Diego was our server tonight. He was fantastic. Several of our party have special dietary needs. He was patient and attentive taking care of us. Super friendly and helped make our dining experience memorable. He is the best. So personable and makes sure everything is perfect!!! read more

Great Happy Hour with live music and outdoor seating. Enjoyed their Happy Hour tacos, sushi, and starters. We love their main menu as well. Service was great. read more

I MOST love the fun indoor/outdoor vibe of this restaurant. We come here often because it's so close to our home... Their food and bar menus are always creative and expansive. I always have whatever creative sushi they have on the menu - it's DELISH! And the service is always great - a manager is usually walking around asking how things are...I love that. Check it out! read more

Happy Hour is from 3 to 6. Of course went in for Happy Hour. Atmosphere seems classy but feels casual. Our server was Anya and her attention to us was on point. We ordered off the happy hour menu: brussel sprouts - 4 stars pretzel bites with cheese fondu- 4 stars two of the korean pork ribs - 5 stars one order of their whiskey shot one order of their old fashion made with their own whiskey Main entree: I ordered the burger (lettuce wrapped with fries: 4 stars wife ordered the meatloaf: 3 stars... she thought it was dry and pasty. Overall... we had a great experience and will come again to try other items. read more

Glad I made reservations. The evening summer outdoor atmosphere and the music makes for the start of a relaxing weekend. Wished the Brussels sprouts were a tad larger yet the balance of flavor was on point. The Chef Board is a perfect balance. I could eat the bread all day long and be happy! Drinks are well balanced. They do offer a military discount read more

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I've been to the culinary dropout in az so I was excited to here they opened a location in San Diego. Definitely a different vibe than the Arizona location, but that's okay. The food was still good and they definitely have a great selection of beers on draft. The service was quite slow and our food came out before we ever received our beers. Overall we still had a good time and enjoyed a quick bite to eat. read more

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Good vibes, services are pretty quick and friendly. We ordered the chicken katsu and the steak frites (medium). The sandwich is pretty good, and fresh chicken katsu. Bread is nicely toasted with butter. The steak was a bit over cooked and delivered to us at medium well. Overall, we have a good experience. read more

Culinary Dropout - Steak frites . - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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A nice spot in Del Mar with a relaxed atmosphere. They sometimes have live music, which makes the experience even more enjoyable. The restaurant has a warm, stylish vibe that's great for dinner or drinks with friends. The food was good overall, the service was friendly, and everything was well done. Nothing that completely stood out, but it was a solid experience. read more

Culinary Dropout - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

Losing Tilly's was a sad thing for all the teenagers in the neighborhood I was truly excited about culinary dropout coming to the space They did wonders as far as decor goes The place is beautiful open with tons of indoor seating The bar is enormous with ample seating both inside and outside There's patio seating also available They have a happy hour that has some great prices The food is good enough not great The service is unique. While it is casual and I do like and appreciate casual it's almost too casual. I think they're catering to a younger crowd maybe 20s to early 30s. The drinks are crafted well but menu items and happy hour drinks. Both are using lower shelf liquor. Yes I could change it up but asking the questions about switching. The Alcohol seemed to be very difficult for the staff to answer. I mean, the place is fine, but definitely not my first choice of where to go read more

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We had a great experience with Ariel today for our family's Father's Day celebration. She was so attentive and pleasant, especially with our large party. We started with the tahini and bread, that was a neat refreshing dish. Prob my fav of everything. The bacon wrapped shrimp was pretty good. My husband got the grilled ham breakfast sandwich, he thought was ok. He thought there would be more ham in it. I got the short rib hash, that was pretty good. I didn't like the potatoes, they reminded me of pre-made potatoes like from Sysco or something. My mom got the egg white with veggies. She liked hers. They were so sweet to give us desserts. Would like to come back and try dinner. read more

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Just another place that spent an abundance on the decor and not enough on the food. Nachos were good (has anyone had bad nachos at a restaurant before?). To spare the details, the fish and chips was inedible. The mac and cheese was inedible. Service was good. read more

Culinary Dropout - Fish and chips. Taste like charcoal. - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

We went to Culinary Dropout to watch the NBA finals and eat dinner. We loved our food, the service was excellent and the game was great!!! It was pretty packed but everything was handled smoothly and calmly. It is a good option to listen to live music and/or watch the games. The food was healthy and fresh. read more

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Delicious food and great service. What else can you ask for?:) first time at this yummy place and I already can't wait to go back. I like the low lighting and the way the tables are spaced out at a good distance. They had live music outside (which could also be heard inside) which was nice. All their food was delicious and their drinks too! Highly recommend!! read more

