This place has a lot of potential. Atmosphere: The restaurant is very cool, you walk through the first area which is warm and cozy, you pass the kitchen into the next area with a second bar and it's more open, a litter busier and more of a gastro pub type feel. Then there is a cute outdoor area. Service: This took two stars away. Getting seated was fine and quick, we called ahead but the host stand seemed a little confused and I had to tell them a couple times I called ahead, drinks both times we ordered took far too long, and we finished our appetizer before the waiter tried to take our order. The menu: The menu is interesting but small, hopefully you like one of the 6-7 entrees they serve or you're having a liquid dinner. We had the charcuterie plate and it was small (4 cuts of bread, one cheese, and three little meats) but good. read more

Oh man! The food here is amazing, the vibe the ambience. Michelle our server for the night was AMAZING! She's quick and on it! Love her. We're definitely keeping this venue in our go to list for our company's social event! read more

We love to sit at Black Rail's bar for date night. Creative menu and great service! Their cauliflower entree is quite unique & delicious.

We didn't have a reservation on a Saturday night but the host helped me find a spot at the bar. Super friendly host. He went way above and beyond what he needed to do. We sat at the bar and the bartender was super friendly and very attentive . He also had great recommendations! Love a server wHo doesn't day everything is good when you ask what is his/her favorite. We had the shrimp scampi which was amazing and we also shared the Moroccan meatballs and the pasta casarecce. Pasta was so fresh and amazing. Overall great experience. Service waS fantastic!! read more

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Had a celebratory dinner with a business client-friend. The food as well as service was excellent. Going back.

Created Yelp because tonight's dining experience was too good not to share! Absolutely fantastic dinner experience! The ambiance was modern, yet, classy and warm! SPOILER: This is NOT your average diner, if you're not willing to spend to experience the dining, then Chili's or Macaroni's Grill may suit your dining style better. We started with couple of cocktails, then a bottle of wine to share. All was perfect! Food was spot on. Highly recommend the Kino Shrimp, Beet Salad (make sure you add Goat Cheese!), the Meatballs, the Pork Chop, and their Weekly Specials whatever they may be. Dessert was a perfect "cherry on top" end to the night. We went with the Malabi because we have never had it, and it was phenomenal. Smooth and soft coconut custard mixed with fresh pineapples, chia seeds really did its magic! Service was warm, attentive, knowledgeable and classy! Our waiter was Brian and he was above and beyond! Guy was funny, warm, honest with our questions, professional, and quick! He was definitely not a shy one either, an expert at keeping up with our conversations, and always made sure we were comfortable and had what we needed! Definitely one of the aces here, ask for him! Also, they had Jazz tonight and I heard also on Sunday as well. Definitely will be back soon! read more

Pros: Ambience Service Cons: Paella - have you tried this in Spain before you cook to sell? read more

I've probably called over 10 local restaurants about a reservation for a large group on Christmas Eve, I realize it was last minute. Black Rail was the first one that was friendly and accommodating on the phone. Excited for our dinner there on Friday. Thank you to the young man one the phone that made adjustments for our group. Your professionalism and friendliness was greatly appreciated. Merry Christmas! read more

This place opened up a few weeks ago. They hired veterans as waiters, bartenders, managers, etc. The food is pretty darn good. Only disappointing dish was the sea bass that was filled with bones. Great taste but i don't think i had a single bite without bones. Maybe just do a nice filet. The other issue is that you immediately will notice is the owner intensely buzzing around the place making the whole staff nervous. The staff was trying not to make eye contact with him or interact in any way. Almost like they are afraid of him. Weirdest thing. He looked like he ate the sea bass and didn't have a napkin to spit the bones into. His wife was a little less intense looking but still not welcoming. Suggest both just walk around welcoming patrons instead of having an apoplectic look, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere. This place will get better and better so give it a try. read more

