Was very excited to try this place per the Michelin Guide, but was wary because we tried the Chef's other restaurant Hoxton Manor in San Diego. It took a bit to get a reservation, but still the staffing level seems to not keep up with this high demand. It took time to even get our order in while the restaurant was half empty. As for food, we couldn't get through the meal because of the spice level of 2 of the dishes. It was as if they were trying to mask other flavors. However, this also happened at the other restaurant so I believe this is just this chefs style. I've took 2 different people to these experiences and both were just as disappointed as me. read more

Dija Mara - Tofu Rendang Charred Eggplant - Indonesian Near Me - Oceanside, California

Amazing restaurant offering a unique cuisine! The food and cocktails are wonderful! Will return regularly!

We were excited to taste this new Balinese place, especially when I was suggested to come there from a chef. From the beginning the service was off, I told the hostess that I knew a chef named Chris and she said Chris doesn't work there anymore and then gave me an attitude. Then the ceviche was too salty plus the pork skrewers were burnt and salty... this isn't how people in Indonesia make there food... we weren't expecting it to be exactly like Indonesia like Thailand and etc but jeez the over saltiness and and then it being overprice just lead to a bad experience... the ambiance was a bit off with the graffiti and wall designs, you don't get any Indonesian vibes excepts some statue by the front door. You can make the food look good but you can't fake the flavors. I hope they can improve... we will not be returning. read more

I tried to eat here all year and finally made a reservation for brunch one weekend. I was excited since there were many great reviews and many unique and intriguing dishes on the menu! Sadly, our meal was average from the start. The server was bored, she sat our group of 4 by a window where sun would later stream in and hit us right in the eyes. There were literally only two other tables occupied when we arrived so she could have predicted this and sat us elsewhere. Then when we asked her what she'd recommend since our group had never been there she unenthisiastically said, everything is good. Um...ok thanks for the tip! We ended up getting some cocktails and each ordered an entree. My meal, the Dija hangover (roti wrap with egg, chicken curry and potatoes) came with a choice of beer which was nice and the ale complemented the spiciness of the dish ($19). The dish was superb! The flavors were on point! The sauce was killer spicy! Bummer that we had to wave down someone for silverwear and extra napkins. For the price of the meal, you think there would be better service! As many mentioned this, we already knew the plates would come as ready but it was still super annoying to wait on items. Also as people filtered in, the noise level in there got unbearable. So...random minutes waiting for food while others ate, sun streaming into your face, careless service and bad acoustics didn't make for a good meal! Oh Dija Mara - I heard so many good things about you...and wanted to love you, but I only kinda liked you. read more

Dija Mara - Dija hangover on brunch menu (came with a beer ) - Indonesian Near Me - Oceanside, California

I was super excited to try this place as I have never really had Southeast Asian flavors before. FOOD ORDERED: Grilled Roti - The flatbread was so soft and fluffy. I could eat this on its own. The lamb curry was super salty, but the vegetarian curry was amazing! Seafood Nasi Goreng - On the spicy side but the flavor was insanely good! By far my favorite thing we tried. I only wish it had more a variety of seafood. Mie Goreng - This noodle dish was supposed to be the spiciest out of the all dishes we ordered, but I didn't think it was spicier than the Nasi Goreng. I really enjoyed the flavor of the noodle, but I couldn't get past the texture of the noddles. They were kinda soggy and felt like the were cooked too long. Pork Belly Skewer - Very rich flavor. I couldn't eat more than 2 of them, but dipped in the peanut sauce made every bit worth it. Although, I wouldn't see myself ordering it again. Thai Tea Panna Cotta - The perfect "not too sweet dessert". It has great Thai Tea flavor and it was so light and fluffy. If I wasn't so full I could've eaten the whole thing. I'm very pleased with everything I tried. It's a little hipstery, but a nice place. Make sure it get a reservation if you are going during a busy time. read more