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I really wanted to love this place because, honestly, much of the food was excellent. The burger was outstanding. Juicy, high quality, and one of the best items we ordered. The sausage rolls with the dipping sauce were absolutely delicious and probably my favorite appetizer of the meal. The dessert was fantastic and a perfect way to end the meal. The cocktail was very tasty and surprisingly strong. One drink was more than enough. The spicy salad was excellent for anyone who enjoys heat. Full of flavor and one of the better dishes we tried. The salmon was fine, but nothing memorable. It was good, just not something I would order again. The deviled eggs were disappointing and lacked flavor. The fried chicken looked amazing, but for me only the crispy coating was enjoyable. The chicken itself did not impress. Unfortunately, the service completely ruined the experience. I have visited twice with different servers, and both experiences were disappointing. Service was extremely slow, impatient, and came across as arrogant rather than welcoming. On more than one occasion, staff started clearing plates before we had even finished eating. Requests for simple items, such as hot peppers on the side, felt like an inconvenience, and when they finally arrived they came near the end of the meal. The overall atmosphere from the service team felt rushed, dismissive, and unfriendly. It's a shame because most of the food was genuinely very good. However, when service is this slow, inattentive, and unpleasant, it overshadows the entire dining experience. For that reason, despite enjoying several of the dishes, I would not return. read more

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We have been to the one in Scottsdale and didn't know they had opened one in Del Mar! What a fun atmosphere- this place was hopping! From local gathered around the bar to young 30 something's outside on the patio watching the tvs posted around! We tried several different drinks and loved them. Bartender explained they make all their simple syrups and own ingredients for their cocktails. They also have many wines and beers to choose from as well. Our server talked us into getting an appetizer which was bagels and fondue cheese. Our bagels might have been a little overdone, or a little dry, but was still good and a great pairing with our drink choices. I'm sure we will be back. read more

Culinary Dropout - My Mexican Dojo was delicious - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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We came here for lunch on a Thursday afternoon and had no trouble getting a table. They do have a big space inside and some tables outside. We sat inside. The atmosphere was pretty casual. There were a few tvs around the bar area showing different games. We ordered the chopped chicken salad and Mac burger. The order was taking awhile the server brought us some pretzels with cheese sauce. My son liked the pretzels and unfortunately filled up on those before his food came. But he managed to still have half his burger which he said was alright. My salad looked small in the bowl it was served but turned out to be bigger than it looked so I took some home. The salad was pretty flavorful but the greens were a little wilted. Overall, this place is decent. I thought their selection was limited. A little in the pricey side but their portion sizes were generous. I heard that if you go during happy hour, their prices are a lot lower for the same portion size. If I come back, it will be during happy hours. read more

My boyfriend tried the Culinary Dropout in Arizona before and was expecting the same quality here since we have one in San Diego. It was unfortunately a complete miss. Supposedly it tastes a lot better in Arizona. We came here on a Friday night around 8:45pm for some American comfort food, was seated immediately for a party of 2. There was live music playing and the restaurant was actually pretty packed with only a couple of tables to spare. We started off with drinks, my boyfriend got the Peaches & Rye (cocktail) and I got the Juicy Watermelon Spritz (mocktail). The drinks were delicious! Highly recommend them! But the food on the other hand, was so sad. We started off with the Crispy Brussel Sprouts which had a Korean gochujang sauce that was way too heavily applied. I enjoyed the crispiness but because there was too much sauce it was super salty. The Wagyu Pigs in a Blanket was also sadly mid too. Literally just tasted like regular Oscar Mayer hot dogs, there was no differentiation of taste to make it Wagyu. Like even if Wagyu tallow (fat) was used to season, I would have tasted that but I didn't. It was really disappointing. Up next was the Meatloaf and 36-Hour Pork Ribs, also disappointing. The Meatloaf had a thin layer of sauce on top, it tasted like ketchup mixed with Worcestershire. I had to ask for extra sauce because the Meatloaf itself was pretty bland. The mashed potatoes and gravy and the broccolini that came as sides actually tasted better than the meatloaf. The 36-Hour Pork Ribs were decent, the BBQ sauce was tangy, the meat was tender and was easily separated from the bone. But to be honest I'm used to eating Phil's BBQ and there's a reason they're the G.O.A.T in San Diego. For a $125 bill before tip, honestly I would skip eating here and only come for the drinks. read more

