43 Best American Restaurants in Carlsbad

“Great customer service!!!“

“What a wonderful diner! We had 3 apps and they were all suoer tasty, do not skip the deviled eggs (best I have ever had). The bistro special meal was perfect, just right for one. The onion soup that came with it, was also the best ever, not your normal french onion soup, more like onion bisque to me. I will go back for sure“

“We really enjoyed our lunch/dinner! Excellent chicken pot pie. Our waitress was Diane and she is top notch! Thank you so much !“

“fresh baked buns make all the difference. coffee shake, yum. got it in "Lil Moo" size“

“Great food and great service. The chicken was crispy, juicy, and full of flavor. The spice level was just right, and the portions were generous for the price. The staff were friendly and the restaurant was clean. Definitely one of the better hot chicken spots I’ve tried, and I’ll be coming back again.“

“Outstanding salads! Friendly staff!“

“Awesome food! We were in town at Carlsbad for the weekend, and visited it twice. Everything we tried was huge portions and fabulous! Servers and staff were very friendly, and very knowledgeable. If you are in the area, stop in and enjoy!!“

“Great food and great service from a very friendly and attentive staff! Had an awesome date night! Our first time here but won’t be our last.“

“Was a great idea stopping to Islands Food was great and waitress so wonderful I really recommended Thank you“

“Love love love food is great! I have to be gluten free unfortunately but it doesn’t feel like a pain here, well labeled menu, they have regular gluten options so my boyfriend can choose anything as well, he has tried my gluten free options and said they are also just as good, the gluten free buns are pretty decent but I prefer the bowls, I’m not big on gluten free bread, the buns are not gluten free by default you have to ask for that just fyi, we love the food every time, bowls are great, the peri peri sauce is my fave“

“Desayuno muy rico cafecito y ensaladas deliciosas todo fresco ☕️😀“

“The food is as good as it looks! I couldn’t believe it when my parents asked me if I wanted to go to a Revolutionary War tavern replica & museum near the beach in northern San Diego. Like, huh? But the building reminded me of growing up on the east coast, and the museum reminded me of how lucky we are to have this country & those who fought for it. I loved the cozy interior with brick and wood. My parents are regulars, so they know the server, and he was super nice. They have a great Old Fashioned, and we all got the Seafood Trio (mine with double cod). The fingerling potatoes were to die for. It was all delicious. Amazing Caesar salad, too. Definitely had leftovers. Excited to go back for their happy hour. Can’t wait to try wagyu sliders, mussels, and clam chowder. Seriously, it all sounds good. Definitely worth a trip! And you’ll be back to try it all 😁“

“Super attentive service. From the Hostesses, wait staff to buss boys. Food is delectable. Entrees were well prepared, fresh ingredients, served hot & salads crisp. Highly recommended.“

“excellent drinks & food.“

“The cocktails were divine smoked pineapple margarita and Spritz. The short rib dumplings were delicious The chicken and fries were excellent also the bolognese was delicious. Our side asparagus and string beans were yummy. Service was also great. Highly recommended“

“I didn't want to go but am glad I did. Perfect size for a day trip. Not too big you get lost, and you can get thru it in 1 day. Food options were not good around closing. They all close an hour before the park so don't wait. Lines were not bad. Very clean restrooms. Very clean!
I would definitely go again, but would plan better. We went spur of the moment, still a good time. Excellent for little ones.
Parking is pricey....“

“Here, in this restaurant, you will find delicious food if it Is for breakfast or dinner and the price of each plate will vary depending on what you do order.If you are a member of IHG Rewards Club, then please charge everything to your room because that's the only way for you to accumulate hundreds of points so that you can get free nights, free merchandise or free airline tickets.“

“The service was excellent, very prompt and friendly, with our waiter going out of his way to make sure my wife had the sides the way she wanted them. Beautiful views of the golf course, and a nice fireplace set the ambience. Main drawbacks were the music could have been a bit quieter, as we chose the restaurant with the goal to have some peace and quite, and the drinks were very expensive at over $20 each for the cocktails. The cocktails were delicious, just expensive.“

“I love this place, specially their Golden Hour specials. The dining area is pleasant and open to the outdoors. It feels almost like your living room. But what really differentiates this place is the warm and gracious service. I forgot by AirPods, and the team bent over backwards to get them back to me. I’ve been back several times and recommend Seasons to friends and colleagues.“

“Definitely great burgers!“

“The food is wonderful, plentiful and the service is excellent. The breadsticks and a side of marinara is a great start.“

“Muy rica la comida, la pasamos muy bien y la atención es muy buena.“

“Just all around good food, and excellent service.“

“Good food for the price!!“

“Had a great dinner, our server Greg was amazing! Will definitely be back“

“👍excelente comida, ambiente agradable“

“After a long day of playing soccer, the entire team visited Notorious Burgers. We loved the appetizers, especially the brussels sprouts and fried pickles. They offered a variety of food for everyone’s liking. My cheeseburger was the black and blue, and it was heavenly. Next time we’re in Carlsbad, will be sure to eat there again Great spot!!!“

