Our dining experience at Herb & Sea was, without exaggeration, the best meal we've ever had. We were treated with warm hospitality from every member of the staff, including Chef Sara Harris. We enjoyed our bar seating and loved the modern, nautical, art deco decor. The ambiance is perfect for a date night or any special occasion. We were impressed by all the details incorporated into the guest experience, including an amazing music playlist. Service was well-timed and friendly. Our six-course meal was incredible - the chocolate lava cake is a must. We can't wait to come back the next time we are in Encinitas. Thank you Chef Sara & team! read more

Herb & Sea - Chocolate Lava Cake - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Pretty disappointed with the quality of food. Ever since they opened indoor seating, I don't think the kitchen staff can handle the rush. The food isn't consistent. We had the burrata, bone marrow with oysters, Broccolini, crab & linguine with the veggie pizza and carrot cake. The crab linguine was the biggest disappointment. Lack of salt and something was off. The burrata lacked seasoning and felt like something was missing. read more

Bad service waitress with political signs all over them and just make it uncomfortable to eat

Not bad but not great. I'll come back for sure though to try something else. I had I believe is called crudo. It had absolutely no flavor so I'm not sure what happened there. Customer service was really nice and the ambiance inside is cozy and nice too. I will definitely come back to try something different read more

First day of brunch service! Well worth the wait. Everything was absolutely delicious and the staff was as attentive and friendly as usual. Doesn't matter what meal you have here, you will not be disappointed. read more

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I cannot say enough about the beautiful dining experiences I have had at this restaurant over the last month since discovering it. The food is amazing, the staff is so accommodating and on top of it in every way, (Zack deserved a medal for putting up with us). The ambience is fantastic and the drinks are creative and tasty! The Owner was in last night and made a point to visit every table in the restaurant to say hello. He himself was a joy, it's clear why this restaurant is what it is. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! read more

Every time we have been here the service was spot on. If you get Rob as your bartender HE IS #BOSS. If your able to sit at the bar and he is there as the bar tender, he so intuitive with pairings with your meal. Very knowledgeable with his liquore with what can compliment with what. Chole is another sweet bartender. She makes that Bronco cocktail The food is consistent of flavor, portion, and timing. Ambiance is casual and sheek. Definitely recommend this place. Their Sister restaurant is Herb and Wood in Little Italy but definitely would say that Herb and Sea knocks it out of the park. Bronco cocktail- fresh and just enough accent to drink alone or pair with food. Aviator cocktail- is floral forward with gin, pairs nicely. Last Word Cocktail- cuts that Umami The Branzino always on par. Bone narrow- just can't have enough of... Octopus and artichokes- fab and not over cooked. Hamachi Crudo- flavorful and well executed. Parker Rolls are never go wrong with those. Carrots on point and potatoes are good just a little toasty for my preference. Portobello mushrooms- yessss Desserts- All are well but the seasonal carrot cake with some after dinner brandy is what it's about. read more

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Terrific food and warm service. Very comfortable with a breezy feel to the room. Will go there anytime I'm in town

This used to be one of my favorite restaurants. But after tonight, no more. Appetizers were great, service slow. Now the main dish. Ordered the pasta...tasted like it was boiled in dirty pasta water and served on a plate. No taste, bland, really gross. I sent it back and ordered a different pasta hoping it would be better. Just as bad. This place has gone downhill. read more

Went for a date night based off some articles we read, did not live up to the HYPE at all.....$300 later...... and we agreed we won't be going back. We don't ever mind paying for expensive food if it is worth it, however, the caliber of the food wasn't there. For reference and in hope I can provide you with some valuable feedback if you are planning on dining there, here is what my husband and I ordered to share: (FYI-food is very small portions are just mediocre.) Clams-very tiny and broth is ordinary Shrimp Cocktail-decent appetizer Lobster Tail-$60 for a very small size lobster (this shook me..) Pork Chop- the better option we ordered Branzino Fish-way to wet and oily, I was confused by this really ... Lava Cake)(husband only)- basic, not much lava Mezcal Drink-(husband only)- well curated drink, hard to drink as it was too sweet Wine Corkage Fee-$25.00- great, I love my own wine Overall food is very underwhelming. Ambiance is very nice and so was our table. If there are two of you, the corner booth tables are lovely, and their service was great too. The servers were very attentive and engaging. I still don't get the hype. read more

