Awesome place! Bar environment so you seat yourself. I came around lunchtime on a weekday and it was pretty empty so there was no wait at all! The inside of this place is very nice and there's tons of wine everywhere. The staff was all very friendly and answered all questions that we had. Happy hour is everyday from 2:30-6:30. The happy hour menu is great! $3 off all the appetizers, snacks, soups& salads, and flatbreads! That's more than half the menu! Everything sounded so good and there was so much to choose from. The drinks were great and made perfectly. Not weak one bit. The food was outstanding! The Brussel sprouts were the best I've had, ever! They just melted in my mouth and had really great flavor. The buffalo fries were also a winner, we asked for extra cheese and they definitely delivered! They have a really great take out deal! Large salad, any flatbread, desert, and a bottle of wine for only $29! Really great place, can't wait to come back and try more of the menu! 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

The food is delicious; try the burgers and pizza! The blood orange Cosmo with upgrade Belvedere Vodka is good. The staff is so much fun! read more

The Craftsman - Blood orange Cosmo - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

My first time here and it's just across the street from my apartment. So sorry I haven't tried this place before. I ordered their Deviled Eggs and Heirloom Black Seed Popcorn. Take your pick. BOTH equally Delicious! I cannot believe, living here since April, it's my first time trying this establishment. Friendly the moment you walk in. I'm so absolutely sure they have a bevy of regular customers. How could they not. Delicious food, extremely potent drinks and sports on their TV. I first ordered a chocolate martini. It's what I had already been drinking so why change things up, right? Then I read the menu. My order consisted of an espresso martini, heavy handed on the Vodka along with some parmesan truffle fries and deviled eggs. The parmesan fries. OMG! What can I say. This is the best fecking order of fries I have Ever Ever Ever put in my mouth. Crazy crazy delicious with a huge amount of Parmesan. The back pepper is actually popped into the corn. My taste buds are so so so incredibly happy! Next, the deviled eggs. I was skeptical about these. Upon arrival I had to use the facilities. Exiting the bathroom, posted on the walls, were restaurant reviews. I checked for the date but it was (strategically?) missing. I mean coming from the outside in this looks like your typical dive bar. Until my food arrived I would have believed that to be entirely true. To my surprise it is anything but. The bartender knows his regulars as they come and go during my time here. He banters with the customer, checks on me regularly and just appears to really enjoy what he's doing First drink was a chocolate martini. Well made, delicious if not just a tad too strong. The deviled eggs were scrumptious. Tasted like home made. And the popcorn! All I can say is yum yum and more yum. I will be back, probably often, as I can't wait to try everything else on this menu. read more

The food was delicious!! Can't complain about that, the service was good. I would definitely recommend. read more

The Craftsman - Philly Cheesesteak - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

I'm a regular at this place after rediscovering it a couple of months ago. It has excellent food with lots of options. My favorites are the salads, flatbreads, and especially the chicken breast with mashed potatoes and green beans - so good! - and the butterscotch pudding with caramel and sea salt is insanely good. Saving the best for last - everybody who works there is so nice! With the tvs playing sports and a nice bar it feels like Cheers. You can make a reservation but I've never had trouble getting a table. Definitely a good place with a nice vibe that I don't often find. I really like their other restaurant Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizza too but it's smaller, with a smaller menu and busier. read more

The Craftsman - Menus - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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favorite restaurant. The soups, burgers, and salads are always delicious and there is a freshness in the greens that are clearly hand picked. The chef from Blue Ribbon is affiliated so it's quite a sisterhood. They both have the butterscotch pudding which the best i've ever had. you can't go wrong with beer choices and menu is perfect for guys/girls night out or family read more

Great place. Service is quick and friendly, food tastes awesome. Good for kids and grown ups. Will be coming back.