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Indonesian food doesn't get any better than this, unless you're in Indonesia! I found this restaurant listed in Bib Gourmand, so I knew I just had to go here. It was nearly an hour drive, but oh so worth it! My immediate reaction when I arrived was, is this the right place? I was expecting a traditional restaurant decorated with Indonesian artwork. Much to my surprise, this was more of a hipster bar. Bar or not, this was the best Indonesian food I've had! For starters, the drinks were amazing. The Paloma had a nice refreshing grapefruit flavor. You can't even taste the alcohol, but do not be fooled--it has a delayed reaction that knocks you when you least expect it. I was buzzed before I knew it! Of course, I'm a super feather weight! The Cardinal Sin was interesting. The flavor was very unique, nothing I had imagined. It was good, but the star anise was a bit overpowering. I'm not particularly a fan of this strong spice. Good in Vietnamese pho, but not so much in a drink. The pork skewers were hands down THE BEST I've ever tasted! The wait for this appetizer was extremely long, but extremely worth it! I don't know what they put in that sauce, but it made my taste buds dance with excitement! It's a peanut based sauce, but elevated to the next level. The pork belly just literally melted in my mouth and was cooked to perfection. The Nasi Goreng was phenomenal! I've had good Nasi Goreng, but this blew me away! I was so incredible that I ate every last grain of rice. It was an explosion of flavors! My Laksa came out a bit cold, so I was fairly disappointed. The flavor was very bold, but the room temperature noodles didn't give this dish the high rating it truly deserves. I don't know about you, but my noodles have to be piping hot. The flavors were spot on though! The price was a bit much, $28 for a bowl of noodles. Ok, so overall I give this restaurant 5 stars for its food. For a bar, the food was excellent! If you're looking for a romantic ambiance for a special date, this isn't the place to go. The restaurant was loud and seating was very limited. read more

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Mmm where do I start? Dija Mara is a trendy spot featuring banksy-like art on the wall with contemporary music in the background. It's not a particularly large space, so I highly recommend reservations if you can. At 6:15 there was already a growing crowd on Tuesday. If you've never had Indonesian food, just imagine Thai food with the flavors cranked to 100! Though multiple things caught my eye, I ultimately decided on the eggplants and pork belly skewers with a side of coconut rice. Beginning with the charred Japanese eggplant - wow, I loved the layers of flavor this dish featured! The tomato sambal on the bottom provided a nice lingering heat on every bite that was then offset by the very tasty lemon labneh. I also liked the fresh torn basil which added a nice burst if freshness. As a slight critique, there was A LOT of fried onions on this dish which was both a positive (added umami and crunch) and a negative (overwhelming after a while). Also, there is no way to eat this dish without rice (or the roti) as it is pretty salty after a while. For my second dish, I went with the pork belly skewers which were PHENOMENAL. Again Dija Mara did an excellent job layering flavors and textures beginning with the peanut sauce which also seemed to have toasted bits of coconut. It was savory and nutty and played well with the fatty pork belly which was both meaty and unctuous. The matah on top provided the requisite acid to cut through the fat and a wedge of lime just tied it all together. This is a must order in my opinion! A lot of people around me were raving about the coconut rice, but I thought it was a little soft and overcooked (sorry, rice snob). Still, it is a very necessary part of the meal so go for it. Portion wise, it was very filling for one but it also made me very happy while eating it so it was definitely worth the coma thereafter. read more

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Dija Mara is a great spot if you're looking for Indonesian shared plates! We made a reservation ahead of time and good thing we did since the restaurant only seats 49. We got a variety of plates to share, and according to the server, 2 per person would be good to start off with. It ended up being the perfect amount of food too! My favorite dish was their Beef Rendang, which was packed with flavor and had a decent portion! Parking was easy to find on the street, and there were a good amount of spots when we got there at 5pm. I would definitely love to come back and try more dishes in the future read more

This place is LEGIT. An explosion of flavor at every bite. Every. Single. Dish was incredible. The flavors, the combos, the pairs, wow... delicious with a capital "D." Do not sleep on this place. You walk in, it feels like a bar, you wonder, is this the Michelin spot I read about? Oh heck yes it is and soooo much more. What an experience. Oh, and you take amazing food and layer on an incredibly engaged, knowledgeable and friendly crew that works here and why in the world would you not check this place out?! Stop sleeping and walk... heck, run to this spot and try it out. Heck, I'm here for the first time and haven't even left yet and had to write the review stat. You are rocking it Dija Mara crew! read more