Truly, I really wanted to like this restaurant. It has amazing ambience and really sits nicely along the 101 in Encinitas. Our waiter was very sweet and we enjoyed her positive vibe. They have an extensive cocktail Menu which was nice. No complaints regarding the cocktails. Now, the food is what I'd define as incredibly underwhelming. The burrata was the size of a golf ball which me and my friends couldn't help but laugh at. We asked if they had any gluten free bread. They brought a cracker. A single cracker. Which they then later charged us $3 for. The steak was very bland and cold when it arrived. The potato weren't crispy and just tasted like soggy boiled potatoes with sauce. My friends who got the chicken said it was ok. Broccoli rabe was pretty solid. For the price you pay for food here, you'd expect better food. And this is said by someone who has lived in NYC LA and Chicago. Otherwise, I'm sure it's good for a cocktail and maybe a snack. I see the potential in this place. I just hope they work on their menu if they want to match it with the prices. read more

Herb & Sea - Steak - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Arrived for dinner at 7:35 for a 7:45 reservation. We waited until 7:55 to be seated outside. It was very busy, so I was pleased that we were able to get a reservation earlier that day. Inside was loud. Outside was lovely and the noise from other diners negligible. We ordered several cocktails: a gimlet, the Fire and Nice, and the Manhattan. The gimlet was mediocre. The Fire and Nice was interesting, but quite spicy (I would give it a 7/10 for spice). The Manhattan was solid--definitely the winner of the bunch, without being truly exceptional or unusual. I also ordered a glass of wine (a montepulciano) and it was excellent. For dinner, we ordered the hamachi crudo, the mixed field greens, the burrata, and the lobster and filet mignon. The crudo was excellent, flavorful and the fish was fresh. The mixed field greens were also delicious, but had a little too much dressing on them; however, the combo of fruit and nuts was refreshing and light. The burrata was the winner of the bunch: the tomatoes were bright and flavorful--the perfect compliment to the burrata, and the bread was delicious. The lobster and steak was fine. Nothing spectacular. I've had much better filets, although the 4 sauces that came with the two entrees were excellent. The lobster was just a bit overcooked, but still pretty solid. The best part of the evening was our server who was attentive without being intrusive, friendly without being overly chatty. He gave us some great recommendations and asked us (earnestly) what we thought of each dish and which was our favorite. I'd recommend this place if you're a foodie who prefers wine over cocktails. (Their wine list is extensive and excellent and I wish I had gone with wine for the entire evening.). If I eat here again, I will definitely go with one of the specials instead of a standard like lobster and steak. read more

Don't Eat Here! Let's all stop eating at restaurants that add a Hidden surcharge like Herb & Sea. I ate here with my husband last month and we noticed a sign on the reception table that said 4% surcharge. We sat down, and when we asked what that was for the waiter would not answer the question and called for the floor manager. He came over and said that they share all this money with their back in staff instead of giving them a direct raise, which word increase each bill that people tip on in there for the wait staff would earn more money which is not the intent. But the reality is, the 4% is right before tax so we are tipping on that additional 4+ paying tax on the additional f4%. What a lame excuse for basically charging us an additional tax! Hidden greed that their customers (we) are paying for, mostly without knowing it. Don't Eat Here! read more

Everything we had was delicious! We tried a few cocktails that we would absolutely order again and worked our way through the menu. My friend had never had octopus so we got that as our appetizer and I could eat it everyday. Then we had the short rib pasta and it melted in our mouths. 100% will be back again! read more

I would put more than 5 for this place but it only allows me to put 5 . Hands down I would recommend Herb & Sea to everyone to at least try once if In the area and I can't forget about the staff or one of the best desserts I've had in my life the Butterscotch. Special thanks to my family for introducing this place to me because now I have another addicting restaurant I can't stop thinking about . Damn I almost forgot to mention about the playlist they have for music it probably one of the best when eating. Thanks C read more

The good, the bad, and the ugly: The good. Food was good and it is apparent they take pride in the presentation of their food. Jeez everything comes out looking good. Hard not to get food envy. The ambiance: so much fun good music and all you see is great smiles and conversation everywhere The great: OMG OMG the service. It seems like every place I go service completely sucks, I GUARANTEE they at Herb & Sea you will get great service. The entire staff was amazing abs just so refreshing. We had not one, not two, but 3 manager visits. And different managers no less. The culture at this restaurant is something that others should drive for. Nothing short of impressive. Thank you Herb & Sea management and staff for such and enjoyable dinner. PS. I think they call it the "secret menu bread". Yeah get that! Enjoy and thank me later. read more

Finally stopped into Herb & Sea for the first time! The doors have been locked shut for well over a year due to the pandemic and the anticipation has been killing us all! Well, it was WORTH the wait! Their open atmosphere is very welcoming and I loved being able to see our food being prepared in the kitchen from our seats at the bar. The staff was friendly, helpful, and appeared happy to be there making our experience even more enjoyable! All of our apps and drinks were tasty and the portions were even bigger than I anticipated. I ordered two Mezcal cocktails and enjoyed every sip! We didn't have time to dive into an entree during this visit, but really looking forward to exploring their menu options at our next visit! Will definitely be back with a full report of their dinner menu over the next few months! Thank you Herb & Sea for taking care of us! read more

