I have one complaint. Just one. It's huge for me but not for many. This complaint does not effect my overall rating of the food, atmosphere or service. Read on please. Located next door to one of my favorite watering holes, I am surprised I have not dined here more often. It is most definitely deserving of high praise. Months ago I was at Saddle Bar and starving. The bartender suggested I go next door and get something and bring it back if I liked. Mentioning, the place has the same owner it would not be an issue. So I did. however, I only ordered hot wings, munched em down then returned to my beer. They were good and that was that. I was happy. I did not go back for quite a while. No reason. I just didn't. Last night was different. I was only hungry. Not interested in a beer, just hungry. So, I went to Pillbox for dinner. Now here's the problem - I have been wanting a Tuna Melt for a long time. The menu says something like fresh tuna, on sourdough bread with cheese etc... etc... plus a side of your choice - fries, tater tots, cole slaw... their wording is much more attractive than mine and it jumped off the menu and into my heart so heavily, I was sold. No need to look further on the menu. The nice cheerful waitress "are you ready to order" so I ask, "Does the tuna melt have pickles mixed in it? I hate pickles and it's not listed on the menu." I asked that in it's entirety. The cheerful waitress says "No. There are no pickles in our tuna melt". Then says, "but let me double check for you". She returns and tells me, "Yes. there are pickles in the tuna melt". Now on one hand I laughed a little inside but on the other I was pissed. I apologized to her because my frustration was outwardly expressed in her direction. She graciously seemed unaffected and remained cheerful. That is a sign of a great server, waiter or waitress. I felt bad. However, I do not understand why restaurants do not list pickles on the menu when they mix them in. Yuck!!! I hate pickles! I'll get back to this at the end. Moving on I chose a Pepper Steak Sandwich with fries. Equally inviting on the menu I was happy that I found a back up and, what a back up it was. It was fantastic. Peppery it definitely was, and in a wonderfully tasty way. It was, it is, very very good. I loved it. Alisa ordered Marinated Steak Tips which comes with sauteed onions and mushrooms and garlic bread of which she shared a few bites with me. It too, was fantastic. The cooks here are amazing. they have taken a rather modest size place and made it into a new favorite place for me to dine. Craft beers, old rock n roll videos and some various sports channels playing throughout. This place rocks and compliments Saddle Bar right next door. Getting back to the pickle issue... I posted a thread on facebook when I got home that reads as follows - "Please let me know if I'm a freak for not liking pickles in my tuna melt, tuna salad etc..." I am still receiving results but after less than 24 hours and 38 responses the majority seem to stand on my side of the line. Most people do not like pickles in their tuna. There are a few people that spoke up only to call me a freak without taking a stand on the issue but even those considered, at this point, the majority does not like pickles in their tuna. So why? Oh why, do the cooks insist on tainting the wonderful taste of tuna with the awful, jacked up taste of pickles when the menu does not mention it at all? You can add pickles to a tuna melt but you cannot remove them. Even this in consideration, you must try Pillbox Tavern. If you like pickles, you'll love this place. If you hate pickles, do not order the Tuna Melt. You will still love Pillbox Tavern. It is just that good. Dammit. It is just so damn good I am forced to overlook the whole issue and give it 5 stars. Even the nasty pickle cannot turn me away from this place. P.S. Please send me your "Pickle Vote" in a PM, compliment, drive by pickling or courier pigeon. If I get enough votes for "Bad, is the Pickle" I might just be able to put a stop to all this madness. P.S. P.S. --- DO NOT deliver your vote via "Drive by Pickling". That is a joke. I will hunt you down and force feed you pickles in your most undesirable nightmarish ways. read more

Lovely location walking distance to fletcher cove beach. Ordered the rib tips. So satisfied didnt expect to have such good BBQ like this on the beach basically. Kiddo killed a quesadilla. I tried it liked it too. Wife absolutely loved the burger and her bacon was perfect. The beans with my rob tips was very good crispy little bits and a great bbq sauce for both. Ive been to the top spots in KC and still have to admit this place was doing it right. read more

My husband and I recently moved to the area and we are now regulars at Pillbox! The wings are hands-down amazing. My favorite is the dry rub Old Bay and his is the traditional buffalo. Both are outstanding. Best in the area. Brunch is great there as well! read more