Dija Mara has been on our list for a while so we were excited to try! We made reservations and were seated right away. Service was really fast and friendly. This is a tapas restaurant so we ordered 7 dishes. Everything was super flavorful. But the stand outs for me were the Kaya Jam Toast! It had a nice sweet coconut flavor with a hint of pandan. It's a must get! I wish the order came with more :). Everything else was made with extremely high quality ingredients. The short rib Rendang was just okay. A lot of the same textures so it wasn't my favorite. Overall great food and service. Definitely worth the try. The only downsides were the small portions and cost. read more

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My husband and I enjoyed our meal at Dija Mara, an Indonesian cuisine inspired. We shared our food as it is customary in South East Asia to share food with friends and families. We ordered Charred Eggplant, a dish consisting of tomato sambal, lemon labneh, fried shallots, and basil. The spice of the dish was just right. The Beef Short-Rib Rendang, a favorite dish in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore was very tender but should have trimmed the fat. It came with coconut rice. The Ayam Penyet, fried chicken was made real nice and crunchy with a side of coconut rice. As we like our food on the spicy side like authentic Indonesian food should be, we requested extra sambal on the side for more kick to our dishes. The decor of the restaurant was funky. The service was good, only it'll be helpful to know the intricacies of Indonesian cuisine. read more

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Read about this spot in multiple food blogs and thought we had to try when we're in the area. We arrived around 11:45 am on a Sunday and just missed the first round of tables, but were accommodated full service at the bar seating. It's a small hole in the wall. Plenty of street parking. I ordered the Kaya jam toast. It comes with a poached egg to dip into. Egg was perfect, and the toast was basically perfect as well except for the flakey salt sprinkled on top. It was a bit too much for me, and I had some bites that were just salt bombs. My partner got the roti john and it was amazing! Super flavorful, loaded, and crispy baguette. He also loved the Sweet Annie brunch-tail. It was light and the right amount of sweet. Overall, the food was just a tad salty for me and portions are small. Both of our plates seemed more like appetizer sizes than a meal on their own. Prices aren't low either. That being said, I'd still love to return for dinner another time. read more

Dija Mara - Roti John. Perfection! - Indonesian Near Me - Oceanside, California

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I have been here a few times and the food is amazing. I prefer sitting at the bar as it has good ambiance.

I had 5 dishes here and 3 were great. Was anything amazing? No. I think this place has maybe seen it's better days and is riding the nod they got from Michelin. It isn't anything particularly special. Give it a shot though, it might be for you. read more

I already had sky-high expectations for Dija Mara, and somehow those were absolutely exceeded. Made a reservation 3 weeks in advance in order to secure a 7:30 pm slot for 2 on a Friday night, and the experience was preceded by my first motorcycle ride ever. I got off that bike windswept, starving, and in that mood where the food better be excellent, not the hangry "anything tastes good" state. Our server was sweet and gave great recommendations and was direct when I asked questions, always a good sign. She did recommend that my dude and I get 3-4 dishes EACH. We were like hmmmmm well, we'll start with 3 to share and go from there and we ended up perfectly full (no place for a doggy bag on the bike lol). We got: 1. Pork belly skewers - Perfectly caramelized, with a peanutty sauce and pickled veggies that were a refreshing compliment. 2. Nasi goreng - Pleasantly surprised by the spice! There's chili oil on top but I'm a spice fiend, and your girl didn't need to ask for hot sauce or more chili, and that's the highest compliment I could pay. We adored this dish. 3. Short rib rendang - The beef was pull-apart tender, and with the salted egg on top and the bed of coconut rice? Even better than I could have expected, and had some notes of pho flavor which delighted me, your friendly neighborhood Viet girl. We were so entranced by the food that it took us longer to finish our drinks, the light and crisp lychee camo for me, and the blonde on tap for him. Not to mention the cool interior design, with graffiti on the back wall and an industrial chic vibe, with Banksy-like art on the walls. Was also tickled by the chalk in the bathroom, with surprisingly wholesome messages. Highly, highly recommend Dija Mara based on the spectacularly flavored and presented food and edgy yet welcoming ambiance, it certainly lives up to the hype and is worth the time to plan out a reservation! read more