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We stopped into Culinary Dropout for lunch today and had such a great experience. We had never been there and wanted to try something new. The decor was awesome with unique chandeliers and the coolest artwork including a wall of converse shoes and a "fancy" stormtrooper wall piece. Our server, Ryan, was fantastic! He was super attentive and he took the time to explain different items and gave some solid recommendations and was super patient when I asked for explanations for some of the menu items. He came back often to check on us and the quality of the food. We chose the pork belly nachos, loaded with melted cheese, black beans, pico, and honestly one of the best guacamoles I've had in a while, it was fresh, flavorful, and the perfect balance to the richness of the pork. They had just the right amount of cheese so that the chips stayed crunchy and not soggy. We also ordered the chicken Caesar salad, which was crisp and well-dressed, and a half order of their pretzels... which might have been the star. They came out warm and soft with a melted provolone cheese dip served in a heated cast iron bowl...so good. Drinks were just as impressive. The Dropout Mule with mint and candied ginger was refreshing with a nice kick, the Giddy Up espresso martini had the perfect touch of cinnamon on top, and the Red Can Black Bird (think michelada with tequila and Tecate) was bold and unique. The Wellness Retreat with vodka, pineapple, jalapeño, and champagne was light, slightly spicy, and super refreshing. Overall, great food, great drinks, and even better service. We'll definitely be back. read more

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Culinary Dropout has some of the best wings we've had in North County! So good, we've been back 3 times and only order wings and drinks every time. We've always sat at the bar and the bartenders are super attentive. It's also fun to get to talking with others that have bellied up and sometimes there is even live music on the patio. The inside seating is very hip and stylish but the restaurant still has a laid back vibe. Make sure to check out the wallpaper in the bathroom if you can, it always makes me giggle. read more

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When in need of a casual lunch, the family and I headed out to the Del Mar area and found Culinary Dropout. For a weekend with no reservations we were seated immediately. Service was great, too! The reason I'm giving 3 stars mainly has to do with the quality of the food. It's good pub fare, just looking for something a little more inspired. Overall we had a good meal...just nothing stellar. read more

Such a cute spot in the Del Mar Plaza! The layout is so cool with the bar splits the outdoor patio and the interior, giving it a really open feel. Even though we sat at the tables, I loved the cute interior with the chandeliers, dim lighting, and those dark green velvet booths. It sets the perfect mood for a long catch-up with great company. I was skeptical seeing sushi on a menu that's mostly American comfort food, but I'm so glad I gave it a try! The Rainbow Roll was delicious and the Pork Belly Nachos are a total standout. I also ordered the Room Service cocktail and it was so refreshing. Our server was incredibly attentive and sweet. We skipped dessert because we were so stuffed, but I'll definitely be back to try more of their cocktails! read more

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Brussels: very flavorful and yummy, big portion, and a good value. definitely worth ordering. Crispy tuna rice. Only five little pieces for $20 but they were hearty. Not the best value here but tasty. Turkey pastrami sandwich was OK, nothing spectacular. Kid's burger was great for an adult who is not too hungry. Pretzels and burger were all good. Fries were ok. And people in our group were raving about the buffalo wings which they said were super fresh and the best they've had. Overall, a solid four-star takeout experience and we will order from here again. read more

Culinary Dropout - Outdoor covered patio - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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We sat at the bar. Had a couple of drinks. Bit of a week pour for my vodka, but did the trick. We split fish and chips, it was a huge portion! Overall friendly service. She kept on forgetting the water, but the other server helped out. Was quite busy for a Tuesday. A lot of locals. Very large restaurant. Looks like it would be fun for a party. We'll try it again! read more

Culinary Dropout - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

My Pop and I had a Father and Daughter time out afternoon together today. We chose Culinary Dropout as our lunch spot and could not have chosen a better spot! I had never been. It was a perfect mix of quiet in the main room and sports on the patio and bar. We could talk and eat while having the ability to watch one of many screens. Our server was named Dennis. He was absolute perfection. We had to ask his name so we could remember him for our next visit. Each drink and dish he suggested was a home run! I tried a "MINIMAL CONSEQUENCES" drink. It was a non alcoholic delight!! JUICY WATERMELON SPRITZ fresh pressed lemon, smashed watermelon, sparkling coconut water - yummy!!! I will get it again for sure!!! The tomato soup is SO Delicious!!! We were told it was good and it was beyond that. It was called listed as "better the next day", it would be perfection on any day, even cold! CRISPY CHICKEN KATSU sandwich was SO YUMMY!!! The japanese milk bread was beyond fresh! It had spicy miso aioli, napa slaw, hoisin with French fries. We split the soup and sandwich and it was still filling! Since it was my father's birthday we were treated to a mud pie.... I will not forget that pie any time soon. We will return and I am already telling friends. I have walked past on live music days and promised I would try it one day and today was that day!!! I will return with friends! read more