Acknowledging others is important, and we want to give a shoutout to the local Craftsman team. Led by Mike Casey, the General Manager, he manages an incredible operation. Cash, Shane, and Gio, plus others, contribute to the fun atmosphere, making every visit enjoyable. The welcoming environment and exceptional synergy we make sets this place apart. The consistent food quality makes it the best restaurant in our area; it's above and beyond the competition! Brian & Cindy Rogatsky read more

Great local neighborhood Encinitas restaurant. The food & service is great, nice Happy Hour and a fun atmosphere. I highly recommend checking it out. read more

A very busy and happening restaurant and sports bar! Delicious food and great service! read more

It was our first time coming here, and we were influenced by the 4 stars.... we are still scratching our head on that. The food tasted like pre-made food from Costco freezer section, not homemade. The food was disappointing. The chili relleno was covered in this ridiculously hard crusted coating. ( we were told it's the owners favorite , well thats not comforting . ). Also what you get and what it's worth is really off. These prepackaged popcorn chicken bites on fries and you charge $19.99 really??? There is a big misconception that the more crusty breading you can slap on food, the more it's worth. I cannot and will not recommend this place. read more

Based on all the other positive reviews, we must have had an unusually negative experience. Our waitress was wonderful, and the ambiance was fantastic! Unfortunately, the octopus entree my wife ordered was unedible, being bland and quite greasy. Our waitress also suggested the fried chicken breast which also was extremely greasy - even for a portion of fried food. And my goodness, this place is really expensive. Maybe just stick to the burgers and you'll have a great dinner. read more

Finally tried this place- hostess was a little blah- no smile or friendly greeting. Just a where do you wanna sit and let me get in with my shift kind of attitude- i dont understand why so many restaurants are only handing out 1 menu for two people- it's annoying just give each person a menu- food or over priced but over all good- that's my cons of the restaurant- Pro- food is delicious- tho expensive- we started off with a pretzel and cheese fondue- we had some much fondue left over- would definitely recommend two pretzel sticks- we did use the rest of the cheese to dip fries into- fries were great! Crunchy, Crispy! Good! Lol. I got the all American burger. Was tasty. Husband got the fried chicken entree- verrry good! Mashed potatoes and the chicken was nice and crispy and moist! Ended our night with some butterscotch pudding- my husband enjoyed it- I thought it was overly sweet and salty- which is weird for me to say because i have a major sweet and salty tooth! The waitress took a bit of time to bring us our check and when she did she walked away as soon as she sat it down instead of taking our card - which was already out. Over all a good experience- food is good- maybe I'll come back for happy hour! read more

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A man with a long grey and black beard sat us as soon as we came in. We are both service workers so we understand everyone is understaffed and over worked. We sit at 1:35 and we wait for our server....and wait....and wait....and wait. The man who sat us walked by us at least a dozen times taking care of other tables that sat after us. Even taking care of the table directly behind us while we sat and waited. Not wanting to be rude or annoying. I finally grab someone's attention, who I think is a busser, and he takes our order at 1:55. The man with the long beard consistently walks past us and never checks in with us or says sorry. Again, I'm a server and so is my boyfriend I get it, but when other people are being helped and served right in front of you it's changes from and understaffed issue too a lack of awareness. Really disappointing. Won't be back. read more

Can't believe I haven't reviewed this local place yet. This is one of our go to places when we want some good quality food in a super casual environment. The burgers are amazing, the signature popcorn is always worth getting, butternut squash soup, and the Brussel Sprouts are delectable. Oh, and sweet potato tater tots!!! I miss the pickle bomb burger on the menu as it had not only fresh pickles but fried pickles. I think they still will make it for you if you ask kindly :) The craft beer selection is good and local, and my friends say the wine menu is quite good and reasonable. Get there during happy hour (M-F 2:30 - 6:30) for some decent specials, but also look for the weekly specials like Mon any burger plus beer for special price, and Tuesday all day happy hour prices. read more

Love the burgers. Love the popcorn. Great casual with a good selections of beer and plenty of TVs.

