Aloha Ice is the only place I've found, pretty much anywhere, that has actual Hawaiian-style shaved…read moreice, complete with the macadamia-nut ice cream on the bottom! For years I've wondered why this isn't a thing elsewhere besides Hawaii. It is so good! We decided to stop here after an e-biking adventure through Oceanside. We got several of the special types of shaved ice (though you can build your own flavor selection) and they were all really good. The bigger sizes were really huge! Things were so tasty I missed actual pictures of the shaved ice but did grab a pic of the outside. They've also done a good job capturing the Hawaiian style inside and even have pog you can get! Nice clean modern ambiance overall. Service was quick even though there were tons of people in line! Overall would totally recommend for a tasty summer treat in Carlsbad!

The portion was hugeeee. I looked at the small at first and was like bruh no way they selling that…read morebut they lowk stack the ice so high. It was definitely worth the price for the amount you get. For taste, I think all the flavors are super artificial (i mean afterall it is syrups) but normally it doesnt bother me and for this it was just really strong fake taste especially of their ube flavor. I do think the sweet cream complimented it very nice and I liked it all when I mixed the ice cream in. The blend was extremely pleasant. I also really appreciated how patient the staff were when I was looking at the menu they were kind about letting me fully look through it all. Id say this is a good place to go with chill vibes and after a long summer day on the beach. Perfect cool down snack

Delicious 12/10 will definitely try again!!!…read more Delicious! Get all the add ons on top, it's worth the extra money. Support small business, very hard working people here aswell! I've seen them clear a very long line quickly! Love their flavors and the beach vibe is always the move

First time trying this place and it was good. I had the Dole whip pineapple. It was amazing. The…read moreservice was great and friendly. It was located on the beach on Camp Pendleton. The ambiance is nice since it is on the beach. It was convenient if you want something refreshing and cold to eat on a hot summer day.

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.

They were really nice. -It was fun to watch it made…read more- SUPER COOL that you can customize it and mix the colors. - few said it was ok, when I asked what it was... we all agreed it was the flavors. Flavors used were: Blue raspberry and Tigers blood -flavors taste good alone. Not so well mixed. - I liked the Cherry Lime, the other ones not so much Presentation was 5/5 -The taste was not what I expected. Staff was friendly and following COVID safety procedures.

The Kona Ice truck pulled up to our campus and graciously offered free shaved ice...perfect timing…read more It was such a sweet/refreshing surprise. The owners were very fun and friendly. There were tons of delicious flavors to add to the shaved ice. The wild watermelon and blue raspberry were delicious.

This place is the best! Great big servings of shaved ice with generous flavor added and the people…read moreworking here are awesome!

O'side shaved ice is my go to spot whenever I'm in California for a visit. The staff are really…read morefriendly and I found out that they use the same machine that they use in Hawaii! Definitely a must stop when you're in town! I'll definitely be back on my next trip :) They feature customer photos on their Instagram too so follow them to see if you're in their next post (@oside_shavedice)

Neat spot off the main drag in Encinitas, this place has been on my list for a while and did not…read moredisappoint. The ambiance is relaxed and intimate, we had a coveted open window seat and could enjoy evening air. Started with sweet potato fries and mango juice, and my main was the Vegetable kare kare. Generous portions, next time I will try it family style and share (recommended on the menu). Everything was flavorful, with a good variety of veggies. Service was great, owners checked up on us multiple times. No wait for a table on a Friday night. Adding this to my dinner options when in Encinitas.

Food: 4 Service: 5…read moreAmbiance: 4 We were looking for a Filipino food spot in North County San Diego and found Carin de Ria in Encinitas. So glad we did! Upon entering, I immediately loved how homey the restaurant felt. The open windows made it light and bright inside, while still feeling warm, comfortable, and welcoming. We were greeted by a gentleman who was very kind and friendly from the start. We were hungry, so of course we ended up ordering quite a bit of food lol! We got the lumpia, fish ball appetizer, kamote fries, sizzling sisig, bistek Tagalog, vegetable coconut soup (ginataan), and of course we had to finish everything off with halo halo! As a Filipino, I was impressed with the food. I especially enjoyed the sizzling sisig, and the bistek Tagalog really reminded me of home. Everything else we tried was delicious as well, and I'm already looking forward to coming back because I definitely want to try the kare kare next time. Of course, we had to wash everything down with dessert, so we ordered the halo halo. Honestly, I've had better halo halo, but it was still refreshing and enjoyable. And really, what better way to end a yummy Filipino meal than with a classic Filipino dessert? The service was also excellent. The gentleman helping us was so kind and friendly, checked on us often, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. Overall, I would definitely recommend Carin de Ria to anyone craving Filipino food in North County. Great food, a warm and welcoming atmosphere, and excellent service. I will definitely be back!

What a nice surprise this place turned out to be. We came hungry and walked away fully satisfied…read more Our kiddos have food allergies and they were able to accommodate. Service was super friendly and helpful. Food was fantastic, especially the chili. Wow, the chili. Burgers were legit. Double burger was way huge. Chili fries were amazing. Dog melt was surprisingly good. Onion rings and fries were on point. Ranch was a little too funny for me. And to be able to top off the meal with Thrifty's ice cream?! We'll be back. Get a big bowl of chili. Large dining area, clean, nicely decorated. Parking wasn't an issue for us.