Perfect for almost any occasion... My husband and I had just an amazing meal here the other night. We both had cocktails on their special list, and they were delicious. Then we moved on to the charcuterie plate. It would easily make a meal in itself. We shared two dinners: the whole branzino fish and the most amazing cauliflower we've ever had. They both were wonderful, but the cauliflower dish is in a class all by itself. Here is the description: hearth-roasted cauliflower black lentils, quinoa, spicy feta cheese, cucumber yogurt The service was perfect and the atmosphere is lovely. Highly recommend. I am very gluten intolerant and had no issue finding food that I could eat. read more

Our server, Brian, was Amazing! Wonderful outdoor seating. Flatbread with Brussels Sprouts were excellent. read more

We had no set expectations but went in to try something new with a party of six. Beautiful venue, the minute you walk in. Greeted by smiling hostesses with no attitude. Quite refreshing. Seated right away, which was a nice surprise. Would make a reservation on the weekend or expect a bit of a wait. Loved the thoughtful details of the restaurant. Crushed velvet on the seats with gorgeous blue hues. Menu consists of small and large plates. Our party was in the mood for sharing and experimenting. The attention to detail carried over from the venue to the dishes. Rich colors, spices and garnishes with generous portions to share. A fabulous dish of calamari and Shishito peppers that we all loved. Tuna tartare with an olive tapenade, delish! Wonderful Heirloom, Stone fruit with Burrata. Delicious grilled carrot salad with pistachios. Each dish was on point and offered up some new spins on flavor. Main dishes were the bone in rib eye....sliced up and easy to share. We all ooh'd and aah'd....melted in your mouth. Linguini and clams was so garlicky and delicious, we licked the bowl clean. Ahi Tuna with cous cous, currants and olives, so good. Dessert was vanilla ice cream and saffron oil...yes that was a first. We ordered out of curiosity and we all loved it. The color alone was with it. The apple cake was warm and flavorful and a hit with everyone. Seriously, one of the best meals out in a very long time. Cost a pretty penny with wine and cocktails, but the service was perfect with our server very engaging and gave us quite a bit of feedback and guidance. She was really great. So HUGE thumbs up! Take your loved ones, take your friends. Would be great for a birthday party or some fun celebration or just a nice meal at one of the bars. read more

Everything was amazing!!! No just opened kinks to work out here, as expected from the owners of Tin Leaf and Beach Plum. These people have a work ethic that blows me away each time I frequent one of their locations and see them serving and greeting their guests. We had the fire-roasted carrot salad which was refreshingly unique. The Moroccan braised lamb meatballs with mint salad was just as unique and delicious. Then there was the hearth-roasted cauliflower. Oh my! If we could find plant based food like this, we both agreed we could become vegetarian. Thank you, Rebecca, your excitement was contagious and your recommendations were 100% spot-on. It was an all around delightful dining experience! read more

Black Rail Kitchen + Bar - Moroccan braised Lamb Meatballs and hearth-roasted cauliflower. Yum! - Mediterranean Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Finally a cool and amazing new food spot in north county. What was an old Italian restaurant has been flipped into another amazing delicious spot owned by the same people who opened Beach Plum Kitchen and Tin Leaf (which are both in the same shopping center) The food is amazing. I came here one night with a friend and we ordered the mussel and clams appetizer and I couldn't keep my hands off! I was so happy with the dish I would have drank the butter/wine sauce as a soup if I could have. The drinks are delicious and strong too. I ordered The Charm and it was yummy. I'm glad that I got it and can't wait to try all the other drinks on their menu. read more

We had a reservation and were seated promptly, but unfortunately it had to be the worst seat in the house. Way in the back right next to the kitchen. That was pretty disappointing give we'd made the reservation almost 3 weeks ago and it was a special occasion. Oh well. Food and service were both great. We shared the roasted carrot salad which we both liked a lot. The entrees all seemed like too much food, so I ordered the mussels and they were delicious and a nice portion for an appetizer. My friend had the cauliflower entree and said it was great other than it was covered in cilantro, which she's not a fan of. I love it, but I know some people do not, so be warned. The place is vibrant and fun, but it is very, very loud. My friend and I had to almost shout to hear each other. Overall I liked it and would definitely go back, but would try to sit outside next time. It may not be as loud. read more