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Went here for the first dinner date of my honeymoon. The food was INCREDIBLE! The baba ganoush and fish dishes were fantastic. The flavors were rich and blended well, and it was apparent that a lot of effort was put in to provide fresh high quality ingredients. Would 10/10 recommend! read more

Food was fabulous. Service was fabulous. Our waiter was Spencer. We had Scallops and shared a salad. We also had the Shrimp toast. I was there with my boyfriend. The Ambiance was great although it did get noisy as the crowds increased. read more

Good food and some great food too. The service was amazing. It's a super cool vibe with great ambiance. Highly recommend.

four stars, however I do not suggest coming here on a holiday plated meal. This was our second year doing the New Years Eve dinner and we really weren't impressed, especially for what they charge per person (this can't discredit them too much because this is also where my husband has had his most favorite steak and that mans a carnivore). They offer a 4 course meal with a dessert. The appetizer options were good, but if you chose the oysters you only got two. Such a tease if you're an east coast oyster lover like myself. The second course is where they really disappointed. My husband got the shrimp and could only get through one. He said he's never had a shrimp taste so weird. The staff didn't notice the meal being pretty much untouched which was a little disappointing, he could have been offered something else in its place. I got the soup and It was such a lack luster. For the money they charge each person, having soup as an option, you'd think it's the best damn soup in the world and It was carrots and scallions in a broth. I had one bean in the whole bowl. The caviar service they offer is a great touch, I always recommend doing It. This year they gave us potato chips which was nice because last year they forgot, and we ended up eating all the caviar off the spoon (not tooooo bad of a complaint but we couldn't really enjoy the creme fresh ect that It came with). All and all the service was great. Our waitress (I believe her name was Blaire) was amazing and super nice and constantly checked in on our needs. We will be back for dinner in the future, but like I said...this will be the last holiday/plated meal we do here. read more

We're spending the weekend in Encinitas and were so looking forward to having dinner here. First of all, the ambiance and service was great. Unfortunately the food was only so-so. All the dishes were extremely salty. We orders the filets and 3 side dishes. The salt just overpower everything. read more

Went there for Sunday Brunch. Inside decor is very nice, but we choose to sit outside to enjoy the good weather. Cocktails were awesome and the food was very good. Our server waa very nice. read more

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Delicious! A hip spot in Encinitas with some very tantalizing and innovative appetizers ... We had a girls night with some drinks. Apps and dessert! We loved everything. We really wanted to try everything but having snooped Yelp photos we gave up main course the most decadent and delicious desserts read more

Herb & Sea - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Always a favorite! Every dish here is delicious. It is quite pricey for a smaller amount of food but the flavors are worth it! I always get a few items and split when I go so I can try everything. We also got the baby carrots which are a must (not pictured) read more

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We decided to celebrate our Anniversary at Herb & Sea and I couldn't be more happier with our choice! The restaurant has a gorgeous design, the staff were super friendly and helpful. We ordered three different plates and everything was super authentic and tasty. We decided to go with seafood with an amazing Mediterranean sauce! Definitely a place that everyone should try. read more

Malarkey's new restaurant of the 101 is a solid addition to his repertoire of restaurants. A simple, yet elegantly designed restaurant with an abundance of staff yet just okay service. We did go for the NYE pre fix so my opinion is a tad jaded. Hats off to the staff busting their ass on NYE though. The cocktails were pretty watered down and the food itself was good, but just good. The salmon was unevenly cooked and the dessert was really just average. I would definitely give herb and sea another shot because of the relatively recent opening and the NYE menu was different. Malarkey was there and he did take the time to snap a photo with my family and mother who was fangirling hard. read more

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Great place and great ambiance. We ordered the lamb meatballs, oysters, sea bass and a pork pasta dish. All were great!

I was really looking forward to dining here on my trip to San Diego but this place just wasn't it. My friend made a reservation for 7:30pm on a Friday night. We arrived promptly only to be told by the front desk that they are still waiting for a few guests to pay and leave. We waited an extra 20 minutes for a table to free up even though we had reservations. I do also want to mention the two front desk ladies had a mask on but it wasn't covering their nose. Now let's talk about the food. We ordered the roasted beet & arugula salad, crispy boardwalk potatoes, and burrata as our starters. The salad was fine but the potatoes were way too salad and the burrata was too acidic. We also ordered the entrees when we ordered the starters but we think our server forgot to take the order because he came back around asking if we were o ready to order entrees and we said we already ordered. Our entrees did not come until probably 30 mins after we had our starters. For the entrees, my friend got the prime new york steak which was okay. My other friend for the wood grilled salmon. When the server came with the salmon, it came without greek yogurt and we inquired why and he said we asked for no greek yogurt which was untrue. The salmon was fine. I got the wood fired pork chop which I would not recommend. It was extremely dry and hard to eat. I'm not sure if I just caught them on a bad night but I did not have a good experience here. read more

