Great place to grab brunch on a weekend without having to make reservations. Took a walk around the rail trail and then brunch with a friend here. This was my first time after living in the area for 30 years. What I wasn't thrilled with: The tip. The lowest tip they recommend was 18%. I clicked 18% because we waited in line order. We had to get our own water, forks, knives and napkins. They gave us our food, then we asked if they could bring us a fork and napkins. The waiter just told us where we could get it. It's fine, now that we know. But it's not an 18% tip for just handing us our food. Thrilled with: the view and the many options. The poke bowl I ordered was good. Will I come back?: Yes! Would be fun to try the happy hour and the other options on the menu. read more

See all

We had such an amazing experience at Ki's Restaurant. We went for breakfast/lunch and loved it so much that we came back later for sunset and happy hour. It was absolutely worth it. For Breakfast/lunch, I had the California Grill and it was delicious. Our friends ordered the French toast and the carnitas scramble, and both were fantastic. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. We returned in the evening for happy hour and to catch the sunset, and the view was perfect. Truly breathtaking. During happy hour, we ordered the seared ahi and crispy cauliflower, and both were incredible. Great flavors and perfect for sharing. Melody made us Expresso martinis and they were yummy! A special shoutout to Melody, the manager. She is amazing. She told us the story of the owners and made sure we were having a great time. You can tell she genuinely cares about the guest experience. All of the servers were fun and sweet, creating such a warm and welcoming atmosphere that makes you want to come back again. Between the delicious food, great happy hour, perfect sunset views, and outstanding service, Ki's is truly a gem. We will definitely be back. read more

See all

I have been wanting to try this place for probably 15 years and just never made it. Today was the day! What a great place! Great view, great service, great prices and great food! A really nice casual place. I had the mondo burrito and my friend had the egg plate with a generous bowl of fresh fruit. We loved both of them. It's serve your own coffee, get your own water, silverware and napkins. There's self serve salsa (which was delicious). We ate in the upstairs area. Just a nice relaxing morning. Can't wait to go back! read more

See all

Great staff, SO friendly! Yummy food and great live music! And of course, the killer view. read more

See all

How does one rate a restaurant? I've always been underwhelmed by the meals here, but the ocean view, proximity to the beach, fresh juices, and smoothies, delicious salads. Keep me coming back. But not the soups and not the entrées. Better as a quick stop to get some sandwiches for an afternoon picnic or you can watch the sunset while having a glass of wine and salad. read more

See all

Had New Years Eve dinner at Ki's and as always a pleasant experience. Food was good. Sadly they took off our favorite appetizer sautéed mushrooms with Brie Cheese. It was excellent. But the meal was very good nonetheless. To finish off the night I had Mudpie. Every bit as good as it looks. read more

Ki's Restaurant - Mud Pie - New American Near Me - Cardiff By the Sea, California

Man... San Diego is SO big, and we're always discovering new and amazing spots that leave us asking ourselves, "how have we not been here before?!" Ki's was the perfect Sunday morning date brunch to get us out of the house and next to the ocean! The items we chose were packed with flavor and left us satisfied without feeling bogged down - health! Hehe We can't wait to return. Truly cannot beat that view! :) read more

See all

The food was okay. Nothing special! The ambiance is a little outdated but the view is nice!

Fun, quick, good...! Easy with a view, just pop in, order and you are ready to enjoy a good breakfast in the upper terrace with s magnificent view of the ocean... Supper cool spot read more

I always really like Ki's. Great view of the huge waves this morning from upstairs. Great variety of healthy choices. I tried the Mediterranean salmon bowl this time and my husband had the California Grill w/ side of turkey tortilla soup. Very tasty. They also have sunrise prix fixe M-F 4:39-6, 3 courses for $29; might have to come back for that! read more

Ki's Restaurant - Spicy Nomnam Bowl - really flavorful and good! - New American Near Me - Cardiff By the Sea, California

See all

My server, Jack was great! The spring rolls from the happy hour menu were fresh and delicious. And the view of the ocean from my table was beachfront bliss. read more

See all

The service and food were truly excellent, and I can't help but be enchanted by the ambience, facing the ocean--it's a hidden gem that provides a peaceful outing. read more

Ki's Restaurant - Happy hour flatbread - New American Near Me - Cardiff By the Sea, California