Cozy!! Gorgeous Drive To Arrive!! A Perfect Bloody Mary & Everything Is Detailed With The Customer In Mind!! Thank You!! read more

The hamburger meat had something mixed in with it, and made it taste really weird. You also have to pay an extra four dollars if you want french fries or anything on the side. So the burger was $24. It was not good at all- The chicken salad was unfortunately not good either . The head lettuce they used was minced, and the tomatoes tasted like chemicals. Sorry, but I won't be going back- read more

Great service from our bartender he made us some amazing drinks. Can't wait to go back when I visit the area again for Sunday Brunch. read more

The Craftsman - Thank you for the BEST drinks & service you provided to my friends and I. - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Quick update during COVID. The restaurant is doing such a great job with these ever changing restrictions. We went to dinner there last night, and had a great burger and fried chicken with an amazing bottle of wine. Their wine selection is fantastic, with really great prices. With the current restrictions, all tables are outside, and they have put up a nice white tent with lighting, and tables on the sidewalk. The staff is really great about cleaning frequently, and I felt very safe being in the restaurant. Oh, and don't forget the salted caramel pudding for dessert! read more

This is the 4th tone I've come, every time is great! Delicious food, great service and excellent drinks! The bottomless mimosas and blood Mary's are soo good, esp the BMs, made right! With the correct amount of vodka. I'd def recommend, and I'll def be back! read more

I popped into this place on a Friday afternoon for a quick look at the menu. After seeing several interesting items on the menu that I'd like to come back and try, I then spotted the lobster bisque. My FAVORITE soup ever! So I've gotta order it, right? When the bisque arrived it was red and I immediately turned up my nose and prepared for the worst because I've never had a decent red colored lobster bisque. (Did I mention I'm a lobster bisque snob and totally judge an entire restaurant by their bisque?) I wonder if I can get nerve to send it back? The "JAWS" sound plays in the back if my mind as I taste my first spoonful. Omg this stuff is mind blowingly delicious! 2nd best lobster bisque I've eaten in my life. I'll definitely be returning with my family and I'm super excited to have found a new favorite place to eat. P.S. the draft beer selection is great. read more

The Craftsman - Great draft beer selections - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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My husband was craving burgers and found this place on Yelp. We decided to try it out and we are glad that we did. We don't drink so we ordered several things (pulled pork sliders, fish&chips, flat bread, bolognese, prohibition burger and short rib with Brussels sprouts and purple potato purée) everything tasted great and service was excellent. The only thing I'd suggest is that it would be perfect if they put less butter in the purple potato purée. We will definitely come back to try other things. read more

Great service, great food. Had the pulled pork sliders and a couple of drinks have to say everything was great.

This place has great ambiance. The 60's/70's good ol rock n roll music was definitely a vibe. The atmosphere is cozy and a bit rustic feeling which I loved. I order a Jalisco marg which was delish and well balanced. We ordered the roasted Brussels, goat cheese with beets salad and the stuffed chicken breast everything tasted fresh and really delicious. The service was friendly as well. We had a really good experience all around. I also liked they had some tvs with some sports playing as well. There were too many good looking things on the menu to try on our first time so we will for sure be back again! read more

I absolutely love coming here. Octopus is my favorite food by far and The Craftsman has the best I've had in San Diego. I always order the octopus it is so reasonably priced and a good portion size. All of the food I've tried has been great. Highly recommend. read more

The Craftsman - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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You can have outside seating, part of which overlooks the parking lot but there is a nice patio seating as well. Service was slow even though the place was not crowded early weekday evening. As for the food, we had tacos and the classic burger. Both plates were barebone- fries, or any side dishes are ordered as extras. Both dishes were OK, lacking sauce maybe, nothing special. read more

This is the worst meal I've had in 5 years. I don't know how you mess up a Caesar's salad but apparently mayo is your dressing and no croutons. The chili relleno was cold, no chicken to be found and the fish for the fish & chips was soggy and lukewarm. I've been here before & it was fine, so I'm not sure what happened. The draft beers tasted off and I had to return my beer because I thought it would make sick. I was very disappointed and won't return. read more

So came in as they opened and didn't have a food agenda. Walked in and was immediately greeted by a smiling and welcoming Giovanni (Gio). In a glance, was pleasantly happy with the not overdone craftsman style decor. Sat at one of the front tables offering plush decorative pillows for your back, which I appreciate very much given my lower back pain. For me, it was one of those early Saturdays when you just don't know what you want, but want an appealing experience. Ordered Bloody Mary bcuz they make their own mix, and was quite pleased. Decided on TRUFFLED MUSHROOM FLATBREAD. Now I have had many, many flatbreads. Im a huge garlic lover so was quite pleased with my decision. Garlic was lovely and succulent and cheese and mushrooms were good. I'm definitely returning to try other menu choices. But the best thing with my experience was Gio taking care of me and my Bloody Mary choice. I'm leaving happy and ready to shop. read more

