5% surcharge due to "rising costs" is such a bs way to handle things. It's almost like putting the burden on your employees because they now have to handle disgruntled customers who may tip less due to this extra charge. Just up the cost of your food on the menu 5% and be done with it. Good was fine enough. "Pepper steak salad" had zero pepper flavor but steak was cooked well and it was a decent enough salad. Drinks were fine. But the surcharge is such a bs thing from the covid era and I'm over it. read more

A group of us goes to Draft Republic every Wednesday after playing volleyball. It's been our regular spot for a couple years. The service is always so welcoming, and the food and drinks are great too. When we sit at a table, Genevieve is the most amazing server. So friendly, attentive and on top of everything. When it's just a couple of us, we sit at the bar, and Kaleigh and Vee are there with solid service. Food-wise, you really can't go wrong. Solid burgers, the best French fries ever, and excellent pizzas. Great crust. They used to have poke tacos that have gone away - I hope they bring back some lighter fare to the menu. Go. You won't be disappointed. read more

Do you struggle with commitment? Have friends visiting? Don't like beer? Get bored of the same drinks? Then come to draft republic! I paid by the ounce for over 10 ciders and 4 wines and 3 beers that I got to pick. Spacious seating and tons of variety. It's like a drinking arcade and you get to choose. Good location when walking in the cute downtown area too. I would go for drinks after a nearby dinner. read more

I have to believe this place is on it's last legs. Met a buddy for lunch there today and all I can say is fail, fail, fail. First sin: There was no disclosure of a "Supplemental fee" of 5%. -- 5%!!! Second sin: I asked for fresh pepper for my salad, the waitress looked at me like I had asked in a foreign language. WHO DOESN'T know what black pepper is , especially working in a restaurant?? I am glad I didn't ask for salt too. That would have been a real stumper! I got 4 packets of pepper. Not a shaker, not grinder, paper packets. Third sin: $4.50 for a glass of iced tea. The place was NOT busy on a Friday, perhaps because of the prices and/or the Supplemental fee. Two salads and an iced tea, plus fees = $63.00 The place next door (old Sammy's) is gone and this place has to be suffering. Maybe this is a better place for game day, but I would avoid it for lunch. If this is your favorite place, go back soon before they close.... Not a fan!!! read more

Do not bring a large group to Draft Republic. The plentiful TV screens and beer taps are tempting, but the service and food are as bad as it gets. In an empty restaurant on a Tuesday night, it took 30 minutes to get my first and only beer of the night. The waiter just vanished and left our group with empty glasses for long stretches. This is a beer bar that brags of 101 taps but is unable to sell beer and bring it to customers. As they say, "you had one job...." As for the food, some things like the Caesar salad and the sliders were solid. Unfortunately, Draft Republic sent out one of our main proteins in an overcooked/burnt state. A clerk at a truck stop wouldn't dare put chalky, desiccated chicken like this into their hot display case. I politely showed the manager the burnt chicken, and his managerial response was a one word "sorry" in passing followed by nothing. If you don't believe me, check out the picture I posted. It's the only shot I got because the manager saw me taking it and finally took away the dish to replace it. Amusingly, he was rude when the remade chicken finally came back, sarcastically offering to hand me the hot tray and saying "is this good enough for you?" Let's just say that for $40 per person, basic service and edible food might be expected. For some reason we got neither. It might have been a bad night but it doesn't get any worse than this Draft Republic. read more

Draft Republic Carlsbad - Burnt chicken served by the manager at Draft Republic - Comfort Food Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I continue to be amazed by how many beers Draft Republic has! This continues to be a very fun spot, with some good food. I went with a couple of friends on a Saturday night, and we were able to use the golf simulator. It didn't seem to be very crowded, And there were no issues reserving it in person. (Although I have a feeling if it was a very popular sports night, or maybe even a little bit earlier in the evening, we might not have been so lucky). The drinks were good, some of the appetizers that we got were good and the golf simulator was very fun! Although the golf simulator is a bit pricey yet, $90 for one hour plus an additional $15 to rent clubs. read more

We decided to go check out draft republic while on little vacation and it did not disappoint! Great spot to go for food and drinks. Also our server Geneveve was the absolute best! She was super attentive and made sure our drinks were always full, plus had some great recommendations for what to order! Will definitely be back if we ever visit Carlsbad area again in the future! We decided to go check out draft republic while on little vacation and it did not disappoint! Great spot to go for food and drinks. Also our server Geneveve was the absolute best! She was super attentive and made sure our drinks were always full, plus had some great recommendations for what to order! Will definitely be back if we ever visit Carlsbad area again in the future! read more