We went to Pillbox for a couple of beers and takeout wings to celebrate Fat Tuesday. Liz was our bartender and waitress - she was a joy. Chatted with us about the beers, brought samples of the different wing sauces for us to try and all of the little extras we asked for were in the to go bag - really nice. The place itself is clean, quaint and has a really nice, homey feel to it. We have been in there a few times since it opened, however, last night's experience will probably make us regulars. Keep up the great work. Thanks again for the nice experience Liz. read more

After driving with my friend for over an hour trying to find somewhere to eat, I pulled up Yelp and stumbled upon some pictures of this restaurant and immediately directed my friend here, and I was not let down. A cute little dine in. We had the queso appetizer which we fell in love with and honestly could have filled us up but we didn't stop their. I had simply the chicken tenders but the melted in my mouth and some wonderfully made fries. The service was good and relatively fast. I didn't purchase and alcoholic beverages but I did note they had many local beers on tap to choose from. Loved this place and would definitely come again read more

Awesome place!! Liz and Michael made me feel very welcomed as I sat at the bar alone. The food was amazing, the drinks were perfectly mixed and the service was awesome! Great little bar walking distance to fletcher cove, would definitely recommend this place to anyone! Oh and the patio is pet friendly :) You definitely won't be disappointed. Oh, and when you're done eating, walk on down to Saddle Bar and enjoy the music! read more

Very excited to have this place nearby! My fiance wanted to try this place out but I was in the mood for something that wasn't super heavy and wasn't sure if this place would be able to offer that up. I checked out the menu and boy was I wrong! The menu had tons of options ranging from light to heavy dishes. Items were of great variety and the menu was kept to a good number of items. I really believe there is something for everyone on this menu without it being pages long! My fiance had the burger with fries. He loved the burger although it was a little bit overcooked. I had the mahi mahi sandwich served on a wheat bun with coleslaw. It was absolutely delish and had a great chunky pineapple mango salsa atop the fish and a creamy spread on the bun. The mahi was simply cooked, blackened and not one bit oily. The coleslaw was the perfect accompaniment and also was on the lighter side, not overly dressed in mayo. Prices were fair at $9 for the burger and $12 for the mahi sandwich both inclusive of the side. They have a small but good selection of craft beers which I imagine rotate. My fiance enjoyed the Racer5 and Grapefruit Sculpin. We were there on a Monday night and they offer a $10 beer and burger deal but he didn't partake because the beer choice was limited to Dos Equis and Coors Light. Next time I will try a cocktail there! I am sure they are great. The place is pretty small and gets crowded quickly. The place has a very open and airy feel with the garage style door open to the beach breeze. Only complaint was there were a ton of tvs everywhere for such a small place. We are not big sports fans but if we were we might appreciate them more! Definitely give it a try! Welcome to Solana Beach Pillbox! See you again soon! read more

Absolutely love this place. I believe his name is Brian. He's behind the bar and he's absolutely amazing. I knew him from when he worked at another bar in San Diego. The drinks are consistent. The food is always delicious. Has a consistent ambience and amazing customer service. Thank you I will definitely be coming back. read more

If you're in Solana Beach, this is the spot to be! Great beer selection, great food, great atmosphere, and even better service. Ashlee is the bomb! read more

Pretty awesome spot, about the price range you would expect for the area. I ordered a burger on ubereats, it was about a half hour late so they comp'd my entire meal, what a class act. read more

Had the veggie and black bean quesadilla and husband had the fish and chips the food was very good. Loved the cheese backed on top of quesadilla and how they cooked the fries. read more

2nd time here and AWESOME service! Our server, Audrey, was very attentive despite the Fiesta del Sol crowd. Good drinks and yummy Ceaser salad! New fav in Solana! read more

Solana needs another good bar. This place is small but has a lot of TVs, decent food, and friendly staff. I'd definitely go back. Daily specials too. read more

We went to a party catered by Chef Shelly and can not stop talking about the fabulous food! Loved everything she served! Thanks, Mike, for hosting and letting us in on this tremendous culinary delight! We will be frequenting the Pillbox regularly and tell everyone about this great place! read more

