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Name: The Craftsman New American Tavern
Address: 267 N El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA, 92024
Telephone: (760) 452-2000
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.55

The Craftsman New American Tavern

267 N El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA, 92024

(760) 452-2000
Store is closed

The Craftsman New American Tavern Menu

Brunch Menu

Chef Gen's Eggs Benedict

Housemade Short Rib Hash

Encinitas Omelet

Chicken Fried Chicken

Croque-Madame

All American Breakfast

Buttermilk Biscuits & Gravy

Blueberry Pancakes

Belgium Waffle

Ancient Grain Granola & Greek Yogurt

Chef Gen's Eggs Benedict

Housemade Short Rib Hash

Encinitas Omelet

Chicken Fried Chicken

Croque-Madame

All American Breakfast

Buttermilk Biscuits & Gravy

Blueberry Pancakes

Belgium Waffle

Ancient Grain Granola & Greek Yogurt
Appetizers

Louisiana Shrimp & Grits

Local Albacore Crudo

Atomic Fireballs

Chicken & Waffles

Deep Fried Brussels Sprouts

Pulled Pork Sliders

Louisiana Shrimp & Grits

Local Albacore Crudo

Atomic Fireballs

Chicken & Waffles

Deep Fried Brussels Sprouts

Pulled Pork Sliders
Soup & Salads

Sweet Corn Soup

Blue Ribbon Caesar

Baby Greens

Warm Baby Spinach Salad

Local Baby Beet Salad

Sweet Corn Soup

Blue Ribbon Caesar

Baby Greens

Warm Baby Spinach Salad

Local Baby Beet Salad
Snacks

Heirloom Black Seed Popcorn

Craftsman Chicken Wings

Beer Battered Onion Rings

Truffled French Fries

Jalapeno Poppers

Grandma's Deviled Eggs

Heirloom Black Seed Popcorn

Craftsman Chicken Wings

Beer Battered Onion Rings

Truffled French Fries

Jalapeno Poppers

Grandma's Deviled Eggs
Tavern Burgers & Sandwiches

Craftsman Burger

Hangover Burger

Pub Burger

Prohibition Burger

Saloon Burger

B.L.T.A.

Local Albacore Tuna Salad Sandwich

Gen's Chicken Sandwich

Craftsman Burger

Hangover Burger

Pub Burger

Prohibition Burger

Saloon Burger

B.L.T.A.

Local Albacore Tuna Salad Sandwich

Gen's Chicken Sandwich
Brick Oven Flatbreads

Denver

Margherita

Solana Beach

Leucadia

Encinitas

San Diego

Carlsbad

Oceanside

Denver

Margherita

Solana Beach

Leucadia

Encinitas

San Diego

Carlsbad

Oceanside
Desserts

Blue Ribbon Butterscotch Pudding

Blue Ribbon Butterscotch Pudding

Peanut Butter Crunch

Blue Ribbon Butterscotch Pudding

Blue Ribbon Butterscotch Pudding

Peanut Butter Crunch

Healthy Meal suggestions for The Craftsman New American Tavern

Brunch Menu

Chef Gen's Eggs Benedict [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Housemade Short Rib Hash [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Encinitas Omelet [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Fried Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Croque-Madame [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

All American Breakfast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Buttermilk Biscuits & Gravy [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blueberry Pancakes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Belgium Waffle [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ancient Grain Granola & Greek Yogurt [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chef Gen's Eggs Benedict [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Housemade Short Rib Hash [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Encinitas Omelet [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Fried Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Croque-Madame [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

All American Breakfast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Buttermilk Biscuits & Gravy [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blueberry Pancakes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Belgium Waffle [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ancient Grain Granola & Greek Yogurt [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Appetizers

Louisiana Shrimp & Grits [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Local Albacore Crudo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Atomic Fireballs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken & Waffles [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Deep Fried Brussels Sprouts [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pulled Pork Sliders [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Louisiana Shrimp & Grits [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Local Albacore Crudo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Atomic Fireballs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken & Waffles [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Deep Fried Brussels Sprouts [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pulled Pork Sliders [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Soup & Salads

Sweet Corn Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blue Ribbon Caesar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baby Greens [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Warm Baby Spinach Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Local Baby Beet Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sweet Corn Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blue Ribbon Caesar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baby Greens [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Warm Baby Spinach Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Local Baby Beet Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Snacks

Heirloom Black Seed Popcorn [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Craftsman Chicken Wings [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Beer Battered Onion Rings [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Truffled French Fries [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Jalapeno Poppers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grandma's Deviled Eggs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Heirloom Black Seed Popcorn [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Craftsman Chicken Wings [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Beer Battered Onion Rings [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Truffled French Fries [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Jalapeno Poppers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grandma's Deviled Eggs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Tavern Burgers & Sandwiches

Craftsman Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hangover Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pub Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Prohibition Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Saloon Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

B.L.T.A. [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Local Albacore Tuna Salad Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gen's Chicken Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Craftsman Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hangover Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pub Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Prohibition Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Saloon Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

B.L.T.A. [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Local Albacore Tuna Salad Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gen's Chicken Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Brick Oven Flatbreads

Denver [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Margherita [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Solana Beach [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Leucadia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Encinitas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

San Diego [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Carlsbad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oceanside [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Denver [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Margherita [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Solana Beach [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Leucadia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Encinitas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

San Diego [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Carlsbad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oceanside [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Desserts

Blue Ribbon Butterscotch Pudding [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blue Ribbon Butterscotch Pudding [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Peanut Butter Crunch [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blue Ribbon Butterscotch Pudding [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blue Ribbon Butterscotch Pudding [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Peanut Butter Crunch [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Visit below restaurant in Encinitas for healthy meals suggestion.

Chili’s Grill & Bar ( 1004 N El Camino Real )

Buffalo Wild Wings ( 1068 N El Camino Real )

Visit below restaurant in Encinitas for healthy meals suggestion.

Chili’s Grill & Bar ( 1004 N El Camino Real )

Buffalo Wild Wings ( 1068 N El Camino Real )

Write An Anonymous Review

Erik J.

I just happened to be in town and saw this place. I was hungry, and they were selling food, so we made a great match. Generally, pizza isn't my favorite thing to eat, but I appreciate a well prepared pie. I found it here, at the Craftsman. The crust was great, the bacon was even better I think they may have taken the bacon straight off of a pig in the yard. The "House Pie" was excellent, and the staff was very attentive in their service. (Thanks Anjuli) The place was clean and well kept. If I lived in the area, I'd be a regular Nice job, Craftsman.
(5)
Emily R.

Came here for happy hour the other night with some friends. We sat outside on the roomy patio and ordered some appetizers. Our server, Cassidy was outstanding! She quickly came to our table and got our drinks out in a timely manner-which is super key! She also recommended the the mussels and albacore tuna, both were delicious! The craftsman is a great place to come if you're up in North county. Happy hour is from 2-6 and they have daily specials as well. Wednesday is all night happy hour. Cheers!
(5)
Courtney K.

Bottom Line: Good food and cute decor with great happy hour specials but at peak times this restaurants is loud and cramped. I like the Craftsman but it is by no means as awesome as its sister restaurant, Blue Ribbon Pizza. Here is what I really like about the Craftsman: - Great happy hour specials - Lots of options on the menu; good food but nothing mind-blowing - Friendly hostesses, bartenders and servers - Good craft beers on draft; fun cocktails - Cute decor - Easy to get to with plenty of parking I like The Craftsman for happy hour or a meal at non-peak times but on a Friday or Saturday night, it just feels too chaotic. The tables are too close together so you overhear conversations easily and know yours is overhead too. In fact, during one of my visits here, the people next to us chimed into our conversation. I think it almost felt nature for them to do that because our tables were about six inches away.
(3)
Jeremy S.

The Craftsman is pretty freaking delicious and is brought to you by the creators of Blue Ribbon Pizza, also in Encinitas. This joint is very nicely decorated and has a pretty good location. The food here is actually very good, my go to is their burger and fries, very tasty and cooked to perfection nearly every time. Pair the burger with an ice cold beer and finish the meal off with their famous butterscotch pudding and you have yourself a happy tummy. Pros- Menu Location Taste Butterscotch Pudding Service Friendliness Ambiance Decor Cons- Menu changes Kind of an odd entry, host sometimes isn't present Crowded
(4)
Rachael A.

Nice place. Ran into it while getting my car washed. Very casual but classy place. Nice crowd. Nice crew working. Food looked great, will be getting some lunch next time I'm around the area. Love the decor, they really did a nice job with the place!
(5)
D S.

My third (me thinks) and last (FOR SURE) review of Craftsman. We are huge fans of Blue Ribbon and were very hopeful of Craftsman. Food has gone from great to average, drinks are above average to great, but the excessive noise level and below average service cannot be overlooked. I am sorry to say good bye and good luck. Visited again now that outdoor seating is available. Food is good, service continues to be poor st best. Too bad.
(2)
Cameron L.

What a great find, this place is very chill and relaxing spot. Food is phenomenal and atmosphere is great with many selections of wine and craft beers on hand. A must try.
(5)
Weston B.

Food was pretty good. Terrible waitress, must just be the one we had as other yelp reviewers said service was amazing. As for food I could make a better cheese board in 5 mins from VONS, burger was good, prawns were good, ambiance is good. Compared to most gastro pub style places, it's just ok, you really gotta try hard to stand out these days so make the adjustments and you'll be good to go.
(3)
Erik S.

Disappointing in many regards, yet not terrible. We had a reservation for a group of 14 last night. Craftsman set us up for 10 and we had to wait another 30 minutes for the adjacent table to finish up so we could seat the rest of us. I felt bad for the people at that table as they clearly knew they were given a table that was part of our reservation. Burgers were by no means worth $15. My Prohibition burger was pretty good, but small and would be blown away by one from Burger Lounge (at $9). Servers screwed up orders (got salad instead of fries with mine) and didn't know who ordered what when bringing food and drinks to the table or settling up later. However, food and drinks did come out quickly, albeit in a roundabout way. And one big problem: this place is extremely LOUD. Not background music loud -- I'm not even sure if any was on -- the room is screaming-people loud. Steel ceilings, concrete floors, and hard wood tables reflect sound dramatically, resulting in an increasingly amped-up shouting match among everyone there just to get in a word. It looked like Craftsman tried putting some burlap sacks on the ceiling to absorb some sound, but guys, you're going to need to cover that entire ceiling to make it tolerable. The butcher-shop-pig logo and overhipsterized menu fonts are getting tiresome, as everybody uses that same hipster-cred graphics set. C'mon... you're being far from ironic with that now, although the irony might be that some overused irony is ironic. Redeeming quality: Lightning Brew's Thunderweisen on tap, the best non-imported Hef I know, and coming from a local brewhouse too. Other redeeming quality: someone in our group had cold beer in her trunk, so we were able to finish up our event in the parking lot, where we could noisily carry on in relative quiet.
(2)
C. K.

Love the new remodel, wine cellar, and outdoor seating. I mostly come for brunch on the weekends (because I go to Blue Ribbon almost every weekend for dinner). Love the Bottomless Mimosa's + Bloody Mary's, however, it would be heaven if you did the Omelette Bar + Belgian Waffles again. No place in Encinitas, Cardiff, or Solana Beach does this. Bring'em back!!!
(4)
T-Money M.

This place is insane...anything less than 5 stars is BS...food, drinks, atmosphere, service, what you get for your buck...all 5s!
(5)
Laura B.

After having many great dinners, lunches and snacks here we finally had brunch and that was good too. I had the salmon Benedict and it was really nice to have a chunk of smoked salmon and not just thin slices of cured. My favorite of course is still the pork belly appetizer!!
(5)
David T.

I've dined here about a year and a half ago and the quality is just not the same any longer. Still busy and bustling throughout the entire service but the food is just about as bland and similar to what you can get at most fast food joints (just with a bit more funkiness to it) that I don't really believe it justified the prices that they charged. The beer selection is superb though.
(2)
Christina M.

My husband and I have been here a few times and continually love it! The happy hour is AWESOME, so be sure to go before 630 to get some great deals on appetizers, snacks and flatbreads :) so, far we have tried the chicken spring rolls (loved them so much the first time, that we ordered it again the second time we came in), tequila marinated shrimp (my husband loooved, I didn't), and the Wisconsin beer brat (total heaven! OMG -- I couldn't get enough of my 1/2 since my hubby and I split it). The organic green salad is also really yummy and the strawberries are so fresh! My husband had the "hangover burger" the first time and enjoyed it BUT the second time he had the flinstone bone-in beef ribs and he couldn't devour it fast enough! Total sexy caveman style is how he enjoyed this dish haha I had the cast iron seared salmon both times (no potatoes, extra asparagus) and it was cooked perfectly both times -- i scrapped the plate clean both times :) we will for sure be back again -- can't wait to try one of their flat breads!! This place is a great local place to enjoy an awesome meal
(4)
Heather G.

We visited The Craftsman for the first time for brunch. I take brunch very seriously, and I think they do a better job than just about anywhere in Encinitas. It's more affordable than the Union or Bier Garden and offers better tasting food. The bottomless mimosas were just that-- I don't think our glasses were ever empty, and the service was very attentive. I ordered the Belgian waffle and my boyfriend got the Chicken Fried Chicken biscuit. The waffle was good- there was a little room for improvement in getting that perfect Belgian waffle crisp and making sure the batter is nice and fluffy, but overall good flavor and I would order again. The fried chicken biscuit sandwich was delicious and served with a generous smothering of thick, creamy gravy to boot. The burgers on this menu sound amazing-- we will be back to try for lunch or dinner sometime. So glad we tried someplace new!
(4)
Melissa M.

Tried out this place for Restaurant Week and it was pretty good. The atmosphere was pretty cute. For some reason they kept the front door open so it was pretty chilly inside. The light near our table kept on flickering, which was slightly annoying. Our server was super nice and accommodating. I had the pork belly appetizer, scallops over zucchini cakes, and the butterscotch pudding. The pork belly was quite good. It did come with shishito peppers which were delicious. It also had some pickled carrots, which I could have done without. The scallops and zucchini cakes were delicious. Warning: that entree is on the smallish side, but typical for size for a scallop entires I've had at other places. The butterscotch pudding was my favorite part of the whole meal. So yummy, I wanted more! And I'm not a huge dessert person. All in all will come where again.
(4)
Erika W.

Love the Craftsman!!! The popcorn is Delish! Love the Beet Salad!!! The Flatbreads are amazing! They make their own sausage!!! The burgers are so good!!! I could go on!!! love this place!!! you won't be disappointed!!! Just go!
(5)
Elizabeth A.

Worst menu ever, nothing was even remotely appetizing. Plus everything is WAY overpriced. And if that's not bad enough, they also charged a "corkage fee" for a bottle of wine we bought FROM THEM. If you're not a wine drinker, just FYI you don't typically have to pay a corkage fee unless it's your own bottle that you bring into the restaurant... So their corkage fee on top of our purchase from them was completely ridiculous. Such a rip off for average (if not below average) food. Don't go here!
(1)
Chelsea G.

My boyfriend and I came here for restaurant week and were blown away! We were greeted by the cute hostess and the manager, Ivan. We were early for our reservation, but had no problem fitting us in to be seated early. Service was fantastic, by our server Naomi. Food was phenomenal! Ambiance was fantastic! Cocktails were delicious! Desserts were the best! One of the very best of everywhere we have been. Craftsman Tavern is a place you need to go and go and go again!
(5)
Trish S.

We went out with a few other couples to finally try this place-I'm late to this party! I meant to try it last year-think of all the Lobster Corn Dogs I could have eaten?! (before they took then off the menu: Boo!) Sorry Craftsman, I'm in the game now and descended with my crew. First off kudos to the staff for changing my reservation for me on the fly-we went from 6 to 8 without a headache. Who writes these Yelp reviews anyways? Well! my party consisted of moi, 1 chef, 1 wedding planner, a bunch of boys and gals in sales and one guy in nuclear weapons detection. A diverse bunch, all of us hungry! The Brussel Sprouts were melt in my mouth deep fried veggie goodness. All the goodness was probably gone actually, due to the deep fried part-but hey? Look Ma! Brussel Sprouts! We snacked on the the Jalapeno poppers too, with goat cheese and ai yi yi, spicy they were indeed. Also started with the sliders, and my Boyfriend thought they were tasty. I was so excited to order the Prime Rib... and did so. Only to find out that they only had one lone end cut left which isn't my cut of choice-I switched to the chicken. The broccolini it came with and the mac and cheese were solid but only one of my pieces of chicken (it came with two) was cooked all the way. By boyfriend raved over his burger (Yeah, he got sliders AND a burger, don't judge) and I was sandwiched between friend's orders of divine Albacore crudo and perfect filet... I felt like I had the short end of the stick at the table over all-and then again over all it was pretty fantatsic for everyone so I can't dock stars. Cocktails abounded, we had a couple desserts (one sent over by our servers, so nice! Thanks!) The Blue Ribbon Butterscotch Pudding with Sea Salted Caramel was my favorite, and we also enjoyed a peanut butter chocolate pudding concoction. Although we didn't order it, there's a pretty impressive dessert station making the maple bourbon dessert I think-we saw the flames practically lick the ceiling a bit at one point-woo hoo! Overall a solid and delicious choice in Encinitas-located in a shopping center but once you find it, you'll have the Craftsman homing beacon calling you on nights out-I sure do!
(4)
Lianna S.

So my husband wanted a burger and finally got to try Craftsman for lunch. I think he gets what I'm saying, it's just ok. He really liked the place upon first walking in and was happy with the beer menu, but he would give it 2 stars for the burger. He ordered a medium rare prohibition burger and the patty was skinny and well done. He said all the other ingredients were good but the actual meat part was just sad and that's what makes a burger. If you are paying $12 for a burger it should come with a nice thick grass fed patty, just sayin. My flatbread had good potential but it was soggy and underdone. Too bad, but Craftsman just doesn't come close to the deliciousness of their other restaurant (our favorite), Blue Ribbon.
(2)
Corey H.

There are few things I hate more than traffic. One is loud talkers. Another is the person who stands freakishly close or too far from the person in front of them in any line. A third: people who are intolerant of other cultures. And lastly, the Dutch. So, on that note, I pulled a yooueey just before hitting the 5 souths and decided it was the perfect time to hit up a new neighbor. Glad I did! Sweet happy hour beer prices, a nice menu, and spectacular service. Gonna come back!
(4)
Jon L.

Not down in Encinitas much, but when I am I will definitely be back here. ABSOLUTELY the BEST brussle sprouts you'll find anywhere (deep fried with bacon, capers and a delicious sauce on top). Happy hour and lunch specialis pretty good, even at slightly higher dollar than most. Service was excellent, but not really crowded at 3:00.
(4)
Alisa M.

Happy hour is a sweet deal. Truffle popcorn? OMG. Grandma's deviled eggs OMG Blood Orange Cosmo OMG. Brussel Sprouts OMG I also had a tasty bite of my friend's cheesburger OMG. It's a shame that Craftsman wasn't on my radar. I just recently went here for the first time and I was mighty impressed. Our poor server was run ragged by my non decisive table. Nobody could make up their damn mind because there was just so many wonderful options to choose from. Craftsman seems like an upscale comfort food place with gastropub style and craft cocktails. In other words OMG!!!
(4)
David L.

