11/16/2024 Stopped here on my way to San Diego. The service is great and very friendly. It's a good rustic/modern vibe still. The food was just as good as the time before. Ordered the chicken fried chicken. The biscuit was great, chicken was fried nicely, and the gravy is fantastic. The best is the weekend bottomless mimosas. Have at least 2 and it's worth the price. read more

The Craftsman - Crispy Chicken Sandwich - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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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. read more

The Craftsman - SoCal Mustard Style Burger - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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There is parking available outside the restaurant. Service was fantastic. There is lots of seating available both inside and outside They are good for kids- I see lots of colouring pencils and stuff available. Dog friendly in the patio The zesty POM was not exactly great - tasted a little weird in terms of combination. I had eggs benedict primavera. The hollandaise sauce was a little on the sweet side - the rest of it was fresh. My hubby got the buttermilk pancakes with bacon and eggs The pancakes were very sweet, and they still had powdered sugar on it. The provided syrup was also very sweet. I'm not sure if it's related, but after eating, my hubby got immediately sick at home. I had no problems, but I also had no meat in mine. We might not be back so soon. That said service is great!! read more

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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. read more

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I love how rustic this place is. Stopped by after work for a happy hour and was pleasantly delighted. Bartender was very friendly and had great recommendation. Buffalo chicken fries were amazing (and a massive portion). I was not impressed by pretzel bites but it was nice to try something else on the menu. While at the bar we chatted with a few locals and everyone was raving from a great customer service! read more

Please BRING BACK THE KIDS FLATBREAD!!!!!!!!! We have 3 kiddos, and it's difficult now paying $20/plain cheese flatbread (that used to be $7-10). We've been coming here since the day it has opened. Not optimistic that my voice will be heard since I can clearly see that no manager has responded to any of the comments here good or bad, which is very disappointing and shows a great lack of interest. The food is pretty good. The staff is always the best. Shout out to Devin, and Giovanni! Mike- are you reading this!!!? Pass on the request!!! No kids pancakes on the brunch menu anymore? No kids items at ALL!? $16.99 for French toast for my 4 year old . Let the owners know that if they're going to be open for brunch, and they have a lot of families that come by Sat/Sun- please have a few small options for the kids like they used to just a few weeks ago. Loyal customer, Cheri read more

I'm always pleasantly surprised by the food here. It's a great place to come and sample good wine and appetizers with friends. The truffle popcorn is a must! The entrees are delicious, you really can't go wrong with any of them and flatbreads are also great for sharing. The service is always prompt and polite. And I really appreciate that the rustic interior together with the food makes for a comforting homey feel. read more

Everything! Great menu! Great service despite being very busy! Great vibe! We planning going back to experience more things from the menu .. read more

Food is mostly good. Some great. Salads are pretty meh. The prices have become outrageous especially with the new menu. $24 for a burger and then $4 extra for fries. With tax and tip you are spending $36. Burgers at steakhouses with amazing service cost that much. Also was nickel and dimed here as the other reviewer mentioned. Charged for something that was so basic it's comical. For the record, I have no problem paying a lot of $ for great dining. This feels like we are being ripped off though. read more

Absolute favorite eatery and bar. My hubby and I look forward to quick date nights, watching a sports game or even family brunch on the weekends. Kids love it also!!! Bottomless mimosas, excellent drinks, delicious food and a great comfortable atmosphere. You have to try their amazing buffalo chicken fries. You won't be sorry. Friendly staff and great customer service. Highly recommend ! read more

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! read more

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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! read more

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Cute place but mediocre food and inflated pricing. The salads were tasty ... jalapeño poppers were $15 for 3 small stuffed peppers. The good drinks didn't make up for a lackluster experience. read more

The Craftsman has it all! Happy hour and brunch. Their twist on some classic American food dishes are really good. My sister ordered the caesar salad and the signature flatbread to share. The salad and flatbread did not disappoint. It's a great place if you're looking to stop in and grab a bite to eat and enjoy a drink. The local feel makes you feel right at home. Whether you're looking for a date night or somewhere to take the family, look no further. The Craftsman is for you! read more

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

The Craftsman - On our way Sweet Potato Tots - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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

Watered down cocktails after we tried 4 different options 15.99 for SMALL portion also bland water tasting drinks? Meals were a 7/10 but way overpriced. Sirloin was ordered med well and it came out way too dry and well done. 44.99 for 7 oz of sirloin not cooked the way it was requested? Would not return or recommend read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE Craftsman. Been our go to local neighborhood restaurant for a decade. Attentive, nice servers, price point and quality good. We LOVE brussel sprouts, truffle popcorn and awesome burgers and beet salad. read more

