food is great! The ambience is really great. It is very clean. People are nice. Tyler was great too

Loved Marco!! He was great my food was awesome and it was a great place to eat very high quality

this restaurant has great food, everyone is respectful, and kind. The staff are quick with delivery and everything is fresh and nice

Everything we had here was really good, no complaints at all. It all was so fresh packed with flavor. Plates were like sit down restaurant quality but you order up at the counter. Loved the open kitchen too. I'd say the highlight of our meals were the desserts! Recommend the banana cream pie- it was the best I've ever had! As well as the garlic aioli that came with the steak. read more

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Located in Del Mar Highlands Town Center, this Urban Plates is a popular spot for lunch. There's plenty of parking. I ordered a couple plates to-go, and I was out in 18-20 minutes. Each plate comes with two sides. The sea bass is good. Sides: I only recommend the tomato soup, which is flavorful and comes with croutons. Basmati rice was too hard; the brussels sprouts were boiled and not roasted and came out too sweet with the onions; the quinoa was bland. Urban Plates is a good place to hit your macros, but it's too expensive. I got a slice of mango tart for $8.25, and it was smaller than my fist. Outdoor seating available. Plenty of indoor seating Pet friendly read more

Delicious food cooked to order with healthy ingredients at reasonable prices. Consider joining the plate club for a 20% discount. I visit several times a week because everything is good, especially the chicken fingers, salmon, and roast with mashed bowl. The sides and drinks are also healthy. Today, I tried the flourless chocolate cake with a gift card and it was the best fudge I've ever had (don't tell Mom!). As a weekly dine-in customer in La Jolla and Mission Valley, my only suggestions are to allow dine-in customers to order on the app before arriving, and for food runners to bring silverware, check back, and refill drinks to encourage better tips. It's money NOT being left on the table when they just drop off the food and ignore the customers. read more

This place is OK. Came here with my grandparents March 2026 for dinner. They got steak and a thai salad, and I got a cup of seafood chowder and a side salmon. The salmon was like eleven dollars, and comically small and sad. All alone on its plate, it was already cold when I got it. The seafood chowder honestly was excellent and had a great kick to it. Steak was small and OK. Came with mash potatoes and a few vegetables, but for how expensive it was I expected more food. Thai salad was really good. No notes, it was just good and refreshing. Price is REALLY high for the amount of food you get. Service is this weird in-between where the food gets brought out to you, but you pick up all your condiments, utensils, and fight for water in the long water line. Honestly anyone's guess as to whether or not you're expected to tip in this business model. The space inside is cramped and super loud. The space outside is facing the parking lot but separated off. Pick your poison. I wouldn't come back, I'd rather just go to one of the other spots in the plaza. read more

Just reviewing their cakes. Did you know you can get their wonderful hummingbird cake to go? It has pineapple, nuts, and raisins, plus a wonderful cream cheese frosting. It's different from carrot cake, almost an alternative. Just absolutely delicious and flavorful. Great staff and loved how it was decorated. read more

Urban Plates - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

URBAN PLATES @ DEL MAR HIGHLANDS Parking is available right out front, and there's plenty of it since Urban Plates is located in the Del Mar Highlands plaza. The area has tons of restaurants, shops, and even a movie theater, so it's a really convenient spot overall. My boyfriend and I decided to stop by for dinner. The restaurant is definitely on the casual side. It's one of those places where you walk in, order at the counter, grab a number, and sit wherever you'd like. The staff then brings the food to your table. It's simple and easy, especially if you're looking for something quick. Price-wise, it's a bit on the higher end for what it is. Most plates range from about $18-$25, and our total came out to around $45. My boyfriend ordered the steak plate, which came with two sides, a beet salad and vegetables. I got the grilled onion cheeseburger with fries, and we also added a side of mac & cheese because it looked really good. The steak was definitely the highlight. It was cooked perfectly, super tender, soft, and full of flavor. That said, I do wish the portion size was a little bigger. The burger itself tasted good too, but they didn't ask how I wanted it cooked, so it came out more medium/overcooked than I would've preferred. Again, decent flavor, just smaller than expected. The mac & cheese was honestly the biggest letdown. I even asked if they could bake it a little extra, but it came out pretty standard. It didn't have much flavor and felt pretty basic, I hate to say it, but I've had better mac & cheese from Chick-fil-A. Overall, the quality was decent, but I wasn't super full after eating, which was disappointing considering the price. It's a solid casual, grab-and-go type of spot, but it didn't wow me enough to make me want to come back. read more

