Have been to this restaurant few times for different occasions. Sorry, but never happy with their food. Had avocado toast this time. It was two huge pieces of toast, eggs too runny and some parts not even cooked which made the untoasted bread very soggy. I find Elmisa's better. read more

Another weekly lunch outing with my work crew. Mainstream is a good sandwich or burger place. There were six of us and the waitress handled us very well. Service was great, she even handled an interruption with ease. I had a Reuben sandwich and tots. Everything was yummy and cooked well. Tip: Received a 20% off on check in from Yelp. read more

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Just take my advice with several years in the service industry , don't have your reunion or larger party here , the service was so slow because they didn't have a bartender on our side of the venue and they should have had at least two. The food was terrible and cold. Then the owner came out and told us to get off the dance floor so people could dance and we were actually dancing wtf ???? The vibe was heavy, 1984 had fun because that's what we do but i would not have an event there again . read more

I came here with my sister yesterday and ordered some small salads and appetizers. Each small salad about $10-$11 dollars. My Caesar salad had a lot of dressing but the chicken was tasty. My sisters Greek salad was good. I forgot the name of her appetizer but it was a fried roll with pickle, ham and cream cheese. It looked extremely greasy to me so I didn't try it but sister enjoyed it. I ordered the fried zucchini and it didn't taste good at all. It was extremely greasy/oily and the ranch didn't taste good as well. The zucchini looked like it was battered in that "beer batter" you would use for fish tacos. I wouldn't personally come back here again but my sister did enjoy her food. This is why I gave it a 4 star. read more

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This the 3rd time I have eaten at this restaurant. The second time I swore I would not return but I was invited by friends so I went. Previously I had ordered a blue cheese burger. It was incredibly greasy as were the onion rings. This time I tried to order something that couldn't be messed up. I ordered a Cobb salad. Now for $18 you would expect a nice salad. Salad is usually a mix of vegetables but in this case it was only iceberg lettuce and a few slivers of sun dried tomatoes. There was a decent amount of chicken, boiled eggs and ham. I was very disappointed. Turns out you can do a poor job on a salad. read more

The service is so bad. Zach never came back to take our order, I went to the bar and the woman told us to wait at table. It was Monday night. Terrible service. read more

Tucked away in a plaza on Poway Road, Mainstream offers up on of the best burgers in the neighborhood. Service was good and their menu has a ton of choices, but man that jalapeño burger! I've tried a few other things on the menu, and they were fine, but did I mention the burger?? read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill - Jalapeno Burger- so good. - Bars Near Me - Poway, California

Such a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon! Amazing food, drink and staff. We got to see School of Rock Scripps Ranch perform live outdoors, felt a little more back to normal life. The entire staff here at Mainstream are super helpful and amazing. They went out of their way to help set-up the space for equipment and they were always checking on us and right on top of our orders. they didn't miss a beat! We brought home food, I got a grilled chicken sandwich with the Mac salad (one of the best mac salads I've had) and the sandwich was huge. Jameson got the burger with fries and really liked it. An overall amazing local place with some awesome people! read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill - It's 5 o'clock somewhere - Bars Near Me - Poway, California

Food stunk, drinks were weak, & service was slow. Disappointing because I brought my wife to enjoy the great food, decent drinks & OK service the guys get when we go there for lunch (Only reason the rating is a 3). Found an 8 inch long piece of fat in my food, which the waitress acknowledge but didn't do anything about it. Totally different experience we won't be going back for dinner again. read more

Mainstream seems to market itself as a local, homey, restaurant with regular live music. The food is fine, but it doesn't taste fresh in the slightest. The Fried Fresh Zucchini tasted ok, but not "fresh" at all. Made locally or originally frozen... either way, tasted mushy (not crispy) and microwaved. The ranch dipping sauce flavored it up a bit. Mainstream Stuffed Potato (jumbo sized) was fine... mine was topped with carne asada, grilled onions, mozzarella cheese, butter, and sour cream. It was hard to scoop the insides because the potato itself wasn't cooked properly. The Ribeye Teriyaki Bites were enjoyable, but it was a small order with nothing on the side. Should have had been accompanied by rice or veggies, especially for the price. It didn't taste microwaved, but it was doused in Teriyaki (I'm a fan of Teriyaki, so I enjoyed). The service had been solid every time I've been there. read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill - Ribeye Teriyaki Bites - Bars Near Me - Poway, California

