40 Best American Restaurants in Carlsbad

“We eloped yesterday in the desert and drove into Carlsbad to have a relaxing day near the beach. We have heard such great things from a close friend about Campfire so it was a no brainer where we would eat dinner.We had no idea how fantastic of an experience we were in for, or how insanely delicious the dishes and mock-tails would be, and lastly how the service and hospitality would be so beyond that it would bring us to tears.We felt so special and honestly cared for by our waiter Zach and even the management. Being that it was the day after our elopement they went to beautiful lengths to make me and my wife feel special. There are no words to capture how emotional that was for me and her. We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. Campfire and Zach will always be a part of our wedding story!Thank you thank you thank you for being beautiful people!! We hope to make it back there one day! Maybe an anniversary trip! “

“Great food and service but they need to do something about the hostess stand location. It is very awkward and there is nowhere to stand when waiting for a table. I moved forward and four groups cut in front of me since the hostess did not ask who was next in line, she just looked at someone else and took their information.“

“Food is fantastic, and spice levels are spot on. I believe the owner has greeted us on multiple occasions and he's extremely friendly. Great atmosphere, milkshakes, and service! Definitely will be back many times. They also have military discount which is always nice to hear of the support!“

“Had our food delivered, so I can't comment on the atmosphere. But the burgers and fries we got were great! I particularly loved the Well D'Onion burger; the spicy ranch had flavorful kick with just a little tingly on the lips, not burning your mouth off. Good stuff. Totally will get food there again as I want to try a shake too.“

“Dinner with my husband and son didn’t disappoint! Super friendly service—people you want to hang with. Brussels sprouts were amazing! Pear Gorgonzola flatbread was perfect mix of comfort food with really cool flavors. Husband had eggplant and said it was absolutely delicate and tasty. Pesto penne was creamy and unique. We’re both #vegetarian so lots of options. Son had a chicken dish that he said was decadent. Will def go back!“

“We’ve been coming here on and off for the past 15 years and love it. The food, the people and the family atmosphere make this gem perfect! Each time my family comes in I have been reminding (harassing) Chris to let his mom know that we would love for the short ribs to come back on Sundays. Well the good lord answered and the short ribs have returned! The short ribs are perfectly cooked and falls apart with the slightest touch. I am forever grateful that you folks brought it back! Ya’ll are amazing! See you on Sundays!“

“The staff greeted us immediately, seated us, and brought water to the table. Our appetizers CHOWDAH FRIES and Crispy Cauliflower arrived quickly -- as did our drinks. The fries were like New England poutine and surprisingly still crispy with the toppings. The cauliflower was spicy, tangy, but not too crispy, yet we liked it. The drinks were spot on. Two of us got Connecticut Lobster Rolls, one got Maine Lobster Roll, and the other got CLASSIC BEEF BOURGUIGNON. Each dish was perfectly prepared and presented. It is somewhere we will go again.“

“This is a long overdue review for Urban Plates. I do not usually post reviews, however, I have to reward the consistency of outstanding customer service and consistently good food with my feedback. Manager Manny Mejia is always on site greeting guests and making sure all customers have an exemplary experience. I have been coming to Urban Plates for years with my family and friends. I love the Plate Pass program that gives me 20% off of my entire bill including wine/beer. The restaurant is always clean even during their busiest times. When it is peak eating times, you may have to wait for a table but, Manny and his staff will try to make your wait as quick as possible. Finally, let's talk about the food. The beet salad is one of my all-time favorite salads. I also love the chciken tenders which are addictive as are the fries. The steak with chimichurri sauce is delicious. I always leave Urban Plates feeling satisfied and happy that I am able to enjoy tasty food prepared in a healthful way. You owe it to yourself to eat at Urban Plates.“

“Wonderful food, it makes you appreciate how healthy ingredients can be turned into delicious food! The breaded tofu was wonderful and the cheese sauce for the fries was so smooth! I also appreciate that the sandwich bread wasn't so thick and let the actual substance of the meal shine.“

“First timers there. Greeted for lunch by a friendly hostess who offered us all the seating options (all of which were nice). Our waitress was extremely helpful explaining the menu and offering suggestions. We each decided on chowder & a taco. Wife had the New England which gets a 5 out of 10 rating. (plenty of clam & texture but lacking in flavors). I had the Manhattan, which turned out to be the he better choice, earning a 8 of 10. Grilled fish tacos unfortunately were also bland (good quality & presented nicely but again no flavors). In their defense we both agreed we would come back again and try something a bit more adventurous.“

