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    Herb & Sea

    4.0 (877 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 1 week ago

    Herb & Sea Photos

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    HERB & SEA ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Herb & Sea

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    Mussel toast
    Lillian W.

    Spectacular service, great food, and fun ambiance! Having frequented for the burger/oyster HH meal, so glad to have returned in a group of 5 so we could try a little bit of everything. Although a pricey restaurant, the quality of ingredients and creativity make for a memorable dining experience. Lots of fun cocktail options. Of the appetizers, we LOVED the mussel toast! Caesar salad and tomatoes were a touch salty for us, but packed some complex flavors. Wish we had gotten our pizza earlier so we could soak up the sauce on all the bread! For main entrees, the pork tomahawk and fish dishes were soo good! This is a great spot to have a fun meal in a beautiful space.

    Beef carpaccio
    Long D.

    Very spacious arrangement, and spread out seatings. Way above dining room noise. Good for group parties. Challenging street parking. No valet parking at this high price, subtract 1 star. Good service but doesn't feel personal. Just like robots. Limited draft beer options in San Diego. We ordered "Ode to Swan" and Beef carpaccio for appetizers. The raw fillet mignon is right on. The raw fish is underwhelming in tiny portions. Then we shared the mussel toast, half baked red snapper, blackened salmon, grilled half peri peri chicken, roasted oysters and bone marrow, and shrimp linguine. They are on the salty side, especially the signature mussel toast. Very nice prepared half red snapper. Recommended the peri peri chicken for the spice and moist meat. Everything else is just ok not standout.

    Bulbous Flowers beer was really really good
    Marc P.

    I'm somewhere between a 3 and 4 on this place. Came once for dinner and once for HHour. The dinner was good with a nice ambience, but a bit pricey to make it stand out. That said we came back for HHour. What was disappointing to me about HHour was the dearth of selection when it came to HH priced food. Due to this dearth, pretty much everyone in the entire bar was ordering the exact same thing for happy hour: The Happy Meal, which consists of a burger, fries, 3 oysters, and champagne. The presentation of the Happy Meal is very nice. The burger tasted very much like an In N Out burger to me, but with a much larger patty. It was good, but despite the similarity we think In N Out burger slightly edged out Herb and Sea's take. The fries were quite delicious. The oysters were large, but they're taste was meh. The same could be said for the bubbles/champagne: a large pour, but nothing to write home about. Due to the lack of food choices on the HH menu, we also ordered the scallop aguachile. It would have been nice if they would have labeled it something else, like a "deconstructed" aguachile. The scallop quality was very good, and the flavor was fine, but this dish is nothing what I expected; I expected a hearty bowl of spicy fish, like one might find at Ironside (Little Italy) or Mitch's Seafood (Point Loma). They had very few beer choices, but the Bulbous Flowers was delicious!!!

    Bone marrow
    Ernest C.

    Service and atmosphere were on point--warm, welcoming, and the kind of place that makes you want to linger over another drink. The seafood was impressively fresh, and the fish was cooked perfectly. But the real MVP of the night was the bone marrow. Rich, buttery, and decadent, it was so good I briefly considered ordering a second round and calling it dinner. Slathered on bread, it was pure happiness. Then came the pizza... and unfortunately, it felt like it showed up to a different restaurant. The crust was undercooked, the sauce was bland, and each bite left me wondering if the chef had accidentally forgotten the seasoning and the oven timer. With so many delicious dishes on the menu, this is one pie I'd pass on.

    Danielle M.

    Perfect fancy date night spot! I had a reservation for 8pm and it took about 15 minutes to be seated, we could tell they got a little bit of a rush around that time so we were fine to wait. Once we were sat our server was so kind and great at recommending items we were interested in trying. She had a busy section but was still checking in on us and making sure we always had drinks. She was wonderful! The food was all incredible and so fresh. We had the best date night and will be recommending herb and sea to everyone we know!

    Inside
    Mabel W.

    They have an amazing menu. All the dishes were very unique with interesting names. I didn't expect to get a chicken with the claws and a fish with the head but it's sliced perfectly in half... so it looks big but you are only half a fish. The Caesar salad was my favorite of all the dishes. Instead of croutons they use fried chicken skin. Certainly very unique dishes. Our server was amazing. He made us feel so welcome and was happy to share that they sometimes cut a whole tuna fish in front of guests. We will have to catch that event next time. Inside is quiet and romantic atmosphere. Definitely make reservations before you come.