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Mainstream Bar & Grill is tremendously 'meh.' After being a Poway local for many years, I finally tried this eatery just to get an opinion of it. The menu seemed like your basic run of the mill burgers and cafe plates. The ambiance needs work. It's pretty dark, but it was comfortable. I thought it was interesting that when the Poway Fire Department engine sirens go off next door, lights in the restaurant also flash red. Strange but kinda cute. Our server was great and altogether a really nice woman. Now for the real downfall.. the food, flies, and glassware (or lack thereof). I really don't like drinking out of plastic water cups at sit down/ table service restaurants. This isn't a pizza parlor, so plastic cups felt like a cut corner. Even Denny's serves drinks in glassware. The food was severely sub par. The kids pasta was literally sitting in a puddle of water. The salad lettuce did seem fresh, but the ranch dressing was really unpleasant. I also saw many fruit flies and a moth, I was swatting around our food the whole time. This restaurant has potential but it's got big changes to make before I go again. First a clearer concept. It feels so hodgepodge, the fire alarm lights, the dios de Los muertos murals, the religious crosses on the wall, the country music. The vibe needs fixing, it's awkward. Couple that with an updated menu, fresher ingredients, cleaner air space, improved lighting, and nobody setting up office space in the dining room booths. That's what an office is for lol read more

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Best food in Poway! Great staff and the owner is very friendly and accommodating! My favorite place to go for great food. They make you feel at home! read more

One of my friends is still struggling with the loss of her husband, so another friend and I wanted to take her out to get her mind off things and to show our friend that we care about her. I invited several of our friends and we were able to get together a party of 9 friends to show our love to our friend who is struggling. On short notice, I searched for a restaurant that would be able to accommodate our party. I contacted Mainstream Bar and Grill and they met my party size and reservation time request. Mainstream is located on the east end of Poway on the corner of Poway Road and Community Road. The restaurant is situated in the Michael's and Grocery Outlet shopping center. Little Caesars and Five Guys is also located in this shopping center. There is indoor and outdoor seating. Inside the restaurant are plenty of mounted televisions where you can watch a litany of sports. Our party sat outside in a sectioned off area that looked like railings holding cattle. Mainstream is spacious where there was plenty of seating whether you decide to sit inside or outside. Our waitress was friendly and provided quality customer service. Mainstream doesn't officially take reservations, but they get kudos for having our table set up for us at the 5pm time I had requested. This was my first visit to Mainstream. I had heard positive things about the restaurant, but I had a little hesitation about selecting this restaurant for our get together because of it's Yelp 3.5 star rating. Please do not let this deter you from dining at Mainstream. While we were dining, there were plenty of diners eating and I liked how a group of Poway Deputy Sheriffs ate there, which indicates that Mainstream supports law enforcement. The menu has a good selection of food and I liked that they have daily specials. We ate there on Monday with Monday's special being called Baja Monday where you can select different tacos at a variety of prices depending on the meat you choose for your taco. These tacos aren't your tiny street tacos. These tacos were substantial and were fulfilling. I selected one fish taco, one carnitas taco, and one shrimp taco. These tacos were wrapped in a soft, fried tortilla and you get plenty of meat to chow down on with each taco filled with a different type of cheese and vegetables. I thoroughly enjoyed the tacos and thought each type was tasty. I ordered a side of fries and just like the tacos, they were quality made. The fries were golden brown, crunchy, and I thought they complemented my tacos really well. It truly was a blessing for my friends and I to get together to support our friend during her time of need. Mainstream Bar and Grill served as a great location with delicious food and quality customer service to show our friend that we care about her. read more

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Great happy hour, love this place, multiple tvs to catch the game , service is good, food exceptional

Thought it a bit weird that there weren't more people in the restaurant on a Friday evening. We sat ourselves, and our server took care of us. She was great, but the food left a lot to be desired. We ordered the fried zucchini as an appetizer, and they were great. I ordered the strips and garlic fries. The strips were overcooked, and I like my food well done, but they were super crispy. The garlic fries weren't too bad. My wife had the surf and turf. The crab cake was very good, but the ribeye could've used more seasoning. I will say, the bar seemed to be the place to be. More folks were in there than the restaurant. read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill - Ribeye, vegetables, and crab cake - Bars Near Me - Poway, California

