I will be honest, I wasn't expecting much from Mainstream. That being said, I figured I'd be pretty happy with $3.95 unlimited mimosas, so what could go wrong? The service was nice and friendly (until the shift change when our server left, we had already closed out with her, but were still enjoying the mimosas....the new server just kind of forgot about us.) It was Easter Sunday so we were aiming to avoid the crowds at our usual brunch spots, and Mainstream definitely fit the bill for that. Sadly, the food was very basic - a cross between Dennys and Broken Yolk - so not something worth making a special trip out to Poway for, though their specials seem to be plentiful and fun. Happy hour daily for decent prices, as well as a "first responder" fireball shot anytime the sirens are on as the responders go by. Anyway, if you're in the area or checking out a movie at the Digiplex, Mainstream is just fine. read more

I've watched this place evolve more & more into a sports bar in the short time it's been around. I'm not sure if it's Poway or what, but it seems like all the bars/pubs around Poway eventually turn into a sports bar. I only recognize one of the older bar tenders/waitress gals to be the current staff. All the other younger servers/waitresses seem to have a high turn around. One of my last visits there definitely confirmed that there's some animosity between the younger ladies & this older bar tender. Maybe she's one of the owners, or a manager? But this unsettling vibe & tension is felt, & it's not good. I'm not a regular, but there are always some there. My last couple of visits, I sat at the bar waiting for someone to tend to my friend & I. We sat there for quite a bit, watching regulars walk in after us, & have their drinks in front of them before they even finish pushing in their chair. That's great for the regulars, but what about the ones who aren't? The food seems to be a hit & miss. I've had some really good meals there, & then I've had some really horrible meals there...mainly hot dishes, served cold as if they were left sitting around for awhile before being distributed. The music selection always seems to be pop-country. Not my favorite, but the style of genre isn't the problem. It's that the music is blasted where it's hard to have a conversation with your friends who are sitting right next to you. I always feel like I'm having to shout. Their beer selection is pretty good...for Poway. All around, it's just another sports bar. read more

The good: None. The bad: None of the food I've tried was good. Their menus have food particles in them. The place smells old and musty. There is something wrong with their Dr. Pepper, and one time I found old food residue on the inside of my cup. Completely grossed me out. This place is terrible, terrible, terrible. Ordered the Mainstream burger, the meat was bland and the caramelized onions were overloaded on the burger. They seemed not correctly prepared either. Both times I've gone here they got multiple orders wrong for other people at our table. Just bad. All bad. The verdict: They always say to try something at least twice, and I did (regrettably). This place is terrible. The food doesn't taste good, the restaurant smells, and they can't even get the Dr. Pepper to taste right. read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill must make their money serving alcohol because their food here is a bargain. Mainstream opened about a year ago mainly as a pub, bar, and for dinner. Menu selections range from apps, your typical fried bar food, and full on entrees. In other words, there's something for everyone here. Mainstream just recently added breakfast to their menu and that's exactly what my bud and I came here for. He got their Cowboy Breakfast (2 eggs, ham steak, 2 bacon, 2 sausages, hash browns, and a biscuit) for only $12.95. My homie has a pretty big appetite and even he couldn't finish his meal. He said it was good, but it was just a lot of food. As for me, I didn't fail at cleaning my plate. I killed mine because it was pretty damn good. I had their rib eye steak with egg whites. I had my steak medium-well and also added a few more egg whites just in case. My steak was delicious, especially since I didn't expect much. Service was great. Our waitress was attentive, kept our drinks full, and the food was served in a decent time. As for Ambiance.... I haven't been here for dinner or to watch a game so I can't really comment on how this places rocks during the evenings. All I can say is that there's a dining area, a bar, patio seating, and a bunch of pub style seating. I'm sure I will be back when I'm visiting the homeboy to catch up, watch a game, and for a meal at a great price. read more