The first time I came here to The Craftsman, I remember having a pretty good meal, but it was a few months before I started getting into Yelping. This time around, at least six years later, I came in wondering why I hadn't tried to come back sooner and left not really thinking about a possible return trip. Put simply, this place is about average. It has a nice aesthetic, I love the layout and the tables. The clientele seems good, boisterous without being rowdy. The service was fantastic, loved our waiter who was both very personable and quick to help out. And the food was just alright, with some high points, but mostly just ... average. I had the Cuban Sandwich, which had the requisite sweetness in the pickles, topping off the salt and heat from the ham and pork. I don't think I've ever had this type of sandwich before and although this one was satisfying, it didn't push me into adding it to a favorites rotation, either. Still, the true star on my plate were those Sweet Potato Tots, which were three kinds of brilliant. I can easily see coming back here for an oatmeal stout and a bucketful of these while watching a game. My wife had the Petite Fish & Chips Snack, which was a good amount to satisfy her lunch cravings, though she stated that she preferred both the fish and the sauce at other spots around town. Our son had the Encinitas Brick Oven Flatbread. Being a five year old, he typically turns his nose up to anything that doesn't look like a standard slice to him. But, he was able to enjoy almost two whole pieces of this before picking bits from other plates. I myself found the sausage a bit strong, but otherwise not too bad; especially heated for dinner a few hours later. Also on the table were a B.L.T.A., for which I heard no complaints, and an Original Craftsman Half Pound Tavern Burger. The latter one intrigued me, as not many places put blue cheese on their signature burger. Unfortunately, the bite I had confirmed the reason why, as the saltiness of the cheese was nigh overwhelming. I thought it might be cut by or paired well with the bacon-onion marmalade, but that pungent, salty cheese was pretty much all you could taste in every bite. This was the low point of our meal. But those fries weren't bad. In the end, an alright lunch with a pretty good atmosphere made for a pleasant experience. With nothing really standing out (other than those glorious tots), I find it hard to see a reason to really want to step through the door again. It's easy to say that you want to drive up to Harbor for fish and chips, or down to Pillbox for wings. It's something else to go out of your way for just sweet potato tater tots. Still, I have to say I didn't dislike Craftsman, and can easily think of it as a strong 3-Star review. read more

Great wine at happy hour...great food...great service. Nice neighborhood spot that's always consistently good

Food 3 Service 3 Ambiance 4 Value 1 I went in there wanting to love the place especially that I love their sister restaurant, Blue Ribbon. But man was I wrong. Every dish was mid at best. Apps, so mid, even I categorize them as subpar. $20 burgers, fries extra! And so mid. Steak and fries, dry as hell for $32. Perhaps cutting too quickly after getting it off the grill/skillet. Service, pretty spotty. Our waitress was pretty distracted and absent. Overall, I won't go back until something major changes. Prices were outrageous for what you get. I blame us consumers for willingness to pay whatever we are asked. read more