See all

Once again we had a great time!!! Love the peanut sauce for the spring rolls, the view, great drinks and Jack, our server was wonderful, as he was last week. Keep up the great staff read more

I was excited to try this restaurant as it is in a great location and directly across the street from the beach. You order your food from the counter downstairs and then head upstairs to find a table. They bring your food to you but that's about it. If you need napkins, silverware, water, etc you have to get it yourself. I ordered the Californian omelette which was terrible, it was stuffed with big chunks of undercooked vegetables. I would have sent it back but I had no wait staff and the line downstairs was super long as I think there was only one person working. I do not recommend this place. read more

Ki's is a go to! Lunch, dinner, breakfast everything is so good. Reasonable priced and very fresh. You have a beautiful view of the ocean on the deck and from inside. Service is good during the day till 4 you order downstairs and it is brought to you. However for dinner you have a server. read more

See all

If you want an off-the-tourist track eatery, Ki's in Cardiff by the Sea is the place for you. As a native of San Diego, the retro beach vibe of the 1960's or 70's strikes me as completely unpretentious and authentic. No gold plated chandeliers here! The ambiance is pure California beach, with an abundance of great ocean views. I have also noticed that many San Diego beach view restaurants bank on the view, rather than really good food. Not so at Ki's. While noting that every restaurant has both positive and negative reactions from customers, my husband and I, and our friends, have had excellent luck with both the breakfast and the dinner menus at Ki's. Seafood is especially delicious and has satisfied our most "foody" companions. So sorry about lack of pictures, but we were too busy enjoying both the food and the view! read more

Great stop on my way out of town at Ki's overlooking the ocean! When you arrive, you place your order and they bring it to your table. I was feeling some seafood, so the tuna poke bowl was delicious and incredibly fresh! Great lunch spot. read more

Ki's Restaurant - Poke Bowl - New American Near Me - Cardiff By the Sea, California

We ordered and shared the ahi, beet salad, shrimp, cauliflower, veggie spring rolls and bread. It was all delicious. We had enough for the four of us. The luxe and guava margarita drinks as well as the guava and strawberry mocktails were very tasty. I can't wait to go back during the day as and enjoy the view at that time. The lights on the hill are beautiful at night as well read more

Ki's Restaurant - Cozy clean and nice staff - New American Near Me - Cardiff By the Sea, California

See all

Hadn't tried this place even though I've lived here for 64 years. It's a must try. I had a delicious blackened shrimp wrap. So so good!! The employees are friendly and the view is beautiful. Perfect place to dine in or take to the beach just across the street, read more

ki's has always been one of my favorite spots in san diego, the food never disappoints and the atmosphere is so nice overlooking the beach. I love taking people who visit san diego here. the mondo burrito is a staple and one of my top breakfast burritos. they have great self serve sauce options too which is nice. the pesto chicken sandwich and the ahi wrap are also great lunch options. read more

Ki's Restaurant - mondo burrito + bacon and grilled pesto chicken sandwich - New American Near Me - Cardiff By the Sea, California

I'm giving an updated review. We did go back because our friends wanted to eat there. I will say that Jackson was our server and he was great. The food was delicious. This experience was much better than the past. read more

Ki's Restaurant - View from the table - New American Near Me - Cardiff By the Sea, California

I love that I chose this place for an early breakfast during a weekend stay in Encinitas! You get a beautiful view of the water/beach if you're able to snag a table right by the window. My bf and I arrived at about 8:45 am on a Sunday and there weren't that many people. I wasn't sure how it'd be early in the morning since I expected some sort of crowd especially it was a holiday weekend. You order at the counter and then take your number and go upstairs to the tables. I ordered the Tofu Scramble Bowl ($11.25 - Tofu, green peppers, tomatoes and onions sauteed in tamari, spices, and olive oil served over breakfast potatoes, fresh spinach and organic black beans.) But I actually subbed the breakfast potatoes for quinoa since I saw quinoa is offered in another breakfast item. This was so delicious! I'm happy they had no issue with doing quinoa instead. It all paired wonderfully and the presentation of the bowl was on point for me. There was a good amount of tofu and I loved that they were super firm and not crumbling. I was able to finish the entire bowl and didn't feel extremely full afterwards. (bc it was healthy lol) My bf ordered the Carne Asada Breakfast Bowl ($13.50 - Two Eggs (ordered over easy), Carne Asada, Pico de Gallo, jack cheese, jicama slaw guacamole, breakfast potatoes, organic beans, cilantro and Chipotle Mayonnaise) and Açai Fruit Smoothie ($9.50 - Açai, Fresh Apple, Bananas and Strawberries.) I thought the presentation of his bowl was also well constructed (obviously I'm a sucker for how food appears) and he said everything was also delicious. The smoothie tasted just like his favorite-- strawberry banana smoothies! We were unaware of the self serve station inside where they had utensils, napkins, sauces, to-go boxes, water/water cups, etc. and a worker let us know that we can grab everything we needed there. Very convenient! Never needing to wait on your waiter. There are also heaters over these tables by the windows in case it's a little chilly outside. The employees were very nice and we enjoyed our morning here. As soon as it started getting to 9:45 AM and on, we watched more and more people head inside so I'm glad we came at a decent time closer to opening. read more