    Danielle G.

    Located in one of my fave little beach towns, Herb and Sea in Encinitas was delicious! We were seated in a long table with ample room for our party of 7. Cocktails (well done), appetizers of spicy shrimp, oysters, and bread, then we shared a delish chicken, steak and salmon. The roasted carrots also, get them!! Interior aesthetic is beautiful and our server was very considerate and helpful!

    Birthday dessert
    Yonnie C.

    We ate here for dinner tonight and had such a wonderful time. Ordered: 1) scallop aguachile - love the flavors and scallop was fresh! 2) half dozen oysters - so fresh and love the tangy sauces they provide 3) sourdough bread service - free but must ask for this 4) chocolate mousse pistachio pie for dessert 5) half baked red snapper - OMG, a must get and was surprised by the succulent texture! Delicious, might be the best snapper I've had in terms of how it's cooked 6) pork chop -- so good, husband loved this and sauce was great. He would recommend and no wonder it's always on the menu 7) spicy Baja shrimp - decent but nothing too extraordinary 8) margherita pizza - kids loved this 9) chorizo pepperoni pizza - kids loved this Food came out pretty quick. Service was attentive and friendly. It's also nice that this place is a Chase Sapphire Reserve Table Exclusive!

    The pork belly pizza and the shrimp linguini. Both only ok. Pizza needs more flavor and more arugula. Sparse.
    Andrea M.

    Staff is always very professional and friendly. I always appreciate good service- main reason for stars. Food is good but not amazing. Every dish feels like it's missing a little something whether it's a small piece of crusty bread or a bit more flavor. Also, food is typically lukewarm at best.

    Seared sea bass, seared snap peas and Tuscan ragu

    Such a beautiful and satisfying dining experience. The interior is spacious and comforting. For starters, we ordered the beef carpaccio which paired perfectly with the arugula salad. But the tuna tartare on bone marrow absolutely blew us away! The flavors were so complex and addicting. For our entrees, we got the seared sea bass which had the most flavorful sauce and paired well with the fresh tomatoes. We also got the Tuscan Ragu which had the most al dente noodles and the most savory marinara. Our server Robert recommended the seared snap peas to go along with it which added a bright crunch and contrast to cut through all the soft textures. Overall, great service, flavor packed dishes with the freshest ingredients and the perfect date spot. Can't wait to go back!

    Janna L.

    Got couple of appetizers and main to share along five of us. Appetizers come in good portion. I forgot to take a picture but the smashed potatoes were amazing!! Quick service as well. Food came out fast. Parking is a bit difficult as usual.

    Happy meal
    Melanie B.

    Great happy hour! The $20 Happy meal is definitely worth the wait in line to get in for a seat for the happy hour in the bar. The burger and fries and delicious and the prosecco from France is very tasty and pairs well with the oysters. A 5 star meal!

    Oyster Bar
    Ron Q.

    Whenever a celebrity chef opens up a new location, you have to visit. I've seen Brian Mularky's work on Food Network regularly. Now that this restaurant had opened up right in my own backyard, had to give it a try. Luckily time on my schedule opened up while family were visiting. So glad it all worked out! It was extremely crowded on a Friday night during the holidays. There was a table available with an hour and a half wait. We decided to wait in the bar and grab a drink and appetizers while we waited. Seating was at a premium here as well. We grabbed space at a common table and ordered. In the mean time a table opened up in the bar, so we pounced on it quickly. Soon after our appetizers arrived. The mussel toast was both unique and delicious. The mussels were prepared in a butter and wine sauce that I'd drink a gallon of if I could! We also ordered a half dozen oysters. Half east coast, half west coast. Both were served with various sauces that superbly enhanced the flavors! We ended up staying at our table in the bar to complete our meal. We enjoyed the grilled half Peri Peri Chicken, Shrimp Linguini and the Chorizo Pizza! We added the Blistered Green Beans to add veggies to our meal. Everything was delicious! Lots of flavor in the pizza! Tender shrimp in the linguini. Little spice in the chicken. Our server was amazing! Sadly I didn't catch his name. The support team was great too. The restaurant was decked out for the holidays! If you missed it, definitely make plans to visit next year! Looks nothing like the restaurant during the year. Keep on Yelp'n!

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    Herb & Sea Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Herb & Sea

    Can a diner with a food allergy to onions be accommodated?

    Yes, I believe they will accommodate.