Great food-Great service-not so good wines... I come here often, but not for wine. I have tried virtually every wine on their obscure list and like none of them. I don't know what their intention is here but clearly it's not Good Wines! I am truly sorry to be a wine snob here, but it's part of dining people! Food--wine--it goes hand in hand. They do Such a great job at everything else...why can't that have a decent wine list? Enough said. Go to Craftsman. Eat great food. Order drinks or beer. You will be happy!!
(3)
Anthony V.

The Craftsman has all of the capability to be a great restaurant but has lost some shine recently. A couple of years ago the place was on a sharp edge and awesome. This was a 4 star and rising at one time. Make this a place adults want to be at and wouldn't think about bringing kids. Bring back the bone marrow and pour higher end liquor out of the well.
(3)
Zoe M.

One of our favorite neighborhood haunts - comfortable, homey and yummy. You can bring the kids - or not. I meet friends here often for their great Happy Hour deals. It creates a neighborhood feel that inland Encinitas desperately needs. Either way you fit in and it's comfortable. It has the feel of a local spot - happiness In a sea of chain restaurants. Their Butterscotch Pudding is to die for. Hamburgers are always a winner. I wish they would bring back their veggie sides but as long as they have their Brussel Sprouts all is good. Tonight in particular we had Incredible service by Nicole. Best service we've had in a dining environment in a while. Thank you Nicole! Happy you're in the neighborhood Craftsman! Keep up the good work.
(5)
Mark H.

Did lunch this time and was disappointed in the Prohibition burger. Ordered meds rare and it came to well done. The patty looked like a fast food patty. Server said they use a smaller patty for lunch. On the flip side, the Octopus was ok and we enjoyed the Pork Belly. Overall I expected lunch here to be as good as their dinner.
(3)
Caleb K.

I live nearby and went to the New American Tavern expecting an easy evening. I enjoyed the Saloon burger entree and to my surprise (see below comments) the meal tasted fantastic. The rest of my experience was not so pleasant. I walked in and casually seated myself at the bar. I sat for nearly 15 minutes before I was acknowledged, handed a menu or asked what I would like to drink... The bartender was actually tasting/sampling wines while I sat empty handed!!! There were maybe (strong maybe) 20-30 patrons in the restaurant on an average Thursday night. (I arrived at approx. 8:15pm) Normally I would not draft a review but this was a bit absurd. Multiple times my glass sat empty at the edge of the bar-top while the bartender (after making clear and direct eye contact with me) dashed off to that back of house. Several times he omitted to ask if I would like anything else or even how the meal was! I'm no fancy pants, but shouldn't basic etiquette be a requirement here? He didn't even ask if I would like a napkin or cutlery, which were not supplied... I actually got up (after being served the entree) and took the silverware from the seat nearest to me. (scoffs) This bartender had no class, and apparently no respect for me as a paying individual. Simply put, if you want slouchy service but a great burger, this is your joint. The 1 star review goes out to the unknown chef that made my experience somewhat tolerable. ( changed from 2 stars after giving it some serious thought ) Next time I will be dining elsewhere.
(1)
Nikolas L.

I had high expectations of this place and I love it's counterpart, Blue Ribbon Pizza, but I found the service and food unremarkable. The ambiance is nice, but I doubt I'd go back for more than a burger and a beer on a date night, and there are better places for that....
(2)
John Carlo A.

Nobody's home. No one taking care of the clientele. Beer had soap in it. Flatbread dough was stale and beet salad beets were moosh. Mussels were soaked in pure butter. Fries were good.
(1)
Geoffrey L.

Alexander Pope once made a surprisingly Buddhist observation: "Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed." But should diners (and Yelpers) have high expectations? Does a dish name create dish expectations? I think the answer to both questions is: yes, which is why Craftsman Tavern is so disappointing. And THAT is disappointing, because Craftsman Tavern is original and clever. Too clever. From its resourceful decorum to its cocktails and dishes, there's a lot of creativity here. But I would like to see that originality taken all the way, which would include a whole different name for their dishes. The "Deviled Eggs" really did not possess the evil creamy essence of Deviled Eggs. They were too firm and confused with chili oil and bacon. When one craves a Deviled Egg, one is not satisfied eating this, which should probably renamed "Quail's Nest." The "Chicken & Waffles" was also hugely misleading. The chicken is barely breaded or fried and hence not crispy. What appears are two goose bumped wings sandwiching a soggy sliced tomato. Wait. That sliced tomato is actually a soggy waffle. The entire dish is drenched in a Chinese sweet-and-sour-like glaze that contains pickled jalapeÃ±o and not spicy jalapeÃ±o as advertised. I'd rename this one "General Roscoe's Chicken." The "Shrimp Poor Boy" is about the size of a hotdog in a bun. About five regular shrimp heavily battered fall out of the bread, which is not fused for holding . It has no flavor except for maybe the sliced tomato. The "Remoulade" sauce was more of a watery horse radish in Champaign Dijon mustard. No matter how much I dunked the sandwich in the sauce, it didn't do anything. I'd rename this one "Shrimpy Sub." Perhaps Craftsman Tavern makes better pizza and serves better beer. I'll defer to other Yelpers on that front.
(2)
Rhondi S.

Had the daily special which was fresh pasta with the fresh peas, pea shoots, spinach, sun dried tomatoes-totally yummy, light and fresh with seasonal veggies. Flavors in the sauce was very subtle, flavors of onion/garlic and white wine. Hubby had the BBQ chicken, excellent plate of smoked and moist chicken, BBQ beans (smoky, tomato sauced with a sweet and heat kick)' spicy coleslaw he totally gave it the thumbs up. Fun place, fills up quickly! we have to come back for happy hour because of their variety of cocktails and unique tavern fare along with the great service.
(4)
michael b.

My wife and 2yr old son all went Saturday night. We were aware this space was now occupied by Craftsman and I read a few Yelp reviews prior to going. We were really impressed with everything. Great tavern feel and cozy ambience. Service was top notch as well. the food was clearly the highlight. Refined comfort food!! Can't wait to get back again!
(5)
Lauren B.

Great food! Being pregnant, I was a little limited on what I could order [no rare steaks :( no unpasteurized cheeses] so for an app, hubby and I split the: deep fried Brussels sprouts with bacon, capers, and apple cider vinaigrette. Awesome! Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, perfectly satly, briny, tangy from the dressing. Will definitely order again. Dinner entrÃ©es: I got the special for the night: bacon wrapped meatloaf on a bed of mashed potatoes, topped with two beer battered onion rings and green beans and a port wine reduction. Freaking delish. Onion rings are out of this world. Husband got the new York steak, medium rare, with green beans almondine. It looked sooooo good and he said it was great and really flavorful. We split the butterscotch pudding for dessert because we are obsessed with it (we order it at blue ribbon everytime). 4 stars because service was pretty slow/inattentive, which I'm pretty easy going about, but it took 10 minutes to get our drinks after we ordered them. The food was excellent and we will come back, but it didn't blow us away the way that Blue Ribbon does every. single. time. If you are a fan of blue ribbon, then I definitely recommend trying The Craftsman for a more bar-type, laid back, comfort food type of experience. You won't reget it.
(4)
Anne C.

Cassidy is the best server ever! Just as she suggested, Marlo's Fettuccine Special was amazing and the Truffle Popcorn was to die for!!! I will definitely come back for seconds!
(5)
Amanda R.

Meh - Weird tasting burgers... too much $$$ for crowded kid-heavy ambiance. Kids wouldn't like it - food is odd. I didn't like it, I prefer any kind of atmosphere with my beer and buger. LIke Firefly in same parking lot better.
(2)
Galina M.

Food was good, although on the expensive side. All was overshadowed by a very poor service. Waitress was bothered to take orders. She was in a hurry. Didn't come back to check on drinks. Finally when she brought out orders of drinks she brought tray for a few tables, so she didn't have to make a few trips, and spilled all over us. Dismissive of the kids, even though they were ordering from adult menu. Seems the rest of the staff had the same attitude. It was also extremely loud. Very difficult to have any sort of conversation without yelling. Would not go back.
(2)
Chris C.

Really pleased with our first visit there today for lunch. Decided to start off with a couple of their interesting cocktails. The ElderFashioned was tasty, basically an old fashioned made with St. Germains - served in a rocks glass with one large ice cube. It could have had a bit more of the elderflower presence, but It was well received. I ended up passing it off to my wife who ordered the Suit and Tie, which didn't really live up to the billing. It was made with Talisker scotch and Apple and lemon. Problem is that The scotch was really peaty, the lemon masked that a bit but was also a bit overpowering, while the apple wasn't even present. I didn't hate the drink, but think it really needed to be dialed in, perhaps with a lighter lowland scotch, a bit less lemon and a bit more Apple. I'll give it points for being unique, though. They have a nice upscale pub menu, with refined versions of things you would expect. I ordered the tavern burger and thought it was spot on. Loved it! The lunch portions are just slightly smaller than the dinner burgers apparently, which I thought was a win. The horseradish aioli really made this thing. It came with a nice mixed green salad that was fresh and flavorful, a nice balance with the beautiful bold flavors of the burger. We were stoked with the side of the truffled fries. Thin, perfectly crispy fries with a nice truffle flavor. I feel like a lot of places over do the truffle flavor, but not these guys. They were perfect. Came with a garlic aioli and catsup but I thought they really stood on their own. The pork sliders we found to be a bit too sweet. Served on what I think was one of those sweet Hawaiian rolls, the well flavored shredded pork just was too sweet for my taste. It wasn't terrible, I'm just glad she only ordered the sliders and not the whole sandwich. It would have been a bit much. All in all I look forward to trying out more of their creations but think it would be difficult to return and not order the Tavern Burger and Truffle Fries again. Those burlap things on the ceiling, though. What the hell?
(4)
Becky S.

I've eaten here three times now, twice for lunch and once for brunch on a Sunday. While in general I think the food is good, the service tends to be very spotty. The wait staff always seems to be in training, and although they are not unpleasant, they are not very attentive to what the patrons need. In addition, at breakfast, it is really important to have good coffee. In spite of asking for a fresh cup twice, the coffee was definitely old and overcooked.
(3)
Ron L.

A great little neighborhood spot. Serving upscale diner fare. Well done staff and mgmt.. my end cut prime rib with mouthwatering horseradish was to die for. I full expect over the next few months to know them all on a first name basis. My kind of place. Be back for the salmon. It looked amazing.
(5)
Scott M.

Been to Craftsman several times over the past year and a half. The last two visits, they have totally blown it. Wrong order for my kids burgers. When you say no cheese, that is as simple as it gets. They have screwed this up more than once. Service is spotty, but friendly, just not consistent. It is very loud and tough to hold a conversation. The upside is the beer list. Not good enough for us to return.
(2)
Sandro A.

Pretty good service and nice food (although the gluten-free pizza did come burnt the 1st time around). But what a-holes for not running my credit card correctly. The total was like, nothing, $40 total or whatever, and the waiter couldn't run it through, making me look like I have no money in my account. The magnetic strip is old, but I had just used the card earlier in the day for a haircut. He insisted "I also tried punching the numbers in." Either he didn't really punch the card numbers in manually, or doesn't know the correct procedure to do so. I just checked with my bank: 1. There were sufficient funds 2. They had not implemented any fraud alert.
(1)
Jameson B.

I made the mistake of giving this place a second chance. The food is actually pretty good, which is the only reason why this review isn't 1 star. This place is overpriced and the service is world-endingly terrible. On our most recent visit we called in an order for take out. We were told 45 minutes and so we showed up exactly 45 minutes later. We went in and were sat by the bar while we waited and were told that our food would be right out. After 20 minutes we said something to the nearest employee and they went and checked on our food. They seriously botched something because it took another 30 minutes to finally get our food. At this point we had been waiting in the restaurant for about an hour and it had been almost 2 hours since we originally ordered the food. No discount on the check, no apology, just pathetic. Good food. Way too expensive. Terrible service. Go at own risk!
(2)
Teresa B.

It's our new place! The sausage plate was great. The pork sliders were Smokey and a great value at happy hour. The duck confit cakes could use more binding were a little loose. The American ale washed out all down wonderfully. Definitely going back for brunch
(5)
Vinnie W.

Had dinner here the other night. Food was great as was the device. Had the sausage trio for an appetizer. It was very yummy. Had the fried chicken for dinner. It was also very good. We were a little reluctant because of the reviews regarding the loud music but actually found the music to be just the right volume. We will definitely go again..
(4)
Claire D.

My fiance and I were taken here for his birthday by good friends of his who were in the area. The decor is cute and the service was friendly with just a couple of hiccoughs. Two of us had requested the pork (tenderloin wrapped in belly, listed as being in limited supply) and sadly, it was out. Instead, all of us ended up getting the steak frites which we all enjoyed. As I recall it was cooked just right (not overdone) and was very tasty. We also shared a butterscotch pudding and the chocolate tarts for dessert. The pudding was very nice, although I think it was thinner than we expected. The chocolate tarts came (as pictured) as a pair and they were ok. The crust was shortbread-y and not flakey, and it might have been good if there was more salted caramel.
(4)
tommy d.

We came here on the back of literally dozens of great experiences at their sister restaurant Blue Ribbon Pizza. Also, we were at Jorge's tacos and my son had to pee, so while he ran into Craftsman, I read the menu. We decided to give it a try the next day. Drinks--you may be familiar with the 10-minute period right before happy hour ends, when you absolutely cannot find any wait staff to bring you a drink before time expires. That happens here too. Salad--I ordered the Blue Ribbon salad, which is really a Caesar salad with roasted garlic. I like this salad at Blue Ribbon and at Craftsman. Service--We were brought someone else's food. We didn't realize this at first, and ate an onion ring, and touched the burger (that's when we realized it wasn't ours) and put our fork and knife on the plate. We kept the rings but the plate was taken away. Onion Rings--have absolutely no flavor. They are just fried dough and onions and they don't taste like anything. They are huge--4 rings stacked up measure about 6 inches high. But this is no consolation. Burger--has absolutely no flavor. The only flavor came from the sautÃ©ed mushrooms. (When I cook and when I eat, typically I don't put any salt on anything. I was looking for the salt and pepper shakers to try to jazz it up. There aren't any salt and pepper shakers on any tables.) Condiments--did I mention no salt and pepper? Also, we asked for ketchup and mustard and we were brought these tiny little steel cups. Given how big the onion rings are, this is simply not enough. Would it be too much to ask for you to bring me the whole bottle? Plates--have this little bump on the bottom. So they rattle when you cut up your food. TAT-tat-TAT-tat-TAT-tat-TAT-tat. General--beers and water are placed right on the table; no napkins or coasters. As a result, condensation puddles up and runs everywhere. As well-run as Blue Ribbon is, Craftsman is the antithesis.
(2)
Romney S.

Unfortunately our first visit here must have been a fluke. We've been here 3 times since and each time the service has just gotten worse. Every time we've come the place has been nearly empty and there is 1 person acting as host, server and on one visit even acting as bartender. On our most recent visit it took over an hour for our burger and sandwich to come out. When it came out we were served the wrong sandwich and the burger we ordered medium rare was well done. We had waited so long we just kept the wrong sandwich and ate the burger as it was served. The waiter was apologetic and seemed embarrassed but we won't be back. There is no excuse for poor service and incorrect orders from the chef when there are a total of 4 people in the restaurant.
(2)
A. C.

Just totally blah. From the outside, it looks promising. Inside, decor is fairly good. It nose-dives from there. Menu - odd and overpriced Staff - completely inattentive, and borderline rude. Food - okay, but no where near the prices Very disappointed, given the lack of non-chain options in the area.
(2)
Zorba T.

The food at craftsman was fantastic, the service was so poor it hardly makes up for the lack of attention...we may give it one more try but it will be a long time coming...
(3)
Karina V.

Encinitas Surprise! I performed at an event in Encinitas recently, and after our show, we found ourselves very pleasantly surprised by a little spot in a tucked away mini mall called The Craftsman New American Tavern! At first appearance I was a bit unsure, because I am not much of a meat eater and I am very much into eating natural foods, farm fresh produce, you know the whole concious eating mind set. The Craftsman, although, it is a new take on American cuisine which includes much meat, is a very conscious, farmers market, happy middle ground! They purchases a lot of their produce from locally grown farms, a lot of it is organic and high quality and humanely raised animal meats. I had their California Beat Salad which was exquisite. Beats in a variety of sizes, colors and flavors on a bed of Arugula with small batch goat cheese and a really unique and delicious pistachio vinaigrette. I also tried their daily soup which was a creamed corn soup with a very unique home prepared chile oil drizzled over it. The corn was non GMO and the soup was very special. Not at all the traditional corn soup, very much an inspired South Western feel to it! The dessert was their famous vanilla and caramel pudding! I don't eat a lot of dairy, but this was certainly worth it. The caramel was salted, the dessert was certainly only a pudding in name. It was much more than that and well done! The service was very good. Our waiter was very helpful and fun and the hostess very personable. They have huge TV screens through out the rather small space, so if you enjoy watching sports or special events while out dining you may like that too. I am not a fan of big TV's or TV's in general, but it was World Cup while I was there and a game I wanted to see was on, so I did appreciate it. Whenever I drive from LA to San Diego, I do believe I will make a stop in Encinitas again at The Craftsman!
(4)
Domenica P.

Love this place, we take the parents here when the are in town. Try the scallops and butterscotch pudding...delish!
(5)
Melissa R.

BEST.BRUNCH.IN.TOWN Hands down! There is no other brunch menu like this in north county San Diego. There are so many choices I wanted to be sure and make the right one! I've been here multiple times for brunch, lunch and dinner and the food never disappoints. Matter of fact everyone knows I don't like salmon, craftsmanship salmon made me a lover of salmon! Anyways, back to brunch... Today I had the croque Madame which is alway a favorite of mine. So I got really excited to see it on their new brunch menu. It was totally different than the ones I've had in the past. It has a cheddar beer sauce and mustard on it. So if you like a traditional croque Madame it's good to know what's different about this one. It was delicious, as well as the deviled eggs and chicken and waffles they are sweet and spicy. Such a delicious combo! But I couldn't keep my hands out of my friends plate! Chicken fried chicken with sausage gravy and biscuits with a fried egg!! Ummmm hello...come to mama!!! And let's not forget the bottomless mimosas and the bloody Mary bar where you can add your own Bloody Mary toppings! I'd go here for brunch every Sunday if my waistline could afford it. Great place, warm atmosphere, great food and drink. Love it!
(5)
Patti P.