We were a party of 6 celebrating a birthday. We literally waited 30 minutes to be acknowledged by anyone. No water. No greeting. No menús. Nothing. We had to flag down a bus boy that eventually sent a server over who was non apologetic. Very disappointing first impression. They had a live jazz band that was great and lively. Ambiance is wonderful. The octopus appetizer was tender and delicious. Major score! The lamb meatballs were juicy & flavorful. The charcuterie was typical. Small & predictable. Pork chop was decent. Nothing to write home about. Lacked flavor. I wouldn't celebrate another occasion there. But, would go back for appetizers and cocktails. Overall, they need to pay a little more attention to detail & appreciate their patrons. read more

We are always nervous to go into a newly opened restaurant but Black Rail did not disappoint. We were seated quickly, our server (David) was well versed on the entire menu, and the food was perfect. I had the clam linguine and my husband had the lamb meatballs. The drinks were quickly out along with our appetizer calamari. The food was perfectly cooked and the seasonings were out of control amazing! David Made us feel like we were family and was there whenever we needed anything. Loved the modeen chic ambience too. read more

Black Rail Kitchen + Bar - Lamb meat balls and clam linguine - Mediterranean Near Me - Carlsbad, California

First time in for a visit and we loved it! My mom had the hearth roasted cauliflower which was incredible. So many flavors. I had the braised lamb meatballs. So unique and flavorful. I thoroughly enjoyed every bite. Cream Brûlée was treated with some extra goodies. Delicious. We are so happy the owners of two of our other local restaurants Tin Leaf and Beach Plum opened this gem. read more

Yummy food. Hastey service. We felt rushed. Wait staff cleared my plate and silverware while my wife was still eating. Made it seem like my wife was eating alone. The appetizer was off the hook. Hummus, Red Pepper Feta & Tahaziki was amazing. Fresh Pest pasta was very good, and the linguini was good too. But the waiter serving the next table dropped dirty silverware all over the customer. And again, by the time I was done wiping my mouth with my napkin, our table was cleared. read more

I went there for Fathers Day. I was a little disappointed they changed the menu and got rid of their fattoush salad knock off (I believe it was the butter leaf salad?) It was to die for though! I am happy they kept the cauliflower though. It's really good for a vegetarian option. The kale and walnut flatbread is amazing too. I wish they had a few more vegetarian items on the menu but i'll take what I can get. It's a cool vibe inside, the staff was really nice. The water server was on top of it and did a great job! read more

Jenny and her staff were very accommodating. My wife and I had our rehearsal dinner at this place and it was very us. The decor was modern, the food was delicious, great drink selection, and excellent service. We had a semi private area for our party as well, which made it a perfect setting for us to be able to enjoy our closest friends and family on our special weekend. Thank you again Black Rail staff for helping make our special weekend memorable! read more

Charging $42 for a tiny piece of beef tenderloin is shameful. So as charging $35 for your salmon dish. This is why we have staggering inflation rate. read more

First time to try this place and the food was amazing!!! My partner and I enjoyed everything we ordered. I thought I wouldn't have room for dessert but it happened when our server mentioned their dessert options. Great experience over all; from the staff, service and the quality of the food. We will for sure come back in the near future. read more

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This is hands down my favorite place! The ambiance and Devore inside and out is unbeatable! Cocktails are the best, food and service never disappoints read more

Black Rail Kitchen + Bar - Mezcal cocktail, Ahi dinner. Charred broccoli and octopus sharables were fantastic as well! - Mediterranean Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Very excited to notice yesterday when walking by - notices on the windows saying they'd be open for lunch starting on October 1, 2019! YAY! read more