“Brunch :: I havent had a breakfast buffet in awhile and this one was amazing. Fresh omelettes, and so many other delicious treats. I wasnt a guest of the hotel, my friend was and met her here. We had children with us and got attentive service. The wait went by quickly. The place was packed with families but they kept the breakfast area stocked and cleaned. Great experience. I left very full and satisfied.“

“Polo Steakhouse continues to impress with its attention to detail and culinary excellence. The addition of New York steak to the menu further enhances the dining experience, offering another delectable option for steak enthusiasts. Cooked to perfection and bursting with flavor, the New York steak is a testament to the restaurant's commitment to quality.Before diving into the main course, indulge in their bread appetizer, a delightful assortment of freshly baked bread paired with artisanal spreads. It's the perfect way to whet your appetite and set the stage for the feast to come.As for the cocktails, they are nothing short of extraordinary. Expertly crafted with premium spirits and innovative flavor combinations, each sip is a journey for the senses. Whether you prefer a classic martini or a unique concoction, the cocktail menu at Polo Steakhouse offers something for everyone.From start to finish, Polo Steakhouse delivers an unparalleled dining experience. With exceptional service, a luxurious atmosphere, and a menu that showcases the finest ingredients, it's a culinary destination that never fails to impress.“

“Hearty west coast breakfast menu. Decent Latte. Service was good. Items were fresh. My mushroom and spinach omlette was good. Hot sauces brought to the table, but we were never asked about butter or jam for toast till we asked. Coffee refills had to be asked vs offered.Inside seating is cramped and lots of fott traffic due to multiple service areas. Outside looks calmer.I would go back if someone else suggests it, and would not fine with the choice. It would not be my first choice.“

“We stopped here on Easter Sunday and were pleasantly surprised they had happy hour specials that day. We ordered the burger and beer special on happy hour. They let us choose any burger or sandwich from the menu, a choice of 3 beers and you also get a small salad and order of fries. It was well worth the $22. The fries were amazing. My only complaint is that the beer was slightly flat and the Philly cheesesteak was a bit dry and lacked cheese.“

“My wife and I had two delicious sandwiches, and their coffee was great as well. The place was packed when we were there, and we had to wait for a table, but it was well worth the wait. It is conveniently located in a strip mall in Carlsbad with an ample parking lot outside. Give them a try.. you'll be happy you did!“

“Brewery and restaurant in a large open space. Kid and dog friendly.Good parts of our visit:- Food was good. We had the blackened mahi tacos, which were delicious. Highly recommended. We also had the wagyu burger which was fine, but the selling point of the burger is the beef and any flavor of the beef was overwhelmed by the gruyere and gorgonzola cheese and a ton of arugula: I would recommend getting other burgers and not paying for the wagyu, as the flavor is hidden.- The waitstaff. We had Michelle, who was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable about the menu, and overall an excellent server. High marks.The weaker parts of our visit- The wait. We were seated quickly, but after that, service started to really lag. My guess is that they were down a server: there were two for a large space and, for instance, it took 10-15 minutes just to get our check and pay when we were ready to leave. Normal times might not have this issue.- The beer. It was...fine. I had a flight for CBC's own beers (a dark lager, a pale ale, an IPA, and a stout). None stood out. For those who aren't fans of current trends in double dry-hopping everything, this place can work, as the beers were all pretty mild, but none of the CBC-specific beer was particularly memorable or noteworthy. That said, they do have a massive beer selection from many different brewers, so this might just be what we tried.“

“Excellent upscale but casual restaurant. Great selection of beers and other drinks. Open and airy space. The food tastes great and is a good value for the large portions and on point tastes. It is located in an easy to reach mall with lots of open parking.“

“Stopped here today for breakfast and my friend wanted to have lunch. I got the pancakes with scrambled eggs and potatoes, it was pretty good. My friend got an Impossible burger and subbed the fries with onion rings which she said was very good. She also got crispy green beans which it tried and were good. The one thing that bothered me the most was that when she went to put her green beans on a plate the bottom of the container has red cabbage stuffed in the bottom to make it look like it was filled with the green beans.These 2 meals with the tip came to $71.00!!!Restaurants are getting crazy with their prices. ?“

“Amazing. As a senior, I normally have to monitor my food intake. Server staff did it without a problem and a questionable stare. As a result, and mind you on a busy holiday nite, there was not a tad of a problem. As a result, this is the day after and no dietary repercussions. Trust me, you will love everything, food, servers, and according to those who can have stronger beverages (my family),the impression still stays wonderful !!“