Great food, lots of TVs watching sports, Very pleasant and helpful staff.A great find read more

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

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! read more

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The food is always excellent. I generally go for the chicken dishes but have also been there and just ordered appetizers to share. I've loved everything I've ordered there. Generous portions, perfectly cooked and very flavorful. The beer menu is so-so but their specialty cocktails are outstanding. If you're a bourbon drinker, the Elderberry Old Fashioned is outstanding. read more

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

I am truly Sorry. But we have to Boycott the Craftsman. After many years of us and our families going there, the have resorted to nickel and dimeing us. They actually had the audacity to charge us for extra salad dressing on a salad that obviously did not have enough dressing or was undressed to start with. Many years I have taken my Grandchildren there for the flat bread Pizza on the children's menu and know offer it at 8 dollars more on the regular menu. I have heard from three different patrons on various issues at the Craftsman in the past two weeks. I ask that any other patrons reply to their negative experiences they may have had. Hopefully management will listen and make necessary changes read more

Still a fan of Wade Hagemann, the kitchen and the bar. Service is often spotty and was not great tonight. Either they were understaffed in general or our server was struggling to manage her assignments. Blackberry spritzer: tasty. Sometimes the bar is slammed but tonight they were faster than the front of the house staff. Took about 20 mins. to place my food order. Could not get anyone to come over. We had a server we've had before - she is friendly but seems to linger at some tables more than others, and she doesn't remember to (or want to) look around the room, so you can go long stretches without getting help. At one point, when there were no bussers to refill my water after several minutes, I just walked to the bar and the bartender hooked me up. HOWEVER, the food here is still quite good, so we will come back (I just might ask to sit in someone else's section next time). Pretzel bread: delish Butternut squash soup: I don't like it as much as I used to but it's still good Mixed greens: right now they're doing it with apples instead of strawberries. Still very tasty. Sizzling fish: pretty good dish. Good sautéed spinach and cauliflower puree. Fish could have some more acid. I like that the butter sauce is on the side so it's not drowned like the everything bagel salmon. Still like this restaurant very much, and would love to be able to give four - or even five stars - again on another visit if the service is closer to the level of the food and prices. Oh - and since the bar has been inconsistent in the past I got the blackberry spritzer, which is a drink has been consistently good. Not mind-blowing, but refreshing and always properly made! read more

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meeting friends for dinner and neither of us were familiar with this part of town. thank goodness for yelp right? i had the crispy chili rellano and it was delicious! hubs had the prohibition burger and it was cooked to perfection. food was top notch and the service was great. wish we lived a bit closer as we'd be back frequently. read more

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

A casual bar/restaurant with an outstanding menu thats far superior than tavern food, as it bills itself. Menu is extensive and more like fine dining establishments. Fried chicken is excellent as is prime rib on Saturdays. Burgers and caesar salads are also great choices. Lastly the wine list is better than 90% of restaurants. Only downside is hard to do a long casual dinner with the fast service and high noise levels. read more

We moved to Carlsbad a year ago, but haven't been inside restaurants in the last year and a half. We are cautiously resuming in-restaurant dining, but in a city whose restaurants are all new to us. We had dinner at The Craftsman tonight. Great food. Great service. An excellent margarita. We enjoyed the ambiance. We enjoyed the whole visit. We will return and further explore the menu soon, and I will update this review if I learn anything new. read more

We originally were going to Breakfast Republic, but with a 25 minute wait to walked over here. Nice space with a big menu. Sat ourselves and kinda waited about 10 minutes for anyone to show up. No sweat, we were just looking it over and soaking in the vibe. Got a Diet Coke and menus and dove in. They have bottomless mimosas and bloody Mary's which we didn't do, but looked ok. The San Diego chicken sandwich was way to many ingredients without a real punch. No bite that you went "wow", the tuna melt was better but again no wow factor. Sweet potato tots need to be crispy to win. Almost but not quite. Service was absent most of the time. It was half full so maybe an off day? They were pleasant when they showed up though. For almost a $40 lunch, I except more. read more

The Craftsman - Nice bar... - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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The food. Biscuit was tough and majorly lacking salt. The gravy tasted like milk gravy lacking pepper and bits of sausage. Nobody in our party liked their food. Server was nice read more