I've been there a number of times- 2 or 3 for lunch, 1 time for dinner, and a few odd hour- late afternoon weekend visits. I really like the laid back dÃ©cor- the recycled barn type wood, and the repurposing of pallets and such. They have a Brussel Sprout dish on their menu that I absolutely love, and they had a salad, which I think has since been discontinued, that I thought was delish too! All in all, I've been pretty pleased with the food. I've also had some great specialty martinis which were pretty darned tasty! The problem comes in the service. Spotty. Fair to middlin' at best. Darned poor other times. What never makes sense to me is when the server does a pretty god job throughout - and then when it's time to pay, they keep you waiting so long you want to make 'em pay with the tip you leave. I always try to tip pretty well, as I have 2 daughters who are servers- but REALLY? Don't make me wait a half hour to get the bill and pay it. When I'm done, I want to leave! This has happened more than once here. They need that Bar Rescue guy to come in and tell them how to get with the program, then they could have an easy 5 stars!
(4)
Sarah S.

Pros: good food! We started with the chicken and waffles. The jalapeÃ±o and the sauce were a very nice compliment to such a good signature dish. We had a prohibition burger with blue cheeses mad a salad which was both delicious and filling. As well as the Friday night special- bacon wrapped meatloaf with mashed potatoes and veggies, which was really good (and not just because there was bacon)! I had the Malbec Reserve wine which was delicious and my BF had tall boy PBRs. Our server, Jillian, was super knowledgeable and sweet! Definitely will come back! Cons: none really. Maybe they could play music (it was pretty loud so for all I know there was music).
(5)
Chris G.

AMAZING!!!!!! I just moved to SD from LA and this place reminds me of some of my favorite places in LA!! Their TAP THE CASK nights are my favorite! Live music, rotating craft beer handles. Great local breweries!!! NO COORS!!! Their food is phenomenal!! I don't believe I've ever ordered popcorn other than at a movie theater. I haven't made it to their Sunday brunches yet, but I hear they are THE BEST!! Even their employees are incredible! They know so much about their food and even recommend a great beer to compliment the food! FAVORITE BEER: Left Coast Voodoo FAVORITE FOOD: cheese ravioli with wild mushrooms (I forget the name of it) FAVORITE APPETIZER: Duck fat fries -Bottomless mimosas -Local Craft Beer -Craft Cocktails -Build your own Bloody Mary -LIVE MUSIC! (and it's not crappy) -Amazing food
(5)
Dianne K.

We go to this restaurant quite often but the last two times the restaurant has been obviously having difficulty. The menu has changed and the service too intrusive always asking if we need more drinks. Our waiter had to ask someone how the salmon was prepared and that was dry as a bone as well as my hamburger that came cremated when I asked for medium rare. We are locals and there were 6 of us who again was very disappointed. Food not worth the effort to go. Tell all your friends as I definitely will.
(5)
Wally L.

Maybe I am done with Happy Hours. Think about it - you get there early, fight for a place to sit, and what do you get? A couple bucks off "signature drinks" you don't want and a limited menu of stuff you wouldn't normally order. I live down the street from Craftsman New American Tavern. We tried to go a few times but the restaurant was noisy (Chuckie Cheese noisy) and the bar was filled with kids. Also, I might be in the minority but I've never really liked Blue Ribbon Pizza, their sister restaurant. I thought their food was just ok (raw pizza dough, expensive beers). But the big banner at Craftsman stating "Happy Hour Every Day" finally got to me. I went in expecting a lively crowd but found the place nearly empty. The plan was to start with some happy hour food and then move on to an early dinner. Like I said, a couple bucks off drinks I didn't want so I got the Grey Goose Martini - no discount there. One of the signature apps they have is the Truffle Popcorn. First bites were tasty enough but the corn was saturated with oil like a bad bucket of greasy movie popcorn. It was so oily that when I dropped one kernel it spotted my shirt and put a big grease stain on the seat cushion. Fail - not good. Next up the waiter (who was very good, btw) highly recommended their special hot wings. I was thinking this would be hard to screw up (come on, Hooters can do it) but these came out with a weird sweet sauce that wasn't good. Here's the conversation at the table - "You can finish the wings" - "No, you finish them" - "No, really, go ahead" - "It's OK, you can have them". The description of the baby carrot over some sort of green salad was a sliver slice of carrot and a dollop of greens, neither very inspired or tasty. In the end, we left. No dinner. No way. Craftsman tries hard to be a Portland-like restaurant with its trendy farmhouse decor but the food falls flat. Don't waste your time.
(2)
Tamara L.

I absolutely LOVED this place!! I especially loved the "Cask" Beer night! I never thought there was such a thing as "high end" Bar food!! But this place has it for sure! Plus the vibe was right up my alley... love what they have done with the interior decorating (the old railroad wood, brick, mason jars, etc.) Oh, and make sure you also visit on Sundays for their amazing Bloody Mary Bar!! And I have to say... the management/service was excellent! You guys gotta check this place out... Ask for Devin... she is a sweetheart!
(5)
Adam T.

The food was just OK.... The service was good and we were served promptly but the food was just not there, and we still can put our finger what it was lacking... And I thought the Bloody Mary bar was gimmicky... If you're going to drink a bloody then shake that "thang", stirring with celery in an over full glass just doesn't work...
(3)
Jon W.

Brought the family here on a Saturday night. Service was very subpar. It took forever to get our drinks, meals, etc. No apology from the waiter or offer of a free drink or dessert despite our obvious annoyance. Food overall was ok so this review is more aimed at the service.
(2)
Jason s.

When restaurants just plain make me mad they get one star. This place achieved that with me. The food is ok - sort of try to hard and miss on execution type of restaurant experience, then charge way to much so when you leave you feel a little taken advantage of. We ordered the shushito peppers which is a dish we have ordered a ton of times before. Typically these peppers are mild and once in a blue moon you get a hot one. Our order consistently delivered burning hot peppers with every bite. We voiced our concern clearly to our waitress, told her they were unenjoyable to eat and left a ton of them uneaten. She didn't ask if we wanted anything else, bill comes and she charged us for them to top it off. Minus a star for the underwhelming heirloom tomato salad. Minus a star for a bad old fashioned Minus another star for not accepting American Express - seriously? I can understand certain restaurants taking this stance but at this caliber and expensive of a restaurant your going to get a certain customer - "the Amex customer", and to not take Amex is seriously just being cheap and even cheapens the restaurant.
(1)
Jo-Ellen D.

It's kind of sad, to be honest. The food was great (except for the BBQ plate). But the service was atrocious. It wasn't even very busy, but my husband and I sat there for over 15 minutes with empty plates in front of us, and the server saw, but did nothing. We'll be going back for the food, and we'd like to try more than their lunch menu, but hopefully we can have a better service experience. Although, it seems like that is a trend with them. Great food, horrible servers...
(3)
Sarah E.

Had a lovely dinner last night at Craftsman with the family. Menu was unique so we had a sampling of many items. Lamb, Burger, Pork Belly, Brussel sprouts, duck fat fries were awesome. Had a nice kids friendly menu and they felt very welcome. Our waiter Charlie was really nice and couldn't have been more helpful or attentive. Although this was a great spot to take kids, the dÃ©cor and cozy feel would make this a great date night joint as well. Our rating system gave this restaurant 29 out of 10! (they got extra bonus points and minimal deductions). Gotta try it!
(5)
Susie N.

Craftsman New American Tavern; It's ok all the way around. I ordered the burger, wasn't crazy about the mushy cheese or whatever was on it, meat was good. Fries were average if not below. Organic green salad was regular, could have made it at home for $1.00. Beer was good. The interior (design) is dark and fun. One big room, w/ vignette seating, bar seating and one long group table seating. It's noisy but didn't bother me.... Feels like a tavern, good job there. The restaurant's in a small strip mall parking lot, not crazy about spending money to eat in this type of location but because of the owners other restaurant, Blue Ribbon, was hoping to be happily surprised. Just ok.
(2)
Joseph M.

Everything that I wanted to say (good and bad) has already been said but I'll contribute by saying that his ia place for burgers n beer.
(4)
Andrew S.

This is an update from my previous post. The first time I came here (dinner) it was good but I didn't feel like the staff knew what they were selling. My most recent visit was for brunch, and that was a better experience. The brunch menu was pretty awesome and my girlfriend really enjoyed the bloody mary bar (I couldn't have one because I had to go to work..lame). Beignets were just ok, but the sauce with them was awesome. I had the hash which was good too (I love hash) and my girl got the burger which was also good. Overall, my socks weren't knocked off, but I am comfortable coming back with friends and knowing that our dining experience will be enjoyable.
(4)
Ray R.

One of my favorites, food is very good and very consistent. Full bar, great beer and wine selection. Plenty of TVs for sports.
(5)
Chris M.

Interesting place! I really liked the food at the Craftsman New American Tavern. The cod was wonderful and my husband's burger was so large that he could of fed his entire family. I like the eclectic menu and found that it did have a nice selection of fish, meat, burgers, salad and other items. I can't speak for the owner but I suspect that the comfort food and eclectic menu was not made for those wanting to dine on seeds and grass!! The only downside that I found while eating was that the place was super, super, super noisy. This place is super and I will be back!
(4)
Kathy D.

I have eaten here a few times and the food is usually pretty good. The service is hit or miss. Today the service could not have been worse. After waiting for over 10 minutes we flagged a server down. She was not happy. Our food took forever and was cold and over cooked. I sent mine back and waited another 10 minutes for my eggs. Our server was not apologetic in the least. I will not be returning to this restaurant.
(2)
Jason B.

I agree.. loud cramped and noisy, kinda expensive and the food is just ok. Our group was sitting at a farm table, and the hanging light fixture above it was on, with 2 super bright can lights above that, only one can light had burned out and therefore it was like the surface of the fucking sun on half the table. We were squinting and uncomfortable. We asked the waitress to turn the burning can light down or off but she said she couldn't, I needed sunglasses... the 2 albinos with us had watering eyes. Finally the tall guy in our group unscrewed the can light and we were able to sit down enjoy the subpar food below the nice ambient hanging light fixture. We got scallops, and the scallops themselves were large and good but they were placed on some kind of burnt hockey puck corn thing. Short ribs were fatty but the sauce was good. The wine we ordered was good, they have a nice selection that you don't see everywhere. The service was pretty good as well. I'd try the indian place next door. We went to Firefly close by for apps and it was just as bad. maybe worse.
(3)
Marc A.

Just brought my family here last night, and we were all super impressed! It's the same high-quality ingredients and thoughtful preparation that goes into their other restaurant (Blue Ribbon). Was stoked to try moonshine for the first time ever! I think these guys have cornered the market on moonshine in North County, so far as I can tell. My wife & I tried an albacore crudo that differs slightly but nicely from what they offer at the other location (this one has blood orange, avocado and radish instead of grapefruit and guac). My son had a burger and was floored. Daughter had mac & cheese; walked away happy. My wife had soup & salad and loved it. I had the hanger steak - yum. We also liked that they have an assortment of great desserts (unlike Blue Ribbon), although of course we still had to get one of the butterscotch pot-de-creme puddings. Check out the root beer cake with vanilla ice cream, and the "milk and cookies" - what a sweet idea (pun intended). Place was packed as it was only their second night of business. We got placed at a communal table which turned out to be a blast! Great food, great atmosphere, great people!
(5)
Andrew B.

My wife and I consider Blue Ribbon to be amongst our very favorite restaurants because of their simplistic approach with an emphasis on fresh, quality and delicious food. We were counting down the days to the grand opening and made sure to arrive nice and early on opening night as we knew it would be packed. We were not disappointed in the least! There were four of us and we decided to go a bit crazy with what we wanted to order as we tried a large portion of the menu. The standouts were definitely the shishito peppers, the lobster corn dogs, the short rib sliders and the mac and cheese. From an entree perspective we all agreed that the angolotti was the best with the lamb shank and short ribs following closely behind. Once food comatose had officially set in, we just could not bring ourselves to order the dessert...although we saw a few in passing and they too liked amazing. We expected a few hiccups being that it was opening night and we were all impressed with how smoothly things ran. Our service was great, much the same as we have become accustomed to at Blue Ribbon. We had the owners stop by the table just to check in and make sure we were doing well. Most importantly, the food was awesome! We will be coming here for many years to come and are so excited for what will inevitably another very successful and delicious restaurant near us in Encinitas.
(5)
Therealladyof L.

Service good, brunch great. The Steak & Eggs I had was good and so was the Beef Hash. The Tuna sandwich was a little dry.
(4)
Linda K.

If you don't mind a loud place (which can be fun with the right person/people), then you should definitely try this place. The food -- yum yum Atmosphere -- thumbs up, but loud Service -- a bit forgetful Prices -- go here at the beginning of the month before you are thinking about a budget Overall: I'll definitely be back...
(4)
Jason R.

My wife and I are fans of Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria. So, we were interested in trying Wade and Kristi Hageman's newest restaurant in Encinitas. We were also fans of the previous restaurant at this location (Savory), so we had high hopes and expectations. We took my mom and our two children with us as well so in all fairness, we had a large party and no reservation. It was a Saturday night and the place was incredibly busy which is always a good sign. However, our 15 minute wait for a table was more like 45 minutes and with two hungry dudes in tow, it got a little hectic as we waited to be seated. The hostess did come out front and at least offer us some bread while we were waiting which was nice even though we politely declined. Overall, the food was tasty. We started with the Sishito Peppers as well as the Heirloom Black Seed Popcorn w/Black Truffle Salt, Parmigiano Reggiano which my kids totally loved. They boys each got the Wade's Mac 'n' Cheese Trio of Cheeses, Scallions, and Breadcrumbs which was tasty and seasoned just enough to give it a nice flavor without being too weighty. Both of them nearly finished their portions (which were really side dishes on the menu). So, even though there was technically no children's menu, this side really fit the bill. My wife ordered the Center Cut Hangar Steak "Steak Frites" BÃ©arnaise Compound Butter, Watercress Salad Served with Duck Fat Fries. It was well cooked and the salad was flavorful. I tried the Porcini Crusted Pacific Cod Mushroom Gravy, Potato Puree, and Onion-Mushroom Medley. The portion was medium-sized but decent. It was very light and well prepared and the pureed potatoes were fluffy and delicious. I shared it with my kids who both seemed to really love it as well. The cocktails were made of fresh ingredients and the wine and beer selection was pretty good in my opinion. The prices were a little on the high side, however, that's somewhat expected at a farm-to-table establishment where the ingredients are very fresh and locally grown. You can really taste the freshness in every bite. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is the noise level and the lack of personal space in the restaurant. The previous establishment (Savory) had the same issues in many ways as does Wade's other restaurant (Blue Ribbon) in the Lumberyard. I get the idea of starting small and expanding as needed, but going out to dinner shouldn't be so stressful especially when you are paying relatively premium prices. And, when you finally are seated you shouldn't have to yell to a person sitting two feet away in order for them to hear you. We had our two boys with us, so the noise wasn't a big deal, but I can't imagine my wife and me going here for a romantic date night any time soon. I'm sure they'll work out the kinks here since it just opened. If you're looking for some very tasty fresh food for slightly above medium prices, this is an excellent choice. Just bring your megaphone and/or Miracle Ear because you'd probably have a quieter dining experience at the Downtown Encinitas Train Station than at The Craftsman.
(4)
Kris C.

We dined at The Craftsman New American Tavern during Restaurant Week; a delightful experience. The corn chowder, fried chicken, scallops and desserts were all very good. The corn chowder was creamy and a bit sweet, very good on the palette. The chicken and scallops were moist and well seasoned, the scallops creatively served on small zucchini cakes. The desserts--butterscotch pudding and s'mores in a jar were both amazing. The service was excellent. Easy to find, easy parking. Highly recommended. Need a better beer selection, although they do have a good selection of local beers on tap.
(4)
Jan G.

I've been anxiously awaiting the opening of the Craftsman; based on the reputation of Blue Ribbon, expectations were high. For the most part it was good, not great ....still a few things to work out. A friend and I shared some dishes so we could try a variety of things. The deviled eggs were great, the prosciutto was a nice touch. We also had the pulled pork sliders and they were just OK. Why? not enough meat! The cabbage mixture and bread were the flavors that stood out since the pork was hardly represented at all. The heirloom tomato salad was also good but if you're going to call something an heirloom tomato salad, give me some tomatoes! The kitchen was also very stingy with the balsamic glaze that accompanied the salad. Lastly we had to try the bittersweet chocolate tarts with the carmel sauce & salt. I thought the flavor was excellent but as has been mentioned by several others, you almost need a jackhammer to get through the crust. Flavorful but so difficult to eat. The restaurant is loud but the decor is fun (two community tables). Our service was slow but not terrible. I'd go back and give them another try.
(4)
John R.

I had dinner here last night. Unfortunately for The Craftsman I had virtually the same dinner the night before at Smoqued in Orange. No comparison. I have never seen brisket presented in the manner brought to me. There were 2" bands of fat on each piece of meat. I took a picture for my archives. Unbelievable. We were seated at a table of their suggestion. Less than 5 minutes later we were asked to move. Guess we didn't fit their demographics. The coleslaw was pitiful. On top of everything my drink had either broken glass or sharp plastic "mixed" inside. I got lame excuses. They might serve their other dishes in a better manner. I don't know if I want to take the chance.
(1)
Whittney B.

Great, varied menu. Love the farm to table quality. Reminds me of SF. Servers are friendly. Atmosphere is quaint and comfortable. Everything I've had is excellent - short ribs, burger, cocktails, brunch and bread pudding. Not sure why only 3 star average?
(4)
Rob P.

My wife went here again to enjoy a night out. My wife always loves the popcorn and the fried brussel sprouts. I loved them both also even though I am not a fan of sprouts. My wife loved her pan seared salmon and I had high hopes for their BBQ'd / smoked angus brisket. I did not love the brisket. I know brisket isn't a great cut of meat to start with but I've had it and enjoyed it when it was tender. This had big chunks of fat and the meat wasn't especially tender though it didn't have a nice smoke flavor. Loved the mac n cheese side but wasn't thrilled with the beans or cole slaw sides. Dessert was the smores which was good but really wanted something with chocolate overload and they just don't have it on their menu. If someone from the restaurant happens to read this review, please count this as a request for a serious chocolate option.
(4)
Bobbie C.

first time here, my husband and I thought it would be a cozy pub to have a nice lunch.very cute atmosphere. not a good first impression to wait several minutes to be seated, then quite a long wait for the waiter to take our order. My caesar salad was saturated with dressing and did not come with bread. not a good value for $8. When I asked for an order of bread, the waiter said " we've gone through our bread today", no apology nor offer of a substitute.This was 1:30 p.m. We thought this was very strange. no more bread? period? how many people would be coming in and ordering sandwiches? weird! The beer was good. My husband'd BLT was good and he liked the fries.
(2)
Emily L.

I dined here during the summer to celebrate a bachelorette party in San Diego. We came with a large group and were seated near the window. The hostess and wait staff were extremely friendly and attentive to our large group. I loved the overall ambiance and decor of the restaurant as it felt very comfortable and inviting, yet seemed pretty fancy as well. Our whole group loved the food
(5)
Muffy D.

