wrapped in fried cheese. They also ordered the other tacos and loved them. The only one that didn't get a thumbs up was the Quesabirria. I am looking forward to introducing this restaurant to other friends. So good!

Ambiance is great with mostly outdoor seating! The Yogi taco was well seasoned, saucy, with a…read moredecent amount of filling. Honestly, 9/10 for a veggie taco because the filling was well seasoned and dressed. The asparagus taco was unfortunately a different story. The asparagus was prepared well, crunchy on the outside but still tender when you bite into it. However, it was not seasoned as well and paled in comparison to the Yogi. The shrimp taco was okay. I think they were very heavy handed with the toppings and dressings and did little in terms of the actual preparation of the shrimp. The chicken taco on the other hand was DELICIOUS. The meat was seasoned well and so juicy. The pineapple salsa was the perfect touch!

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Salt  + Lime - Dining area

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Salt  + Lime - Won Tostada:
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The Crack Shack

The Crack Shack

4.1(2.2k reviews)
1.4 mi
•$$

We were on our way home from a quick stay in La Jolla and found this place, so we stopped - boy are…read morewe happy we did! The food was awesome! The service was stellar! The ambiance....super cool! We went with the recommendations of the counter gal, who was super friendly, she did not steer us wrong! Hubs had the firebird sandwich, and his verdict...delicious! I had the little pecker which came with 3 chicken tenders, biscuits (with THE best honey butter) and fries (sooo good)! Dogs are welcome at any table (both inside and outside), which was a huge plus since we had our pup with us. The location is easy to get to, pretty much right off the 5 freeway. We will definitely be back!

It saddens me a bit to write this review because I've loved Crack Shack for years, but…read moreunfortunately after my most recent visit, I feel like the food quality has gone down. My usual order (to share between 2 people) is the half bird (5 pieces of chicken) and the mini biscuits with miso maple butter. The mini biscuits are tasty and moist, and the miso butter complements them well, adding the perfect amount of sweetness! However, both of the chicken thigh pieces were quite dry. The restaurant provides a self-serve sauce bar with plenty of sauce options. They also provide large paper towel rolls at each table as well as multiple sinks located around the restaurant so that it is easy to clean your hands after eating! The servers are very attentive.

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The Crack Shack
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The Craftsman - newamerican - Updated October 2026

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