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    Pillbox Tavern

    4.3 (565 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Pillbox Tavern Photos

    Business Info

    PILLBOX TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Pillbox Tavern

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    Our group of bikes by the outdoor seating
    Andrew S.

    This is the best spot. Food is so good and atmosphere so chill. Not a dive bar, but a casual beach bar with indoor and outdoor seating. A favorite spot with my riding buddies but also a spot to bring the wife or girlfriend. Great burgers, tacos, amazing fish and chips and more.

    Outside
    Trecia L.

    My husband and I came here on a Thursday night since we were in the area. We were able to find a parking spot in the parking area for the shopping strip. The place was busy but we were able to find a spot at the bar to order food. The bartender took our order and it came out in a reasonable amount of time. I ordered the beer battered fish and chips which were battered nicely and came with a small container of tartar sauce. My husband ordered the Shrimp Al Mezcal and he enjoyed it very much. The sauce had good flavor and the shrimp was nicely cooked. Overall the food was great. Great casual neighborhood spot.

    Nice place. We love the bar and the food is delicious. Service is great too.
    Annette C.

    Always a great place. I'd love the pillbox plate. They're macaroni salad is to die for. My husband loves the tacos. Definitely a good place to visit in Solana Beach.

    Hank
    Jodi B.

    We love Pillbox, the staff and their dog friendly patio. We are happy to hear the patio will be permanent as well.

    Outside
    Dan M.

    Driven by this corner so many times and never noticed this little tavern tucked away at this busy intersection. Fortunately we decided to stop by after hiking nearby and wanting a snack. We found parking on the side streets in the back (probably not easy on a weekend since this is close to the beach). The menu is better than what you would expect for bar/tavern. We enjoyed a salad and a sandwich. They have a good craft beer menu that rotates as well with local selections. They have several TV screens so would make a good viewing place for the big game. Staff were friendly too.

    Wings + guac and chips!
    Daryl K.

    If you are catching a game.... this is the place! TVs everywhere, atmosphere is on fire , happy hour is lit, and great selection of food items! Ordered the wings to start and were absolutely some of the best wings we have ever had! Lemon pepper dry rub and buffalo were bomb.com. Server was on point and ready to bring a new drink / fill waters for the whole game. Bloody Mary and list of beers on tap were fantastic. Had a blast with the family and other fans cheering on our team!

    Baja chicken salad
    Binh P.

    Nice spot with a good amount of seating near the beach. Food was interesting. Got the baja chicken salad and although I did enjoy it, it could be a pretty strange flavor combo. It had tender chicken drenched in bbq sauce sitting on top of lettuce, corn, black beans, onions, and tortilla strips mixed with ranch. Initially the bbq sauce was overwhelming, but after mixing with the ranch it got tastier. Chicken was crazy tender, on some bites I thought I was eating canned tuna. Just wished there was more corn or beans added. The waitress was really friendly. And I enjoyed the tall glass of pineapple juice, very generous.

    Dog friendly patio and comfortable, covered seating

    Very small and busy but Ally was our server and we may have just gotten lucky, because she was one of the most organized servers we've ever had! She never lost pace refreshing our drinks, and making sure we had everything we needed. to grab a perfect table on the patio so we could bring our little fur baby:) The food is top of the line pub grub and we really enjoyed our time! As close to a 5 star experience as ever...

    June gloom
    Grace M.

    4.5! The food and service were amazing. The waitress was really helpful and attentive. I enjoyed the pillhouse burger and the Philly cheese steak. Lots of food for the price. They were out of the happy hour Mac and cheese though :(. The only issue I had was when eating outside there was no lighting. However, they do have heaters available if needed. The beers were also really yummy. Open seating available.

    Potato skins mango habanero and ranch sriracha wings  Fish tacos: one fried cod, 2 grilled mahi, one pastor Noonish cocktails

    We had a great first experience at Pillbox! Some of the best wings we've had in awhile. Everything was the perfect temperature too. Would be a great spot to come watch some sports games. Great service as well and vibes.