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I came in here to support a establishment that supports live local music. When I do this I look at the price of food as my ticket for the music. Our server was good fairly attentive friendlyand made us feel welcome. My friend ordered some onionrings and Chile. He ate the onion rings first. In doing so his Chile got cold be, therefore he didn't like it. The server was nice enough to remove it from the table and the tab. I had a Teryaki burger with pepper jack cheese and pineapple and fries. I asked for medium it came to me in medium well at best. A little dry not terrible. Fairly tasty but could have used more Teryaki sauce. This place is a bar and grill that has free line dancing lessons. I'm not a fan of line dancing. If you are that's fine and dandy. It's just not something I ever wanted to do. I knew I was out of my League when I saw the lessons going on. I never feel comfortable about asking a woman to dance in such places. So I ate my burger and wished I was dancing when the band played a slow don't. I will say they picked a good band. Heidi and the Hurricane. I will return it they hire another band with my friends in it. Other wise it's just too far to drive for dinner. read more

We had a blast here for Super Bowl Sunday. The drinks were poured perfectly, the food was tasty and just what we wanted to recarb up on after a hike, and the service was awesome! Sara and Danielle were super sweet, and we loitered so long that eventually they passed us on the barkeep herself and she was just as kind. We will be back again for sure. If you do Iron Mountain or Potato Chip Rock, this is a cool place to refuel or fuel before you head out! read more

Soooooo happy I found this gem!!! Right in my hood!!! Sarah was our server!!! She was amazing!!! Food is delicious!! And you can't beat the bottomless mimosas!! Only 5.95!!! read more

Hey I'm there 100th review ;) First visit was amazing you can't go wrong with $10.99 prime rib. Second visit service was amazing but our food really wasn't good. I'm going to assume this happened because they had two very large parties and were slammed. Either way I love this place and love that they're very nice but I'm not giving it a 5 star until we go back a 3rd time and from there we will make a full review of this place read more

On my recent adventure, I found myself wandering into a place they call the Mainstream Bar and Grill. We were seated in the patio due to beautiful weather and bad case of not feeling good from the previous night due to reasons I won't state. We were approached by the bartender Kate who was later renamed "The Champagne Goddess" who changed my view of drinks of "being half empty" to "always full". After a great breakfast and even better champagne with a splash of orange juice they call mimosas. We started our walk of shame home. If your looking for great food, great prices and a way to recover from the previous night. I highly suggest you visit Mainstream Bar and Grill. Make sure you pay the "Champagne Goddess (Kate)" a visit and start a new Sunday tradition! Patrick read more

We love this place and the staff. Great food, service and very friendly wait staff. Great atmosphere, something for everybody here. The crew and management are just like family. Thank you read more

We had lunch here Friday... After coming here twice before. Still trying to decide if we'll be back. The first time we went, I ordered the fried zucchini as an appetizer. It's a good thing I hadn't ordered my food yet because these things were huge! That was a good trip... Mid day, my husband and I... But my only complaint would be that we walked out of there with 2 drinks each, a meal (French dip & fries), & an appetizer, costing us over $70. The second time, we decided to go there to try the Cobb salad. We get an AMAZING one down south... But hoped to find something close by. It was about 7 pm and the place wasn't too busy. The waitress was attentive... But the Cobb salad was tiny and cost about $14. I wanted to say, "Are you serious? This is a side salad!" But I'm not one to be rude... At least I try not to be! So I sucked it up and hoped for something amazing. It was far from it! 3rd time... I just felt like having a Bloody Mary. It was afternoon, nobody but us in the place... The bartender was behind the counter the whole time and she never once asked us how our meal was going. We had to get her attention anytime we needed something. For example, the lemon she didn't give me with my water when I'd originally asked for it... More ranch, napkins... I guess I'd just expect a server/bartender with no other customers to be keen on asking, "is everything okay?" at least once during a meal... And to top it off... The Bloody Mary was gross. I hated spending $9 on a drink that I wasn't going to drink, so I choked it down. Then again... The Turkey Melt my husband had (and I stole a bite of) was the BOMB... And I don't even like turkey! So, as you can see, I'm a little conflicted about the place. I'm going to give it 4 stars instead of 3, only because 2 out if 3 times, the service was outstanding! read more