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This place is wow from beginning to end, the greeting was warm and inviting, the timeliness of being seated was professional and the food, WOW! One of those paces you can't wait to go back! read more

I love this place!! The service is phenomenal I always recommend it. I crave it so much as well too. I took my best friend and he and I had a blast and he was so impressed. The food is So bomb I love their fried rice,chicken skewers and their drinks for sure. The spot is small so definitely make reservations read more

It's a cute, small cozy spot. Pretty casual on the inside. There is a lot of street parking on PCH and one street over. We ordered the chicken skewers, mie goreng and charred eggplant for two with rice. It was enough food and everything tasted great. My only gripe is that a bowl of coconut rice is $6.00 but there was no coconut curry taste at all. It was just regular rice. So if it had been marketed as what it truly was, I would not be so upset. Otherwise, everything was great. I tried both of the white wines and it did not taste like any white wine I have had, on a negative note. Also note the mie goreng is spicy level 8/10 and it builds, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. read more

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Five stars all the way. WOW. Not only is the food delicious and the beverage list thoughtful....but the team is warm and fun and welcoming and the vibes are just right, beginning to end. Anytime I am in Oceanside...I'll return. Cheers. read more

Ambiance: Not what you'd expect if seeking out a traditional Indonesian restaurant. Colorful street art warms and highlights the concrete walls reminiscent of a metropolitan back alley. Small, clean, with a dozen or so tables well placed to make best use of space without encroaching on the next table. Best to bring max 1-3 of your favorite humans at a time. Acoustics are such that collectively all tables translate into a moderate level of conversational noise. Fun & funky Hipster vibe, with adult patrons of all ages. Food & Price:The menu is limited but with intriguing dishes. Cuisine is attractively plated. It's difficult to know whether the portions will be appetizer-small or entrée-adequate simply from the price; all are listed as "dinner", even the single serving of unleavened flatbread (roti) for $11. Overall the food is downsized and pricey. The flavor experience is very tasty but not over the top. Main protein ingredients may change in the moment. Likewise the beverages: shortlist of creative specialty drinks, a sampling of "natural wines" from around the globe and 3 beer selections. Service: Leisurely and friendly, but not particularly attentive. Waitstaff very unhurried. May or may not acknowledge you as you enter or exit. They prefer you make a reservation but may not answer their phone. Can't make reservations on yelp or OpenTable, but available on Tok. Overall: Awesome if dinner means drinks and sharing small meals during interesting conversation between 2-4 close friends. Not so good if dinner means dinner. Don't expect a generous culturally satisfying Southeast Asian meal with vigilant waitstaff. Should be thought of as "a small trendy bar with imaginative offerings pairing well with exotically spiced small plates" rather than "an Indonesian restaurant that serves drinks". read more

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We were really looking forward to trying the food at Dija Mara, so much so that we held off for a birthday dinner. And... meh. Part of O'side's renaissance, the restaurant has a minimalist feel. So minimal that the chairs aren't hugely comfortable and there isn't a soft surface to be found in this small room with a capacity of 68. One quarter full at 8:45pm on a Saturday, and we could barely hear each other over the din. We ordered short rib rendang, charred eggplant with tomato sambal and lemon labneh, cereal prawns and shrimp crackers. We were warned by the server that dishes come as they're prepared. That's an interesting concept and I understand they have a small kitchen but stick with me while I do some mental gymnastics: if the chef knows that the prawn crackers take longer than the mains, maybe start them first? Nope. The cereal prawns entree came first, followed by the eggplant appetizer. We tried to beg off the prawn cracker snack food but were waived away by the server. While the prawns were languishing, the short rib arrived followed by prawn crackers for what-- dessert? The cereal prawns were actually excellent, with a fantastic coconut and cane sugar sauce. They would have been even better if we had a spoon to scoop up the sauce. The eggplant needed more lemon labneh, less greasy fried shallots and some seasoning. The short rib rendang was a further setback. Rendang is a curry. This was a piece of high quality short rib with a slight hint of rendang flavor, no curry. I make beef rendang at home once a year following a pilgrimage to Ranch 99 and the better part of a weekend cooking. I had this dearly held fantasy that Dija Mara would save me from slaving over lemongrass and galangal in perpetuity but it was not to be: my partner declared my rendang far superior to the one at Dija Mara. He lived in Indonesia for a while so he should know. Me? I can follow a recipe. In the end, literally and figuratively, the prawn crackers (our ersatz dessert) were pretty more-ish. Dija Mara wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. If you're in the neighborhood and want to drop $50+ per person for something different, knock yourself out. Just don't get a box to go. The lack of cutlery continued and we spent a few minutes trying to shake the eggplant out of its bowl into the box without the aid of utensils while three different servers passed the table. That kind of carelessness seems to permeate the whole restaurant from the kitchen to the waitstaff and it's a pity. 3 stars for food, 2 for service, 2 for noise level. read more