    Is there any corkage fee?

    YES. $35/bottle. Ridiculous when the high at most upscale restaurants across the country is $25. They also charge a 4% surcharge for the cooks and back room staff like we're still in COVID era. Those tips should come from a share with the wait… 

    What is the noise level in here? Last time we visited it was deafening

    Both times I've been, our entire large party was NOT happy about the unnecessary volume of music...and no, we were not all over 40.

    Any vegan options?

    yes they can do vegan dishes

    Are dogs allowed on the outside patio dining area?

    Yes- we saw a couple of dogs on the patio the last time we were there.

    Do you allow us to bring our own wine? If so, what's the corkage fee?

    I went to dinner with friends in February and the birthday girl brought in a bottle of champagne and they were fine with it. I have no idea if they charged us a corkage fee.

    Has the restaurant fixed the noise level yet? Also do they still have that you need to leave in 90 minutes policy? Thanks!

    Yes!! Go back, you're missing out.

    View All 10 Questions

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    Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria - My Fathers Pizza

    Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria

    4.0(1k reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    Quite the gem. Amazing pizza and ambiance. In particular, a good mix of traditional and unusual…read moretoppings. We tried both types and were impressed.

    Wow after 14 years of this being our favorite place, I'm sad to say the last two times have proven…read morethis place has gone downhill fast and last night was horrible, so this is the end of a regular place for us. They were clearly short staffed on Father's Day, so I allowed for that. However, when you're sitting there forever and 3 wait staff are going by you several times and can't even say "someone will be with you shortly ".....not a word. Funny thing is the patios were fairly empty. We would have left, but again we've loved the food here for 14 years so hung in there. Then big mistake was sitting across from the pizza oven! The hostess, who I have to say is an amazing employee, she was literally doing everything. Seating people, cleaning tables, answering the phone, cleaning the stuff off the pizza area, bringing clean pans, getting drinks, etc. BUT she was using those nasty old rags to clean the table, touching the cash register etc., never washed her hands and then she was grabbing handfuls of the fresh basil and ripping pieces and putting them on the pizza, then posting the pizza with her fingers to maybe check it wasn't burned on the bottom? I was literally dying watching this, I'm not even a germaphobe. Then I watched the other waiter who wears dirty baggy jeans wipe his hands in his pants and also manhandle the basil in the same way. So gross. I saw another party get mad because the pizza was not cut, they asked for it to be cut again....and then got angry because they still had to tear at it and everything fell off. When our pizza came....it was the same, but we dealt with it. We ALWAYS get the Butterscotch pudding, but at this point we just wanted out. Had to wait forever to ask for a box and check. I'll miss the old Blue Ribbon as I miss Craftsman sadly, but there are others with actual service, we gave them a chance the last time it was bad, but this is the 2nd and done!

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    Best Pizza & Brew Cardiff By The Sea

    Best Pizza & Brew Cardiff By The Sea

    4.5(658 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    I ordered for takeout online which was easy to do. It was thoughtfully prepared, packaged and…read moreready on time despite the fact that it was busy being a holiday weekend. I ordered French Fries, Burrata Caprese Salad, Pepperoni Pesto Ricotta Pizza, Burrata Sausage and Hot Honey Pizza ( Detroit Style) and Pesto Burrata Chicken Sandwich ( substituted sun dried tomatoes for regular tomato slices). Everyone enjoyed all the food. The favorite hands down was the Detroit Style Hot Honey Pizza. It was very rich and I had a small piece which was very filling. The crust was crispy and the flavor was layered perfectly with the hot honey. 10/10! I must also say that the French Fries being fried in beef tallow really enhanced their flavor. Perfect. Will definitely try more things from their menu. It ranks among my top 3 Pizza Restaurants.