“Had to post again to showcase more yummy photos! We re-ordered the birra nachos and deviled eggs, which were both incredibly delicious. We also tried their wedge salad, which came out gorgeous. I will say I've had better wedge salads, but this one was still really good. The service was on point and we also enjoyed some more live music. Love this place, and will keep coming back again!“

“We stopped here on a Sunday for a late breakfast. It was busy, but we got a seat outside. My friend and I shared a breakfast burrito. It was good, but nothing special. My friend had a spicy Bloody Mary & enjoyed it. Next time I would try something different. Great service for a busy day. Inside is really small, so I'm glad we were outside.“

“Overpriced, but the food was delicious and the service was excellent.Note that if you order a Chivas on the rocks, you'll see a $3 additional charge for ice, which is ridiculous. When asked about it they explained that they pour an additional half ounce?!? *LOL* Talk about shooting yourself in the foot...“

“I recently hosted a wedding shower here and it was absolutely perfect! The space was just what I was looking for and the food was amazing!! Carrie and Annie communication was spot on and they helped make sure everything was prepared for when I got into town. On the day of the event the employees paid attention to every detail which made the event flow seamlessly. I would highly recommend OAK & elixir!“

“I am visiting my son in San Diego area.We have been dining at different restaurants.Tonight was Eureka ! Wonderful and unique ambiance. Seating includes high top tables, dining room tables, and awesome bar area. Beautiful outdoor sitting when weather permits.The vibe is great, along with the food and service. Interesting menu with intriguing options. A shout out to our fabulous server, Nathan!We had a wonderful evening and dining experience.“

“Fun outdoor venue, a converted cargo container, right on Carlsbad Village Drive, good for people watching, didn't have food, just cocktails which were as pricey as full-on restaurants. They do have a Happy hour menu we noticed. Had to try it once.“

“Just arrived in Carlsbad, and wanted late tea at 9.00pm. The Compass was recommended for serving good grub and drinks for grown ups, which it duly delivered really well. Welcome & service was attentive, food was prompt and hit the spot, good value too. Atmosphere on a Tuesday night was quiet, but it is Tuesday! Nice that even with background music, we could hear ourselves & chat comfortably. Thank you, and would definitely recommend.“

“It was a bit of a wait about 20 - 30 mins which is totally normal for a Saturday I feel, however when we were seated the server was amazing and was very knowledgeable about the dishes, Food was really good, and it was how we ordered them. Really good spot!“

“My wife and I loved it,,, food, service and laid back atmosphere. Brandy was super nice with excellent service. Enjoyed clams cooked with White wine and garlic. Juices so good the soak up with the garlic bread. Shared the special of swordfish, jumbo prawns, and artichokes over angel hair pasta with capers and mushrooms. What a fantastic taste treat. Plan to go back in a few days before we leave.“

“We were at The Landings for Sunday, St. Patrick's Day, and enjoyed the outdoor patio and wonderful music of Jackson Patrick who entertained us for 4 hours. It was a perfect day and we had fun with our group of 8, good service and yummy Irish food, and green drinks (wine and beer, not so much the Blood Marys).“

“The coastal Carlsbad eatery, 7 Mile Kitchen (@7milekitchen ) just launched a new spring menu featuring a collection of signature cocktails and tasty bites. New to the cocktail menu are locally inspired libations such as the Heaven In Carlsbad, West Coast Marg, and San Diego Sour. To pair with the cocktails, new burger selections include creative creations such as the Mac & Cheese Burger made with house mac and cheese and the Kimchi Burger made with garlic aioli, kimchi, pork belly, and fried egg. Perfect for sharing, the menu also features specialty pizzas made fresh in the wood-fire oven such as my favorite, the spicy sausage pizza. Come try the new spring menu! We tried: * Heaven in Carlsbad * West coast Marg * Chicken Wings: choice of buffalo, bba, pineapple habanero, honey bourbon glaze, tajin-lime, gochujang glaze * Soft pretzel sticks: whipped mustard butter and beer cheese sauce * BIt chopped salad * Sweet and Spicy sausage pizza: fennel sausage, caramelized onions, fresno chiles, ricotta, San Marzano * Miso salmon * Steak and Frites * Dulce de leche cheesecake“

“Bushfire Kitchen is my go to, local healthy home-cooked, yet quickly prepared restaurant. My favorite dinner that I tend to order almost always, is the grilled salmon, garlic mashed potatoes & grilled brussel sprouts. Or, pilaf rice & sweet potatoes or quinoa super greens salad with grilled salmon on top. My husband & son love the Tri-tip beef with chimichurri sauce & yummy focaccia. The macadamia nut, choco chip cookies are a delicious treat. I sometimes buy their empanadas for breakfast. Customer service is friendly & helpful.“