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Stopped by yesterday on our way to a movie. We placed our order at 6:44PM, and the food took about 20 mins. Slightly longer than normal, but the issue was they didn't bring everything. They said the missing fries would be out in a few minutes. We ate our entire meal and the fries never arrived. In addition to them being included with the meal, I even paid the extra $2 to upgrade to truffle parm fries. I didn't want to waste anymore time so we left. I had already tipped at checkout too, so no way to really adjust your tip based on service. We ate at urban plates in Carlsbad on Saturday and normally go to that one. Guess this location is a dud. read more

Urban Plates - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

It has been a couple of years since I have dined at Urban Plates. I recall lining up and pointing out to the server which entree you would like. Not no more, that line is barricaded now as serves as a mobile order pick up station. Gone are the days of seeing cooked food and now you order from a board. My lunch order consisted of a half steak sandwich and a small cup of soup. The half sandwich was so tiny it looked like a sample size. The steak was ok but the bread was a little chewy. The soup a tortilla chicken soup was so salty and not that enjoyable. I would probably not come back as it seems that Urban Plates has gone down hill in terms of food quality. read more

Bought the Turkey Family Feast this year. It's fantastic! Ordered online a few weeks before and chose a time slot. They were very organized and on time during pick up. Awesome service! Directions to reheat is easy to follow. Turkey was moist, soft and delicious. Kids love the Mac and cheese. It fed our family of 10 and we still had leftovers. We will definitely do this again. Very convenient and tasty! read more

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Another great meal featuring fast preparation, balanced meals, versatile menu, and lots of kid-friendly options! *We got the surf and turf plate and the grilled chicken plate. Everything was delicious. I'd like to highlight that the chicken was juicy and perfectly seasoned for my tastes (light seasoning). Everyone agreed that they enjoyed the chicken more than the steak (opportunity for improvement) *The mac n cheese was decadent and I totally dip the chicken and the (less glazed bits of) broccoli in. *The sesame glaze on the broccoli could stand on it's own as well! Absolutely amazing. *The mash potatoes were extra creamy, and the shrimp were delicious as well. *toasted bread with olive oil- wonderful. Our friends also came with us, with their two kids. *Their kids had loved the mediterranean chicken bowl-- specifically the rice and the pita bread, and side of garlic french fries. *The dragonfruit refresher- I watched their toddler chug it at the end of the meal. (Side note, they also have a pretty good kids menu for those who want to get their kid their own plate.) The parents were pretty happy their kids could eat here. Seating was plentiful (today is saturday nigjt), with some large booths. Service was speedy, so we hungry people never have to wait too long. This is the second time I have brought guests here and loved it, as there's always a personalized plate for everyone! I am a huge fan! read more

Urban Plates - Grilled Cage Free Chicken - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Grown-up "cafeteria" in the Del Mar Highlands Shopping Plaza with food made from scratch and industrial decor. No trailblazing here in the menu, just basic good eats. The assembly-style service line moves fast, but I still prefer to come at off-peak hours to avoid potential lunch crowds! read more

Urban Plates - Outside - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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I've been to other locations and loved urban plates! However this time around we ended up in the Del Mar location. The food, we ordered the blackened salmon with broccoli and mashed potatoes as well as the chimichurri steak with rice. The blackened salmon was extremely salty, the broccoli was flavorless and the mashed potatoes were good but too buttery. While the ambiance was chill and relaxed, the food left a lot to be desired. read more