We visited The Craftsman New American Tavern some weeks ago. We were looking for a place to have a late brunch on a Sunday afternoon. The weather was perfect and the drive up the Pacific Coast Highway couldn't have been prettier. The Craftsman New American Tavern is located in Encinitas and had a happy hour menu that appeared to be available on Sundays. I was stupefied by the wine collection here! Friend failed to tell me that the restaurant has a nice selection of wines you can enjoy there or take home. The restaurant is quaint and comfortable. There's even a small bar towards the back. So here was the confusion that Sunday with happy hour. We were given two menus. One menu stated happy hour was available 7 days a week. The second menu, on our table, stated happy hour was Mon-Fri 2:30-6:30p. The website, at that point, reflected happy hour seven days a week. The waiter seemed nonchalant about it and said yes there's been confusion about their revised Happy Hour. He said he'd honor the happy hour prices for the beers but that was it. It was off putting how he said it as he was smacking gum and looking dumbfounded about the situation. They do have a nice selection of draft beers here. The house cabernet tasted average at $8 per glass. The sculpin should have been $5 during happy hour but I just noticed we got charged the full price of $8/pint. Oh well. We ordered: Chicken Fried Chicken $13: - We were curious about their Chicken Fried Chicken brunch item. We asked the waiter if they used white or dark meat with bone in for this dish. He said sometimes there are bones and sometimes there aren't? We just assumed it would be fried chicken with biscuits and gravy on the side. He didn't seem to know either. Well it's basically a biscuit chicken fried chicken breakfast sandwich. The egg would have benefited from being fried less longer. The yolk was hard and a bit tasteless. The gravy was nicely thick with the added sausage but overall it tasted bland. The biscuits were toasted beautifully and were incredibly thick. It was just too dense for this heavy sandwich. I think I'd order these biscuits with a side of butter and jam next time. Deep Fried Brussel Sprouts $13: - The version here is pricey at $13. It was a decent portion. The brussels were halved and quartered. There was a nice char to the leaves but I felt the center was mushy. It was nice to finally try out The Craftsman New American Tavern. The service and food were so so but the ambiance was quite cool.The atmosphere and patrons were laid back and it was comfortable watching football games playing overhead on tv screens. Not sure if I'd come back soon but maybe I'd return in the future to try their dinner menu. read more

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I love love love the deviled eggs here. Great service as well! Fun food with an American flare. Picnic plate is great to start. all dishes are filling. Come her hungry! Great staff too! read more

Great place to come eat and drink. Bottomless mimosas and bloody Mary's on Sunday's is a nice touch. Our waitress Shani recommended the chili Relleno and she was spot on. Great service, great food. 10/10 recommend. read more

My girlfriend suggested this place for Sunday Brunch so she made a reservation at 10 am and we were here, happy and ready to eat. There were so many good things on the menu, I didn't know what to order, whether to get breakfast or lunch, or brunch, so I went with my urge to get poutine. Food: -Husband got the breakfast sandwich -Melissa got the eggs benedict -I got the poutine -Kids shared the french toast -We all shared the black seed truffle popcorn (delicious! and yes, I'm a cool mom to let my kids eat popcorn at 10 am) It's a pretty cool place and I can see myself hanging out here for happy hour. The popcorn arrived and we devoured it in seconds, my kids couldn't get enough. Then our food came and we all got quiet because we were so busy stuffing our faces. My husband kept talking about coming back to try the deep fried brussel sprouts, I'm not a sprouts fan so to each their own. Service was great, but then again there weren't many people there early in the morning. Nonetheless, I plan to come back for happy hour, just for the popcorn alone! read more

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I've always liked The Craftsman, but the price increases on their menu are tough to...swallow. $22 for a burger (Beyond) and $4 extra for fries. I didn't order fries because I just could justify spending nearly $30 for a burger and fries. read more

Unfortunately the past year and a half their food quality and service have been getting sub par. I have been going to the craftsman for at least 5 years, in the past both the service and food were excellent unfortunately that is no longer the case. Went in last night was served a cold dried out meal and when it was sent back it took at least 20-30 minutes to bring it back. Of course my fiance had finished her meal and had to wait. I didn't end up eating the meal and left it behind. Their prices have always been on the higher end but the food was good. I can no longer recommend or have interest in returning. This is the 3rd or fourth time the past year and a half that they have failed to live up to previous quality. So sad to see. All good things must end. read more

Been here a few times and came back the other day with a couple girlfriends for lunch. The service is not the best here. One server for the whole ;ace with the manager chilling in the back. Not a good receipe for happiness. The happy hour prices aren't really great. Only a couple dollars off some things. Their fries are awesome. 6$ for a basket of truffle fries. The salads are large but expensive when you add a protein to one. $20 for a salad. Nothing amazing and a bit pricey. Slow service and not the friendliest guy was our server. Will choose somewhere else to lunch and drink next time. read more

The Craftsman - Brussels - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California