This is a fun place for a group! There were only 2 of us here for dinner, but the majority were large groups. This place is huge, so you can be at table benches, booths, stools, or the bar. They have all kinds of drinks, appetizers, comfort food, salads; a lot! I had the steak salad, and it was so large I couldn't finish it. The steak was so good that I gobbled it up too quickly, and left too much of the greens behind. As you can see in the photo the steak serving on the salad is very generous, not cut up into little pieces; I was impressed with this salad and the other fresh ingredients. The ambiance is definitely loud filled with various large TVs and a variety of live sports to watch. You can play games at this restaurant like virtual golf and a few arcade style games. read more

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This is the go to place after a day spent at Legoland. We came Saturday evening and was seated promptly. There is plenty of seating from high top tables to picnic tables with plenty of tvs. Also, even a mini arcade and virtual golf. Kara was our waitress and she was amazing. She was able to give us some recommendations on their beers and foods. We would definitely come back again! They had great drinks and even bought out some dessert for my son's birthday. Thank you Draft Republic! read more

Fun lively ambiance with attentive service! The food was much better than expected (not the typical bar fare which can easily be an afterthought). Id come back just for the food even if they didn't serve beer. read more

This place did not disappoint! We actually ended up coming two days in a row while visiting San Diego. Let's just say we were starving and ordered it all. We ordered pizza, wings, shrimp, burger, brisket fries, buffalo cauliflower, and Philly cheesesteak. The flavor was amazing! For me, I loved the brisket fries and burger the most. The wings could have been cooked a little more, but it was still good. The buffalo cauliflower was a disappointment, don't think I'd recommend getting that. The service is good, although there was a slight confusion the second day and no one approached us for 15-20 min. They were very apologetic tho so I wouldn't hold that against them. The ambiance is mellow. It's family friendly, they have an indoor/outdoor area, bring screens to watch sports on, and and arcade!!! I think it's a great place to just relax and enjoy good food and company. read more

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Came here with my friends for Monday night football. Ordered a surf and turf quesadilla and literally had to hit 100 in my Mazda Miata after bc I was lit. Love this place, service by Kaleigh R. was fantastic. read more

Draft Republic Carlsbad - Ps these r the Cadmans they said thanks - Comfort Food Near Me - Carlsbad, California

The service we received from Kaleigh R. at Draft Republic absolutely deserves recognition. From the moment we were seated, Kaleigh brought the perfect energy -- friendly, upbeat, and totally on top of everything. She managed our table like a pro - Drinks were never empty, food came out hot and exactly as ordered, and she even remembered a few custom requests without writing them down -- impressive! Kaleigh also made great menu recommendations (the Brisket fries and the local IPA she suggested were spot-on) and checked in just the right amount without ever being intrusive. What stood out most was her genuine attitude. You can tell she enjoys what she does, and it makes the whole experience that much better. She made us feel like regulars, even though it was our first time there. read more

My husband liked his sliders and our fabulous server. Geneveve did a great job making sure I got my delicious salmon without garlic or onion (I have food allergies). read more

We visited this place during the week to watch a baseball game. It was not terribly crowded, but service was still very good and extremely accommodating with regards to the many televisions that were available in the bar. Although we did not eat there the food we saw being served looked excellent. I'm pretty certain that on the weekends this place really blows up with kids running around and people cheering for their favorite teams. If you want a quiet meal, this probably isn't your place but if you wanna have a great time and enjoy the friendly waitstaff as you watch your favorite game be sure to come by! read more

I came in for dinner with my boyfriend and everything was great! The ambiance is lively and upbeat. There are so many TVs to watch sports from. Our server was very friendly and attentive. I had the western burger and it was sooo good. I also had the brownie skillet, but it was a little too salty for my liking. I look forward to returning here soon! read more