    Potato Skins with Ranch

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    Was great ambiance just off the Solana Beach access. Outdoor patio was very nice. Had the wings and Mac salad

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    2 months ago

    Good bar food but especially the well seasoned tater tots that went with my hamburger.. A very friendly environment

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    Page 1 of 15

    Ask the Community - Pillbox Tavern

    What are the prices?

    It’s not expensive.

    Do you have a trivia night?

    I’m sorry. We do not.

    View All 3 Questions

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    This place gave us one of those experiences that you just don't want to end…read more My wife and I came here to relax, enjoy some good drinks, and take in the sunset, and honestly, everything came together perfectly. We were lucky enough to get a table by the window, and sitting there with the ocean breeze coming through while watching the sunset was absolutely beautiful. There's just something special about dining right by the beach. The atmosphere is relaxed, the views are incredible, and the whole place has that perfect beach vibe that makes you want to stay a little longer. We started with a couple of Mai Tais, and WOW... they were so good! The bartenders were wonderful--friendly, attentive, and clearly know how to make a great drink. And we have to talk about the Hula Pie! The combination of creamy ice cream, rich fudge, and that delicious cookie-style crust was seriously hard to resist. Let's just say we enjoyed every single bite! What we loved most was that it wasn't just about the food or the drinks. It was the whole experience--the ocean right beside us, the breeze, the sunset, and the beautiful surroundings. We didn't order a full meal this time, but that just gives us another reason to come back. Next time, we're definitely trying the food and will keep you posted! Thank you for giving us such a memorable evening. We'll absolutely be back when we're in the area!

    Street parking was a bit difficult to find but valet was easy and only $10…read more We were seated with a great view of the beach! Service was quick and the food was delicious. Our server was friendly professional and even gave my daughter a free dessert as it was her birthday. The view of the beach maybe my favorite you can simply walk to the water from your table window (definitely not recommending but you're that close it's tempting)

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    Viewpoint Brewing

    Viewpoint Brewing

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    This is probably my favorite brewery in all of San Diego as the views here are pretty sick and you…read morecan spot some cool birds while enjoying a beer and some food. I wonder if this is a location on eBird. Yes, I am a dork. I came here years ago while on a business trip and randomly found this place and loved it here. So when a date suggested we come here, I took a look at the venue and remembered what an awesome brewery this is! Date gets some brownie points for chosing this spot, maybe this could go somewhere haha. Parking is a situation here. But if you go past the restaurant, there is some parking on the road and in small lot meant for those enjoying nature. I felt bad taking one of these spots. There is paid public parking on the corner before the restaurant and valet is available at this brewery. I need to figure out another way to get here... On a Sunday afternoon, place had people but it wasnt mobbed. Baseball game and Del Mar horse races were showing on the TVs. But, don't come here to watch TV, look outside! I saw some very good bird action, including an egret doing some weird strutting in the lush greenery. I am bummed I forgot to bring my binoculars but I will be back here again soon with binocs ready! I started off with a hefeweisen and that was good, date had a Mexican lager x 2. I had the ceviche (pretty good) and had the aioli on the side. Date had a sandwich of some kind and copious amounts of fries. It took a lot of will power for me to not have any of those fries, they looked so yummy! I also had a watermelon beer, this had hints of watermelon flavor and I enjoyed it. Great spot for large groups too as there were a few large parties sitting in the "outside" space. Hostess initially asked if we wanted to sit "inside" or "outside," and I was confused as it all looked like outside to me haha. I guess this is SoCal, everything is open air. This is a nice spot to have convo, very spacious, lots of nice tables, we sat at a high top. I love perching higher up, kinda of like a bird haha! Waitresses here were all very good, some very cute too (eye candy is always appreciated). Overall, a really fun way to spend a Sunday summer afternoon! I'll be back!