This is a long overdue review for Water Shack. I stumbled upon this place a few years ago when I…read morewas craving a no frills mom & pop style burger. To my surprise Water Shack's burgers were delicious and satisfying that I find myself coming back here ever so often. Their burgers aren't the heavy, greasy/high fat patties you would get from other places. However, their 1/4 lb patties are their smallest patties and heft makes for that ideal bun to burger ratio. Did I need to order double patties on most of my burger orders? Probably not. Their patties are on the leaner side but they aren't dry; and the fixings from any burger you choose will satisfy that meaty burger fix you're looking for. The Chicken Patty Melt is also a very tasty item. Very cheesy, buttery and crispy toasted bread with chicken breast. Their fries and onion rings also come air-fried so this place focuses more on the healthier comfort food options that wont leave you feeling heavy and drowsy. This place is also doubled as a purified water dispensary and also serves baked goods and ice cream. Love this type of no-frills, unassuming place with very friendly staff and serves up some delicious food!

We came in for a late dinner while in the area. I've had it bookmarked for a while so it was…read moreserendipitous that we happened to be in Vista for a birthday party just around the corner. The restaurant is small, cozy, welcoming and aesthetically pleasing. It isn't well suited for larger parties as most tables are tables for 2 unless tables are pushed together. They do have patio seating and heaters outside, but it didn't appeal to me being so close to the street/loud traffic. Gabriel checked us in, seated us, took our order, served our food and waited on us for majority of our visit, I would give him 10 stars just on his impeccable service. The food though? The food was AMAZING!! Everything we ordered was the best we have ever had anywhere. The buns were very kawaii (and we ordered ever single one to try). The fillings were savory, but we also loved their seasonal panda bun with ube filling while the kids preferred the nutella bunny. Best chicken karaage we've had by far, the coating almost tasted like it was rolled in kinako powder. The ramen broth was "chef's kiss" with so much flavors, the crab rangoon were jumbo and the filling was delicious, but the chicken katsu was also the best we have had anywhere (including Hawaii). The breading was just top tier crunchy while the chicken was thick and juicy. There isn't one bad thing I could say about this place, from the service to the food, I would make the drive out here again. Super duper, highly recommend, don't sleep on this little place, you'll regret it!

Okay, I found out Harumama Ramen + Sushi was in my neighborhood so I had to check it out. I wanted…read moreto see if it's the same as another one I've been to about 20 minutes away. Since I'm a lover of information, I looked up "Harumama". It's a combination of two words: the Korean word haru, which means "day," and "mama". Together, it translates to "mom's daily food". The name reflects the restaurant's mission to serve dishes prepared with the same love, care, and attention that a mother gives to her family's everyday meals. How lovely is that?! Anyhow, I was able to find street parking and walked into a clean dining space with a nice atmosphere. It wasn't too busy. Again, the staff was very attentive and provided stellar service. My food came out pretty fast. I loooved how my Drunken Noodles had the right amount of chicken and peanuts. Overall, another fun flavorful time. I'm still a Harumama fan. I can't wait to try more dishes. I highly recommend this location to the Yelp Community!!

The shop itself has a really cozy, vibe. You can tell it's a local favorite. Service was friendly,…read moreand there's a good variety on the menu if you're into both drinks and snacks. The taro bingsoo was super light and fluffy. Not overly sweet, which I actually appreciated. It's definitely a good shareable dessert, especially if you want something refreshing instead of heavy. The taro with creme brulee was the standout for me though. The layers were really pretty, and once mixed, it had that creamy taro flavor with a slight caramelized richness from the brûlée topping. It felt a little more elevated than your typical taro milk tea.

"One of these things is not like the other... Tea Amo…read moreapparently believes the menu is more of a work of fiction than a promise. I asked why what was being offered didn't match what was advertised on the menu. The employee looked at me like I was the one speaking nonsense, then hit me with a shrug and, "I don't make the rules." Cool. You may not make the rules, but someone sure made this menu--and apparently nobody bothers to make sure it matches reality. If your customers need a decoder ring to figure out what's actually available versus what's printed, that's not a customer problem. That's a business problem. Do better. Or at the very least, update the menu so it stops catfishing people. Seriously... WTF."

One of our go to spots anytime we're up in North County. Hubby has been hooked on their Halo-Halo…read moresince we first came here. His other favorite is the pork sisig, extra spicy, of course. For this visit, I tried the beef pares for the first time. I don't recall my family ever making it, so I thought I'd give it a go. It reminded of adobo but sweet with a little hint of star anise. The only drawback was bitting into little pieces of it, but overall, I enjoyed it. It is a small spot, so seating is first come, first serve. The staff is always friendly and the music selection is always good. If you're lucky you might even hear Ate signing from the kitchen.

Hiya B.U.M.S., We…read morewere craving a quick dessert after being out and about, but couldn't decide between ice cream, candy, or something totally different--we just knew we wanted something sweet. We landed on Lutchi & Mary (a great local spot serving up authentic Filipino comfort food) and decided to go with their signature Halo-Halo. Their Halo-Halo comes packed with classic layers of crushed shaved ice, sweet fruit compote, buko, and a scoop of rich ube ice cream, all topped off with a slice of creamy leche flan. It was refreshing and hit the spot! If I had one small tweak, I would've loved just a tad bit more ube in the mix for extra flavor, but overall it was super enjoyable. It's a fantastic, family-friendly spot with super welcoming service and a bright, clean, inviting dining area. Definitely a great local staple to stop by whether you want a full meal or a quick sweet treat. Tips: If you're visiting for dessert with kids, consider sharing a Halo-Halo or grabbing a side of their warm banana turon (crispy banana fritters). They offer convenient online ordering for quick pickup if you are on the move. Help us spread the word. What's your favorite Filipino dessert to cool down with? Let us know in the comments.