Surprising! My son was visiting and he seems to always crave GC as he now lives in another state…read more He says they are different. Better where he lives. I guess we'll have to check it out. I wasn't expecting much to begin with, so maybe that's why I am surprised. Price was still a bargain considering the selection of rather tasty food (it was all pretty good); and, the fact that you can do just what I did, have a bite or two of just about everything before you get full. Then, you can go back for more . . . again. And don't forget to grab a plate of desserts so you can taste those too. A rather sketchy customer crowd, but it is a buffet. Please don't forget to leave the table servers a buck or two. They seemed to be putting in a pretty good effort. Dicks

I'm surprised this place is still around! Golden Corrals are franchised, and I'm sure there are…read moreprobably decent ones somewhere else in the country that may be similar to Hometown Buffet. BUT this one ain't it! There were a handful of items that were decently edible like mashed potatoes and gravy. The salad bar was also alright. It's difficult to mess up chopped lettuce mix because it only requires opening a bag or container and pouring the contents into the bin. Fried chicken was fine as long as you are able to get a piece or two. I noticed if you come in later in the evening, the food is not replenished so you are stuck with bottom of the bin caked on dry remnants. Here are the highlights: the server bringing the drinks and busing tables was doing her best to be happy and welcoming. One of the cooks was very courteous and also did her best to anticipate customer needs. They get two thumbs up! Now for the fun part: The clam chowder was too salty and had an aftertaste of old dirty towel, promising a fitting end to my evening with a bad tummy ache. The cook making the steak didn't seem to care about communicating a single word with the customers. Her sole purpose was to repeatedly flip something that looked like meat and point to a bin full of burned protein hockey pucks. I noticed how the line of hungry patrons grew with eager anticipation as she stopped flipping and started attempting to slice. As each diner finally walked away with something on their plate, she was free to disappear in the back to probably make more clam chowder. I watched a couple seated near me with steak on their plate. Husband was breaking a sweat trying to slice a piece while his wife was busy trying to gracefully eject something inedible from her mouth. Now on to the pinnacle of the meal - dessert time. There wasn't much left, so I chose a slice of pecan pie. It looked promising, like something you could pick up at the local grocery store, but that's where any similarity ends. It tasted old and stale, like it was made from expired corn syrup found at the bottom of the moldy basement. The soft serve ice cream machine was screaming like an exit door alarm every time someone pulled the arm to coax out some frozen ice milk. Then I spotted the highlight of the evening. I didn't think it was possible to mess up jello, but heck you learn something new everyday. I captured that masterpiece in a photo. Sadly, the owner of this location really needs to put many improvements in place. People do enjoy going to buffets and truly miss Souplantation and HomeTown Buffet. Golden Corral has the potential to fill this gap. It is in a good location anchored by Target with lots of parking to serve a busy neighborhood in oceanside. It also has a few employees who still care to do a good job. So please take the good location and good staff and make this Golden Corral a worthy business for hungry patrons looking to spend money at a place with quality food and variety.

I have to say the food here is always delicious, freshly made and very accommodating to dietary…read morerestrictions and preferences. Their team is always nice, friendly and most of just fun to chat with when you see them around.

Let me start off with I wanted to show my appreciation for hard working individuals and great…read morepersonalities that work at the cafe. There's a truly wonderful group of people and if you get the chance to get to know them.. do it!! The chicken enchiladas are BY FAR my favorite dish so far thou I haven't had it often (sad face) the chocolate chip cookies they made the other day were just sinful but AMAZBALLS, the jalapeno cheddar cheese bagels with the bacon cream cheese BEST breakfast item and the bagel sandwiches on the week days perfection. Sorry to say but oatmeal are the 2nd worst item but I get it.. gotta have a healthy option. Some people think it's the worst. I personally hate grits. Just NEVER understood why that's a thing thou. That espresso machine is my LOVE!! If I had to work 60hrs or 7 days a week.. if that machine was there? I'm there!!! I thought we were spoiled with the Starbucks machine at first but once I discovered the espresso machine.. I knew I'd be working for this works for YEARS on YEARS. The executive chef is a awesome dude and everyone there great too. This place is extra added bonus. Btw the donuts are a extra touch of love

Everything we've had here has been delicious! We've had the…read morecountry breakfast burrito, tomato burrata toast, cinnamon roll, and lattes and nothing has been disappointing. I absolutely loved the cinnamon roll with extra frosting. Be prepared for the line but it can go by pretty fast. Service is also pretty fast well. Love this spot when I visit!