My wife and I had a (rare) date night away from the kiddos, and decided to try Black Rail Kitchen. Hostess/Greeting: The place was extremely busy. Yet, despite the swarms of people, the hostess stand was appropriately staffed to handle the flow, and we were checked in and seated at the bar with a cocktail and appetizer, within 5 minutes of our arrival! Built out is incredible, by far the "coolest" North County Coastal restaurant in this area. Patio is recently opened but even 90% finished, it was a great environment to dine. The Cocktails/Appetizer: I tried a mezcal based signature cocktail (the Charm), and my wife had wine- both were outstanding. We ordered the charcuterie board and it was also, quite good. We then ordered the Grilled Octopus, this was a 5 star dish. The aioli that came with the Octopus was over the moon the good. The Main Courses: My wife and I split the lamb meatballs - again a 5 star dish. Incredibly well cooked and seasoned, then paired with grain and vegetable. We skipped dessert and had a night cap- but other tables desserts looked great. We'll try next time! Definitely will be back, great work Black Rail! read more

We had a large group in for a special occasion and Black Rail took fantastic care of us! Our server, Katusha, was a joy and very experienced. They accommodated allergies and preferences, as well as some out of town friends sending some special wine ahead of time. The food was excellent. The Branzino was phenomenal, steak was cooked exactly as we asked and while I didn't taste everything on the table, everyone seemed more than satisfied with their meals. The back bar & patio are wonderful too! Looking forward to our next visit! read more

Spontaneously stopped by and ended up having the most delicious dinner ever, with an amazing server, Will, making it even more enjoyable. From the butternut squash soup, Boston lettuce salad with white radish, through the pork chop with marinated onions and mashed potatoes, not to mention the light custard with kiwi and cherries for desert, it was scrumptious. Cannot wait to go back and sit under the stars! read more

I have been here twice now with friends and both times were during happy hour and during the week. Both times, I had the best service ever!!!!!!!! So far my favorite meal has been the HOUSEMADE LINGUINI manila clams, calabrian chili, garlic, white wine, parsley butter $24.00. How do you make it better Black Rail? Some awesome bread to soak up the awesomeness sauce in this dish. You do that and I will be back weekly. read more

Came here tonight to celebrate our wedding anniversary. First timers here. Delightful. So pretty. Ambiance was perfect... Love the color scheme. The host Josh was very nice. Our waiter, Rueben was incredible... Give that guy a raise! He is so warm and friendly, on top of his game, genuinely a nice guy who just wants to make you happy... seriously. He's amazing. The food was excellent as well... we'll be back. read more

I went here 2 nights ago. This place just opened. First let me say that I was very disappointed to find out this restaurant is owned by the owners of Tin Leaf and Beach Plum Kitchen. The reason this disappoints me is that I used to love both of those restaurants but as of late when I have gone the food has been very mediocre and I have not enjoyed going anymore. I will say though that this place has a really FUN vibe and its a real restaurant vs a fast casual type restaurant. People were dressed for a fun night out, not many shorts and t-shirts in the crowd. The place was packed. The decor is awesome. The bar is huge and looks really fun. There was definitely a vibe of date night or pickup night out there. I saw groups of single men and women and all scoping each other. It is pretty loud in here and I think its because it has high ceilings and the place was truly packed. It was doable for talking though. So the ambiance and vibe get 5 stars from me. The food on the other hand was disappointing - 2 stars max. I ordered the Grilled Octopus. It came and it was soooo not grilled and it was flavorless. It tasted like it had been boiled with no spices. I sent it back and explained it had no flavor and she asked if I wanted something else. I said I really wanted the Octopus, could they just grill it? When it came back it was better but not much. VERY disappointing and not impressive. I ordered the roasted carrot salad too. It was tasty but there were barely any carrots in it. Very small portion for too much money. I had the two small plates, roasted carrot salad and the octopus and it was $32 and I had to go home and eat dinner after. So the salad, I personally loved the dressing but I know for some people it would be way too astringent. I am not sure how to describe it but it was super bitter, tart. It almost burned on swallowing. Again, I loved it but it was STRONG and I know people who would not be able to swallow something like that. They may want to tone it down a little. The other disappointment was that they used the exact same dressing on the carrot salad as they did on the greens that came with the grilled Octopus so I felt like I just had the two of the same thing. I think they may want to switch that up so the dishes taste different. My friend ordered the hummus salad and it was good but nothing special. My other disappointment was the lack of vegetables and salads on the menu. There were no vegetable sides available other than shishito peppers and fried potatoes. I think there menu needs some improving and the food needs to be made better. This appears to be a sophisticated restaurant in all fronts except for the food. This is why I was disappointed to find about the owners because this was my concern, unsophisticated food. I will definitely return as it would be a fun place to go for drinks. The ambiance is super fun. Hopefully they will improve the food because if they do, it would be at least a 4 star restaurant. read more