Urban Plates - Chimichurri Grass Fed Steak - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Urban plates is the family go to spot for a healthy (salads) or unhealthy meal (fried chicken and fries) like they have many options and I would say their dessert variety is tasty. My son always opts for the unhealthy and for many kids the home made Mac and cheese is their favorite. This is located in a high traffic spot near sky deck Del Mar and one paseo but it's never too crowded even on the weekends. I've gone to the University City one and that's my go to spot for meetings. It's priced what you expect for the area and I've been contemplating their "plate pass" for some time but just haven't gotten around to it because I'm not frequent in urban plates that much. I feel the variety and choice give this place its stars and I know they pride themselves on organic and fresh which is good--I can see it but most of the time my kids just go for the tenders and fries. Not fully 5 stars because the food presentation and taste is still needing a bit extra but I still rate it high. read more

Urban Plates - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

First time trying this place. We got delivery on Thursday night. My friend orders food here often. I ordered the grilled salmon, sesame broccolini and turmeric basmati rice. She got the braised beef with potatoes. Food arrived in 20 minutes and was hot. The portions were big but I ate every last bite. Menu seemed to be on the healthier side. Lots of variety to choose from. read more

Urban Plates - Grilled Sustainable Salmon - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

Great calue food. nice ambiance and a solid casual dinner spot. I've bever had a bad experience with the service. Jonny Espana helped us today and he was great. read more

Last time we were here the food was awesome, this time it was ehhh. My sandwich was cold and bread wasn't even remotely warm (crispy chicken sandwich), fries were cold and stale and it all lacked flavor. My wife enjoyed her food. Pretty disappointed read more

Solid food! I got the Moroccan chicken braise bowl with rice, oh man! So flavorful and tender chicken. I was leaning towards the beef but I'm glad I got the chicken. I'd say my only "complain" is I wish I had more of it, it was just so yummy! The bread on the side was also good, how you can taste the grill char. I also got the chocolate chip cookies. My manager said it was good so I grabbed one for us to share. It was soft inside and a bit crispy on the outside. It also had that brown sugar taste to it, overall a bit sweet so you can only have so much, which is a good thing! I'd consider this place again. read more

I just wanna start and say this is not a biased opinion. We love urban plates, I always go to the one in Carlsbad but decided to try this location. I was severely disappointed. The cashier was rude and annoyed you could tell. Then I went to the restroom to washed my husband and the cooked came out without washing her hands. I heard the toilet flush and the door open right away a second after so I know shit and I'll wash her hands, so it made me lose my appetite.. my husband salmon was bland and small and my burger was good, but the fries were not at all They were old and cold.. is just sad. We left with the bad impression.. read more

Urban Plates - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

Service was awesome! Juanita was very accommodating and food came out at a timely manner. read more

Urban Plates - Grilled Grass Fed Steak, Roasted Mushrooms W. Garlic Parmesan Butter, Steamed Asparagus - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

Brought a 1st timer Sun nite at b 5pm. I ordered 3 sides. Friend ordered the steak plate. Steak was cooked medium. No red like menu pic. Asked my friend if he ordered medium. He said no. Oops! Not cooked right. read more

So disappointing. Not only are the portions ridiculously small the food was overcooked and gross. A burger from Chili's is better.

Ordered on DD. At first I thought they forgot my drink but luckily it was inside the bag. Food was good as always, was cold but that's not on urban plates. Ordered side of scrimp and steak plate ! read more