This place is awesome! The food was delicious and amazing. The only thing I would recommend is bring your own wine or/and beer if you desire drinks w food. Reservations are a must as there's only 47 seats. People were waiting at the door to get in for good reason! Service was also great! read more

We love this restaurant! Never a bad meal. Our favorites are the roti and eggplant and then we always add in several more items. Unique tasty food and great quick service. read more

Food was excellent. Our absolute favorite was the cereal prawns.The sauce was divine - creamy, complex flavors - we couldn't get enough! Would highly recommend ordering side of rice to soak up all the sauce goodness (or if you are ordering the the beef redang - it comes with enough rice that you can also eat that rice with the prawn dish as well). The prawns were meaty and flavorful. The cereal added a fun crunchy texture. The sambal tuna crudo was interesting - the tuna was fresh - enjoyed the refreshing, light sauce. The beef rendang was flavorful - tender beef. Seafood nasi goreng was tasty, not particularly memorable relative to other dishes. All dishes were beautifully presented. read more

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This delicious Indonesian fusion restaurant is an absolute must! Vegetarians, rest assured, It is VERY veggie friendly. This was our second visit (first time was over two years ago), and it was just as wonderful as (or better than!) we remembered from the first time. They recommend ordering the food family style with 7-9 dishes for a group of 5. We ordered 6 dishes for out group of 2 adults and 1 child and found the quantity perfect. My only suggestion to the restaurant is to provide a serving spoon with each dish since they are meant to be shared! We tried all the menu items that are either vegetarian or can be made vegetarian: Roti with vegetarian dipping sauce - 5* Charred eggplant - 5* Chinese long beans - 3* Tofu and Tempeh Rendang - 5* Mee Goreng - 5* Nasi Goreng - 5* The roti was more naan like and not what we were expecting, but was delicious regardless! And that veggie dipping sauce was finger licking good. The charred eggplant was cooked and seasoned beautifully and topped with perfectly crisped onions. The Chinese long beans were over salted and also flavor wise not our favorite. I wouldn't order these again. The Tofu and Tempeh Rendang, served over coconut rice, is a solid entree sized portion. It's delicious. The Mie Goreng (wok fried noodles) were awesome, but just a little too spicy for my daughter. The little bay shrimps were tasty (can be left out for vegetarians). The Nasi Goreng (wok fried rice) was served with a crisped rice layer on top and bottom that added a nice crunch. We got this with the bay shrimps, too. The cocktail menu is fun. Our favorite cocktail of the evening was the Gypsy King. Overall a fantastic meal! Come try it out, you won't be disappointed! read more

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I was honestly excited to go here because I heard only great things about Dija Mara. I ordered the fried chicken, eggplant, the ceviche, short rib and the spicy dessert. Frankly honest, I only enjoyed the eggplant. It had the perfect amount of flavor, spice and I love the crispy toppings. The rest of the dishes were meh. Presentation was wonderful but it was lacking the flavor and spice. It needed more oomph. This may be perfect for certain people's palates but for my Southeast Asian self, this was bland. I had to use the sambal for all the dishes for additional flavor. There is no lot so you'll need to find street parking. read more

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I've been to Dija Mara multiple times and it never disappoints. On this most recent visit the Nasi Goreng and the eggplant were my favorite dishes. The restaurant ambiance and feel is also great. I look forward to visiting again soon. read more