Ki's Restaurant - New American Near Me - Cardiff By the Sea, California

See all

Came here on a Monday in June for lunch and the parking lot was jam packed! Summers are busy I guess. If you can, bike or walk here in the summers. Parking is very tough. Food is still good and the service staff here are kind and patient. read more

See all

You pay for the view & that's pretty much it. $60 got our group 2 smoothies, a tuna sandwich, a burger, a fountain drink, & a muffin. Smoothies came out in glasses that were 5 inches tall ($7 a pop right there...) and the food was less than average. The main manager also had a bad attitude. Probably won't be back, but if I do will probably grab a muffin & the fruit/veggie juices cause those were actually good. read more

The location, food & service were great!! I had to use the ramp to go upstairs since these knees don't do stairs. Most of the ramp is acceptable but the last part of the ramp going into the restaurant is totally disgusting!! Beyond disgusting!!! The bird poop on the rail & on the ramp has to be addressed by the restaurant. A hosing down every day, perhaps? Customers should not have to see what I saw coming into the restaurant. It's probably a health hazard, too, to touch the rail if you have to hold on...ugh! I would really like to return to that restaurant...the likelihood of me being able to take the stairs is slim... please, please clean up the old, old bird poop on the top part of the ramp. Clean ramp...5 *....bird poop covered ramp...4 * read more

Came down to visit some friends who live nearby. This was my first time here, so I was looking forward to trying a new place. Such a cool laid back resto! The menu on the wall was a bit overwhelming at first, but then I saw their paper menu and took a glance at the many selections. I placed my order and paid at the counter. Our party of 4 headed upstairs to the enclosed patio where you can get your silverware, napkins, condiments, etc. Two of us each had the Fajita Bowl (with carnitas), one had the California Grill Sandwich (with fries), and the other had Santa Fe Salmon Wrap. The portions were decent, and everything tasted wonderful with no complaints! The bonus, however, was having this wonderful meal with great friends while enjoying the beautiful view of the ocean! Thanks Ki! Till next time... read more

See all

The waitresses have gotten so much nicer and more professional. It's a pleasure to dine here. I always order the Santa Fe Wrap from downstairs. It's a little more expensive than lunchtime, but it's totally delicious and comes with either a small salad or fries. I love, love, love their peanut sauce, so that what I use instead of the yogurt dressing! One thing you can count on. Their food is fresh, healthy and consistently good! read more

I had the Pesto chicken sandwich which was absolutely delicious. My husband had the Thai chicken wrap which was exceptional as well. The order setup is different than most places. You walk in, order at the counter. Go upstairs to find a table and your food will be brought to your table. I like it to be honest. Can't wait to go back and try some more of their menu items! Oh and their muffins are scrumptious!! Don't forget to grab one to go or there, whatever you prefer. read more

We went for a late weekend lunch after a bike ride. Not too crowded, we were able to score a table upstairs with the ocean view. The view was great but the sun will be in one person's face. I managed to block it by sitting near a pole. I might bring a mini shade next time. Service: Fast, attentive Food: I got the curry. It was surprisingly good. My wife got a salad that she said was meh. read more

Great views from upstairs! The staff were friendly and the food was on point! It was a little warm in the room but we opened the window for some fresh ocean air. We had the BBQ pork sandwich which was the winner of the meal, along with a pesto chicken sandwich and the ahi bowl. French fries were crunchy and their special sauce was amazing! read more