Culinary Dropout - Culinary Drop out Mud Pie - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

What a great place to go for brunch! Culinary dropout is our latest local bar/restaurant there has happy hour with music and the music is there for lunch as well! We start with a better than average surprisingly good glass of Prosecco. We follow that up with a Shrimp Louie (salad). And then for dessert we split a mud pie .... but split is probably not an accurate word. I have a three bite rule that I like to follow. First bite: oh wow that is good. Second bite: really good. Third bite: Now I am being naughty. And it's not that I'm really being naughty it's just I'm getting to enjoy every bite I take which is a much different experience than just struggling through dessert, because you're stuffed. For both vocals and tourists I would say this is a good place for happy hour with music and brunch with music. And if you make sure you bring some good company you find yourself lingering there for hours and hours. Enjoy! With garlic, gusto & gratitude, Chef Marian San Diego Foodies & Carlsbad Foodies on Meetup read more

I love this place! The Double blind is a crazy vibe! Also if you come here you HAVE TO get the Tijuana Spa Water. All the apps and entrees are amazing! Also, Tori is the one of the best waitress I have had anywhere! read more

I was so pleasantly surprised with this place! We came on an early Friday evening with reservations, there's quite a bit of seating but it does get packed. They have a very large bar you can sit at and then also lots of tables. The service was great and had good recommendations! They have a wide array of cocktails and all their syrups are made from scratch. The food is American style but they do have sushi. For appetizer you have to get the whipped feta!! It's delicious and comes with some amazing sourdough. I got the prime rib sandwich which was super good and all my other friends food was great! If I'm ever up at one paseo again I'm definitely stopping by! read more

Stopped by on the way back from a doc appointment and just loved the name of the place. We sat outside and started with the whipped feta appetizer. HIGHLY recommend this dish. Apparently it changes seasonally. We got the deviled eggs which I don't eat but my husband loved. Last we split the ribs (which they put on 2 plates for us which I love) . We swapped out the sides for salad and mac n cheese. Super bomb. Can't wait to try more next time we are in the area read more

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Service is amazing, interior is nicely designed, they had live music when we went in the patio. We ordered the Soft pretzels and provolone fondue which is a must have appetizer. Perfect texture. Hot wings were quite flavorful and zesty. Chicken chopped salad was solid. Mongolian short rib had great texture. Beer battered fish and chips could be a bit crispier but still yummy. Definitely coming back. read more

My husband and I stopped by Culinary Dropout for the first time on Saturday, July 18, while celebrating my birthday weekend. We thought it would be fun to try somewhere new, and quite honestly, the restaurant's name intrigued us. It was an extremely warm, unseasonably hot afternoon in San Diego. There were several shaded high-top tables outside that appeared to be available, although they all had "Reserved" signs on them. When we approached one of the hostesses about outdoor seating, she offered us only a small table in direct sunlight with no umbrella or seats at the bar. We were dining with our tiny 11-pound puppy so sitting at the bar simply wasn't an appropriate or safe option for her. We also had no interest in bar seating, as we weren't there to drink. We just wanted to enjoy lunch. What was disappointing was that there seemed to be no effort to accommodate us or earn our business, despite the number of empty shaded tables. We understand that some tables may have been reserved for larger parties, but there was no attempt to discuss alternatives or offer any flexibility, even given the unusually hot weather. We left and gave our business to a neighboring restaurant, where we had a wonderful experience and enjoyed the rest of the birthday weekend. Afterward, we read other reviews mentioning that the restaurant caters more to a younger crowd, and based on our experience, we can understand why some guests have left disappointed. As a mid-career professional couple, we simply didn't feel welcomed. Unfortunately, our first impression was enough that we won't be returning. The restaurant's name initially made us curious to visit. After our experience, it felt a little more fitting than intriguing. read more

What a great space for a group event! Came for a vendor event and had a lovely time. The shrimp and zucchini appetizer surprised me with its lasting crunch and what tasty burger! The service was superb, really I commend the staff for being attentive and ohh so friendly. My only complaint was the heat lamps had oddly placed handles that the staff lined up in the isles that smacked me in the head every time I needed to move between tables! Could you please rotate towards the table, the left or right ... just not in the isle. Poor flow management! read more