I went with friends and it was OK. Not outstanding, but OK. I had the blue cheese burger and it came with the duck oil fries...I was expecting something decadent but could not have separated them from regular fries. The salted butterscotch pudding lived up to its reputation, though. Really great. I would not be racing back anytime soon.
(3)
Lo S.

Until I have a chance to have a full dinner here, my review is strictly about the drinks, service and ambiance. This place is loud and not good for a conversation with your meal matesl. There is live music in the evenings. I don't mind the communal tables, but the stools are soooooo uncomfortable and not good for hanging out for a bit. Craft beer selection and prices received the approval of my hophead hubby. Wine is overpriced, but it seems to be overpriced everywhere these days. We stopped in for a drink and dessert, but none of the desserts were gluten free... so, poor, poor me.... pour me another drink instead. Service was okay and very friendly.
(3)
Douglas H.

We came for a late lunch, it was their happy hour. The hand crafted beers were superb, the service fantastic. We tried 4 different appetizers (all at a special price because of happy hour) the food is fantastic! We are now waiting to try their brunch with unlimited mimosas.
(4)
Dallon G.

The restaurant looks awesome. Nice and cozy, great happy hour, and then the music started. A local blues musician named Ben Powell. Rad! I had excellent service, everyone seemed to be having a great night, customers and employees. And the food was awesome. Where else can someone go and have Southern Comfort food, in Encintas? Such a cool vibe, I love this restaurant. Drinks were killer, man what a treat :)
(5)
Melissa M.

If you like this kind of menu (I will explain), you will love this restaurant. The problem is, there's not enough variety to accommodate those who don't like that kind of menu. The menu is heavy - duck fat fries, deep fried Brussells sprouts, sausage, charcuterie, sliders - I eat healthy and I always look for a lean protein/vegetable option on a menu and this was near impossible to find on this menu (unless I just opted for a salad). Waitress was awkward - never knew when we were speaking to her - did a poor job in describing menu items. I was inquiring about the steak frites (sliced and fried, I still don't know), but she strongly recommended I get the porquette instead. Her description made it sound like a "prime rib" piece of pork and it apparently sells out every night. I was quite surprised when it arrived - 3" in diameter piece of edible pork surrounded by about 4" thick fried fat and crispy skin. Indeed, the textures were nice and something this heavy would have been nicely accommodated by some fresh greens or vegetables. Rather, it came with a side of stodgy boiled potatoes and about three baby carrots. Three bites of the pork was about all I could handle. Duck fat fries were very nice. My husband had a sausage trio, intending on sharing with the rest of the group, but he ended up with three Jimmy Dean size sausages. Rest of the table indulged in mac and cheese, pork sliders, oyster sliders, lobster corn dogs and the lovely truffle parmesan popcorn carried over from Blue Ribbon. The other reviews are correct in that it gets insanely loud. We had dinner at 5:00 PM and had about an hour of peace and quiet. Once the restaurant was near capacity, it was almost impossible to speak to our guests. In sum, heavy menu, small portions, very loud.
(3)
Erika P.

Truly tasty. From the bar menu to the entrÃ©e, delicious. We made a point to go there a second time shortly after the first. Very consistent. The pudding butterscotch... yum!
(5)
Jeff M.

This used to be the Savory location. Thought we would give it a shot even though reviews were mixed. There was a pretty thick smell of grease in the air when we walked in and actually thought about walking out. Unfortunately, now all our clothes need to be washed or cleaned. The lay out is interesting as the space is not ideal for a restaurant but they have done well with a small bar in the back and eclectic seating arrangements. The music is 80's but not too loud. Service was good. We had the baby greens salad which was a large portion that 2 can easily share. It was fresh and reasonably flavorful. My daughter had the chicken and she enjoyed it. My wife had vegetables. I had the petite fillet which was ordered medium but was really rare. The cut of meat was not particularly great but ok. Sauce was ok. Duck fat fries were nothing special. They have a decent beer selection but no darker ales, only the Black Butte Porter. We had the Smores in a Jar for dessert which was a bit of a creative twist on a chocolate mousse. A bit too sweet for me but others might enjoy it. Overall a 3 star experience. 4 stars for service. 3 for food. OK but definitely not great. Nothing that will really draw me back again. Until they fix the ventillation, don't wear your nice clothes unless you want them to smell like duck fat fries for a week.
(3)
April R.

I hate to give a bad review to a place like this but unfortunately I have to. The service was really bad and that is what makes me give them 2 stars instead of 3. When we walked in it took forever for anyone to acknowledge us at all. After standing there for a few minutes someone finally asked if we were being helped and when we said no they found someone to help us. The restaurant only had people at a handful of tables so no way they can claim they were busy. After sitting down the service stayed just as bad. It took forever to get menus, forever to get drinks, forever to have them take our order. I had the unlimited mimosas and each time after waiting for a while with an empty glass I had to ask for a refill. Maybe they do that on purpose so they don't have to give you much? Not sure, but when you walk by my empty glass multiple times you should offer to refill it. The food was fine, not amazing, not bad, just ok.
(2)
Shay H.

Went to The Craftsman in search of great tasting, fresh food and ambiance and I was not dissapointed. The place is very cute and rustic feeling, with a fantastic menu of interesting food. I ordered the grass-fed burger and was very very happy with it. Cooked perfectly the way I ordered it, it really made my evening. They had really interesting cocktails and beer that I loved. The service was super friendly and very fast, I can't wait to go back again.
(5)
Scott C.

The wife and I dropped by here for restaurant week with a 1-year-old and friends. They kept my kid well-entertained with a mason jar full of crayons. (Thankfully taking them out and putting them back in never got old.) The food was generally solid. My corn soup and fried chicken were excellent, as was my wife's butterscotch pudding dessert. However, my wife's scallops were slightly salty, her corn fritters were way dry, and my lemon tart was too sweet to finish. The drink prices were excellent given the generous pours. Overall, I'd go back.
(4)
Edward P.

Mediocre food. Fun factor zero. God Forbid you want to have a good time. Cut off with one drink for the guys water only for the ladies. Oh yes we live in the neighborhood and walked there and home it was 8.30 pm.
(1)
Marco N.

I wish I actually could have rated the food and service, as I am sure it is good based on the menu and for the experience we had the 2 minutes we spent at the restaurant. But until management is rethinking the idea of live music and dinner being a match, we will not return. We pointed out our concerns when we were seated, so we got the "quit" table in the corner. After half a song it became clear there is no quit table, the music, even though not bad sounding, was simply to interruptive. Having lived in Austin TX, were every Panda Express has live music on the weekends, I was sure nobody would make such a bad decision, outside the "live music capitol of the world", only to discover the Craftsman Tavern just around my corner. I hope I can try the food one day, the day the music comes lightly through the speakers, and is not live.
(1)
Rick C.

Restaurant Week Visit. 3.5 sounds about right. +Plus+ -Fried Brussels sprouts app: nicely balanced with balsamic vinegar and bacon -Fried Chicken: very good -Smores in a Jar and Butterscotch pudding were absolutely fantastic. I'm not normally a dessert person, but these were both excellent. The salt really accentuated the flavors and balanced out the sweet. -Service was polite and comped us the very good Brussels sprouts app when the hush puppies weren't done correctly (see below). -Minus- -Hush Puppies:Crunchy outside, cold inside. Probably previously frozen and not thawed adequately prior to throwing in the fryer. -Pacific Snapper: fish cooked to proper doneness, but the gumbo that came with it was "meh". -The biscuit that came with the otherwise excellent fried chicken dish was pasty. (this and the above issue with the gumbo made me question the "Southern Comfort" part of the menu) -I'm personally not a fan of live music because even when they didn't over amplify, I still think it's too loud to have a nice conversation. The desserts we had were very good. Other than the hush puppies, the person manning the fryer knew what they were doing. There are things that are big hits and others that are big misses, hence, I have to give a middling score. I'd go again, but I think I have to tiptoe around the menu to make sure I order what they do well.
(3)
Lori M.

I ordered the vegetarian burger, which was a fried green tomato. The salad that came with the burger was good. The fried green tomato was hard and tasteless. I had one bite and left the rest. The waiter came by and asked if I wanted a box - I said no the burger was inedible. He said "oh" and took the plate. He did not inquire what exactly was wrong. Did not offer a discount. I will not return.
(1)
Bill G.

I have the same complaints a lot of other reviewers have. The food is OK but nothing special. Definitely not worth the steep prices. The owner's other restaurant, Blue Ribbon offers such an interesting qualtiy meal with some real value. I think that's probably why there is always a long wait at Blue Ribbon whereas you can usually walk right into Craftsman and get a table. $25 entrees and $8 sides and $7 beers and $10 glasses of wine in a casual bar setting is not cool. I probably won't go back if it's my choice. Sorry guys. See you at Blue Ribbon.
(2)
Steve M.

Nice place with good beer and speciality cocktail selections during happy hour. Nothing spectacular here that would set it apart from other new gastropubs that have popped up in north county. If you're looking for quality food and drink and you live close, no need to look any farther. You won't be disappointed.
(4)
jennifer w.

Just back from another great meal at The Craftsman. I love their Sunday brunch! I'm on a very restrictive diet and got my omelet at the omelet bar customized and it was perfect and 100% Paleo down to the clarified butter and the local farm fresh eggs and produce! I always appreciate their attention to detail and fresh local ingredients. New Chef Anthony from Louisiana told me about the new weeknight specials can't wait to come back.
(5)
Sara D.

My sister in law was visiting so we used that as an opportunity to visit Craftsman Tavern. I've been dying for a reason to dine here anyway. It did not disappoint. We started with the pork belly appetizer. I have never had pork belly before so I didn't know what to expect. It was basically pork fat that just melted in your mouth. Very good. For my dinner, I chose the Crispy Duck Confit. Like fried chicken but more delicate. It was so good. My dinner came with risotto (but I have to be honest, as much as I love risotto, I wish I had the horseradish mashed potatoes my husband's dinner came with). We also had cocktails. They have amazing cocktails. I started with the Vesper (vodka, gin and Lillet rose). The Vesper was so good that we made a pit stop to BevMo on the way home to buy some Lillet. My husband had another of their martinis which was equally good, maybe slightly more sweet. I wish I could remember the name (this is why you should write reviews the night of, not two weeks later!). We finished our meal with the highly touted (and deservedly so) butterscotch pudding. So good and so unique! I used to take all out of town guests to Tommy Vs; however, Tommy Vs does not hold a candle to Craftsman! For sure, my new local special occasion haunt!
(5)
Lindsay J.

I really want to like this place more...I've been twice now, here are my thoughts: the good: ambiance, good live music, great wine/beer selection, creative menu the bad: overpriced, inconsistent food. while I love the creativity of the menu, most of the food I've tried is just okay... Service has been hit and miss...lots of waiting around the first time, while last night's server was very attentive and pleasant. Overall, I'll try the Craftsman again, but I won't go out of my way.
(3)
Alaina N.

The Salted Butterscotch Pudding is to die for! They also have a good selection of Micro Brews on tap. A must go whenever I am in Encinitas.
(5)
Tom S.

Food was 5 stars. We had the lamb burger, reg burger, hush puppies, and albacore which I loved. Price was ok and I would like to give 4 for it. Food was too good though.
(5)
Lola D.

went in for their sunday brunch yesterday and was so happy to cure my hangover with their mellow live music and with their make-your-own bloody mary bar! after exaggerating with the bloody-mary add ons i tried their beignets (spelling?) which is a super amazing donut-like treat and also ordered a burger with a fried egg in it. Everything i ate was delicious and my friendly/attentive server told me about their $15 weekly specials. definatley coming back in next thursday for their smoked bbq special!
(5)
Mark S.

Let me start with the food was good, not a lot of options but good. The reason for this low rating was the service and the fact that it is so loud you have to yell to the person next to you. A group of us decided to try this restaurant, as we are all looking for a fun place to eat in Encinitas. We arrived at 5:30 and were seated right away which was great. Everyone ordered their drinks, but they came out one at a time after waiting for 20 minutes. Is it really that hard to pour a beer, 2 glasses of wine, and mix 2 drinks? It wasn't even very crowded at this point. I asked for a drink that didn't taste of alcohol but had the effects. The waiter recommend a specialty drink, so I ordered it. It was the most disgusting thing I have ever had, can't remember the name and the website doesn't list their drinks but it started with an "N". I return the drink and order something else. Later, someone else in our group (who arrived late) asked what the waiter recommended. And he said, get the "N" drink it has the most alcohol for the cost. I'm thinking, "wait a minute, didn't he just tell me to order that because it wouldn't taste of alcohol?" So she ordered the drink and also thought it was the worst drink ever, so returned it for a glass of wine. Now it is 6:30; it took over 45 minutes for us to get water (which unfortunately tasted very much like bad tap water) and our orders still haven't been taken. We finally ask the waiter if we can order our food (at this point it is very crowded and no one can hear each other talk). We all place our order and we ask for some bread. 20 minutes later we are brought a tiny plate of bread with half a piece of bread per person. We are at a table for 7 people, have been sitting there for an hour and you bring us a bread plate with one piece of bread each? Is there a shortage of bread in Encinitas? The bread wasn't made fresh because it was cold, but the butter was good and nicely salted. By 7:30 the food comes out. I ordered a burger without onions. Low and behold, my burger arrives with grilled onions. I say to the waiter, "I asked for no onions" to which he replied "there are onions in the marmalade, did you mean you didn't want the marmalade?" I said, "yes that means I didn't want the ONION marmalade". The our brilliant waiter says, "Do you want us to just scrape off the onion marmalade or do you want a new burger?" I looked at him in shock, I wasn't sure if he was joking....he wasn't! So I said, "I'll take a new burger. Thanks." At this point the whole table has gotten their food and is eating, I don't want theirs to get cold and who knows how long the burger will take. So I start munching on someone else's fries. She then asks the waiter if we can get some more fries since I'm still waiting for my food. And he says, "Yes, but i'll have to charge you for a side of fries." She says, "You are kidding right?" and he said, "No I have to charge you." So now we all finish our food, and the food was actually good. We were all surprised based on the service we had received. So the bill finally comes out, and we all throw in our cards. I tell the waiter, "It should be $48 on each card." and his response "That doesn't include the gratuity right?" I didn't even know how to respond. I just said, "No it doesn't". Yes, you read that right. It came to $48 per person and that was for a burger, a drink and half a salad. By 8:30 we were able to leave the restaurant and all vowed that we will not be going back. I'm disappointed because I was hoping for a new fun place to eat in Encinitas. I guess the search will continue on...
(2)
Wendy R.

Delicious sweet potato fries & tuna sandwich.
(4)
Mitchell R.

My wife and I love discovering new places, some turn out to be good, others bad and in the case of The Craftsman..... excellent!!!!!! I am from a place that strives to bring local, organic and sustainable food to the customer's table, The Craftsman does exactly that, it was like I was at my home away from home. Every dish my wife and I ate was out of this world with flavor and culinary excellence! The happy hour was exceptionally reasonable and every Thursday they unveil a new cask of beer from a local brewer, oh and did I mention the live music!? Unbeatable! I guess what I am trying to say is, The Craftsman is the place to go for great food, great music, a great staff and a great ambiance!!!!!
(5)
Julie L.

Sat at the bar on Valentines Day. Service kind of sucked. Bartender never asked us if we wanted/needed anything else. Always had to get his attention and ask him. It was not busy in there. If I'm going to pay $8-10 per drink and $24 for 3 scallops, I need WAY better service!
(2)
Chris B.

We stopped in yesterday for a quick snack and a couple of drinks. My wife enjoyed a crisp a delicious Sauvignon Blanc that was served at the proper temperature (a surprising rarity) and I had a strong, tasty Old Fashioned. We shared an order of duck fat fries that were very good and the surprise hit of the day, popcorn. Their heirloom popcorn with black truffle salt and parm was fantastic. You get a healthy portion and the taste and texture are outstanding. I nearly balked at buying $8 popcorn, but I'm glad we were feeling adventurous. Next visit will be soon and will include a full meal. For now, this is an emerging favorite.
(5)
Joe D.

Would give them four stars for the food, but the staff is still untrained. The hostess actually committed the biggest faux pas: There were three open table for four when we walked in. She wanted to seat us at the absolute worst table. NOKIE DOKIE MISSY. You seat the guests at the best available table and deal with the next group as they come. Maybe something even better opens, but don't dump bad tables. The food was well prepared - I had the hangar steak with duck fat fries. Very nice. Waitress needs to get to know the somewhat limited wine list, but these are the negatives. Food and drink nice and we will come back after a few months of staff training.
(3)
A D.

Good food, mediocre server, great busser. Enjoyed the crudo, salmon and lobster corn dogs, steaks cooked perfectly. Noise level was a little high during my visit, server kept forgetting items requested. Super over the mason jar phase.
(4)
Curt W.

Sadly, my score started out at 4 stars the first week with the thought it would probably go to 5. I have been here a couple more times and each time it has been more disappointing. The burger and fries, although seemingly pricey, was well worth the cost. Shishito peppers are great. However, since then I have been disappointed with the sausages, the duck confit was mediocre, and surprisingly the porchetta, which was high on my list to try, was dry and not all that exciting. If those dishes were 15 instead of 25 they probably would be OK but at the price I expect something notable. All of this said, service has been fine and I would come back for a burger and a beer. I still love Blue Ribbon.
(3)
Terri M.

Cozy local tavern. Yummy interesting food choices and man!, can that bartender make a GREAt drink!
(4)
brian r.

Jason was right about the peppers, I had tears and drank my kids milk. But the food is what I wanted, I agree the prices are high for the sizes, but go anywhere that is gastropub style and the prices are the same. We tried 3 apps, and 4 courses, and 1 dessert for our table and I would get everything again, but the peppers. The hand made drinks were all great. beers a little pricy. I just cant give this place an avg rating, because all the chains are avg and this place is better.
(4)
Eleni E.

We celebrated my husband's birthday at the Craftsman in late September, it did not disappoint. In a nutshell it is such a welcome treat to have a quality restaurant in that vicinity of Encinitas, finally. We tried many things on the menu and they were delicious. I gave it 4 stars because I was disappointed they did not provide a small dessert for my husband's birthday, instead they had us select desserts put candles in one and charged us for all of them. Additionally I thought one of the hostesses was really amazing but the other was really not trained sufficiently to be there.
(4)
Eliot R.

I like the Craftsman, but it just misses the mark to get my 5 stars. Perfect Martini with blue cheese olives. I tried the Burger with duck fat fries, Fries were light and crispy, the burger was weak. They but some kind of blue cheese spread, not actual blue cheese. They also would not let me substitute the bacon onion marmalade for just regular grilled onions, lazy kitchen. My wife had the corn soup wich was superb, very fresh with a shot of chili oil for flavor. We had to ask for bread to eat with it, waiter said bread was "by request only" The 3 cheese mac and cheese was delicous, but was kind of soupy. More like ziti swimming in a bechmel sauce. Not the classic chewey and baked mac and cheese. I would go back to try some of the other items, and the happy hour menu looks good. Love the giant Schlitz poster
(4)
Kelly S.