This place is definitely a lively, sporty vibe. Came in at 5:30 on a Wednesday and were seated immediately. Plenty of big groups and tons of TV's everywhere. There was a Wednesday whisky and wings special, though I only paid attention to the fact that you get $3 off their pound o' wings, which would make them $13.95 as opposed to $16.95. I was tempted, but that will have to wait for another visit. We got buttered noodles with Parmesan for the kids ($7.95). Yeah, they enjoyed it because butter and carbs, but it was not a good deal for the price. Won't order off of kids menu again. Husband and I both ordered their restaurant week menu, with him substituting his appetizer for a beer. Food came out maybe 5 minutes after we ordered; it was absurdly fast. This short wait time turned out to be an anomaly. Chop chop salad was pretty good. Not overly dressed, acidic, plenty of crunchy vegetables, dried figs. I liked it. I can see how it would be better with blackened shrimp, which is how it is served on their normal menu. Their burger was huge, and served with a lightly dressed side salad and little basket of fries with seasoned ketchup. I thoroughly enjoyed all of this, though the burger was exceptionally messy to eat. There is certainly no dainty way to go about this beast. Fine with me, I'd been craving a juicy, greasy burger and this was perfect. Fries were delightfully crispy but I would've appreciated the option to have just regular ketchup instead of the seasoned ketchup. It got to be a bit too punchy and spicy after a bit. Our waitress initially told us they didn't have bread pudding, so we both got the carrot cake as our only other option per the restaurant week menu. Then she let us know after we were done with our entrees that they were actually out of the carrot cake and only had bread pudding. That was all fine, but what was kind of frustrating was the 15-20 minute wait to get this dessert out to us after she we were done with entrees and she had let us know about this mix up. I'm not sure what was going on with the kitchen, especially given how quickly our food was out. Our kids were losing it, so we had to ask them to just box up our bread puddings to go, which should've taken no time at all but was still maybe 8-10 minutes after asking for them to go. It was odd, but not a dealbreaker. We did not like the bread pudding at all. Densest, heaviest, almost mochi cake-like consistency most one note block of bread pudding I've ever had, and I usually love all kinds of bread pudding. There was a distinct layer of bread that was at the top (over baked and a bit burnt on top) and a dense "pudding" on the bottom. Should have been more uniform and definitely should've been fluffier/lighter in texture. Served with a side of very sweet caramel-like sauce. Disappointing we waited for it, wouldn't get this again even if it were the only option off of a prix fixe menu. Overall, we did like our main course burger and I liked my chop chop salad plus the initial fast service was a positive enough experience that I'd rate our visit as closer to a 3.5 than a 4. There is definitely room for improvement in certain areas but maybe it was just a weird night, and maybe restaurant week isn't the right thing to base a restaurant off of. I'd definitely come back for a full experience all said and done. I think they've got it in them. read more

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Stopped here with my wife last night while in the area. Wonderful beer selection, great amount of TVs and cool ambiance. Not many people for a Thursday dinner. Our server was not attentive at all. Not sure if she was the only server in the place but it was like she couldn't be bothered. Took a while for every aspect. Took a while for someone to come to ask us for a drink order. Once we got our drinks she asked if we wanted appetizers then rushed off before we could order our meals at the same time. At each interaction we felt like she couldn't be bothered to spend another second for anything. I had a beer my wife had a drink. I asked for a glass of water, something my wife would have enjoyed as well but she would just run off instead of asking my wife if she also wanted a glass of water or allowing a sec for my wife to ask. Waited a while after we were done eating to get our check. As a former server myself I just got the sense that we were more of a burden and the server had better things to do. Maybe she didn't care if we turned over her table but we didn't want to spend all night in the restaurant. Maybe a lack of server training or just a bad server experience for us. Food was OK. Thank You read more

Over priced and not so flavorful. Service was great and the beer selection was great as well. The food was terrible. We got wings, cauliflower and a salad and all were bland. When I want an overpriced beer, I'll be back. read more