Food was wonderful. Not suitable for larger groups as theres wars over saving the two front tables…read more Water cups appear to be repainted vintage, except the bottoms are rusting out so you have rust and paint floating in your water. Please tell me they're tested for lead. 80% of their cups had this. They put a plant below the water fountain, i suspect they know people will dump the water and its cheaper than replacing their cups.

This is not my favorite type of dining or food but every now and then we might hit this spot up as…read moreit's close to work and home and has an extensive menu that accommodates any and all tastebuds and we have a spectrum in my family of 6! Your kid a picky eater? He only eats Mac & Cheese and I'm talking for B-fast, Lunch, Dinner, brunch, Linner, snacks, whatever!?! It's Kraft Mac & Cheese or it's nada! Then there was that episode with my little brother when we were growing up where he only ate Lil Debbie's!!! Mom....what were you thinking??? And why was that not my menu for even a week, let alone the years Jaime got it for? Anyways back to pit stop. Big open seating dining. If I recall, customers order before grabbing their seat. I've seen it 3/4 crowded but I have never been there when the busy times are rocking. As stated the menu is extensive. Burgers, sandwiches, big salads, entrees you name it and it's likely that if any diner anywhere has offered that plate, the Pit Stop has it as well! I've ordered something different every time and have never been disappointed. But understand it's diner dining. And yes! I am sure they also serve Mac and Cheese! Cheers

Looking for a yummy wrap? This is definitely the spot. I always order the same thing because it's…read morejust that delicious the bacon & avocado wrap. It's one of those meals you try once and keep coming back for. Pit Stop is located in a shopping center with plenty of spacious parking, which makes stopping by super convenient. The location itself is pretty big, with lots of seating options, whether you prefer regular low tables or high-top tables with stool chairs. The theme and decor are really cool, which makes the whole experience feel unique. Everywhere you look, there's something interesting to see. The employees are always nice, and the food comes out very quickly, which is definitely a plus. Overall, it's a great spot for a quick bite with good food and a fun atmosphere.

Family-Friendly Escape Near Legoland…read more While staying at the nearby Legoland Hotel, a few of us moms decided to sneak away from our husbands and kids for a quick break, and this place was a fantastic find! It features a variety of food stalls serving fresh, high-quality dishes, which was a very welcome break from the typical fried hotel food. With options ranging from pizza and fried chicken to a great selection of Asian cuisines like Thai and Chinese, it is an easy way to accommodate different tastes within a family or across multiple families. I especially loved the fresh, piping-hot dishes (we got the pad see ew) from the Thai food stall paired with a delicious cocktail from the central bar. Before heading back, we also grabbed some mini donuts to bring to the kids. The space is incredibly accommodating, with plenty of indoor seating options including bar tables, cozy booths, and standard tables. On top of that, they have several arcade games on-site, making this a highly viable and fun dining option for families with kids. Would recommend as a viable option if you're in the area.

"And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space…read moreLike the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind" (Sting) If you've ever driven on Interstate 5 (or in the lingo of the locals...."the Five") in Carlsbad you've seen the giant Windmill spinning curiously on the side of the road. Well, if you're hungry but can't exactly decide how to satisfy that hunger, just follow the windmill to the Windmill Food Hall. That's what we did and were soon face-to-face with fourteen different food vendors, ranging the ethnic gamut from Thai to Chinese to Sushi to Burgers to Lobster to Pizza to Mexican and pretty much anything your hungry little heart craves. Our party of three scattered into three directions and reunited at a table for our eclectic lunch. My wife went with meatballs from Cacio because Craft Pizza didn't sell slices, just a 12" pizza. My brother-in-law went with a Honey Walnut Shrimp plate from Secret Sauce Wok, and I went with sushi and miso soup from Rolled Up Sushi. I loved my lunch, starting with a nice flavorful Miso Soup ($5) that was served in a coffee cup! My eight Spicy Tuna Rolls ($14) were most definitely spicy. Now, since I love spicy food I was thrilled because 98% of the spicy tuna rolls I've had over the years are ho-hum on the old spiciness meter. Not these. The food hall was packed, and we saw many families having lunch there. Kids were all over, including some uniformed sports teams. The kids were also at the many video and arcade games on the premises, while bigger kids were entertaining themselves at Windmill's big bar. What a fun place for a fun food experience.