Mainstream is one of my favorite places. They allow my dog on the patio which is amazing. However, the food is not great..... I ordered eggs over medium and an English muffin (the last time). My eggs were not cooked appropriately and my English muffin was warmed up, not toasted, and so much butter it was soggy. I will come back for the coffee.....the food sucks! read more

Had good ole American grub here. Hamburger & chili fries. It was really good. Lots of food, good quality, great atmosphere, service was perfect. Everything was reasonably priced. Management came to check on us near the end of the meal. Whole place was extremely clean (restrooms included). Outside patio was really nice, although we did end up moving inside because we were chilly. It's in a totally out of the way spot and you don't really see it if you're not looking for it. So get in there and give it a shot. read more

I met up with a friend here for a drink. It's in a strip mall. Nothing fancy or outstanding... if you don't live in the area, it's not a spot worthy of driving all the way into Poway for. read more

The bartenders are awesome here (especially Keirsten and Paige)! They have a great happy hour! The food is really good, above average for bar food. Always have a variety of sports playing along with a good mix from the jukebox. Definitely an after work favorite! read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill - Great beer selection and bartender Keirsten - Bars Near Me - Poway, California

Had lunch an after looking over menu I saw lots of Tritip dishes. So thought that must be their specialty, Ordered the salad Tritip with pecans an arugula. What a mistake it arrived with just a handful of arugula on the plate a total of about 5 pecans an thinly sliced on the side 4 or 5 TUFF Tritip over cooked. Waiter never even asked how you would like your meat cooked. Welcome new restaurant in Poway hope u improve or will not last long read more

Visited the Mainstream grill for breakfast this morning , Had crab cake benedict , Which was delicious . Ordered a bloody mary to go with it. After all said and done , We paid our bill. Upon getting ready to leave , Our waitress says oops , I didn't charge you for your drinks , Which this was while we were leaving , She says i'll be nice and not charge you for the coffee , So she says that will be 10.75 for the bloody , I said why so much , She states it was a double . I did not order a double , she says that's how they come . Thinking they should state that when you order one ???? just saying , was not a happy customer, should of covered her own mistake . Especially it was after the fact ... Ken B. read more

Eh...not a whole lot I can say except that myself along with the 4 other people I was with, were totally disappointed. The servers were friendly, but the service was sloooow. The appetizers were mediocre. My friends' beer tasted like soap. I can appreciate cleanliness and this bar definitely is clean, but the soapy beer wasn't cool. The server did offer to replace it though. Anyway, I believe in second chances so I'll probably give it another try during the evening hours. Something tells me I won't be giving Mainstream 5 stars anytime soon. read more

I had the Mainstream burger, no sauce, with tater tots. Best burger I've had in a long time! Highly recommend!

Really let down by this place! My mom and I came for lunch and were surprised at how slow the service and food was, not to mention the fact our waitress completely forgot about us. The place was empty except for a group of what I would call regulars in the bar area. Once the food did arrive I was not at all satisfied with my chef salad that contained ready fresh lettuce, sliced up ham and turkey lunch meat from Costco, hard boiled eggs that were so old the yolk resembled gelatin- but the winner was the 'crouton' sticks that were stale bread -not even toasted- crunchy due to its staleness! Literally a piece of crunchy stale white bread sliced into strips. That was the biggest surprise of all. Would never return- wouldn't even suggest to a person I don't like!! read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill - Chef salad- huge blue cheese clusters, gelatin yolk eggs, white stale bread croutons! - Bars Near Me - Poway, California

Have visited on 3 separate occasions now within the past month. It's a great spot for locals. Incredible value with the great quality and prices. Fish & Chips $8.99 special on Sunday and the $13.99 all you can eat wing Wednesday's are amazing ! Best meatloaf in town !!! read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill - Bars Near Me - Poway, California