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"Urban" is a silly term when applied to food, but regardless of the name, the food here is mostly very, very good. It's a very attractive place and the employees were all hustling and very attentive. Incidentally, I dare you to get more suburban (and definitely not "urban") than this location. There is nowhere on earth more suburban than this area. You order at the counter but they bring you your food to you on real plates and you use real silverware. They bus the tables, too, so it feels a bit more upscale than you might expect. It feels like a sit-down restaurant and it's nice and attractive inside. The Chicken Caesar Salad was very fresh and excellent. Even the croutons tasted housemade. You only get about five shrimps on a skewer with the garlic shrimp plate but they are delicious and drenched in garlic butter, I assume. For my two sides, I tried the sesame broccoli and the roasted brussell sprouts, both of which were very fresh and flavorful. They throw in a nice piece of grilled bread, too. I felt that the chicken fingers were far too heavily breaded and the chicken meat inside was very dry. That dish was a miss. If you want something decadent, the side of truffle fries is outstanding. But you'll have very strong breath afterwards, trust me. The menu is extensive and the prices are on par with some real sit-down restaurants which actually use servers. But the quality of the food is very high here so you get what you pay for. read more

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The cashier was prioritizing calling rather than a bunch of customers waiting in line. On top of bare minimum service already. No incentive for a tip. read more

Picked up carry-out Samon. Very disappointed with quality. Overcooked and dry. Not worth $45.00. My wife got sick after eating your food. read more

I love a fast casual concept with healthy food and Urban Plates is no exception! At first I was overlooked by the folks taking orders without much of an apology, but service improved during our visit... I stopped in with my son on a Friday evening and this place was packed. After we placed our order, we found a spot to sit at the large community table. I had a plate with salmon, marbled potatoes and simple broccoli and my son had the kids plate with steak and french fries. After one bite of steak, he decided he should have ordered the salmon instead and the manager was sweet enough to bring him salmon instead. If / when I return, I would ask for the bread to be served plain... (mostly for my picky son). Everything else on the menu looked pretty good as well... It's located in a Busy shopping center, but plenty of parking is available. Solid option for a healthy meal, indeed! read more

Urban Plates - Salmon plate with simple steamed broccoli and Herb Roasted Marble Potatoes - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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4-5 Stars. I love how in the front of Urban Plates they have an enlarged menu with photos and details (Color Key for Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, etc). The menu is well organized and it contains the prices as well. After ordering at the very front (you don't go down the line to choose what sides you want and sample anymore), they give you a number stand to bring back to the table and later they bring the food to you. They have a water station and in that area they have utensils and napkins for you to bring to your table as well. I came here for lunch with a friend. We ordered the ~$19.75 Grilled Grass Fed Steak Plate with a slice of Bread, dressed Caesar Salad (you have option of dressed or sauce on side), and Mashed Potatoes with Gravy. The menu said that the steak is grilled to med-rare. That was not the case, it was over cooked and a bit odd looking. However, the mashed potatoes were delightful! The texture and flavor were delicious. I liked that the toasted bread wasn't too hard. They gave a lot of caesar salad and the dressing was flavorful. We also shared a slice of their $8 Hummingbird Cake. I never had this and thought it was quite unique. It is said to be a banana-pineapple spiced cake with vanilla orange cream cheese frosting....fresh pineapple chunks, walnuts, and rum. From the first bite, I got the walnuts and a burst of juice from the pineapple chunks. It reminded me a bit of a carrot cake, without the carrots. The cake is not a banana forward cake and you can't taste the rum or vanilla. I do wish there was more of an orange oomph, perhaps the zest in the cream cheese frosting would provide that delicious zing. Overall, I think Urban Plates is a great place to come for lunch. They are kind and have fast service. The interior is clean and they have lots of seating available -- inside and outside. The menu is easy to read and they have multiple options for everyone. The prices aren't too bad, as they reflect the portions and provide healthy food options (compared to other places). I'd recommend coming here! Next time, I want to try their banana cream pie. read more

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Today I walked in for lunch and waited awhile to get someone to assist at the counter. The general manager walked up and helped us. He seemed somewhat bothered to help, my son asked if he could have a Caesar wrap with salmon and he said sure, however, I wouldn't recommend it. My son still ordered it. After taking our order while I was paying he walked away and I had to lean over to grab my receipt. He didn't give us our drinks, I had to come back to ask for them. When our food was brought to us, the fries were missing they said it would be brought to us in a bit. Minutes passed and nothing so I had to get up and find someone to tell them we had not received the fries. They eventually brought them. I don't think we will be going back here. The wait staff were helpful. The place was not busy so I am not sure why the slow service. read more