Loved this place! Do not get discouraged when there is. Lot of people outside/inside waiting to be…read moreseated. Our name was called not too long after being put on the list. The food was great! There are a ton of options. We went with the traditional pancakes, hashbrown, scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage' it did not disappoint! Customer service was exceptional! We will be returning when we are in town! I really enjoyed the different cups of coffee they serve. It makes the location feel homey and welcoming!

Tried this super cute local place for breakfast. Always trying to find new gluten-free options for…read morebrunch on the weekend. Not only did they have egg dishes, which could be gluten-free, but they had pancakes, which are fairly hard to come by these days.. This place was crowded from the moment we parked. The reviews on Yelp looked great so that explained all the people. The vibe inside was surfer all day all night. Ended up waiting about 30 minutes and ended up sitting at the counter for a party of three. On the weekends, the counters are still part of being seated by the host. We decided to try the gluten-free pancakes with a side of eggs. All the food tasted delicious. In fact, all the food that we saw walking out of the kitchen looked incredible as well. Hoping to go back to try the different dishes, especially the biscuits, which obviously are not gluten-free. Poor husband, he'll just have to watch us eat the yummy biscuits!

Finally it's permanent on their menu...the best cookie butter latte on earth @ Oside Bakery.read more

My husband and sister stopped in here a day or so ago looking for something sweet to celebrate…read more They brought home 2 brownies, 2 tiramisu and a chocolate mousse. Oh my gosh how delicious!!! The tiramisu was amazing. I didn't personally try the other ones because they were for other people but I will absolutely be coming in soon for more!

Like being in major food chain restaurants.... The selection was outstanding.... Being in the…read moreMarine Corps from 1957-1961 when mess halls were run by Marines, this is light years ahead. I think I might have stayed in with this class of service.

Inconsistent with the QOL and the service it provides but quality has improved a little bit…read more However, workers seemed to be confused while working.

We came for the pie but the rest of the food was delicious as well. The California Benedict was…read morespectacular and the home fries were beautifully crispy and perfectly seasoned. The number of pie options was the thing we were most excited about and they had all four of the ones we wanted to try. The staff were friendly and attentive and made our visit great. We will definitely visit again the next time we're in Carlsbad.

A friend of mine loves Village Kitchen & Pie Shoppe and raves about their pies. He's always telling…read moreme I should eat here. So recently, to celebrate his birthday, I brought him here for lunch. The restaurant has a roomy, dog-friendly outdoor patio with tables and umbrellas. My fur-baby was with us, so we went straight to the patio and nabbed a table in a quiet, shaded area. Fernando was our server. He was very pleasant, friendly and attentive the whole time we were there. This is definitely a comfort food kind of place, and the portions are big. I'm glad I looked at the menu online the day before, because the menu is extensive, has a lot of heavier meals that I normally don't eat, and I could take my time finding the right meal. We ordered from the Lunch & Dinner Menu. My friend ordered from the Senior Meals section: corn chowder soup and Meatloaf with Gravy. I ordered from the Burgers section: a Veggie Burger and a side of sweet potato fries. The Veggie Burger comes with lettuce, avocado, tomato, onion and mayo on the side, which allowed me to build my Veggie Burger exactly the way I want it. My friend loved his meal, and I loved mine. I don't know what type of bread was used for my Veggie Burger's bun but it was delicious and seemed freshly baked. I'll be back!

Rita was great, very friendly, knowledgeable about the menu and super nice! Would eat here again…read morejust for her.

I'll ride for Rita, she was a great server and was professional and courteous throughout our dinner…read moreexperience. The food was also delicious. Thank you Rita for making our first time at this restaurant an unforgettable experience.