We needed a place to grab dinner before the drive back from Legoland, and Draft Republic more than fulfilled all our requirements. It was easy, casual, and family friendly, with great food and drink for the four adults and four children in our group. The arcade situation was just gravy on top. We walked in with our huge party at around 7:00 on a Sunday night. The near-empty parking lot boded well, and we had our pick of tables in the giant brewery/arcade/golf simulator/restaurant. We ended up at a tall table in the main arcade area, which wasn't ideal for high chairs but was otherwise perfect for drinking beer while the kids crawled all over the various games. We spent an hour and a half at Draft Republic, and only 20 minutes or so actively feeding the children. The place was huge, with a lot going on, but it didn't have the desperate feel of a restaurant that doesn't know what it wants to be. Draft Republic was relaxed and fun, with plentiful entertainment in addition to good food and good vibes. Service was friendly and fast, and no one cared that we had four boys running around the arcade zone. They were the only ones there, and they had an absolute blast. It was cheap entertainment, too, as only the oldest of the four knew the difference between the flashing, colorful display screens and actual gameplay. (He did get to play, and my older son played with him.) The toddlers were just happy to rotate steering wheels and climb and sit on fake motorcycles. They even thought the ATM was a game. There was an extensive draft selection, which included several Draft Republic brews. My husband and I tried the house Mexican Style Lager and Blonde Ale, I believe, and both were super satisfying. I was also impressed by my dinner, a shrimp po'boy with seasoned jumbo fried shrimp, creole slaw, and Cajun aioli on a toasted roll. It was delicious, served with a small house salad and seasoned fries with housemade spicy garlic ketchup. My husband enjoyed his fish and chips, and our sons ate their spaghetti noodles with butter and parmesan, ordered from a robust kid's menu. We plan to go back to Legoland, and we may end every trip with dinner at Draft Republic. The food and beer hit the spot, and it keeps the party going. We all ate and played well, and the kids fell asleep about as soon as we got in the car. read more

Super super mixed on whether to give them a three or four. It used to be a five. I love the atmosphere, I love it the games for the kids, I love that they try, but for some reason their combination for salads, they're dressings they've selected for their salads, certain flavors, Etc don't quite work. Hard to put in words. The ingredients all look fresh but whoever put the combos together didn't quite make it work read more

Carlsbad Draft is a favorite restaurants for us to come and visit. The food is great. The service is fantastic. Angie and Nick are some of the best servers. They are very friendly and attentive. I always order the draft Republic burger, second favorite the loaded brisket french fries appetizer. It will not disappoint. read more

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This place was awesome, loved it, tv's everywhere, big screens in the large dining area, and the golf simulator which i did not try (bummer. The Service was awesome, friendly, inviting and the food was amazing. I had a burger with brisket and pulled pork i believe with a side and was just amazing. Shared a salad as well and was definitely impressed. would come back again if I lived in the area. read more

The food was ok, but the arcade games were not allowed due to a private party. The whole reason my kids and I came was for the games. They didn't let me know until we were seated. Management needs to figure out that guests will always be disappointed if they are restricted to a certain area. Never coming back again. read more

By far, thee best service and friendliest staff! Kaitlyn M made it the best experience! Can't wait to come back! -Adriana (huge soccer team dinner) read more

We're in Carlsbad for a conference and stopped by this place on a whim. Definitely not disappointed! We had the sweetest waitress, Kaitlyn M. She recommended a few things and everything was delicious! We got the Bbq brisket bacon burger and pound of wings. We shared everything and had plenty of leftovers. The quality of the food impressed us. Worth every penny! Oh, the mixed berry jam cider was ahhhmazing! Thank you Kaitlyn for your pleasant nature and fantastic service! read more

Had a fun time here for dinner. Ordered some drinks, some salads, brisket fries, and buffalo cauliflower. Everything was great. Service was excellent. It was a Saturday night, so it was reasonably busy, but we were seated immediately and everything was easy, tasty and just really fun. read more

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This business adds a 5% surcharge to all bills to reflect the higher cost of food. IMO this is ridiculous. .. why not just list a 5% higher menu price. I will not return to a business that is so clearly trying to deceive its customers. read more

Amazing food but what made this place so special was the service Kaleigh M. was our server and she took amazing care of us. Excellent recommendations great conversation and great service. Most highly recommended and if you come in and can get seated in Kaleigh M's section do it. read more

Took my buddy here for the first time and we had a great time with the kids. Our server Kaleigh was very sweet as well.

Service is very slow and not friendly at all (Sunday evening). I hope they are better on busier nights. Only one of three bartenders was familiar enough with the selections of beers to make recommendations. Tried the Belgian Golden Strong Ale Delirium which was excellent and a recommendation. Also had the Bitburger which is an old favorite from my time in Germany. Also had a surprisingly good Blood Orange Hefeweizen from Firestone Walker. For dinner I had the Peppered Steak Salad which I would highly recommend. It was outstanding and I think it was so good even vegans would love it. Very cool vibe with all of the taps on display! However with the lack of friendly service I think I will pass on this place the next time I am back in town. Just not worth the effort to get another beer! And the final straw, was watching a rugby match and all of a sudden it changed to women's pickleball. No one else was on my side of the bar and some idiot decided that watching pickleball was better. I asked to get the rugby back on and you would have thought I committed murder. Then later on the split screen two were occupied watching the same worthless basketball game. Why don't you ask what your audience wants and accommodate them. read more