Small menu and easier to get a spot with a table reservation. I wasn't too impressed with the menu options, it is very limited and smaller portion sizes. The roti comes with a lamb jus, but the jus was pretty flavorless and the portion size isnt enough for the roti. The roti was well made, but it definitely needs another dish to pair with it. I would pass on the tuna crudo. Super salty and didn't really have any good flavors to it. The Nasi Goreng was probably the best dish of the 3 ordered. It came with egg, shrimp and chicken. I would try again to get through the rest of the menu (which shouldn't take long) read more

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I didn't have the luxury of time to have a real sit down dinner at this place. I sure wish I did because the place looks so chic and trendy with interesting menu. I was born and lived 1/2 my life in Indonesia so I always look for Indonesian restaurant wherever I travel to fill my soul with good ol' comfort food. This place nails it! I ordered the Ayam Penyet, which is Indonesian version of fried chicken serves with coconut rice a side of spicy sauce. The chicken itself was very flavorful and fried to perfection; crispy on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. It comes with bits of fried flakes which complements nicely with the coconut rice. The spicy sauce, it's not out of the bottle sauce like siracha, it's home made spicy sauce that ties the dish together. FYI, Indonesian usually like spicy food so it's not unusual to see spicy sauce on the menu. This place is 15min from Legoland so it's a nice treat for me after a day of navigating theme park full of kids. read more

Dija Mara - Ayam Penyet - to go - Indonesian Near Me - Oceanside, California

The restaurant is on the smaller side, so reservations are definitely recommended. Note that you need to do between 1-2 orders of food per person to be full. The pork belly skewers were unbelievably tender and flavorful. Portion size is 4 skewers with about 3 bite size pieces on each. The beef tartare was one of our favorites. It was served with ground beef which was quite different from any beef tartare I've had before, but they packed a punch of flavor with just the right amount of spiciness making it very enjoyable. The mie goreng is listed as spicy and it didn't disappoint. Now don't get me wrong, it wasn't a where's the milk kinda spice, but it managed to stay at a level where you could still enjoy the flavors of the dish while having a pretty strong kick. The bites of lamb throughout where incredibly flavorful and delicious as well. The pandan-y dropper drink was different than any I've had before. It had a very strong coconut milk taste and was refreshing, although I'm not sure how pronounced the alcohol element was. So if that's what you're looking for, I'd look for something else. If you are on the hunt for a unique and yummy drink though, this one certainty checked the boxes. Dija has such a unique atmosphere with really electric paintings on the walls and loud music. The noise makes it a great place to go with friends, but maybe avoid if looking for an intimate date spot. 8/10 read more

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I think "decent" would be the most appropriate word to describe this establishment. After seeing good reviews and really interesting menu choices I planned to try this place for some time and finally got around to it. I was disappointed when I learned that two of the things I was most interested in trying had been removed from the menu within the last month or two, and the menu seemed much more limited. This restaurant doesn't serve actual hard liquor, just low ABV blends, but I figured I ought to try one of their cocktails nevertheless. We tried the Paloma and the Red Lotus. Both were decent; the red lotus didn't actually have a lot of flavour but I enjoyed the smoothness lent by the egg whites. As far as food, the roti with both sauces (the lamb-based one and the vegetarian one) was delicious! Some of the best roti I have had. I was a bit less enthused by the tofu rendang, which seemed to me to lack a little spice and flavour. The food and drinks were again, decent, but the service is the primary reason I had to take a star off the rating. While all servers were friendly and polite, the service was slow despite the place being nearly empty when we arrived, and they did not come by to check on our table as frequently as I would have expected. I would have ordered another drink, but after bringing out the food our server didn't come back to check on the table or ask if we wanted more cocktails until we had finished the meal. read more