I'm kind of sad because I really really like Blue Ribbon. When someone says we're going to Blue Ribbon, I say yay. Aside from sticker shock, it's yummy. And the menu is just unique enough to be refreshing, yet comforting. Craftsman... I don't know. It's so close yet not quite. The menu is standard, there's no standouts or unique items. It checks off the list of the that every throwback hipsterish craft cocktail pseudo locavore gastropub has. Burger, some sort of mule, mac and cheese, fries with fancy twist (duck fat in this case), uber-fatty carniverous offerings like pork belly and beef cheeks and donkey balls and whatever else is cutting edge retro but not really. I'm not bitter or annoyed, it's just more of the same. And that's not to say that I don't want a piece of that now and again. But it's getting to the point where you walk in to a place and see beer and water served in mason jars and it's just like ... come on. It's cute but a bit saturated now. It's one thing if you're deep in Wyoming and you're canning to put up food for the harsh winter. And I like the whole idea, I do, it's totally cute. But not clever anymore. Oh and the drinks list has a cosmopolitan on it. I'm sorry but it's just too soon. I mean they are delicious but give it a few more years. Anyhow, on to the food. Starter: yellowtail sashimi. Delcious. I love grapefruit and avocado together. Cod was excellent. Excellent. Perfectly cooked. Chicken was really good too. Both were served over a mash with some gravy or buttery sauce. I'm much more impressed with food this is delicious without have to be served over a buttery mash and some variation of beurre blanc. Of course it's delicious when drenched in butter. I'm in agreement with the other yelpers, if you love rich comfort food and meat, you will love this place. Non-meatitarians will be challenged. It's also very loud, wouldn't want to come here with a group, would only be able to hear the person sitting directly next to you.
(3)
Tom A.

Overall, I am willing to write off this experience to 'opening period adjustments'. We were a party of four; it was difficult to hear everyone talk because of the volume in the restaurant. Service was a bit sporadic, our low talking waiter (previously a bartender in PB) had trouble keeping up and lacked attention to detail. Most dissapointing was the porchetta, nothing like mom's. Its was dry and overcooked (at 6:30pm) and unfortunately we order two entrees. The Merlot braised short ribs were very tastey but at $24 should have been a larger serving; garlic mashed potatoes to die for! Our fourth entree was the pork belly appetizer which was full of flavor all 2 inch square of it, a bit underwhelming. Wine, dessert and good friends saved the night. We will give them another chance but will wait a few weeks to work out their problems.
(3)
Julie B.

The entrees were wonderful. We had the porchetta and the smoked pork chop. We also ordered a side of braised greens which were bizarrely sweet with balsamic vinegar and not to my taste. The waiter was efficient and pleasant. I won't be visiting again any time soon though. Our ears felt numb after we finally staggered out of the din. It was horribly, painfully, overwhelmingly noisy which is too bad because the menu was certainly interesting.
(3)
Don D.

What a disapointment since we enjoy their sister establishment Blue Ribbon. The caesar salad and the squash soup are worth trying. My wife ordered her hamburger medium and it was clearly rare. My lamb sirloin was probably the star of the show and one of our friends seemed to like the chicken. But the real problem was the service: our waiter could not have cared less. The entrees were brought out before the appetizer plates had been cleared. We asked repeatedly that the cool air be adjusted. But the topper was that our friends wanted to pay their half with American Express and the restaurant didn't accept it. The fact that we left 15 % attests to our sportsmanship.
(2)
Peter K.

Very nice do-over of old Savory location from the talented people who do Blue Ribbon pizza. We went for happy hour. Kind of expensive; loud but not unbearable, as other reviewers say (maybe at dinner?) Real good beer selection, nice cocktails. Enjoyed perfect Pork sliders, devilled eggs, some fancy peppers. Truffled popcorn was excellent. Corn meal spiny lobster looked and tasted like salmon to us. $10 - $2 (happy hour). My big complaint is they bring everything in 3s. No good for party of 2 or 4 to share.
(3)
Glenn B.

To me, it is totally unacceptable to refuse to do ANY substitutions on side dishes. I don't like Yorkshire Pudding and asked for potatoes instead, only to be told "we don't do substitutions." Most expensive item on the menu and they refuse to substitute for a side dish? And the food was mediocre. Never again.
(2)
Tyler L.

Ate here on a weeknight with my family. I thought the food was 4 to 5 stars but the service was 2 to 3 stars. The main complaint is that the waitstaff need better training. Also, the music was so loud that I could barely hear the others at my table. We asked them to turn down the music, which they did... and then turned it back up 2 minutes later. And I'm 31, with great hearing. My poor dad couldn't hear a word that was said the entire meal. We ordered the porchetta, the burger, the chef's selection of cheese and charcuterie, and a buttercottch desert. The porchetta was really good, except the center portion was way overcooked. The fingerling potatoes that came with the porchetta were delicious. The burger was fantastic and came with duck fat fries. The butterscotch desert was so good that non-butterscotch fans were licking the plate. The service left a lot to be desired. We opened the wine bottles for our server. She was having a lot of difficulty using the wine key and had obviously never been trained to open a bottle of wine. It appeared that she had never opened a bottle of wine in her life. We had to ask for more water three times. We had to ask for small plates to share the cheese and charcuterie between us. It is clearly for sharing given its size and that is is placed in the center of the table. We had to ask for wine glasses to go with the wine. We had to ask for new wine glasses when switching from white to red. And it was WAY too loud in there. Maybe 4 or 5 tables of guests and the music was bumping! I'm not sure if they were overcompensating for the light crowd but IMO you want the music to accentuate the mood, not be the mood. This is a restaurant after all, not a night club.
(3)
Richard H.

Great food and good atmosphere. The service is lacking experience and knowledge. The waiter we had should be in the back washing dishes. Get a hair cut, shave, and wear a nicer shirt. I don't mine paying for the quality of the food but step up your game with appearance and training. Invest in a female waiting staff, grunge was over in the 90's!
(2)
David H.

Good food the appetizers are amazing - Truffle Oil popcorn, Crab 'corn dogs', amazing mac and cheese. All new staff not completely trained. Because it is so busy, they will need some break in period.
(4)
pete b.

A 3 1/2 star or Zagat 22 by my standards. Looked forward to the opening based on how much we like Blue Ribbon's emphasis on local, sustainable ingredients. We went tonight and overall liked it, but it's not yet 5 stars, although It has great potential. The food was very good for the most part. Excellent, although over sized salads. The heirloom salad had over ripe tomatoes and the Caesar was drenched with dressing after requesting light dressing. But the lettuces were local and top quality, better than most salads. The chicken was excellent, meaty, well seasoned and deboned except for the wing. The short rib was huge, not fatty and simply delicious in a merlot sauce with onions. The Pacific Cod was extremely salty, but the preparation in a mushroom and onion sauce was excellent, if not a little heavy. The wine list avoided the mass produced wines from the corporate owned wineries, but what was on the list were mostly unknown and of the three glasses we each ordered, none were distinguishable. Service was good, although we were brought some food meant for another table. The restaurant was crowded and full by 5:45 on a Friday. It was extremely noisy, partly due to the crowd, but more a result of the poor acoustics in the restaurant with no drapes, no carpeting and a low ceiling. It's not a place to go to hold a pleasant conversation. I think the food has the potential to be some of the best around that's served in a casual setting. Would like to see some lighter fare as well, and hope they can find a way to lower the overall noise. Overall a much better than average addition to the North San Diego area.
(4)
Tiffany M.

I went to Craftsman around 4 pm today with my 3 year old and a girlfriend. It was already their happy hour so we ordered almost everything on their appetizer menu. Everything was small sized so we didn't feel like we overstuffed ourselves. Standouts: lobster corn dogs, oyster Po' boys, and the shishito peppers were amazing. Our server was kind and attentive. She was very sweet, interacting with my son. Definitely doing date night with my hubbie at Craftsman soon. Great addition to Encinitas!
(5)
Saya G.

We had a very lovely dinner last night at Craftsman. The restaurant is easy to spot on busy El Camino and parking was easy. I got there at 5:30pm on a Thursday so the dining room was near empty and most of the patrons were at the bar. We were seated right away and they were very accommodating with the 5 year old in our party. We got a ton of apps thanks to the $5 happy hour specials. The Brussels sprouts, popcorn and sausages were outstanding. , The corn soup that was recommended by the server was a too creamy and heavy for a summertime soup where fresh corn should be the star. And my blood orange margy was very yummy. I asked for light triple sec and they obliged! I had the scallops which were very good. My friend like the her salmon but luke warm reviews on the porcetta and short ribs from the boys. The service was excellent too. And the band was nice. I did not find them too loud but we were in the back corner I took one star since it was VERY hot (even though it wasn't packed) and they forgot hubby's beer at the end. I would be back if in the Encinitas area
(4)
Karen M.

Two stars is generous. I can speak on behalf of the group of 6 of us who dined there last week. First off we had to SCREAM across the table to be heard. Secondly, two had horrific cocktails they had to return. Funny, the second friend didn't know the other had ordered the same drink and returned it, as she had arrived after. Then there was a gnat in my other friend's wine. The service was so slow that we were forced to order dinner and miss happy hour though we should have had plenty of time. My food (shrimp with pasta) looked lovely on the plate but once I dug in, I got the impression it had been plated long ago as the noodles stuck together in a clump. Sauce had little flavor, shrimp was overcooked & dry. So many strikes against this place I have no desire to return. Bummer as it's so convenient and I was hoping it would be great after hearing so many raves about Blue Ribbon.
(2)
Nicole H.

This is something I have never done before (writing a review that is), but this is needs to be said. My husband and I have been wanting to go to The Craftsman because our experience at Blue Ribbon has been great. We went with a group of friends and everything started out to be okay, then came dinner. EVERYONE in our group received their meals except my husband. By the time everyone was almost done, we had to bring it up to the server that he still had not received his meal. "It was coming" apparently. NOW everyone is finished, and still no meal. Finally, his meal came and no real apology and not even a manger came over to say anything. At this point, I was not happy. I had to approach the server myself (made sure to just make it very casual and nothing too mean) and all the server could say was, "yeah I am sorry, would you like me to take off his cocktail?" REALLY? REALLY? WOW. It was the meal, not his 1/4 of the price cocktail. Being that my husband and myself have been in the industry for years in the past, customer service is very important to us as well as many. This is something they are lacking.
(2)
Edward H.

My wife and I really enjoyed Savory, which was the establishment in this location prior to Craftsman. When I found out it was gone, I did some research and found that the owners of the Blue Artisan pizza place in Encinitas were opening the Craftsman New American Tavern in Savory's old location. We both enjoyed Blue Artisan, so we 'bookmarked' Craftsman as a place we'd try once it opened. We weren't disappointed. During our first visit, we tried the Duck Fat Fries, the Grass Fed Burger, the Short Ribs, and the Mac n Cheddar. For a gastropub, these were all excellent dishes. My wife is fond of this place and has brought it up as dinner options on multiple occasions. On our last visit to Craftsman, I tried the Craftsman Smokehouse BBQ entree, which allows you to try the potato bread, baked beans, mac n cheese, and coleslaw, along with your choice of different BBQ meats. The meal was outstanding. But honestly, I think what made the night was the beer. I'm fond of seasonal beers, and since it was post-Thanksgiving when we went, I decided to try the Manzanita Witches Hair pumpkin ale on draft. Awesome! It went very nicely with the meal, and had a rich pumpkin spice flavor that I still think about on those rare moments when I'm craving a beer. The atmosphere in Craftsman is very cool. The decor is very "gastropub"ish, if that makes any sense. They have a lot of dark, old wood, which gives it the tavern feel, but still feels modern. If you're into gastropubs, this is definitely a place to check out.
(5)
Matt T.

Went there last night and the experience was not the greatest. The hostess said that it would be a 45 minute wait, which was fine. I'm in a wheelchair and asked if there was seating for wheelchairs and hat bar. There was but it was currently occupied by abled bodied individuals. To her credit when it came available she came out and notified me by name, which was awesome. The bartender was great and sitting at the bar was really fun. After an hour of waiting we finger a table. This where things took a turn for the worse. Our waiter was the most inattentive waiter I've ever had. He came around about once a half hour. After getting our table it was at least 45 minutes before we got our drinks and over an hour before we even got to order our food. So 2.5 hours after getting there we had food. I understand that it was busy, but come on...ridiculous! There were at least 8 other servers and its not that big of a place. Next time I'm sitting at the bar if the one wheelchair spot isn't occupied by non wheelchair patron.
(3)
Mishel F.

Agree with all the other reviewers here, Craftsman is still working out the kinks. Food was average, with the highlight being the local albacore appetizer and the low point being the grass-fed burger (that is not really grass-fed). I guess we were expecting better quality ingredients and a more even dining experience as Blue Ribbon is so wonderful. I give them an extra star for a generous corkage policy, much appreciated and we would give them another shot because of that. Service however was very spotty, with our server forgetting several items in the order and long pauses between courses. In the end, we had to physically flag her down to get the check.
(3)
Tram L.

This is a great place for a quick bite at the bar or dinner with friends. Chef Wade creates amazing food. The only negative is the noise level can get kind of high because of the ceilings.
(4)
Breanna J.

I love this place. Good food and good staff. The manager Devin really took care of us. Good happy hour too :) I will be coming back
(5)
Amie B.

Great new restaurant in New Encinitas. Same owners as Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizza (another fave) but a whole new spin. Don't worry, they still have their popcorn and pudding. Full bar is a nice addition, too.
(5)
A R.

While I am huge fan of Wade's other restaurant (Blue Ribbon), I have been disappointed with menu at Craftsman...Granted, I am a vegetarian and that automatically decreases my choices/options on the comfort food oriented menu, but even my husband (carnivorous as ever) has his reservations about the preparation of the dishes he has tried. I hope they can work on the menu (I've seen changes from time to time since they've opened, but still not satisfying for me) and get this place on par with BR -- as we definitely need more high quality, thoughtful food in North County.
(2)
Alissa K.

My family and I went to this place on Thursday night an each of us had separate orders so I have more to talk about. My dad had the braised short ribs...now my dad is not a picky eater and is really well fed if you know what I mean and even though he finished it all, there was a pile of fat sitting on the side of his plate at the end of it all. He ended up making it a point to complain to the waiter about the amount of fat, which my dad rarely complains about food Ever! I am not an idiot and know food very well, I cook regularly. Short ribs are typically fattier but this was by far the most ive ever seen, just gross. My mom had the chicken which was spiced strangely and the bean purÃ©e on bottom of the chicken plating was less than mediocre. My scallops tasted not fresh as if from a can, they may be organic but they aren't fresh. I am a sucker for leeks though so I ate the zucchini and leek cakes no problem. Those were actually ok. My husband had the burger which was good as well but nothing compared to others he has had recently at The flying pig pub in Oside or Prepkitchen in Del Mar! Bottom line we all ended up walking out after having been to both Flying Pig and Prepkitchen and this is not even comparable or in the same league as them. If we had to rate all New American gastro-pub type kitchens in the area on a scale of one to ten..... Flying Pig far tops the rest at a whopping 10 points, prep kitchen gets a solid 7.5 for being delicious just not as delicious with as many local craft beers or wines as flying pig and this Craftsman gets a meager 4 points for not so cheery staff, not so fresh food, not so unique food, not so tasty food either, and not as many craft beers :( One last thing.... OUTRAGEOUSLY priced!!!!!!! Not worth the money. Drive a few more miles north or south and get a better meal at one of the aforementioned choices above.
(2)
Lee R.

Loved it! We've been meaning to try it after glowing recommendations from friends about the Happy Hour. We had dinner and it was terrific! The ambience is relaxed and casual with a neighborhood tavern feel. The service is very knowledgeable and attentive (thank you Randall!). My husband had the Duroc pork Porchetta - wow! I had a great burger (grass fed and cooked to perfection). The mark of a good tavern. We split the fabu cauliflower soup to start. Great wine and beer selections. Overall a treat. We will be back.
(5)
Shari B.

Unappetizing menu selections. Mediocre food. Terrible service. Bad experience overall. It's a waste of restaurant space.
(1)
Amanda C.

Still working the kinks out on this one. The food is really well prepared and presented, but the service is a bit lacking. The new set up promotes a much more rowdy and loud atmosphere, but can be fun with a group. I will go back and try again once they have been open for a while.
(3)
Tatiana S.

Went last night, it was crowded for a Tuesday night. The place is LOUD. Really loud. Overall I would say the food was good but the service was bad. I ordered the sweet corn soup (delicious), shared the heirloom tomato salad (great, but the plates they brought out for us to share the cold salad were piping hot), and a side of mac & cheese, which was good but a little heavy on the blue cheese. For dessert I got the bittersweet chocolate tart. I would not order it again - the cookie crust was darn near impossible to break open, and the rock salt on top was unappealing. When we were seated we waited 25 minutes for the server to show up. I got the "southside" drink and it was awful. I sent it back and asked for a cosmo, which was delivered nearly at the end of dinner. All of our food: salads, soups, main courses, was brought out within minutes of each other. The waitress was trying to arrange all these plates on the table, it was ridiculous. We were never asked if we wanted a second round of drinks, too bad because we wanted to have some wine so we went to a wine bar down the street. Since the food was good I will try this place again...it just opened so I think they have some staff issues to work out. But if it is the same way after a few months I likely will avoid it.
(3)
Jan G.

We've been to the Craftsman for lunch, dinner and brunch several times. Each time the food was wonderful.. Their duck fat fries are sublime. Yes, it's noisy, especially around the happy hour time frame. We go later in the evening and it's great. Their scallops on zucchini cakes is divine. I would give it 5 stars if it weren't for the noise level.
(4)
Bridget W.

Love it! Every time we have a sitter I want go there. Food, service and atmosphere make me so happy!
(5)
David M.

This is the fourth time my wife and I have eaten there, and every single time, both the food and the service have been outstanding. And the drinks....their specialty drinks were original and out of this world. The only slight complaint that I have, and it's not enough to remove a star (this place is now a staple for us) is that the live music can be a little off putting. Not that it wasn't fine music, but it makes for a slightly uncomfortable atmosphere, probably for the musicians as well. The music is not ambient; it's singer/songwriters, and you feel badly not paying attention, but no one is. That's not why they are there. It's for the amazing food, drinks and service.
(5)
P L.

Not going to lie, I usually judge a restaurant by its wine list and in this case The Craftsman raises the bar for all other Carlsbad and Encinitas spots. Kudos for offering wine lovers variety. I love the style of this restaurant and it has a pretty cool bar too. Every time I have dined, there has been a mix of couples, families and groups of friends. The menu has some pretty unique dishes, but I went for the Burger-it was great.
(5)
Kelli M.

As a Blue Ribbon fan I was disappointed. It's hard to appreciate a grass fed beef burger when its smothered in onions and rich blue cheese. The toppings masked the actual burger. The salami seemed to be missing off the meat and cheese plate. The 4 very thin slices and the cheese servings were not enough for 4. There were no unique and exciting items on the menu. It was hard to figure out why they couldn't just open a few doors or windows to eliminate the obnoxious noise level. I shouldn't have to shout at our friends sitting at the same table.The mac and cheese and the braised short ribs were good. The service was below average. I shouldn't have to ask for more water. The peach cobbler was good but not worth the price. The root beer cake was disappointing. If we are paying these high prices the portions need to be bigger and better service.
(2)
Mark S.