Culinary Dropout - Yummy sandwich - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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The menu here is VERY limited. The fried chicken was burnt after taking 20 minutes to prepare. The drinks were good. The chips and dip were really good. The fish and chips were good. I just can't get over the burnt friend chicken. We came here because the name was fun. read more

Culinary Dropout - Good cocktail - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Cocktails were decent ( they didn't have Meyers Rum) as I ordered a Mai Tai and instead they made me the "Evil Princess" - pretty cocktail but not a true Mai Tai. The best part of our experience were the sushi rolls! Crunchy roll and spicy tuna (both a 10 out of 10)! The place was packed on a Wednesday night. They have TV's to watch sports games and the vibe was lively. We also ordered the Wagyu pigs in blanket thinking we were getting an elevated dish but it literally was basic pigs in a blanket (blah). Otherwise I'd still recommend visiting, if you're in the area. read more

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Ok! First time here. Definitely won't be my last. Stopped by here to grab lunch and was not disappointed. When my cousin and I walked up we were pleasantly greeted at the front with a smile, then seated right away out on the patio as the weather was perfect. Our server, Cadin (Hope I got that right), came right up to the table. She had great suggestions and we were not disappointed. I don't normally go for bread items but the pretzels were insane. Don't regret them at all. I got the Mongolian Short Rib as an entree. Yes please. I'd definitely do that again. Super chill vibes mid day for lunch. Would love to come by for happy hour or dinner next! read more

Culinary Dropout - Soft Pretzels & Provolone Fondue - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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The positives: The staff was super friendly and the apps (especially the brussel sprouts) were great! Very spacious interior with lots of seating. Located in the Del Mar Highlands, with plenty of parking available. What could be improved: The mains left more to be desired in terms of taste. Most of the mains also felt a bit greasy/oily as well Verdict: Probably just an average experience if you're hoping to enjoy a good meal (like I did), but probably a better place to hang out and order drinks and apps read more

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Our server explained the menu as elevated comfort food, she was right! The provolone fondue tasted exactly like the cheese from the cracker snack packs from childhood. I personally loved the chopped chicken salad! I got the evil princess (could be wrong on the name) and it was delicious! My cousin got their non-alcoholic society spritz which was pretty good too! Definitely spread the word about this place to my friends read more

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Food was a bit salty, ambiance was good, the pretzels did come out a bit late (but made up for with free dessert).

The food was great. You will love the food. The interior is huge. It doesn't look like it from the outside but the place is big and very nicely decorated. However, the reason I didn't give a 5 was the service. Take my drink order and disappear. Finally bring drinks and disappear. Come back take food order, bring food, disappear. Finally check on us when we are almost done eating. Now you finally refill drinks. Oh wait you disappeared again. Ask if we'd like dessert and you bring a dessert menu and guess what happened. Poof gone again. Ok no dessert please bring check. Drops check and poof gone for over 5 minutes. I was trying to give you my card when you got to the table. Let me pay and get out of here. read more

Culinary Dropout was a neat option to check out when I dropped by here for lunch! The ambiance and vibes were nice and we opted to dine out on the patio. For my meal I tried their Brussels sprouts (generous portion) and their shaved prime rib dip sandwich with fries (excellent with rich au jus) along with their salad (fresh and filling). Overall the drinks were refreshing and food was flavorful. Service was friendly and attentive, overall a solid option when in the area of Carmel Valley! read more

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I've been here twice now, once for lunch last month and again yesterday for brunch. For my first visit, I had an assortment of the sushi rolls (rainbow row, spicy avocado roll, and spicy tuna crispy rice) and a salad with grilled salmon on the side. For my second visit, I had the Asian Crunch salad. For both visits, I thought the food was pretty decent. There wasn't a lot to choose from on the sushi roll menu, but I enjoyed it. The fish was fresh, which was most important! I enjoyed the Asian Crunch salad, but thought it was rather expensive, considering it was a small portion (the price of a full salad but the size of a half salad) that came with no proteins. Three of my friends ordered the ham and eggs grilled cheese and were not pleased with this dish. The bread was very thinly sliced and was extremely greasy. The scrambled eggs and potatoes were too salty to eat. Our server had the kitchen fix their orders, but it was still very bad. The potatoes were no longer salty; however, the eggs were still very salty, and the thinly sliced bread was still drenched in grease. I felt bad that my friends didn't enjoy their food because I loved my small salad, even though it wasn't very filling. The ambiance is really nice and I loved the vibe. I think if they can work on the details of the food and cut down the amount of grease and salt, this could be a fun hangout place. It's not bad in my opinion, but here's room for improvement. read more

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