I've been terribly lax in my yelp reviews of late and I would like to remedy that by reviewing my favorite place to eat in Solana Beach: Pillbox Tavern. Here's what's up: Pillbox is a clean, bright, comfortably little gastro-pub in the heart of Solana Beach. Its location is perfect; walking distance to Fletcher cove, the design district, and the re-vamped 101 highway. Lots different seating styles and a killer staff that takes care of you and makes you feel wanted and at home every time you're there. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I can't stress that enough. I work in service and I can say that about maybe one other place I frequent. This staff knows their stuff and makes you feel welcome. They have a great beer selection, cocktail list, and the bartenders there kick-ass. I highly reccomended the Old Bay wings (the only place in San Diego that I've found doing Maryland style wings!) And the steak tips with aioli sauce are absolute money. Stop. Do yourself a favor. Go to pillbox. You'll thank me later. read more

The food is good and fresh. The kitchen is accommodating. Staff is very friendly. There are big open windows and plenty of fresh air. Plenty of TVs to watch sports. All in all, a good experience. read more

I like this spot for hamburgers, salads, and beer. The only downside is that it is small and can be hard to get seating. There is usually outdoor seating but it gets kind of windy and cold. The cocktails are good too. I have come here with family and friends and it is a good place to host friends visiting us in Solana Beach. read more

Great spot, outdoor/indoor seating. We had a really attentive waitress. Healthy salad options, delicious coconut cilantro jalapeño rice (must try) and yummy dishes that our kids approved of. read more

I love a good local bar and this place does not disappoint. Wonderful choices for food and decent drink prices. Wonderful for watching football read more

My wife and I had a great time coming here for dinner! The portions were larger than expected and tasted great. The service was good and the beach near by is amazing. read more

Small but perfect location, excellent food and wide variety of craft beers on tap. They also served a couple very alcohol kombuchas,veggie options and totally took me by surprise on how great everything tasted. read more

We loved it! Food was excellent and the service was great. Very cozy place with lots of personality. Will definitely eat here again.

It's a very cool place that I found bc of its great reviews on yelp. Instead of going to our usual spot (pizza port), my friend and I were looking for a place with more fresh air and nice seating near solana beach Amtrak station. Luckily we found this spot only about 5 minute walk from the station. There are many big TVs here with a full bar so it was a perfect fit when we were looking for a cool spot to eat, drink, and catch some sports on TV. I was also pleasantly surprised that they had grapefruit sculpin on tap! We ordered some chicken wings and a po boy sandwich. As much as I like the atmosphere of this place, I was a bit disappointed with the food. The wings tasted very fried, so they were very hard and tough to eat although the flavor was fine. The po boy sandwich was okay, but nothing too special (felt the seafood was also overfried). If they can improve on the quality of the food, I would definitely want to come back here! read more

Pillbox Tavern - American Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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Solid weeknight fare and good to catch a game... These guys have great wings, good burger, and solid pub grub all around.

Excellent BU pre-funk meeting place. Great HH appetizers and nicely priced drinks. Wings were perfect....only wished they offered blue cheese as well as the ranch dressing. HH Nachos use a spicy cheese sauce that actually worked well. Definitely will stop by again. read more

Solana beach is one of my favorite parts of North County in which to hang out. Aside from the sun and sand, there are a bevy of bars. taverns, gastropubs and restaurants in which to satisfy your food and beverage hankerings. Pillbox is one such place that has caught my attention. I have never seen it anything less than busy and I have not had an item on the menu that I did not enjoy. For those who find themselves in need of a hot (or not so hot) wing fix, they have 13 different styles to choose from. My absolute favorite so far was "Dante's Inferno". They were hot, could have been a little hotter for me but, I digress, sriracha dressed, garlic infused bundles of yum. Other tasty options I have had the opportunity to demolish include the classic Buffalo Style and the Gangham Style wings. Both extremely well done. The Beer battered fish and chips is also a must have. I can honestly say this is one of the better versions I have eaten this side of the "Pond". Though, the times I had it in the UK, I was not all that impressed. My only gripe and the reason for the four stars is a lack of direction for the customers on extremely busy nights. It would be nice to have a hostess or greeter of some sort so one does not have to stare at the multitude of patrons waiting for a table to magically appear in order to swoop in like a vulture. Other than that, our service at the bar, when we finally got a chance to swoop in, was fantastic as were our beverages and food. The rest of the staff seemed quite friendly as well. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying out another set of tasty wings too! read more