    Seven of us had dinner at Viewpoint last night, reservations for a table right by the lagoon, and…read morethe view was really pretty. Valet parking for $6 on site was easy and smooth. The restaurant is really loud when crowded and you can only talk to the person right next to you, but that worked ok in a group of 7 anyway--we just had multiple mini conversations. If you're planning a large group gathering, you might have to play musical chairs to catch up with everyone, unless everyone has naturally loud voices that carry. Most of the people in our group ordered beers, but I ordered a nonalcoholic prickly pear hibiscus ginger beer which was ok--pretty subtle, but it quenches the thirst all the same. I ordered the Farmer's burger (black bean) with added avocado and a side salad which comes with a lemon vinaigrette. I had to eat it with a knife and fork after removing the top bun. Very tasty. My daughter ordered crispy shrimp tacos which she really enjoyed. Most people ordered the backyard burger which looked pretty good--choice of fries or side salad. Freddy our server was friendly and helpful. Overall a good dining experience!

    Photos
    The bar area with the TV
    The bar area with the TV
    Burger - came with their homemade sauce that has mayonnaise so we had it on the side.
    Burger - came with their homemade sauce that has mayonnaise so we had it on the side.
    Outdoor seating with heaters

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    Outdoor seating with heaters
    Postino Del Mar

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    I LOVE Postino Del Mar so much! If you're in the mood for a…read moreglass of wine (or personal pitcher of beer) this is the perfect place. long happy hour with $7 glasses of wine (+ beer pitcher) food is not on HH but nothing is expensive bring a friend and order a bruschetta board so you can sample different one's ...eat piece of bruschetta is cut into 4 pieces which makes it easy to share. My 2 fav. food items are the cauliflower and the order of skewers. comes with 1 chicken & 1 beef but you can make them both chicken or both beef (upcharge for 2 beef) they are both sooo tasty it's hard to decide so i like having one of each. service is fabulous!!! tons of outdoor seating and indoor seating. the bar seating is also indoor and outdoor...so many seating choices!!

    Super yummy spot! Loved that there were bruschetta boards you could share, unfortunately did not…read morehave a chance to get them, but next time! I got the watermelon spritz - super super yummy and refreshing! Also the chicken salad was good too although the portions were quite small there! The fried cauliflower was also delicious, but there wasn't enough sauce - but still really good! Service was super quick, and they split the check for our items for every single person on our table! There was about 12 of us! Super nice place, great for a date, happy hour for work, friends or family gatherings, def will come back again!

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    Harry's Coffee Shop

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    Harry's Coffee Shop - Del Mar What a charming spot! This…read morevintage corner restaurant has such a great vibe--cozy, classic, and full of character. Wendy was wonderful: friendly, attentive, and refreshingly honest. When I asked if the corned beef hash was homemade, she didn't hesitate to say no, which I really appreciated. That kind of straightforward service goes a long way. I switched to the avocado toast with feta, diced tomatoes, and a side salad. The toast itself with sunny-side-up eggs was perfect--fresh, flavorful, and just right. The salad dressing wasn't my favorite, so next time I'll simply ask to leave the salad off. Easy fix. My husband ordered the BW Benny and absolutely loved it. He cleaned the plate, which is always the best endorsement. We also shared a cappuccino that was excellent--smooth and well-made. Overall, a solid breakfast experience with great service and a lovely atmosphere. We'll be back!

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    Interior
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    Green eggs and ham scramble
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    Egg white scramble

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    Egg white scramble
    Solana Beach Kitchen

    Solana Beach Kitchen

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    I recently visited Solana Beach Kitchen and honestly had such a great experience that I had to…read moreshare. From the moment we arrived, the service really stood out. The manager, Andrea, along with Tara, took amazing care of me and my friends. They were attentive without being overbearing, super friendly, and made us feel genuinely welcome the whole time, which is something you don't always get. I ordered an Aperol Spritz, (if you ever ordered, please get it with campari. we also got a margarita, both were perfectly made. The spritz was refreshing and well-balanced, and the margarita was just as good, not too sweet and really smooth. Definitely a great start to the night. The food was just as impressive. Everything came out surprisingly fast, especially considering how good it was. You can tell there's real attention to quality and flavor. The ambiance is another highlight. It has this relaxed, chill vibe but still feels put together and a little bit "cute" in the best way. It's the kind of place that works perfectly whether you're going on a date, catching up with friends, or just want a nice casual dinner without it feeling basic. Overall, great service, delicious food, quick turnaround, and a really enjoyable atmosphere. I'll definitely be coming back

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    Photos
    Awesome food enjoyed on a great Friday night.
    Awesome food enjoyed on a great Friday night.
    Beef skewers
    Beef skewers
    Flowers for Baby and Bourbon Banger. Delicious cocktails.