We recently threw at 60th birthday party in the back room of Mainstream for about 45 people. Brian The general manager was a extremely accommodating and was able to give us a wonderful selection of food for our price range. The service was impeccable, the entertainment is always good there. I highly recommend Mainstream for any birthday or holiday event. We are thankful that they are close by, friendly and very affordable! read more

Visited this establishment on Saturday night. Aside from the horrible band that was playing, I feel compelled to mention that the bartender was making drinks in a shaker and drinking what was left inside after he poured. I was disgusted. None of the staffed looked happy to be there, so maybe there was a reason for his indulgence. read more

Hit or miss but most the time it's good. Great apps. Breakfast bowls are good. Reasonable prices. It's gone a little downhill but for the most part food is good and service is always good. read more

We had dinner last night. Cassie was our server, she was amazing. What wasn't amazing was management having one person serve an entire room! We were part of a big party. One would think management would have said no to either the party or not have other tables serviced. Again not the servers fault. read more

This place is close to work and good for group lunches and happy hour, but I would say the food is just OK. I ordered the ahi salad and there was way too much dressing on it. I guess next time maybe I will ask for the dressing to be on the side. Live and learn. read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill - ahi salad... ask for the dressing on the side so they don't over do it - Bars Near Me - Poway, California

Walked out before ordering was completed. I asked for a burger well done and the waiter informed me that his grandfather "Doug" was a physician and had extensively studied and determined that well done was actually worse for you than ? Rare? Hamburger? I asked what "Doug's" last name was and what peer-reviewed journal he was published in. Mr waiter wouldn't say but was determined to argue the point so we went to Habit Burger across the street where burgers are "well done". read more

I will say, the waiters were super friendly and attentive. Upon entering, The place smelled musty, like old hotel carpet. The food was just okay (tasted like food at a fast-food joint) my biggest disappointment was that I sat next to the kitchen and all I could smell was the cooks smoking weed! read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill - Cooks smoking weed in the kitchen - Bars Near Me - Poway, California

The bands are amazing on the weekends and sometimes two bands!. The service is great. The food is okay, it's typical fried bar food. My friends liked the pool tables. read more

The cooks and waitresses don't communicate. I am a vegetarian and asked for an omelette with green peppers and onions and received a Denver, which comes with ham and cheese that I didn't want, omelette. I was told I could scrape the ham out and give it to the dogs. HUH? read more

Good lunch spot. Food was fresh and good. Service was on point and friendly. We had the chips and dueling dips to start. Then the BLT for me and chicken fried steak for him. We both left full and happy. read more

Tonight we tried the new Mexican restaurant inside Mainstream. Terrible!! Salsa had no flavor, spice and just a bowl of tomatoes with unsalted cold chips. Guacamole was flavorless. Tasted like it was made from processed guacamole not fresh avocados. The taquitos were dry, no sour cream, cheese or guacamole. Such a disappointment tonight. 2 other orders were sent back to the kitchen also. The waitress on the other hand was great and terrific attitude even though we all hated our food. Definitely won't ever return. read more

Have not been here since before the pandemic. But wanted to solicit our local businesses. Tried their Carne Asada Taco Monday Special. They just threw in a few bits of meat and alot of cabbage. No flavor at all. Beans were ok. But will never order them again. I will give them one more shot. read more

If you love mediocrity then this is you place! It was just me and my girlfriend and a surprise guest joined us later, we will discuss the guest later. I ordered the seafood burrito and retried beans. My girlfriend ordered the chicken fried steak. Both meals came out Luke warm. My Burrito had no flavor. It was just ok. The beans tasted like they just came out of the can. Maybe if it had come out of the kitchen hot it might have tasted better but who knows. Same for the chicken fried steak. The Gravy was ok. It was very close to being flavorable but then it missed the mark. Also Luke warm and veggies had all the flavor steamed out. Now for the guest. When we sat down the waitress said "let me clean your table." She wiped it down with a dish rag. She then left to get our drinks and left the rag. It became a little game between my girlfriend as to when the waitress would notice and remove the rag. Well after several trips to our table for refills and to clear our plates the rag just sat there. I placed it on the check after we paid. read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill - Our dinner guest. Mr Rag - Bars Near Me - Poway, California

We had a great time and the food was wonderful! Happy hour appetizers were terrific! Ally was awesome!