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Oh man where do I begin! Right off the highway in Oceanside and not too far from San Diego or Orange County is Dija Mara, an excellent place to grab great food and catch up with friends. The music, the decor, and the vibes reminded me of a underground, intimate place you could find in NYC! We were seated for our dinner reservation promptly and helped by all of the staff on the floor. They were super attentive to our needs and helped us curate the best meal we could split as a group of three. DRINKS- LYCHEE CAMO: this drink was so light I literally forgot it had alcohol in it. Perfect for those who don't prefer the taste of alcohol but still want something to pair well with the meal. FOOD - CHARRED EGGPLANT: oh man this was super hot and charred, with excellent salty and sour flavors. The crispy onions on top really brought it all together. I was initially skeptical but after trying it, I get why it's so popular! - GRILLED ROTI: ok full disclaimer I LOVE ROTI and would literally wrap myself in a blanket of it at night. This is no exception. The roti was cooked really well, had good seasoning, and was perfectly light. The lamb al jus curry it was served with was also *chefs kiss* 10000% recommend this - NASI GORENG: this crispy fried rice with fried egg had a great balance of spicy, salty, and crunchy. I thought it was seasoned well but my friends thought it was a tad salty for their tastes - BEEF SHORT RIB RENDANG: a great mixture of beef, rice, and pickled veggies! Was an excellent way to finish our meal here If you find yourself in Oceanside or need a place to catch up with folks between OC and SD, this is a great place! read more

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Small place, very different decor inside. Nothing too fancy but the food is really tasty. The drinks were very different. We ordered cardinal sin and beets by Bali. Food portion size is really small and it's expensive for the size but of course that's something I was expecting it to be for a Michelin rated restaurant. The service was top notch. My dog was allowed too. We went on a Sunday evening so could find a table but in general I would suggest it's better to take a reservation. We had Thai Sausage lilit, fried rice and chicken swekers. read more

Dija Mara - Cocktail - Indonesian Near Me - Oceanside, California

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The Asian Fusion brunch here really caught my eye on Yelp, so I was really excited to try this place on a Sunday morning. I could not figure out how to make reservations so we just walked in and were able to be seated easily! The inside decor is very hip with interesting art all over the place. Service was also good. They also offer outdoor seating. As for the brunch food, we ordered the Thai sausage hash, Kaya French Toast, Dija Hangover, and Spicy Eggplant Bowl. To my dismay (why I am docking 1 stara), the thai sausage hash portion was SO SMALL. I am a tiny Asian girl, and I couldn't get full off these portion sizes, especially considering such steep prices. The Kaya French Toast was definitely unique and had a cool green color with yummy caramel sauce! My dad especially enjoyed his Dija Hangover roti burrito as well and the spicy eggplant bowl was a decently sized portion. TLDR: Good tasting food but small portions for the steep price read more

Dija Mara - 10.25.20 Thai sausage hash, Kaya French Toast, Dija Hangover, Spicy Eggplant Bowl - Indonesian Near Me - Oceanside, California

Awesome meal! Not sure what all the complaints about salty food are from, because everything we had was seasoned deliciously! For our mini-holiday meal we decided to eat out for ease and I'm also not sure what the heck people were complaining about for food portion and cost- we had 6+ dishes split between 5.5 people (one was pregnant,lol). We were all satisfied to full, and still had some rice left over. And cost?! With the crazy prices rising everywhere else these days, I thought the bill including 3 drinks was a relief? Service was really slow to start and they forgot my drink completely, but once the food started rolling out we were good! We had: 1. GRILLED ROTI $11 house-made flatbread : labne : lamb jus curry / vegetable rendang curry- amazingly perfect bread! Curry sauce was better than the jus, but all delicious! 2. Passion fruit soda: delicious but heavy on the ice filler 3. TARTINE $16 seasonal fruit mostarda : fresh ricotta : radish : thai chilli : prager toast. One of my fave dishes out of the 7 we sampled! Sweet jam was heaven with the rich ricotta and crisp fresh radish-I couldn't get enough! 4. ROTI JOHN $17 EGG FRIED BAGUETTE : HOUSE SAMBAL : PORK BELLY : CURRY AIOLI : URAP- fantastic sauce in this crowd pleaser! Everyone loved it and it was in my top dishes of the day! The house sambal is so good- hot but not forget-your-name-hot- just enough to keep you intrigued. 5. SPICY EGGPLANT BOWL $18 eggplant : tomato sambal : cucumber : lemon labne : sunny egg : feta : - I absolutely love eggplant and this was so delicious! 6. NASI LEMAK BREAKFAST $19 coconut rice : roasted peanuts : anchovy sambal : fried egg : choice of - protein- ours was fried chicken- the skin was so crispy and delicious! 7. DIJA HANGOVER $19 roti wrap : scrambled egg : confit chicken curry : hot sauce : potato : matah : asian beer The wrap was so perfectly toasted- yum! Although we would NOT have ordered the grilled roti we started with if we had realized this would have the same roti in it. 8. NASI GORENG $17 fried rice : bay shrimp : pork belly : fermented hot sauce : sunny egg- traditional comfort flavors and perfectly cooked egg- dependable classic. 9. SHORT RIB RENDANG $29 spiced beef short rib : coconut rice : matah : fermented cucumber : peanut sauce : egg - ooh! The sauce and the rib?! So rich, complex and satisfying! The meat was so tender and perfectly seasoned! This was the only dish I didn't photograph because the only man in our party assaulted it before any of us ladies could get our phones out, lol! I would order the following again and again: Tartine, Roti John, Eggplant, Short Rib Rendang Enjoy! read more