Draft Republic Carlsbad - Peppered Steak Salad. -Excellent! - Comfort Food Near Me - Carlsbad, California

It's always great when I'm in a different city and I get to try new restaurants. I happened to be in the Carlsbad area and got to try Draft Republic. The food runner, Kyra, and our waiter, Nick L., absolutely went above and beyond to serve our large group of 12. We were fortunate to arrive during happy hour, which allowed us to explore the delicious offerings from their happy hour menu. We almost tried everything on it and divided the food among the whole group. My attention was really drawn to their outstanding drink specials. My beer enthusiast friends were happy with the 16 oz house beers for just $6 and the 26 oz option for $9, which I've never seen anywhere in SoCal. We sampled a wide range of dishes, including the mouthwatering beef sliders and sausage sampler, the savory crispy buffalo cauliflower, poke tacos, brussel sprouts, Bavarian pretzel bites, and the chop chop salad. Each meal was well-cooked and flavorful. The vibe at Draft Republic was warm and friendly, showing an excellent fusion of local charm and contemporary design. They do have lots of TVs playing local sports so this has to be a great spot to hang out on game day. Given the size of our group, the service was very impressive. In addition to ensuring sure our orders were correctly taken and that our eating experience was excellent, Nick L. and Kyra were also patient and attentive. The vast beer menu provided a wide variety of options, even though I may not be a beer enthusiast myself. Additionally, I was surprised to find that they have a good non-alcoholic selection as well as beer flights for those interested in trying a variety of flavors. I'll definitely go back to Draft Republic the next time I'm in the area after this wonderful experience. It is a must-visit location since it offers amazing food, drinks for my companions, warm service, and a lively atmosphere. read more

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Kaleigh M was amazing! Great service!! She was very attentive and helpful! Thanks for the great service!

Kaitlyn was amazing! She took such great care of us and especially our kids, which really set the tone for a perfect meal. Friendly, attentive, and made the whole evening awesome; we'll definitely be back! read more

I always passed this place but decided to take the family. Great staff and tons of TVs. In addition there is an arcade and indoor golfing. Great food and fun size bar with anything you could imagine. Highly recommend for family/adult dining. read more

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Returning to Draft Republic wasn't a hard decision after our prior experiences being so wonderful. A wide selection of beer, with specialty house made drafts, a vast menu which has tons to offer, and a staff that will make you feel welcome, we were pleased to return. During our numerous visits here, we have tried their Pound O'wings, Draft Republic Burger, the Nashville Hot Fired Chicken Sandwich, and Southern Fried Chicken Tenders. Without a doubt, everything is beyond delicious but I will put some emphasis on their Southern Friend Chicken Tenders as it is served with a hot honey which is so good it will make you crave it just while writing this review. As well, an appreciation to our server Caylee for being one of the best in the business; and part of the reason we have come back as much as we have! read more

The food was really good! I ordered the Blackened Shrimp Chop Chop Salad and my friend ordered the sliders. She said they were good. The salad was really good. The shrimp was just the right about of spice with the seasonings they put on it. It all tastes very fresh too. It was a big portion and the leftovers were still good the next day too. I also got a barrel aged stout beer and that was really good too. Jeff was our waiter. He was attentive and have good recommendations as for what to eat. Checked on us several times too, so that was good. The inside of the restaurant has an upscale sports bar vibe to it. There were big screens everywhere. So if you like sports, good beer, good food and great service, try this place! read more

Draft Republic Carlsbad - Blackened Shrimp Chop Chop Salad - Comfort Food Near Me - Carlsbad, California

We are so happy with Angie at Draft Republic! We came in as a soccer team with all of our players, parents and extended family. She welcomed us and accommodated our every need. read more

This is one of our favorite places to grab a quick bite when we are in Carlsbad. The food, service and fun atmosphere make it a must for us! Tonight we were served by an awesome crew, Mackenzie, Nick and Kaleigh. Service is top notch!! Ian, the manager was amazing, too. Love to support our local businesses! read more

Our group was quite large, and the staff demonstrated excellent hospitality and attentiveness. The overall atmosphere was enjoyable, complemented by quality food and well-prepared drinks. I ordered the steak cooked medium, and it was prepared to perfection. The mashed potatoes were particularly enjoyable, and my daughter was satisfied with her cheese pizza. The restaurant is family-friendly, featuring an arcade area for children to enjoy. read more

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