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This is always a got to spot for my family, of even for just a mini date night with my hubby! They have different specials practically everyday! The food is usually great, and we always have a nice server! There is even Friday night entertainment, which is always fun! read more

Every time I'm at Mainstream, I'm extremely disappointed in the level of service. Today was absolutely terrible. The place wasn't extremely busy and the bar was half empty. We walked in and it took 5 minutes for someone to greet us. They told us to sit wherever, but then no one came with a menu or even to say hello. Someone else came in and sat and was greeted almost immediately. After 10 minutes we left.. read more

Great Beer Selection! Food was okay...I would stick with the beer! Friendly service! read more

Co-worker and I decided to give this place a try. My first impression is that the place is nice, still new, and clean. I liked that they have an outdoor dining area. The inside is spacious with 3 areas to choose from. They have a large bar with ample imbibing options, they have a belly bar area behind the reception desk with high top tables great for groups of 2-4 people, and then there's the dining room located through a doorway just past the bar. When we walked in we were greeted by a nice young lady, who offered us our choice of where we would like to have lunch, we choose a booth in the dining room. Our waitress didn't waste any time to greet us and bring us each a glass of water, as well as took our drink order. As we browsed the menu, we didn't intend on getting an appetizer for lunch but couldn't help but order the deep fried pickle wrap (ham wrapped pickle that was deep fried), both of us thought it was weird but couldn't wait to try it. We weren't disappointed but I'm not sure if that is something I'd crave or had to have again. On to lunch...I had the Media Noche sandwich and my co-worker got the turkey sandwich. The Media Noche is reminiscent of a cuban sandwich sans being grilled. It was juicy, tasty, and filling...food coma worthy! My co-worker enjoyed his turkey sandwich but it wasn't anything to write home about. The restaurant is a tad bit pricey. Our bill was $33 for the two of us, which we split in half. I think if they offered a lunch only menu with slightly lowered prices, they might be able to attract more lunch crowds. I would grade the interior and service a B+, and grade the food (plating, quality, and taste) a C+/B-. Would I recommend...sure. read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill - Pickle wrap - Pickles wrapped in ham, deep fried in batter. Weird but pretty good. - Bars Near Me - Poway, California

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I am a fan! The drinks are very good, and includes some new fresh ideas such as the 'Poway Punch'. This place would seem great for night time with all their beers on tap and the atmosphere. However I came for lunch. I got a cheese quesadilla. Simple some may say but here they tend to be fancy with putting onions within the confines of the tortillas where the cheese is supposed to go. I wasn't a fan of that, but I will definitely be coming back at dinner time to try it out again! read more

Had lunch yesterday (Sunday) best turkey cranberry wrap ever! Hubby had the steak hash he gave it 5 stars also. Prices are very good as was the service. We'll be regulars now!! V.Cohan with D. Godfrey read more

If you enjoy dining at an eatery that does not have music blasting at you from all directions, this is the place. They have plenty of booths; the menu features a nice variety of entrees (the Mainstream Salad is exceptional); and, their wine selections are well priced. Overall, a very nice ambiance. What made the evening even more pleasing was having Candace as our waitperson. She was professional and personable and went out of her way to make our first visit a very pleasurable experience. Looking forward to stopping by for breakfast/lunch in the future and will definitely ask for Candace's station. read more

I came here 3 weeks ago per the recommendation of my mentor because she tried this new restaurant that replaced Le Peep. I seated my self at the bar lounge area and it was Taco Tuesday. I was really impressed with the extensive selection of beers on tap. They had my favorite, Stella Artois. Our waitress was fabulous, Farah. She was very intuitive to knowing what kind of items on the menu or beers I would like with great explanation. Our water glasses were always refilled without asking and the tacos kept coming! I had a great first impression of this venue that we even met the owner via Farah. It was a very clean and organized venue. They have some mainstream items on the menu however, they have some unique choices as well that are palate pleasing. read more