Oh hello to my new taco Tuesday spot! The pictures don't do this place justice. Friendly surfer-like bar- it is small yet personable and I loved the layout with options of long bar-height tables or patio seating. It was very clean and bright with light wood and lighting- really refreshing compared to all of these "the darker the better" bars. Our server was very friendly and the drinks were a decent pour. The fish tacos were great and they have specials on a lot of other things besides that. This is my new favorite spot in Solana and only a small walk to the beach itself. read more

Food was awesome, service was great, drinks were good and we loved the atmosphere. We were in town with a group of 6 people, everyone had something different and everything was amazing! read more

My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this place. The food is really good. He had fish and chips which were delicious and I had a steak salad with spinach, candied walnuts and cranberries. Our server was super talkative and friendly, his name was Michael I believe. Definitely a place to check out. The restaurant is small but great staff, good food and great location, not on the beach but close enough. read more

My favorite local spot in Solana! Great food and good vibes. Everyone that works here is so friendly too. It's also a great spot to watch sports. read more

Great location. Fun vibe. I recommend the homemade chicken egg rolls. I highly DO NOT RECOMMEND the taco plate. $13 for two small tacos and a few chips on the side??!! Absolutely ridiculous. If you charge $6.50 per taco I would expect a side of beans, rice, and at least a dollop of sour cream. The term Taco Plate is misleading and disappointing. Other than that it's a good local spot and not a franchise. read more

Worth the trek from San Diego just to see our favorite bartender Woody!! Drinks were wonderful!! Natural, sugar free ginger beer to make the mules pop, plus the perfect amount of pepper and spice to make a bloody beer hit the spot! But the food tho!! Chef is killin' it back there! Fried pickles and ceviche were outstanding, followed by a hearty and delish salad and mahi tacos!! Can't say enough good things about this quaint little spot! Will be back for more....the chili is calling my name! Thanks for the grade A service woods, you're the best! read more

Great spot to watch football with awesome food and drinks. Comfortable with very friendly staff. Would definitely recommend this place.

Definitely some of the best wings you will find in Del Mar/Solana beach. They have a Wednesday 20% off wing special that shouldn't be missed. You can't go wrong with this local favorite. read more

I work across the street at Dirty Dogs and am a regular for a quesadilla and cold beer. I don't think I've ever felt a single moment of disappointment in this awesome shop! Liz is the best and has made some rough days bearable with her rad attitude and perfect pours and the chefs/cooks know exactly what they're doing with the delicious food. If you have a chance to stop for brunch I HIGHLY recommend "The Sandy". I have never tasted a better breakfast sandwich! I'd post photos but I ate my sandwich before I got the chance read more

I've been here a few times now - was not overly excited the first time (early on when they first opened), but since then, I'm a huge fan! I took my office to happy hour one evening and we sampled a ton of appetizers. They were all amazing - fired pickles, asian wings, steak tips , hummus. Lately I've been ordering the Chopped Salad during my lunch break. It's pricey when you add chicken, but that's because it could feed five people. They do not skimp on the goodies at all. It feels like a 5 pound kettleball when they hand it too me. I don't recall having a salad that was packed so generously - no two bites of avocado or a teaspoon of bacon here. It's loaded. My only suggestion would be that the balsamic vinaigrette needs a little more pizzazz. Love this place! read more

Dined here three times, each meal and drink beyond satisfied! Great local atmosphere and can't beat locale.

Visited Pillbox Tavern with wife for the first time tonight. First impression when walking inside was good - place is clean with modern decor. We started with the Queso Fundido appetizer, which was excellent. The texture was rich and the dish was served piping hot (including the chips!) with peppery overtones. I ordered 10 wings - half Buffalo and half Dante's Inferno, both flavors spicy and superb. Wings were perfectly cooked with a crispy edge under the sauce. I was unable to finish the order, leaving 4 wings for take home. My wife had the Monday night Burger and Brew combo. Her burger was perfectly cooked and topped with avocado, cheese, and bacon, all with no upcharge as part of the special. Service was prompt and friendly. An all around great experience - will definitely be back to the Pillbox! read more

Place is amazing, they have great food and great beers and drinks specials. The staff is totally friendly and take care of you. The chef comes out of the kitchen to check on you. Really kid and family friendly, we will be here weekly. read more

This spot is BOMB. Burgers are on point | Tater tots are major key | Wings are fire | Good beer selection. NICE SPOT!!!!