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Been coming here pretty constantly for little more than a year. Food - 5/5 : Flavor is both unique and authentic. Most dishes have good harmony regarding flavor and textures. Service - 3/5 : Service is pretty slow. All dishes come out at different time (slowly), so if you're in a group, likely one will have to stare at another person eating their food. One time I got my food so late everyone was finished with theirs... Ambiance - 1/5 : One of the loudest place I've ever dined in. My gosh. With it's industrial interior design, there is no sound dampening and everyone is shouting. It ecos like crazy. Brought family members who lived in Malaysia, they loved the food but didn't want to come back again due to the noise. It could be acceptable during dinner time, but it's really not the best Brunch vibe. Also the bar table is way too high (for anyone from my observation). We will keep going back because the food is great and unique. Just wishing one day they will install some sound dampening mat to make the dining experience more pleasant for people. read more

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Small and quaint urban vibe to this restaurant. The food was really tasty with lots of flavor. And it's family style. The whole fish of the day was branzino and it was served deboned and without the head. We loved it so much we ordered 2! The following dishes were my favorite : beef tartare just melted in my mouth, beef short rib rendang was very rich and tender, charred eggplant was very tasty as well, and pork belly skewers was a crowd pleaser cuz how can pork belly be bad. Lol. The nasi gerang was similar to a fried rice but with a kick to it. The other dishes that I thought were good but maybe I wouldn't order again since there are so many more yummy dishes to order. These were the tuna crudo was seemed average to me, Mie Gerang was too salty for me and the grilled roti. Although the roti was good, it was similar to naan bread. The roti I've had before had a more flaky texture. The cocktails were delicious. I forgot the names but they were very pretty. One was a beet cocktail and the was a lychee cocktail. We had very good service, the employees were all very friendly, and overall the food was great with an exception of a couple dishes being more on the salty side but my friends didn't mind it. I highly recommend this restaurant and will definitely return especially since we don't have any other Balinese cuisine in San Diego county. read more

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Everything was delicious ! Ambiance was great, and so was the service. Would highly recommend. Can't wait to go back.

I'm mostly underwhelmed when I go out to eat. And I travel and eat out a lot for work. And damn did this place blow me away! The flavors were phenomenal. I was very impressed. Knocked down a star because an hour went by before we got our first dish. Other than that if I'm ever back in Oceanside I'm coming back! read more

Every dish comes with an EXPLOSION OF FLAVOR! We started off with some cocktails, the Poloma and Gypsy King. Although delicious, they have a lower ABV than tequila based cocktails. So we opted for a bottle of wine for the next round. The Domaine Du Temps Cosmolite is red blend that I'd definitely recommend if you love Cabernets. My favorite dishes were the pork belly skewers and Nasi Goreng. The rice from the Nasi Goreng reminds me of socarrat in paella which I love because it's generally difficult to get the right texture but they absolutely nailed it here. I also liked the beef tartare as one of their lighter dishes. The service was perfect. We were seated (outdoors) immediately without a reservation and they were able to provide good recommendations for a first timer. I also found parking right in front of the restaurant so that was another plus. read more

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