“A decent place to eat within Legoland with some more healthy options like salads, pasta, and stir fry dishes. The tofu curry bowl is made fresh to order, and is the standout option here. For the adults, they have some selection of craft beers on tap.“

“I was greeted pleasantly at the wait to be seated area and was allowed to pick from 2 different tables. I picked a table that I could watch Messi in the world cup and also watch the planes land at Palomar airport. My drink order was taken immediately and not long after she put my food order in. I ordered a burger and Parmesan fries. I would have liked some free bread or snacks to eat while waiting for my burger. I was by myself and happy to see they allow dogs. I had a very good girl sitting at the next table over. Carlsbad Brewing Company has a very large selection of IPAs and beers of all kinds. The server helped me choose. She picked a good one. When my burger arrived it was the tallest burger I had ever seen. I had to smush it down a little to fit it in my mouth. Even with that I was making a mess. But it was one of the best burgers I've ever had so it was worth the mess. Even though I couldn't finish the burger I ordered the ice cream Sunday and it was also delicious. 10/10 would come again. Highly recommend.“

“Nice place. Had to wait for our drinks and food for a little while. We were also celebrating my son’s birthday and I thought they would do something special. Which the waitress just dropped off a cookie with whipped cream and took off No singing no wvwn saying happy birthday.“

“Good food, great service and nice patio area.“

“We were there a couple of weeks ago. We like coming here because we like the food & drinks. This particular day Rocky was our server. She stood out, her customer service was outstanding! Although she was extremely busy, she brought out everything promptly & was kind with each interaction. This made our experience pleasant, Rocky Rocks!“

“Great food, staff and atmosphere.“

“Great drinks and authentic tacos.“

“The service was exceptional Most of the food was delicious. The online menu lists things no longer available. The southwest Philly was lacking onions peppers and mushrooms like the menu claimed. I'm not sure if the waitress delivered a special order to the wrong table . The sauce on it was good ,but meat and sauce isn't what I ordered..and the bun enclosed the meat completely. However everything else ordered was perfect and delicious. Over 4.00 for one soda seemed high.“

“SKC is a nice place to stop for breakfast if you have your dogs with you and are looking for a gluten-free meal.

Our short rib and hashbrown cakes was very good, perfectly flavored on the mild-side, and a filling portion to enjoy.

Our Monterey omelet was missing something, we cannot figure out what should be added or left out. The bacon was great, but we lost the rest of the flavoring.“

“Please open one in Vancouver, WA. Your restaurant will do well here. There are too many new fast-food burger places opening around here and we need an alternative (if you want a burger Habit Burger or Shake Shack are great). I’d like to see a Tin Leaf open around here. I’d go there frequently for lunch, and so would other health-conscious residents.“

“I've been going here since 97. I have never been disappointed with the quality or quantity of their food, its always delicious. Simon and Nazie are always friendly and pleasant.“

“We visited Le Papagayo for the first time during the 52nd Village Faire, and it was easily the highlight of our day. We originally had a 6:30 PM reservation, but after walking the fair and getting hungry early, we decided to see if they could seat us sooner. The staff graciously accommodated us at 4:30 PM.

A huge shout-out to the hostess, who deserves massive props for her friendliness and hospitality; she made us feel welcome the moment we walked in.

The three of us (my wife, our pup, and me) were initially a little bummed to find out only the Happy Hour menu was available, but that feeling didn't last long. We ended up ordering quite a spread: the Smash Burger with Truffle Fries, Mahi Mahi Tacos, Carne Asada Tacos, Calamari, and the Short Rib Birria Nachos with Guacamole. They even looked after our service dog with a dog patty and rice!

Everything was delicious. I also really enjoyed trying a local IPA, the Burgeon Treevana, which was excellent. We were incredibly impressed with the quality of the food and the top-notch service.

While we came for the dinner menu, the Happy Hour completely won us over. We will definitely be back next time we’re in Carlsbad to try that dinner menu, we have no doubt it’ll be just as satisfying!“

“We had a lovely time. The food is soso good!“

“Our server and the owner were both wonderful. I asked for honey mustard and the owner went back and made some from scratch immediately. Wonderful atmosphere and friendly staff. The quality of food was excellent.“

“We own at Marbrisa and have been here at least half a dozen times and love the property and pool area. At The Cove the Menu is simple, and good and the prices are great. The staff around the pool are friendly and keep the loungers organized and take orders for you. 90% of the staff behind the bar at fantastic.“

“Friendly people were kind and understanding when it came for me to pick something. it was hard just to pick one item. I left with a delicious sweet strawberry refresher with popping boba, and came back for a CROFFLE! which can be served with multiple toppings, but I chose strawberries and vanilla ice cream! ...Worth it!!“