Our first time having breakfast here and let me tell you, it was Wonderful! Starting with the coffee, biscuits and gravy, mainstream eggs Benedict orange juice and Denver omelet, fabulous everything was great! Definitely coming back for more!! read more

Service good once someone knew we were outside Got there told bartender ( younger lady with darker hair) that we planned to eat outside she said "ok" waited another 10 min went inside, bartender saw me looked over 4x and nothing! No "have you been helped" etc!! Finally flagged down a waitress and let her know and she said " oh no one told me you were here"?! The food was delicious, this was just an issue with Customer service. So if your going to have a seat yourself sign up in front, check for folks outside too. Seems like due to covid, its gone down everywhere sadly. read more

We recently chose Mainstream Bar and Grill in Poway for a birthday party with almost 30 ladies. Most restaurants cringe at a party that large, but this restaurant could not have been more accommodating. They welcomed us, and sent us a wonderful server named Casie. I cannot say enough good things about her. She was relaxed, organized, very friendly and fun, and nothing we asked for flustered her. The food was tasty served quickly for a party our size, and hot. We were allowed individual checks, which made it easy for us. Casie even initiated a happy birthday song for our honorees! we had a very enjoyable time and will definitely be returning. If you go, try the wonderful variety of half pound burgers, large enough to share. Move over, Islands! read more

Great prices and local grub. Open later than most... Give them a shot next time your in the neighborhood.

It's bar food, not good, not bad... But unless you're into constant f*cking and d*mn language from the bartenders (especially the foul-mouthed blonde), stay out of the bar and keep to the restaurant, or find somewhere else entirely. Very coarse ambience in the bar, and it was early Thursday evening! read more

Cool new spot in Carlsbad. Food is good, drinks are priced well and the staff is pretty awesome. I've been there multiple times since they opened a little over 2 weeks ago. Two thumbs up from me..... read more

Probobaly more 3.75 stars. I randomly stopped in here to have a late breakfast but changed my mind and ordered a bison burger. It was late morning so the breakfast crowd was thinning out and the lunch crowd had not yet arrived. It was open seating and I was quickly given a menu. Service was friendly and efficient. I sat in the bar area but they also have a restaurant side. My bison burger was pretty good. It was cooked to order and was filling. The carmelized onions added a nice flavoring to the meat. Sweet potato fries were good. They refilled my soda went it was low. Overall a nice lunch. It is located on the end of a stripmall that has plenty of parking. The parking is easier behind the restaurant. read more

***Wonderful find in our own backyard! Diverse and appetizing menu! EXTREMELY friendly servers! You had me at hello... and the $5.95 bottomless mimosas on Sunday! Thank you Leslie!! ----------------- Another wonderful meal and service! Thank you Leslie!!! read more

Mainstream Bar and Grill - Fantastic fish tacos! - Bars Near Me - Poway, California

I have in the past loved Mainstream. The present is another story. The food is nothing special. I ordered Jalepeno Poppers., the menu says stuffed with cheese. I guess I expected Fresh jalapeños and was disappointed in being served breaded manufactured jalapeños that I can by frozen at a market. The Baja Del Mar on the menu was shrimp, scallops, avocado. It came and was like Soup with some mini scallops with cheap shrimp a few ava avocado bits swimming in a sauce. Mainstream used to have great food it has become a cheap food restaurant . The service was great. read more

Went to watch Rockaholics a couple weeks and they were great. Food was ok, drinks were on point, great value. Friendly waitress and bartender, good people ! Chill place to hang read more

I visited this place twice in the past 2 months. The first was for a birthday party group of 10 and our first time here. Second was for group of 5. Our family and friends had a great experience in both visits to this great location. Food is very good and very reasonable. Good value. What makes this restaurant so special is its people. In a world of poor customer service, it's important to thank those who excel. Jonathon Del Vecchio and on our second visit, Brittany, were both exceptional. Friendliness, attention to the small details, and following up throughout service are a few of the unexpected rewards of our visits. Family friendly for sure. Do yourself a favor and try them out. I'm 40 minutes away in Oceanside, but I'll be back. read more