I'll preface this review by saying I made a mistake by not asking to be reseated at a new table which may have led to a horrible dining experience. Tables were very close together and we had strange table mates on both sides, leave it at that.... Ordered the hanger steak medium came very over cooked with a strange, bad tasting sauce. Hated it. My wife ordered the cod which actually looked at tasted OK, well prepared. My only highlight was the fries. Beer was good but was charged for an extra beer... Was hoping that we would have a new spot in Encinitas similar to the Union which I really enjoy. No such luck.
(2)
gordon h.

very small, bar stools are bolted into the floor and there isn't much elbow room fair selection of beer
(3)
Debora G.

Have been a couple of times and good thing as otherwise they would probably only be getting two stars. twice had excellent attentive service, great food. I love their fried brussel sprouts oh my!!! the pretzel and cheese could come with more bread, we finished off the first pretzel and stil had a lot of cheese left, when we asked for another they graciously brand us another. The two star visit: Was with my twelve year old daughter after a day out shopping. Thought it would be nice to have a casual dinner. Service was HORRIBLE. Waiter (wish I could remember his name) basically forgot about us. As a professional that travels internationally I eat out a lot. i have noticed though that occaisionally I will get markedly poorer service when I am out with my kids compared to when out with friends or colleagues. This evening was such a case. I had to ask what the specials were. He said he'd be right back to take our order after he dropped off the drinks and after over 20minutes I had to flag him down. After he brought us our meal he didn't check on us until we were almost finished. I would have liked another glass of wine but at that point it was too late. I have worked in several restaurants before so noticed that he was attentive to his other tables it was primarily our table that he didn't feel particularly in need of providing quality service. So just a note to all wait staff the stereotype that single women eating out with children are bad tippers might be a self-fulfilling prophesy. I am usually a very generous tipper obviously not that night.
(4)
Debbie J.

Dinner Friday night, glad we had a reservation as the place isn't very big! Parking is horrible, our friends parked across the street on another shopping center. Plan ahead. Started with happy hour appetizers, hope these aren't the normal sizes! We had 5 rather large onion rings and the loaded skillet cornbread about 4 - 6 inches in diameter. Both tasty but soooo small. All 4 of us had the 1 item BBQ dinner; 2 had ribs, one the brisket and me, chicken. Brisket had a lot of fat, unappealing to look at but the meat itself was tasty. The ribs eaters liked the ribs which came dry with 2 sauces provided for all of us to share. The chicken was good but came out a bit too cool for my taste, seemed like it sat for a bit waiting for something. All meals came with standard sides- Mac n cheese, coleslaw, beans and pickles. 3 also got okra. Beans tasted like some out of a can, nothing special,coleslaw was good but had a hot kick after the bite. The Mac n cheese was adult Mac n cheese, tasty, no American cheese here! It was nice to try someplace new but I doubt we'd go back on our next trip to the area. Oh, and while we were there, the wait staff must have dropped at least 6 or so plate or glasses.
(3)
ingrid t.

We went at 2:30 on a Saturday. It was slow but the food and service were perfect. Thanks Charlie!
(5)
Londa P.

My husband and I met a friend there. The food was amazing and the service was excellent. We had no problem talking, despite the previous reviews of the noise. I would go back again tomorrow!
(5)
Shaunna K.

Too loud...couldn't hear a word anyone was saying. Tables are to small and all food was delivered at the same time and came out too quickly. My husband ordered soup as a starter and they delivered the rest of his meal within 2 minutes of the soup arriving...normally not a problem but there wasn't room on the table. The food is good but way too expensive for the atmosphere. I really wanted to find a positive but we won't go back.
(2)
M H.

Service great. Atmosphere - comfy. Beer and wine selections great. Food options limited. It is either have big fancy entree or we have a big grass fed burger - albeit, a good burger, but looking for a lighter fare option, not as pricey and as much food as a full on entree. Love sister restaurant, Blue Ribbon, as they have that - it is not all pizza - and since they do offer the signature desert - was hoping the concept of BR would be similar, but with different farm to table options, you get create at home or want prepped for you - like exotic veggie combos...or have a tasting menu,
(3)
Katy M.

Very disappointing! I read the other reviews and went to give it a try. The restaurant was pretty busy, and loud. For the area the prices are higher than they should be, and the portions were quit small. I had the short ribs, which were very tender, but didn't have much flavor. The salad was small for $9. They don't have a children's menu, but offered to customize the menu items to make them more child friendly. The root bear on tap does not include refills. But the biggest problem was after reading all the positive comments on the root bear cake, they no longer serve it.
(2)
sherrie c.

If your looking for a really loud noisey place to go your nerves will be tested here. Your screaming the whole time and cant even here the person across the table. Got the short ribs and very disappointed!!! More fat than meat. Very pricey for what you get. Mac and Cheese very rubbery and the Brussels Spouts had so much grease on them you couldn't tell really what you were eating. It is a total waste of money and I would not go back again nor reccommend this restaurant to anyone. Told some of my friends and they don't even want to try it now. YUK!!!!!
(1)
J H.

Food had good flavor but way over priced.We got a quarter of one short rib and it was really fatty. We shared a meal with their duck fat fries and an appetizer and a few glasses of wine it was $70.there's better value for money.This restaurant gives a new meaning to short rib.Should of been called tiny rib
(3)
Joe P.

Terrible experience. Went in for lunch, ordered our drinks and food: a beer, an iced tea, leg of lamb sandwich, and corned beef sandwich. Should have been simple. After about 30 min of waiting (and wondering why a couple of sandwiches should take so long), the waiter (who is also the bartender) told us "there was a mix-up" (by who, he did not say). 10 minutes later, our food appears. Rather than corned beef, the waiter brought us tuna (and did not seem to realize this was incorrect). We did not eat the food (which did not look at all good), and so we simply asked for the check. The check had 2 beers on it rather than the iced tea - they couldn't even get this right! We asked to see the owner/manager, but he/she wasn't around. This is not a cheap place - the prices are quite high, but we'd be happy to pay if the quality and service were good. Quite the contrary, I don't know how this place stays in business given our experience. There was never any offer to "make things right" - frankly, I don't think the waiter cared. Very disappointed. We won't go back.
(1)
Jane D.

I was pleasantly surprised with this local restaurant hidden in a strip mall on El Camino Real. I was there with my family on a Saturday night, already packed at 6pm. I will agree, the place was loud, but it has a certain charm as would a small, loud bistro in Europe. There are many smaller tables and a couple of communal tables as well. Our food was all OUTSTANDING. We had the fried Brussels sprouts and duck fat fries as appetizers...both yummy! We had entrees of chicken (very tender & flavorful), short ribs (some of the best I've had), lamb (reported as the best my hubby's had), and the blue cheese burger (delicious). Though the Yelp profile shows this as not a good place for kids...I would argue that it is. My 7-yr old thought it was great. They have a nice kids menu...and face it, it's loud! If you are looking for a health food/vegetarian dinner, this place is probably not for you. If you are a foodie who enjoys a little comfort food now and again, you'll love it here! And though someone mentioned some of the drinks and drink glasses were a little old-style/overdone...I disagree; this place is a refreshing change for the chain restaurant-laden area. I would have given it 5-stars, but the kitchen had a little too long of a delay on one of our entrees. The waiter was very good at checking in on us, even during this snafu, but I would have liked to have seen some type of gesture made, such as a n/c entree or gratis dessert. Overall, I really liked the place and will go back!
(4)
Kate T.

After hearing from people that this place was good and the burger was a must-have, we went to go check it out. I took my mom, aunt and gma. When we sat down, it seemed like a cute place and the menu was anything but usual. the waitress was horrible. She took 20 mins to come take our order. She also neglected to see the bright pink lipstick all over the glass she served me ( i had no lipstick on ). She seemed annoyed at me even I didnt make a big deal of it. When we got our meals, my mom looked down on her plate and pulled out a black hair from her sandwhich before the waitress even walked away . She said sorry but didnt offer to take the plate. a man then came over and asked if he could go show the chef, my mom said ok. He never came back and 20 mins later another plate was brought out. The food was not very good. The sauces on the burger and the BLT's was gross. We chalked it up to bad service, bad food and a waitress with a bad attitude. Not a great experience, we won't be going back. The menu also says roasted bone marrow. I almost lost my appetite right then and there. I would also leave out the duck fat in the fries, sounds gross but the fries were good.
(2)
Tony K.

Great new restaurant in Encinitas! Sorry to see Savory go though. This is a more contemporary concept and should do well. Casual, but excellent food. Two tables down some guy was wearing board shorts at dinner, so just about anything goes as far as dress. This is a tavern concept, so the menu is a bit heavy (sausage, steak, fries, etc.) so don't go expecting some light, contemporary California cuisine. Also, no patio and most windows have been walled off (once again think tavern). The part that doesn't match the tavern theme is the pricing - $14 burgers and $7 beers (just one of each could set you back well over $25 out the door). Foodies will delight though - its by far the best in the area. Service and value were the only areas keeping it from a 5 star rating. Since it just opened, hopefully service will improve (they didn't course our dinner and expected us to make room on the table for the pre-mature delivery of our entrees). We will definitely be back and you should give it a try.
(4)
Marie A.

Great food . Owner is terrific! Best fried chicken I have had! I celebrated my birthday there and all of the girls loved it. We had brunch with wonderful mimosas and relishes food. OH MY GOSH was the fried chicken to die for?! We all sampled each other's food choices and everything was equAlly delish. The restraint is super cute inside. Fun place to be.
(5)
Jessica F.

My boyfriend and I went here last night during restaurant week. We were not that pleased. The two stars we found at this place were the Chicken N Waffles ($6 Happy Hour) appetizer and the butterscotch pudding. We also had a white bean soup (too chalky), Duck Confit (wayyy tooo dry, and grits absolutely disgusting and undercooked), braised short ribs (could use more flavor), and the buttermilk pie (just no). A benefit though was our waitress was very nice, slightly out there but nothing wrong with that and honestly we didn't want to send back our food because the other couple she was helping were just mean to her for no reason. We will go back, but it will only be for their happy hour. It was sadly a waste of money that we could have used towards a better restaurant during SDRW.
(2)
Angela M.

Bbq Platter with brisket and pork was really good! Sundays fried chicken so moist and delicious. Service so great and friendly. Will be coming back to try housemade s'more dessert. Sunday brunch menu looked tasty too!
(5)
Giang H.

Meh. I've experienced better. The cocktail was good but food was just okay. We're big into service but when there are only two tables in the restaurant, do you really have to sit us RIGHT next to the other table. They were within arms reach of us. Maybe it'd be cool if it were a singles bar but we were here to enjoy food alone....yes, kind of exclusive :) Ironically, i usually comment on how inattentive service is...but here, omg. We had about 5 different people, waiters, bussers, whatever, check on us literally every 3 minutes. We've never said, "we're okay" so many times hahaa. So Kudos (i guess?) on the service but in terms of food, and return ability, 2 stars...
(2)
Timmy G.

Epic food, epic customer service, epic drinks..Cassidy won us over with her charming personality.. We will for sure be back. ta ta timma!
(5)
Dana M.

Great ambience! Meat oriented but veg friendly. Wasn't a huge fan of the food, but wasn't put off by any of it either. For dinner, I just got the feeling that everything was overpriced.. This resulted in us feeling like it "wasn't all that good," until we realized that actually had the prices all been $2-$4 less, we would have thought it was a great deal! So somewhere the pricing is off for what they're bringing out. It seems like they know what they're doing for brunch better than they do for dinner. Haven't checked it out yet, but hope to. Another note: it's really, really loud. This definitely detracts from the ambience as the place fills up. We were able to sit right next to each other by the window, which helped, but I can't imagine sitting across from my date, trying to hear and be heard.
(2)
Renee M.

We just finished having lunch and were so glad we stopped.we got there at 2:25 (lunch ends at 2:30) but instead of feeling rushed they were so welcoming and the server Dustin was great! Now for the food, the pork belly was crisp on the outside yet succulent on the inside perfection! I also had the beet salad with goat cheese on a bed of arugula with toasted pistachios. I could eat this every day, so simple yet so good. My husband had the prohibition burger It was cooked just how asked, very tasty with avocado, bacon and jalapeÃ±os for a little kick.Thanks For a great lunch and a great experience, we'll be back.
(5)
J B.

Great warm atmosphere at this gem of a gastropub in Encinitas. They have a nice selection of local beers on tap including my favorite, The Lost Abbey's Devotion. While my favorite appetizers are the jalapeno poppers and the chicken & waffles, I suggest you go at happy hour to experience them all. Lastly, my girlfriend's complete obsession with their Blue Ribbon Butterscotch Pudding Sea Salted Caramel dessert makes me a smidgen jealous...enjoy!
(5)
Anna M.

We've only been here for supper. Portions are small/moderate and a little pricey, about $80 for dinner for two with drinks and dessert. But food is good, appears to be mostly farm-to-table and non-gmo, so high points for that!! The ice cream could use a more imaginative presentation. It's served in a denny's type sundae cup and with no saucer. Service friendly but a little uneven. If you're on a budget go for happy hour or lunch. All in all, we liked it and will go again. Atmosphere is modern/rustic casual.
(4)
David K.

I've now been to brunch twice at Craftsman, and found it to be a great experience both times. To start, they have the best burger in Encinitas - hands down. Their hangover burger has tomato jam that puts Union Kitchen's to shame, a fried egg, and delicious bacon, along with a perfect brioche bun. Paired with duck fat fries, it is the best burger you can get around here. I tried the Encinitas Cheesesteak as well, and found the steak to be delightfully tender, although the verde sauce on it was a little too grassy for my taste. I was very jealous of my wife's choice of the burger. Luckily, I was enjoying the unlimited bloody mary/mimosa for $9 deal, so I was able to drown my jealousy in booze. The bloody mary mix was surprisingly tasty with the right amount of horseradish, although the amount of vodka seemed a bit light. The atmosphere of Craftsman at brunch is wonderful with some extremely talented guitarists. The bartender is incredibly friendly, and has in the past made some great beer recommendations for us. They do offer quite a few local brews on tap, including my new favorite, Stumblefoot. I am excited to come back soon and try their dinner. For now, I will keep coming back for the cheap booze and the top notch Hangover Burger.
(4)
Cain M.

I've grew up in Encinitas up until I was 18. I'm 29 now and I've visited close to every other weekend since to see my parents. After all, it's only a short drive from Los Angeles. I came down the other weekend and my dad and I decided to give this place a shot. It's in our neighborhood, why not? We walked in on a Monday around 5:30pm, right before a Monday Night Football game. The place was not busy at all. There was a table of women grabbing happy hour drinks, a table with an older couple, two people at the bar, and me and my father. We had seated ourselves and over 10 minutes had passed and not a single person brought us menus. That's when I started paying attention to the service. At the bar was a young man named Peter, who I coincidentally went to high school with, and a taller man with curly-ish, reddish hair, whom I'm assuming was the manager, as he was dictating orders and tasks to the servers and bartender. This couple had walked in and sat down and he immediately brought them menus. I was shocked. We had been waiting over ten minutes and not a single person had come up to us. I made eye contact with him a few times. He CLEARLY saw us sitting and he made no effort to help us out. That really pissed me off. Neither did any of the other staff though. I was about to walk out but I decided not to make a big deal of the situation and kindly flagged down a waitress and asked her for some menus. She said, "Oh I'm sorry, I thought I saw menus on your table." Our table had two plates and silverware on it. Really? Long story short, if it wasn't for the server who was assigned to our table (she got there after we arrived) I'd give this place zero stars. They get two stars because she was cool (I think her name was Cassidy?) and my dad liked his chicken ceasar salad. I'll never step foot into this establishment again, nor would I recommend it to anyone else. You're better off spending your money elsewhere. This is coming from a true local.
(2)
Jeff C.

I live close by and come here as often as I can, so I was very surprised to see all the poor reviews! The burgers here are the best burgers I've had, so I haven't tried any of the other entrees. Fried Brussels sprouts are a must too. Do not leave this place without having the salted caramel butterscotch pudding. Sometimes I go here just for that. In terms of service, I've never had any poor experience at all. All the wait staff I've met have been super friendly and the bar tenders are great and good at what they do.
(5)
Rachel C.

This place has changed significantly since they opened so do yourself a favor and give it another try. Fantastic $15 burgers, lesser known wines but excellent choices sold at retail prices with a small corkage fee. Great food, wine and service. We will be back!
(5)
Cathleen F.

Based on Yelp reviews, I came for the Burger and that's what I ordered, though I was tempted by the very appealing menu which is full of rich comfort foods. The burger did not disappoint. Decadent - with a yummy bacon-sauteed onion marmelade slathered on and just the right amount of Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese. The beef is grass fed and delicious. Mac and Cheese was not bad, but nothing special. Fried Brussels Sprouts with bacon and capers delivers! The servers REALLY know their food. Be careful when you ask how's the lamb or any menu item, 'cuz you're gonna get a answer that takes a couple of minutes. And it's always nice, too, when the manager comes over to say hello... Others have complained about it being very loud - thankfully, we didn't have that experience, even though when we left, the restaurant was full.
(4)
Betty S.

Back visiting SoCal so I made another trip to the Craftsman. Gotta say I was rather disappointed this time. Popcorn is still awesome and the beer selection is still top notch. Ordered a hamburger tonight that was so greasy it saturated the bun and turned the burger in to a soggy mess. The tomato confit on the burger was overpowering as well and was all I could taste. Service started out okay but after we got our food the waitress disappeared. Had to flag her down for the check and some to go boxes. I think it was a staffing issue as she seemed competent but overwhelmed by the number of tables she was covering. I like this place and will be back but it might just be an appetizers and beer place for me.
(3)
Matt S.

My wife and I Love the Craftsman Tavern. The food and Drinks are always delicious and the draft beer selection, is great. Joness, Dallen and Charlie, pour some inventive cocktails, that always hit the spot. The front house. Staff, Ashlynn and Ivan (the GM) are so friendly and accomidating. This place is an Encinitas hidden gem.
(5)
Angela B.

I love this place! They have great farm to table meals at reasonable prices and even have desserts to go!!
(4)
Guy W.

Wifey and I just had first visit to this place....LOVE IT! We ordered the soup, sweet corn, shrimp and grits, Flatbread sausage which also came with a ridiculous Ceasar salad...it was awesome!!! Every last bite. Ohhhh and I also had a great craft beer on tap as well. We highly recommend this place. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Tanya B.

Yes Yes YES!! We Heart Craftsman! Delicious cocktails, stellar service, creative yummy food, inspired decor. 4 Thumbs Up. (If they can get the LOUD factor down, I'll give it a 5th Star. A wee bit of acoustics on the ceiling might help.)
(4)
Phebe B.