We had a great dinner event at black rail on the heated patio. Food and service was excellent, esp hard to do for a big party of 40 people. Even on a cold night, they had enough heaters to keep us warm. Kudos. read more

I've been a customer of the Black Rail since it was refurbished +2 years ago. Food is always excellent, drinks are even better. 3 unique sitting areas and a great staff. Very supportive owners as well: www.kusi.com/three-restaurants-in-carlsbad-supporting-furloughed-employees/ read more

Found this place on Yelp and definitely exceeded my expectations. Did not think that something this nice and classy could be found in a strip mall. Cocktails on point. Bartenders were all great. Only had a snack but what we had was very good. We will definitely be back when we are in town. read more

Beautiful decor, atmosphere, and service. Everyone was so dressed up, reminding me of my old dining days in San Francisco. Came for dessert and coffee after the dinner rush and ordered the dessert pudding- "malabi" which was a pillowy light cream with thin fig slices and pistachio crumble on top and simply divine! Looking forwards to trying dinner. Only pet peeve is TV in the bar. Doesn't fit the elegant space. Take it down! read more

Been here several times before. We finally sat inside! Lovely room. Perfunctory server. I had the filet tips which were supposed to have a red wine reduction on them. NOT. It was sweet and gloppy and tasted much like BBQ sauce. Just wrong. And the meat was not hot. I did not care for the mushrooms and onions either, especially with BBQ sauce. Server offered to switch it, but really?!!? By time new food comes out everyone else has finished their meal. I HATE eating alone. Do it right the first time. My husband ordered the branzino. He thought it was 'sour,' but ate it. I thought it tasted way too fishy. Last time we ordered it, it was much better. The beet and blood orange salad was perfectly dressed and tasty. No caprese salad, which is why we came, because it's 'seasonal.' Really? Hothouse heirlooms are GOOD and a dime a dozen. Very unremarkable meal. We love the setting, but not enough for the mediocre food. read more

Cool place, okay menu and if it wasn't for rain, probably a great place to sit and enjoy food outside. The pasta was outstanding. The Flatbread was horrible. Putting ricotta cheese in the Flatbread makes it taste mushy and there was no flavor whatsoever. I'd recommend removing this Flatbread from the menu immediately or changing it. Our server was nice and the rest of the staff was attentive and friendly. read more

Black Rail Kitchen + Bar - Tomato and Basil Flatbread - Mediterranean Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Excellent service and great food!I love this restaurant.Looking forward to going back.Carol P.

We finally had the opportunity to try Black Rail and we are so glad we did. Our server was Randall and he made the night an incredible experience. We started with the shrimp scampi type dish, which was amazing. The cocktails were great tasting and our dinners we very good as well. My wife ordered the head of cauliflower and for a dish that is vegetarian it had a ton of flavor. Highly recommend! read more

Absolutely love this place! Have been here several times in the last year and each time was amazing. We look forward to our next dinner here. read more