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

This place was a real surprise. We live close by and didn't know about it. The service was excellent. Everyone was very friendly and took care of us at all times. Perhaps the best service we have had at any local restaurant. The food was perfect. Portions were more than enough, prices reasonable and the food was very good (I had fish and chips and my wife had the beef tacos). For desert we had the butterscotch pudding which was a complete surprise. It was so good!! Highly recommended. We had a quiet table next to the wine room which was very private too. Drinks (wine and margarita) tasted like the best quality drinks. Overall we had a great time here and will return again soon. read more

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Three of us went to the restaurant and it was completely full. It was the first time I had been there. We were waited on very promptly and the service was very good. My friend and I ordered the baby back ribs and upon presentation they look good but the ribs were so tender. They were more like pulled pork than they were baby back ribs. You didn't have to use a knife to cut them and all you had to do was use your fork and they came off like very soft pulled pork. they lacked flavor, but presentation was beautiful. There was no flavor to the ribs and very disappointing that not only you only had to use your fork to pick up the meat, but the flavor was lacking. Normally when you eat baby back ribs you have to cut them to separate them and you have to pick them up to eat them off the bone, but not to where you have to knock them off, but to wear when you bite them, the meat will come off easily. There was no way to pick up the bone because the bone would just come off in your hands and the meat would stay on the plate. To do that you have to cook the ribs only for about an hour at 425° covered for 50 minutes take off the cover for 10 minutes to dry the tops of the ribs slightly. Before you cook them, the ribs should be well seasoned before you put the sauce on top and you can either put the sauce on top right away or wait until the last 10 minutes and put the sauce on. But in this case either the ribs weren't seasoned and the sauce had no flavor or they just cooked it out. The coleslaw was well mixed came in a bowl on the side, but as the ribs, the coleslaw has no flavor and dry. The french fries were great that came with the ribs and the coleslaw but very disappointing for both of us that had ordered the ribs. I think when you have a limited menu, the things that you put on the menu should be cooked with perfection. And the one thing that stands out that needs to be improved are the ribs and the coleslaw. We ordered two plates of ribs and one vegan burger, plain, and the bill came out to be $109 plus tip read more

Came early on a Saturday evening, restaurant was very loud, the regulars were very loud along with the bartender. Our server was attentive and nice. I ordered the $21 chicken sandwich, does not come with sides, you have to pay extra for fries ($4), truffle fries ($6), extra for salad or Cole slaw, which has no flavor. The chicken sandwich was juicy, lots of breading, BUT, NO flavor at all. We added lots of salt, pepper and extra sauce, the breading had nothing added for flavor, I've had much better at other local restaurants. The $21 burger was good. Just can't justify the prices. Our friend had pasta, also bland. read more

This place is a lovely neighborhood spot great for date night, or drinks with friends. They have a wide selection of wine, beer and cocktails. We had the Brussel sprouts with bacon bits, creamy shrimp and grits, and the goat cheese & fig flat bread for starters. The entire table enjoyed everything. If I lived in the area I would love to try out brunch since the bloody Mary's look pretty tasty, but for now I'm pretty sure I will be back for drinks and food on my way home from work!! Service was friendly, accommodating, and quick! read more

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

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

Love this place for casual family dinner out, date night or fun girls night. Great atmosphere, great service, great food. Best spot east of the 5. read more

The Craftsman - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

My beat friend and I were desperate to find a local small business that's was dine in to celebrate her birthday and we were not undersold by any means! Our server for the birthday brunch, Giovanni or Jovanni.. not sure how to spell it was so sweet, attentive, funny and really honest with his recommendations. He made the experience that more relaxing and fun but not in a forced way. He was just his cool, relaxed, genuine self. I'm all about service and he was great! I have a gluten allergy and the menu looked super easy to navigate & adjust for allergy's. But I have the chard octopus and honestly with just a little bit of pepper and a side of crispy bacon it went amazingly with our drinks! The octopus was cooked perfectly.. it had a little bit of Thang with the sauce that it comes with, not overly salted.. it was great! My best friend had the eggs Benny.. and she said "the flavors worked great with the spinach being not soggy which was a game changer and the tomatoes had great flavor when I normally pick them off." The drinks were fantastic and as a whiskey master, I can honestly say our half sweetened elder flower goodies were light, fresh & flavorful. - also really strong but paired perfectly with our meals, especially the stories butterscotch birthday pudding which was INSANE! My only comment is that maybe the can consider making it into a crème brûlée crust on top with the gooey salted chunk caramel. It's already amazing but I think it would take it to a whole new level. We ate the crispy bacon with every meal including the dessert which was crazy good too. Hope this was helpful! We had a great time! We live in OC and for sure will be back! read more

The Craftsman - Blue Ribbon Butterscotch Pudding - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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