Super friendly people there! One time we went there and the chef accidentally mixed up the sugar and the salt! That was pretty bad lemonade, but we got it on the house and now we are known there! You can ask your waiter and hear the full story! They make flambÃ© right in front of you and the sparks will fly!! The food is amazing and it is SUPER kid friendly! This place is amazing!! If you are in the area, come and stop by!
(5)
Gamebebe C.

Very dry and expensive baby back rib. The chicken wing used to be good and crispy is not. Not consistent and expensive
(2)
Checko-Wing S.

I have learned to enjoy Craftman's, the trick is don't order their specialty dishes. My salmon was under-cooked and the scallops were spoiled. The scallops tasted and smelled like ammonia. This is a place for burgers and flat bread pizzas. Their beer selection is also weak. I have updated the review, because 33 North down the street was SO BAD that I can't possibly give The New Craftsman 2 stars.
(3)
Jason I.

This place use to be pretty good. The scallop entree and chicken entree use to be excellent along with the brussel sprouts, but with the recent menu change many of the items are saturated in oil and butter. Bad menu update. This place sucks now. Won't be going back. To be fair, the butterscotch pudding, crudo appetizer, popcorn, and burgers are good. Overall it's extremely heavy food. But don't take my word for it...go try it yourself.
(2)
Jenn B.

This was our first time at Craftsman and we were very pleased. We started with the sweet corn soup, which was incredible, and the jalapeno poppers, which were also very good but a bit spicier than most I've had before. I had the Louisiana shrimp and grits for my meal and loved it. My husband had the prohibition burger and said it was one of the best he's had in all of San Diego. We also had a side of the deviled egg potato salad, which was just okay in my opinion. We ended with the peanut butter chocolate dessert, which had caramel and pretzels on top. It was incredible! There were a lot of things on the menu we'd like to try, so we will definitely be back.
(5)
Maciek N.

We needed a place to meet some place half way and we found this one. The website looked good and the menu was interesting the minute I saw that they had shrimp and grits that was where I wanted to go. At first when we sat down we didn't get a server to come by and even ask for drinks for about 15 min. Another 15 min later he came by to get our orders. The food wasn't bad. What I got was OK not really what I would call shrimp and grits. What really got me frustrated with the service though was that we asked the waiter to split the bill, he said OK and walked away, we had to wave him down few minutes later to find out from him that he can't split the check because he didn't know what we ordered. Really disappointed with my visit there.
(2)
Michael S.

My wife and I have been to Craftsman a couple times in the last month, first alone on a date night and then this past Saturday with another couple. Generally, I'd say the food is good to great but the seating stinks - lots of bad tables. For our first visit to Craftsman we were seated in bar stools facing a window to the parking lot. At first we thought it was ok, but as dinner wore on my wife and I both wished we had a more traditional table. The screen in front of us was at an awkward height, and seeing the cars drive constantly by was sort of nausiating. The crazy thing is that there didn't seem to be many good tables in the restaurant. A couple communal tables, lots of bar chairs, tables facing the front door. I don't recall Savory having the same interior design deficiencies. I don't recall what my wife started with, but I had the local sweet corn soup, which was excellent - tons of flavor with a little chili oil on top for a delightful kick. My wife ordered the hangar steak for her entree which we thought was great. I had the porchetta, which our server insisted was "the most popular item on the menu" and was "always selling out." I didn't know what porchetta was until it arrived at the table. If you're thinking of ordering it, google it first. It was delicious at first but I tired of it and couldn't get past all the pork fat. For dessert we had the wonderful butterscotch pudding, which the restaurant brought over from Blue Ribbon - always a fave. This past weekend, with our friends, we had another bad table, this time right at the front door. Forget seating, let's talk about the food. We started with the bone marrow, which was one of the great culinary treats my wife and I have had in a long time. You gotta know what you're ordering, but the flavors popped. Truly exceptional. We also had the shushito peppers, which we were told are usually mild but this time were mouth-on-fire hot. My wife only had one, while I had maybe a dozen before even I had to give up. Our friends had a salad with burrata, which was very good too. For entrees, my wife had the burger (delicious, if you like blue cheese) while I had the house-made fettucine, which was simple but delicious. Our friends split the fettucine and the cod. For dessert we had the butterscotch pudding AGAIN, and a wonderful s'mores dish in a jar. Great meal.
(4)
Lillian L.

Awesome food. Been there a few times and never disappointed. The scallops are particularly good, as is the dessert caramel budino.
(5)
Sabrina C.

My husband, baby, and I went here for brunch. I had the waffle, and I fell in love. Fresh waffle, blueberry compote made with some such delicious thing like port, and REAL maple syrup. As an east coast transplant, that warmed me all over. My husband had the omelette and was similarly impressed. Really, outstanding food. We weren't fans of the meats (the bacon was too crispy for my taste and the sausage simply weren't to his taste, but perhaps these just weren't our things). To be fair, we were so full and satisfied from our meals otherwise, we didn't miss them. :) Also, the decor was darling. Mason jar glasses, fantastic wall hangings, just a wonderful mash up of po-mo country cuteness all over. The music was also wonderful. What lost them their fifth star? No changing table in the bathroom. As a new momma, this is pretty important to me. Crouching on the floor, changing a baby, no fun
(4)
Scott T.

my GREY GOOSE dirty with BLUE CHEESE OLIVES -- yeah, it was that kinda day -- arrived perfectly chilled, shaken not stirred. a second followed close behind the first. a couple drinks are not enough to make me believe i'm handsome and bulletproof but sufficient to guarantee i'll be tolerably pleasant company ... the ALBACORE CRUDO (short stacks of albacore, thinly sliced radish and avocado, lemon juice and EVOO) was perfect or perhaps it was just the warm afterglow of that second martini. the BABY BEET SALAD (with goat cheese, toasted hazelnuts and orange-sherry vinaigrette) and BABY GREENS SALAD (with strawberries, pt. reyes blue cheese and golden balsamic vinaigrette) were both lightly dressed, visually appealing and plenty tasty. the PORK BELLY appetizer (crispy pork belly with manila clam chowder and shishito peppers) was easily the best dish of the evening. pig and clams -- i mean you'd really have to work at it to go far wrong when you were off to such a great start. i thought the CHARCUTERIE PLATE was fun and imaginative with an interesting array of things to nibble but the server set the plate in front of my six-year old, he looked a bit overwhelmed. fortunately there was plenty WADE's MAC N CHEESE ordered by his eight-year old sister (CRAFTSMAN doesn't have a kid's menu) to go around -- creamy, rich and delish !!! the DUCK FAT FRIES were good but not particularly unique though i guess it would be tough to live up to the hype. i'm a sucker for just about anything braised and the RIBS (merlot braised short ribs, horseradish potato puree, red onion marmalade with beef jus) were truly amazing. the spuds were a nice sidekick -- great comfort food. the FETTUCCINE (house-made fettuccine, local corn veloutÃ©, goat cheese and chives) arrived well after the other entrees and the pasta was way, way, way short of al dente. it was pretty obvious somebody dropped the ball and then rushed it out before the fettuccine had a chance to cook properly and i mean not even close -- every bite had that raw flour taste. the corn was an odd but interesting addition. sauce had lots of rich flavor and a nice mouth feel. i'm not much of a desert eater (except for those rare genius moments when some wily chef has the vision to work in a little bacon) so i left the TART (bittersweet chocolate tart with salted caramel) and ROOT BEER CAKE (with vanilla ice cream) for everybody else to fight over but they both got excellent reviews except nobody seemed to be able to taste the root beer. service was attentive and engaging without hovering but the bus boy seemed fairly obsessive about clearing the table -- they were pretty busy and i guess they're short plates ...
(5)
Christine N.

Great service, great food, wonderful evening! Our server was Nicole; she was helpful, responsive and friendly. GM Ivan was in the restaurant keeping his finger on the pulse of the evening, ensuring it went smoothly for the Friday night crowd when we came. The restaurant was packed, lively and filled with good cheer.We sat at the bar while waiting for our reservations and enjoyed their fine selection of locally crafted beers and select wines. Then, when placed at our table 15 min later, we enjoyed their delicious fried/sauteed brussel sprouts appetizer along with a cup of the rich and velvety butternut squash soup with chile oil and chives. Afterwards my husband ordered the Encinitas pizza and I got the incredible Mussels with Frites-- absolutely fabulous. Our waitress, Nicole, was more than accomodating, since this patron requested extra helpings of the incredible beer broth that the mussels are steamed in. Hubby had a couple of the craft beers while I tried a Parker Station Pinot Noir and later, a very nice white blend to go with the seafood (Blonde Siren) The ambiance was festive and cheerful. Not too loud to carry on a normal conversation. Craftsman goes above and beyond what a standard tavern would do to ensure the customer experience is positive. The food was delicious, creative, well executed and beautifully served . Recommend this restaurant highly!
(5)
Suzanne S.

Just found my new Monday nite hang-out !!!!! Amazing food, great people who work there and to top it off, GREAT music !!!!! Monday nights they have Ben Powell, a local guy, who is an amazing musician... One Man Band !! You all have to come and check it out..............
(5)
John E.

The food here is top notch... Brunch is my favorite. The Red Pepper Hollandaise on a sausage benedict is crazy good food...The potatoes are great too, seasoned perfectly and made with love... Dinner is exceptionally good...Great balance of flavors from sweet and salty, bitter and sweet, to rich and acidic... I had the scallops and they were amazing... My girlfriend had the duck confit and it was very good as well...Im not a fan of risotto cakes or any formed risotto for that matter, but it was exceptionally good... The dÃ©cor is very dark for brunch but a great place in town for a great dinner...Not pretentious at all...And You must try the desserts...WOW
(5)
M M.

We are big fans of Blue Ribbon, but hate the wait! So we decided to try Craftsman since it is the same owners and similar menu. The food was delicious...we tried the duck and short ribs. And of course the Salted Butterscotch Pudding is to die for (it is worth going for this alone). The only reason I can't give this place 5-stars is the noise. It is ridiculously loud in there...even without the live music!
(4)
Jessica E.

We went here tonight for my husband's 44th birthday dinner with nine of us (6 adults & 3 kids) and it was delicious!! The atmosphere was great and even the kids menu was good. I really liked the presentation of everything....everyone enjoyed their meal. I will go back for sure. There was a guitarist tonight with some fun background music, but I could see how it might be too loud if there were a bigger band. Great Tuesday night, thank you!
(4)
Erin P.

I met my grandfather and aunt at the Craftsman for dinner. It's considered to be an American tavern. I wanted to take my grandpa somewhere new since he always likes Italian food. I also love the sister restaurant Blue Ribbon pizza so I figured it would be good. The place is cute but gets very busy for dinner. I luckily had called to make a reservation at 5:45 p.m. even though they told me I wouldn't need it. I don't think we would have had a table that night without a reservation. The dÃ©cor has a rustic feel and is very cozy. It's not a big restaurant but it does have a nice bar with about 5 flat screen tvs to watch games. They offer weekly specials on their beer and food. They offer a variety of food from chicken to fish to burgers and salads. My grandfather was very happy with his Craftsman burger although it was a bit pricey at $15 for what it was. I had the warm spinach salad with chicken that was $11 dollars. It seemed a bit boring with just spinach, chicken, a few sprinkled candied walnuts and a few sliced onions but the dressing was good. We ordered the side of Brussels sprouts which are cooked with bacon and fried so of course they are good. The service was good but I wouldn't say great. At least it seemed a bit slow when I was there. The only downside to this restaurant is the noise level. It was somewhat hard to have a conversation especially with an elderly person. They had the music on while they had various programs on the flat screens so it was a bit much. One or the other would have been fine but not both TV and music since it makes it hard to hear the people at your table talking. It's a good place to grab a bit and a beer to watch a football or sporting event on TV.
(3)
Robert J.

If I take the time to write a review,It is because I am overwhelmed with dissatisfaction or praise for a location. In this case it is dissatisfaction. In three separate occasions, we sent food back for being to salty to eat. The third time was the last time and they made it certain by giving me food poisoning to the extent of making me a champion of Imodium-d. It is hard to believe that there under the same banner as Blue Ribbon Pizza. Now on another note. Their Butter Scotch Pudding is brilliant, but enjoy it at Blue Ribbon Pizza without the sea salt and plenty whipped cream. These people are insane with the use of salt. So if you need a little higher blood pressure, By all means stop by. This is the sincere truth. Dr. Robert A. Jeffries
(1)
Tom S.

We had a party of 18 people for Mother's Day, and we couldn't have been happier. First, the manager (sorry, I can't remember everyone's name) made sure we had a table all ready to go the second my wife's 94 year old mother walked in the door. Our server was fantastic. She accommodated our desires to have 4 separate checks for our party. All 18 dishes arrived at exactly the same time, so no one was watching their food get cold while others waited. The food was delicious, and priced right. The bloody mary bar and the bottomless mimosas were a nice plus, too. Up to now, my wife and I have hated going to restaurants on Mother's Day. Interminable waiting, errors in the service, bad food, etc., all made for a forgettable day. But we came away from this relaxed and happy. Kudos to the Craftsman manager, our server, the cook, and all the staff. We're planning to return next Mother's Day, so save us a table!
(5)
Bobbie H.

New Years Eve--early, 6:30 crowded, loud, families, couples, girlfriends--you name it, the place was jumping! Worth the short wait (15mins) for sure. Once we were seated, it was leisurely so we never felt rushed. I had a glass of Bishop Woods Cab and it was as good as any I've ever had. As a vegetarian, I was slightly limited in my choices but had pursued the menu in advance and went right for the beet salad and Leucadia flatbread. OMG! Both were wonderful. Though the salad wasn't very large, I saved 1/2 of it to enjoy at home. When the flatbread came, I thought I'd be doing the same as it was pretty big, but once I took a bite, I never stopped till every piece was gone. One of the best fusings of favors I've ever tasted, and that's the truth! My friend had an old fashioned burger and said it was delicious too. Tried the special dessert of the day-Boston Cream Pie--sorry, no raves, nothing special here.
(4)
Sarah F.

Stopped in for a drink. Margarita was amazing. We also ordered the popcorn as a snack. Delish. The atmosphere is the best, bartenders were super nice and attentive. I would love to go back and eat. Everything that came out of the kitchen looked so good. Place was packed. So much fun.
(5)
Michael W.

Have no idea how good the food is, but judging from Blue Ribbon Pizza, it's probably just fine, albeit not insignificantly overpriced. The reason I'm giving it a single star is that anyone who cares about appreciating a dinner or conversing with table mates, should avoid this place like the plague. I had read about the live music, but nothing prepares you for the volume of noise you encounter when you walk in the door. The place is very small with no sound deadening features at all, and the amplified musicians force everyone to yell even louder than they ordinarily would trying to be heard. All said, it's like trying to enjoy a dinner set up on a table in the median of I-5. We were celebrating our daughter's birthday, and both she and her husband--fans of Blue Ribbon--had been very excited about trying Craftsman, so since the crowd seemed to be having a fine time at this clearly "happening" place, we claimed our table to see if we could adjust to the din. After ten minutes, though, we made for the door--unanimous in our judgment that adjusting to the staggering noise level was just not physically possible. We wound up having an excellent dinner with many of the same menu items featured at Craftsman at the Firefly Grill just a few doors down. And we could converse! I understand the noise level at Craftsman is deigned to get everyone as energized as possible so they'll order more drinks, and clearly this is working for them as a business model. This is, though, ostensibly a restaurant, but unless they can add a wing far enough removed from the music as to allow for actually tasting, enjoying and commenting on the food, I'm sorry to have to say it's a very poor one.
(1)
Steve S.

Been here three times. Food is good, drink is good I recommend you give this place a try. Only negative is it has limited seating and is a bit pricy.
(4)
Tom M.

They need to kick it up a bit. The space is nice and casual. Service was friendly but amateurish. Don't like the concept of an array of "sides" with the BBQ menu that can't be changed. Should be able to get French Fries as a substitute. Baby back ribs were very good - brisket was very fatty.
(2)
Christine D.

I'm very surprised at the 3 stars for this place. I came in with a group of 5. It was a Tuesday (not happy hour). Got a seat, next to the band- and I don't remember it being "too loud and crowded" at all. I am a vegetarian and found several things I wanted on the menu. I had a great Caesar salad, Mac and cheese and Brussel Sprouts (normally with bacon- "no bacon? No problem!"). Everything was DELISH. We ordered a LOT of food, a bottle of wine and several beers, and our bill was only $180. Call me crazy, but I think that's decent for 5 people. I will be back this week! I can't stop thinking about those brussel sprouts & I want to try a dessert!
(5)
Ryan W.

I live up the street from this place. It great food and service. The menue is hit and miss for me. I just had the short ribs and they were good but over priced for a rib with mad fat. Over all I really love there sister company blue ribbon pizza in the lumber yard. I give this place a 4 star!
(4)
Sarah M.

Went in last night! Everyone was so friendly! The food was great, good happy hour! We had the chicken and waffles, YUM! The shrimp and grits, Double YUM and the Blue Ribbon Caesar Salad, VERY YUM! I am for sure going to come back! Like I said the staff was so friendly and checked on us multiple times! Try it out!!!
(4)
Alain G.

I've been to The Craftsman a few times now and each time my opinion of the place has improved. The first time I went my initial reaction was, "Great, another overpriced 'trendy' restaurant." They serve you water in jam jars and I ordered the cheapest item on the menu (the burger) which was good but not great. The subsequent times I dined at this restaurant I ended up splurging a bit more. I tried their more expensive, less standard dishes, and another time I ordered off of the specials menu. Spending the big bucks ended up being well worth it because each time the food was fantastic. The steak that I ordered off the specials menu was possibly the most perfectly prepared piece of meat I've ever consumed. Another plus for this restaurant is their tasteful wine and beer selection. All their wines are above average for the standard restaurant and I appreciate the fact that they serve a number local brews other than just Stone IPA. They don't take reservations for parties smaller than six but I've never had to wait more than twenty minutes for a table. The out-of-the-way location makes it crowded but not ridiculously so. So if you're in the mood to be spendy and want a nice night out, The Craftsman is not at all a bad way to go.
(4)
Rory O.

Went for lunch and ordered their grass fed beef burger. Only 3 stars because I ordered it medium rare and for $15 dollar burger I expect a perfect medium rare...well done. I will try them again when I'm back in town, but I would rather go to the Encinitas ale house or to Burger Lounge in Del Mar if your looking for a quality burger in the area. pros - cool menu, great beer selection and polite servers. cons - overpriced and poorly executed burger.
(3)
Abbie H.

Came to the Craftsman with a large party and somehow ended up with a table during happy hour. Had a couple of martinis that were good but a bit overpriced. I also sampled an ahi tuna dish and fries. All the food was good, although I repeat I felt the prices were a bit much. I liked the atmosphere here, although it's a bit cramped and hard to move around at times. Wait staff also tended to forget little things as they were extremely busy. A solid, okay place but nothing really stood out here.
(3)
Bob L.

Fantastic service, food and drinks
(4)
Celine B.