Wonderful people, excellent food, a perfect evening! We had tuna, carrots and salad and everything was nuanced and fresh. The folks who served us were delightful and made the evening everything we hoped for! Luke gave us great recommendations and Alyssa was awesome! read more

We were seated at the chefs table with a party of seven. And it did not disappoint. We celebrated a birthday here. The staff is gracious and accommodating of allergies. Great space, you can definitely hold a birthday party here! Eats: smoked salmon spread, tomato and burrata, roasted baby carrots (side), broccolini (side), the wood grilled salmon, New York steak, roasted summer squash, wood grilled porterhouse, linguini and crab, peach and prosciutto pizza are all AHMAZING. I would recommend a party size so you can try everything because Brian Malarkey's concept is on point yet again. I would recommend over and over! read more

Very good espresso martini, just need the bartenders to double-strain the drink when pouring then it would be exceptional.

Only get the drinks. If you even think about the food. Be ready it's SALTY AF! Idk what else to say than damn our server was a sarcastic dick and my food was salty. read more

This place is absolutely amazing! Food is out of this world, and the service is spectacular. Our waiter Miguel, was super attentive, and knew all the right dishes to recommend. Executive chef Aidan is so creative! Such a young chef, with an amazing insight on how to create fantastic food!! Will definitely be going back there and recommend that everyone should try it at least once. read more

So good ! Every single item tasted amazing .We tried almost everything on the menu and they are all FANTASTIC! Love love LOVE this place .

Thank you Brian for creating another fantastic restaurant closer to my neck of the woods! Encinitas needed a lively, quality service and food restaurant. There are plenty of good restaurants in Encinitas; Herb and Sea is my new favorite! Everything on the menu was perfectly prepared and served. Cocktails were creative, fun and beautiful. I highly recommend the Hamachi Crudo! I have never had it as perfectly cut, seasoned and dressed. The Branzino was grilled to perfection! Crowded bar and lively atmosphere. You will not go wrong here. read more

Herb & Sea - Hamachi Crudo - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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I'm obsessed with the crab linguine at this place!!! It's soooo good I've gotten it both times I've been here. I've heard mixed reviews at the pizza. My husband got the half chicken once and did not love it. The purple drink is really good, as is the martini. Overall such cute and trendy vibes. read more

My girlfriend and I came here on a date in 2019 When it first opened, and we both agreed it was the best food and service in north county. We returned many times loving everything on the menu, and it quickly became our favorite restaurant. We loved it so much we decided to have our wedding Reception dinner there. This girlfriend became my wife, and over time we watched our favorite menu items disappear (ie: beef tartar, eye of rib), we noticed the service dwindling, and the superb attention to detail and perfection fade away. We came for her birthday in May 2021 hoping for redemption. Service was lack luster as we were basically ignored for the first half of our visit, but the night was saved by the manager who was a sweetheart. The food eventually came out and was pretty good, so we chalked the rest up to Covid blues. This time, we went for my birthday and sadly, it hasn't gotten better, and the Covid blues can no longer be a crutch. I don't remember ever eating here listening to hard trance music, our food was over cooked, and nothing was great. We are very disappointed to see this place go this way, as it meant a lot to us and held great memories. I don't think we'll be back unless a miracle brings us back or something drastic changes. It was incredible when it opened, and now I know how to make the hamachi crudo at home, so I guess I have that to take away from it. read more

Came here with 2 friends and had reservations for a Friday night. They were SLAMMED! We had to wait about a half hour after our reservation time to be seated. Our server (Michael) was super nice about it and really tried to make up for it in anyway he could but of course the kitchen and bar were backed up and out of his control. I'd say this place is perfect if you have "no place to be" or this is the main event of the evening! The food was inventive and fresh and although service was slow everything came out piping hot. Cocktails were delicious and I would totally go here again! read more

OCTOBER 2020- you can only review once, then update? I have SO MANY NEW COMPLIMENTS though! 2 heavenly occasions in the last few weeks have yet again taken hours of my life composing & editing my feelings for the temple of pleasure that is H & S to suppress the X rated vocabulary I'm dying to use. Menu expansion includes a (tequila?) cocktail with the hue of freshly polished rose quartz, containing layers of flavor so exquisite and unearthly my tongue conjured images of angelic figures breeding on iridescent clouds with an abundance of glitter breezes and...... I'm about to breach into pornographic detail, so THANK YOU AGAIN, I every human and morsel you bless my hood with. Extra love to Robbie, dude he was training the night I llicked my fingers more than used utensils and forgot my to-go desserts,, and bartender on 10/14! See you next week my loves! read more

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