I grew up coming here for brunch but had never tried dinner until now! Came here for date night to try their happy hour and 3 course sunset menu and fell in love. Quality of the food was incredible and views are spectacular! Service was great and overall perfect pick for date night. We will be back soon! read more

See all

I'm so surprised the rating for Ki's isn't atleast a 4.5. I've been going here for 15 years now and I've never had a bad meal. The service isn't as automated as many restaurants but it's always friendly and warm. The food has never disappointed and is always delicious. I've ordered the mahi and jidori for years and never been disappointed. I am so thankful for Ki's and encourage supporting businesses like this during these financially challenging certain times. read more

This is our go to beach restaurant. Friendly staff, great food, great prices. Our favorite is the blackened fish Caesar salad. We highly recommend for a lovely ocean view and casual dining. read more

We dined here in the early afternoon over the weekend. The restaurant was reasonably clean, and the serving staff were friendly and personable. The food arrived in good time and was fine in general, though nothing spectacular. There was also a huge selection of freshly squeezed juices and smoothies on offer, which we didn't try, but it was nice to see as an option. Overall, I recommend giving this place a shot! read more

Ki's Restaurant - New American Near Me - Cardiff By the Sea, California

This was our second meal in as many weeks and the standards are consistent. The service & attention Jackson provided was fantastic; we thoroughly enjoyed our meal and we love the wonderful atmosphere. We give it 5+ stars and we'll be back! read more

I hosted a small dinner for my MeetUp Fun Diego Ladies group. I wanted something healthy with a nice view and this place was a great choice! We came here on a Saturday before Mother's Day, so it was busy and service was a bit slow. It was understandable that on a busy holiday weekend, service would not be the best. I ordered an Asian Salmon Salad. Initially they forgot the salmon, but when I pointed it out, they brought it rather quickly. It was grilled just right and was moist and flavorful. The contents of my salad were very fresh and the dressing was light. All of the ladies in my group enjoyed their food as well. We ordered a bread basket to share and that was really good! As busy as our waitress was, she offered to ring up separate checks for us and even divided the cost of the bread! I look forward to visiting this restaurant again and trying out their other menu items. read more

See all

We ordered takeout from Ki's: three acai bowls, breakfast potatoes, chips and salsa. This is my family's go-to place, and we had ordered it for my sister's birthday. It's nearly a 30 minute drive to get there, we didn't think to check if the order was correct as we've never had an issue here. We make the 30 minute drive home, and realize the chips we ordered were replaced with 3 pieces of bacon. I called the restaurant and was placed on hold for a couple of minutes, then was told that the manager would call me back in a few minutes. This was around 11:30 AM, and I was never called back. Extremely disappointed with how this was handled by the staff. read more

Ki's Restaurant - What was supposed to be chips and salsa - New American Near Me - Cardiff By the Sea, California

See all

Been here a few times now. The view is great, parking spots always seem to be available in the lot and food is healthy and fast. The tofu scramble is my favorite so far. The chicken salad sandwich is also a great choice. The veggie soup is a bit too sweet for my liking. Next time I'm gonna try the burger! read more

Ki's Restaurant - Tofu Scramble Bowl - New American Near Me - Cardiff By the Sea, California

I have seen this place many times but never went here. Some friends of ours wanted to meet here for lunch. I really enjoyed it. My minus 1 star is the set up. There isn't really any service provided besides bring the the food. You order downstairs at a counter then go upstairs and sit yourself. You also have to get your own utensils. But other than that it was great. We chose a table with a view all around. I got the Greek Chicken Salad and my husband got the Spicy Nomnam Bowl. They were both excellent! I definitely want to come back and try their dinners. read more

See all

Went home to Del Mar for a family event and needed to go out to dinner and went to Ki's. I have been here before for breakfast and it is awesome. The views from the restaurant are great with a beach view. So, you get to eat and enjoy the coast. I checked in with the Yelp app and they have a check in bonus. It was a free Spring Rolls. They are veggie and tofu with a fantastic peanut sauce. Everyone liked them and even those that don't like tofu. Next i orders the Macadamia Crusted Mahi. The portion of the fish was not huge but made up with it with flavor. The Strawberry salsa was fresh and sweet and added to the fish. The sauce with the rice was savory and just fantastic. The snap beans were fresh and just perfectly steamed. I would get this again. The finish of desert I had the Mud Pie and it was a solid fantastic choice. I highly recommend Ki's for a healthy and well prepared meal!! read more

See all