We tried the Craftman New American Tavern for the first time yesterday, but will not return and will not recommand the place to our friends. There is more places with excellent food for lower price around Encinitas. Party of 3, they don't take a reservation for a small group. They charge $15 for corking fee if you bring your own wine. Moonshine is a mixed drink, it was watermelon flavor that night: they seem to have different flavors depending on what juice they have available. The place needed more staff, the hostess was also helping filling drink orders. The wait was not that bad, waitress was polite but not too friendly. Decent selection of local craft brews. Asked for a taster of Lost Abbey Devotion, it had black particles in the beer (coming from a dirty glass or the tap line?) The Deep Fried Brussels Sprouts was over priced for a 1/2 cup serving, but delicious. Burger was cooked to perfection as requested (medium). We had the chocolate tart with sea salt caramel: they should give you a steak knife to cut this thing as the crust was really hard. Noise volume was not too bad at 6:30pm, but it was hard to have a conversation around 7:30pm, so we decide to go. They might consider having drapes or noise cancelling wall panels.
(2)
Jeanna W.

Big fan of this place. I have been here several times and have enjoyed each outing. Here are just a few reasons why this place is awesome to try. 1. Best happy hour that I have seen in Encinitas - $5 tavern menu and drinks. One has to try the Truffle Popcorn and the Brussels Sprouts with Bacon! Plus it goes on til 6:30. 2. Southern Comfort Food - Try the chef's Shrimp and Grits since they are the real deal. 3. Live music during the week. There was a different group each time I went. 4. Butterscotch Pudding that is to die for. Make sure you don't share because you will regret it. 5. Cask Beer - I tried my first here. They have a new one each Thursday! Very different and worth a taste.
(5)
Christi Lynn C.

Loved this place! They have a great beer selection and awesome cocktail menu. Had the Black & Orange spritzer. Scallops were fantastic! Also must try the butterscotch pudding :) Service was outstanding and its a very cool atmosphere. Fun place. I would like to come back soon and check out brunch!
(5)
Kieran M.

We went last night and ordered off both the restaurant week menu and the regular menu. Some dishes were great, some totally flavorless. The good: cheese fondue, scallops, butterscotch pudding and smores. The bad: corn soup (no flavor at all), hush puppies, and deviled eggs ($7 for 1 and 1/2 eggs). Service was very good. Nice bottle of Pinot Noir. Would I go back - maybe, but probably not. We found out about this place when we went to their restaurant in Hillcrest - Blue Ribbon Rustic Kitchen - which was much better. I will go there instead.
(3)
Chris C.

I have been wanting to try the Craftsman for a long time as I love Blue Ribbon. I also love brunch so I was excited to try their Sunday Brunch. It was lively the day of the league championship NFL games, but not overly packed. I was the only one sitting at the bar and had to ask the bartender to put the game on. I know it is not a sports bar, but come on... He wasn't all that great, seeming to be a little overwhelmed throughout the day. The live music was cool though. I didn't come for the service or to watch the games though, I was there for the food. The omelette bar looked pretty good, but if I'm gonna dine there, I want a bit more than eggs. I started with the lobster corndogs and enjoyed them quite a bit. They weren't the best thing I have ever had, but they were unique and tasty. Next up was the breakfast burger with duck fat fries. It was definitely worth the price of admission. Great quality meat and awesome additions like white cheddar, bacon, tomato jam and a fried egg. I love a fried egg on a burger. It is just so right! I finished with the always delicious butterscotch pudding with carmel and rock salt. Oddly enough they forgot the rock salt in mine. Maybe it was because I ordered it for brunch. All in all it was very good and I'm excited to try some of their other menu options in the future!
(4)
Maria L.

Excellent spot for appetizers & drinks! We had the shrimp & grits and it did not disappoint. The shrimp are huge and the grits expertly seasoned. To drink, I got a margarita with the house infused tequila. It was infused with habaneros and some kind of fruit - can't remember what exactly. Ridiculously tasty and came in a huge glass. So nice that they offer interesting cocktails in addition to the craft brews ;) I think they change up the infusions - I look forward to seeing what the bar comes up with next time I'm there. Oh and the butterscotch pudding here really is as good as everyone says it is. Highly recommended!
(5)
HJ H.

Waiters and waitress are very proud of their food. I found they are good, not that far exceed. I would come again for a quiet chat time with one or two people( not big group) , if I am around encinita.
(3)
Andrew M.

First time here tonight. Brought the kids for an early dinner with mom out of town. Service is attentive, but not overbearing with half the tables occupied. The food is outstanding. Beautiful presentation. You can tell everything is made fresh, and the favors and textures pop. I was relieved to see a kids' menu, as the main menu is a little adventurous. My picky daughter's corn dogs off the kids menu were homemade lollipop-style, and she loved them. I had the goat cheese and ricotta raviolis--could eat nothing else for a month and be happy. My son had the lamb burger. He gobbled the whole thing and said nothing, but he's a teenager, so nothing to learn from that. We'll be back. Saving that last star for after I can try more of the menu.
(4)
Briana C.

My only experience with this place was with brunch. While nothing was bad, nothing was great, either. Oh, I take that back - service was excellent. I wish I could remember the guys name (tall, thin, shaved head... he was great!) The food was just so-so. Pretty salty, but bacon kinda does that. Potatoes were bland. Though my bottomless bloody Mary never ran dry, it did not pack the punch I was looking for. Should have had the mimosa instead...
(3)
R D.

I highly recommend the salads and the burgers. The pasta dishes are good too. However, the best and most additive item on the menu is the truffle oil popcorn. The wine list is extensive, but they are often out of wines.
(4)
Claire C.

The food was delicious both times I've been to the craftsman. And the happy hour deal allowed my friend and I to try many of the small plate offerings. But my favorite is still the butterscotch pudding dessert. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Sarah B.

So I came here for the first time tonight and the food was really good! I love the ambiance and the feel inside. Unfortunately we must have gotten a server (Jillian) who was having a bad day or something. I just didn't get the service I was expecting and hearing about this place. So much could have gone better and to end it with just dropping off the check without even a thank you or have a good night just did it for me. First impression was not good.
(2)
Geoffrey C.

This is my first time eating here and the hostess was welcoming (Tory) the waitress was on the ball and awesome (Gina) the food is excellent and for the first time in my life I found out I love Brussel sprouts. The truffle popcorn was surprisingly my favorite item. Shrimp and grits - ain't nothing wrong with that. I dined alone and the server would stop and talk with me. Love this place and will definitely be back. Going to try some amazing butterscotch pudding right now - ahhhhh yeah. *** update the butterscotch pudding is by far my favorite. Salted caramel topped and unfreakingbelievable!
(5)
Gretchen W.

For lunch the servings are awesome - huge and delicious! You could split a salad or sandwich with a girlfriend and have plenty of food. A man will be full eating the whole thing... Today I had the caprese Panini and side salad for $9 - large sandwich and large ceasar side salad - took half the sandwich home. So worth $9. Good food, great prices, great atmosphere!
(5)
Robin D.

We are so appreciative of restaurants that offer good food and exceptional customer service. Hats off to Charles the amazing bartender! I also need to add how much I LOVE their Caesar salad! :)
(5)
Nicole C.

The food was great. There's a good selection and the price is ok. We went for brunch on Sunday and got the bottomless mimosas. The waitress was really bad about coming around with the champagne and we wouldn't do it again.
(3)
Cassandra L.

This is a great locally owned restaurant. Friendly staff, casual environment, and great food and drink. I regular this spot often, and absolutely love the well thought out specials, as well as there signature dishes. Definitely worth checking out if you live in the area. Also, bottomless mimosas Sunday mornings.... Enough said. :)
(5)
Andrea B.

We went in for a few beers and decided to try some of the apps. which are half price all day on Tuesdays. We order and split the beet salad with goat cheese, pistachios, arugula with vinaigrette. The salad was tasty and all, but a few foodie critique comments. The beets were clearly from a jar, with most of the local food now being farm to table this was a disappointment, the goat cheese was not of high quality and was just clumped in a few spots, and the vinaigrette was so salty, much was not needed when you have goat cheese and pistachios already. Next we shared the dessert cheese plate, again jarred items like the figs which was a jam and not fresh figs. the honey which said it was local was thin and we had to ask for more since just a little dime size drop was put on the plate, there were only 2 small kinds of cheeses, one was a brie that lacked the flavor of a hearty brie and the other may have been manchengo. There were apple slices from a standard green apple and micro micro greens as you can see in the picture. The walnuts were pretty tasty though. The beer section was pretty decent and the wine selection was vast. We do have something nice to say about the bar tender and one of the hostesses, Charlie the bar tender was personable , very attentive and made great drinks and the blonde waitress with the pony tail kept us entertained. We may show back up for a second try, but with so many farm to table restaurants, this place should re-evaluate it's chefs, the plate to me seemed to lack the best ingredient, LOVE.
(3)
lisa h.

Just (finally) went here for the first time the other night. Why did we wait so long? Love it. Great atmosphere, lovely service (Aubrey!), nice selection of low-to-high priced wine, delish happy hour specials.... Liked the deviled eggs, pork belly was fatty scrumptiousness, and our burgers were beautiful, We'll be back for sure.
(5)
Maggie B.

I absolutely love this place! I started going here with my daughter after dance class once a month. We always had the same waiter who was very pleasant and nice. The food is good and the drinks excellent. They have a great choice of local craft beers which is a bonus. I appreciate that it's a good place to go as a family and on a date with my husband. I've never been disappointed.
(5)
Barbara C.

Had my birthday party here this past Sunday for brunch with about 15 people. Food was amazing, restaurant was cozy and Cassidy and Ivan were FANTASTIC with keeping our mimosa's overflowing. There was a slight hiccup with the check but it was easily fixed. Very accommodating to our large party and great for all ages. We will definitely be back!! Thanks again Cassidy and Ivan!!!
(5)
Josh G.

I do like this place, but I'm just waiting for John Taffer from Bar Rescue to go in and start firing people for drinking on the job. Bartender was hammered last night and the hostess kept coming to ask for another "marg" from him. Our mules had to be remade twice because the bartender kept forgetting to add ginger beer, the key ingredient of a mule. I'm mixed now on this place, maybe management will do something about it, maybe they won't. Either way, place has strong potential.
(2)
Cele W.

Came in on a Friday for dinner. Good service, liked the ambiance and urban decor. Love that they aim for sustainable, responsible dining. (Sounds PC but you know what I mean, using local farmers, etc.). I had a raspberry cocktail- so delicious, too good. He had a local beer (they have a wide offering of ale and cocktails). Had the corn soup to start which had a nice flavor, but $9/bowl is too much. Also split a simple arugula salad, was tasty. Husband had a simple cheeseburger and fries. His only complaint was that it was too "fancy" as far as being seasoned. I had the halibut with mashed potatoes and green beans. Absolutely delicious and such a generous portion; took a filet home. The service was wonderful, young man was so helpful and he wasn't even our waiter. Really enjoyed ourselves and will be back! Good job guys!
(5)
Joe C.

Nice variety of food. Very creative menu. Good beer selection. I like the environment and hospitality of the staff. Great place to enjoy a game while having a beer and some appetizers or just dessert and coffee. Try the shrimp and grits!
(5)
Micah C.

Well not sure what people are talking about with all the great reviews but it didn't even come close to great. I'll start with the duck fat fries. So sad $7 for fries that are worse than any fast food place. They are mediocre fries at best lacking any flavor. It says it's sprinkled with herbs and salt but had none? Next fried Brussel sprouts $9. This was decent but don't call them fried unless you dip them in grease and fry them. They are your basic Brussel sprouts sautÃ©ed in a pan of grease not battered then dunked! The PDT $15 which is a veggie burger was pretty good but what the heck it's sooo over priced. Don't get me started on service the brunette that served us was clueless.Nice but ditsy.I could go on & on even my friends said the truffle popcorn was good but it just didn't do it for us. The place is outrageous for basically nothing special just weird names of food that you expect wow and get meh. Yelpers you so let me down with this place. Crap location as well. Cool remodeled building. This place will be gone in 3-5 years that's my guess. Prove me wrong.
(2)
Daedalus A.

Excellent experience from start to finish. I had the sliders and bacon jalapeÃ±o poppers, and a great cab. Wife had salad. No complaints, good service, great ambience.
(4)
Peter R.

Not a disaster, almost 3 stars, just ok (we had mussels and scallops). Friendly staff. Good waiter with plenty of tips and information, some good beer options, it was ok. Pity the owners resorted to the high wall of flatscreens showing sports, I think that's a cop-out to entertain the sheeple / walking dead but others may appreciate it. Borderline 3 stars.
(2)
Erin H.

Any place that serves popcorn on the menu as an appetizer is automatically in my good graces. SO good. I tried to eat it all but with an audience (versus my eating habits at home) I felt the need to restrain myself for some reason. Never fear, I got the rest of it to go - I must say I might find myself ordering this popcorn to go though! Must figure out recipe. Last night was only their 3rd night open but they were PACKED. Clearly our area is starved for new (read: good) restaurants. I loved the decor and feeling of the place overall, but the acoustics of it make it almost hard to have a conversation with those at your own table. There's definitely nothing light about this menu which was a bit disheartening, but then again being a "tavern" I shouldn't have expected otherwise. There's only one vegetarian dish but lots of veggie side dishes, although a lot of those seem to have bacon and duck fat...someone please tell me that duck fat isn't ACTUALLY duck fat - because, ick. Husband had the burger - but he struggled to get more than halfway through it because it was too rich for him. I brought home the other half and will give it a whirl later. I had the Fettuccine which was oddly enough more sweet than rich which kind of bummed me out. I couldn't leave without trying a dessert (hello gym!) so I went for the root beer cake - it was...interesting and good...once get you past the "this cake tastes like root beer" thing. Service was decent but not overly friendly. I'm curious to know if they switch up their menu or if that's just what it is - I'm sure we'll be back after they've had more time to try some other things - I'll definitely be back for the popcorn.
(4)
Mary R.

Good food. loved the Craftsman burger and they had good options for my daughter and were great about getting her food out asap. Cute atmosphere. Didnt love the wine selection but I'm picky.
(4)
Mario A.

Depending on what you get, I feel the BBQ sauce is salty. I dont think it is the go to place for me to get BBQ, but it is for everyone else who does not cook in this town. They get away with the prices because of its location and locals that go there. 10 times better than Brett's BBQ, that is for sure, but not to the level of taste that comes from Lucile's BBQ.
(2)
Floyd C.

Wow, I was hoping the stars would come out but Yelpers were right about this. This place still has potential and hoping they turn it around. Some quick tips: Train your vegetarian waitstaff on your protein. They don't need to be experts but know the difference of what you are serving. They no longer have Cask on Tap starting Thursday night, wait staff doesn't know why. Friend and I both got two meat plates with all the sides. I can't explain how bad the cole slaw was. It was 100% dry and wilted lettuce, didn't even take a bite. Left the beans alone too. Mac n Cheese was watery. Ribs... the flavor of the smoke was excellent Oh! no more live music anymore too. The silver lining: the waitress said "new things" are coming? I asked a new beer on tap, a new chef, a new menu? She didn't know because they are keeping it a secret. Do tell Craftsman, do tell!
(2)
Peter C.

Horrible in every language possible. The pigtailed uninformed Groucho marks eyebrow know it all at the bar poured me a Chardonnay instead of the cabarnet I ordered and then instead of taking it off the check she pushed it so my friend agreed To drink it along with his vodka to get rid of the pathetic look that crossed her face. We ordered an encinitas flatbread which the menu uninformedly says fennel It has spicy smoked sausage. Fine. But then she n eventually some guy tried to tell us we Were in Disneyland and didn't know what kind of meat we were putting in our mouths. They probably didn't like my gay friends or thought bc they're gay they know nothing. About sausage. One of my friends is short n well slap me silly but then they started telling short jokes. Amy way they kept telling us what we were eating wasn't what we thought. Liars straight to us. Ok. We're stupid so we're not smart enough to ever come back since we're not smart enough to appreciate small overpriced burnt food that is different when served than what the menu says. If you're stupid don't go there.
(1)
Tomas O.

Had lunch, great beer selection, food was good, ambience was very good, my server was "a.m." She was on it good experience
(5)
Nancy P.

I've eaten here a few times and for the life of me I can't understand all of the negative reviews. I have enjoyed mostly everything I have had (LOVE the brussel sprouts and the S'Mores dessert). The service has always been great and I haven't experienced the noise level being too loud. I can't comment on the beer or bar as I don't drink alcohol. That being said, obviously from the other reviews there is improvements to be made. I just want to encourage people to try it for themselves before dismissing The Craftsman outright. Hopefully the management is reading their yelp reviews and will implement some changes to enhance the overall dining experience.
(4)
Aloha B.

Decor, laid back atmosphere, TVs, upscale tavern type restaurant - all things this place has going for it. As for the food, ehhhhhh... FiancÃ© had the one meat selection and he chose the Brisket. I also had the one meat selection and chose the pork butt. We both should've gone with what my future father in law ordered, the braised short ribs. Cole slaw: not exciting at all and lacked taste Beans: wasn't cooked all the way through, but the spice and flavor was good Mac and cheese: not great, maybe it was the cheese they used that put a bad taste in my mouth Potato bread: hard and dry but filling Brisket: tough - it tasted like leather Pork butt: not that bad. Edible but it needed more flavor Braised short robs: melts in your mouth - it's like heaven!!!! Yum. I would only come back to this place because of the braised short ribs 3 stars for the decor, etc and short ribs Knocked off two stars because only 1/3 of our parties order was enjoyable
(3)
Todd D.

Really disappointed- We have been here several times before... tonight the kitchen managed to screw up three out of four entrees. I ordered the sliders for the kids- waiter thought i meant the pork sliders, not the kids slider cheeseburgers, grilled cheese was burnt (black) cheese, pizza had pork on it- wasn't supposed to, and salad had bread crumbs- wasn't supposed to (gluten issues).... soooo they scraped all of that and re-did the entire order. This time the pizza wasn't fully cooked, and the kids cheeseburgers didn't have cheese.... Bad night, I get it, it happens. But the real fun part was when the bill came- full price! Even charged me for both versions of the sliders! Not a "hey sorry, we comped your glass of wine." As I paid and tipped the $85 bill, I felt compelled to tell the manager the story- all he said was "catch me next time- I'll make it right" nice thought but I can't imagine wanting to go back there is a very long while.
(1)

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Address : 267 N El Camino Real
Encinitas, CA, 92024
Phone (760) 452-2000
Website https://craftsmantavern.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:30 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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The Craftsman New American Tavern

267 N El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA, 92024

The Craftsman New American Tavern Menu

Brunch Menu

Appetizers

Soup & Salads

Snacks

Tavern Burgers & Sandwiches

Brick Oven Flatbreads

Desserts

Healthy Meal suggestions for The Craftsman New American Tavern

Brunch Menu

Appetizers

Soup & Salads

Snacks

Tavern Burgers & Sandwiches

Brick Oven Flatbreads

Desserts

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