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    Flowers for Baby and Bourbon Banger. Delicious cocktails.
    Salt  + Lime

    Salt + Lime

    4.3
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    Locally owned & operated
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    YUMMY!!!!! The food was sooo good AND they had lots of vegan and vegetarian and healthier items to…read moreorder if you didn't want to eat traditional taco joint food. Our server was fine and friendly. The food came out quickly. We had the chips and salsa (excellent). I asked for a non spicy salsa and my friends wanted spicy so they brought some of each. We split the the Heart of Palm Ceviche! So amazing and it was big with a beautiful presentation. Just delicious. I could have eaten that alone with no other items. It was a vegan Ceviche and the fish was not missed. My friends ordered really cool cocktails and raved about them. My one friend said that this is the only place she can get this particular cocktail and that she comes here just for it. I ordered 2 tacos (Mr. Asparagus and the Baja fish taco). Both delicious and they came with housemade potato chips (which I thought was weird until I tasted them). I was so full but I couldn't not eat the chips because they were so good. One friend ordered the Quesabirria and she didn't love it. It was very strange as it was wrapped in fried cheese. They also ordered the other tacos and loved them. The only one that didn't get a thumbs up was the Quesabirria. I am looking forward to introducing this restaurant to other friends. So good!

    A tourist location that is one of many on the street. The nice appearance catches your eye...S…read more Sorry, I can't get bast the receipt details.

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    Won Tostada:
 Marinated Tune/Chipotle Mayo/Avocado/Pickled Onion/Sesame Seeds/Chives/Masago
    Won Tostada: Marinated Tune/Chipotle Mayo/Avocado/Pickled Onion/Sesame Seeds/Chives/Masago
    Potato Taquitos:
 Mashed Potato/Shredded Lettuce/Crema/Cotija Cheese/Pickled Onions/Green Salsa

    See all

    Potato Taquitos: Mashed Potato/Shredded Lettuce/Crema/Cotija Cheese/Pickled Onions/Green Salsa
    Nick's Del Mar

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    I'm more blown away by the great service than the food, but even the food was wonderful. Out of all…read morethe Nick's locations, this one was by far in the best location in terms of things to do around and accessibility with parking (though it is only 2 hours free). The restaurant was beautiful and extremely clean. The ambience was really inviting and warm. The service was definitely top tier. We ordered a lot, which we started with the asparagus fries and california salad. For entries, we ordered the sea bass, fried chicken, and bistro plate. All of them were super delicious! We really appreciated the portion sizes as well. Out of all the dishes, the sea bass was the best. The fish basically melted in your mouth. Lastly, 100% order the butter cake. It's what Nick's is known for. It comes with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can easily share this with 2-3 people.

    Came here for the first time and was disappointed unfortunately…read more Started off with their spicy margarita and their peachy plane. Both were okay. Then we had the deviled eggs. The eggs were deep fried and because of that felt rather drying so these were also just alright. Our entrees included the prime rib sandwich and the pork ribs. The pork ribs and the mash potatoes they came with lacked flavor. Everything was "'meh" with the exception of the soup which was tasty. But the prime rib sandwich was PHENOMENAL. Those were sadly the only two things I'd recommend here. It was very expensive for two entrees and two drinks so given the quality won't be worth another visit for me. Interior is indoor outdoor and cute but there was a lot of leaking from the ceiling when we were there from the AC. Kind of odd that people were seated by those leaks where water was dripping less than a foot away. Service was okay. There's a parking structure nearby that makes parking easy.

    Photos
    Nick's Del Mar
    Spinach & Artichoke Dip
    Spinach & Artichoke Dip
    Asparagus fries on the appetizer menu. Really good!

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    Asparagus fries on the appetizer menu. Really good!

    Pillbox Tavern - tradamerican - Updated August 2026

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