“Food was so delicious, our server Tara was super attentive, she went above and beyond. She mentioned today Monday marks her 20th year anniversary there, now I see why lol. The ambience is quiet, mellow & super close to the beach!! They have a delicious vanilla latte!! Will definitely be back soon!“

“Very nice atmosphere, sparkling clean, had poached eggs on english muffin very good, husband had delish mile high omelette, very good. Main complaint for the pancakes which were delicious no pure maple syrup. They had the kind that was thick, not pure maple, no maple flavor. We asked for a senior menu and never brought one. I still recommend this restaurant.“

“This is the second time staying at this hotel when we come in town. Overall the hotel experience is average, no complaints or issues. However, today for breakfast my family and I had an excellent server/waitor name Roberto. He went above and beyond even with the place packed and busy on a Saturday morning. He checked on us multiple times, clear our table and refilled our drinks without us having to wait or try to flag him down. There was one other server there but she wasn't very welcoming and didn't have good customer service like Roberto did. He was very professional and kept a smile on his face as he ran back and forth in the restaurant, he did not slow down once. I genuinely don't leave yelp post unless it's an awful experience but I felt the need to give Roberto a shout out. Nowadays in my personal experience, good customer services is hard to find, especially when you are supposedly required to leave a minimum of 18% or 20% tip even with terrible service. Thank you Roberto for making our dining experience amazing with your excellent customer service, we greatly appreciate it.“

“This BJ location in Carlsbad is great! My wife and I stopped for lunch (1:00pm) on Monday this week. We sat in the bar area. Placed looked super clean & neat. There was only a few people inside during this time, not very busy. Nevertheless, food was excellent very tasty and looked beautiful, i had the thin pizza - delicious! And our server was exceptional... I forget "Her" name but she was great. Over-the-top friendly, attentive, excellent service for sure! ? Not sure if it's always like this at this BJ's. However, I recommend this location for a good mid-week lunch experience..“

“Came here for lunch on one of the weekdays. The weather was nice so we sat outside. We ordered a Turkey Melt (sliced tomatoes, horseradish cheddar cheese, wild argula, basil mayo on a Saide Rose ciabatta roll) and a Sante Fe Chicken Salad (romaine, super greens, grape tomatoes, roasted corn, natural cheddar, red bell peppers, tortilla strips, chipotle-agave vinagrette). Everything was extremely refreshing and was a nice pick up for lunch to bring the energy back.“

“We were in town for a soccer tournament and Karl Strauss hosted our group easily. We had a very long table on the outside side patio. They also have QR code ordering so everyone can order separately to avoid dealing with a massive split check problem. We ordered the pork chops with potatoes, zucchini, pub burger with fries, a kids meal, and ahi poke nachos. The food was all solid. I don't particularly like the way they make sauces but they accommodated putting everything on the side so I could sauce or not sauce at my leisure.“

“When we arrived we found there to be a bit of a line for checking in on a Monday evening however once we got to the front and Rebecca helped us we forgot all about the wait. She was so thoughtful, thorough and professional in explaining everything to my mom and I. My mom is recently been having to use a wheelchair and Rebecca was so intuitive that she asked my mom if she might need some other medical devices to make her stay more comfortable. We didn’t even know they had these things available and they were already waiting for us when we got to the room. Shower chair and toilet riser. The place was beautiful, large luxurious rooms with fantastic amenities. My mom said it was the most beautiful place she had ever stayed which brought tears to my eyes. The only thing I would suggest is more handicapped parking spaces. We had to park some dip from our from in the 61 building and with a wheelchair and luggage proved a challenge but again the only suggestion I would make. We stayed in the cove area and yes there was construction but I was only during the daytime and we were made fully aware prior to check in. As for the small amount of noise from Lego land we rather enjoyed hearing the beautiful laughter of happy families enjoying each others company while make memories.“

“Delicious yet clean cut burger! Friendly service in a well maintained environment, nice indoor and outdoor seating available. Had the Lounge Burger - excellent! Add bacon for a few bucks more next time, then would be almost perfect ;) Wheat bun, different but healthier so I'll take it, definitely a go to spot for lunch when in Carlsbad“

“We had a great time overall and do plan to come back during the day to experience the view in a daylight. The food was great - we ordered Calamari, Salmon and Chicken curry. The place was busy and our order was mixed up which is understandable. This was not a big deal given the overall great experience we had. Our waiter made up for the small glitches and we appreciate him.“