Came here on a Friday night.. It was pretty slow.. Food was ok.. Service was good.. Drinks were reasonably priced and so was the food.. It's a good place to try.. I think I want to try their brunch next.. Overall it's a decent place to eat in Poway.. Oh yea show them your yelp check in! I got 20% off my entree.. read more

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Went here after work to have some drinks and appetizers with friends. We sat on the patio in plain view of the whole restaurant. Waited 24 minutes and never received service. This was with one of my cohorts going in 3 times to let the staff know we were still waiting, being met with attitude the 3rd time. 2 large groups came in after us with more then 10 people per group, they were promptly greeted and had drink orders taken. Perhaps it was my bright pink shirt or my purple dyed dog, or my friends bright pink dog or the fact that there were only 4 of us- not 10- that made us invisible but 24 minutes of being blatantly ignored is bull crap and I won't be back. read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill - Bars Near Me - Poway, California

This place fits a lot of people - bring your large group here. The food I had was really good, and they have a large variety of beers on tap and hard liquor. Loved the loaded potatoes. Unless you order the specials or during happy hour, be prepared to pay a premium. Our party of 4 with small meals and 3 drinks each came out to be $158. The crowd is on the older side - average age = 50ish. read more

Went there last night to see the band Bonneville7. The bar itself had pretty good food. The service behind the bar was terrible. I had to wave them down several times throughout the night because they made no effort to check on us as we sat at the bar. Each time they wouldn't let me finish what I was saying and walked away during mid sentence. Very rude. One of the times I asked for a margarita and the bartender brought me what tasted like sugar water. The drink itself was clear as water. Didn't look like any margarita I've ever had. it looked and tasted like a sprite. I asked her if she could redo it and she brought me back pretty much the same thing. After 3 sips of it I couldn't bare it so I just left it. The bar also allowed a bunch of young kids In pajamas running around the dance floor as the band was playing which by the look of the adult dancers faces was quite annoying. I even saw people leaving for this reason. 2 stars only because of the food. read more

We always have a great experience at this restaurant. I love the burgers and Thursday night they have discounts. Everything I've ordered has been good and the wait staff is always polite and attentive. read more

You are not going to believe this. Tues is our favorite night at mainstream . Come during happy hour and order the juicy steak and lobster special for 2 with several drinks ..... wait for it ..... $66 dollars . Fabulous. read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill - Bars Near Me - Poway, California

I've checked in today and got the calamari strips which are good, ( They stand by the calamari being fresh) they also have a jalapeño cream sauce that is not spicy at all... I also got the, Mainstream Burger which could have been extremely better! You can tell that the burger was not fire grilled, it's like they heated the burger in the microwave Along with the burger, I got onion rings which in fact was not crunchy (aka not done correctly)... They must have put the onion rings in the microwave as well!!!The onion rings was pretty limp and not much taste. The service is good. This is my third time being here and as I explore the menu, it's starting to seem that it's getting worst. My first time here, appetizers was only order which they seemed to have nailed down. But now, I will have to do further investigation. I give Mainstream Bar and Grill 3 out of 5 stars due to the service shining better than the food. read more

Nothing special at all. Mediocre food though edible and satisfying. It is your typical neighborhood bar with zero bells and whistles. It also lacks character. The prices are standard bar prices. Service is friendly. read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill - Tequila - Bars Near Me - Poway, California

Delicious food, catered to our party of 50+! Service was fast and food was fresh. Wide variety of food and drinks. We highly recommend it!

Three stars due to the inconsistency in service. Sara needs to focus more on her job then useless gabbing. I don't mind conversation but when it's holding up my food or coffee no thanks. Food is top notch five star all the way. Sara is an idiot, if by chance you end up with molly as your server you will be in good hands. Afternoon service and into the night is great. read more

We had a wonderful morning celebrating Mom's birthday. Food was excellent, but what made it special was our server, Laurie. She made us all feel special and her service was the best we've ever had! read more