My new favorite place to eat. I'm in love with their blackened salmon. Today, I got the blackened salmon with the seafood chowder and the beets with goat cheese, delicious! That's all I can say. My friend got the vegetarian plate with 4 items, she got carrots and golden beets, hummus, parmesan mushrooms, and the beets with goat cheese. All 4 were delicious. This is her new favorite place too. The service is exceptional and you can dine in or outside. Make sure to sign up n f I r the plate pass membership. It will pay for itself after 4 to 5 trips. read more

Urban Plates - Vegetarian plate with hummus, carrots and golden beets, parmesan mushrooms, and beets with goat cheese. - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Steak - came out well done and tough as a tire Ahi tuna - overall great with the mash potatoes being tasty What lost my mind is the garlic bread that they served. It was literally burnt half way. I get it, visually looks aesthetic with the grill marks. But this thing was burnt...would you feed your family or friends burnt food? Then why even send this out. read more

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I've been coming here for many years. I used to love the salads and how you could create your own. Since they have changed the service style, I haven't enjoyed it as much. Today was the worst and I'm not sure I'll go back. The chef was constantly yelling out orders the entire time we were there which was really loud and hard to ignore. I know it's not fine dining but it seems they could have a better system than yelling out every plate and order as it's prepared. read more

This is a Review of the fish sandwich only: A messy flavorless sandwich consisting of two thick slices of bread and an assortment of chopped veggies soaked in something they call tartar sauce that bears no resemblance to tartar sauce. There were two slivers of soggy fish in there that looked like Bonito. Nice ambiance and friendly staff. I'll give another menu selection a try before crossing Urbane Plates off my list of eateries. read more

$30.19 for this plate and a cup of seafood chowder is crazy. The only option for the chimmichurri steak is either MEDIUM RARE or WELL DONE. ?? Chimichurri sauce is all oil without any real ingredients. I feel like I could've gone to Trader Joe's and bought packaged potatoes and steak and it would've been just as dry read more

Urban Plates - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

With a revamped value menu, Urban Plates is probably the best quality/value option in this area. Everything is pretty good here, even their cheap burger option. Fries were amazing. Summarion: You can't go wrong here. The food is good, the price is reasonable expecially for this part of town. - Parking still sucks here. read more

Urban Plates - Beets and grains salad - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

I used to really enjoy Urban Plates, but sadly, it's gone downhill. The service was surprisingly rude and dismissive--when I asked about the drinks, the staff seemed visibly annoyed. As for the food, it was not worth the money. The steak was extremely tough, the mashed potatoes and roast veggies were cold. The interior is nice but the service and food completely take away from the experience. This used to be a place I looked forward to visiting, but after this experience, I won't be coming back. read more

I've been a regular customer at the Carmel Valley location of Urban Plates, but after the past month, I'm done. Twice now, they have completely forgotten to make my meal. Both times I ordered, received a table number, sat down, and waited -- only to realize much later that my food was never coming. The first time, the restaurant wasn't even busy. After waiting more than 20 minutes, I had to go ask where my order was, and they discovered it had either been lost or never made. They finally prepared it after another short wait. Tonight was worse. The restaurant had a steady flow of customers, but nothing unusual. People who sat down well after me received their meals while I continued waiting. After 25 minutes, I went to the counter and asked for a refund instead of waiting even longer for food that clearly hadn't been started. What really sealed it for me was the complete lack of accountability. No apology. No acknowledgment of the mistake. No attempt to make it right or retain a loyal customer. They simply processed the refund and wished me a good evening. Forgetting an order once is a mistake. Twice in a month shows a serious breakdown in operations and customer service. I won't be returning, and I can't recommend this location to others. read more

The food was average at best but the biggest disappointment was the wait time. we ordered a french dip and club sandwich and waited over 30 minutes for the order. i checked several times and the only response was we are busy. very disappointed at the lack of concern and communication. read more