    We walked into Best Pizza and Brews in Cardiff and immediately liked the lively and friendly vibe…read more We found seats at the bar (albeit terribly uncomfortable seats). Carly was our bartender/server for the day and she was fantastic. The tap list is pretty good, but they do not offer a hard seltzer. Kombucha and cider, yes, but they're not the same, so Becky had to settle for a beer which is never ideal. We were just there for a couple of drinks but I did check out the menu, and the Burrata Sausage Hot Honey pizza caught my eye, (mozzarella, homemade marinara, burrata, sausage, hot honey). I could not get that out of my head. We were camping across the 101 at San Elijo State Beach so I told Becky that we had to return. I needed that slice! The following day we returned for a light lunch. We ordered at the counter and took our number to our table on the patio. About five minutes later our food was delivered. That slice was everything I thought it would be and more! The thin crust was crispy and light. The sausage was exceptional. The hot honey was actually hot! Too many times hot honey is just honey. This was as advertised. Becky chose a slice of Pepperoni (tomato sauce topped with pepperoni, provolone, and mozzerella) Also a great slice. The provolone was a game changer and the sauce was delectable. excellent pizza! Carly, 5-stars! :-) Pizza, 5-stars! :-) Service at the counter, 5-stars! :-) Vibe indoors and outside, 5-stars! :-) No seltzer, 3- stars. :-( Uncomfortable Barstools, 2-stars. :-( Best Pizza and Brews Cardiff - get some!

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    Pitfire Pizza - Now Open at Beacon La Costa!

    Pitfire Pizza

    4.2(353 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    Very nice waiter. Very very very good pizza. Very good atmosphere. Love the ice. And love the…read morespray painted pizza

    My family and I came from out of town to visit for a few days and found this gem of a spot…read more Food 10/10 We ordered the bbq chicken pizza, buffalo wings, and the pepperoni kids pizza. Everything was great! The bbq chicken was flavorful and had a great balance of bbq sauce and chicken. The crust was nice and crunchy on the outside yet soft and chewy on the inside. The size is perfect for a party of 2-3! The kids pizza was a perfect size for my toddler who didn't finish it all but was very happy with the taste. They definitely don't hold back on the cheese!! So if you like cheesy pizza, this is the spot for you! Vibes/Ambiance : 7/10 We came on a Tuesday evening and there was a lot of people! I definitely can tell this place is a go to for sports events or just gatherings. The place itself is cute. The decor is a little funky yet modern in design. I will say the seating is a bit crowded and it feels a bit claustrophobic. The tables are very close to each other and the tables are small. This place having a bar is a major plus and the variety of drinks is huge! Such a great spot. The service was quick and they were very nice. The gentleman in the front was super welcoming and friendly. I will say, as someone who was only a visitor, Carlsbad doesn't seem too friendly overall. People seem very standoff ish and unwelcoming so the places we did go to that had friendly people really stood out. This place was one of them. If we're ever in town again, we'll definitely go back!

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    East Coast Pizza - Spicy Chicken and the weekly special.

    East Coast Pizza

    4.3(500 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $

    There's a place where the dough rises like a promise and…read moreevery visit feels like coming home-- East Coast Pizza. For years, we've walked in greeted not just with smiles, but with genuine warmth-- the kind of customer service that remembers you, that makes you feel like you belong. The slices? Pure poetry. Crisp, golden edges giving way to a perfect distribution of cheese and sauce, with each bite - a perfect harmony of flavor and comfort! And then... the garlic knots. Oh, the garlic knots!! Dripping in rich garlic butter, showered with parmesan, sprinkled with fresh parsley-- they don't just arrive at the table; they make an entrance. DECADENCE is the only word that fits! We've watched this place grow-- transforming into a larger, more inviting space, without ever losing its heart. It's still the same soul, just with more room to gather, more space to savor. And now, with new pasta dishes on the horizon, we're already counting the days-- because if they're anything like the pizza, we're in for something truly special! Here's to East Coast Pizza-- a place we'll keep returning to, a business we're proud to support, and flavors - out of this world!

    Pretty bad. Excellent friendly service gives it two Stars…read more I saw a huge crowd in front of this place with kids running around screaming their melons off with no supervision and I thought sure why not stand in this line for a slice? I got two slices and a beer and it came to $17 and some change. I got the artichoke slice and it was decent. It was pretty dry for the most part with just a few pieces of artichoke. I would give it a 5 out of 10. The second slice was the nastiest piece of cardboard I've ever eaten. They call it the buffalo chicken. It was a thin piece of crust slathered in Buffalo sauce with literally one piece of chicken on the entire slice. I tasted absolutely no cheese. I took one bite and the sauce was so overwhelming I threw the rest in the trash. I will not return. I will go to seaside market next door where the food is delicious.

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    East Coast Pizza - Stromboli. I've never had it, but it looks so good. My best friend enjoyed it. He recommended this place and so do I.

    Stromboli. I've never had it, but it looks so good. My best friend enjoyed it. He recommended this place and so do I.

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    Entrance

    Herb & Sea - seafood - Updated August 2026

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